DANCING TO YOUR

from Natural Awakenings DC May 2020

EYE CARE FOR KIDS

OWN DRUMMER The Healing Power of Movement

Movement comes in many colors, from modern dance to country line dancing, and there’s something for everyone, including those that claim to have two left feet. Dancing is healthy for the heart and improves cognitive function by forging new neural pathways in the brain. It builds stronger bones, helps balance and improves flexibility and endurance. Putting on dancing shoes also has a positive effect on depressive disorders, flooding the brain with endorphins that uplift mood and jumpstart motivation. Dance has found its way into the clinical setting as a psychotherapeutic tool for healing trauma, eating disorders and addictions.

Dancing, in essence, is for everyone. “Dance is a human right, a feature of almost every culture in the world, and our natural inclination to dance is one of the things that makes us human,” says David Leventhal, program director of Dance for PD, a nonprofit Parkinson’s Disease program of the Mark Morris Dance Group, in Brooklyn.

Valerie Durham, a modern dancer in Baltimore specializing in the Isadora Duncan technique, concurs, “Birds don’t consider if they have talent for singing, they just sing. They sing because they have a voice. Similarly, dance is a right offered to anyone with a body.” by Marlaina Donato A Deterrent for Alzheimer’s,

Parkinson’s

Disease and Cancer Going dancing on a Friday night also proves to nourish the brain. A 2017 study published in Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience shows evidence that dance increases white matter that diminishes with cognitive decline. An older study sponsored by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and published in the New England Journal of Medicine spotlights data gathered during a 21-year period and reveals that regular social dancing can reduce the risk for dementia in seniors by 76 percent. “A number of peerreviewed research studies point to dance’s ability to improve motor skills and function of people living with Parkinson’s disease—balance, gait and tremor. Dance is expressive, giving people a creative voice when it feels that their capacity for physical, vocal and facial expression is being taken away,” says Leventhal.

Durham, who worked with patients at the University of Florida Shands Hospital Arts in Medicine Program in the 1990s, witnessed memorable responses from cancer patients. “We danced with patients who were attached to IVs and those even in the ICU, some who were

partially or even completely paralyzed, people who maybe could dance only with their eyes. And yet they danced,” marvels Durham. “Getting the lymphatic system, endorphins and breath flowing all elevate the body out of pain mode.”

Dancing from the Soul All forms of dancing have the capability to free the spirit and heal deep emotional wounds buried in the memory-holding fascia of the body’s soft tissues. Ecstatic dance, which has roots in ancient spiritual practices, is an unstructured option that dilutes limiting, self-conscious habits. These days, ecstatic dance gatherings have been organized in cities around the world.

“There’s a vast movement in the dance world that has nothing to do with performance, but rather, is done for the joy of inhabiting a body in motion. Ecstatic dance is a free-form conscious dance and is a vibrant global community for people who love music and movement,” says Donna Carroll, founder ofEcstatic Dance International, in San Francisco. “When we can be courageous enough to turn away from our cultural norms that say you need ‘talent’ to dance, we get a chance to experience music through our bodies, and it can be quite pleasurable and life-affirming. Ecstatic dance is one of the most effective methods to return to what matters, to our bodies, to our ‘home’, and is accessible for people of all abilities.”

In her artistic sphere of performance art, Durham has seen her students blossom from the inside-out. “They are able to connect with the deep wisdom in their bodies, thereby releasing old energetic wounds. Depression and anxiety are relieved during dance because you are so consciously consumed with the present moment of the steps and the music. Dancers will find that they feel more joyful and at peace at the end of a dance session.”

For Leventhal, moving the body is a blessing for all: “Dance should be accessible and enjoyable to everyone, regardless of physical or cognitive challenges.”

Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at AutumnEmbers Music.com.

NOTE: All Calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email CalendarNADC@gmail.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

TUESDAY, MAY 5 Ergonomic Realities of Working at Home: Co

rona style – 12-1pm. Lunch and learn. This will be held as a Zoom call. RSVP for the link to join. Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts. Info: 703- 865-5690 or NeckBackAndBeyond.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 19

Essential Oil Class – 7pm. Learn how to safeguard your health and home naturally.This will be held as a Zoom call. RSVP for the link to join. Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts. Info: 703- 865-5690 or NeckBackAndBeyond.com. St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA. Info: 703-865-5690.

plan ahead

MONDAY, JUNE 1

Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.

MONDAY, JULY 6

SUNDAY, JULY 12

special event

Illuminate Frederick Maryland Local Arts and Wellness Festival

Featuring the finest local holistic wellness practitioners, products and amazing artisans. Attendees can try sample sessions, find crystals, jewelry, essential oils, spa products, gifts and art. Free workshops. $5 online or $6 at the door and free for active/veteran military, emergency responders and children 16 and under.

Sunday, July 12 • 10am-5pm

Illuminate Festivals Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center 5400 Holiday Dr, Frederick, MD Info: 575-519-5883 or Connect@IlluminateFestivals.com or IlluminateFestivals.com/Columbia

MONDAY, AUGUST 3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7

Calendar A wonderful resource for filling your workshops, seminars and other events.

Two styles available:

n Calendar of Dated Events: Designed for events on a specific date of the month.

n Calendar of Ongoing Events: Designed for recurring events that fall on the same day each week.

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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 Stephen@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE

HOMA HASHIME, ND, M.AC., L.AC., DIPL. AC Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com Homa Hashime is a licensed acupuncturist and naturopathic doctor. She obtained a master’s degree in acupuncture from Tai Sophia Institute and her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University. She is also an A d v a n c e d D e t o x i f i c a t i o n Specialist in auricular acupuncture for addiction and strion. She has experience treating various acute and chronic conditions including stress, depression, anxiety, infertility, eating disorders, PTSK, menstrual problems, migraine headaches, and painful joints and muscular conditions using acupuncture, herbs, nutritional supplements, craniosacral therapy and cupping treatment. See ad, page 11.

BEDROOM FURNITURE

SAVVY REST NATURAL BEDROOM 258 Maple Ave East, Vienna, VA and 12242 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 703-255-7040 (VA) or 301-770-7040 (MD) Maddie@SavvyRest.com • SRNB.com Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom is the premier retailer of Savvy Rest organic mattresses and bedding, a Virginia manufacturer and retailer of fine bedroom furniture. See ad, page 3.

CANCER SUPPORT

NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com If you are diagnosed with cancer, there are supportive treatments which may enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer and help the traditional cancer treatments work more effectively. Integrative, holistic medicine combines traditional and adjunctive complementary treatments to restore the patient to a better state of health and improve the quality of life. Whereas traditional medicine will focus on treating the tumor, the holistic approach is to focus on the patient and outcome.

CHIROPRACTOR

DR. ALLAN TOMSON, DC Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com Dr. Allan Tomson, DC, director of Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts in Fairfax, VA, with a satellite office in Manassas, VA. He is not your ordinary chiropractor with skills and experience in functional medicine, visceral manipulation, craniosacral therapy and Cayce protocols. See ad, page 9.

CLEANING

MAID BRIGADE CAPITAL REGION 4813-A Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 800-515-6243 • MaidBrigade.com Marketing@Maid-Brigade.com We are Green Clean Certified, so you can have peace of mind that your home will be healthier for you, your pets and the environment. See ad, page 7.

CONSULTING

JESSICA CLAIRE HANEY CONSULTING 571-358-8645 • JessicaClaireHaney.com Jessica@MindfulHealthyLife.com Writing, editing, marketing/ digital media support and strategy consulting for holistic-minded businesses and organizations from experienced local writer, blogger and event organizer Jessica Claire Haney.

CORPORATE WELLNESS

MARIANNE SCIPPA Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com ScippaAssociates.com We design interactive sessions for you and your staff to better understand the physical, mental and emotional costs of many common work management habits. Individual or team coaching for ongoing leadership, management and health development support to create the peak performance habits you need. See ad, page 9.

DENTAL EXCELLENCE INTEGRATIVE CENTER Dr. Sheri Salartash, DDS, FAGD, FICOI, FAAP Certified Holistic Mouth Doctor 3116 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 703-745-5496 • DentalExcellenceVA.com Dr. Salartash offers comprehensive integrative care for the mouth, including general and preventative family dentistry, cosmetic smile design and implants, orthodontics and clear aligners, Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Therapy, mercury-safe removal, TMJ, sleep apnea and snoring treatment. From her green office, using sustainable practices and materials, Dr. Salartash treats both adults and children. See ad, page 3.

ESSENTIAL OILS

PAM SNYDER Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com Let us help you integrate the healing power of essential oils into your home and personal care routines. We offer free ongoing classes each month. Individual and group consultations are available by appointment. See ad, page 9.

HEALTH COACHING

NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 NICADC.com/Health-Programs/ Rejuvenation-Detoxification.html Rejuvenation & Detoxification program provides guidance to restore balance and health with lifestyle tips on diet, hydration, digestion and internal cleansing and detoxification with integrative at-home and spa strategies.

HOLISTIC NUTRITION

ELIZABETH MCMILLAN, MS, CNS Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Elizabeth McMillan is a boardcertified clinical nutritionist specializing in functional nutrition. She believes in finding the root cause of aliments and creating a personalized dietary plan to restore optimal wellness. Elizabeth specializes in diabetes, food sensitivities, gastrointestinal health, autoimmunity and metabolic syndrome issues. Call today to see how she can help. See ad, page 11.

MICHAEL LISS Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Michael Liss is a Doctor of Classical Homeopathy and an integrative health practitioner. He specializes in using homeopathy to help you find relief from various emotional and physical health problems including addictions, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma, childhood ailments, migraines, hair and skin disorders, immune deficiencies and sinus disorders. See ad, page 11.

HYPNOSIS

FREE YOURSELF HYPNOSIS Michelle DeStefano 301-744-0200 • FreeYourselfHypnosis.com FreeYourselfHypnosis@gmail.com Life strategies and techniques to rewrite the software of your mind and change the printout of your life—become stress-free, stop smoking, manage pain or lose weight. We work with PSTD, birthing, peak performance, PSYCH-K, Graphology, meditation and qigong. See ad, page 7.

HYPNOTHERAPIST

DIANNE RHODES HYPNOTHERAPY AND DREAM INTERPRETER Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com Dianne Rhodes is a NGH-Certified Hypnotherapy Practitioner and a Certified Projective Dreamworker. For five years, she has been using a client-centered approach to help people make positive behavior changes utilizing the powerful tool of hypnotherapy. She guides people to overcome issues such as: overweight, fears/anxiety, stress, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping, sadness/depression and lack of confidence, fear of public speaking, nail biting, poor academic/sports performance and clutter/hoarding . See ad, page 9.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

SUSHMA HIRANI, MD Rose Wellness Center• 571-529-6699 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com Dr. Sushma Hirani uses an integrative approach to wellness, utilizing conventional medicine and evidencebased complementary therapies. She strives to treat the whole person and emphasizes nutrition, preventive care and lifestyle changes. She specializes in the treatment of chronic issues such as hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, menopause and women’s health issues. Patients love her compassionate care and personalized attention. See ad, page 11.

INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC The Waterfront Center 1010 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 660, NW 202-298-9131 • IndigoHealthClinic.com Facebook.com/IndigoHealthClinic Twitter.com/IzzyIndigo Are you living with a health problem which you aren’t sure how to handle? Give yourself the opportunity to de scribe your symptoms in detail, how those symptoms make you feel and how having them affects your life. With proper diagnosis and treatment you can be restored to vibrant health.

ALEX LEON, MD Integrative Family Physician Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Dr. Alex Leon is a board-certified family physician specializing in integrative functional medicine to help restore and maintain your wellbeing. He has a special interest in men’s health care, chronic pain syndromes including musculoskeletal problems, fibromyalgia, bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women, chronic conditions including hypothyroidism, gastrointestinal disorders and allergic disorders. He treats kids too. See ad, page 11.

NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com The professional health team at NIHA is comprised of holistic medical physicians, biological dentists, naturopaths, a chiropractor and health professionals highly skilled in acupuncture, nutrition and other healing therapies.

ROSE WELLNESS CENTER 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Info@RoseWellness.com Suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, allergies, stress? Whatever your health challenges, Rose Wellness Center can help you get on the path to real wellness. We help identify hormone, metabolic, digestive, nutritional and food sensitivity issues to get to the root cause of your health problems, where true healing begins. Our services include digestive and women’s health programs, hormone balancing, acupuncture, Lyme treatment, homeopathy and thyroid management. See ad, page 11.

If you go anywhere, even paradise, you will miss your home. ~Malala Yousafza

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

HOLISTIC HEALING NATUROPATHIC 1331 H St. NW, Ste 200, D.C. 717-728-4546 • DrSalotto.com D r. T i m S a l o t t o o f f e r s naturopathic treatment for all your medical conditions, treating the cause and not just the symptoms. See ad, page 7.

ORGANIC PRODUCE - CSA

SPIRAL PATH FARM 717-789-4433 • Csa@SpiralPathFarm.com SpiralPathFarm.com 100% USDA-certified organic all grown at our farm in southcentral Pennsylvania. Join for our weekly produce deliveries t hroug h a C ommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. See ad, page 15

POLARITY THERAPY

NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER Janice M Johnson 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com • 703-865-5690 Allow me to join you in creating your own individualized treatment program, which provides a safe and supportive experience for your healing process, with Polarity Therapy and Swiss Bionic Solutions MRS 2000 (Magnetic Resonance Stimulation) pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). See ad, page 9.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

ROSE WELLNESS CENTER 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com

Rose Wellness Center for Integrative Medicine offers Thermography or Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). This non-invasive diagnostic technique creates thermal images that are analyzed for abnormalities and early signs of disease. Thermal imaging is painless, non-invasive, does not involve any compression and emits no radiation. Call today to setup your scan. See ad, page 11.

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