Buffalo Natural Awakenings - January 2016 by Buffalo Natural Awakenings

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

The Rise of FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

The Power of

Conscious

DANCE Creative Movement Connects Body, Mind and Spirit

New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease

Bruce Lipton on the

It’s Easy to

EPIGENETICS REVOLUTION Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny

Be Green

At Home and On the Road

January 2016 | Buffalo, NY Edition | BuffaloAwakenings.com natural awakenings

January 2016

A DV E RTO RI A L

Pamper Your Skin With Natural The Awakenings Best Nature Has To Offer Advanced Healing Skin Cream

{

Satisfied Customer

}

Natural Awakenings Advanced Healing Skin Cream is a wonderful product. The skin cream goes on smooth and absorbs into the skin quickly - it is not “greasy”. I have been plagued with dry skin around my ears, belly button and scalp for over 20 years and this product

has healed those areas in just 3 days of use. The Manuka Honey that is in this product, I was told repairs damaged skin - now I am a believer!!! I continue to use this skin cream to keep my skin soft. I have to mention the product has a wonderful aroma, like peppermint, and when applying the cream one can feel a slight warming sensation and I know it is working into the pores to do it’s work! Glad I tried this product! ~ Jim

The cold, damp winter days are upon us. Don’t let chapped or dry, flaky skin get in the way of your daily life. Natural Awakenings Advanced Healing Skin Cream, a soothing therapeutic balm made with exclusive Manuka Honey from New Zealand, is the ultimate skin moisturizer for everyone in your family. Order one for the office, too!

Restore Your Skin to Natural Youthful Beauty You’ll love Natural Awakenings’ therapeutic cream’s clean, fresh botanical fragrance. Discover what our amazing skin cream can do: • Provides Ultra-Hydration of Skin • Enhances Anti-Aging and Skin Renewal • Soothes Dry, Itchy, Cracked Skin • Relieves Most Burns Including Sunburn • Comforts Wounds and Sores MANUKA HONEY is produced by bees that pollinate New Zealand’s Manuka bush. Advocates tout its antibacterial properties.

Therapeutic Qualities

Natural Awakenings Advanced Healing Skin Cream combines botanicals and a unique blend of essential oils for a deep moisturizing therapy. It soothes and relieves dry, itchy or cracked skin quickly while restoring moisture and provides ultra-hydration protection and soothing comfort to wounds, sores, cuts and burns. Manuka Honey also relieves the pain and itch of psoriasis and other skin conditions. Besides its potent antibacterial properties, honey is also naturally extremely acidic, and that will eliminate organisms that decides to grow there.

Our Skin Cream Contains: Essential Oil of Rosehip Peppermint Nutmeg, Clove Black Pepper Lavender

Manuka Honey

Oat Flour Aloe Vera Flower Essence of Self-Heal Oak Sunflower Pine Vervain There are no parabens, dyes or fragrances, and no animal products or testing.

Hydration is a Must

The skin has a water content of 10 percent to 30 percent, which gives it a soft, smooth and flexible texture. The water comes from the atmosphere, the underlying layers of skin and perspiration. Oil produced by skin glands and fatty substances produced by skin cells act as natural moisturizers, allowing the surface to seal in water. Natural Awakenings Advanced Healing Skin Cream, applied after a shower or bath as daily maintenance, will improve the appearance of skin and heal unwanted conditions. Natural Awakenings Advanced Healing Skin Cream also combines pure botanicals and a unique blend of essential oils for a deep moisturizing therapy.

What Is Manuka Honey? 4-oz jar $21.99 • 8-oz jar $39.99 + ONLY $5 for shipping Order today, available only at

ShopNaturalAwakenings.com or call: 888-822-0246

Like us on Facebook at Natural Awakenings Webstore

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Manuka Honey is gathered in the wild back country of New Zealand from the native Manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium). The bees don’t use the pollen from a variety of other flowers or plants, so the content of the honey is very consistent. A 2013 study in the European Journal of Medical Research used Active Manuka Honey under dressings on postoperative wounds for an 85 percent success rate in clearing up infections, compared with 50 percent for normal antibiotic creams.

contents

7 9

5 7 9 10 11 14 20 21 22 24 25 27 29 30

newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbriefs community spotlight consciouseating healingways inspiration greenliving fitbody wisewords naturalpet calendar classifieds resourceguide

advertising & submissions

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

1 1 SUPER SOUPS

New Twists on Old Favorites Heal, Nourish and Soothe by Judith Fertig

14 GOOD REASONS TO

TRY ACUPUNCTURE

Thousands of Studies Show Healing Results by Kathleen Barnes

16 THE RISE OF

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease by Lisa Marshall

21 ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EASY TO BE GREEN At Home and On the Road by Avery Mack

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 716-909-7805 or email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Editor@BuffaloAwakenings.com. Deadline for editorial: feature articles are due by the 5th of the month, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com or visit BuffaloAwakenings.com for more information. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

22 THE POWER OF

CONSCIOUS DANCE

Creative Movement Connects Body, Mind and Spirit

by Gail Condrick

24 BRUCE LIPTON ON THE EPIGENETICS REVOLUTION

Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny by Linda Sechrist

25 THE RIGHT VET FOR YOUR PET

Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches by Shawn Messonnier

BuffaloAwakenings.com natural awakenings

January 2016

letterfrompublisher

J contact us Publisher Sally Hess Gower Editor Brad Gower Assisting Editors Martin Miron Sara Peterson Design & Production Stephen Blancett C. Michele Rose Sales & Marketing Sally Gower Ida Pannozzo Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales 239-530-1377 Buffalo Natural Awakenings P.O. Box 108, Buffalo, NY 14226 Phone: 716-909-7805 Fax: 716-970-4712 Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com BuffaloAwakenings.com ©2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to the free digital magazine at Buffaloawakenings.com. Mailed subscriptions are available by sending $30 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

Buffalo, NY

anuary is all about welcoming in the new year. It is a time to assess where we are and consider where we are going. There are some things we know for certain. The sun will continue to rise and set, holidays and important dates will come and go and this year we’ll experience the always-entertaining process of electing a new president. For me, the waning days of 2015 were Sally Gower (left) with Kristin Goss especially difficult. One of my son’s childhood friends passed away, and so did our very dear family dog, Mocha. On the other hand, it is a wonderful feeling to be comfortably surrounded by the love and warmth of family and friends during these trying times. The yin and the yang, the dark and the bright, the cold and the hot—each cannot exist without each other. Sometimes we need to feel sadness before we can experience happiness. I cherish that happiness because it allows me to carry the hope and idea that tomorrow truly brings a better day, and this is why I appreciate the new year so much. It gives us a chance to respond to adversity and change our life for the better. Whether we attempt to reinvent ourselves or alter the world around us, it’s all good to me. I recently met with Kristin Goss, assistant professor of culinary arts at Erie Community College. We dined in the fabulous Statler Dining Room and feasted on wonderful cuisine prepared and served by the staff and students from the ECC city campus. Kristin is a game-changer, and is truly making a difference in many ways. She reminded me that even with steep mountains to climb, it’s important to stay positive and keep at it—that’s something that rings especially true this year. Stay tuned for an article in an upcoming issue focusing on the positive and rewarding outcomes of her driving force in Buffalo. Now is the perfect time to find a potentially life-changing event on our Community Calendar, such as the January 28 program at Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine which explores the role diet plays in the creation and reversal of chronic disease. If you prefer to spend the chilliest months safe from the cold, you might enjoy staying cozy and warm with one of our healthy and hearty soup recipes on page 12. My close friends and family know I am a huge resolution-maker. As we enter into 2016, my resolution is to truly take time to be mindful of the many wonderful blessings I have in my life. My most sincere hope is that this will be a year when the light (yin) will dispel the darkness (yang). Happy New Year to you all,

Sally Gower, Publisher BuffaloAwakenings.com

newsbriefs Snow Roll Rolling Onward

low Roll Buffalo is presenting the second Snow Roll wintertime ride on January 30 at Flying Bison Brewery for a brisk bicycle ride on a Buffalo winter weekend around Larkinville and downtown as part of both the second annual Larkinville Ice Festival and the inaugural Buffalo Winter Weekends initiative. Riders will meet at noon and begin at 12:30 p.m. Continuing a three-part monthly series of wintertime rides, the second Snow Roll is returning to the site of Slow Roll’s 2015 season finale, guided by a volunteer squad that keeps the pace slow up front, the group together in the middle and a support team in back ready for any mechanical issues. After returning to the brewery, participants may join the Ice Fest free family-friendly fun, with activities also scheduled down the street in Larkin Square and Hydraulic Hearth. Slow Roll is also holding a winter clothing donation drive at the Matt Urban Hope Center at Flying Bison during regular business hours before the event. The third and final Snow Roll will be hosted at Resurgence Brewery on February 21, with a winter clothing donation drive for Journey’s End Refugee Services.

Photo Credit: Dan Seiders

Location: 860 Seneca St., Buffalo. For more information, visit SlowRollBuffalo.org.

Mid-Winter Recharge Day at The Body Essential

he Body Essential Holistic Wellness Center will host a fabulous day of food, fun and friendship in the middle of the winter doldrums from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 30. Guests will enjoy a day filled with art, dancing, treatments and classes, all designed to help recharge their batteries. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. There will be a continental breakfast during registration, followed by a 30-minute, start-your-day meditation and a vision board art project. Other activities include a belly dancing class, bodywork treatments, a delicious, healthy lunch and a drum circle. Options include one treatment session of 30 minutes and two classes of their choice, based on availability. Treatment session options include massage, reflexology, Reiki, active isolated stretching, facial, acupuncture or individual meditative self-healing. Class options are Partner Massage with Phil Wackerfuss, LMT; Practical Applications of Essential Oils with Beth Bergmann, LMT; Natural Skin Care with Lisa Leone, licensed esthetician; and Fusion Medicine with James Pilc, M.D. Cost is $160 or $200 after Jan. 15 (28 openings only—full payment required). Location: 5225 Sheridan Dr., Buffalo. To register, call 716-626-4466 or visit TheBodyEssential.net.

News to share? Email details to: Editor@BuffaloAwakenings.com

or call 716-228-2744. For submission guidelines, visit BuffaloAwakenings.com. Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month. natural awakenings

January 2016

newsbriefs

kudos

Dream Builder Life Coaching Program and Vision Workshop

The Buffalo Sewer Authority will receive $1,815,000 from the Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP), a program of the Environmental Facilities Corporation, for the Scajaquada Creek Restoration Project. The project will help mitigate flooding and improve water quality between Main Street and Elmwood Avenue, in Buffalo. GIGP funds will support restoration of the creek, the floodplain and submerged and emergent wetland areas adjacent to the creek. In addition, the town of Cheektowaga has been awarded $80,000 from the Department of Environmental Conservation Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant Program to complete an engineering report to evaluate solutions to sanitary sewer overflow problems in the northern portion of the town. Scajaquada Creek flows though Cheektowaga and into the city of Buffalo.

resident of the Western New York (WNY) Life Coaching Center and life coach Shawn Marie Cichowski is presenting a new, transformational, in-depth, 12-week life coaching program, the Dream Builder, to help clients achieve new heights of success, meaning and spiritual aliveness. This program will take participants from stuck Shawn Marie and frustrated to confident and fulfilled as they learn how to define their true dream. Cichowski She believes that people tend to think about what is possible based on their current circumstances. But in this program, they will discover that what is within is greater than our surroundings; how to define what we really want; perception shifting to prepare for change; maintaining integrity so our dream can grow; turning fear into stepping stones and more. Cichowski will also be offering a special Dream Builder Vision Workshop to help participants discover, design and refine their dream so they can gain clarity about what they would love to create and access the action steps that will move them in the direction of that dream. Location: 5500 Main St., Ste. 313, Williamsville, NY. For more information, call 716-560-6552 or visit wnyLifeCoaching.com. See ad, page 13.

Improve Overall Wellness at New Sleep Resource

new, all-inclusive, comprehensive resource for behavioral and medical education and guidance regarding sleep and wellness, Start With Sleep, has opened at 1211 Hertel Avenue, in Buffalo. Owner Soda Kuczkowski says, “For those with sleep issues that have a lack of energy during the day, our focus is getting you a good, restorative night’s sleep that helps you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up feeling truly refreshed.” Programs will be held on Wednesday evenings and midday on Saturdays and Sundays. Free, 15-minute mini-consultations are available on Fridays. Other services include a retail shop, alternative therapies, maternity, child and family sleep consulting, workshops, community outreach and medical advocacy. For more information, call 716-235-1505 or visit StartWithSleep.com.

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Westminster Community Charter School (WCCS), a kindergarten through eighth grade school in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, has invited sustainable food partners Beyond Green and Creatif Leaf Marketing to build a sustainable school food community that connects the school kitchen, the classroom and the community. Students will be served scratch-cooked foods from local sources when available, educated about wholesome foods and encouraged to become good stewards of the Earth through waste reduction measures. Key elements of the program include Westminster Jr. chefs, a student kitchen internship where students are getting handson experience; coordinating with the University of Buffalo Dietetic Internship Program; and recycling and composting.

Correction

n our December issue, a news brief stated that Robbie Raugh was involved with the 12-week Eating Healthy For Life program at Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine. While Raugh was instrumental in the implementation of the program early in 2015, Dr. Corine Cicchetti and Dr. Frederick McAdam spearhead the nutrition program and teach the 12-Week course. We regret the error.

healthbriefs

Playing Outside Before Lunch Spurs Kids to Eat Healthier

esearchers from Brigham Young University and Cornell University have determined that simply moving recess to precede lunch significantly increases students’ consumption of fruits and vegetables at lunch. The researchers tested first- through sixth-graders from seven schools in Utah for 14 school days. In three schools, recess was switched from after to just before lunch. In the other four schools, recess still followed lunch. Published in the journal Preventative Medicine, research found that when recess was just prior to lunch, students ate 54 percent more fruits and vegetables. Moving recess also resulted in 45 percent more kids eating at least one serving of fruits and vegetables during school-provided lunches. The researchers concluded that results show the benefits of holding recess before lunch and suggest that if more schools did this, there would be significant increases in fruit and vegetable consumption, particularly among students that eat school lunch as part of the National School Lunch Program.

Feel Young, Live Long

esearch published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found people that feel younger than their years have a lower incidence of earlier mortality. Conducted by scientists from the UK’s University College London, the research analyzed data from 6,489 people and measured their selfperceived age with the question, “How old do you feel you are?” Then, over more than eight years, the scientists tracked the number of deaths from all causes. Almost 70 percent of those that averaged a little over 65 reported feeling at least three years younger than their chronological age. Only a quarter said they felt close to their age and about 5 percent said they felt more than a year older. The research found that deaths among those that felt younger were 14 percent, while more than 18 percent of those who felt their own age and more than 24 percent of people that felt older died during the follow-up period. The research further found that individuals that felt at least three years younger were less likely to die later from heart disease or cancer. These relationships prevailed even when other health and lifestyle factors were eliminated. Co-author Andrew Steptoe, Ph.D., says, “We expected to find an association between self-perceived age and mortality. We didn’t expect that the relationship would still be present even when wealth, other socio-demographic indicators, health, depression, mobility and other factors were taken into account.”

natural awakenings

January 2016

healthbriefs

Scientists Urge Ban on Non-Stick Pan Coatings

new paper published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal warns of the continued health risks of chemicals used for non-stick pan coatings and water repellents on clothing. The chemical is being found in some municipalities’ drinking water. More than 200 scientists signed the statement, which presents the dangers of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are persistently used as pan coatings, despite more than a decade of research showing associations with liver toxicity, neurological disorders, cancers of different organs and types, and heart conditions. The paper noted that many manufacturers have discontinued long-chain PFAS production and substituted shorter-chain PFAS. The scientists caution that these shorter-chain PFAS may not effectively reduce PFAS exposure because more has to be used to achieve the same effectiveness, maintaining PFAS in the environment with exposure levels relatively unchanged. It calls for scientists, governments, chemical manufacturers and consumer product manufacturers to participate in halting all PFAS production.

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Leave Them at the Door: Shoe Soles Harbor Risky Bacteria

esearch from the University of Houston has determined that a species of bacteria that has become resistant to many antibiotics might be tracking into homes on the soles of shoes. More than a third of randomly tested homes were contaminated with Clostridium difficile bacteria, and 40 percent of doorsteps were also infected with the bacteria. Depending upon the strain, C. difficile can cause intestinal infections, inflammation and severe diarrhea. Study author M. Jahangir Alam, Ph.D., comments, “Shoes are contaminated from diverse sources, and we are regularly contaminating our doorsteps by shoes.” The researchers tested three to five household items within 30 houses in Houston, Texas. They collected 127 environmental samples— from 63 shoe bottoms, 15 bathroom surface samples, 12 house floor dusts and 37 other household surfaces They found that 41 of them harbored C. difficile and nearly 40 percent of the shoes were positive for the bacteria. They also found that a third of the bathroom surfaces harbored the bacteria, a third of house dust and 19 percent of other surfaces maintained the bacteria. The cause of many intestinal disorders, this bacteria species has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and many household cleaning products.

globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Drive-Thru Vegan

Amy’s Opens Organic Fast Food Restaurant California now hosts the nation’s first Amy’s Organic DriveThru restaurant, in Rohnert Park, with a vegetarian menu sporting veggie burgers, salads and dishes served in both regular and vegan varieties. Ingredients are sustainably grown and GMO-free (no genetically modified ingredients). The company’s signature frozen pizzas have been popular for years in health food and grocery stores nationwide, and now Amy’s first restaurant is serving them hot, with toppings ranging from spinach and diced tomatoes to a choice of mozzarella cheese or vegan “cheeze”. While some other fast food restaurants import almost all of their products from factory farming operations and give nothing back to the community, Amy’s Drive-Thru grows produce sustainably on its own roof. Amy’s Kitchen, a family-owned, privately held organic frozen food company, reportedly pays workers a living wage with health benefits. On the inaugural restaurant’s popularity, Manager Paul Schiefer remarks, “It’s given us a lot of hope that this is a concept that works.”

Puppy Cuddles Students De-Stress by Petting Dogs

At least three universities in England have offered puppy rooms to stressed students. More than 600 students signed up last year in Bristol alone. Gordon Trevett, from the University’s Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health, says, “Every year I see students fretting about their exams, and I thought this would be a great way to ease the stress and take their minds off it. People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without a dog, and we know that playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.” Jo Woods, from the Bristol Students Union, says, “It’s important to do fun and different things to de-stress during exams, and cuddling a puppy is a perfect way to release some endorphins.”

Source: BBC

natural awakenings

January 2016

communityspotlight

Rich History of Mindgardens Creates Unique Approach by Brad Gower

reg Bodekor and David Evans have been “I think a lot of people wouldn’t know that operating Mindgardens for two years. The I don’t have to sit long hours cross-legged on way they describe their current project a cushion,” explains Evans. “I can be mindful makes it clear that the Buffalo mindfulness and while washing the dishes, brushing my teeth, takmeditation practice is just the latest milestone ing a shower.” In fact, one introductory exercise in two lives dedicated to helping others find the popular at Mindgardens involves the mindful relief they each discovered long ago. eating of a raisin, where students are encouraged “I was an extremely anxious person growto fully experience the moment. They’re often ing up. It was a scary world,” recalls Evans. surprised at what they notice. “You don’t have to After years of searching for ways to cope with spend $150 for an eight-course pairing to have a life’s challenges, he found relief through the mindful dinner,” quips Bodekor. Greg Bodekor study of mindfulness and meditation under Making mindfulness and meditation familRoshi Phillip Kapleau, of the Rochester Zen iar and relatable to newcomers is something Center. “Here’s a practice in which you don’t that Bodekor and Evans hope will broaden its have to believe anything. That’s what got me popularity in the future. They’d like to see mindstarted,” he recalls. While not much scientific fulness programs grow in mainstream environdata on the efficacy of mindfulness was availments such as schools and businesses, integratable at the time, Evans’ firsthand experience ed more fully in a culture that desperately needs left him with the sense that others were lookit. Still, they recognize the inherent challenge in ing for exactly what he had found, whether changing the basic ways that people think. For they knew it or not. Evans, the difficulty lies in the steady practice Like Evans, Bodekor is also driven by a of being present again, and for people to learn desire to help others. After experiencing his how to be effective in addressing where they own share of pain and suffering early on, he are, not where they should be. David Evans dedicated his life to relieving the pain and Bodekor notes, “Most people are just suffering of others. He spent 45 years working in mental impulsive, emotional movers. They don’t necessarily put a health, including a 25-year stint at the Erie County Medilot of thought into why they’re doing what they’re doing.” cal Center Rehabilitation Center. Mindfulness and medita- While life undoubtedly presents some with an uneven share tion is simply the latest tool that Bodekor uses to help oth- of challenges, the men firmly believe that staying mindful ers find peace and health. “This is a public health issue, in confronting them is something that everyone can benefit with stress and people being detached from their internal from. It’s something they understand firsthand. being,” he explains. But while Bodekor and Evans have certainly learned Bodekor and Evans believe that their unique pathways from their collective past, their work at Mindgardens is all through life, both personally and professionally, make them about the present. “This is the magic moment,” Bodeker more effective in serving clients. Their experience in the joyfully exclaims. “There is no other moment. It’s right here, mental health field fuels deep interest in the neuroscience right now, in this room, with these people, doing what we’re behind meditation, about which they strive to stay informed doing. That’s all there is.” and up-to-date. The diversity of their past work is reflected in a desire to make mindfulness work for everyone compatibly Mindgardens, is located at 484 Connecticut St., in, Buffalo. with religious beliefs. At Mindgardens, the welcoming sense For more information, call 716-259-2994 or visit of accessibility is a top priority. Mindgardens.net. See ad, page 17.

While life undoubtedly presents some with an uneven share of challenges, the men firmly believe that staying mindful in confronting them is something that everyone can benefit from. 10

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Photo by Stephen Blancett

consciouseating

SUPER SOUPS New Twists on Old Favorites Heal, Nourish and Soothe by Judith Fertig

inter season soups on chilly days can warm us, both body and soul. Whatever our food preferences or time constraints, some new twists on traditional favorites will satisfy everyone’s taste buds—with an accent on healthy pleasure. Here’s where to start. Reinventing the past. From her Colorado mountain home, Jenny McGruther, author of The Nourished Kitchen, celebrates the wisdom of traditional foodways, making nutrientdense, healing soup broth from bones, water, vegetables and seasonings. McGruther’s twist is to make it in a six-quart slow cooker. Once her family has dined on organic roast or rotisserie chicken, she simmers the bones with purified water, a bay leaf or two, a few whole peppercorns and a few chopped organic vegetables like onion, carrot and celery

on the low setting for 24 hours. Then she ladles the broth through a coffee strainer into another container, refreshes the slow cooker with more water and simmers the bones and seasonings for another 24 hours. Eventually, the broth will have less flavor and color, and that’s when McGruther starts all over again. “I call this perpetual soup,” she says. She blogs at NourishedKitchen.com. Slowing it down. With homemade broth on hand, it’s easy to make the Italian winter staple of Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup. Cookbook authors and slow cooker experts Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, love to make this when they’re working on a cookbook deadline. They simply use what they have in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry. “With a soup like this you can always substitute one vegetable for

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

another, adjusting the recipe to what you enjoy and have on hand,” advises Moore. The pair blogs at PluggedInto Cooking.com. Speeding it up. Sometimes, we need a single serving of homemade soup fast. Award-winning recipe developer and cookbook author Camilla Saulsbury, of Nacogdoches, Texas, whips up a Pumpkin Sage Soup that can simmer in a saucepan within minutes, ready to be enjoyed in a mug. Saulsbury uses organic canned pumpkin, full of vitamins, which can vary in sweetness. “If needed,” she suggests, “add a drizzle of maple syrup to enhance the flavor of the soup.” Making “bisque” in a highspeed blender. Karen Adler is an avid grower of organic tomatoes in her Kansas City garden. When the seasonal harvest comes to an end, Adler grills or oven roasts the tomatoes, along with organic peppers and onions, and then freezes them, ready to make Roasted Tomato Bisque any time of the year. “My secret to a light bisque without using cream is to blend all the roasted vegetables together with a high-speed blender to give it body. A swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end finishes ensuring the satisfying flavor,” she says. Going cold. Douglas McNish, head chef at Toronto’s raw and vegan restaurant Raw Aura, serves a popular Lemon, Cucumber and Dill Soup, which is easy to make in a food processor. “This soup is amazing this time of year, when most of our diets may be lacking in healthy fats and trace minerals,” says McNish. Warming up. Two cookbook authors teamed up across many miles to write 300 Sensational Soups. Meredith Deeds lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while Carla Snyder resides in Cleveland, Ohio. They’ve mutually discovered the naturally warming properties of curry powder in Curried Coconut Chickpea Soup. Snyder observes, “A good soup nourishes the heart, as well as the stomach, spreading a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.” Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

natural awakenings

January 2016

SOUP’S ON!

Tasty Recipes for Winter Meals with grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish if desired with additional minced basil. Adapted from PluggedIntoCooking.com, by Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss

Pumpkin Sage Soup Yields: 1 serving

Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup Yields: 6 servings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 cup frozen, cut green beans 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (14.5 oz, BPA-free) diced tomatoes, with liquid 4 cups bone broth or 1 carton (32 oz) vegetable broth 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 /8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli 1 can (15 oz, BPA-free) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, plus additional for garnish Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

/4 cup ready-to-use chicken or vegetable broth 2 /3 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling) 1 /4 tsp dried rubbed sage 3 Tbsp half-and-half, whole milk or coconut creamer Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3

In a saucepan, bring the broth, pumpkin and sage to a simmer over medium-high heat. In the mug, stir broth, pumpkin and sage until blended. Stir in cream and heat for 1 minute more. Season it to taste with salt and pepper before pouring into a mug. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds. Adapted from 250 Best Meals in a Mug, by Camilla V. Saulsbury

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Heat, covered, until boiling, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in broccoli, cannellini beans and minced basil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are as tender as desired. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle 12

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Roasted Tomato Bisque Yields: 8 servings 4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced 2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced 2 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp hot pepper sauce Bone broth or vegetable broth, if necessary Add fine dry or gluten-free bread crumbs and sliced green onion for garnish Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes, bell peppers and onion on the baking sheets and drizzle with the two tablespoons of olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft and browned at the edges. Transfer to a Vitamix or similar blender. Add the remaining half-cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and hot pepper sauce and blend until smooth. Add a little bone broth or vegetable broth if the soup is too thick. Serve each bowl with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs and thinly sliced green onion. Adapted from The Gardener and the Grill, by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

Lemon, Cucumber and Dill Soup

2 cups cooked chickpeas (15 oz can) 3 cups roughly chopped spinach, fresh or frozen 2 qts vegetable broth 1 jar vegetable base 1 /2 tsp kosher salt 1 /2 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sherry vinegar

Yields: 2 servings 2 cups chopped peeled, seeded cucumber 1 /2 cup chopped romaine lettuce 1 /4 cup filtered water 1 /4 cup chopped fresh dill fronds 1 clove garlic 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 /2 tsp fine sea salt

Place cauliflower into a soup pot and cover with water. Add celery, onion and salt. Heat until cauliflower is soft, add in greens, stirring in in batches (they’ll wilt quickly). Add remaining ingredients and puree with a stick blender until smooth.

In a food processor fitted with its metal blade, process cucumber, lettuce, water, dill, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Serve garnished with a dollop of vegan sour cream, if preferred, and additional dill.

Serve topped with nutritional yeast (vegan) or Parmesan cheese. Jessica Meyers Altman is a certified plant-based chef with a certification in plant-based nutrition. She has taught science, community gardening, and food education in WNY for the last 17 years. Find more recipes like this one at her blog, GardenFreshFoodie.com. Photo by Stephen Blancett

Adapted from Eat Raw, Eat Well, by Douglas McNish

A Local Favorite from Jessica Meyers Altman: Cauliflower and Greens Soup

A Local Favorite from Lexi’s Kitchen: Beans and Greens Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes. until vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, spinach and vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring to combine all of the ingredients. Sample and season to taste. Remove from heat, stir in the vinegar. Serve warm. Recipe courtesy of Lexington Cooperative Market, a community owned market located at 807 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo. For more information, call 716886-2667 or visit Lexington.coop.

breathe

2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Spanish onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 3 stalks of celery, diced 3 Tbsp garlic, minced 4 cups crushed tomatoes (30 oz can) 2 cups cooked kidney beans (15 oz can) 2 cups cooked black beans (15 oz can)

This recipe is fat-free, vegan and gluten-free. 1 head cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into florets 8 cups water 1 cup celery 1 cup chopped onion 1 tsp salt (or to taste) 4 cups greens (like kale) Pepper to taste, freshly ground 2 Tbsp dried dill or 1/4 cup fresh 1 tbsp chopped garlic natural awakenings

January 2016

After years of suffering with migraines, some people will try anything. When they finally discover acupuncture, it can be a miraculous remedy in their lives. It brings much-needed relief to their suffering. These are scientifically sound, proven results.

healingways

Good Reasons to Try Acupuncture Thousands of Studies Show Healing Results by Kathleen Barnes

he ancient Chinese art of acupuncture is gaining popularity in modern Western medicine for many reasons. “There’s lots of research to support the effectiveness of acupuncture for a wide variety of conditions,” says Thomas Burgoon, a medical doctor who practices internal medicine in West

Buffalo, NY

Chester, Pennsylvania, and is president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, an association of doctors of medicine and osteopathic medicine that use acupuncture in conjunction with conventional treatments. Acupuncture treatments typically involve the nearly painless insertion of

BuffaloAwakenings.com

~Andrea Schilling, of Acupuncture Works, 1961 Wehrle Dr., in Williamsville, wnyAcupuncture.com very thin needles to stimulate the body’s natural repair and regulation mechanisms based on the fundamental Chinese medicine principle that the inside of the body can often be treated from the outside. Burgoon explains that acupuncture works by stimulating and releasing the body’s natural pain relievers, including endorphins, producing the feel-good brain chemical serotonin and relieving inflammation, as well as bringing many other body processes into normal function. Brevard, North Carolina, licensed master acupuncturist Paul Buchman, adds, “Acupuncture differs from conventional Western medicine in many ways, primarily in that when it treats

a disease on the physical level, it also has far-reaching effects on our mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.” Chronic back pain: Chronic low back pain affects 80 percent of us at some time and is the second-most common cause of disability in American adults, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. A recent study of Australian patients arriving in Melbourne hospital emergency rooms complaining of low back pain found that those treated with acupuncture experienced as much pain relief in an hour as those given drugs. “When I treat a person for low back pain, I always take pulses in several parts of the body, and then take into account many factors, including age, gender and life situation,” says Buchman. “The underlying causes of the pain may be different in a 20-something student with a stressful academic load than a 50-something woman that’s a recent empty nester redefining her future,” he explains. When researchers at China’s Central South University reviewed 13 studies on acupuncture and low back pain, they concluded that comprehensive treatment plans that involve acupuncture are urgently needed. Headache: Acupuncture has long been used to relieve the pain of migraines and tension headaches. Australian research published in EvidenceBased Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that 16 acupuncture sessions cut in half the number of days that patients experienced migraines, significantly reducing pain. “Acupuncture is a must-try therapy for anyone with migraines or chronic or tension-type headaches,” says Burgoon. He notes that Aetna Insurance Company policy considers acupuncture among accepted, medically necessary treatments for migraines, chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, postoperative dental

Find an acupuncturist at MedicalAcupuncture.org/ FindAnAcupuncturist and mx.nccaom.org/ FindAPractitioner.aspx

The U.S. Library of Medicine database lists more than 23,000 studies on acupuncture. pain and nausea associated with surgery, pregnancy and chemotherapy. Asthma and allergies: More than 25 million Americans have asthma, including 6.8 million children. Danish research published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine showed that 10 acupuncture sessions given over a three-month period reduced asthma symptoms and use of inhaled steroids, but only when acupuncture was ongoing. Benefits diminished when treatments were discontinued. German researchers at Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center found similar effects for seasonal allergies by comparing it with the effects of antihistamines and sham acupuncture. “Patterns of bad health get more ingrained in our body systems as we get older,” says Melanie Katin, a licensed acupuncturist specializing in treating children in New York City and professor at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. “If we can catch an illness in a child’s first seven or eight years, we may be able to prevent it from becoming chronic in adulthood.” Digestive problems: Acupuncture has been found to be effective for treating colic in babies, irritable bowel syndrome, morning sickness and postoperative nausea caused by anesthesia and chemotherapy treatments, verified in research from Australia’s University of Sydney on patients after surgery for metastatic liver cancer. Several other studies, including one from the Milwau-kee’s Medical College of Wisconsin, show that acupuncture rebalances the nervous system and restores proper digestive function, while relieving pain. The World Health Organization review of research notes how acupuncture relieved gastrointestinal (GI) spasms better than atropine injections, and also recommends acupuncture for relief of nausea. “Acupuncture helps calm down an overactive GI tract and stimulates an underactive one,” explains Burgoon.

Acupuncture is a non-pharmaceutical remedy for many health problems, Burgoon says. “I fell in love with acupuncture when I discovered I could use it to treat some problems that nothing else helped. I almost never prescribe any medications. Instead, I help people get off pharmaceuticals.” Kathleen Barnes is author of many natural health books, including The Calcium Lie 2: What Your Doctor Still Doesn’t Know, with Dr. Robert Thompson. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

No Needles Needed for Kids by Kathleen Barnes

cupuncture can be helpful for children, especially in treating asthma, allergies and childhood digestive disorders, including colic, says Melanie Katin, a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in treating children in New York City. “Acupuncture for children rarely involves the use of needles. Since their qi (life force) flows very close to the surface of their skin, it doesn’t require a lot of movement to get things flowing in the right direction,” she explains. Acupuncture for kids typically involves light, fast brushing of the skin to encourage a healing circulation of energy. Katin teaches parents to continue treatments at home. She explains that it’s still technically acupuncture, not acupressure, which would involve prolonged stimulation of the body’s energy meridian sites. Sometimes she includes the use of small instruments for tapping or brushing the skin and tuning forks to stimulate the meridian points. She remarks, “The kids love it.”

natural awakenings

January 2016

medical system and got nothing,” says Mills. With functional medicine, “In a very short time, they had me feeling nearly 100 percent.”

Distinctive Characteristics

The Rise of Functional Medicine New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease by Lisa Marshall

y the end of 2014, Trina Mills, of Parker, Arizona, had given up on conventional medicine. She’d been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder 17 years earlier and taken medication ever since without feeling her symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches and stomach problems ever fully subside. She’d visited endocrinologists, gastroenterologists and a half-dozen other specialists, each of which offered a different diagnosis and prescribed a different drug. At one point, she had her gallbladder removed. At another, her doctor suspected she had bleeding in her brain and sent her for a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan. Some thought she was a hypochondriac; others said she was depressed. “I would tell them, ‘I’m just depressed that you can’t figure out why I’m so sick,’” she says.

Buffalo, NY

Weighing a skeletal 82 pounds, the 54-year-old mother of three finally wrote out a living will and braced for the inevitable. Then she heard of a new Center for Functional Medicine opening at the prestigious, century-old Cleveland Clinic. As the first clinic of its kind to open at an academic medical center, it promised to look at the underlying causes of disease, while focusing on the whole person, rather than isolated symptoms. Intrigued, Mills caught a flight to Ohio and soon was offering up 30 tubes of blood, stool and saliva samples, as well as an exhaustive life history. One year later, thanks to a series of personalized diet and lifestyle changes, she’s 10 pounds heavier and feels better than she has in decades. “I spent a lot of years and money in the traditional

BuffaloAwakenings.com

In the 25 years since nutritional biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., of Gig Harbor, Washington, coined the term, this science-based, whole-body approach to addressing chronic disease has gained widespread traction. More than 100,000 physicians—60 percent of them medical doctors—have trained with the Institute for Functional Medicine he founded in Washington and New Mexico, and numerous medical schools have added its tenets to their curricula. More naturopaths and chiropractors are also distinguishing themselves with a functional medicine emphasis. “It is not alternative medicine at all,” stresses Bland, whose latest book, The Disease Delusion, details how functional medicine can curb chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease, which constitute 78 percent of U.S. health care costs. “It’s the basis of 21st-century health care,” he says. For most of the 20th century, conventional medicine centered on a singular objective: Arrive at a diagnosis and treat it with drugs or surgery. Then, the alternative medicine movement proffered a toolbox of more natural therapies, including acupuncture, herbs and massage to address these same diagnoses. The 1990s brought integrative medicine, a best-of-both-worlds approach. “While all of the above have merit, they lack the necessary guidance to help practitioners determine which tools work best for which patient,” says Dr. Mark Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine. “Alternative therapies and conventional treatments are tools. We need a new map that can teach us how to skillfully use those tools,” maintains Hyman. “That map is functional medicine.” Because one chronic disease such as diabetes can have dozens of underlying causes, or one culprit such as a genetic predisposition or exposure to toxins can lead to multiple chronic conditions, functional medicine focuses on systems, rather than organs, and origins, rather than diseases. “It’s about listening

to the patient’s story in a different way, where the objective is not simply about arriving at a diagnosis,” explains Bland.

Ferreting Out Key Clues

Key to discovering the underlying origins of a health issue are a host of new gene, blood and gut health tests. “They allow us to look under the patient’s ‘metabolic hood’ at the genetic and biochemical factors influencing health,” says Naturopathic Doctor Kara Fitzgerald, who heads up a functional medicine clinic in Newtown, Connecticut. For instance, certain genes influence how a person burns and stores fat. Depending on which variant a patient has, based on a genetic test, they might be guided toward a higheror lower-fat diet. Those genetically prone to difficulty in metabolizing the amino acid homocysteine (an excess of which can raise the risk of heart disease) might be advised to take folic acid supplements. If a patient displays intractable gut problems, rather than simply look for blood or pathogens in the stool, Fitzgerald also looks at the DNA of their gut microbiome, mapping out which strains of good bacteria are present or absent and prescribing prebiotics, probiotics or whole foods to promote a healthful balance. For another patient with thinning hair and aching joints, she might use specialized blood tests to look for micronutrient deficiencies, signs of allergies or certain autoantibodies—proteins produced by the immune system that mistakenly attack one’s own tissues—that might herald a brewing autoimmune disorder. “Research shows that predictive auto-

antibodies can show up in the blood 10 or even 20 years before an autoimmune disease such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis makes itself known,” says Fitzgerald, pointing to a seminal review published in 2007 in Scientific American: “If a patient with mild, early-stage symptoms is proactive with diet and lifestyle changes, they may be able to fend it off.” High-tech tests aside, Bland stresses that what’s most important is “a tool that has been largely lost in medicine today: Knowing how to listen to the patient.” In a typical exam, Fitzgerald thoroughly inspects often neglected body parts, including the tongue and fingernails, which can hold important clues to underlying health. She asks about past emotional trauma which might trigger chronic disease, and inquires about what environmental toxins and harmful chemicals both the patient and their birth parents may have been exposed to. One example might be a patient exposed to cigarette smoking in utero having a bias toward an allergic disease. If their parents grew up in a period of famine, they might have inherited a genetic disposition for rapid weight gain. “She spent two-and-a-half hours with me,” in her initial consultation, recalls 52-year-old Lauren Zambrelli, of Long Island, New York, who credits Fitzgerald for helping her tame her multiple sclerosis into remission. “It was like having a sister for a doctor.”

Who Pays

Functional medicine doctors don’t shy away from prescription drugs when necessary, but they do lean decidedly toward

FREE Introduction to Mindgardens Services: Fri, Jan. 15, 6PM

natural awakenings

January 2016

We’ll Have You Smiling In No Time

Trust Natural Awakenings to polish up your marketing. Advertise in our

February Dental Health Issue To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

716-909-7805 18

Buffalo, NY

the lower-tech modalities, using dietary supplements, allergen-free diets, exercise, mind-body practices and toxin avoidance as their primary tools. “We basically take out the bad stuff from the body and put in the good stuff,” says Hyman. Maintaining good health is priceless, but without conventional insurance coverage, it can be expensive. While Mills’ doctor visits were covered by insurance (which is rare), she spends roughly $1,000 a month on supplements to address her diagnosed leaky gut syndrome, nutrient deficiencies and mercury poisoning. Zambrelli has paid thousands out of her own pocket, too. Some people worry that, like most conventional physicians, some functional medicine practitioners place too much emphasis on expensive tests and too little on the most crucial and affordable remedy—self-care. “Functional medicine as a concept is an important step forward,” says integrative medicine pioneer Dr. James Gordon, founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. “However, some practitioners do a lot of tests and prescribe a lot of supplements and work on cleaning out the gut, but neglect the psychological, spiritual and social issues. That concerns me.” Bland and Hyman concede that some practitioners over-test, but say that will fade over time as they learn to better discriminate which ones are useful for specific patients. Several efforts also are underway to get more functional medicine providers and the acupuncturists, massage therapists and nutritionists they work with covered under the Affordable

Care Act, which expressly emphasizes a need for more preventive medicine. Viewing the big picture, Bland believes that functional medicine is just what the country needs to save on exploding healthcare costs. Rather than spending dollars on extraordinary measures to save heart attack victims or diabetics in emergencies, we can prevent such dire situations by identifying underlying problems sooner and halting their progression. In the meantime, some patients are finding priceless relief. “Am I poorer right now? Yes,” says Mills. “Am I healthier? Way. It’s been so worth it.” Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO, who specializes in health care. Connect at LisaAnn Marshall.com.

Learn More Online Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine Tinyurl.com/Center4 FunctionalMedicine Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s blog DrKaraFitzgerald.com/blog Functional Forum FunctionalForum.com Dr. Mark Hyman’s blog DrHyman.com/blog Institute for Functional Medicine FunctionalMedicine.org

Lobby for Change To lobby for consistent insurance coverage of more complementary therapies, check out these resources. CoverMyCare (CoverMyCare.org). This national grassroots advocacy campaign, a project of the Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium, aims to support the proper full implementation of Section 2706 of the Affordable Care Act, which states that insurers cannot leave licensed practitioners like naturopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists or Oriental medicine practitioners out of their provider networks. It still lacks enforcement at the state level, although Oregon and Rhode Island recently passed legislation to fix the existing loophole; California, Hawaii, Minnesota and New Mexico are working to do the same. American Sustainable Business Council (Tinyurl.com/Integrative Reimbursement). The organization recently launched a campaign to urge insurers to cover integrative practices.

BuffaloAwakenings.com

businessspotlight

Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine Offers an Array of Treatment by Brad Gower

ith four physicians, three physician assistants and a well-trained, knowledgeable support staff performing an array of diagnostic tests, pain-alleviating injections and physical therapy for patients experiencing some kind of pain, the services and procedures offered at Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine are impressive. What sets this 24-yearold practice apart from others is that they also offer yoga therapy, chiropractic care and nutrition education. That’s because at Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, the ultimate goal is to go much deeper than simply treating pain. “Our mission is for patients to be able to take back their lifestyle, and we do that by several means,” explains Dr. Corine Cicchetti, a physician at the practice. Treating pain at the superficial level may allow patients to get back into the routine of their daily life, but sometimes it is everyday life choices that are at the root of the problem. That’s what has led Dr. Cicchetti and the rest of the staff to focus on nutrition and the role it plays in preventing and reversing disease. The practice has been promoting nutrition education, including a recurring program, Eating Healthy For Life, which is open to the public. Dr. Cicchetti doesn’t merely hope to relieve patients of their pain. She seeks to truly change the world around her by starting a revolution of healthy living in our community, with a focus on plant based eating. She explains, “We can make a

big impact in treating patients’ pain, but we can make a huge impact if we can change disease states through nutrition. I think all of us are on board with seeing that part of our practice really grow and reach out to a bigger part of our community.” At Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, patients are encouraged to take personal control of their health. The first step is to reject the notion that the pain they live with is normal, and the second is seeking proper treatment. “There are a lot of different ways to treat pain,” says Dr. Cicchetti. “They may have pain because they have a very poor diet and a lot of inflammation in their body. They may have pain that can be controlled through other means, but they should come see us so that they can talk about that.” Dr. Cicchetti believes that part of the recipe for her practice’s success involves the continuing education and training of the staff, because every new procedure or bit of research data can be another useful tool in taking back patient’s health. Still, she recognizes that each individual is ultimately in control of his or her own health. “Pain’s not normal,” she insists. “Come get treated.” Locations: 100 College Pkwy., Ste. 100, Williamsville; 200 Sterling Dr., Ste. 200, Orchard Park; 6000 Brockton Dr., Ste. 109, Lockport. For more information, call 716-626-0093 or visit BuffSpine.com. See ad, page 25.

With the new day comes

new strength and new thoughts. ~Eleanor Roosevelt natural awakenings

January 2016

inspiration

Key Signs We’re Approaching a Defining Moment by Dennis Merritt Jones

O Cozy Up To Your Natural Match J

oin the largest database of health-conscious and eco-minded, spiritual singles for FREE and manifest an extraordinary relationship!

Join for FREE at NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com 20

Buffalo, NY

ur authentic self is constantly trying to get our attention so it may be more fully expressed. When we set our intention to genuinely evolve, we naturally begin to pay attention and see how redefining moments appear as needed. They are drawn to us sequentially to support us in the process of staying the course on our pilgrimage, each one a perfectly aligned portal in space and time, opening and closing, creating whatever experience is required to guide us to heightened awareness of our authentic self. While the possible circumstances that preclude such a moment are limitless, there are key signals to watch for. When they pop up, it helps immensely to stay engaged in the moment, rather than zipping past them on to another distraction. Rather, consider ways in which this might prove to be a pivotal point forward in our life journey. n Moments that challenge our ego and moments that our ego challenges us n Unexpected events n Times of significant loss n First-time experiences n Discontentment n Disappointment n Experiencing someone or something that instantly inspires us to grow n Birth of a loved one n Death of a loved one Personal growth and evolution can be motivated by either inspiration

BuffaloAwakenings.com

or desperation. Both may prompt us to ask big questions of ourselves and the universe that cause us to dig deep. The deeper we dig, the closer we come to merging with our truest self. We know the answers to such questions are correct because they will lead to actions that honor life—like harming no one, including ourself— and affirm the presence of a prevailing power for good that lies within; a power that guides, protects and sustains us. Satisfying answers seek only the highest and best of us and bless all. They connect our mind, heart and soul, moving us forward on the path of wholeness as a fulfilled and joyfully self-expressed person. When we are impelled to ask an important question of our self and the universe, don’t rush the process and are willing to embrace the answer we receive, it pushes a reset button as to what defines us. It brings us an enhanced sense of authentic wholeness. The lesson is that when redefining moments appear, we must be open and prepared to go where we had no plans of going—because that’s where our bliss awaits us. Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D., is the author of Your (Re)Defining Moments, the source of this essay. He has contributed to the human potential movement and field of spirituality as a minister, teacher, coach and lecturer for 30 years. Learn more at DennisMerrittJones.com.

greenliving

turer’s guidelines and visual inspection, about every 30,000 to 45,000 miles.

It’s Easy to Be Green At Home and On the Road

iving green means living well, using what you create with minimal waste,” says Mike Bond, an ecologist and bestselling activist author in Winthrop, Maine. Here, he and other savvy sources share tips to go ever greener in ways that are painless and affordable.

Start Small 4 Choose the best bulb for the job. Light bulbs can confuse even informed shoppers. Incandescent bulbs last more than 750 hours, but aren’t energy-efficient. Fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent and last 10 to 15 times longer. A 20-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) uses 550 fewer kilowatt-hours than a 75-watt incandescent bulb. For additional information, check Tinyurl.com/Energy InfoLightBulbs. For a free app showing the best buy, visit LightBulbFinder.net. 4 Use appliance thermometers. Widely available, this useful tool will confirm a correct operating temperature of 37 to 40 degrees in the refrigerator and zero degrees in the freezer. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a warmer fridge allows bacteria to grow, while 10 degrees cooler than the ideal range increases energy use 25 percent. Chiller units work harder if the room temperature exceeds 70 degrees, so keep appliances out of direct sunlight and away from the stove. 4 Find the right seeds and plants.

4 Carpool. The Green Living Ideas media network condones Uber, Lyft and Sidecar apps for making ridesharing ultra-accessible.

Go Greener

by Avery Mack

“

4 Use an oil-change service. In Connecticut alone, do-it-yourselfers change 9.5 million gallons of motor oil a year, and 85 percent of it ends up in sewers, soil and trash as a major groundwater pollutant. Earth Talk reports that one quart can create a two-acre oil slick; a gallon can contaminate a million gallons of fresh water. While the more costly chemicals in synthetic oil create the same amount of pollution as traditional oil, it doesn’t need to be changed as often.

Then get quick advice on how many to buy and how and when to plant using the SmartGardener.com step-by-step app. It encompasses more than 3,000 organic, GMO-free, edible varieties.

4 Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models. Check out a unit’s Energy Star rating. Consider a tankless heater for hot water on demand, rather than 24/7 heating.

4 No dishpan hands. A full load of dishes in a water-efficient dishwasher uses four gallons of water versus 24 gallons for handwashing them, according to Seametrics, which manufactures flow meters.

4 Choose eco-tires. Low rolling resistance improves gas mileage and reduces emissions. Keep tires properly inflated and periodically rotated for longer wear. Watch for future innovations in sustainable materials currently in research and development.

4 Test the toilet. If a few drops of food coloring added to the toilet tank colors water in the bowl, replace the flap. It’s an easy and inexpensive DIY task. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that one in 10 homes leaks a cumulative 90 gallons a day. 4 Fix the faucet. One drip per second equals 3,000 gallons a year wasted, Seametrics calculates. 4 Reset the hot water heater to 120 degrees. This safe and efficient setting also reduces corrosion and mineral buildup. 4 Discover soap nuts and wool dryer balls. Dried soapberry fruit shells contain saponin, which works like most detergents and soaps. Toss five or six whole shells (one-half ounce) in a wash bag with the laundry. They’re good for five to eight reuses. All-natural sheep’s wool dryer balls shorten drying time, soften and fluff fabric, reduce static and help keep pet hair off of clothes. 4 Change the car’s air filter. Maintain a clean filter according to manufac-

4 Ban idling. Don’t idle an electronic fuel-injected engine for more than 30 seconds when parked in cold weather; it warms up faster by being driven, explains the U.S. Department of Energy. Fuel injection engines took over in the 1980s and early 90s. Only older carburetors need a couple of minutes’ warm-up. The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory further advises, “Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and emits more CO2 than engine restarting.” 4 Ask for pet- and eco-friendly antifreeze. Choose less toxic red-orange propylene glycol antifreeze instead of green ethylene glycol antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets and people. Dispose of both types properly, as they are toxic to wildlife and fish via groundwater, as well. 4 Green-clean car windows. Choose a brand like EvergreeN Windshield Washer Fluid, which is plant-derived, eco-friendly, non-toxic and biodegrad-

natural awakenings

January 2016

able. Traditional blue fluid is methanol, combined methyl alcohol and wood alcohol, and extremely poisonous, especially to children and pets.

fitbody

Go Big 4 Switch to a heat pump. “A heat pump works the reverse of a refrigerator; it takes cold air from the outside and turns it into warm air inside, and uses no oil or gas,” explains Bond. 4 Go solar. It’s the eco-alternative to conventional electricity generation. “Solar means that you’re creating your own power,” says Bond, who has used solar for years. “It works on an elegant cycle—create energy, use energy.” Leased solar panels reduce the cost of equipment, which has dropped dramatically in recent years.

The Power of Conscious Dance

4 Get a hybrid car. In combination with solar power, a hybrid vehicle can reduce or eliminate daily energy costs. “An electric car is perfect when commutes are not long,” Bond discloses. “If charged in the day, it can serve as the battery for a solar home at night, when no power is being created.” Connect with freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

Go-Green Apps Here are three apps we suggest among the many available. n Green You is a free app. It calculates our eco-friendliness and suggests steps toward a deeper shade of green. ItAnyPlace.com/support/greenyou n Recycle offers a free national database of 100,000 recycling and disposal locations for 200 products. Specify the item and find local options with contact information. Earth911.com/eco-tech/ irecycle-now-on-android n eEcosphere helps users discover, adopt and share the best sustainable living ideas and makes it easy to share specific actions and ideas with friends via social media. eEcosphere.com 22

Buffalo, NY

Creative Movement Connects Body, Mind and Spirit by Gail Condrick

A growing tribe of movers and shakers are discovering and unleashing their power in conscious dance, a combination of moving meditation, soul-stirring music, self-expression and sweat.

“

ost are familiar with the performance or competitive dance world of learned steps. Conscious dance is a non-competitive, body-based way of raising consciousness. There’s no wrong way to move and your shape and measurements don’t matter,” says Mark Metz, of Berkley, California, founder and executive director of the Dance First Association (DFA) and publisher of the Conscious Dancer Magazine and UpShift Guide. The group identifies more than 100 forms of conscious dance, ranging from ecstatic dance to somatic movement therapy. Commonalities include body awareness, barefoot movement, inspiring global music and minimal structure facilitated by leaders. With 1,000 DFA studio locations, many are finding the power of

BuffaloAwakenings.com

conscious dance suits their search for movement with purpose beyond improved fitness as it’s practiced in drug- and alcohol-free club-style events and ecstatic dance experiences, as well as dance fitness programs. “It’s about honoring body intelligence and paying attention to the body and mind-body connection,” says Metz. “The modalities mentioned most often are 5Rhythms, Soul Motion, Open Floor, JourneyDance, and the Nia Technique,” says Metz. A brief look at three of them shows how each has its own style.

5Rhythms In St. Petersburg, Florida, 22 women have gathered to seek the bliss promised by 5Rhythms, one of the original conscious dance forms, founded by

Connecting “within” through free and inspired body movement is the power of conscious dance. the late Gabrielle Roth. “Find your flow. Feel your connection to the Earth through your feet and release your head,” guides facilitator Amber Ryan, of New York City, who travels the world for dance sessions. “Use your body as a gateway into the now.” For two hours, dancers move freely and individually, swaying, sensing and interacting in an experience called “the wave”, intended to move energy through the body, release emotions and heal the psyche. It’s based on Roth’s premise that, “Each of us is a moving center, a space of divine mystery. Though we spend most of our time on the surface in daily ordinary existence, most of us hunger to connect to this space within, to break through to bliss, to be swept into something bigger.”

JourneyDance Toni Bergins, from the Massachusetts Berkshires, is a frequent presenter at the Kripalu Center and Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. After years of studying and teaching movement, drama, creative visualization and gestalt techniques, she combined them in creating JourneyDance. More than 400 trained facilitators now offer it in 60- or 90-minute classes worldwide based on the philosophy, “Move into a new story!” Every class includes visualization, creative movement, affirmations and evocative music, all working together to release emotions and connect with spirit. “You learn to love your body, expand your emotional intelligence, clear your mind and connect with your inner source,” explains Bergins. “You express yourself, infuse life with creativity and connect with a dancing community.” Participants engage in a ritual journey of physical transformation, cleansing the body through breath, sweat and expression. In this safe space, “Dancers discover their power and personal heart medicine, their true essence,” says Bergins.

Nia Technique For those that prefer more structure, the Nia Technique is the original barefoot mind-body-spirit fitness practice, activating sensation and awareness in a workout adaptable for everybody. More than 2,600 instructors in 51 countries offer 60-minute classes where enthusiasts move the way the body is built to move, reaping cardiovascular fitness and therapeutic benefits while having joyful fun. Dancers, guided by instructor’s moves, feel the rhythm of the music and ground themselves in spirit, equipping themselves to take the selfhealing experience into everyday life. “Nia has always blended form and freedom,” says Debbie Rosas, of Portland, Oregon, co-founder and creator of the technique. “We are now introducing new FreeDance classes to bring what we have learned through Nia to embody consciousness in new ways, conditioning the whole body and nervous system. It’s an invitation to move in free, unbound, unstructured ways to offset the tendency we have to move less as we age.” Dancers move to music designed to animate each chakra through an eight-stage process via a Nia DJ. They’re guided to listen to body feedback through sensation, release emotions and relish being in the present moment. “Regardless of how you act, dress or

Dance Sites DanceFirst.com 5Rhythms.com JourneyDance.com NiaNow.com OneDanceTribe.com OpenFloor.org SoulMotion.com think, the way you feel inside reveals the most accurate truth of oneself and this is reflected in dance,” says Rosas. “Moving without interference allows your unconscious creative self to shine. You can connect to the sacred artist within; the one that holds a palette with endless colors, shapes and possibilities.” She sees life as ultimately a free-style dance into the self that supports a philosophy of “Love your body, love your life”. “Dance is in everyone’s family tree, a universal message,” says Metz. “In conscious dance, you disconnect from gadgets and reconnect with yourself and others around you. People need that.” Gail Condrick is a Nia faculty member, retreat leader and archetypal soul coach in Sarasota, FL. Connect at GaelaVisions.com.

Eliza Schneider, of Resolve to Evolve

n today’s highly stimulated, media-frenzied world, many of us are living in our heads; not actually present in our bodies. It is a true gift to yourself just to slow down and feel what your body is actually communicating. Conscious dance is a name for moving freely—there are no steps. It can be rocking out, jumping up and down, stretching, crawling, rolling and sometimes just sitting still or rocking. In the modality I practice and facilitate, Dancing Freedom, we use the elements as a foundation for our movement listening to music that carries us through a wave of earth, water, fire, air and ether. Each time we gather to dance, we have a whole lot of fun, get great exercise and integrate our heads, hearts, and souls. For more information, visit ResolveToEvolve.me. natural awakenings

January 2016

wisewords

Bruce Lipton on the Epigenetics Revolution Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny by Linda Sechrist

ruce Lipton, Ph.D., author of The Biology of Belief and The Honeymoon Effect, is a stem cell biologist and internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. He is a visiting fellow lecturer on immunology at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic and participated in the Foundation for Conscious Evolution’s seventh Worldwide Meeting on Human Values, in Mexico. His research explains the interplay between individual consciousness and body biology.

Why do you start with epigenetics as a foundation for health? Many people, programmed with the concept of genetic determinism, believe that genes in the fertilized egg at conception determine character and fate. Unable to pick our DNA genes, we are powerless to control our life, so that the only option is seeking help from someone in the biomedical community to fix our genes. I introduced a new vision about the understanding of genes a half-century ago that is now the new science of epigenetics. Epi- means “above”. Here, we can realize control by regulating the environment in which we live and our perception of it, making us the master of our own genetics rather than a victim of heredity.

Do you believe epigenetics is the future of medicine? Epigenetics is a revolution in our knowledge and awareness of heredity. This new concept of biology is so big that 24

Buffalo, NY

it promises radical change capable of revolutionizing civilization. Its dynamics are equivalent to the leap from Newtonian physics to quantum physics, which led to everything from computers and cell phones to Martian rovers. We are freed to abandon the belief that genes cause cancer, for instance. In changing our lifestyle, beliefs and perceptions, we also change our genetic expression. Remember, this works because how we individually interpret our world is translated by the brain into chemical information that adjusts the behavior and genetics of cells to complement our perception. We could live in the healthiest environment, but if our mind perceives it as threatening and non-supportive, our biology will become less healthy and can generate disease. The cells’ response is based on the brain’s information, which actually is only an interpretation. Personal perceptions and the way we live, including our spiritual nature, adjust genes to manifest either a functional state of health or one of dysfunction.

Where is the “self” that makes people different? No two people are the same biologically. If I inject my cells into another human, their immune system will recognize it as “not-self” and begin to eliminate them. On the surface of virtually all our cells are thousands of protein receptors that function like miniature antennae. They read and respond to environmental signals similar to the larger receptors on the skin’s surface, such as the eyes, ears and nose.

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Each human also possesses a unique set of “identity” receptors, a subset of which are called “self-receptors” by the biomedical community, found on nearly all of our cells, with the primary exception of red blood cells. Self-receptors are unrelated to the cell’s function contributing to muscle, bone, brain or heart. Conventional medicine studies the physical aspect of self-receptors as being the source of “self” but overlook the environmental signals they receive. In other words, individual identity is linked to the signals received by the antennae. When I reached this point in my research, I realized that we can’t die, because our real identity is represented by the invisible environment-derived “broadcast”, which might legitimately be referred to as spirit. My personal identity signal is received by each of my 50 trillion cells endowed with the unique set of “Bruce” self-receptors. While my physical body is like a TV, the “spiritual broadcast” representing the Bruce Show is an eternal, energetic element of the environment.

What is entrainment and why is it important today? A group of heart cells in a Petri dish will each beat to its own vibrational frequency. After a couple of days, they start beating in synchrony, because the stronger heart cells control the tempo. The other cells organize their behavior to entrain with the more powerful one. This happens in women’s college dormitories when residents start the school year with different menstrual cycles, but later experience entrainment, with their cycles beginning and ending about the same time. They link to a pulse and a beat, just like the heart cells. Humans become entrained to a higher force that’s an invisible broadcast of energy in harmony or in discordance. As more of us hold the intention for living a life of love and peace, the broadcast of that harmonic energy amplifies and those not yet there will eventually entrain to the stronger signal. This is the shift we need to make for conscious evolution to occur. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

naturalpet

The Right Vet for Your Pet

Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches

A team approach is expected. A holistic practice is a team effort, and the family doctor will suggest options for care, helping an owner decide on the best therapies for each pet. A fuller range of options is available. While holistic vets prefer a more natural approach, they know that if necessary, conventional therapies can sometimes be an appropriate complement if they follow holistic principles, which means infrequent use of low-dose medications and only when absolutely needed. In general, most conditions can be treated successfully without drug therapy, extending the health and life of the patient and reducing medical costs. Gentler anesthesia means quicker recovery. A naturally balanced and gentler approach means less drugging if anesthesia becomes necessary, close monitoring of an anesthetized pet, a smooth and quick recovery for prompt discharge from the hospital and natural forms of follow-up treatment to control post-operative pain and inflammation. New hope rises for the hopeless. Many pets are brought to holistic doctors after conventional care has failed to help them. Some have been turned away by practitioners of conventional medicine because their cases are diagnosed as “hopeless”. Holistic vets and pet parents alike experience considerable satisfaction in helping to give a joyful pet a whole new lease on life. Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. For more information, visit PetCareNaturally.com.

by Shawn Messonnier

et parents have many criteria to consider when choosing a healthcare provider for their prized pet, and among the most vital is trying to find a doctor that uses holistic therapies, because the advantages are many. Wellness care is more than vaccines. While many conventional vets consider giving vaccines and flea medications to all of their patients to be their best form of wellness care, holistic vets know these aren’t always necessary and can potentially be harmful. Instead, true wellness care involves careful consideration of proper diet, blood titer testing instead of vaccines, natural parasite control when appropriate and a heavy dose of diagnostic testing (blood, urine, fecal) to monitor organ function, check for parasites, screen for disorders of the urogenital system, liver and pancreas and early screening for cancer and other inflammatory conditions. There’s also a full physical check for common diseases like dental and heart disease and tumors. Individualized prescriptions for a proper diet and supplements to maintain health are big reasons many owners prefer a holistic vet. Natural treatments include disease prevention. Many pets treated via a more natural approach have an easier experience with occasional illness than those that don’t enjoy this specialized care. Natural therapies can quickly restore an ill pet to his homeostatic balance without the side effects often associated with multiple drug doses. natural awakenings

January 2016

Turn Your Passion Into a Business

Own a Natural Awakenings Magazine Our publishers ranked us among the highest in franchise satisfaction for our Training, Support, Core Values and Integrity!

As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you can enjoy learning about healthy and joyous living while working from your home and earn a good income doing something you love!

No publishing experience is necessary. You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. We offer a complete training and support system that allows you to successfully publish your own magazine.

• Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home-Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

For more information, visit our website NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

Natural Awakenings is now expanding into new markets across the U.S. Contact us about starting a magazine in a community of your choice or acquiring an existing publication for sale highlighted in red below.

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. • • • • • • • • • • •

Huntsville, AL Gulf Coast AL/MS* Phoenix, AZ* Tucson, AZ East Bay Area, CA San Diego, CA Boulder, CO* Denver, CO Fairfield County, CT Hartford, CT New Haven/ Middlesex, CT • Washington, DC • Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL • NW FL Emerald Coast • Ft. Lauderdale, FL • Jacksonville/ St. Augustine, FL • Melbourne/Vero, FL • Miami & the Florida Keys • Naples/Ft. Myers, FL • North Central FL • Orlando, FL • Palm Beach, FL • Peace River, FL • Sarasota, FL • Tampa/St. Pete., FL • FL’s Treasure Coast • Atlanta, GA • Hawaiian Islands • Chicago, IL • Chicago Western Suburbs, IL • Indianapolis, IN • Baton Rouge, LA • Lafayette, LA • New Orleans, LA • Portland, ME • Boston, MA • Ann Arbor, MI • East Michigan • Wayne County, MI* • Western MI* • Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN • Charlotte, NC* • Lake Norman, NC* • Triangle, NC • Bergen/Passiac, NJ* • Central, NJ

• Hudson County, NJ • Mercer County, NJ • Monmouth/ Ocean, NJ • North Central NJ • South NJ • Santa Fe/Abq., NM • Las Vegas, NV • Albany, NY • Buffalo, NY • Central NY • Long Island, NY • Lower Hudson Valley West, NY • Manhattan, NY* • Queens, NY • Rochester, NY • Westchester/ Putnam Co’s., NY • Central OH • Cincinnati, OH • Toledo, OH • Oklahoma City, OK • Portland, OR* • Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA • Harrisburg/York, PA • Lancaster/Berks, PA • Lehigh Valley, PA • Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ • Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, PA • Rhode Island • Charleston, SC* • Columbia, SC • Grand Strand, SC* • Greenville, SC • Chattanooga, TN • Knoxville, TN* • Memphis, TN • Austin, TX • Dallas Metroplex, TX • Dallas/FW Metro N • Houston, TX • San Antonio, TX* • SE Texas • Richmond, VA • VA’s Blue Ridge • Seattle, WA • Madison, WI • Milwaukee, WI • Puerto Rico

* Existing magazines for sale

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Natural Awakenings recently won the prestigious FBR50 Franchise Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review. To learn more, visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com

calendarofevents

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review guidelines for submissions at BuffaloAwakenings.com or email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com for more information.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3 New Year’s Meditation – 1-2:30pm. Celebrate another year of yoga and friendship with fellow seekers. Light stretching and guided relaxation followed by the Cave of the Heart meditation. Set your intentions for a bright and healthy 2016. Bring a sweet to share. Chai will be provided. $20. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

A Day of Learning and Inspiration – 9am-4:30pm. Join Christine Fowle, principal teacher at Udumbara Yoga and Maureen Kemeny, certified health and wellness coach to embrace the New Year with a deep sense of self to inspire authentic and purposeful transformation. $115. 400 Plains Rd, Lewiston. 716-523-3738. Maureen@maureenkemeny.com.

Basic Wheel Maintenance – 6-8pm. Hub overhauling and adjustment, wheel truing and how to fix a broken spoke are covered. Practice wheels available to work on or bring your own wheels. Limited to 10 people. $10 suggested donation. GObike Community Workshop, 98 Colvin Ave, Buffalo. 716-320-0193. RSVP: Stacy@GoBikeBuffalo.org. GoBikeBuffalo.org.

a comfortable sitting posture, diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation methods and essential concentration techniques. $48. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

MONDAY, JANUARY 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

Breath Work – 10-11am. Life coach/meditation trainer, Shawn Marie Cichowski will explore various breathing techniques and mind easing practices to promote optimal well-being. $25. WNY Life Coaching Center, 5500 Main St, Williamsville. RSVP: 716-560-6552 or WNYLifeCoaching@gmail.com. WNYLifeCoaching.com.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 Gentle Restorative Yoga – 9-10am. Six-week class, Tuesdays thru Feb 9. These weekly sessions focus on restorative and supported postures that calm and relax the body. Suitable for beginners and those who are in need of a healing practice. $90. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville. Register: BuffSpine.com/calendar. Yoga for Core Strength – 5:30-6:45pm. Sevenweek class, Tuesdays thru Feb 16. All levels. Weekly asana practice designed to help develop progressive core strength. Includes muscle isolation exercises to strengthen the abdomen, back, legs and glutes followed by classical yoga postures to integrate and feel the effects. Prerequisite: completion of Yoga I. $84. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org. Eating Healthy For Life – 6:30-7:30pm. Learn how to change the way you look, feel and live through a healthy eating lifestyle. Free. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville. Register: BuffSpine.com/calendar.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 Chair Yoga – 10-11:30pm. With Ann. Six-week class, Wednesdays thru Feb 10. Chair yoga offers all the benefits of a regular class to those who have difficulty kneeling, getting up and down off the ﬂoor and mobility limitations. Includes breath work, relaxation and meditation. $72. 719 Englewood Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. Register: HIBuffalo.org/seminars. Beginning Meditation – 7-8:30pm. With Donna. Meditation is the heart of yoga practice, a method for acquiring a clear and tranquil mind. Learn the basics:

“Meeting Ike” Children’s Play Shop – 9-10am. Presented by Marina Naples. First of a four-part series, children ages 7-11, learn meditation basics and about the first of the chakras. Balloons, streamers and individual colored healing cloths are used. Children must take part one to take rest of series. See Jan 30 listing. $10/child/session. My Garden of Healing, 2770 Main St, Newfane. Registration required: 716807-5354. MyGardenofHealing.weebly.com.

Therapeutic Yoga – Noon-1pm. Six-week class thru Feb 11. Appropriate for students seeking relief and interested in learning to promote self-healing. Alignment focused gentle stretching and toning work to improve range of motion and joint stability, reducing pain and preventing future injuries. No prior yoga experience required. $90. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100. Register: BuffSpine.com/calendar. 10 Easy Tips to Detox Daily – 6:15-7:15pm. A wellness workshop presented by Dr Alison Cumming. Learn 10 simple daily tips to help your body detox. Start 2016 with new healthy habits. Free. Inner Balance Chiropractic, 2800 Sweet Home Rd, Ste 1, Amherst. 716-210-1060. RSVP: Patty@ InnerBalanceChiro.com. InnerBalanceChiro.com. Essential Oils and Chakras – 6:30-8pm. Explore how to use essential oils and various techniques (energy medicine) to activate and balance the energy centers (chakras) of the body. Nurture optimal wellbeing using a mind, body and soul approach. $25. WNY Life Coaching Center, 5500 Main St, Williamsville. RSVP: 716-560-6552 or WNYLifeCoaching@gmail.com. WNYLifeCoaching.com. Spiritual Study and Practice Group for Women – 7-8:30pm. Embark on a year-long study of Meditation for the Love of It, Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience, by Sally Kempton. The Introduction and Chapter 1: The Lure of Meditation along with group guidelines will be discussed at this first meeting. $5. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

One Day Mindfulness Experience – 10am-2pm. Discover the power of now with this one day retreat. Suitable for beginners as well as experienced mindfulness and meditation practitioners. Dress comfortably. Free tea, coffee and juice. $25. 484 Connecticut St, Buffalo. 716-259-2994. MindGardens.net. Taoist Tai Chi Annual Open House and Class – 10am-2pm. Try Taoist Tai Chi, talk to instructors, enjoy refreshments and meet other participants. Free. Taoist Tai Chi Buffalo Center, 968 Kenmore Ave, Buffalo. 716-967-6689. Buffalo.NY@taoist.org. Bring the Inside Out – 10am-4pm. With Jill M O’Hara, RN. Explore who you really are and drag the joy back into your life. There is no time like the present to reclaim your dreams and begin living your life from the inside out. $75. Alternative Roots Center for Transformation, 162 Main St, Hamburg. Register: Jill: 716-425-2996. Mastering the Basics-Beginner Level Yoga – 11:15am-12:30pm. Seven-week class, Saturdays thru Feb 20. This class draws upon content from the award-winning book Yoga: Mastering the Basics, by Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik, PsyD. Explore range of movement exercises, alignment fundamentals and diaphragmatic breath training. $84. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org. Essence of the Yoga Sutra: Live and Digital Workshop Kickoff Event – 2-5pm. Seven-part series with Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute and senior teachers at the Buffalo center. Course introduction with Sarah and team, followed by live stream lecture with Pandit Rajmani Tigunait. Workshops held on six consecutive Wednesdays. See Jan 13 listing. $129/preregister, $159/at door. Himalayan

WE STILL ON? Call ahead to confirm that the

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 Therapeutic Yoga – 5:30-6:30pm. Six-week class thru Feb 12. Appropriate for students seeking relief and interested in learning to promote self-healing. Alignment focused gentle stretching and toning work to improve range of motion and joint stability, reducing pain and preventing future injuries. No prior yoga experience required. $90. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville. Register: BuffSpine.com/calendar.

event details haven’t changed and tell them you saw it in Buffalo Natural Awakenings.

natural awakenings

January 2016

Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 Introduction to Mindfulness – 6pm. New eightsession group begins. Improving health and wellness through mindfulness. $150 tuition includes workbook and CD. 484 Connecticut St, Buffalo. 716-259-2994. MindGardens.net.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 Maintaining Your Bike through Fall and Winter – 6-8pm. Bikes ridden through rain, salt, snow and sludge need a little extra attention. Learn how to keep your ride in tip-top shape and also share tips for winter riding and choosing a winter bike. Limited to 10 people. $10 suggested donation. GObike Community Workshop, 98 Colvin Ave, Buffalo. 716-320-0193. RSVP: Stacy@gobikebuffalo.org. GoBikeBuffalo.org.

MONDAY, JANUARY 11 Yoga Nidra – 7-8:30pm. With Tracy. Three-week course, Mondays thru Jan 25. The key to yoga nidra is to practice sleeping with deep awareness. Yoga relaxation methods gradually lead to a softening of the tightness with which we hold ourselves. This class will review the specific relaxation methods leading to yoga nidra and then practice yogic sleep. $40. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 Ask the Doctor Series – 6:15-7:15pm. A presentation about Thermography by Dynamic Thermal Imaging. Learn who should have a thermography scan, what a scan will show and how to monitor your total body health with Thermography. Free. Inner Balance Chiropractic, 2800 Sweet Home Rd, Ste 1, Amherst. 716-210-1060. InnerBalanceChiro.com. Eating Healthy for Life – 6:30-8pm. 12-week program, Tuesdays thru Mar 29. Program covers seven-day detox, low glycemic eating, healthy cooking and recipes, supermarket tour, plant-based eating, label reading and more. Class size limited. $325. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville. Preregister: BuffSpine.com/calendar.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 Essence of the Yoga Sutra: Live and Digital Workshop – 7-8:45pm. Six-weeks of lecture, group

discussion and yoga practice on Wednesdays thru Feb 17. See Jan 9 kickoff event listing. Explore potent practices that have been a part of an unbroken living tradition for thousands of years. $129/preregister, $159/at door. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 Introduction to Mindgardens – 6pm. Learn about all Mindgardens has to offer. Free. 484 Connecticut St, Buffalo. 716-259-2994. MindGardens.net.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 Opening the Doors to Clarity-Transforming Your Practices – 9-11am. Beyond the postures is a system of practices that balances energy and enhances one’s ability to generate and guide it. This six-week course, on Saturdays thru Feb 20, explores these subtle dimensions. $95. Udumbara Yoga, 400 Pain St, Lewiston. UdumbaraYoga.com. Living with Purpose in the New Year – The Practice of Ahimsa – 9:30-11:30am. Staying present and acting skillfully can be challenging in our day-to-day lives. Cultivating the fortitude to remain rooted in self-love and compassion requires that we align with our inner wisdom. Through gentle movements with breath awareness, meditation, self-reﬂection and discussion, shed light upon the questions, who am I and what is my purpose? $20. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org. Fleet Feet Sports Ton of Fun Weight Loss Challenge Kickoff – 10am-5pm. Make healthier choices in 2016. Our proven 12-week challenge provides the support, motivation and accountability needed to reach your goals. There is a fee to participate in the challenge. Fleet Feet Sports, 2290 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-332-3501. Info: Kateri@ﬂeetfeetbuffalo.com. FleetFeetBuffalo.com/training/ ton-of-fun-weight-loss-challenge.

dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf. ~Rabindranath Tagore

Buffalo, NY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Introduction to Mindfulness – 6-8pm. New eight-session group begins. Improving health and wellness through mindfulness. $150 tuition includes workbook and CD. Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst, 6320 Main St, Williamsville. 716-2592994. MindGardens.net.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 Cinema and Soup Saturday Part I – 9:30am-noon. Enjoy an inspiring film followed by homemade soup and discussion. Each film in this four-part series reﬂects yoga philosophy. Watch Peaceful Warrior based on the true story of Dan Millman, a gifted young athlete who has a life-changing event that reshapes his life forever. $10. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. Schedule: HIBuffalo.org/seminars. Reiki Level I – 10am-4pm. With Jill M. O’Hara, RN. Learn the history of Reiki, the principles of living a life of Reiki, the energy centers, how to treat yourself and others, including your environment, family, friends and even pets. Class includes instruction, manual and attunement. Limited class space. $125. Alternative Roots Center for Transformation, 162 Main St, Hamburg. Register: Jill: 716-425-2996.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 Food for Thought at Temple Beth Zion: Health, Wellness and the Food on Your Plate – 1-2:30pm. Talk on the connection your food plays in health and wellness plus food samples: butternut squash soup, massages kale salad, lentils with roasted veggies. $21. RSVP with check payable to Halli Glina, 1385 Sweeny St, N Tonawanda. Aaron and Bertha Broder Center for Jewish Education, 700 Sweet Home Rd, Amherst. 716-553-8883.

Bike Crafts – 6-8pm. Have some fun and get creative. Learn how to make unique bikecentric jewelry, home décor, and more. Limited to 10 people. $10 suggested donation. GObike Community Workshop, 98 Colvin Ave, Buffalo. 716-320-0193. RSVP: Stacy@gobikebuffalo.org. GoBikeBuffalo.org.

Fix a Flat – 6-8pm. Learn the ins and outs of fixing a ﬂat. Includes hands on instruction on tube patching, tube and tire removal and reinstallation. Different types of punctures and ﬂat prevention will also be discussed. Limited to 10 people. $10 suggested donation. GObike Community Workshop, 98 Colvin Ave, Buffalo. 716-320-0193. RSVP: Stacy@ gobikebuffalo.org. GoBikeBuffalo.org.

MONDAY, JANUARY 18

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17

Let your life lightly

Healthy Eating – 7pm. Audubon Library Holistic Lecture Series. Stanford Levy, a Buffalo internist with a specialty practice of integrative and holistic medicine will discuss the new wisdom versus the old wisdom with regard to carbohydrates, fats and protein, the importance of the type of fat and carbohydrate consumed, as well as the best sources of protein. Free. Audubon Library, 350 John James Audubon Pkwy, Amherst. 716-689-4922.

Introduction to the Enneagram – 6pm. A new eight-session enneagram personality typology group begins. Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal transformation. $150 tuition includes the book: The Enneagram Made Easy. 484 Connecticut St, Buffalo. 716-259-2994. MindGardens.net.

BuffaloAwakenings.com

Introduction to Holistic Health and Homeopathy – 6-8pm. With Arup Bhattacharya, PhD. A four-part lecture series, Mondays thru Feb 15. Learn some of the basic concepts and principles of health and homeopathy and how it is different from other systems of medicines, including conventional medicine and

herbal remedies. Skype option is available for those who can’t attend in person. $99/series, $99/Skype fee or $30/class. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-882-2223. HIBuffalo.org. WalkFIT and Learn to Run Program Info Session – 7:15pm. Ready to take steps to a healthy lifestyle or tackle a 5K? Bring your questions to this information session. Free. Fleet Feet Sports, 2290 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-332-3501. Info: Kateri@fleetfeetbuffalo.com. FleetFeetBuffalo. com/training/no-boundaries.

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review guidelines for submissions at BuffaloAwakenings.com or email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com for more information.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26 Relationship Coaching – 6:30-8pm. With Shawn Marie Cichowski, Certified Life/Soul Coach and Muni Visco, Certified Life/Divorce Coach. Learn how to improve your relationships, set personal boundaries and let go when need be. $20. WNY Life Coaching Center, 5500 Main St, Williamsville. RSVP: 716-560-6552 or WNYLifecoaching@ gmail.com. WNYLifeCoaching.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28 Heart Disease, Diabetes and Your Table: PlantBased Foods to Reverse Chronic Disease – 6:308pm. Health Seminar with Jessica Altman. $8. Buffalo Spine and Sports Medicine, 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville. Register: Buff Spine. com/Calendar.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 “Meeting Ike” Children’s Play Shop – 9-10am. Presented by Marina Naples. Second of a four-part series, children ages 7-11, learn about the chakra colors of orange and yellow and guided meditation into “The Forest of Forgotten Magic and Simple Knowledge” and meet Ike, their inner knowledge elf. Balloons, streamers and individual colored healing cloths are used. Children must take part one to complete rest of series. See Jan 9 listing. $10/ child/session. My Garden of Healing, 2770 Main St, Newfane. Registration required: 716-807-5354. MyGardenofHealing.weebly.com. Mid-Winter Recharge Day – 9am-5pm. A day in the middle of the winter doldrums filled with art, dancing, treatments, healthy food and classes all designed to recharge your batteries. Space is limited to 28 people. Full payment required with registration. $200, $160 by Jan 15. The Body Essential Holistic Wellness Center, Georgetown Square, 5225 Sheridan Dr, Williamsville. 716-626-4466. TheBodyEssential.net. Basic Wheel Maintenance – 6-8pm. See Jan 3 listing. GObike Community Workshop, 98 Colvin Ave, Buffalo. 716-320-0193. GoBikeBuffalo.org

plan ahead SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

savethedate SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 Fifth Annual Holistic Health Expo – 11am4pm. Marcy Casino, Delaware Park, Buffalo. Jill O’Hara: 716-425-2996.

tuesday

1517 Clinton St, Buffalo. 716-822-2466. ClintonBaileyFarmersMarket.com.

North Tonawanda Farmers’ Market – 7am-1pm. Payne Ave at Robinson St, North Tonawanda. 716830-6025.

wednesday Yoga Reset – 6:30-7:45pm. A gentle practice suitable for all levels of students. $15/class, $48/four classes. Clarence Hollow Wellness Center, 10946 Main St, Clarence. 716-310-3858. RichardJasonBruke.com. Meditation – 7-7:45pm. A serene atmosphere to relax the mind. All levels welcome. Donation. Udumbara Yoga, 400 Plain St, Lewiston. UdumbaraYoga.com.

thursday North Tonawanda Farmers’ Market – 7am-1pm. Payne Ave at Robinson St, North Tonawanda. 716830-6025. Drop-in Yoga Class – 5:30-6:30pm. Beginner level. $10. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-883-2223. HIBuffalo.org. Qigong – 7-8pm. With Jim Davis. Qigong practitioners utilize breath, posture, and movement to foster prevention of an energetic imbalance in the body and to promote well-being. $10/class or $32/ four classes. Complete Wellness Arts and Science Center, 1515 Kensington Ave, Buffalo. 716-3523723. JDavis0111@verizon.net.

saturday North Tonawanda Farmers’ Market – 7am-1pm. Payne Ave at Robinson St, North Tonawanda. 716830-6025. Clinton-Bailey Farmers’ Market – 7am-6pm.

Drop-in Yoga Class – 9:30-11am. Intermediate level. $12. Himalayan Institute, 841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. 716-883-2223. HIBuffalo.org. Elmwood Village Farmers’ Market – 10am-2pm. This winter market features 15-20 vendors along with food trucks. A producer-only market; all vendors grow or produce what they sell to create a diverse and healthy local economy. Buffalo State College, Buckham Hall, Rockwell Rd near Grant St, Buffalo. 716-881-0707. ElmwoodVillage.org.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $20 for the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word. To place an ad, email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings. com. Deadline is the 10th of the month. CLASSES AVATAR SELF DISCOVERY SESSION – We know we should forgive, but, has anyone ever taught you how to forgive? Start the New Year with a four-step forgiveness exercise from the Avatar course. For a free session, call Tia Greno: 716-633-0715.

OPPORTUNITY S TA R T A C A R E E R Y O U C A N B E PASSIONATE ABOUT – PUBLISH YOUR OWN NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINE – Home-based business complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/MyMagazine.

natural awakenings

January 2016

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@BuffaloAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE SHENDAO ACUPUNCTURE B.Schamberger, LAc 334 Bryant St, Buffalo 716-883-3166

Now offering a special, anti-stress treatment which rebalances energy; resulting in a calmer mind, healthier glow to facial skin and brightening of the eyes.

CHIROPRACTIC INNER BALANCE CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Alison Bramer Cummings & Dr. Tammy Bialek-Lehrer 2800 Sweet Home Rd, Ste 1, Amherst 716-210-1060 • InnerBalanceChiro.com

Gentle adjustments; no cracking, snapping or bending. Treating neck, back, shoulder pain, headaches, scoliosis, migraines, vertigo, digestive issues, behavior issues, sports injuries, carpal tunnel, TMJ and more. See ad, page 9.

DENTISTRY AESTHETIC ASSOCIATES CENTRE Dr. Todd Shatkin 2500 Kensington Ave, Ste A, Amherst 716-839-1700 • GR8Look.com ShatkinDentalOffice@gmail.com

Offering complete restorative and cosmetic dental care for adults and children. Includes bonding, veneers, bleaching, crown and bridge, dental implantology (all stages), mini dental implants and general dental care. See ad, back cover.

CONTEMPORARY DENTISTRY

FITNESS CITY OF LIGHT FITNESS

Jared Callahan, Owner, Fitness Trainer 716-866-3747 Info@CityOfLightFitness.com CityOfLightFitness.com Jared has developed a lifestyle approach to fitness and healthy living, integrating outdoor wateroriented sports like Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) with a structured strength and conditioning program. Call for a fun and unique style of fitness training.

STRETCH PILATES

1127 Wehrle Dr, Williamsville 716-626-7484 StretchWNY@gmail.com • StretchWNY.com A Pilates studio offering private and small group sessions focusing on stretching, strength posture a n d c o r e t r a i n i n g . Vi s i t Facebook, Instagram and the Pilates and fitness blog online. See ad, page 5.

HEALTHY DINING 700 CENTER ST – JUICE BISTRO & CAFÉ 700 Center St, Lewiston 716-429-5466 • 700CenterStreet.com

Serving a wonderful selection of natural and organic foods. Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options. Healthy smoothies, organic coffee, wheatgrass shots, wraps, paninis, baked goods and granola made in house. A must visit in historic Lewiston. See ad, page 8.

MANGIA CAFÉ

621 Center St, Lewiston 716-754-1517

Dr. Arlene Messer & Dr. Anna Belous 2052 S Clinton Ave, Rochester 585-244-3337 • DentistryWithAHeart.com At Contemporary Dentistry, we care about your total health, offering an individualized approach for cavity prevention, including saliva testing, biocompatible materials, safe mercury-filling removal, laser and minimally invasive dentistry. See ad, page 14.

Naturally good food. Glutenfree and vegetarian options. Breakfast served all day and lunch; 8am-2pm. In the heart of beautiful, historic Lewiston. See ad, page 5.

HOLISTIC CENTER HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE

841 Delaware Ave, Buffalo 716-883-2223 • HIBuffalo.org Buffalo’s Center for yoga, meditation and wellness. Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, homeopathy, yoga teacher certification, CEU’s for yoga instructors, bookstore and gift shop. Reconnect with your body, relax the mind and rejuvenate your spirit. See ad, page 17.

Buffalo, NY

BuffaloAwakenings.com

HOMEOPATHIC HEALERS HOMEOPATHIC HEALERS 156 Ramsdell Ave, Buffalo 716-310-3789 Arup_2000@yahoo.com HomeopathicHealers.com

Where healing is a way of life. Arup Bhattacharya, PhD, is a Homeopath educator, practitioner and a research faculty at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Make an appointment or join one of the courses. See ad, page 7.

LIFE COACH EMERGING VIBRANT WOMEN EMPOWER AND AWAKEN YOUR FEMININE SOUL

Kohava Howard, LPN, LYYD, Reiki Master, Holistic Life Coach • E Amherst 970-208-2503 • KohavaHoward.com Intuitive, holistic, health and wellness life coaching for women over 40 that are experiencing major life transitions. Reclaim your vibrant inner joy and feminine power to live your authentic life. Private sessions, workshops, Skype or phone.

WNY LIFE COACHING CENTER – LIFE COACH

Shawn Marie Cichowski, Owner, Certified Life/Soul Coach 5500 Main St, Ste 313, Williamsville 716-560-6552 • WNYLifeCoaching.com Helping you help yourself naturally, healing from the inside out. Offering life products: Himalayan salt lamps and items, essential oils, yoga, spa, meditation and wellness items. See ad, page 13.

MINDFULNESS MINDGARDENS

484 Connecticut St, Buffalo 716-259-2994 • Mindgardens.net Cultivating transformation. Find a better direction in life. New lifechanging groups forming regularly. Free introduction to Mindgardens services on Friday, January 15 at 6pm. See ad, page 17.

ORGANIC SPA GREEN SPA VILLAGE HOLISTICS

Joei Marie Lucey, RN, Green Spa Owner 5526 Main St, Williamsville 716-635-6482 • GreenSpaHolistics.com Organic holistic spa focusing on health and wellness. Pamper your body, mind and spirit. Spa services include massage, facials, body treatments, energy balancing, life coaching, craniosacral, reflexology, Emotional Freedom Technique, hypnosis, aromatherapeutic touch and more.

PETS ANCIENT FAR EAST HEALING ARTS FOR ANIMALS Susi Rosinski 3110 Eggert Rd, Tonawanda 716-803-0113 • ReikiBySusi.com

Energy medicine, medical qigong, acupressure, Karuna Reiki and chi’atsu. Relief from stress, anxiety, behavioral issues, arthritis, immune deficiency, speeds healing of injuries, surgery and more. See ad, page 14.

PILATES STRETCH PILATES

PHYSICIANS BUFFALO SPINE & SPORTS MEDICINE 100 College Pkwy, Ste 100, Williamsville 200 Sterling Dr, Ste 200, Orchard Park 6000 Brockton Dr, Ste 109, Lockport 716-626-0093 • BuffSpine.com

One of the largest and most established physical medicine and rehabilitation practices in Western New York. Non-surgical rehabilitation and therapy for acute injuries and chronic conditions. Holistic care focusing on patients’ functions. Take back your lifestyle! See ad, page 25.

REIKI ANCIENT FAR EAST HEALING ARTS Susi Rosinski 3110 Eggert Rd, Tonawanda 716-803-0113 • ReikiBySusi.com

Medical qigong/therapeutic tai chi, Karuna Reiki, meditation. Relief from pain, anxiety, depression. Speeds healing of injuries and surgery. Boosts immune system and more. See ad, page 9.

EMERGING VIBRANT WOMEN EMPOWER AND AWAKEN YOUR FEMININE SOUL

GOOD VIBES HEALING

Debra Espe, Reiki Master, BioGenesis Practitioner, Herbal Consultant West Seneca • East Aurora 716-220-8907 • HolisticAndHealthyU.com A holistic approach that addresses your individual needs. By using energy techniques such as Reiki and BioGenesis combined with herbal and essential oils, we’ll work together to help you achieve a sense of well-being and optimal health.

WNY LIFE COACHING CENTER – REIKI

SPECIALTY MARKET THE NATURAL LINK

Specialty Meat Market 105 Portage Rd, Lewiston • 716-754-1199 Facebook.com/TheNaturalLink Free-range chicken, wildcaught fresh seafood, Boar’s Head deli meats, Angus Reserve beef, local honey, maple syrup, farm-fresh eggs, goats and cows milk. Excellent service and friendly owners (Brian and Cathy). See ad, page 19.

THERMAL IMAGING

Shawn Marie Cichowski, Owner, Reiki Master 5500 Main St, Ste 313, Williamsville 716-560-6552 • WNYLifeCoaching.com

DYNAMIC THERMAL IMAGING

Helping you help yourself naturally, healing from the inside out. Reiki master and certified meditation instructor. Self-care and stress management trainer. See ad, page 13.

SELF DEVELOPMENT DESIGN FOR LIVING – THE AVATAR COURSE Tia Greno 716-633-0715 • TiaG12345@gmail.com

Carol Knapp, CCT, office manager 585-734-6083 NYDTI.com

Provides radiation-free, noninvasive clinical imaging for detecting and monitoring overall health as well as a number of diseases and injuries. Totally safe, FDA-approved and available to women, men and children. Take responsibility for your own health and be proactive with Dynamic Thermal Imaging. See ad, page 17.

WELLNESS CENTER

What is the greatest personal achievement? It is not any form of material wealth, quality of fame or degree of power. What then? The greatest personal achievement is peace of mind. Contact Tia for a free introduction to Avatar. See ad, page 8.

SKIN CARE AESTHETIC ASSOCIATES CENTRE Dr. Sam Shatkin 2500 Kensington Ave, Amherst 716-839-1700 • GR8Look.com

BEHEALTHY INSTITUTE

Jill Chiacchia, Founder and Director 40 Main St, Hamburg 716-648-3400 BeHealthyInstitute.com Healthy cooking classes, fitness classes, health coaching, wellness resources and living well seminars. Come see how easy healthy is. Like us on Facebook.com/BeHealthyInstitute.com. See ad, page 7.

WINE – ORGANIC

Achieve natural rejuvenation with surgical and non-surgical services in the fields of plastic surgery and advanced skin care. Dr. Shatkin and his team of health professionals help clients look and feel better about themselves. See ad, back cover.

SPA

ADDY’S FINE WINE AND SPIRITS 8584 Transit Rd, E Amherst 716-810-9495

Our friendly, warm staff, great wine and free weekly tastings will make you want to keep coming back. Large selection of organic wines. Check us out on Facebook.

LEXI’S FINE WINE AND SPIRITS 55 Crosspoint Pkwy, Getzville 716-689-2233

TRES AURAE SPA

5195 Main St, Williamsville 716-478-7546 SpaBuffalo.com Tres Aurae Spa offers a calm setting for all your spa needs. Services include their Best of Buffalo natural, seaweed-based facials, therapeutic massage, hair blowouts and styling, hair removal, and manicures and pedicures. Relax and enjoy spa services for individuals and groups in this award-winning facility.

Our friendly, warm staff, great wine and free weekly tastings will make you want to keep coming back. Large selection of organic wines. Check us out on Facebook.

natural awakenings

January 2016