Natural Nutmeg May 2011

Natural Nutmeg Connecticut's Resource For Living Naturally

May 2011

Mottoes to Live By Bernie Siegel, MD

Lyme Disease: Looking Beyond Borrelia Dr. Tom Moorcroft, DO

Can Your Lifestyle Be Causing Bone Loss?

Deanna M. Cherrone, MD

Menopausal Sleep Issues: The Adrenal Connection Debra Gibson, ND

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HAYFEVER? FOOD INTOLERANCES? SPRING OR FALL ALLERGIES?

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Non-invasive testing and therapies

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publisher'sletter

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recently heard two people talking about how much they loved their life and how grateful they were that everything seemed to be working out exactly as planned. I listened as they both discussed their struggles in the beginning to get their businesses off the ground and agonized about how it often felt like a leap of faith. What was clear to me in listening to them was that they were persistent in knowing that they were on the right path even when it appeared like things weren’t taking off and they seemed to be guided from a higher source on their choices and decisions about how to make their businesses more successful. I left that evening happy to hear their stories, yet sad knowing that so many people either give up their dreams or have forgotten how to dream. I think it’s because we’ve lost our flow and without flow it’s near impossible to achieve your dreams. At the same time, without dreams, it’s hard to get in the flow.

What does getting in the flow mean? It means understanding coincidences and synchronicities that happen to you and utilizing them to make your life easier and more joyful. Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have such an easy life and everything seems to go their way? It’s not through luck or chance. Everyone has the ability and power to live their life this way; it’s just a matter of learning and applying the tools and techniques. Focus on the following and see what happens in your life.

1. Be Open: to new opportunities, new experiences, new friends. Remember that a gift may not always come in the package you expect. You may not think you have room in your life for a new friend or acquaintance, but he or she may be the person that leads you to the new job or relationship you’re looking for.

2. Be Still: at least once a day if only for a few minutes. It is in this time that you may hear the answer to your question or find the solution to your problem. This is difficult in our fast-paced world and finding time for yourself may seem selfish if you have a busy family, but if you don’t take time to care for yourself how can you take care of others?

3. Be Passionate: about something in your life. So many people have lost their passion and trudge through life day after day. Find one thing you love to do each week and do it! Watch how the rest of your life and the lives around you improve when you are doing something you truly enjoy.

And lastly, don’t forget to start dreaming again. Remember when you were a child and you’d spend much of your day creating imaginary games and day-dreaming? You believed you could do or be anything. Maybe you think that’s unrealistic or you don’t have time to day-dream. Think again – studies show the top business people, inventors, actors, musicians and scientists all use imagination and dreaming to create things in their work and lives. Take 5 minutes a day to find some quiet time and think about what you want in your life. How can you have the life or career of your dreams if you don’t spend time thinking about what it is you want? A wise man told me that if you can visualize what you want, you’re more than halfway to having it. This tells me that I can dream my life into being.

In health and happiness,

Do you know what this is?

It’s called a QR Barcode & here’s how it works A QR code is a specific matrix code readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and smart phones. Users with a smartphone can download a free application called the QR barcode and then scan the image of the QR Code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the phone’s browser.

QR Codes enable mobile smart phone users to instantly jump from the printed materials to online content with just a click.

Get more information instantly, share with others via email or text message.

It’s all in the palm of your hand.

Look for these QR codes on selected ads throughout the magazine.

We hope this new feature to Natural Nutmeg will enhance your reading.

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In this Issue Lyme Disease: Looking Beyond Borrelia Dr. Tom Moorcroft, DO 12

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

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

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Can Your Lifestyle Be Causing Bone Loss?

Deanna M. Cherrone, MD 22

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

The Lyme Conspiracy: An Interview with Joseph Bradley Deb Percival 34

ADVERTISING SALES Dr. Diane Hindman advertising@naturalnutmeg.com Aimee Chandler aimee@naturalnutmeg.com

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Departments Newsbriefs 8

ADVISORY BOARD Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. • Desmond Ebanks, M.D. Henry Sobo, MD • Ann Aresco, N.D. • Debra Gibson, ND Richard Duenas, D.C. • C. Evers Whyte, DC, DACBN David Johnston, DO • Tom Moorcroft, D.O. Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, LAc, CCH

Prescription for Living 10 Supplements 101 26

Natural Nutmeg Magazine

Movement as Medicine 28

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

Healthy Self 35

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

Healthy Pet 36

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

Menopausal Sleep Issues: The Adrenal Connection Debra Gibson, ND 16

Healthy Cooking 40 Calendar 41

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Resources 46 NaturalNutmeg.com

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news & notes

Dr. John Monaco Discusses Bio-Identical Hormones for Women and Men

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ryce Rx Laboratories, Inc. is pleased to welcome Dr. John Monaco of the Monaco Center for Health & Healing for a discussion on bio-identical hormones for women and men on May 5th at 7pm at Bryce Rx Labs, 30 Buxton Farms Rd in Stamford.

Hormones…the very word makes you think of cancer and bad side-effects. However, not all hormones are created equal. Synthetic hormones taken orally have very different effects in the body than natural bio-identical hormones administered topically (through the skin) in cream form. Oral hormones are metabolized through the liver and can have adverse effects on that organ. All of the positive effects of balanced hormones on cholesterol, growth hormone, blood pressure, blood clotting, etc. are negated by oral synthetic hormones.

As early as age 35 women and men see declines in all hormones: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, growth hormone, DHEA, thyroid, pregnenolone, and adrenal hormones. The effect of this inevitable decline in hormone function is a rise in the diseases of aging: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and mental decline. In short, we age because our hormones decline. There is a mountain of medical research that illustrates the dangers of hormone loss. By the time a women enters menopause, she may have already experienced two decades of hormonal imbalance and estrogen dominance. After menopause, when all hormone levels decrease significantly, aging women are at an increased risk of major diseases.

To register, call 800-798-7279 or email Jennifer@brycerx.com.

Cost $20.

Community Based Healthy Aging, Wellness and Weight Loss Program at North Stonington Senior Center

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he North Stonington Recreation Commission is inviting you to join in an initiative to improve your over-all health by promoting and teaching healthy lifestyle habits. The program, held on May 5th, at 7pm, will be under the direction of Dr. Christopher Z. Lachowski, DC, MS, DACBN who will teach the educational workshops. This program is based on a National Institute of Health study funded program that supports the guidelines proposed by the AMA, ADA and AHA that lifestyle management should be the first line of treatment and prevention of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

We will discuss the healthy living lifestyle habits that promote healthy aging and prevent the onset of chronic diseases, including how to design a balanced whole food based eating plan and a sensible balanced exercise program with exercise demonstrations.

Participants will be encouraged to bring their “best tasting” recipes to share with everyone and to form support groups to help motivate each other to achieve success. A weekly prize for the best tasting recipe will be awarded. A program workbook for $20 and a pre and post BIA body composition bio-marker test for $40 will be available to purchase separately.

Dr. Chris is a resident of NS and is a licensed chiropractic physician. He has a masters’ degree in nutrition, is a board certified clinical nutritionist by the ACBN and is a certified instructor in lifestyle medicine who currently provides lifestyle counseling for patients at his office. Pre-registration is required, please call 860-535-2162.

When you see this...

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and scan the code with your Smart Phone to visit the website.

The Milkman is Back Your personal milkman at The Milkman Company delivers farm fresh foods and dairy products directly to your door

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he Milkman Company delivers only the best tasting products that we can obtain locally, because the taste matters to you and because the taste can indicate how well the herds, crops and soil were treated. We intentionally seek out the family farms that allow their herds to graze in open pastures. We avoid farms that routinely use growth hormones or antibiotics on their animals. We buy from the most humane and sustainably managed farms because we drink this milk ourselves. We seek out farmers practicing organic and sustainable farming because we like knowing that we are consuming less of the chemicals spread around by the typical corporate farm.

We at the Milkman Company have visited the local farms. We have met the farmers and their animals. We have visited the pastures and the milking barns. We have visited the various facilities for bottling milk and cream, and making yogurt, cheese and butter. We have visited farms that raise our eggs and meat. We have done what most of you would do to find out where your food is coming from. It can be serious work, but we enjoy our jobs.

We believe that we feel better when we consume our locally produced dairy products. Raw milk, low temperature pasteurization, organic farming, probiotics, and other product choices are yours to make. Organic and sustainable farming practices put less pesticide, herbicide and chemical fertilizer in the environment and us. The results are yours to evaluate.

For more information contact Ed Hartz at the Milkman Company at (203) 426-7141 or email at themilkmancompany@earthlink.net.

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The Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing Introduces Naturopathy and Hypnosis

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he Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing is pleased to introduce its newest members: Jonathan Goodman, N.D., William Priftis, C.H., and Norton Berkowitz, Ph.D., C.H. Dr. Goodman, author of “The Omega Solution,” is a licensed naturopathic physician with over 10 years of clinical practice experience. Mr. Priftis is a certified hypnotist specializing in management of chronic pain/stress, smoking cessation, and weight loss. Dr. Berkowitz is a certified hypnotist and Past Life Regression therapist who helps patients by releasing past traumas.

The Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing is located at 533 Cottage Grove Road in Bloomfield, CT. For directions or more information, please call 860-243-2224 or visit www.cmgmds.com/cihh.html.

Sedona Energy Healer Comes to Center for Integrative Health Care & Healing

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ay 23rd - 25th, Penny Lane, from “Awaken Your Magic,” located in Sedona, AZ, will be available for Intuitive Energy healing sessions at CIHH. Penny is trained in many different forms of energy healing including Reiki, Reconnective Healing, and Quantum Healing. She works intuitively, combining and channeling a variety of frequencies, tailored to a clients’ needs. She also offers psychic readings, life path guidance, and animal Reiki.

Call (860)243-2224 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Tunxis C.C. Hosts Earthstock Celebration

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he community is invited to Earthstock Connecticut, an ecofriendly “green” celebration, on Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the courtyard at Tunxis Community College in Farmington.

Admission is free. Rain date is May 8. The event features close to 70 eco-minded vendors and exhibitors, music, food and family activities.

Some of the highlights include performances on a solar powered stage by Boxx of Roxx, The Green Jazz Band, and John Mayock and The Homesteaders. Participants can also take part in drumming circles by Power of the Drum and Garden of Beats, face painting, hula hoop dancing, rides on the Roaming Railroad’s electric engine train, and greetings with costumed characters.

Vendors will sell items such as jewelry, crafts, candles, apparel, handbags, soap, honey, all natural cleaning products, and more. A portion of proceeds from these sales will be donated to the Tunxis Community College Sustainable Energy Fund.

For a complete list of vendors, demonstrations and a schedule of performances and activities, visit www.earthstockconnecticut.com.

Tunxis and CT Environmental Headlines are sponsors of the event.

Earthstock Connecticut is one of a series of events at Tunxis Community College celebrating 40 years of education in the Farmington Valley and beyond. The College first opened for classes in October 1970 and currently offers over 60 associate’s degrees and certificates, providing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that prepare students for transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and employment in areas with industry need.

For more on 40th anniversary events at Tunxis, visit tunxis.commnet.edu/40th.

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prescription for living

by Bernie Siegel, MD

Mottoes to Live By

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1. Don’t feel totally, irrevocably, eternally responsible for everything. That’s my job.

And a country western song says if all the doors are shut look for an open window. Yes, that is survival behavior because it opens you to the possibilities which can occur and I have seen it happen in my life too. So whether related to a disease or an event I don’t start creating a terrible future in my mind. I live for today and create my future and make my own weather.

2. Everything you remember I forget. Everything you forget I remember.

4. Thank you for everything, I have no complaint whatsoever. I have discussed this previously so just live it.

3. If you go around saying I have a miserable life I’ll show you what miserable really is. If you go around saying I have a wonderful life I’ll show you what wonderful really is.

I hope some of the above is helpful to you and most of all repeat them to your children because they need to be given mottoes to live by and put into a hypnotic trance which is life enhancing and not destructive. When all we tell our children is how terrible and unfair life is they will live that message, but when it becomes a gift to them and they find happiness they live a successful, creative and joyful life.

When I ask an audience, “Is life fair?” They all yell “No!” I respond, “It must be fair. You’re all complaining.” Yes, it is fair but as I said it is also difficult. So prepare your kids for difficulties.

There are psychological genetics too. Meaning if you give your children no resources to survive by they will lead a tragic life. But if you teach them how to deal with adversity they will have resources when tough times come. The will to live is a powerful force when one’s life is threatened.

ver God’s desk are three plaques. How do I know that? I am a consultant to the Board of Director’s of Heaven. The plaques read:

Remember you can change your attitude or your life. Either one works when you stop giving your power away. Other mottoes to live by which I have learned about are also helpful for surviving and thriving.

1. Enjoy yourself it’s later than you think. You and I are all here for a limited amount of time so why spend it being unhappy or resentful and bitter about what has happened or what some did to you. I don’t let other people’s actions rob me of my life’s time. So take some time off because time isn’t money…it is everything. Spend more time with the people and things you love and less time with the things and people you don’t love and who don’t love you.

2. This too shall pass. Yes, we will recover and life will go on and we’ll be telling stories about it in the future to our children and grandchildren. So learn from your problems and let them teach you how to nurture yourself and your life the way hunger leads you to seek nourishment. Life goes on so behave like a survivor and help those less fortunate than you. Volunteers and lovers live longer healthier lives.

3. Troubles and difficulties are God’s redirections and something good will come from them. Norman Vincent Peale told me his mother always said, “Norman, if God closes one door, further down the corridor another will be open.”

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

Please call for info or to register for Bernie's group. (860) 651-1172, www. wisdomoftheages.biz, berniesiegelmd.com. See ad on page 36. 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.

Unity Center

for Practical Spirituality Celebration Service Sundays at 10:30 am (childcare provided)

Our Ongoing Events A Course in Miracles, Mon & Wed at 10 am Thought Exchange, Mon at 7 pm Reiki Healing Circle, last Thu at 7 pm A Course in Miracles, Tue at 7 pm Metaphysical Movie Night, 2nd Fri. at 7 pm

For more information and Special Events, please visit us on the web!

Rev. Shawn Moninger 10 Natural Nutmeg

3 Main St, Norwalk, CT 06851 www.unitycenterps.org (203) 855-7922

Our mission: to continually discover, demonstrate and educate that our source of Good is God within.

Our vision: Unity Center for Practical Spirituality is a thriving community which demonstrates the practical value of spiritual principle by living with the confidence that limitless possiblity in all things exists and is available to everyone.

How to Choose Your Nutrition Expert as Carefully as You Select Your Food

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tanding in the grocery aisle or local market, you carefully evaluate the bounty before you. Sniffing, squeezing and visually examining each piece, you try to find the freshest, most flavorful choice of fruits and vegetables. You check the labels on dairy and meat to make sure it is antibiotic free. Maybe you prefer grass-fed meat because it has a better nutritional profile.

You travel from farmers market to health food store to gourmet shop to insure the foods you serve are nutritious and tasty, and you may ask the advice of a nutrition professional to help make those choices. But have you examined and selected your nutrition expert with the same care and concern as the foods you buy?

Many people get their nutrition advice from friends, family, colleagues, or the media. It should be easy right? We all eat, and everyone knows something about food.

But the messages out there often conflict, and the latest fad is rarely the greatest. Since good nutrition is such a vital component of good health, it makes sense to use the same rigorous standards in selecting your nutrition advisor as you use to choose a doctor, lawyer or even your produce! The options in your “expert” may surprise you. While the title “dietitian” can only legally be used by those who have completed a particular program of education and testing, the term “nutritionist” is unregulated, and can be used by anyone regardless of training or experience.

Some nutritionist credentials indicate a solid course of study, yet others can be obtained in a weekend or less.

Registered Dietitian (RD) Registered Dietitians are the largest group of nutrition experts working with the public. In order to use the RD title, one must be certified through the American Dietetic Association. Becoming certified requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree which incorporates a defined syllabus of clinical coursework including anatomy, organic chemistry and nutrition and food sciences, the completion of a clinical internship, followed by successful execution of a national exam, and maintenance of appropriate continuing education coursework. Many Registered Dietitians also have obtained a Master’s or PhD. In Connecticut, they are licensed by the state, and are the only nutri-

tion professionals employed by hospitals. While RDs are knowledgeable in the use of dietary modification for a variety of ailments, a sub-group of RDs known as Dietitians in Functional Medicine are experts in the area of integrative nutrition. A DIFM RD can easily be found at www.integrativerd.org.

Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) The American College of Nutrition certified the CNS, who must have an advanced degree in nutrition or an allied field, complete 1000 hours of supervised training and sit for a national exam. A number of RDs also have CNS certification, and while many work in academia and research settings, some Certified Nutrition Specialists do maintain a private practice. Continuing education is necessary to maintain credentials.

Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) A certified Clinical Nutritionist has been certified by the International and American Association of Clinical Nutrition. In order to be certified, a CCN must have a Bachelor of Science degree which includes: clinical coursework in subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, and nutrition science, 56 hours of additional CCN coursework and successful completion of the CCN exam. Continuing education is required to maintain credentials, and alternative nutrition is the focus.

Diploma in Certified Nutritionist (Dip. CN) The Huntington College of Health Sciences offers a six course online program in nutrition, after which one can sit for the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board exam.

No supervised experience is necessary.

Holistic Health Coach The Institute of Integrative Nutrition is a licensed vocational school which offers certification as a Health Coach after completion of an online course of training which includes lectures by some well known experts

in the field of holistic health. Forty modules of approximately three hours each must be completed, and a test is taken after completion of each set of ten modules. The program does not claim nor imply that any clinical training is provided, but instead focuses on coaching as a way to make positive lifestyle change. No prior education is required, nor is continuing education.

Certified Nutrition Consultant (CNC ®) The Certified Nutrition Consultant has completed a series of eleven open-book exams pertaining to nutrition. They must have one year of previous education or experience in the field of nutrition at any level to enter the program. The certifying organization is the American Association of Nutrition Consultants, who clearly states that they are not a school, and provide no textbooks or coursework.

While the credentials vary widely among supposed nutrition professionals, there are well trained professionals with whom you may not click, and nutritionists with lesser training who may have gained additional knowledge on their own. Call or meet with your prospective expert and question them on their education and experience, to make sure there is a good fit. In addition, it is important to feel comfortable with your expert, and develop a relationship of mutual trust and respect. While the fragrance of a cantaloupe can tell you when to choose it, selecting your nutrition expert requires a little more research.

Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www. holcarenutrition.com). Vicki works with infants, children and adults with digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD, autism and other chronic illness, and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. Vicki has extensive experience in using dietary modification, appropriate supplementation and functional lab testing to achieve optimal wellness. She can be reached at 203.834.9949 or vicki@holcarenutrition.com. See ad page 33.

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Lyme Disease: Looking Beyond Borrelia

By Tom Moorcroft, DO

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yme disease and other tick-borne illnesses have reached epidemic proportions in Connecticut and in much of the United States. One of the greatest difficulties facing patients and physicians is that Lyme disease rarely presents with the classic symptoms reported in medical textbooks. Rather, Lyme has been called the new “Great Imitator” because it can look like almost any other disease and commonly looks like several different diseases at the same time.

Historically, Syphillis was the first “great imitator.”

In this article, we will review some Lyme Basics, including what Lyme is, how people get it, how physicians make the diagnosis of Lyme disease and how it is commonly treated. We will also review the less well-known but more common presentations of acute and chronic Lyme disease, symptoms in children (as children act much differently than adults when they are infected with Lyme disease), and individualized approaches to treatment.

Lyme Basics Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Ixodes scapularis tick. This tick is better known by its common name the blacklegged or deer tick. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Cases of Lyme have been reported in all 50 states. Summer is the peak time for people to get deer tick bites , but since symptoms may not show themselves for 1-3 months or more after transmission, it’s important to keep Lyme in mind year round.

Deer ticks can be active during all months of the year; however, peak incidence of Lyme transmission occurs during the summer months. Adult deer-tick activity peaks in early spring and again in mid-fall. Adult ticks account for transmission of about 5% of reported cases of Lyme disease. The much smaller nymphal tick, that is about the size of a poppy seed, is responsible for about 95% of cases of Lyme and is most active from mid-May through late August in Connecticut. However, I’ve personally seen nymphs active in Connecticut as late as October.

Nymphal ticks feed for 4 days while adult ticks feed for 5-7 days. The rate of transmission of Lyme from the bite of an infected tick increases over time. Transmission over the first 48 hours is about 12%, however it increases dramatically to 75% at 72 hours and 94% at 96 hours.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that reported cases of Lyme disease are about 10% of actual

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cases that meet their surveillance criteria. This means that up to 90% of cases that meet these criteria are not being reported. Currently, more than 20,000 cases of Lyme disease are being reported each year in the United States. If unreported cases are as prevalent as suspected, then there are likely more than 200,000 new cases per year.

This would mean that each year 5 times more people would contract Lyme than HIV/AIDS. Lyme disease has reached epidemic proportions in the Northeastern states, including Connecticut. In 2009, the Connecticut statewide incidence of Lyme disease was 122 cases per 100,000 people, with some counties reaching a rate of 252 cases per 100,000. This is a startling increase when compared to the 2004 statewide incidence of 40 per 100,000. If CDC estimates are correct that would mean that approximately 1 in 100 people in Connecticut become infected with Lyme disease each year. Approximately 25% of the people who become infected with Lyme are children.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease A red rash with central clearing (bull’s eye), called erythema migrans (EM), is diagnostic of Lyme disease. Studies show that 4069% of people have the classic EM rash; however, physicians report that this rate may be as low as 10%. This rash may not occur at the bite site. Patients may present with multiple EM rashes or other types of rashes. Fifty to seventy-five percent of those infected with Lyme disease do not remember having had a tick bite.

Lyme is a complex, multi-system disease that has the potential to affect every organ system in the body. The most common symptoms of acute Lyme disease include flu-like symptoms, migratory joint and muscle pains, fatigue, headache, cognitive dysfunction (often called brain fog) and migratory paresthesias (a numb or tingly feeling).

Some patients experience sound and light sensitivity as well as eye pain.

Because Lyme can present with many different, seemingly unrelated symptoms, patients may be misdiagnosed with conditions including depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Severe cases of Lyme can cause heart block (a blockage in the heart’s electrical system), meningitis (inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain itself), amongst other problems. More than 350 medical conditions have been noted to be caused or associated with Lyme disease in

peer-reviewed medical journals. Early detection and treatment can help prevent the late manifestations of Lyme that are often severe and difficult to treat.

Children and Lyme Disease Children under the age of 15 account for 25% of reported cases of Lyme disease. While some children present with the more common features of Lyme disease that we have already discussed, many of them present in ways that are much different than adults. Many children develop sleep problems, including nightmares. New onset bedwetting may also develop. Daytime urinary frequency is often seen. Some children present with odd skin sensations, others with discomfort when being touched. They often complain of headaches that can range from mild to debilitating. Commonly, children present with isolated neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal changes. This makes the diagnosis of Lyme disease in children more challenging as well as more crucial.

Neuropsychiatric changes can range from mild to downright scary to parents and teachers. Children may experience acute changes in personality, abrupt behavioral changes, uncharacteristic outbursts, and trouble tolerating their normal environment. Some children have outbursts of rage; this is often directed at one family member or schoolmate. Children may also have problems with speech and motor skills leading to rapidly declining grades.

Difficulty in processing auditory input often appears as a lack of focus leading a child to be misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some children with Lyme disease develop problems with sensory integration and have a difficult time focusing when they are exposed to multiple stimuli at once. This leads to confusion and, in turn, poor behavior.

Happy children may become irritable and sad. Children may have an abrupt change in their mood to the point they are depressed, anxious, psychotic, and even suicidal. If this is the case, it is important to consider Lyme disease as well as co-infection with Bartonella henselae. Some previously outgoing and gregarious children become withdrawn or reluctant to play. Children may develop odd, repetitive behaviors and/or tics. When several of these symptoms are seen in the same child, they may be misdiagnosed with autism.

Children and adolescents often exhibit Lyme disease symptoms in the GI tract. These include abominal pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and blood in the stool. Gastrointestinal Lyme disease may mimic colitis or Crohn’s disease. Small intestinal bac-

teria overgrowth may be present. H. pylori is frequently resistant to treatment if Lyme disease is also present in the GI tract. Co-infections including babesia, bartonella, and mycoplasma, have been found in the GI tract.

Co-infections are other infections that can be transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. One common co-infection is Babesia microti. Babesia symptoms include sweats (day or night and often drenching), unrelenting headaches or head pressure, heart palpitations, a burning sensation in the feet, and muscle and bone pain.

Ehrlichia and anaplasma are infections that can come on quickly and cause very high fevers, chills and intense fatigue, although they can also present as moderate headache and fatigue. In addition to neuropsychiatric changes, Bartonella hensalae can cause purple stretch marks and make stretch marks and surgical scars change from skin tone to a more purple color. When symptoms are all on one side of the body, Bartonella is often the culprit. These co-infections cause similar symptoms in adults.

Making the Diagnosis of Lyme Disease The diagnosis of Lyme is often made using the criteria set forth in the CDC surveillance case definition of Lyme disease, including a two step laboratory testing strategy: an antibody screen followed by a confirmatory Western blot. These tests are known to miss 2050% of patients who have Lyme disease. On its website, the CDC states, “This surveillance case definition was developed for national reporting of Lyme disease; it is not intended to be used in clinical diagnosis.” One of the biggest problems with Lyme-disease testing is that the best tests available are blood tests and Lyme disease does not live in the blood. Currently there are no blood tests that can tell your doctor that you do or do not have Lyme, they can only tell if you have been exposed to Borrelia. Your clinical condition, supported by blood tests, is the only accurate measure of active Lyme disease. A negative blood test does not mean you do not have active Lyme disease; it may mean your immune system is not producing antibodies to Borrelia, it is up to your physician to determine if you have active infection. Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis supported by blood tests.

In Connecticut, if your doctor is considering the diagnosis of Lyme disease, it very well may be the correct diagnosis. Studies have shown that in the Northeast, as many as 70% of ticks may be infected with Lyme and 50% of ticks may carry other tick-borne illnesses.

In 2009, tick drags conducted by researchers at the University of

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New Haven found that a startling 90% of ticks carried Lyme disease and 30% carried Babesia microti.

Treatment of Lyme Disease The best treatment for acute Lyme disease is antibiotics. The standard of care in the United States is 3 weeks of one antibiotic and this is reported to cure Lyme disease.

Unfortunately, this common assertion is inaccurate and contradictory to almost all scientific research done on Lyme disease.

Research shows that the Lyme spirochete has many mechanisms by which it can hide from your immune system and live despite high doses of multiple antibiotics. There are several distinct forms of the spirochete, each of which requires a different type of treatment; unfortunately most doctors are only taught about one form. This means that many people who are treated for acute Lyme disease will be undertreated and go on to develop chronic symptoms.

Borrelia lives outside of cells and inside of cells. Some forms of Borrelia have cell walls and others do not. When exposed to a threat, such as antibiotics or herbs, the Borrelia spirochete can roll up into a protective ball called a cyst and remain dormant. Cysts generally open up to reproduce about once

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a month, however they have been reported to lie dormant in test tubes for 10 months or more before opening back up to become a fully active spirochete. Borrelia can kill white blood cells (immune cells that are attempting to protect you from the spirochete) and cover itself with their proteins; the body now views the spirochete as if it were a white blood cell, effectively cloaking it from your immune system. One of the other ways Borrelia evades your immune system is called a biofilm. A biofilm is formed when many spirochetes group together and create a thick, gelatinous coating over themselves.

We need to use antibiotic doses 1000 times higher than usual doses in order to penetrate biofilms. Since this is not practical or safe, we have had to come up with other methods of treatment to break up biofilms.

Patients who present with long-standing untreated or under-treated Lyme disease have several different treatment options.

They may be treated with multiple different antibiotics, multiple different herbals or a combination of antibiotics and herbs. Lyme disease significantly changes how all the body’s systems function, so patients with chronic Lyme disease often have many other problems that must be addressed. Some of the most common conditions that are induced by or worsened by Lyme disease include heavy metal toxicity, vitamin and mineral imbalances, and hormone imbalances, including thyroid and adrenal dysfunction.

It has been my experience that Lyme disease is not only the new “Great Imitator,” but also that it is the “Great Instigator.”

Lyme has a tendency to create all sorts of other problems and then hide in one of its dormant forms. Patients are left with many different symptoms that seem unrelated.

They often are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and even a somatization disorder (a fancy way of saying all your symptoms are in your head). I have found that Lyme disease severely impacts

one’s vitality. Many affected patients have little or no reserves remaining. Minor insults result in tremendous flares of symptoms and suffering. It is crucial for physicians seeing patients with Lyme disease to look at them as individuals who have multiple different stressors affecting them rather than focusing solely on Lyme disease.

Looking Beyond Borrelia There are many toxins outside our bodies that are exerting negative forces upon us.

If we are to remain healthy we must exert a force that is equal to or greater than those forces in response. When our bodies are in balance with all the things that are pushing in on us, we are able to maintain a state of health. When the force applied on us is too great, a state of imbalance results. Over that last thirty or so years, the amount of toxins bombarding our bodies has increased exponentially. On a day to day basis we are exposed to so many toxins that we are barely able to maintain a state of balance and health. Infection with Borrelia commonly initiates a domino effect and our once good health seems to fall apart nearly overnight.

When I evaluate patients I always apply the Chronic Toxin Overload model. This concept allows us to look at each person as a unique individual and fully evaluate the role of all the different toxins that are impacting him or her on a daily basis. It also helps us remember that the symptoms a patient is experiencing are the result of all the toxins they are exposed to in addition to their unique genetic makeup. Each patient needs to be treated as an individual who responds to insults on their health in a manner that is unique to them. This approach to diagnosis and treatment is rarely seen in conventional medicine because it requires spending time with patients, getting to know each one as an individual, and creating an individualized treatment plan.

I believe that Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose and treat for three main reasons: 1. Borrelia is a complex organism that has developed many ways to evade detection by our immune systems.

2. Borrelia is the Great Instigator. It decreases our vitality and modifies our internal environment in ways that cause subclinical failure of many of our body’s systems.

3. Lyme disease is rarely the only toxin exerting a strong negative force on a patient.

The Chronic Toxin Overload model provides us with a framework that allows us to understand that one toxin is rarely the problem. It helps us understand why Lyme is not the only toxin impacting our patients and how it can function as an instigator of so many other problems. Additionally, we can see why so many patients with Lyme disease get so ill and continue suffering despite aggressive antibiotic or herbal treatments.

In today’s world of nuclear radiation, global warming, 4G phones, high speed internet, high stress jobs, mercury fillings, and unclear futures due to faltering economies, we are all under a tremendous burden of chronic toxins. Our world has changed significantly over the past several hundred years. In addition to ever increasing toxic stresses, our environment is ever changing. Each time a forest is cut down to make room for a residential or commercial development, we create more prime tick habitat. Our families are now forced live and play in areas where ticks are likely to live.

Lyme disease is no longer only a tick borne illness; it is a complex physical, mental, emotional and social condition that is very common, but unfortunately often goes undiagnosed.

Fortunately, patients are speaking up. By raising their voices their doctors are slowly beginning to listen. Many physicians are seeking additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Still others are integrating the use of conventional medications with herbal and nutritional treatments. It has been my experience that there is hope to end the suffering of patients with persistent Lyme disease. By looking at and addressing all the potential toxins affecting a person, chronic illness dissolves. When patients who are suffering are evaluated and treated as unique individuals, patients regain their health and their lives.

Dr. Tom Moorcroft, DO specializes in the integrative treatment of infants, children and adults with chronic illnesses that result from chronic toxin overload, including Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses, at Origins Of Health in Glastonbury, CT. For more information about his practice, Chronic Toxin Overload and how to prevent tick bites, please call 860-430-9790 or visit his website www.OriginsOfHealth.com. See ad on page 18.

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Menopausal Sleep Issues: The Adrenal Connection

By Debra Gibson, ND

M

enopause, also called the change of life, has been the focus of much-needed attention over the past several years, resulting in a healing transformation in attitude and consciousness toward this important time in every woman’s life. Yet with all the positive spin on this demarcation between two phases of womanhood, there remains the reality that for many women this is a time of challenging and sometimes uncomfortable shifts in function of body, mind and sexuality.

One of the more common areas of disruption is the sleep cycle – difficulty in getting to sleep or in staying asleep, in returning to sleep once awakened, or poor quality sleep which results in lack of restedness during the day. Yes, there is often an association between night-time wakening and hot flushes (or power surges, depending on your attitude!); but, as many women can attest, menopausal sleep problems also occur independent of night sweats. And, as is suggested by research which shows an association between the severity of hot flushes and the development of chronic insomnia during and after menopause, the two may have underlying factors in common.

The high Price of Poor Sleep The health consequences of chronic sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep are more serious than just feeling sluggish the next day.

Studies show that sleep disruption contributes to cardiovascular disease, depression, inflammation, reduced regeneration of brain cells, and reduced production of hormones which repair tissues and build muscle. Add to this the effect of poor sleep on quality of life, from low productivity to irritability to simple exhaustion, and it becomes a significantly life-limiting health issue. Moreover, sleep deprivation increases the production of stress hormones, which as we shall see, can in turn reinforce a negative cycle and exacerbate sleep issues.

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Menopause and the Adrenals Despite the destructive health consequences of sleep problems and the frequency with which they occur during menopause, relatively little research has been directed toward determining their cause. As a clinician who regularly encounters menopausal women seeking natural solutions to sleep issues, I work empirically, “connecting the dots” of what we know thus far from scientific research with what seems to work in practice to effectively resolve the underlying issues which prevent healthy sleep.

Much of the focus of treatment of menopausal symptoms, in both conventional and natural medicine, has been directed toward softening the effects of falling sex-hormone levels as the ovaries gradually cease to function. This approach will be more-or-less helpful some of the time, but in my experience it is not a comprehensive answer to uncomfortable menopausal issues. Each woman must be viewed as an individual with her own particular set of systemic imbalances which contribute to her unique menopausal symptom expression. In the world of naturopathic medicine, in addition to supporting the body through changes in sex hormone levels, treatment of menopausal symptoms often includes assessing the adrenal gland system and treating imbalance in this area.

Why the adrenals? Hang around natural medicine for very long, and sooner or later the term “adrenal fatigue” is likely to come up.

This refers to changes in the healthy function of these tricornerhat-shaped glands that sit on top of our kidneys and play a role in everything from immune system regulation, to electrolyte balance and fluid dynamics in the body, to blood sugar control, sex hormone production and, last but by no means least, helping us to handle stress in all its variety of forms. It’s not surprising, given the many sources of stress in our modern lives: physical, emotional, environ-

mental and biochemical, that for many of us the adrenal glands have, over time, become fatigued through overuse, unable to perform their many tasks as well as they used to.

In order to see the link between the sleep disturbances of menopause and the adrenal glands, it’s helpful to understand more about their function. For starters, the adrenals are lifelong sources of sex hormones such as estrone (a form of estrogen), progesterone and testosterone – which together act as a stabilizing influence as the ovaries begin to cease production of sex hormones (this is the timeframe known as perimenopause). Adrenal sources cannot fully take over the functions of ovarian hormones, but when the adrenals are healthy and producing optimal levels of their own sex hormones, this can make for a much gentler perimenopause and a happier postmenopausal life, hormonally speaking.

When the adrenals are depleted and supply lower levels of sex hormones, this can result in a more difficult and prolonged menopausal transition. Sleep quality is one area which may be negatively affected because of the relationship between sex hormones, stress hormones and neurotransmitters; it is in large part the balanced interactions of these hormones and biochemical messengers which create healthy sleep patterns.

Sleep, Stress and your Overworked Brain So, if there is a direct connection between adrenal dysfunction and menopausal sleep issues, what is the most common cause of adrenal dysfunction? You’ve probably guessed it: STRESS! The bane of modern life, the go-to culprit in so many health issues, our favorite and largely justified excuse for seemingly everything from road rage to low libido to rudeness on the checkout line – yep, chronic stress (past or present), and the adrenal fatigue which results, is an underlying factor in many a case of menopausal sleep disturbance.

Actually, it is not so much stress itself that is the problem, but rather a prolonged or excessive adrenal response to stress, which eventually leads to abnormal brain center reactions to stress hormones. In particular, it is the brain’s abnormal response to the chronic adrenal stress hormone cortisol which disrupts the normal cycle of waking and sleeping. It’s as though these brain centers which monitor and regulate hormone levels in the body gradually become hard of hearing, fail to understand that you don’t need a stress response at 2 a.m., and continue to send messages to your adrenals telling

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them to pour on the stress hormones, even though you need to be up at six. And there you are, wide awake and staring at the ceiling at 2, 3 and 4 a.m., tired already at the thought of dragging yourself through the next day, but unable to quiet your mind and rest. Even if you don’t awaken, this out-of-kilter feedback loop of high night-time cortisol interferes with your ability to access restorative REM sleep, where you dream and process psychic material from your day; it also opposes the secretion of growth hormone, which in adults permits tissue repair and regeneration – leaving you unrested and unrejuvenated on every level.

Why for many women do sleep issues begin or worsen during menopause? The answer may lie in the fact that these brain centers mentioned above, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, are “command central” for our hormone systems, and they are working hard during the perimenopause, receiving feedback from the ovaries about lowered hormonal output and sending out stimulating hormones (Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone) in higher amounts as a response to the under-functioning ovarian situation. In fact, it’s thought that the mechanism of hot flushes/night sweats may relate to stimulation of temperature regulating centers in the hypothalamus, possibly as a side-effect of all this heightened communication to and through the hypothalamic and pituitary areas – “static” along the nerve pathways acting as a trigger for a hot flush.

A similar mechanism may be a factor in menopausal sleep issues too – but what is being stimulated in this case is hyperactive, excessive and inappropriately timed stress hormone secretion by an already overworked, “trigger-happy” brain control center.

The perimenopause is the time when underlying adrenal exhaustion and the negative effects of long-term, unhealthy patterns of behavior begin to reveal themselves, like an iceberg rising out of the ocean. And like an iceberg, there’s a lot hidden beneath the surface – chronic lifestyle habits that drain reserves; ways of relating to others that facilitate over-commitment and diminish self-care; energetic and emotional wounds of longstanding, often stemming from childhood, that over stimulate the adrenals by triggering a chronic stress response. These hidden vulnerabilities begin to emerge when the hormonal ebb and flow of perimenopause reveals them.

This is also a time when the circumstances of life can conspire to create more than the usual burden of stress on us and our adrenals - the demands of growing children (teenagers!), aging parents, work and home - the “full catastrophe” of life, in the words of Zorba the Greek, a character in Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel of the same name.

Running on Empty

First Aid for Better Sleep

Menopausal women often drag themselves into my office, hollow of eye and haggard of face, after weeks or months (or occasionally years) of sleep deprivation which began or intensified during the perimenopause. It is a testament to their endurance and inner strength that they continue to function at a high level in their lives, meeting the needs of family, work and community, despite their state of deep exhaustion. It may also be a testament to our cultural and individual tolerance of demands on women’s energy which can verge on inhuman, and to the multiplicity of roles in many women’s lives which contributes to their richness but which can also encourage a state of chronic overdrive.

If you are a perimenopausal woman who has “hit the wall” of exhaustion because of lack of sleep or poor quality sleep, you’re desperate for a better night’s rest. Most of the suggestions which follow directly or indirectly influence stress hormone levels and the balance of brain chemicals affected by adrenal stress hormones. These are “rapid response” natural sleep assists which are not addictive, but which augment the ways in which your brain naturally prepares you to go to sleep and stay asleep.

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An Invitation to Heal Uncomfortable though some of its manifestations may be, the menopause is an invitation to heal those elements in our past life experience that no longer serve us, to do the deep work which true healing requires, and to move into the postmenopausal phase of life more healthy, more whole, and more fully ourselves, with more to offer to ourselves and others. Viewed from this perspective, the perimenopausal phenomenon of impaired sleep is an opportunity to do important work of self-care and lifestyle change to heal the adrenal imbalance underlying disturbed sleep.

• Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA or 5-hydroxy GABA): this amino acid is one of the most effective sleep promoters. A calming neurotransmitter which your brain uses to balance the stimulating

effects of stress hormones and other excitatory brain messengers, 5-hydroxy GABA can be taken in doses of 100-200 mg. at bedtime; or GABA in doses of 500-1000 mg. (the 5-hydroxy form is better utilized so less is required). On wakening during the night an additional 1-2 of either may help you return to sleep more easily. In my office I prescribe either a naturally sourced (not synthetic) GABA or alternatively, a form of GABA formulated to enter the brain more effectively.

• Phosphatidyl (also called phosphorylated) serine is another effective natural way to heal a damaged sleep pattern: it may take effect quickly (within a day or so) or it may take several weeks to create a noticeable shift in sleep quality, but because it is an essential tool in healing damaged lines of communication between the brain and the adrenals, it is part of virtually every treatment plan for poor sleep. For the quickest response I would prescribe 200mg. after dinner and also at bedtime; as improvement occurs I reduce the dosage to 200 mg. only at bedtime.

• Other calming sleep assists include the amino acids Taurine (suggested dosage 1000 mg. 1-2X daily with meals) and L-theanine, derived from green tea (200 mg. after dinner and at bedtime).

• The relaxing herbs Passiflora, Skullcap, and Hops may be taken as a tea during the evening or at bedtime.

• Melatonin (2-3 mg. an hour before bedtime) may encourage the onset of sleep, but it will not help resolve sleep disruption later in the sleep cycle.

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Consider Testing Because of the complex interconnections between changing sex hormone levels, adrenal and neurotransmitter imbalance, and sleep dysfunction, seeking out a natural medicine healthcare provider who can use functional testing to evaluate your particular pattern of imbalance in these areas can be an invaluable assist in identifying where imbalance exists and how to most quickly, naturally and effectively restore healthy sleep.

As an example, the amino acid 5-HTP (5-hydroxy tryptophan), which supports production of calming, mood-enhancing serotonin and sleep-inducing melatonin, is often recommended as a remedy for sleep issues; many with adrenal insufficiency do have low serotonin levels, but I do not prescribe it without testing first to determine if this is indeed the case for an individual, and to get the bigger picture of other hormone and neurotransmitter values. (As a side note, if you are taking pharmaceutical SSRI medication, it is inadvisable to take 5-HTP without testing and professional supervision.)

Lifestyle Change for Better Sleep Using amino acids, herbs, and other nutrient support to manage skewed adrenal/brain dynamics can improve your sleep and go a long way toward supporting adrenal healing, but as a naturopathic physician my goal is always to treat the underlying cause of body/ mind/spirit imbalance. A more permanent resolution of sleep difficulties necessitates healing on every level. This can be difficult work, but at the same time it can be the most life-changing, because it creates positive transformation in every area of our lives.

What follows are suggestions for lifestyle behaviors and what I call “inner work,” which restore drained adrenal reserves, thus promoting healthy sleep patterns for the long-term: • Balance your blood sugar: eat smaller meals and add 2-3

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snacks per day (a small bedtime snack if you tend to waken hungry during the night) so you are eating something every 2-3 hours. Combine proteins (fish, fowl, eggs, yogurt, beans, nuts, seeds, beans, quinoa) with complex carbohydrates for a steady supply of food energy to cells and brain. This prevents stress hormone secretion induced by low blood sugar.

• Dietary Don’ts: Avoid “white foods” such as those made with refined sugars and white flour; avoid more than occasional, moderate use of alcohol; gradually reduce and then avoid stimulants such as caffeinated beverages and chocolate.

• Take a high-quality fish oil supplement, one which provides the essential fatty acids EPA (in amounts of about 1500 mg. per day) and DHA (to total about 800-1000 mg. daily) taken with meals in 2-3 doses through the day. Two good brands in health food stores are

Barlean’s and Nordic Naturals. Also noted in the “first aid” section above, phosphatidyl serine (100-200 mg at bedtime) works with the essential fatty acids from fish oil to re-sensitize cell membranes of brain neurons, restoring healthy lines of communication with the adrenals. Although the effects may be felt within a few days, if there is more extensive repair work to be done it may be a month or more before improvement is noted.

• The herb Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen, which in simple terms means it has a balancing effect on adrenal function and helps the body to respond better to stress. As there are a number of species of Rhodiola, it is important to obtain a supplement which has been assayed for the level of rosavins, a class of compounds thought to be necessary for therapeutic effect. While in my practice I work with formulations standardized to contain 16% rosavins, those available to the public usually contain between 2 and about 5% of these compounds, and about 250 mg per capsule of the herb itself. A conservative dose is 2 capsules an hour or more before bedtime (this herb may have a paradoxical stimulating effect and interfere with sleep if taken too close to bedtime). Of course, as is true with many herbs, caution is indicated when pregnant or breast-feeding.

• Consider a program of detoxification: internal (such as from food sensitivities and imbalance in the digestive tract) and external burdens of toxicity are profound and ongoing triggers of excessive stress hormone secretion.

• Moderate exercise has been shown to improve sleep, but be sure you finish exercising 6 or more hours before you want to go to

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bed, and have a little snack beforehand for blood sugar balance during and after your exercise session. Yoga, Tai Ch’i, and other forms of exercise which enhance the body/mind connection (yoga has been shown in studies to reduce cortisol levels) are wonderful for our purpose of modulating stress hormones.

• Investigate meditation, guided imagery (www.healthjourneys. com has a menu of over a hundred CDs/downloads), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as ways to reduce stress in every moment of your day and night. Programs for learning meditation and MBSR are available in the community to teach you how to change your relationship to the stress of life.

• Start building good self-care muscles and exercise them regularly. For example, don’t push through fatigue, instead take a break or rest even for a few minutes with your eyes closed, focusing on your breathing, when you grow tired. Trust that your rested self will have more available to give to any task - I encourage women to use the mantra, “Less is More”. Learn to say no to requests (or demands) that tax your energy, time or emotions: this is often so difficult for women to learn and practice, and one of the most essential elements of reducing the stress response. If you need help in the area of selfcare, read “how-to” books such as “The Art of Extreme Self-Care”, by Cheryl Richardson, or “Tired of Being Tired”, by Jesse Lynn Hanley, M.D. (I particularly like the “psychogene” references in this book). If you need more help, work with a therapist or counselor to find out why it’s so hard to care for yourself and to learn how to be as good to yourself as you no doubt are to others in your life.

Given the detriment to health and quality of life associated with chronic sleep disturbance, taking steps to resolve this common menopausal issue and its underlying causes is essential to peri- and postmenopausal health and happiness. While those very early morning hours of wakefulness may allow you to finally organize the photo albums or begin the novel you’ve always wanted to write, they really are better spent as Nature intended, in deeply restorative sleep. You deserve the gift of sleep – this is a gift of healing you can give yourself, and only by doing this healing work can you become rested, balanced, and energized – your most complete self.

Debra Gibson, N.D. practices naturopathic family medicine in her Ridgefield, CT office. She can be reached at 203-431-4443 or at drgibsonsoffice@sbcglobal.net. See ad on page 13.

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Can Your Lifestyle Be Causing Bone Loss?

By Deanna M. Cherrone, MD

O

ur bones have the job of providing a solid frame to support our organs, muscles and skin. Although we think of adult bones as being hard and unchanging, regardless of age, bones are in fact living, dynamic tissue constantly functioning and changing. Bones house minerals that the body needs for metabolic processes to keep it healthy and functioning normally. Bones can weaken and be at risk of fracture when the balance of minerals flowing in and out of bones is disturbed and too many minerals are released without being replenished.

When this equilibrium is upset, bone loss can occur resulting in osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Calcium is the mineral that is most often associated with bone health. It is the most abundant mineral in our body. Calcium is vital for the proper functioning of our muscles, nerves and heart. It is also important for blood clotting and a variety of enzymatic processes that occur in the body at the cellular level. Although it is a common belief that calcium is needed for bones to stay hard and strong, experiments have shown that when calcium is removed from bone, bone actually becomes extremely flexible and twisted like a pretzel without breaking. Healthy bone also needs minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium.

Our skeleton is replaced approximately every ten years and bone density peaks at about age thirty. If skeletal bones can outlast the body for thousands of years after death, why is it that our bones deteriorate so rapidly while we are living? Could the food we eat be contributing to problems with bone health? An interesting fact to consider is that skeletal bones can last for thousands of years in neutral pH soil or sand, but will decompose much more rapidly if left in acidic soil.

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It is noteworthy that osteoporosis (porous bone) is found much more commonly in city folk verses those that live in the country. It is also found to be more prevalent in countries that have the highest dairy intake.

Why is this? Osteoporosis is also a fairly “new” dis-ease. Could it be that some bone loss is a normal part of aging that is now looked upon as a dis-ease so that we might treat it with medication? If we look at our lifestyle including the foods we are eating we may find the answers to some of these questions.

There are a number of dietary and lifestyle factors that are associated with osteoporosis. They include: gluten and dairy; poor vegetable intake (especially green vegetables); poor quality protein and fat intake; inadequate hydration; sedentary lifestyle or too much exercise; stress; hormone imbalance; medication and over the counter medication use and exposure to environmental toxins.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale and kamut. Gluten can contribute to bone loss in a variety of ways. For gluten sensitive or frank celiac patients the ingestion of gluten causes an inflammatory response at the intestinal border which results in a decreased ability to absorb nutrients including those important in bone health. Grains, generally, are also high in phytates. Phytates combine with minerals such as calcium and magnesium and the bond that forms cannot be broken during digestion. This restricts the absorption of needed minerals which end up being “wasted” by the body.

Casein (not whey) is the protein in dairy that seems to be most associated with health problems. There is also some cross reactivity with gluten such that the body will often respond to casein as it does to gluten

causing inflammation in the microvilli and decreased nutrient absorption. Most milk consumed in this country is either low fat or nonfat. The problem with removing the fat is that it upsets the balance of nutrients within milk and actually makes it more acidifying which leads to bone loss. Contrary to popular belief, milk is not the perfect food. Milk from its mother is the perfect food for a calf to grow into a cow. For humans, organic, raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized and cultured cow’s milk can have health benefits.

When we examine the diets of native societies, most subsisted on a high percentage of plant foods (not sprayed with pesticides) along with a small percentage of nutrient rich animal food (not factory farmed) and healthy fats. Because the SAD - Standard American Diet - is abundant in acidifying foods such as animal protein, sugar, grains and processed foods WITHOUT an adequate amount of fruit, vegetables and healthy fats to counterbalance the acidity, the body robs minerals from bone to balance blood acidity.

The importance of plants as “bone” food cannot be underestimated. All we have to do is look at the animals with the largest bones such as elephants, giraffes and even some prehistoric dinosaurs with diets of only leafy greens.

Protein is also needed for healthy bone because is it essential for the formation of collagen which traps and holds mineral salts. Too little protein can raise the risk of bone fracture. But what kind and amount of protein is “right” for us? Vegetarians need to eat an abundance of vegetables with beans and nuts at each meal. Those who eat animal protein need plentiful amounts of vegetables, fruit and healthy fat for balance.

Healthy fats are important in bone health because they are needed to transport

the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins are needed for proper calcium absorption. Because they are anti-inflammatory, healthy fats and these anti-oxidant vitamins also protect against free radicals which can contribute to bone breakdown.

They also prevent calcium from being lost in the urine. Cholesterol is important because it is the precursor in skin needed to make vitamin D from the sun. Our sun and fat phobias are definitely contributing to our poor bone health.

People living in most US cities are bombarded with fake food made by the food industry. We have become socialized to expect a treat after a meal and on every special occasion - even after going to the dentist or doctor’s office. Fake foods contain addicting sugar and unhealthy fat. Sugar interferes with the absorption of protein, calcium and magnesium to the detriment of our bones.

Our bones are twenty five percent water, twenty five percent protein and the remaining fifty percent is mineral salts. Annemarie Colbin makes the following analogy, “Water keeps bones strong just as sap in a tree keeps it from breaking.” Dry trees crack and break just as dry bones will. Our fascination with drinking coffee, alcohol and sugary drinks all of which are diuretics, dry us out and

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keep us from drinking the water we need for proper hydration of our bones and body. Again, balance is the key as too much water can lower the concentration of minerals in the blood. So how much is enough? Drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day.

For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you will need to drink 75 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you will need an additional 16 ounces of water with electrolytes, to replace the minerals and electrolytes lost per hour of sweat producing exercise.

Speaking of exercise, we have become very sedentary beings sitting for long periods at a desk, riding in cars, taking the elevator and parking as close to our destination as possible to avoid walking. We need to move and that movement should be weight bearing preferably barefoot or in thin soled tennis shoes as thick soled running shoes tend to cushion us too much from the pull of gravity that is necessary to prevent bone loss. On the other hand, too much exercise especially in young females results in lower body fat with lowered estrogen levels and bone loss as a consequence.

Stress which is ubiquitous in our lives today is harmful because of its effect on the adrenal glands. Cortisol levels rise and this upsets both hormonal and glucose balance in the body. We have seen that high cortisol levels contribute to bone loss in patients with chronic cortisol excess as in Cushings and also in patients on long term steroid medication. Managing stress and balancing hormone and glucose (sugar) levels in the body therefore, can play an important role in bone health.

Things we can do to maintain healthy bones: 1) Limit grain consumption and focus on non-gluten grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa and gluten free oats.

2) Avoid dairy unless it is organic, raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized and cultured or fermented.

3) Consume healthy fats found in organic eggs, grass fed and free range meats, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and cold water fish.

4) Cook with extra virgin olive oil at low heat, unrefined sesame, sunflower, coconut or palm oils or clarified butter which is free of casein.

5) Make sure you get enough protein. A rough gauge is to consume half your body weight in grams of protein each day – more protein may be needed for those who exercise strenuously.

6) Avoid sugar.

7) Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day.

8) Avoid caffeine as it depletes calcium and increases fracture risk. Caffeine = liquid stress – it raises your heart rate and blood pressure and can contribute to adrenal fatigue.

9) Limit alcohol as it depletes magnesium which results in decreased deposition of calcium in bone. Low magnesium also decreases parathyroid hormone which is important in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Alcohol also decreases bone formation especially in men.

10) Consume sea salt which is full of trace minerals and is very alkalinizing. It also helps maintain water and pH balance in the body.

11) Daily weight-bearing exercise.

12) Reduce stress.

13) Limit medications, especially steroids and cortisone which are known to be associated with bone loss. Over the counter medications such as antacids interfere with protein digestion and deplete phosphorus which is important in bone health. Fluoride causes brittle bones by interfering with the enzymes involved in collagen production. Anti-androgen therapy such as lupron used in men with prostate cancer and anti-estrogen therapy such as arimidex used in women with breast cancer have also been shown to cause bone loss emphasizing the importance of hormone balance in healthy bones.

14) Balance hormones naturally and avoid exposure to environmental toxins which contribute to hormone imbalance.

Dr. Deanna M. Cherrone is a board certified Internist who practices Functional Medicine at Natural Health & Healing, LLC located at 12 West Main Street in Avon, CT. She can be reached at 860-677-4600 or via email at drcherrone@naturalhealthandhealing.net. See ad on back cover.

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supplements 101

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

Chronic Insomnia: A Risk Factor for Disease Natural Ways to Get the Sleep You Need Sleep is not a luxury, but rather an important component of health.

A healthy amount of sleep is crucial for a vibrant and productive lifestyle. . . Many people are unaware of the potentially grave health effects of inadequate amounts of sleep. This may be because the medical community has only recently focused on the importance of sleep in promoting good health.

~ Sergey A. Dzugan, M.D., Ph.D. (Life Extension Magazine, Dec 2006)

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o you have difficulty relaxing enough to get to sleep? Do you wake up several times during the night with your mind racing? Do you wake up at 3 a.m. and find you can’t get back to sleep? Over the short term, these experiences are often mere annoyances. If you can’t catch up on your sleep over the long term, however, you likely have chronic insomnia, a condition you shouldn’t ignore.

The Definition, Causes & Serious Risks of Insomnia More than 30% of Americans suffer from insomnia, a disorder characterized by non-restorative sleep or difficulty falling or staying asleep. Chronic insomnia, a risk factor for disease, is considered to occur most nights and last at least one month.

Various physical and psychological disorders, medical treatments, and environmental factors can cause insomnia. Physical ailments include candidiasis (systemic overgrowth of yeast), hormonal imbalances (such as cortisol, estrogen and progesterone in menopausal women, and testosterone in andropausal men), hyperthyroidism, heart, lung and digestive disorders, allergies, arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, and prostate problems. The psychological issues that can underlie chronic sleep deprivation include ADHD, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. The drugs that may cause sleep problems include those prescribed for depression, hypertension, water retention (i.e., diuretics), and asthma, allergies and other upper-respiratory conditions. The contributory lifestyle factors are addressed below.

Sleep influences the function of the immune, hormonal, and nervous systems. According to Sergey Dzugan, M.D., Ph.D., a growing number of studies have linked inadequate sleep or sleeping at odd hours with increased risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, high

blood pressure, and heart disease. Insomnia has also been linked to increased mortality, hospitalizations, and prevalence of emotional and psychological problems.

Insomnia plus chronic stress, often the cause or result of long-term sleep deprivation, set the stage for disease. As a stressor, chronic insomnia can often cause the adrenal glands to produce excess levels of cortisol, resulting in functional deterioration of various organ systems as they constantly attempt to rebalance. Stress from sleep deprivation may thus slow down thyroid function by inhibiting thyroid hormone production (TSH) or metabolism (conversion of T4 to T3).

The Conventional Approach: Prescription Sleep Aids As Dr. Dzugan puts it, “With so many Americans suffering from chronic insomnia, prescriptions for pharmaceutical sleep aids are at an all-time high. Unfortunately, these drugs can lead to dependence and sometimes produce adverse side effects.” In fact, in 2007, the FDA asked all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products (such as Ambien®, Lunesta®, and Halcion®) to strengthen their product labeling to include warnings about welts, complex sleeprelated behaviors (like sleep-driving and sleep-eating), and severe, sometimes life-threatening, allergic reactions. Equally important, prescription sleep treatments often become less effective over time.

Alternative Sleep Relief Effective management of insomnia should be directed at the condition causing it. However, certain nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes can be used safely, often with rapid results. Like those for other conditions, nutritional sleep supplements and their doses will impact individuals differently and professional guidance may be indicated in more serious cases.

Magnesium Glycinate (Mineral) Stress and magnesium deficiency are interrelated in that either can cause the other. Magnesium deficiency can also cause insomnia, muscle spasms/tension, abnormal heart rhythms, headaches, and constipation. Any type of magnesium can promote relaxation and thus a good night’s sleep. Magnesium glycinate particularly supports a deep REM sleep when a 400mg dose is taken at bedtime.

Inositol + Niacinamide (B Vitamins) Inositol and niacinamide can help induce and sustain deep sleep, especially when combined. Niacinamide penetrates the brain easily, is non-addictive, and does not produce the flush effect of the niacin form of vitamin B3. In 1979, Hoffman La Roche, the Swiss drug company that manufactured Valium, described niacinamide as “a brain constituent that has benzodiazepine-like actions.” This writer has determined in clinical practice that the generally effective sleep dose of each nutrient ranges from 500-2000mg.

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L-Taurine & 5-HTP (Amino Acids) L-taurine and 5-HTP can be highly effective sleep aids, especially when taken together. L-taurine is a soothing, inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a major role in stabilizing the heartbeat, blood pressure, and electrical activity of the nerves.

The body manufactures 5-HTP from L-tryptophan (found in turkey). Due to the conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin, a single 100 mg nighttime dose of 5-HTP has been shown in a placebo-controlled trial to improve the duration and depth of sleep.

Valerian Root (Herb) Valerian root makes falling asleep easier and takes the body into deeper sleep cycles. One double-blind trial found that valerian extract (600mg 30 minutes before bedtime) is as efficacious as the insomnia drug Serax (oxazepam). Formulas that can also provide relief combine valerian with lemon balm (a blend shown in a small trial to be similar to Halcion, without any hangover effect), chamomile, hops, skullcap, catnip, melatonin, and/or 5HTP.

Melatonin (Natural Hormone)

Since chronic insomnia can be associated with or become a serious problem, seek guidance from the health care practitioner who can best treat any underlying condition you suspect may be robbing you of sleep.

Submitted by Michael Dworkin, P.D., M.S., a Registered Pharmacist and State Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CT Certification No. 232), with Erika Dworkin, Dip.C.N./Board Cert. Holistic Nutrition (pending). Owner of the Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe (860.646.8178, www.cthealthshop.com, 378 West Middle Turnpike, Manchester), Pharmacist Dworkin has been guiding patients since 1956 and is available for consultation by appointment. Erika is available to speak to groups. References are available upon request at info@cthealthshop.com. The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to take the place of the advice of a physician. None of the natural remedies discussed herein are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. See our ad on page 15.

Don’t let fear keep you from better health...

The pineal gland secretes melatonin to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, the biological clock that helps manage various bodily functions. Studies show that melatonin deficiency may be an underlying cause of insomnia in the elderly, most likely because pineal tissue calcification reduces melatonin production during normal aging. Melatonin administered in human clinical trials induces sleep sooner and produces better sleep patterns compared to placebo.

The effective dose of melatonin can vary from 300 mcg to 5mg, but the safety of its use long-term is not established. Ideally, start with a lower dose and build gradually. An excessive amount can cause morning grogginess. Time-released products are available for those who not only have difficulty getting to sleep, but also tend to awaken during the night. Melatonin is indicated for any patient taking hypertensive drugs (which block its production in the body), but is contraindicated in patients taking SSRIs, such as Lexapro® and Paxil®.

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Lifestyle Changes

Diet, a soothing regular bedtime regimen, and relaxation techniques can greatly reduce sleep difficulties, as can avoiding shift work, frequent flying, and excessive computer work. A sleep-promoting diet: (1) restricts dinner portions and food intake to 2-3 hours before bedtime; and (2) eliminates intake of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, spicy and fatty foods, and nicotine, especially near bedtime.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends maintaining a sleep schedule and sleeping in a room that is dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool. They also recommend developing a relaxing bedtime routine, which might include a warm bath, relaxing music, or a cup of herbal tea (see www.cthealthshop.com for more ideas).

Relaxation techniques that often enhance sleep by reducing stress include yoga, pilates, daily physical activity for at least 30 minutes (like yard work, dancing, or walking), meditation/deep breathing exercises, listening to comedy, and massage. Also try sprinkling the essential oil of lavender on a chiropractic pillow before turning in.

Conclusion

Natural remedies can be a safe, effective means of addressing moderate sleeplessness. If you already take a prescription sleep medication or have been struggling with insomnia for more than one month, it might be best to consult an expert in alternative medicine.

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movement as medicine

Cassandra Forsythe, PhD. & Brian St. Pierre, CSCS

• Think about tensing your obliques throughout. While we don’t want you to draw-in, think about engaging your obliques on Here’s the simplest definition of the the sides by thinking “tall and skinny,” core. Think of it as a box, with the following versus “draw your navel into your spine.” sides making it up: • When you’re really fighting over-arching (such as during TRX fall outs) think about • The diaphragm on the top cuing the obliques and squeezing your • The pelvic floor on the bottom glutes. This will really crank up the intensity • The abdominals (rectus abdominus, trans and get your core working hard! verse abdominus) in the front • The back muscles (spinal erectors, multi Anti-Lateral Flexion fidi) in the back During these exercises you actively pre• The lateral stabilizers (quadratus lumbo- vent yourself from side-bending at the lower rum, internal and external obliques) on back.

Examples include: the sides

A Quick Definition of the Core

Complete Core Training

Obviously your core is much more than just your six-pack muscles (a.k.a., the rectus abdominus), so it needs more training than just planks and draw-ins to improve spinal stability. The core does all kinds of fun things, so we have outlined below what you can do to get the most out of it.

• Dumbbell/Kettlebell windmills • Off-set waiters walks (walking with a

dumbbell by the side in one hand ONLY) • Offset farmers carries (walking with a dumbbell pressed over head in one hand ONLY) • Suitcase deadlifts (lifting on one side

only)

Core Training for Smart Folks Correct core training for optimal strength and ideal muscle visibility requires that you divide all your core training into four categories:

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• Anti-Extension exercises • Anti-Lateral Flexion exercises • Anti-Rotation exercises • Hip Flexion with Neutral Spine exercises

o you only want abs that Anti-Extension look great? Or do you want abs that improve the way During these exercises you actively prevent your lower back from over-arching. you look, feel and perform? The Examples include: fact is you can have it all!

Everybody wants a strong and • Physio-ball/Swiss-ball rollouts lean midsection. However, most • Ab-wheel rollouts • Blast Strap/TRX fallouts people go about achieving it the wrong way. A core training exercise These exercises are amazing for develprogram needs to take into acoping stability and strength at the core, lumcount what the core actually does bar spine, and pelvis. When done correctly, – which means you really shouldn’t they will really work your external obliques and rectus abdominus. To ensure you are be doing crunches or sit ups at all! doing them right, and to maximize their efYour core is not meant to flex fectiveness, focus on the following: your body forward, but instead keep you upright, tall and pain-free. • Keep your chest up throughout. Don’t

allow yourself to “crunch” over, using too much rectus abdominus to stabilize instead of your obliques. Stop it!

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Kettlebell Windmill Exercise

Anti-lateral flexion exercises are a perfect option for developing your quadratus lumborum, and the internal and external obliques. During these exercises, focus on the following: • Lengthen the spine. Try not to allow any side-bending/sway throughout.

• Once you’ve mastered the basics, try

to breathe normally while performing the above exercises. It will really take the difficulty up a notch.

Anti-Rotation During Anti-Rotation exercises you actively prevent yourself from rotating at the lower back. Examples include: • Anti-rotational cable front press variations (tall kneeling, half-kneeling, standing, etc.)

• Split stance cable lifts and chops.

Anti-rotation exercises train virtually every component of your core: internal/external obliques, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, etc.

The most challenging components of these exercises are actively keeping everything tight and not allowing any rotation at the lumbar spine. On the cable front press exercises, focus on keeping the core and glutes tight, and maintaining a tall posture throughout – don’t crunch over to stabilize.

Hip Flexion with Neutral Spine During these exercises you actively brace your core/lower back while bringing your knees to your chest. Examples include: • Prone (front plank position) knee tucks with feet on a physio / Swiss-ball • Band-resisted (band around back and handles in hands) prone knee tucks

Putting These Exercises into Your Routine Now that you have the exercise types, let’s plug this into your current exercise program: • If you’re exercising four days per week, the setup is simple – perform one exercise type within each workout.

• If you exercise three days per week stick with Anti-Extension, Anti-Rotation and Anti-Lateral Flexion on different days.

• If you exercise twice per week, focus on Anti-Extension and Anti-Rotation exercises, and you’ll get the most results.

Summing Up Training your core with these moves will help give you the abs you are looking for, while helping you to strengthen and protect your lower back, and to perform at your best. It is the best of every world!

Cassandra Forsythe holds her PhD in Exercise Science and Nutrition from the University of Connecticut and is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She runs fitness bootcamps in Manchester, CT that focus on building a strong and solid core. You can learn more about her and her bootcamp classes at www.cassandraforsythe.com.

Brian St. Pierre is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) who received his degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Maine, and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the same institution. For information, go towww.brianstpierretraining.com.

Knee Tucks with Feet in TRX Straps

These are the most challenging category of exercises, and should probably only be done once the others, especially the antiextension, have been mastered. The focus on these exercises should be keeping your lower back straight and neutral, and not allowing it to flex or “tuck under.”

Proper technique is vital here; focus on: • Chest up and out; again, no hunching over to brace • Lock down your core/midsection – allow as little movement here as possible • Use your hip flexors to “pull” your knees to your chest in neutral spine position • Keep your whole body as stable as possible

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Getting Help at Home

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hen is it time to get home healthcare assistance? How do I make that decision? And when? These are questions families struggle with as they attempt to balance a loved one’s changing needs with their own ability to provide ongoing care.

The decision to engage outside help is rarely easy. Bringing a new person into a settled life can initially result in anxiety, or perhaps even depression. The entire family often feels the impact, with emotions ranging from guilt and frustration to a sense of freedom and relief. What makes this decision and the subsequent changes in the environment easier is ensuring that the homecare provider is a match with your loved one’s needs and your family values. Compatibility in attitude and personality, in addition to caregiver skills, can enhance daily life.

Equally important is creating a care plan that addresses your loved one’s unique personal requirements.

So, back to the original question: When is it time to get help? Sometimes the answer is obvious. A person has had surgery or a major illness and needs home-based rehabilitation or simply can’t be left alone for hours at a time. In recent years, there has been a push by insurance companies to limit the number of days people stay in the hospital. As a result, people leave “sicker and quicker” than they once did, and even otherwise capable adults may need shortterm homecare.

Another indicator is a major change in mental status. Whether due to psychological issues, or one of the various forms of dementia, our loved ones can suffer changes in their ability to perceive and interact with the world. Hallucinations and delusions are, for example, symptoms of certain stages in Alzheimer’s disease. Home healthcare can

provide a safety net for the person affected and relieve the burden of family members who can provide only so much care within the context of their own lives.

Frequent falling is another signal. If a person has a number of falls a physician can order an assessment for fall prevention. This may lead to rehabilitation or other treatment.

Home-based services can help with mobility and safety on a consistent basis.

Overall, be on the alert for deterioration in the activities of daily living. These are the things we normally take for granted in an adult: bathing, dressing, cooking, eating, etc. If you live with the loved one, or have frequent contact, you will likely notice when problems develop. If you only see this person occasionally, it can be more difficult to determine if the decline is serious enough to get help.

more and more over time, until they’re providing full-time care. A homecare service can offer relief for that person before it becomes unmanageable.

When is it time to get help? The final answer is really a simple one: the right time is when a person needs more help than they can provide for themselves or their family can provide for them.

Short-term recovery from illness or surgery, stabilization of a critical health issue, intervention in a medical crisis, decline in mental and physical ability, or end-of-life issues can all be driving factors in choosing to get help.

New England Nightingales’ experts in dementia care perform in-home evaluation for each client and create a treatment plan appropriate for that person, ensuring appropriate and individualized care. Cynthia Ebanks is a registered nurse specializing in dementia care. She is certified by Alzheimer Foundation of America as a qualified dementia care specialist, certified in case management and is a disability management specialist. She can be reached at 860676-7786 or www.newenglandnightingales. com. See ad on page 21.

A Gradual Decline Here’s what to look for: • Decline in hygiene • Clothes aren’t matched or put on correctly • Requires assistance with housework • Shopping needs are not being met, especially groceries • Difficulty keeping track of the time of day, month, year, etc.

• Disinterest in food; decrease in dietary

intake • Medications not taken on regular basis • Forgetful of regularly scheduled appointments • Requires assistance walking or getting out of bed The decline in these activities is usually a gradual process and a spouse or other family member accommodates for the decline NaturalNutmeg.com

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Lyme Disease and Chiropractic Care

L

yme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in North America, is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Deer ticks, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, can harbor the bacteria and spread it when feeding. This under-estimated and often misdiagnosed disease originated right here in Lyme, Connecticut; hence the name Lyme disease.

Lyme disease signs and symptoms vary widely because Lyme disease can affect all regions of the human body. Not everyone with the disease will experience all the signs and symptoms, but in general, Lyme disease can cause rashes, chronic fatigue, flu-like symptoms, diffuse joint pain that travels, depression, neurological problems, and in some advanced cases heart problems and liver dysfunction.

This disease has been labeled the “great imitator,” because it mimics various other conditions, which is why it is commonly misdiagnosed. It is commonly mistaken for depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia. Lyme disease, if undetected and untreated, can be life threatening.

In my practice over the last twenty years we have had patients present with a plethora of symptoms.

However, over the last five years it seems that more patients are presenting with chronic fatigue, depression, and migratory joint and muscle pains. I often question if Lyme disease is present and just not being tested for, or if patients are testing as false negative.

It has been estimated that more than sixty percent of people with Lyme disease test negative once symptoms emerge.

Lyme disease has been labeled the “great imitator” because it mimics various other conditions

When patients enter our office for chiropractic care, we perform a complete history and review presenting facts. If Lyme disease is a possibility we refer the patient for appropriate testing and evaluation. If the patient is diagnosed with Lyme disease we have a holistic approach to assist the patient in the fight against Lyme.

In chiropractic we realize that a natural avenue to help the host fight the disease is to boost the immune system. As a chiropractor, I look to the spine because the spine protects the nervous system and the nervous system controls all systems, organs, and tissues of the body. We target the spinal areas that have direct influence on the host’s immunity and make sure these vertebra are working properly. If they’re not, specific adjustments are made that will stimulate the immune system’s reaction and provide enhanced resistance.

There are plenty of studies which demonstrate an increased white-cell count following a regimen of chiropractic care; these studies support this form of care for immune-suppressed conditions, such as Lyme.

Along with chiropractic adjustments to the spine other vital roads that lead to conquering this disease include diet, supplementation, and daily moderate exercise.

We guide patients with nutritional, dietary and exercise recommendations.

Over the past four years I have had the opportunity to provide care for Joseph Bradley, a local author who was diagnosed with Lyme disease. He went to many doctors, trying to find out what was causing his various symptoms of ill-health. Joseph visited a few

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chiropractors for his musculoskeletal complaints and found little to no relief. Through a personal referral, Joseph came to our office and we began the process of uncovering clinical possibilities. We worked with Joseph and other appropriate doctors and determined that Joseph had late stage Lyme disease. Late stage means bacteria have infiltrated the nervous system and prognosis is uncertain.

With Joseph’s fortitude and persistence, we began to attack the disease. After a year of chiropractic care, proper supplementation and a strict daily diet, he is ninety percent improved. He has regained his energy, immune function and quality of life. Joseph is one of the few fortunate chronic Lyme disease patients. There are hundreds of thousands who go undiagnosed, and who ultimately don’t get a second chance. After years of battling this disease, Joseph decided to write a book on Lyme disease. This is his fourth novel and recently he was contracted by a publishing house that will release his latest novel, “The Lyme Conspiracy”, in June of 2011. Please see Joseph’s website: www. thelymeconspiracy.com and an interview with him on page 34.

The Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury is located at 2934 Main St., Glastonbury, CT. (860) 657-8800. www.glastonburychiro.com.

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An Interview with Joseph Bradley, author, Lyme disease survivor

Q: Will you need to be on antibiotics for the rest of your life?

A: Many people with late stage Lyme do have to stay on antibiotics all their lives.

Some people are lucky if the antibiotics will keep them alive and relatively symptom free. I was on antibiotics for 3 years, and have been off for about 4 months. So far, my lifestyle modifications are holding the disease at bay.

Q: Tell me about your experience with Lyme disease.

A: “I never saw the tick bite. Perhaps I got the disease as a kid, or as a teen, I don’t know. A healthy immune system can keep it in check, but once the immune system is compromised the disease takes over. The spirochete bacteria start to multiply. They can hide virtually anywhere – in the brain, the heart, in muscle – it’s difficult for the immune system and antibiotics to find them, making it incredibly hard to cure, especially once it’s well-established.

Several years ago, all of a sudden, all sorts of things started to go wrong with my health. For a week or two I thought it was the flu, but instead of getting better it kept getting worse. My mother-in-law had suffered with similar symptoms and had been diagnosed with Lyme disease, so I started to do my own research. I went to various online health sites, described my symptoms, and Lyme disease came up as a potential diagnosis.

I could barely get out of bed. I went to my primary care physician, told him about my research, and lobbied hard to be treated for Lyme. Reluctantly, he prescribed 10 days of antibiotics.

Q: Did the antibiotics eliminate the disease?

A: The antibiotics eased my symptoms for a couple of weeks, but then the disease came back hard. At one point I couldn’t even pick up a glass of water, the pain in my wrists was so intense.

Q: What can you tell me about your upcoming book, The Lyme Conspiracy?

My Lyme tests came back negative, so my PCP was unwilling to prescribe more antibiotics. My online research suggested that most Lyme tests were incredibly unreliable, resulting in 60 to 70% false negative readings, but I couldn’t convince my PCP, so I searched for, and finally found, a Lyme-literate doctor – Dr. Hoadsley in Massachusetts.

She used the IGeneX test, which showed that I had late-stage Lyme. She started me on an aggressive antibiotic treatment.

I started a 30-day raw diet and a regimen of natural supplements. For the rest of my life, processed food, simple carbohydrates, and sugar are off limits, as they weaken the immune system, and I need mine to stay strong.

A: While the book is a mystery thriller and the story is fiction, the information about Lyme disease is based on research and fact. I’ve incorporated things people need to know, such as the potential involvement of the government, the role Plum Island might play, conflicts of interest at the Center for Disease Control, and the fact that pharmaceutical companies make a ton of money off Lyme.

Q: If you could leave readers with a few final thoughts, what would they be?

A: Three things. 1. Know that Lyme can present as many different diseases. 2. Remember that most primary care physicians are not Lyme-literate, and many don’t want to be, 3.

Lyme tests are unreliable, and most people receive only a generic test because that’s the only test insurance pays for. The Igenics test is the gold standard; if you have Lyme that test will probably disclose it, but that test can cost as much as $450 out of pocket.

I’m lucky to have recovered as well as I have – I’ve met so many people with Lyme, and heard so many heart-breaking stories, ranging from blindness to lives of agony to premature deaths. I’ve included some of the stories at the end of my new book, and there are others on my website. I hope those stories will help people identify the disease earlier, and not suffer needlessly, as so many people have.

Submitted by Deb Percival. Joseph J. Bradley is the author of four mystery thrillers. He is a former police officer with a masters degree in criminology. Joseph was a fighter and has been training and teaching martial arts since 1973. He is a veteran of the United States Army, where he operated in the DMZ in Korea conducting recon patrols. The Lyme Conspiracy is scheduled to be released in X. www.josephjbradley.com.

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healthy self

Dr. Lauren Gouin, N.D.

What Does Your Liver Have To Do With Your Weight?

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eight loss can be a frustrating and arduous task for many people, especially when it seems like you’re doing everything right but not seeing the results. The days of approaching weight loss as simply ‘calories in, calories out’ are now long behind us, as researchers and clinicians continue to find new correlations and connections to body composition and biochemistry. With these new relationships and a deeper understanding of the body, clinicians have a better understanding of weight loss resistance, including the dreaded ‘plateaus’.

As it turns out, the body’s ability to detoxify plays a major role.

The body does have the ability to remove toxins, using a series of pathways and enzymes to package up unwanted chemicals and pass them into the colon and bladder for waste removal. The liver is the body’s packaging center and it requires numerous nutrients including many vitamins, minerals, proteins and amino acids as well as an adequate intake of calories. With proper amounts of these tools, the liver is able to not only process the daily burden of chemical exposure, but also remove excess toxins that are liberated with fat loss.

Losing More than Fat

Detox as Supportive Weight Loss

When a body is exposed to chemicals, exogenous sources of hormones or any other foreign substance, it has two options: detoxify it and clear it from the body, or stow it away in the least harmful places in the body.

Because many chemicals are fat soluble, researchers have found the body often stores excess chemicals in our body fat. Samples in one study revealed more than 210 chemicals stored in human fat. The study also found:

The Liver’s Role

Damage to the liver has long been medically tied with obesity, and weight loss has been shown to improve stress on the liver and overall liver function. Now we know that the reverse is true as well: liver support can help with weight loss. If the body is able to process and clear excess chemicals, it is more capable of liberating more fat and toxins for clearance. This means detoxification can be an excellent tool for weight loss, especially weight loss that is resistant to ba• 76 chemicals linked to cancer in sic dietary changes and increased exercise. humans or animals Nutrient deficiencies and other underlying • 94 chemicals that are toxic to the brain weakness in the liver’s ability to detoxify and nervous system may need to be addressed to ensure that the • 86 chemicals that interfere with the toxin-packaging center is working properly. hormone system • 79 chemicals associated with birth defects or abnormal development • 77 chemicals toxic to the reproductive system, and • 77 chemicals toxic to the immune

system.

Detoxification from this perspective has nothing to do with harsh laxatives, fasts or even calorie restriction. Frequently, removing inflammatory foods, nourishing the body with proper nutrients and giving the liver support with either botanicals or foods will not only improve liver function but also kickstart weight loss.

Healthy weight has a myriad of health benefits associated with it, from cardiovascular to immune function. Some of these benefits might be due to a secondary association with a healthy liver. We know that not all livers are created equal, and while some people may not require much liver support, others may need more. Individual assessment of nutritional needs and deficiencies as well as liver function tests can be done with routine blood work.

Healthy diet and exercise are certainly a great start for weight loss, but looking at the liver may enhance efforts or minimize weight loss plateaus.

Dr. Lauren Gouin is a board certified naturopathic physician with a family practice at 135 Center St, Manchester. She is currently accepting new patients and is in-network with most insurance companies. To make an appointment, call (860) 533-0179 or visit www. ctnaturalhealth.com. See ad on page 24.

Weight loss becomes a much bigger endeavor when one not only has to increase activity and decrease caloric intake, but also clear the substances stored away in body fat.

In a more positive vein, weight loss can have a profound impact on our health, by reducing buildup of toxic substances in our fat tissue. Weight loss and more importantly fat loss result in toxin removal, and a reduction in our total toxic burden.

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healthy pet

The Decision of Euthanasia

W

e choose to bring pets into our lives knowing that at some point we will probably have difficult end-of-life decisions to make. Regardless of what heroic measures we’ve taken to ensure their health, the fact remains that most pets have short life-spans. Two of the most difficult decisions a pet owner will face are when and how to put a beloved pet to sleep.

This is often a heart-wrenching process fraught with feelings of guilt and self-doubt.

In many discussions with pet owners I have found that most people fervently hope their dog or cat will pass away quietly and peacefully at home when the time comes. Unfortunately, experience has taught me that this rarely happens. In many cases, older pets develop chronic medical conditions such as kidney disease, arthritis, cancer, or heart disease, to name just a few, that will ultimately adversely affect the pet’s quality of life.

When the time comes that your dog or cat is no longer comfortable, is in pain, not eating, or no longer enjoying the activities she used to love, you may be faced with deciding when it may be kindest to consider

euthanasia, literally translated as “good death”. This is always a very individual decision, and certainly is never made lightly.

Your veterinarian can help you determine when this point has been reached.

Once you have made the decision that euthanasia is the kindest option for your pet, the next difficult consideration is when and where this will be performed. Travelling to the veterinary clinic is often extremely stressful to both pets and owners. Ideally the euthanasia will be performed in a quiet, stress-free environment, both to ensure that your pet’s last moments will be peaceful, and also to allow you to grieve in your own way.

This is often not possible in a busy veterinary hospital. Veterinary house-call practitioners offer the option of performing this service at home. In this way your pet can spend her final moments in her own home, in her own bed, with family members offering quiet words of support as she peacefully goes to sleep.

There are many personal decisions to be made by the family. Who will be present?

Some owners prefer to say goodbye, but do

Your Healing Retreat, an integrative approach for parents and physicians (MDs and DOs) living and working with children affected by autism, ADHD and other learning disorders.

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Natural Nutmeg

not wish to be present for the euthanasia, while in other families everyone will wish to be there. What will happen afterward? Will the pet be cremated, with an individual service and ash return, or will the pet be buried at home? The veterinary team can explain all of the options and help work through the decision making.

The actual euthanasia is performed by giving an intravenous injection of a barbiturate; basically an overdose of an anesthetic.

But any stress associated with the process can be greatly reduced by giving various types of sedation, if needed, and also by having familiar people nearby, in familiar surroundings, and by providing a calm, quiet environment.

Having a pet put to sleep at home is never easy but I have found that it does allow a pet owner to feel that he has done all that he can to make sure his pet’s death is as comfortable and painless as possible. This is very often a final act of kindness that a pet owner can provide for a dog or cat who has been a beloved family member for many years.

Dr. Kim Rio is a 1991 graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. After spending nearly 20 years in small animal clinical practice in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, she launched her housecall practice, “Mobile Pet Vet”, with certified veterinary technician Julie Barton, in order to bring individualized wellness care to pets in their homes. For an appointment, or for more information call: (203)584-1211 or visit www. mobile-pet-vet.com. See ad on page 23.

Food Sensitivities

M

illions of Americans suffer from food sensitivities. These sensitivities can cause a wide array of symptoms from rashes to bloating, from congestion to a runny nose, from headaches to aches and pains, and from fatigue to mood swings. Food sensitivities can be difficult to identify, since some symptoms can manifest several hours after eating while others may not surface for several days. However, it is important to identify what foods may be causing a reaction in order to avoid the substance and reduce the symptoms. Some reactions can depend on the amount of the item eaten. In other words, a small or moderate amount of a reactive substance may not cause any noticeable symptoms, but a larger amount of the substance would cause symptoms. If the reaction is low to an item, symptoms may only happen if the reactive item is eaten in combination with another reactive item, thus making identification of a food sensitivity even more difficult.

Although some food-sensitivity reactions can be dramatic, many times the reactions create moderate symptoms that can be annoying or uncomfortable. Having only moderate symptoms makes it easier for them to go unchecked, and because of this, it’s easy to eat a food that is reactive day after day without even realizing it is causing any symptoms. Over time, the moderate symptoms can accumulate and result in significant symptoms.

How prevalent are food sensitivities?

3 in 4 people report sensitivity to dairy.

1 in 3 people report a sensitivity to yeast.

1 in 7 people report sensitivity to wheat/gluten.

1 in 3 people report sensitivity to sugar.

Food sensitivities are different from true food allergies, but they are often confused.

A true allergy directly involves the immune system whereas sensitivity does not always involve the immune system. However, the symptoms can be very similar. Symptoms from food sensitivities are more common than symptoms from food allergies and affect a much higher percentage of people then previously thought. Medical evidence shows food sensitivities are much more prevalent than the small minorities usually quoted for true food allergies, which is only about 2 to 4% of adults and 4 to 6% of children. Many people don’t fully understand the effects of

or headache. Often, by the time the food sensitivity is properly identified, the symptoms have become elevated and the patient’s overall health can be compromised.

According to a recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 90% of food sensitivities are associated with 8 food types: • Cow’s milk • Eggs • Peanuts • Soy foods • Wheat • Fish • Crustacean shellfish (such shrimp, prawns, lobster, and crab) • Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts) The items above make up the bulk of our western diets. Many people have some form of food sensitivity and needlessly suffer with the symptoms associated with them.

At Glastonbury Naturopathic Center, Dr. Helene Pulnik offers an advanced therapy that can help to relieve or significantly reduce the symptoms associated with food sensitivities. It is a non-invasive treatment that does not include needles, supplements, or medications. It is completely pain free and available to all ages, including infants. food sensitivities and because many symptoms can be ongoing, the symptoms are often attributed to something else. Symptoms of food sensitivities tend to be those that people deal with on a daily basis but don’t want to fully address, like: itching skin, rashes, mild diarrhea, coughing, fatigue, stomach bloating, flatulence, congestion,

Dr. Helene Pulnik is a board-certified, licensed Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist. She has over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional and is a Certified Advanced Allergy practitioner. Glastonbury Naturopathic & Acupuncture Center, 18 School Street, Glastonbury. 860-657-4105. info@naturopathicwellness.com, www.naturopathicwellness.com. See ad on page 25.

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o i t o

d n a ns

Em

S

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rgie

Can We CreateThem?

ome old knowledge is valuable, but is forgotten. Many years ago, Walter Alvarez, a well-known physician of the Mayo clinic and popular medical writer for several decades, provided a personal perspective on food-mind interactions in his introduction to the text, “Allergy of the Nervous System.” Alvarez and other astute physicians knew about food allergy and its mental effects for many years. Food allergy was implicated in depression, anxiety, hyperactivity in children, epilepsy, migraine, Meniere’s syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Unfortunately, this clinical wisdom, shared by prominent physicians for many years, has been lost to subsequent generations of physicians.

Important disturbances of brain function occur during any immune activity in the body, with the strongest influences on the autonomic nervous system and moodemotion circuits. Changes in arousal, mood, sleep-waking patterns, appetite, thirst, and temperature regulation are regularly reported by patients who have immune-mediated disease.

But can it go in reverse? Can emotional arousal of the nervous system pre-program us to allergies? There is compelling evidence

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Alle

that leads us to say yes. If emotions really do cause allergies, it means we can avoid damaging our health.

Both immune and nervous systems interact when things go wrong at the level of molecules and cells. The molecular-cellular mechanisms are monitored (but not controlled) at the level of consciousness. The presence of symptoms is the brain’s way of presenting to the conscience that there is a problem at the molecular level. Chaos confuses or interferes with a successful relationship with our environment. Molecular noise is the disorder created by substances flowing through our body-brain. At certain levels, information noise is equivalent to molecular noise. At the level of equivalence we cannot tell the difference between a molecular problem and a personal problem.

As the noise increases, the system becomes more unstable or hypersensitive. We feel this instability as emotional disturbance and physical symptoms. In reverse, our emotional disturbances, if the condition is right, can program our immune system, causing programming in the immune system that is trying to protect us from chaos.

For example, let’s suppose you are eating breakfast and the television is on. You

s:

are watching the news and a horrific event is shown. You react with a strong emotional response such as panic and fear. While your intellectual mind registers that this is not happening to you, your visceral survival mechanism thinks the food you are ingesting is a physical assault. Your nervous system programs the immune system to protect itself from this substance upon exposure as it may be harmful. You have just created an allergy.

This idea can affect every aspect of our lives. We could develop food allergies by eating at stressful business meetings, yelling at our kids during dinner or watching TV during mealtimes. We could even develop pet allergies if our beloved family pet was ill or passed away violently. A number of years ago I worked on a severe case of dairy allergies in a 50-year-old woman. We were having difficulty desensitizing her allergy.

It was not until after repeated testing and inquiry that she remembered this story about her childhood: When she was 5 years old, she was in the hospital for a tonsillectomy. Her parents had been with her and, even though she was frightened by the experience, she was comforted by the fact that they were there.

Her parents then left shortly to get lunch.

While they were away, a nurse came in to feed the child lunch. The nurse insisted the child drink her milk and she refused. The nurse became angry with the small child and forced her to drink the milk and the girl vomited it up immediately and violently. It was a few years later that this patient of mine developed milk allergies and was diagnosed with severe lactose intolerance.

The best way to avoid programming your immune system to react to everyday foods, airborne allergens or pets is to take the following precautions: • Practice relaxing a few minutes prior to each meal and while eating try to relax and chew.

• Don’t watch TV or disturbing images while eating.

• Techniques like EFT or NAET can help you desensitize any allergies you create.

Find a qualified practitioner who can help you determine whether your allergies could be tied to an emotional connection.

• Most of all, never eat when upset. Wait until you calm down.

Immunity is a complex system of messages managed by the higher function of the nervous system. Our human physiology is designed to protect our body at all costs.

As we evolve as humans and become more thinking and feeling beings, our protective system can mistake real versus perceived threats and it will react by causing allergy reactions. To stay healthy we must be able to stabilize both our mind and body by experiencing life joyfully.

Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, L.Ac, is the Integrative Chinese Medical Director of SOPHIA Natural Health Center in Brookfield, CT. He holds acupuncture licensure in both Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as national certifications in Oriental Medicine and Chinese Herbology. He is a founding board member of the Institute for the Advancement of Clinical Thermography, where he trains and certifies doctors in this emerging technology that detects early risk of breast cancer. He is a member of the American Association of Oriental Medicine, Connecticut Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Society and Nambudripad’s Allergy Research Foundation. While his background is varied, the core of his approach to medicine is to bridge the ancient traditions of healing with modern medicine to provide each of his patients with individual care in a way that engages innate healing abilities with proven science. See ad on page 23.

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Healthy Cooking

Papacelle’s Mother’s Day Crepes

By Chef David Pianka

M

other’s Day… It is the day we celebrate that special woman (or special women) in our lives. We show our appreciation by showering them with gifts, cooking for them then taking them out to dinner. I love my mother, and my mother LOVES crepes, so for this month I decided to put together an Italian classic, crepes with a zabaglione cream filling garnished with raspberries. Prepared correctly this is an extremely light and delicious after dinner or brunch dish that is perfect for just about every mother out there. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there!

As with all of our recipes you will notice that the recipe will be simple and will have very few ingredients. Because of this simplicity, the freshness and quality of each ingredient will be extremely important.

Dish: Crepes with Zabaglione and Raspberries Category: Dessert Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Cooking: Crepe pan, which is basically any thin walled cast pan. If you do not have one a non-stick pan should work just as well.

Ingredients: Item

Suggested Substitutions if Necessary

CREPE BATTER 1 Cup all purpose flour none 2 eggs none, local naturally fed eggs are best 1 cup whole milk skim milk will work, crepes will not be as rich 2T unsalted butter Fresh local lard

ZABAGLIONE Preparation: 5 egg yolks Crepes 4T sugar • Sift flower into a bowl and very lightly whisk 1/2c Dry Marsala together with the eggs and milk with a fork.

• Melt butter and add to mixture, the end result

should be the consistency of runny custard.

• Heat up your crepe pan on medium-high heat, use a little pan spray or butter to grease the pan and add an ounce or so of your batter to the pan, try and thin the batter out as much as possible by swirling the batter in the pan.

none Rapadura, Stevia or any natural light sugar substitute Kahlua, Frangelico, Amaretto

Zabaglione: • Place a pot on the stove on high with water filled 1/3 of the way. Grab a metal bowl that fits over the pot with little overhang.

• Whisk together yolks, sugar and Marsala until blended, place on top of pot and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture has thickened (170 degrees) • Pour the Zabaglione into your crepe and stuff with your lady’s favorite fruit.

Note: 1) If substituting banana for egg yolk then cooking will not be necessary, just blend ingredients together.

2) We do NOT recommend any chemical based sweeteners. Why? Well…

• Splenda, is sugar bonded with chlorine • Sweet ‘n Low, is made from coal tar • Aspartame once ingested, converts to formaldehyde

I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, ideas or would just like to talk food join me at our blog www.papacelle.com join us on Facebook or email me dave@papacelle.com anytime! See ad on page 30.

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Cook until batter is solid enough to flip then cook only for 20 seconds on alternate side.

calendar For a detailed description of our calendar listings please go to www.naturalnutmeg.com, and click the calendar link or scan the QR code with your smart phone to be taken directly to our calendar page.

Listings in red are held in Fairfield County Sunday, May 1st Family Yoga (ages 2-3 yrs with Adult).

Sunday, 5/1, 3:30pm-4:15pm w/ Amanda Volpini. . Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com

Tuesday, May 3rd Find Your Right Work. 7-9:30 pm, $195 for four evenings, 5/3,10,17,24.

Offered by The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT. Call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.ed/rightwork for more information or to register.

First Tuesday Meditation and Oneness Blessing. 7-8pm. $10. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information or call 860.657.9545. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033.

Thursday, May 5th Bio-Identical Hormone Discussion.

7pm. Dr. John Monaco. Cost is $20.00 and attendees will receive a book pertaining to Bio-Identical Hormones. The discussion will be held at Bryce Rx Labs, 30 Buxton Farm Road, Stamford CT 06905 visit www.brycerx.com for more information or call 1-800-798-7279.

Weight Loss through Hypnosis! 6:309:00 pm. Conducted by William Priftis, C.H. The cost is $40 per person. The program will be conducted at CIHH, 533 Cottage Grove Road in Bloomfield, CT. For information or to reserve a spot, please call 860-243-2224.

Reduce Your Healthcare Costs Through Natural Medicine. Guy Daniels, M.S., M.H. Lecture & Book Signing! 7pm.

Free, No reservation. With rave endorsements from Christiane Northrup, MD and other doctors,“Reduce Your Healthcare Costs Through Natural Medicine” is packed with valid clinical implications for everyone. Come to this lecture to better understand common misconceptions in nutrition. Thyme & Season Natural Market, 3040 Whitney Ave., Hamden. 203-407-8128. www.ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com. 20% Supplement Coupon to all attendees.

Life Coaching 101. 6pm -7:30pm.

Discover your Authentic Self! Identify, clarify, and prioritize your goals and dreams with life coaching. Skype and phone appointments are available if you are unable to make this event.

Tours Bloom, LLC - 248 Farmington Ave., Suite 202, Hartford, CT 06105.

860-266-6238.

TorusBloom@gmail. com. www.TorusBloom.com.

Friday, May 6th Reiki 1st Degree Workshop with Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher. Also SaturdayMay 7th. Pick one day. 10am to 5pm. Free private parking at Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Avenue, Norwalk, CT ( off of Exit 16/i 95). Free private parking. Pre-Registration required at 203-852-1150 or angelhealreikigigib@snet.net. Fee $115 Yin/Yang Detox. 6pm-8pm w/ Carrie Brostek. Class focuses on opening, twisting and compressing to release the accumulation of toxins and cleanse your internal organs. Pre-Registration required. $25 before 4/30, $30 after. Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville, (Simsbury), CT 06081.(860) 217-0340.www.enlightenedway.com.

Saturday, May 7th Down Dog Workshop. 2pm-3:15pm w/ Karen MacPhayden. $25. Pre-registration required. Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Tuesday, May 10th Third Eye Enhancement Meditation.

6:30pm-8:30pm $20. Meditating on the third eye is believed to be helpful in developing intuitive power. These meditations help in opening, activating and balancing the mysterious Ajna Chakra. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-2652927, email sunnispirit@sbcglobal. net, or visit www.return2love.net.

Ancient Teas of China. Laura Mignosa, NCCH.6:30-8:30pm.

26.00. Explore some of the thousand-year-old teas (or decoctions) that were used to maintain a strong body and help us to transition

from childhood to old age. Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies, 900 Wells Road Wethersfield, Ct. 06109. www.

CTHerbschool.com 860-666-5064.

Energy Make-Over For Women. 6-8:30 pm . $20. Lauren Mas, RMT facilitates.

This make-over is from the inside out!

Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register by May 6 with Lauren: www.morningsunreiki.com, (860) 202-9981.

Wednesday, May 11th Janet Hulme – Improving Bladder/ Bowel Strength. Free. 1:15pm-1:45pm.

Instructor: Marilyn Gross, PT, IMTC. CenterIMT, 800 Cottage Grove Road, Building 2, Bloomfield, CT 06002. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Amanda Albrecht at AmandaAlbrecht@centerimt.com or call 860 243 5220.

Conflict Transformation: Addressing the Concerns of our Schools, Families, and Communities. 6 pm at The Graduate Institute. Join Lisa Worth Huber for an exploration of the exciting new field of Conflict Transformation. Free event, 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT. Call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu/ events to RSVP. Healing in Harmony Night. 5-7pm.

FREE. This is a drop-in healing service, participants will sit individually with Priscilla Bengtson and receive a healing, approximately 8 – 10 minutes.

Simply Fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. Contact Priscilla at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Thursday, May 12th The Journey to Whole Natural PlantBased Eating - For the Tortoise & The Hare? Robert Leighton, Lecture & Book Signing! 7pm. Free, No reservation. Local author, nutritional entrepreneur, Rob Leighton of Kardea Nutrition discusses his quest to celebrate delicious foods while achieving very meaningful improvements in key measures of health.

Thyme & Season Natural Market, 3040 Whitney Ave., Hamden.(203)4078128.Questions? www.ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com.

20% Supplement Coupon to all attendees.

Vibrational Healing Meditation. 7-8:30 pm. $15. Lisa Burch, LCSW, RMT & Marna Walter, RN, RMT, facilitate. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/ Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Lisa: 860871-9295 x2.

The Wish® 6p.m. - 8:30 p.m.. $35.00/ per person. Register at www.TorusBloom.com. Shift yourself energetically, by raising your awareness and then clearing away any blocks or negative beliefs standing in the way of your

wish becoming a reality. Call to arrange a game via Skype, private or small group (4-8) session. Torus Bloom, LLC, 248 Farmington Ave., Suite 202, Hartford, CT 06105. 860-266-6238. TorusBloom@gmail.com.

Friday, May 13th Perfect Health/Ayurvedic Lifestyle Course. Taught by Chopra Center Certified Instructors, Amy and Mark Bannon.

(Five-Session Course). 5/13 - 5/15.

Fri. 6-8pm, Sat. 11-3:30pm, Sun.113:30pm. Limited time special rate of $295. Visit www.enlightenedway.com to learn more about this program. Preregistration Required. Call (860) 2170304. Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite 208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081.

Crystal Bowls Sound Healing. 7 - 8:30 pm. $15. Edie Jemiola, RMT, facilitates.

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

Register with Edie: (860) 933-8145.

Saturday, May 14th Private Channeling with Sheryl Blumenthal. Through 5/16. $125 per hr/$85 per ½ hr. A private session with Sheryl is an opportunity to be in conversation with both your and Sheryl’s spiritual guides.

A recording of your session will be provided. Crossroads Wellness Center- 10 Crossroads Plaza, W. Htfd. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860232-3331 or www.epllc.org.

An Evening of Guided Messages with Sheryl Blumenthal 7:30-9:00pm -$20 per person. Each person can receive a personal message from a spiritual guide and then be supportive of others as they receive their personal message. Group messages are of benefit to all that have the opportunity to hear them. This group session is extremely powerful and transforming. WHSC, 15 Starkel Rd. W. Htfd. , CT. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or www.epllc.org.

Reiki II. 9am – 5pm. $150.00. Receive attunements to higher frequencies of universal energy and enhance your healing work. Learn how to do distance healing, as well as heal mental, emotional and past life issues. Participants receive a manual and certificate. Held at 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.

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calendar Saturday, May 14th Letting Go of Anger. 10am -1pm. $15.

Anger can destroy relationships, harm others and can even cause us to experience physical illness. By learning to recognize anger for what it is, we can gradually reduce and eventually abandon this harmful mind. Pre registration appreciated. Odiyana Meditation Center, 297 Oakland Rd., South Windsor,CT. (860)268-7251.info@odiyana.org. www.meditationinconnecticut.org.

Laughter Playshop. 10-11am. Free will donation. Mylene Poitras, LMT, certified Laughter Yoga Instructor facilitates.

Includes deep breathing, stretching, laughtercises and relaxation. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com.

Register with Mylene: 860-538-4724 or dancelavie@yahoo.com by May 11.

Job Loss, Soul Promotion. 11:30am – 4pm. $50. Scholarship available. Turn your job loss into a spiritual growth opportunity. Flo Bartosiak Grenman, a 25 year career counselor, expressive arts facilitator, Mylene Poitras. Potluck lunch. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com.

Register with Flo, 860-508-4709 by May 11.

Saturday, May 15th Reconnective Healing Informational Seminar. $25, 1pm - 4pm. Learn about a more comprehensive spectrum of healing that includes and expands beyond any and all known forms of “energy” healing. Join our team of authorized Reconnective Healing practitioners for an afternoon of demonstrations, movie clips, and lively discussions of testimonials. 3 Barnard Lane, Top Floor (enter through rear of building), Bloomfield, CT. Usui Reiki One Certification. 10am – 4:30pm. $150. Lauren Mas, RMT, teaches. Learn the history, theory and practice of Reiki and receive your attunement as a Level I Practitioner, allowing you to give healing to yourself and others. Includes materials for fol-

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low-up practice. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register

by May 8 with Lauren: www.morningsunreiki.com, 860-202-9981.

ing statements, you will learn to release the things that no longer serve you. Held at 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.

Chinese Herbal. 5/26: Chinese herbs to Maintain & Regain Health. June 2: Chinese herbs to Calm the Spirit.

Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies. 900 Wells Road Wethersfield, Ct 06109. www.CTHerbschool.com. 860666-5064.

Lunar Flow Yoga with Erika Halford.

6–8pm. Pre-register/pre-pay $20. $25 at the door. Celebrate the full moon with a candle-lit, restorative and special lunar meditation and ritual offering.

Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Space limited, please pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Lunch w/ Terry Walters! Author of “Clean Food” & “Clean Start.” Tuesday, 5/17, 1am-1pm. This nutrition roundtable of sorts will include lunch prepared by Terry using recipes from her Clean Start book as well as a book signing. $15 plus price of the book if you would like a signed copy. Pre-registration required! Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Core Stabilization & Strengthening Class. Free. 1:15pm-1:45pm. Instructor: Carol Gordon, PT, IMTC. Perfect for the busy individual with little time to hit the gym. CenterIMT, 800 Cottage Grove Road, Building 2, Bloomfield, CT 06002. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Amanda Albrecht at AmandaAlbrecht@centerimt.com or call 860 243 5220.

Reiki Level I. 10am - 4pm, $150.

Carleen Wells, Reiki Master Teacher, 860.884.3125. Class will include history, principles, benefits, the chakra system, self-treatment and Level I attunement. Centerspace Wellness Studio at Meiklem Kiln Works, 46 Lebanon Rd, Bozrah, CT. To Register: www.meiklemkilnworks.com or call 860.886.8562.

Monday, May 16th Group Past Life Regression. 6:30pm8:30pm. $20. An effective way to discover reasons for current fears, recurring dreams and personality tendencies. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford.

No previous experience necessary. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-2652927, email sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or visit www.return2love.net.

Tuesday, May 17th Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. Free Information Session.

4 pm. Discover an innovative graduate program in the field of Integrative Medicine. Hartford Hospital, Special Dining Room. Offered by The Graduate Institute. Call (203) 874-4252 or visit www. learn.edu/events to RSVP. Learning to Let Go. 10am – 12pm. $35.00. This workshop will introduce you to the simple technique of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Using a simple tapping pattern and empower-

Wednesday, May 18th Monthly Grief Support Group. 7pm9pm. Phyllis Frink B.S.N. will facilitate.

Light beyond Loss sponsors monthly support group. Previously Phyllis was trained as a hospice grief support facilitator and led a group in Torrington for 10 years. Phyllis is a bereaved parent, sibling and child. She has a warm and friendly nature. Canton Community Center/Library, Room E. 40 Dyer Ave., Canton CT 06019. Drop in are welcome and there is no charge.

Thursday, May 19th What’s in Your Lunchbox? 7pm. Free.

No reservation. Amanda M. Levitt, ND will discuss how to pack a delicious and nutritious lunch for you and your family. This talk will be packed with great tips on what to eat to maintain optimal weight, brain power and energy!

Thyme & Season Natural Market, 3040 Whitney Ave., Hamden. 203-407-8128.

Questions? www.ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com. 20% Supplement Coupon to all attendees.

Chinese Herbal Series. (3 Thursday evenings). Laura Mignosa, NCCH. 6:30 - 8:30 pm. $78.00. Also 5/26 & 6/2.

These classes have been designed to show you the benefits of many Tonic remedies that have been used for thousands of years. 5/19: Introduction to

Thursday, May 19th Claiming Your Calmness. 7-8:30 pm.

Free. Learn to release stress with a multi-modal approach including self hypnosis and information on foods associated with stress. Norton Berkowitz, PhD, presents, www.norberk.com, 860-875-1969, or norberk@aol.com.

The Beyond Center, G-5, Vernon Professional Building, 281 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT. Sponsored by Alliance For Holistic Living, www.afhlnow.org. No advance registration.

Friday, May 20th Gallery Night. 6:30pm.– 8:30pm. $45.00. Enjoy an intimate evening of learning about angels and guides and experiencing intuitive readings with medium and certified Angel Therapy Practitioner®, Priscilla Bengtson. Preregistration 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.

Yoga for Girls (ages 11-15). (3rd Friday of every month) 5pm-6:30pm. Taught

by Youth Yoga instructor Julie Erasmus.

Celebrate being a girl with this fun-filled yoga class! Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Saturday, May 21st Anatomy, Body Reading, Muscle Imbalances, and Gender Differences.

9am - 3pm. $125. Megan Todt. Open to all Health Care Professionals (OT’s, PT’s, RYT’s, LMT’s, ND’s, Acupuncturists, etc). Continuing Education Units can be given to RYTs. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information.

Pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

The Five Element Diet: Food as Medicine. Drew DiVittorio, DIPL. CH. Also 5/22. 9:30 - 5pm. $189.00. Balance in diet is unique for each person and there is no one diet for everyone. Learn to use whole foods “as medicine” to balance and regenerate internal organs and strengthen the immune system to help prevent disease. Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies, 900 Wells Road Wethersfield, CT 06109. www.CTHerbschool.com 860-666-5064.

Insight Yoga & Meditation Workshop.

Iris & Roy Maurer. 9:30am-12:30pm. morning session. 1:30pm-5pm continued practice. This workshop integrates Buddhist Insight Meditation and Insight Yoga practice. Instruction in the morning session is designed for those new to both meditation and yoga. Morning session required! Half-day $65, Fullday $140. Pay by May 14, only $55 for half-day & $125 for full-day. Pre-registration required! Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Sunday, May 22nd Spring Hike & Yoga. 8am-3pm. Led by Steve Grant & Leslie Gordon. Join us as we hike a few miles of moderate terrain on the famous Appalachian Trail in Litchfield County. While in nature, we will do a short yoga practice to help stretch our hard-worked muscles after our hike. Price TBD. Pre-registration required! Enlightened Way Wellness Center, 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Women’s Empowerment Meditation.

10am– 12pm. $25.00. This guided meditation is specifically designed to the energy of the group and helps us to release those things that no longer serve our highest good or empower our lives.

Held at simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. For more information, please contact Priscilla at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Walk for Lupus Now. Walk for Lupus Now is the signature event of the Lupus Foundation of America, CT Chapter. It is an opportunity for individuals with lupus to meet one another and walk to create more awareness about the disease.Blue Back Square, West Hartford.

Registration 9AM; walk begins 10AM. www.lupusct.org. 860-269-6240.

Bandhas, Mantra, and Meditation. 9am – 5pm. $175. Join Danny Arugetty for an in depth experience into yogic subtle anatomy; bandhas (seals) and kumbhas (breath holdings). This is part of an ongoing Yoga Therapy Teacher Training.

Open to all Health Care Professionals (OT’s, PT’s, RYT’s, LMT’s, Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, etc). Continuing Education Units can be given to RYT’s. Information at www.sacredriversyoga.com.

Pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Tuesday, May 24th Open House at The Graduate Institute.

5 pm. Discover a unique learning community offering accredited Masters degrees in creativity, metaphysics, and the healing arts. 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT. Call (203) 874-4252 or visit www. learn.edu/events to RSVP. Third Eye Enhancement Meditation.

6:30pm-8:30pm. $20. These meditations help in opening, activating and balancing the mysterious Ajna Chakra. We will be accessing new and powerful energies necessary to support and facilitate positive resolutions for the coming times. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-2652927, email sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or visit www.return2love.net.

Bee Well Therapy, Inc. Alan Lorenzo Traveling Bee Venom Therapist AAS Member/CMAC – Educated S E RV I N G N O RT H A M E R I C A

Call for a free phone consultation.

203-322-7872 www.BeeWellTherapy.com

Bee Venom Therapy can offer significant relief from the symptoms of Arthritis, Bursitis, Tendinitis, Lyme Disease, Carpal Tunnel, Herniated Discs, M.S., and other spinal, neural, or musculo-skeletal ailments.

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calendar Wednesday, May 25th Timely Topics In Natural Medicine.

Henry C. Sobo, MD. This month, “Allergies: There’s More Than Meets The Itchy Eye”- learn how allergies affect your health in many ways you may not be aware of. Relieve symptoms like fatigue, bloating, and headaches . RSVP to 203-348-8805. 111 High Ridge Rd., Stamford, CT.

Thursday, May 26th Introduction to the Four Aspects of Chinese Medicine with Dr. Xilin Jordan, LAc, DAc, Dipl.OM. 7pm. Free.

No reservation. Chinese medicine has been used for over 5000 years to heal and promote wellness and health within the body. Thyme & Season Natural Market, 3040 Whitney Ave., Hamden.

203-407-8128 Questions? Ask Linda, Certified Nutrition Counselor (M-F 9-5). www.ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket. com.20% Supplement Coupon to all attendees.

Friday, May 27th Reiki 2nd Degree Workshop. Gigi Benanti, Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/ Teacher. 10am - 5pm. Also 5/28. Learn self-healing or healing for others. Receive meditations, two special attunements, enhance/strengthen your Reiki.

Includes review to Reiki I. Manual and certificate included. Take Reiki from an experience Reiki teacher. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Free private parking. PreRegistration required at 203-852-1150 or angelhealreikigigib@snet.net. Fee: $215-225. www.angelhealreiki.com.

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Saturday, May 28th Private Appointments with Pat Caffrey, Master Channel. 9-5pm. $125 for 1 hr / $85 for ½ hr. Pat Caffrey is a clear vessel of love. She is a voice for the Angelic Council of LIGHT, beings of love and light that have been manifested to lead and guide humanity on Earth. Come discover the energy healing of the future being presented to us today. Private Sessions – Crossroads Wellness Center – 10 Crossroads Plaza. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-2323331 or www.epllc.org.

Group Healing Session with Pat Caffrey, Master Channel. 7pm. Donations Only.

Join Pat Caffrey: Channel for the Angelic Council of LIGHT for an experience of your life. She has been asked by spirit to open herself to carry healing energy to the world, person by person. West Hartford Senior Center, 15 Starkel Rd. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or www.epllc.org

Sunday, May 29th The Perfect Union: Emotional Freedom Technique Meets the Law of Attraction.

2-5 pm. $35. Catherine Ewing, LCSW, MDiv facilitates. EFT can eliminate limiting beliefs, trauma memories, phobias and physical pain. Learn how to combine EFT and the Universal Principles of Attraction and Manifestation to create more of what you want in your life. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Catherine, 860-871-9295, by May 25.

Tuesday, May 31st Find Peace of Mind, Learn to Meditate!

7-8:30pm. FREE! Learn about the benefits of meditation and how to begin and maintain your own practice. Classes include guided meditations, practical advice and time for questions. Come and

bring a friend! 5/31 at Odiyana Meditation Center, South Windsor, 297 Oakland Rd. June 2nd at Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow St.www.meditationinconnecticut. org.860-268-7251. info@odiyana.org.

06851. For information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@ unitycenterps.org.

ONGOING EVENTS

Belly Dance Fusion with Naima Provo.

7-8:30pm $20/ class, 10 classes for $170. No experience necessary! Learn movements focusing on muscle isolation, core strength, and correct posture. Practice movements with drills & stretches to all types of music. Come wiggle & giggle with us! Move2Wellness is located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield.

203-403-2522 or www.move2wellness.com.

SUNDAYS 15 Minutes in the Silence. Align with your Higher Self before the Celebration Service. 10am. Celebration Service with Rev. Shawn Moninger. 10:30 am.

The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Information, call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@ unitycenterps.org.

Spiritual Cinema Circle. 7 pm. Independent, spiritual filmmakers are creating inspirational movies with heart and soul. First Sunday of every month, movie followed by discussion of the film. No charge. Bring popcorn and an open mind. Move2Wellness located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www.move2wellness.com.

Meditation Sunday Evenings. 7pm.

The 3rd, 4th, 5th Sunday every month.

Meditation led by a different practitioner every week. Experience different techniques and styles for your own practice. Free. Move2Wellness is located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www.move2wellness.com.

The Workbook Lessons from A Course in Miracles with Rev. Shawn Moninger.

10am. Love Offering. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT

MONDAYS

The Thought Exchange, A Workshop with David Friedman. 7pm. A spiritual support group based in the results of a realization of having a new thought.

“What if what you see in your life is just a mirror of your thoughts?” The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. Call (203)855-7922. email office@unitycenterps.org.

TUESDAYS A Course in Miracles facilitated by Joan Goss. 7pm. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. For more information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

Meditation Sessions. 5:30pm-6pm.

FREE, 30-Minute group meditation. Great for beginners or those just wanting a tranquil place to meditate.

“Chopra Center Certified” Instructors.

Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340. www.Enlightenedway.com.

Kids Yoga (girls/boys ages 4-7). Tuesdays, 4:30pm-5:30pm. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com. Taught by Next Generation Yoga Instructor Jill Hebert.

All Levels Vinyasa. 5:45-6:45pm. $16 drop in, class cards available. Maeve Ryan combines the stretching and relaxation of gentle yoga with the heatbuilding core and balance work of vinyasa flow yoga. All are welcome. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545 Tai Chi for health. Glastonbury. 12pm 1. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-545-1888 or 1-800-545-7664. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese holistic exercise system with its roots in the martial arts, it’s unique qualities make it beneficial for all. The Tai Chi for Health program was designed by Health care professionals and Tai Chi experts to improve the health of those with Arthritis and Osteoporosis.

The exercises can be adjusted to fit the needs of the individual; most can even be done while sitting down. 1 month $80/twice a week or $45/once a week.

Tai Chi for health. Wethersfield. 3:30pm - 4:30. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-5451888 or 1-800-545-7664. See description on previous listing. 1 month $80/ twice a week or $45/once a week.

Tai Chi for health. Windsor. 7:30 pm - 8:30. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-5451888 or 1-800-545-7664. 1 month $80/twice a week or $45/once a week.

See description on previous listing.

WEDNESDAYS Human Relations Training Program Class. 6-7:30. Improve relationships with colleagues, employees and supervisors, feel more satisfied in your work with less effort, discover and develop your true work. www.drdorigatter.com. com. Reservations are required. Hartford Family Institute’s Center for Healing Arts, 17 S. Highland St., West Hartford. 860.258.4113.

Chair Yoga Series. Specific Wed. 1011am, designed as a 4-week series.

Designed for those with physical limitations that prohibit them from getting onto the floor. We are located on 2nd floor of historic building, and you MUST be able to negotiate stairs. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Kids Yoga (girls/boys ages 7-12). 4:305:30pm. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com Taught by Yoga Kids Instructor Julie Erasmus.

A Course in Miracles facilitated by Joan Goss. 10am. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. For more information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

THURSDAYS Meditation Sessions. 5:30pm-6pm.

FREE. 30-min. group meditation. Great for beginners or those just wanting a tranquil place to meditate. “Chopra Center Certified” Instructors. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340. www.Enlightenedway.com.

Tai Chi for health. Wethersfield. 3:30pm - 4:30. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-5451888 or 1-800-545-7664. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese holistic exercise system with its roots in the martial arts, it’s unique qualities make it beneficial for all. The Tai Chi for Health program was designed by Health care professionals and Tai Chi experts to improve the health of those with Arthritis and Osteoporosis.

The exercises can be adjusted to fit the needs of the individual; most can even be done while sitting down. 1 month $80/twice a week or $45/once a week.

Tai Chi for health. Windsor. 7:30 pm - 8:30. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-5451888 or 1-800-545-7664.1 month $80/ twice a week or $45/once a week. See description on previous listing.

Reiki at The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality. Third Thursday of the month. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. For more information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Cost $25. Kundalini Yoga is a sacred technology that awakens the spirit, energizes the body & relaxes the mind.

Everybody can do this regardless of age, size and fitness level. It’s “90 minutes that can change your life.” Call or email to reserve. Move2Wellness at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www. move2wellness.com.

FRIDAYS Tai Chi for health. Glastonbury. 12pm 1. Information call the Hartford Hospital Referral Service at 860-545-1888 or

1-800-545-7664. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese holistic exercise system with its roots in the martial arts, it’s unique qualities make it beneficial for all. The Tai Chi for Health program was designed by Health care professionals and Tai Chi experts to improve the health of those with Arthritis and Osteoporosis.

The exercises can be adjusted to fit the needs of the individual; most can even be done while sitting down. 1 month $80/twice a week or $45/once a week.

Yoga for Girls (ages 11-15). 3rd Friday each month!

5pm-6:30pm. Taught Youth Yoga instructor Julie Erasmus.

Celebrate being a girl with this fun-filled yoga class! Become inspired and learn to listen to your body and explore yoga and other healthy acitivites! Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

SATURDAYS Gentle Yoga 6 week series. 9-10am. $60 series/$15 drop-in. The gentle yoga class will focus on increasing flexibility, reducing stress, strengthening muscles and improving alignment. Torus Bloom, LLC - 248 Farmington Ave., Suite 202, Hartford. 860-724-1230 or 860-2666238 TorusBloom@gmail.com www.

TorusBloom.com.

Therapeutic Yoga 6 week series. 5/7 – 5/28. 9am. – 10am. $140 series/$35 drop-in Therapeutic Yoga is a particularly effective practice for those recovering from, or living with, injury or illness. LK Chair and Gentle Yoga sessions are also available by appointment. Torus Bloom, LLC, 248 Farmington Ave., Ste 202, Hartford, CT 06105. 860-2666238. TorusBloom@gmail.com, www.

TorusBloom.com.

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resources

Allergy Treatment

Colon Hydrotherapy

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center

Acupuncture

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

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

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

Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND is a certified Advanced Allergy Therapeutics Practitioner. Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT) is a clinically proven treatment that is highly effective in relieving the many symptoms associated with allergies, food sensitivities, environmental sensitivies, IBS, headaches, skin problems and more. The AAT treatment does not rely on the use of medications, herbal remedies or supplements. The treatment is safe, painless and available to all ages including infants. See ad on page 25.

Constance Jones is New England’s senior Colon Hydrotherapist. During her 30 years of practice, she has performed nearly 50,000 colonics. Connie is certified through both the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapists (I-ACT) and The National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy. She creates a nurturing, serene, and safe environment, and maintains your utmost privacy and comfort. www.cleanmycolon.com. See our ad on page 25.

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

See ad on pg 35.

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

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

Sophia Natural Health Center

Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, L.Ac. 499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com Combining Chinese Medicine with modern science, we restore health by identifying imbalances that cause illness. Acupuncture, Allergy Elimination, Chronic Pain Relief, Hormone Balancing, Thermography, Detoxification. See ad on page 23.

Bee Venom Therapy Bee Well Therapy, Inc.

Alan Lorenzo, Stamford , CT (203) 322-7872 • BeeWellTherapy.com Bee venom therapy can offer significant relief from the symptoms of spinal, neural, or muscular-skeletal ailments.

The anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and cancer fighting properties of bee venom make it a unique weapon in controlling many diseases. Please call for a free phone consultation.

House calls only, by appointment. See ad on page 43.

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

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

Non-invasive. Child-friendly. See ad on page 34.

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Chiropractic Physicians

Compounding Pharmacy

Chiropractic Health Ctr. of Glastonbury 2934 Main St.,Glastonbury, Ct • 860-657-8800 www.glastonburychiro.com

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

Bryce Rx Laboratories, Inc.

30 Buxton Farms Road, Stamford, CT 06905 800-798-7279 • www.brycerx.com Bryce Rx Laboratories is a full service Compounding Pharmacy specializing in the formulation of drugs that are not commercially available. From impotence injections, bio-identical hormones, pain management, and veterinary (this list is not inclusive). Please note, all compounded medications require a prescription from a physician. See ad on page 25.

Dentistry Dr. Charles B. Lerner DC,LAc.

Glastonbury Naturopathic & Acupuncture Center 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com Dr. Charles Lerner offers expert Chiropractic and Acupuncture care for acute and chronic problems, both internal medical concerns and pain management. He's gentle, compassionate and treats his patients as whole beings, not symptoms or diseases. Dr. Lerner's approach to health and wellness is simple: he offers a complete method of care specifically designed around the patient’s needs and requirements. In addition to the variety of Chiropractic adjustment techniques, Dr. Lerner offers a wide variety of modalities including hot packs, electrical muscle stimulation, ultra sound therapy, low dose ultra sound therapy and vibration therapy. See ad on page 25.

Francis X. Tortora

Dr. Steven Hinchey

2249 New London Turnpike South Glastonbury, CT. (860) 633-6518 www.dentistryfordiabetics.com/drhinchey See ad on page 14.

Dr. Kevin Norige, D.M.D.

112 Deming St., South Windsor, CT. (860) 644-0113 Dr. Kevin Norige has been in practice for almost 30 years in South Windsor, CT. His services include Invisalign, Perio Protect, Lumineers, Snap-on Smiles and Snap-it, Global Mini Implants, and non-surgical periodontal treatments. He is a member of the ADA, CSDA, and the Hartford Dental Society. He is a clinician with the CT Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic and also serves as a facilitator to dental students at the Univ. of CT. See ad on page 27.

Chiropractor, Board Certified Craniopath 22 Fifth, St., Ste. 208, Stamford, CT (203) 348-0678 See ad on page 39

The Canaan Gentle Dentle & Implant Center

Westside Chiropractic

Fitness / Nutrition

557 Prospect Avenue, West Hartford,CT (860) 523-5833 • westsidechiropractors.com Our mission is to provide chiropractic care, naturally based generalist, primary or specialty health care, for persons of all ages. We are committed to educating our patients about their health and wellness and providing them with tools for self improvement. We seek to work in partnership with you to achieve good health and well being in a way consistent with your way of life. Visit our location in West Hartford See ad on page 37.

Dr. Thomas Livingstone 3-5 Railroad St. North Canaan, CT (860) 824-0751 livingstonedentalexcellence.com See ad on page 15.

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

Cassandra Forsythe is a certified Registered Dietitian and holds her PhD in exercise science and nutrition from the University of Connecticut. She specializes in weight loss, heart health, high blood pressure, sports nutrition, low carb diets, detox and healthy eating. Contact her today to get your nutrition and health on track.

Health Food Stores

Inspiration

Naturopathic Physicians

Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe

Robin Clare

Connecticut Natural Health Specialists

The Clare-ity Method is a comprehensive tool for discovering what’s next in your personal and business life. An Akashic Record reading provides your soul’s perspective on all aspects of your life. Combine this with Robin’s 30 + years in business and you have an evolutionary business service!

Dr. Lauren Gouin is a naturopathic physician with a family practice in Manchester and South Windsor. Dr. Gouin is accepting new patients and is in network with most insurance companies. For more information, contact her at (860)644-2437 or visit www. ctnhs.com. See ad on page 24.

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

The Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe is an information and serviceoriented health food store that has served its community since 1956. We are a true oasis for learning and achieving optimal wellness. Owner, Michael Dworkin, P.D., M.S., a Registered Pharmacist and State Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CT Cert. #00203), is available for consultation by appointment. Our other staff nutrition consultants provide customers with in-store guidance in choosing vitamins, herbs, sports nutrition products, natural body care, natural and allergen-free foods, and life style changes. Many of our products are discounted every day. Ask us about our gym and other special discounts.

See ad on page 14.

Holistic Health Centers Enlightened Way Wellness Center

2 Tunxis Road Suite 208, Tarrifville, CT 06081 860.217.0340 • wisdom@enlightenedway.com www.enlightenedway.com Enlightened Way is a tranquil wellness center dedicated to inspiring transformation, providing knowledge, restoring balance, and creating joy and fulfillment in peoples’ lives. We’ve developed an array of programs and services designed to foster and support a life of vitality and balance for everyone. Our services include daily yoga classes, therapeutic and Ayurvedic massages, free group meditations, and Kids’ yoga. We also offer programs such as Children’s Relaxation, Perfect Health/Ayurvedic Lifestyle and Primordial Sound Meditation. See ad on page 23.

Hypnosis Diane Bahr-Groth, C. Hy., TFT, Dir.

1177 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT. (203) 595-0110 • www.mindbodytransformation.com Mind Body Transformation Hypnosis is a Certified Hypnotist specializing in fast and effective methods for weightloss, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc. Hypnosis, Thought Field Therapy™, Time Line Therapy™ & NLP. Call for a free consultation. See ad on page 33.

In-Home Health Care New England Nightingales, LLC

Assisted Living in the Home 406 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06032 PH. 860.676.7786, Fax 860.676.7704 New England Nightingales, LLC was founded by Cynthia Ebanks, a registered nurse with more than twenty-five years experience in patient care. We make living at home the right choice for you and your loved ones by helping with the activities of daily living. From our coaching and mentoring services for family caregivers to hourly assistance or 24/7 care, we provide the services you need to manage the various stages of illness, trauma, or dementia.

Whatever you need . . .whenever you need it. . we’ll be there. See ad on page 21.

Inner Wisdom Guide 10 Crossroads Plaza, West Hartford, CT. • 860-232-3331 info@clare-ity.com

Life Coaching/Social Work Life Coaching for Women

Linda Denton, MS, CPC • 860-888-8605 www.Redefineyourlifeafter45.com linda@Redefineyourlifeafter45.com Linda is a Certified Professional Coach, and her passion is helping women find their voice and live life to its fullest. If you are one of the 43 million midlife American women between the ages of 40 and 60, you are probably thinking about changing your life or reinventing yourself professionally or personally. I would be honored to help you make this incredible transformation. Call/email for a free 30-minute consultation.

Michael Westfall, LCSW

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

Michael Westfall is a licensed clinical social worker with a practice in Manchester, CT. He has extensive experience with children and teens but works with many adults and couples as well. In network with most state and commercial insurances, he is accepting new clients at this time. Please visit the website: michaelwestfall.com or call him at (860) 212-8923. See ad on page 29

Martial Arts

Lauren Gouin, ND 135 Center St., Manchester, CT (860) 533-0179 • www.ctnaturalhhealth.com

Debra Gibson, ND

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

See ad on page 13.

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

Glastonbury Naturopathic Ctr. is a multi-disciplinary healthcare center focusing on natural alternatives for individuals to achieve and maintain optimal health. Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. is a board-certified licensed Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional.

Offering Naturopathic Medicine, Colon Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture, Cleansing & Detoxification Programs, Weight Management Programs. See ad on page 25.

Kensington Naturopathic Medical Ctr.

Copper Mountain Aikido

Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Rd, Kensington, CT (860) 829-0707 • drannaresco@comcast.net kensingtonnaturopathic.com

Copper Mountain Aikido is a member of Birankai International (North America) under the direction of T. K. Chiba, Shihan. Birankai International is recognized by the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Japan. Copper Mountain Aikido is a traditional Japanese “country-style” dojo offering Aikido, Aikido Weapons, Internal Aiki Training, Iaido (Japanese Sword Art), and Zazen (Zen Meditation). All instruction is conducted by the Certified Chief Instructor licensed under Birankai International (North America). All are welcome!

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 31.

Massage

William Nager, ND, DC

21 Copper Hill Road, Granby, CT 06035 (860)986-3617, cpprmtnaikido@gmail.com

Wholistic Spa

18 School Street, Glastonbury 06033.

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

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

See ad on page 25.

11 Mountain Ave., Ste. 201, Bloomfield, CT • (860) 242-8200 William Nager is a 1985 Graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, in Portland Oregon. He also earned a second degree in chiropratic medicine from Western State Chiropractic College. For the past 25 years Dr. Nager has practiced family medicine using non-toxic therapies for digestive disorders, anxiety, and depression, fatigue, back pain, eczema, allergies, hypertension, high cholesterol and pain management as well as other conditions within the scope of a general family medicine practice. See ad on page 43.

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

Dr. Schweitzer treats all ages with natural therapies including homeopathy, herbal medicine, enzymes, nutritional supplements and more. His advanced cutting-edge technologies evaluate underlying causes and create individualized treatment plans. ASYRA, Ondamed, BrainPaint, footbaths, acupuncture and oxygen therapies are used to achieve optimal health. Allergy desensitization, detoxification programs, immune system support, Lyme disease issues and other wellness protocols are included in his personalized care. See ad on page 4.

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 17.

Nutrition Holcare Nutrition Vicki Kobliner MS RD

3 Hollyhock Lane , Suite 2A, Wilton, CT 06897 203-834-9949 • www.holcarenutrition.com Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition. Vicki works with infants, through adults with chronic illnesses, digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD and autism and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. She is a contributing author to A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in Americas Children. See ad on page 33.

Physicians, M.D. Alternity Healthcare, LLC Desmond Ebanks, MD

639 Park Rd, 2nd Floor, West Hartford, CT • (860)748-4064 or (860)561-229 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 state-of-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.

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Physicians, M.D.

Osteopathic Physicians

Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing

Osteopathic Wellness Center, LLC

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 physiciandirected 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 3.

Natural Health & Healing, LLC Deanna M. Cherrone, MD

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 back cover.

Tamara Sachs, MD

Functional Medicine & Integrative Care 15 Bennitt St., New Milford, CT (860) 354-3304 www.tsachsmd.intranets.com See ad on page 26.

Henry C. Sobo, MD

Optimal Health Medical, LLC (203) 348-8805 • www.DrSobo.com Medical doctor practicing holistic/alternative medicine and weight reduction in Stamford, CT. Nutrition, Allergy Desensitization, Bio-identical Hormone Replacement for men and women. See ad page 32.

Osteopathic Physicians 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 18.

David L. Johnston, DO • Lisa Preston, DO 158 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 (203) 438-9915 • www.osteopathicwellness.net Gentle, natural, hands-on, osteopathic medical care for infants, children and adults. Childrens’ health and development, birth trauma, musculoskeletal pain and injuries, nutrition and wellness counseling, stress reduction, immune support, allergies. Most major insurances accepted.

See ad on page 20.

Psychotherapist Lila Taylor, LMFT

Integrative and Holistic Psychotherapy 4 Whitney St. Ext. Westport, Ct. 203-783-3069 • www.lilataylor.com The need for soul work often accompanies relationship conflicts, divorce, loss, trauma, career change, menopause and mid-life transitions. I can help you resolve issues, find resilience, healing, clarity, renewed purpose and fulfillment so you can move forward. I bring a deep intuitive sensitivity and wisdom to our work so you will feel seen, heard, understood and respected. Traditional, spiritual and energy approaches are used. Insurance accepted.

Lori Carpenos & Associates

566 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105 www.3PrinciplesTherapy.com • 860-561-1919 We provide retreats, seminars, and trainings for Executives, Leaders, Couples, and Individuals who are interested in moving beyond their current level of consciousness in work and life, with less stress, and more enjoyment. If you would like to enjoy more creativity, productivity, satisfaction and less stress in life, whether alone or with others, please call to discuss a program that will meet your needs. People who invest time and energy in learning how to use their minds, thoughts and consciousness in the healthiest manner have found the return on their efforts well worth their investment. See ad on page 45.

Soul Support Counseling Nancy M Brockett, PhD, LPC West Hartford, CT 860.223.2232 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, drug-free treatments, Dr Brockett helps you uncover and build on your own inner strengths so you can free yourself from negativity and live with more joy in your life. See ad on page 42.

Relationship Coach Candace Brindley

(203) 247-4613 Rich-Relationships.com.

Certified Master Relationship Coach Candace Brindley coaches singles and couples to find and create the relationships of their dreams. Motivated by her desire to reverse the trend toward relationship failure and family break-up, Candace coaches using current research and skills, giving clients a fresh and intelligent approach to partnering.

Schools Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies

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

Founded in 1992, the CT Institute of Herbal Studies focuses on Traditional Chinese Medicine and offers a Certified Herbology Program with a foundation in both theory and clinical diagnosis as practiced in China today. See ad on page 42.

The Graduate Institute

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

The Graduate Institute is an accredited institution of higher education that offers Master of Arts degrees in emerging fields of inquiry. Degree programs include: Experiential Health and Healing, Peace Studies, Oral Traditions, Holistic Thinking, and Conscious Evolution. Classes meet one weekend per month and programs are offered in Hartford, Bethany, New Milford, and Stamford, CT. For more information or to find an Information Session near you, call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu. See ad on page 18.

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 wellbeing 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 19.

Vibrational/Energy Healing

Veterinary Care

Lightworker of Vibrational Energy LLC L.O.V.E. • Gayle Franceschetti Med,CHt.

Mobile Pet Vet

36 Cheshire Rd., Wallingford,CT 203-265-2927 • www.return2love.net

Gayle Franceschetti is the founder of the L.O.V.E. Institute and is an acclaimed intuitive counselor and healer, Reiki Master, certified Hypnotherapist and past life regressionist. As an open channel for Divine Energy, Gayle integrates the power of universal love, compassion and understanding in all her workshops and healing sessions. Gayle conducts healing and mentoring sessions in person, by phone and hosts a variety of workshops and power journeys throughout the U.S. and around the world.

See ad on page 45.

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 43.

Spas / Day Spas Wholistic Spa

18 School St., Glastonbury, CT • (860) 657-4105 www.wholisticspa.com. • Dr. Helene Pulnik, Med. Director Wholistic Spa™ is a haven of total wellness. From the moment you step into our quiet space, we are focused on your complete wellness. Our treatments use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients. We offer organic facials, hand & foot treatments and signature massage services for women, men and couples, featuring EMINENCE Organic Skin Care from Hungary. We also offer an array of deeply therapeutic and purifying services to help you achieve optimal health from the inside out! Inner Health. Outer Beauty™. See ad on page 25.

Thermography Sophia Natural Health Center 499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com

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

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com Reiki Energy Medicine is a soft and gentle hands-on technique supports and connects all the major and minor Energy Chakra Centers of the body, leaving you feeling relaxed, balanced and refreshed! Reiki Energy Medicine works to assist in relieving or reducing pain and discomfort by balancing the body’s energy system. When the energy flow in your body is restored and/or balanced, you are more likely to feel relaxed and your body’s natural healing abilities are utilized. Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc. is a Certified Level II Usui Reiki Practitioner. She provides Reiki Energy Medicine to men, women and children of all ages and is now accepting new Reiki patients. See ad on page 25.

As the hormone experts, we specialize in women’s health, natural hormone balancing, breast cancer prevention and thermography utilizing the highest definition camera in the area with interpretations from MD specialists in the field. Thermogram results include a free 15-minute phone consultation. See ad on page 23.

X to Rays, LLC

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

Reconnection Practitioners of CT

Kim Rio, DVM (203)584-1210 • www.mobile-pet-vet.com Mobile Pet Vet is a veterinary housecall practice providing wellness care for dogs and cats. By treating pets at home we reduce their stress and their exposure to infection. Pets with chronic health problems such as diabetes, kidney disease and other endocrine disorders often benefit from home-based care. We spend time developing an individualized treatment plan for each animal and we offer a full range of laboratory services. Our flexible scheduling accommodates busy pet owners. See ad on page 23.

Wellness Centers The Center for Health Renewal C. Evers Whyte, MS, DC, DACBN 30 Myano Lane, Suite 26, Stamford, CT 06902 • (203) 708-9299 Providing holistic integrative medicine and MediCalm Pain Relief Therapy to patients of all ages. Specialist in treating chronic pain, and also a “medical detective,” helping patients heal other chronic conditions that have not responded to traditional drug therapy or surgery. For more information, please see: www.thecenterforhealthrenewal.com & www.MediCalmPainReliefTherapy.com. See ad on page 19.

Move 2 Wellness

Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road Ridgefield, CT • 203-403-2522 www.move2wellness.com Massage Therapy • Acupuncture • Yoga Relax & discover the direction of your unique inner compass. Take a much deserved break from “doing” & practice “being.” Come visit our beautiful studio &healing arts center located in the newly restored Stonehouse Commons.

See ad on page 33.

Yoga / Pilates Centers Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage 860-951-9642 • info@fulleryoga.com www.fulleryoga.com

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

Wendy Tanzer Gelven • 860-989-1997 Ken Lara, 914-255-8804 • Jennifer Jensen, 860-297-1543 Kevin Jensen, 860-297-1543 • Janet Miller • 860-985-7260 Annette Moreland • 860-818-1897

Wendy, Kevin and Jennifer are all trained facilitators of Reconnective Healing and The Reconnection. Reconnective Healing connects us to the fullness of the universe as it reconnects us to the fullness of our beings and who we really are. Reconnecting us to the universe and to our very essence through an entirely new bandwidth healing frequencies. Call today and experience this new hands-off healing for yourself. See ad on page 15.

Sacred Rivers Yoga

Paula Scopino LMT, E-RYT 500 IAYT, Owner / Director 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033 PH. 860.657.9545 • FAX. 860.657.3161 www.sacredriversyoga.com. See ad on page 43.

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Save the Date!

Natural Nutmeg Magazine’s

“Empowering Me...Naturally” Wellness Conference November 11th & 12th, 2011

Connecticut Convention Center • Hartford, CT Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Joan Borysenko

Presented by

Natural Nutmeg Magazine Sponsored by

• A distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine and world renowed expert in mind/body connection •New York Times best seller, Minding the Body, Mending the Mind •Coauthor of the Public Television special Inner Peace for Busy People

Workshops on Natural Medicine, Spirituality, Green Living and Personal Development Exhibit Hall • Fitness and Cooking Demos For more information go to www.naturalnutmeg.com

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