Natural Awakenings Boston July 2019

E R F

E

HEALTHY

LIVING

THE POWER OF THE VAGUS NERVE

HEALTHY

PLANET

WHY KIDS NEED FREE PLAY

A Superhighway Between Gut and Brain

FOREST BATHING Mother Nature’s Rx for Body and Mind

CROPS IN THE CITY

Vertical Farming Just One Innovative Solution

July 2019 | Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com

Tuesday July 23 7:15 – 8:15

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July 2019

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letter from the publisher

R

emember when kids were once shooed out the door to play and told not to return until dinner? In “The Pure Joy of Play: Why Kids Need Unstructured Fun,” writer Ronica A. O’Hara reminisces about those bygone days and presents compelling evidence that free play is so important to children that pediatricians are actually writing prescriptions for it.

I quite fondly remember those days. Despite the fact that my dad was a deeply compulsive and over-protective worrier, he somehow managed to allow us kids to play freely in the neighborhood as long as he knew exactly where to find any of us at any given moment. I’m guessing it helped that Mom, not so much given to worry, was always encouraging us to “get outside and play”.

It didn’t take much encouragement to hit the street. None of us, or any of our friends, wanted to be indoors anyway. Whether rain or shine, our neighborhood was teeming with plenty of kids to play with as well as older siblings to follow around and, somewhat innocently, annoy. Blessed with a cul-de-sac, it was easy on almost any summer day to start a pick-up game of some sort, any of our neighborhood’s favorite activities such as 1-2-3 halt or a few rounds of monkey-at-the-bat.

I remember days when I was blessed with the opportunity to hang out under the biggest willow tree I’ve seen since childhood. It grew on the corner of the cul-de-sac and belonged to Dan and Catherine, an older, childless couple that graciously opened their yard to the entire neighborhood of kids. It was under their tree that we gathered almost daily to scheme about whatever it was we were going to do next.

Catherine was agoraphobic so there was never a time when we couldn’t find comfort and loving care for the occasional bee sting, skinned knee, stubbed toe or even the removal of a wad of gum from our dirty little feet. She was prepared no matter the struggle we brought her way and always had an ample supply of Dixie Cups with KoolAid ice cubes for the whole crew to share while we lounged around the yard soaking up the refreshment of the cool, lush and best grass on the street.

I’m so grateful that I grew up in a time that was free from electronics, constant technological distractions and calendars. We knew what time it was when we heard the moms' yelling for kids to come home for lunch or dinner and by looking up to the sky to see where the sun was. Oh, such fond memories of when we hadn’t a care in the world while engaged in the freedom to play.

Such is the power of play. Power, the recurring theme for July, plays out in the power of the vagus nerve, the superhighway that connects the gut-brain axis, the power of forest bathing, which renews mind and body, and the healing power of herbs.

With warm wishes for a powerfully playful and happy summer!

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

BOSTON EDITION

PUBLISHER Maisie Raftery

MANAGING EDITOR Nancy Somera DESIGN & PRODUCTION Courtney Ayers

Zina Cochran PROOFREADER Randy Kambic CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marlaina Donato Yvette C. Hammett Kajsa Nickels Ronica O'Hara Sam Somera April Thompson

CONTACT US P.O. Box 1149 • Brookline, MA 02446 Phone: 617-906-0232|Fax: 877-907-1406 NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com Maisie@NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $25 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

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ART DIRECTOR Josh Pope FINANCIAL MANAGER Yolanda Shebert FRANCHISE SUPPORT MGR. Heather Gibbs WEBSITE COORDINATOR Rachael Oppy NATIONAL ADVERTISING Kara Cave Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4933 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 203 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakeningsMag.com © 2019 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.

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Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

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Maisie

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

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Contents

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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15 BRINGING THE BODY

21

BACK INTO BALANCE Maya Abdominal Therapy

16 CROPS IN THE CITY

Urban Agriculture Breaks New Ground

20 WELLNESS WITHIN REACH Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Centre Welcomes Acupuncturist

21 HELP FOR

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HOME GARDENERS Extension Agents at Your Service

22 FOREST BATHING

Mother Nature’s Rx for Body and Mind

24 TONING THE VAGUS NERVE

Relief for Pain, Anxiety and Inflammation

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26 SUMMER EATING The Herbal Connection

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 617-906-0232 or email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Editor@ NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Visit NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com for guidelines and to submit entries. 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.

28 THE PURE JOY OF PLAY

Why Kids Need Unstructured Fun

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 13 global briefs 14 eco tip 15 therapy

spotlight 20 business

spotlight

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21 green living 22 fit body 24 healing ways 26 conscious

eating 28 healthy kids 30 calendar 33 classifieds 35 resource guide July 2019

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news briefs herbal marketplace BEAR MEDICINE HOLISTIC SERVICES Clinical Herbalist Tommy Preister 339-223-0647 BearMedicineHerbs.com BOSTON SCHOOL OF HERBAL STUDIES High-Quality, Affordable Herbal Education Madelon Hope 781-646-6319 BostonHerbalStudies.com FULL MOON GHEE Made on the FULL MOON! Hannah Jacobson-Hardy 413-695-5968 FullMoonGhee.com HANNAH’S HERBALS A Source for Your Herbal Needs; Practicing Herbalist Hannah Sparks 978-660-2552 Squareup.com/Store/ Hannahs-Herbals RAVEN CREST BOTANICALS Locally Grown & Hand-Crafted Plant Medicine, Artisanal Skin Care, Herbalism Retreats Susanna Raeven 347-866-0447 RavenCrestBotanicals.com SWEET BIRCH HERBALS Five Elemental Herbal Medicine and Shiatsu Hannah Jacobson-Hardy 413-695-5968 SweetBirchHerbals.com

Brenner Reiki Healing Now Offers Mindfulness Meditation

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renner Reiki Healing is now offering mindfulness meditation sessions for community groups, businesses and organizations. Mindfulness meditation has become well-known, and there is growing empirical evidence for its benefits. Although not traditionally practiced to pursue a given result, individuals that practice mindfulness meditation find they can access more joy, love, openness, patience and wisdom.

Certified mindfulness meditation teacher Elise Brenner Elise Brenner provides a user-friendly, practical approach so participants are encouraged and inspired to grow their own sustainable mindfulness meditation practice.

She will continue to offer individualized reiki sessions, reiki training, a monthly community reiki clinic and practice, and mentoring for reiki practitioners.

Cost: Sliding scale. For more information, call 617-244-8856 or visit BrennerReikiHealing.org.

See Resource Guide on page 39.

Arts on the Edge Cruise into the Harbor

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oin Boston Harbor Now from 6:30 to 8 p.m., July 8, for a cruise through Boston Harbor, making connections across cultures and communities and celebrating the many forms of artistic expressions that flow into the Harbor.

This free boat ride will feature music, performance, poetry and participatory visual art, showcasing intergenerational and diverse expressions. Meet the Boston Harbor Artists in Residence and learn about their projects, as well as an all-star lineup of poets, visual artists, musicians and dancers.

The boat departs from the World Trade Center at 6:30 p.m. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure. Boarding will begin at 6 p.m. The cruise cannot wait for late guests.

Cost: Free. Location: 200 Seaport Blvd., #50, Boston. To register, visit Eventbrite.com/e/artson-the-edge-cruise-tickets-63163084486.

Pints for Paws Fundraiser

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oin other beer lovers from 6 to 9 p.m., July 13, for Pints for Paws, a fun event to support the Cold Noses Foundation. Enjoy live music by local band The Oysters and light appetizers and participate in a corn hole tournament and silent auction. Furry friends are welcome. All proceeds go to providing life-saving medical care, rescue, spay and neuter and community outreach for animals on Cape Cod and around the world.

Cost: $30. Location: 1336 Phinneys Ln., Hyannis. For more information, call 508-648-9115 or visit ColdNosesFoundation.org.

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news briefs

Get Ahead This Year!

If your child struggles with:

• ADHD • Autism • Executive Function • Learning Issues • Anxiety • Depression • Behavioral Problems • School Refusal

We Can Help!

Safe, effective, and drug free. Starting with a QEEG Brain Map, we create an individualized wellness plan that corrects brain imbalances and promotes sustained improvement.

w Call Noree for a F lt Consu

Flower Essences for Sexual Health and Wellness

We host free educational worksh ops: visit us online for details!

S

acha Fossa of Sacred Temple Arts has now added flower essences to her array of tools for sexual wellness and healing.

As a certified flower essence consultant (through Delta Gardens), Fossa has experience using essences as powerful catalysts for change. Limiting or negative beliefs, or persistent thoughts, moods or conditions, especially in relation to one’s sex and/or love life, drain life force.

The cumulative effects of everyday thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and habits determine not only how one moves through their life, but also how one creates their intimate life. Essences work with alleviating stress, anxiety, anger and more that blocks life-force and pleasure. They are a simple and effective way to release whatever is blocking an individual from experiencing the joyful quality of life that reflects their true inner sexual essence.

Cost: 20 percent off consultations for readers. For more information, call 978-3099399, email SacredTempleArts@gmail.com or visit SacredTempleArts.com. See ad on page 8 and Resource Guide on page 39.

Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles. ~Edwin Louis Cole Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

July 2019

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news briefs

Life-Changing Vision Quest Mitote in the Catskill Mountains

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J

oin Janet StraightArrow from August 9 to 11 in a comfortable retreat house on beautiful, pristine land in Accord, New York, for a vision quest mitote. This is an opportunity for attendees to be alone in nature to hear their heart speak and receive the fullness of who they are while opening to the next stage of their life path.

It is a gift that is magical, deep and transformative.

A mitote is a Toltec ceremony raising our energy and light, offering a release of illusions and past hurts through chants, focus on fire and lucid dreaming. The mitote occurs the night before the quest, preparing participants to be open to new beginnings, messages and visions in the morning vision quest. A guide is close by and yet far enough away for individuals to have privacy and a feeling of oneness with themselves.

StraightArrow has been holding these events since 2003, helping event-goers awaken clarity, life purpose and joy as they break through illusions, fears and ego.

A vision quest is a rite of passage taken by someone moving through a period of change in their life, spiritual awakening, or any shift point or loss in life. This event allows for weeks of preparation and process as people move toward the pinnacle weekend where they gather at the retreat center for the ceremonial weekend. This gentle yet powerful weekend is life changing. By the time individuals come to their silent time questing, they are ready to have a profound experience and be re-birthed.

Cost: $575, includes lodging and healthy food for the weekend. For more information, call 973-647-2500, email Info@BeThe Medicine.com or visit BeTheMedicine.com.

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July 2019

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health briefs

In further confirmation of the importance of the gut-brain axis, 18 Italian students at the University of Verona from ages 18 to 33 that took a freezedried mixture of four probiotics for six weeks experienced less depression, anger and fatigue compared to a control group of 15 that consumed a placebo. The positive effects continued, as discovered in follow-up testing three weeks later. The probiotics group also slept better.

The probiotic bacteria blend of 4 billion colony-forming units included Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium longum.

Munch Nuts for a Healthy Brain

Emily Li/Shutterstock.com/Shutterstock.com

Seniors that ate more than 10 grams—about two teaspoons—of nuts a day were able to ward off normal cognitive decline and even improve their cognitive functions by up to 60 percent, according to University of South Australia researchers. The study was based on 22 years of records of 4,822 Chinese adults ages 55 and older; 17 percent of them ate nuts every day, most often peanuts. These seniors had as much as 60 percent improved cognitive function compared to those that didn’t eat nuts, and they showed better thinking, reasoning and memory. “Nuts are known to be high in healthy fats, protein and fiber with nutritional properties that can lower cholesterol and improve cognitive health,” says study author Ming Li.

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Sleep Better and Feel Happier With Probiotics

With the aid of a new infrared camera technology called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), early Alzheimer’s disease can be detected by checking the back of the eyes for weakened and decreased blood vessels, reports a new study. Northwestern Medicine researchers reached the conclusion by comparing the vessels in the eyes of 32 people that exhibited the forgetfulness typical of early-stage Alzheimer’s with those of another 32 people with normal cognitive

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abilities. The vascular changes were detected non-invasively, without the need for dyes or expensive MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans. The technology quantifies capillary changes in great detail and with unparalleled resolution, making the eye an ideal mirror for what is going on in the brain. Early detection of Alzheimer’s is critical because existing therapies are more effective if they are started before extensive brain damage and cognitive decline have occurred.

Prokrida/Shutterstock.com

Get Eyes Checked to Detect Early Alzheimer’s

Maja Drazic/Shutterstock.com Terry Putman/Shutterstock.com

Eat Mostly Plants to Ease Gum Inflammation The inflamed gum condition known as gingivitis is fairly common and often mild, but can be a precursor of more serious periodontal disease linked to Alzheimer’s and rheumatoid arthritis. German researchers at the University of Freiburg tested 30 people: half in a control group that did not change their diet, and half that switched to a diet low in meat and processed carbohydrates and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin D, antioxidants, plant nitrates and fiber. After four weeks, those on the plant-based diet had significantly less gum inflammation and bleeding. They also lost weight and had higher vitamin D levels.

Emily Li/Shutterstock.com

Try Cordyceps to Strengthen the Lungs People suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, can breathe easier by taking the Chinese medicinal fungus Cordyceps sinensis, a new meta-analysis shows. Researchers at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine conducted a review of 15 high-quality studies that involved 1,238 COPD patients and found that cordyceps significantly improved lung function, exercise endurance and quality of life with no report of any serious adverse effects. Cordyceps, which is said to relax and open the airways, has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an anti-asthmatic, expectorant and cough suppressant.

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July 2019

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AUGUST

Coming Next Month

Natural Pet Care Plus: Children’s Health

health briefs

Wonder Weed Hemp to the Rescue at Detox Sites

Cannabis is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, and one new application for hemp, the no-buzz industrial variety used in fabrics, oils and foods, is cleaning nuclear radiation from toxic soil and removing metals like cadmium, lead, mercury and other pollutants via phytoremediation. Allison Beckett, a cultivation expert at Marijuana.com, says, “Industrial hemp has been used in areas of high radiation, such as Fukushima, [in Japan,] with promising results. Not only does hemp pull toxic, heavy metals from the soil, it actually improves soil structure, making it usable as productive farmland again. Plus, hemp is a vigorous plant that absorbs CO2 rapidly, making it an encouraging solution to climate change.” Hemp phytoremediation has been used in Italy to clean up the small town of Taranto, where a steel plant has been leaking dioxin into the air and soil.

The Pennsylvania Industrial Hemp Council and Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, are running a project to test the process in an arsenic-contaminated area in Upper Saucon Township that once harbored a zinc mine.

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Dangerous Dozen

global briefs

Produce to Avoid

Sunny Solution

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Wastewater Turned into Hydrogen Fuel

Producing pure hydrogen is expensive and energy intensive, but a research team at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, at Princeton University, used sunlight to pull hydrogen from industrial wastewater by using a specially designed chamber with a “Swiss cheese”-like black silicon interface. As reported in the journal Energy & Environmental Science, the process is aided by bacteria that generate electrical current when consuming organic matter in the wastewater; the current, in turn, aids in the water splitting. It “allows us to treat wastewater and simultaneously generate fuels,” says Jing Gu, a co-researcher and assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at San Diego State University. The scientists say the technology could appeal to refineries and chemical plants, which typically produce their own hydrogen from fossil fuels and face high costs for cleaning wastewater.

Pastoral Pollution

The 2019 Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce (Tinyurl.com/ DirtyDozen-Clean15List) highlights increased pesticide use on up to 70 percent of conventionally grown U.S. produce. Several different types of pesticide, insecticide and fungicide residues are present on many fruits and vegetables. The Dirty Dozen list includes strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes. The clean 15 list includes avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, frozen sweet peas, onions, papayas, eggplant, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, cauliflower, cantaloupes, broccoli, mushrooms and honeydew melon. The EWG advises that eating organic produce, especially for pregnant and nursing mothers and young children, should be a national priority.

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Drugs Found in Rural Rivers

Researchers at King’s College London and the University of Suffolk have found a diverse array of cocaine, pharmaceuticals and pesticides in UK river wildlife, as described in a study published in Environment International. The team collected samples of freshwater shrimp from five catchment areas and 15 different sites across the agricultural county of Suffolk.

Cocaine was found in all samples tested, and other illicit drugs, pesticides and pharmaceuticals were also widely recorded in the survey. Dr. Leon Barron, from King’s College London, notes, “Such regular occurrence of illicit drugs in wildlife was surprising. We might expect to see these in urban areas such as London, but not in smaller and more rural catchments. The presence of pesticides that have long been banned in the UK also poses a particular challenge, as the sources of these remain unclear.”

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No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~Aesop July 2019

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Digital Thermography of Body & Breast

eco tip

Eco-Friendly Outdoor Eating

Save Resources, Reduce Food Waste and More

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s el f omething Good for Your Do S SCREEN TODAY!

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Enjoy

Midsummer is prime time for outdoor family meals, barbecues and picnics.

Selecting the healthiest food, along with eco-friendly materials in preparing for the fun feasts, can fulfill a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle and conserve resources at the same time. n GreenAmerica.org recommends using organic cloth, reusable mesh or string produce bags when grocery shopping; use bamboo utensil sets and plastic straw alternatives made of stainless steel, food-grade silicone, bamboo or glass. n To keep uninvited flying pests like mosquitoes, flies and the like away from humans and food, apply natural repellents—many made of natural, essential oil; plant-based and foodgrade ingredients can be found at ChasingGreen.org. n According to WebMD.com, charcoal grilling of meat can expose us to two potentially cancer-causing compounds—polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that form when fat from meat drips onto hot coals and are “deposited on food courtesy of flame-ups and rising smoke,” and heterocyclic amines that “are produced when red meat, poultry and fish meet high-

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heat cooking.” Instead, consider using a closed-flame gas grill to reduce exposure to toxins and cook fresh and organic fruits and vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions and mushrooms. n Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warn against eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish due to high levels of mercury, and to consume no more than six ounces of albacore tuna per week for the same reason. Some studies point to avoiding farmed salmon due to potentially high amounts of PCBs. Bypass larger fish of the food chain; look for those that have earned the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council labels. n The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently estimated that between 30 to 40 percent of all food in the country is wasted. To improve this situation, use glass containers instead of plastic bags to store leftovers. Also consider sustainable food wraps like Bees Wrap (BeesWrap.com). Made from beeswax, organic cotton, jojoba oil and tree resin, they seal and conform to the shape of whatever food is being stored.

therapy spotlight

• IBS • GERD • Crohn’s disease • Constipation • Gastritis • Indigestion • and many more

BRINGING THE BODY BACK INTO BALANCE Maya Abdominal Therapy

Reproductive Health

The following are the most common symptoms and conditions that Maya Abdominal Therapy may help address: For Women • Menstrual disorders (painful/ irregular periods) • Pre-conception through postpartum • Discomforts of pregnancy; labor and birth preparation • C-section/hysterectomy surgery recovery • Menopause • Pelvic organ congestion (endometriosis, cysts, fibroids) • Polycystic ovarian syndrome • Chronic bladder/yeast infections • Pelvic organ prolapse For Men • Early stages of BPH (Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) • Prostatitis (mild) • Impotence, erectile dysfunction

M

aya abDigestive dominal Health massage The digestive sysis a supportive motem is integral to dality for people sufhealth. It is our core fering from digestive and foundation. and reproductive When it is out of conditions. It is a balance, our entire gentle massage that beings are out of helps to guide the balance. Lifestyle, organs into an opdiet, genetics and Lilliana Rivera timal position and emotion all play thus aids in restoring optimal function of into our digestive health. Whether there the digestive and reproductive systems. is chronic inflammation from food sensi By creating space, suppleness and tivity, physical adhesions due to surgery flow of blood, lymph, nerves and energy or emotion, or generalized congestion through the abdomen, Maya Abdominal and restriction, Maya Abdominal TheraTherapy helps the body to nourish the dipy can help. gestive organs and encourages the ability

Common conditions that Maya to self-repair any chronic conditions that Abdominal Therapy can help to address one may be suffering from. include: Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

An initial consult is necessary in order to create a treatment plan that will help individuals get the most out of their massage therapy sessions. An educational self-care component is included at the end of the initial consult. Follow-up appointments are determined by the specific goals of the treatment plan.

Lilliana Rivera, LMT, at Groton Wellness, says, “After experiencing the healing benefits of Maya Abdominal Massage, it became my mission to learn this technique and share it with others. I am a practitioner of The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy. I value building strong relationships with my clients, and I work hard to help clients reach their goals.”

For more information, call 978-449-9919 or visit GrotonWellness.com/practices/ wellness-spa/maya-abdominal. See ad on back page.

July 2019

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~Wendy Coleman

Wendy Coleman, founder of LA Urban Farms, works with chefs, resorts, hotels, universities and corporate clients to set up aeroponic tower gardens, such as these kale and lettuce crops.

corporate gardens inside a new office building for lender Fannie Mae’s employee café.

One of its crown jewels is a 6,500-square-foot rooftop garden on the Nationals Park baseball stadium, where edible flowers end up in cocktails and organic produce feeds fine diners and VIP ticket holders.

Ray grew his business organically, fueled by passion and curiosity, rather than any horticultural background. “I grew up in NYC, where I had nothing to grow on. When I moved to Florida for grad school, I had a huge backyard to play around with,” says Ray.

Like many other urban farms, Cultivate the City offers a seasonal farm subscription known as a community

CROPS IN THE CITY Urban Agriculture Breaks New Ground

by April Thompson

T

he average American meal travels 1,500 miles to reach its plate, according to the nonprofit Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture. Yet, enterprising green thumbs across the country are bringing the farm back to plate’s reach, growing hyperlocal food in backyards, on rooftops, through indoor farms and more. City farming reconnects urbanites to their food sources while bettering the environment, communities, diets and health.

Urban agriculture, harkening back to the Victory Gardens planted to ward off food shortages during World War I and II, is nothing new. While today’s home gardeners have staked out balconies, window boxes and vacant lots in this locavore resurgence, noteworthy pioneers are forging a path to organic urban agriculture 16

on a commercial scale—tapping into new technologies and markets, and turning challenges like dealing with space constraints into fresh opportunities.

A View From the Roofs

Take Niraj Ray, whose company Cultivate the City is working to transform urban food deserts in the nation’s capital into thriving local food systems. “We want to get more people interested in growing their own food and show them how they can grow more with less square footage through vertical gardens and sustainable techniques like [soil-less] hydroponic systems,” says Ray.

Cultivate the City manages numerous gardens for clients around Washington, D.C., from elementary school gardens where kids learn to grow, cook and eat nutritious food to

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supported agriculture (CSA) program that allows city dwellers to buy directly from local producers. Ray’s rooftop greenhouse, located on top of a local hardware store that sells his edible plants at retail, offers all the fixings for a healthy, diverse diet: hydroponic towers of leafy greens, trays of microgreens for corporate clients, specialty varieties of hot peppers for the company’s hot sauce and stacking cubes of an albino strawberry variety that Ray crossbred himself. “There are so many ways to contribute to urban farming, from aquaponics to vermicomposting; it’s about finding your niche,” he says.

Growing Up With Vertical Farming

By 2050, it’s estimated that 9 billion people will be living on the planet—7 billion in cities. “City planners need innovative solutions like vertical farming to feed the growing population. We can grow at scale, with minimum space and environmental

photo courtesy of LAUrbanFarms.com

City planners need innovative solutions like vertical farming to feed the growing population.

We can grow at scale, with minimum space and environmental impact.

Joshua Resnick/Shutterstock.com

impact,” says Wendy Coleman, who began her California-based business LA Urban Farms in 2013. Today, Coleman’s team works with chefs, resorts, hotels, universities, greenhouses and corporate clients like Google and Ikea to set up aeroponic tower gardens across the U.S. and Europe.

With aeroponics, nutrient-enriched water is pumped through a garden tower to shower the roots of plants suspended in air. “It actually uses 90 percent less water than conventional growing, which is a huge benefit in a place like California, and avoids any kind of agricultural runoff,” says Coleman. In conjunction with urban farming partners, the business churns out 30,000 seedlings a month using aeroponic technology to grow for their diverse client base and working with chefs to plan seasonal menus around their produce.

Aeroponics and other innovative farm technologies are transforming spaces in cities across the U.S., reclaiming peripheral and idle spaces like alleys and warehouses to grow herbs and vegetables in abundance, using 90 percent less land by growing vertically, notes Coleman.

“With our gardens, diners can see their food growing at their table; they get such a personal connection with their food. It’s an interactive way for hotels and restaurants to demonstrate their commitment to local, sustainable food,” she says.

Breaking into Hives: City Beekeepers

“I had a backyard garden that wasn’t doing so well, and I thought it was the lack of pollinators, so I got bees; but then I realized I was just a bad gardener,” quips master beekeeper John Coldwell, of Fort Lauderdale.

Since this humble beginning in 2012 with a few backyard hives, Coldwell and his wife Teresa have been leading a movement to repurpose public land for “microapiaries” and provide apiary education for youth and adults throughout South Florida. Through their entity The Urban Beekeepers, the Coldwells offer beekeeping classes, consult with local governments, sell equipment and rescue “feral hives” to integrate into managed hives. They’ve worked successfully with parks, airports, golf clubs and country clubs to put honeybee habitats on site.

Urban beekeeping works in synergy with city farms, as honeybees forage up to

five miles for food, and in so doing pollinate a lot of crops. Seventy of the top 100 human food crops are pollinated by bees, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “We often hear people say their garden is doing better than it has in years, thanks to the apiaries nearby,” says John Coldwell.

The challenges of growing at scale are a recurrent theme among urban farmers.

Ian Marvy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) outreach specialist for the greater New York City area, ran his own urban farm, grossing six figures for 14 years. However, Marvy says most farmers growing in the city aren’t operating at a profitable scale or producing enough for everyone to eat local.

Even so, locally grown produce is a booming market in New York City.

Greenmarket, founded in 1976, operates more than 50 farmers’ markets, limited to vendors that grow within a 200-mile radius, some of whom take home five figures on a good day, says Marvy. Interest in growing at the community level has also mushroomed, adds Marvy, who estimates that 90 percent of the city’s more than 500 school gardens weren’t there 15 years ago when he started this work. “The USDA has a huge opportunity here and nationally to make cities more sustainable and feed more people. I’m really excited and committed to that,” he says.

While urban agriculture efforts are sometimes criticized for catering to upper income residents that can afford to pay top dollar for specialty items like microgreens, many businesses and organizations are working on multiple fronts, with lucra-

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tive specialty crops helping to subsidize programs serving families lacking access to healthy affordable food.

Grow Ohio Valley takes an integrated approach to food sovereignty in Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Upper Ohio Valley.

“This part of the Appalachian Rustbelt has lost much of its population, jobs and economic base over the last generation.

We want to promote health and wellness through fresh food, while helping to transform the urban landscape from falling-down buildings and vacant lots into productive community assets,” says founder Danny Swan.

The operation’s food hub aggregates produce from small local farmers, providing a guaranteed market for their produce and the opportunity to reach a larger market, usually only served by food grown thousands of miles away. The produce is supplemented by four urban farm sites run by the organization, including an apple orchard on the site of a demolished housing project.

Grow Ohio Valley also works to reach the “last-mile customers” that lack access to high-quality affordable produce via a mobile farmers’ market that goes to housing projects, senior communities and schools six days a week.

Their latest project, the Public Market, is a retail location on Wheeling’s Main Street that will serve as a year-round farmers’ market. The organization is also building alliances between local farmers and healthcare providers through a project called The Farmacy. A partnership with a local free clinic, it targets people suffering from diabetes and other diseases linked to poor diets with a doctor’s prescription for organic produce offered free through the organization’s CSA.

These urban agriculture pioneers are helping to not only grow food, but community, and are nurturing renewed connections to the Earth. City growing has so many benefits: decreasing packaging, costs and food miles traveled, making it easier to eat organic seasonal food and a more diverse diet. “The connection people feel when they plant seed and get to harvest the mature plant is transformative. Growing food is something we can all do to make a difference, for our health and the environment,” says Coleman.

Connect with Washington, D.C. freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

July 2019

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Boston Community Gardens

O

pen space is critical to the health and well-being of city neighborhoods. The Trustees of Reservations has 56 community gardens—totaling 15 acres across eight Boston neighborhoods—that are tended and cared for by local residents.

These oases of green are sources of neighborhood pride that connect people and places. They turn neighbors into friends, strengthen family bonds and traditions and inspire joy in the shared work of growing fresh, healthy and delicious food.

From Roxbury to the South End, Dorchester to Back Bay, every one of the community gardens is unique. Whether it’s a group of individual plots or common areas cared for by small groups, a vegetable garden or a pocket park, each garden has passionate people working together to create a thriving neighborhood asset that benefits everyone in the community. What’s more, the gardens provide healthy sustenance to the families and individuals that tend them, producing an annual crop valued at approximately $650,000 each year.

To find a community garden near you, visit TheTrustees.org/places-tovisit/boston-communitygardens.

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July 2019

19

business spotlight

WELLNESS WITHIN REACH

Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Centre Welcomes Acupuncturist

by Sam Somera

F

acupuncture to provide truly personalized care for her patients. or nearly three decades, Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Having been in private practice for 10 years, Hammer is exCentre (NCWC) has been helping its patients achieve opti- mal health and wellness. Unlike traditional medical centers, cited to join the team at NCWC. “It’s nice to be with like-minded practitioners, collaborating and facilitating the NCWC uses a combination of multiple wellbest care for our patients,” she shares. Likewise, ness practices, ensuring that results are both NCWC Founder Dr. Julie Burke has been quick lasting and address the root of the problem. to recognize the ways that Hammer’s addition has This year, NCWC is pleased to welcome acucontributed to NCWC. “We’ve added a valuable puncturist Alana Hammer, whose knowledge member to our team that really rounds out our and skills provide yet another resource for array of services,” she explains. “Acupuncture is NCWC’s patients. now another tool that NCWC can use to help our

Having spent most of her life with the inpatients in conjunction with other services.” tent of going to medical school, Hammer lost Those interested in learning more about interest in traditional Western medical care afHammer and acupuncture can attend a workshop ter learning about the dismal realities of modshe is hosting from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., July 11, at ern health insurance and large pharmaceutical NCWC titled Stimulate Your Brain to End Your companies. “I wanted to spend more quality Pain. The workshop will introduce attendees time with my patients so that I could get to the to acupuncture’s ability to improve blood flow, root cause of their conditions,” she states.

Alana P. Hammer muscle relaxation, injury prevention, energy and

Now Hammer is a licensed acupuncendurance enhancement, and rapid recovery. turist and herbalist who has been providing

Since its beginning, NCWC has been dedicated to providing acupuncture for more than 10 years. She is also well versed in herbal medicine and other adjunctive therapies to treat acute and the best quality of care to its patients while simultaneously offering availability not found at traditional medical centers. In looking to chronic pain, orthopedic conditions, digestive disorders, stress and anxiety, sleep disorders and cosmetic facial rejuvenation. She the future, NCWC hopes to expand to include even more services holds a master of science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and practitioners like Hammer. After conducting a patient survey, NCWC is considering investing in float tanks, infrared sauna, from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in halotherapy and four-dimensional massage chairs. With the addiSan Francisco. She is also certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine as a Diplo- tion of Hammer and the prospect of additional services, patients of NCWC will have everything easily within reach as they seek to mate of Oriental Medicine, as well as the Council of Colleges of achieve their health and wellness goals.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in clean needle technique.

Hammer has received license and board certification in the states Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Centre is located at 383 Elliot St., of Massachusetts, Wisconsin and California. #250, Newton Upper Falls. For more information, call 617-964-3332

What makes Hammer unique as an acupuncturist is her or visit WellAdjusted.com. See ads on pages 2 and 7, and Resource multi-faceted approach to treatment. Though formally trained Guide on page 35. in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hammer has also received advanced training in distal needling acupuncture, The Balance Method and cosmetic acupuncture. She draws from each style of Sam Somera is a frequent contributor of Natural Awakenings Boston.

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“There are trained volunteers in pretty much every county in the country ready and willing to answer any gardening question,” Miller says. For example, a new organic gardener might not know the correct soil amendments to use or how to start a composting pile to supplement the soil in an organic garden.

There is also a nationwide network called Ask the Expert (USDA.gov/ask-expert) and questions will automatically go to an extension staff person or master gardener in the area where the inquiring gardener lives.

Reducing Confusion

HELP FOR HOME GARDENERS Extension Agents at Your Service

M

by Yvette C. Hammett

any home gardeners readily list flies, wasps and beetles among the “pests” in their gardens. However, many of these are actually pollinators that help boost production of fruits and vegetables; others are beneficial insects that keep the real plant-killers at bay. A quick call to the local cooperative extension service can help sort out friend from foe—and that’s just the beginning of what this valuable, underutilized resource can offer.

Each year, millions in federal taxpayer dollars help fund county agricultural extension programs administered through the 108 colleges and universities that comprise the nation’s land grant university system. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which supplies the money, also helps fund science-based research meant to reach not only farmers, but home gardeners seeking advice on best practices.

The USDA is trying to do a better job of raising public awareness of assistance that’s readily available, free of charge, especially now that it’s getting more funding.

Organic on the Rise

“The good news is that the 2018 Farm Bill provided increases for many of our programs, including the organic agriculture research and extension initiative program for which we received significant funding,” says

Mathieu Ngouajio, program leader for the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The USDA is eager to see the connections their constituents are making with the research. “We want to identify the needs of organic gardeners, and the best way to meet those needs to get our research into their hands,” Ngouajio says.

County extension agents are on the front lines of this effort, offering low- or no-cost soil testing, handbooks on a variety of local gardening topics and workshops on everything from making rain barrels and creating rain gardens to implementing eco-friendly pest control, cultivating native plants and employing best practices for organic gardening. Master gardeners that volunteer their expertise are central to supporting extension outreach activities.

“We would love more business from the public,” says Weston Miller, an associate professor with Oregon State University’s extension service. “The public service of the master gardener program is to answer questions,” including what and when to plant and how much irrigation is required.

In Oregon, there are 3,500 master gardeners, with 650 volunteers in Portland alone. “We train master gardeners in how to use our resources and interpret the research to the public,” Miller says.

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Many of those getting into organic gardening might feel confused as to what connotes organic, Miller says. “Organic gardening is using a naturally formed material for fertilizer and pesticide, from plant, animal or mineral sources.”

The biggest area of confusion is that many people think organic means pesticide-free. But that is not always true. There is organic pest control, Miller says. “In terms of gardening, there are certified organic products you can use and still be organic.” One thing to look for on a label is the seal of the Organic Materials Review Institute, which indicates the product is suitable for organic gardening.

However, there aren’t many good options for weed management, he adds.

“You have to do weeding by hand or use an herbicide that isn’t organic.”

Another issue that extension programs can help with is making sure organic gardeners receive only scientifically researched information, says Nicole Pinson, an urban horticulture agent with the Hillsborough County Extension Service, in Tampa, Florida.

“Gardening information is available on websites and on social media. Some information that pops up is not research-based, or they are selling a product and are not unbiased,” Pinson says. “We generally stick to recommendations we have been able to vet through research. When we make a recommendation, we give folks all of the options of what they can do.”

To find a nearby extension office, visit Tinyurl. com/ExtensionFinder.

Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. She can be contacted at YvetteHammett28@hotmail.com.

July 2019

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green living

The main purpose is not exercise or getting from point A to point B, but rather having a mindful, sensory experience in nature.

Sensory Immersion, Not Exercise

~Hannah Fries

FOREST BATHING Mother Nature’s Rx for Body and Mind

by Marlaina Donato

I

n 1982, the Japanese government coined the term Shinrin-yoku (“taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing”) to inspire people to visit and appreciate national parks. Today, that walk in the woods has become a medically recommended activity worldwide for improving immunity, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, managing chronic pain and promoting better sleep.

The research supporting the physical and mental benefits of forest bathing is so compelling that it’s advocated by the National Institute of Public Health of Japan and prescribed to patients there.

Researchers from the University of East Anglia, in England, examined years of studies and found significant evidence that experiencing nature has a positive impact on health. Published in the journal Environmental Research in 2018, the meta-analysis involving 290 million participants from 20 countries concluded that spending time in green spaces lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol. The study also noted a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes and death from heart disease.

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Terpenes and Tree Therapy

Another recent review of studies, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, concluded that Shinrin-yoku can ease the symptoms of adult depression. “Forest bathing plugs us into something we all seek—a source of peace and well-being. The thing that first hooked me into being a forest bathing guide was reading the robust body of research that proves the benefits of forest bathing,” says Judy Beaudette, board secretary of Friends of North Creek Forest, in Bothell, Washington.

Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a certified forest therapy guide and author of The Joy of Forest Bathing: Reconnect With Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, attests to the therapeutic value of forest bathing. “Even occasional nature immersion can have beneficial health effects that can last for days. Many doctors are now prescribing nature to patients. There’s an organization devoted to this called Park Rx America.” She recommends just 20 minutes during a lunch break to sit beneath trees.

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Shinrin-yoku is intended to engage the trinity of body-mind-spirit. “The main purpose is not exercise or getting from point A to point B, but rather having a mindful, sensory experience in nature. It isn’t some prescribed task you need to do, like pushups,” explains Hannah Fries, a poet and author of Forest Bathing Retreat: Find Wholeness in the Company of Trees. She communes with the wild for both health and inspiration. “Even if it’s only 20 minutes a week, go outside without a phone or other electronic device. Walk slowly. Look more closely. Listen. Smell. Touch. Interact with the living, breathing world around you. It’s that simple.”

Choukas-Bradley says that observance is key. Recalling her first forest bathing experience, she says, “We paid attention to our breath and tuned in to the sights, sounds and sensations all around us. I noticed a perfect spider’s web, just barely trembling in the slightest breeze, its creator clinging to the center.”

She recommends finding a “wild home”—a neighborhood park, garden or backyard tree. “Make it a practice to find a ‘sit spot’ where you can quietly observe beauty and are apt to feel a sense of awe.

Psychology researchers have shown that experiencing awe has many positive effects on emotional health.”

It doesn’t matter if we commune with nature in a rural or urban setting, only that we remain dialed in to our surroundings. “Forest bathing is a tool for slowing down our buzzing minds and practicing a secret superpower—the skill of consciously choosing what we put our attention on,” says Beaudette.

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books, including Multidimensional Aromatherapy. She is also a composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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There are many theories of why spending time in the woods or any other natural place makes us feel good; for example, findings published in the journal Toxicological Research in 2017 attribute the immune-boosting, mood-lifting benefits of forest bathing to natural terpenes released into the air by trees, especially conifers. Terpenes contain anti-inflammatory properties that strengthen the body’s natural defenses.

fit body

A Simple Meditation Forest bathing guide Judy Beaudette suggests: n Find something you can put your attention on that is natural—a plant, a stone, a bird’s song, a stream or a forest, the sky, even a tuft of grass or weeds growing out of a crack in the sidewalk.

Forest Bathing Retreat on Peddocks Island

n Practice noticing something small in nature, like an acorn, a leaf or a grain of sand.

Put it in the palm of your hand and for five minutes, notice the details. Keep noticing. See what thoughts come to mind and keep returning your attention to this small thing. After the five minutes have elapsed, write down your observations.

T

oadstool Walks, a forest bathing guide service based out of Boston, will offer forest bathing retreats on Peddocks Island on July 6 and August 11. Tickets include a round-trip ferry ticket from Long Wharf Boston, an allday workshop on forest bathing as well as time for personal exploration and a snack. Optional lunches are available for additional charge.

Tam Willey, founder of Toadstool Walks, is the guide for these forest bathing excursions. Willey is a certified forest therapy guide, training apprentice and mentor with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. Willey’s training includes an understanding of the scientific framework of forest therapy.

Willey created Toadstool Walks as a way to offer support to people in finding their way to experiencing belonging to the natural world.

Attendees should bring a light backpack, something to sit on such as a light camp chair, foam pad, blanket, towel or small tarp, comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Be prepared for cooler temperatures and possible rain. Unless there is a significant downpour or storm, the retreat will take place.

Cost: $70-$88. Location: Peddocks Island. For more information, visit ToadstoolWalks.com. To purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.com/e/forestbathing-retreat-on-peddocks-islandtickets-61676410805.

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July 2019

23

Toning the Vagus Nerve Relief for Pain, Anxiety and Inflammation

R

by Marlaina Donato

esearch is ing from numerous The vagus nerve helping doctors conditions. One type stems from the brain connect the dots is a device that can be to the abdomen like between seemingly implanted by a neurounrelated conditions surgeon, which sends a communication like irritable bowel impulses to superhighway between electrical syndrome, rheumatoid the vagus nerve in chilyour gut and brain. arthritis, post-traudren that suffer from matic stress disorder seizures and adults ~Hannah Aylward (PTSD), chronic fatigue with depression as a syndrome and fibromyalgia, revealing a supplemental treatment when surgery or common denominator: the multitasking medications are not possible or effective. vagus nerve, the longest in the autonomic

There is also a handheld, non-invanervous system. sive VNS option called gammaCore, a U.S.

The superpower of this douFood and Drug Administration-approved ble-branched cranial nerve lies in transdevice that offers hope for sufferers of porting major neurotransmitters along cluster and migraine headaches. Its effecwhat is known as the brain-gut axis. “The tiveness for chronic pain management, as vagus nerve stems from the brain to the well as in cases of epilepsy and depression, abdomen like a communication superhighwas published in the Neuromodulation way between your gut and brain,” says Han- Journal in 2015. nah Aylward, an Orlando-based certified

PTSD researcher Imanuel Lerman, holistic health coach and gut health expert.

M.D., and his colleagues with the Veter“Studies show that the vagus nerve reguans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, lates inflammation throughout the body.” found that VNS affects areas of the brain responsible for processing emotional pain.

The findings, published in the journal Promising Research PLOS ONE earlier this year, also show that Recent studies have shown that vagus VNS delays the brain’s response to pain nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve signals in individuals with PTSD. quality of life for individuals suffer24

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When it comes to the vagus nerve, anxiety is physical. Post-traumatic stress is rooted in neurobiology and experienced in the body, not just the mind, says Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D., a Boulder, Colorado-based clinical psychologist and author of The Complex PTSD Workbook: A MindBody Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole. “This is why you can’t simply think or talk your way out of your trauma reactions.”

According to Schwartz, “Disruptions in the gut flora, which often occur with overuse of antibiotics, can have a significant impact on mental health. An imbalance in the gut can lead to an inflammatory response in the immune system and a wide range of disruptive symptoms.”

Aylward notes that 95 percent of the body’s mood-boosting chemical serotonin resides in the enteric nervous system, which governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract. “The brain-gut axis is becoming increasingly important as a therapeutic target for psychiatric and GI disorders,” she says.

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and founding co-director of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, explains the trauma loop. “Developmental trauma impairs the integrative circuits of the brain and nervous system—the prefrontal cortex. When this happens, the brain will be hyperalert, interpreting some non-threatening situations as threatening.

“Learning to be aware of our internal state and learning calming techniques helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system and can go a long way,” says Siegel.

“High ventral vagal tone means having a state of calm.”

Vagus Power

Everyone can benefit from increased vagal tone, which goes hand-in-hand with engaging the parasympathetic nervous system for optimum equilibrium at the cellular level. Acupuncture, chiropractic—with a focus on the cranial nerves— massage, meditation, singing, laughing loudly, chanting mantras, gentle yoga and exercise, positive social interactions, belly breathing and chanting all make the vagus nerve a happy camper.

These activities promote relaxation

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Mental Health, Trauma and the Gut

healing ways

and help to decrease inflammation. “As a certified yoga instructor, I can attest to a wide range of natural vagus nerve stimulation techniques, especially using the breath,” says Schwartz. “Diaphragmatic breathing creates a gentle massage across your digestive organs, releases the diaphragm and stimulates nerve fibers within the lungs. Heart rate is reduced.”

Brief exposure to cold water or cold air improves vagal tone and is a good option when anxiety is high. Eating cold-water fish like wild salmon or other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as walnuts, seaweed, hemp, flax or chia seeds provides vagal nourishment.

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books, including Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Connect at Autumn EmbersMusic.com.

VagusNourishing Diet Tips Advice from gut health expert Hannah Aylward: 4 Eat plenty of vegetables, high-quality proteins, fiber and healthy fats.

4 A diet low in sugar and processed carbohydrates supports healthy vagus nerve function by maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.

4 Practice intermittent fasting, which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (not recommended for people suffering from adrenal fatigue or high stress).

4 Take probiotics. Lactobacillus has been shown to increase GABA via stimulation of the vagus nerve.

Bifidobacterium longum has demonstrated it can normalize anxiety-like behavior in mice by acting through the vagus nerve.

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July 2019

25

SUMMER EATING

The Herbal Connection

by Kajsa Nickels

S

ummer is an ideal time to add a healthy dose of fresh, organic herbs to make cool salads, luscious smoothies and other hot-weather eats and treats. Herbs are not only a flavorful addition to any meal, they are also chock-full of health benefits, from lowering blood pressure and improving mineral balance to increasing immune support, hydration, energy and healthy skin.

Most people consider using herbs in small amounts as seasonings for recipes such as spaghetti sauce, soups or desserts. However, they are edible plants, just like kale and spinach. Although they tend to have strong flavors when dried, fresh herbs are usually quite mild and can be eaten in large amounts like any other vegetable.

Cool Benefits

“Summertime herbs are important for dealing with the heat and humidity that the season brings,” says Nathaniel Whitmore, a Chinese medicine herbalist and shiatsu massage practitioner in Milford, Pennsylvania. An herb that he recommends for this time of year is American ginseng, which, unlike its Chinese namesake, is considered a “cooling” herb and helps keep the body moist.

When combined with fresh chrysanthemum flowers, the result is a powerful elixir that both hydrates and energizes. “A piece of American ginseng root and a few chrysanthemums placed in a jar of water and set on a windowsill for a few days makes a great cold infusion,” says Whitmore. “You can store it 26

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See Herbal Marketplace on page 6 to learn more and find resources from local herbalists. in the fridge for a few days and drink it in small amounts at a time to benefit from its energizing and hydrating properties.”

Soft-stemmed herbs such as parsley and dill can be used in large amounts in salads and summer sandwiches. Other heat-tolerant herbs that are easy to grow include lemon balm, rosemary, lavender, mint and basil.

“Lemon balm is great for headaches and insomnia that are common during summer heat waves,” says Michelle Schoffro Cook, Ph.D., an herbalist and doctor of natural medicine, in Ontario, Canada. “Basil can help reduce summer achiness, while lavender serves as a relaxant and an excellent bug repellant.”

In addition to relieving headaches and restlessness, lemon balm is also beneficial for those that suffer from high blood pressure. A study in the Journal of Herbal Medicine reports that it is helpful in reducing blood pressure in patients with chronic stable angina. Rosemary, another herb used for sleep disorders, was found to also help improve memory and decrease anxiety in a study conducted in Iran at the Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

One study in 2009 by researchers in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Allahbad, in India, revealed that polyphenols found in herbs and plants harbor antioxidant properties that can help reduce the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative disorders.

Fresh Is Best

While herbs can be used in their extracted and dried forms, the most significant health benefits are often found in the raw, organic plant. “Fresh is better,” says Whitmore. “This is especially true when it comes to the more aromatic plants such as basil and lavender. A lot of the more volatile constituents are lost during the drying process.”

Most herbs grow best in dry garden areas that receive at least eight hours of sun each day. Although some herbs can grow in partially shaded locations, they won’t be as flavorful.

Many herbs can also be grown in containers or pots.

Maria Noël Groves, a clinical herbalist in Allenstown, New Hampshire, and author of Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies: How to Create a Customized Herb Garden to Support Your Health & Well-Being, lists lemon balm, Korean mint, anise hyssop and purple basil as among her favorite summer culinary and beverage herbs that are easy to grow in pots.

These make easy pickings for wraps, salads, sandwiches and more. “Lemon balm can also be used to make infused water,” says Groves. “With lemon verbena, lemon grass or holy basil, the result is refreshing and calming.” Just take a few sprigs and place them in either plain or seltzer water. The result is a delicately flavored beverage that’s also healthy and hydrating.

Kajsa Nickels is a freelance writer and a music composer. She resides in northeastern Pennsylvania. Contact her at Fideleterna45@gmail.com.

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conscious eating

Herbal Chill-Outs Marie C Fields/Shutterstock.com

Lemon Balm Vinegar This infusion can be used in place of plain vinegar in summer salad dressings. According to the Journal of Medicine, lemon balm is helpful in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

Combining it with apple cider vinegar adds extra health benefits to the mix, including digestion enhancement, detoxing and inflammation reduction.

2-3 cups fresh lemon balm, washed 1 qt apple cider vinegar Add coarsely chopped lemon balm leaves and stems to a 32-ounce mason jar. Add vinegar until lemon balm is completely covered.

Allow to sit in a cool, dark place for two to four weeks before straining.

From the book Be Your Own Herbalist by Michelle Schoffro Cook.

Used with permission from New World Library.

photos by Stacey Cramp Used with permission from New World Library.

Dandelion and Violet Greens Pesto 1 bunch dandelion leaves 1-2 handfuls violet leaves 1-3 garlic cloves 1-3 oz Parmesan cheese 1 cup toasted, salted/tamari pepitas (pumpkin seeds) Juice of ½ lemon ¼ cup olive oil Coarsely chop the herbs and the garlic. Combine with a mortar and pestle, food processor or blender and blend until minced.

Add the liquids and blend to a puree. Serve with organic tortilla chips, crackers or veggie sticks.

Will keep for a few days in a tightly sealed container or frozen.

From the book Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies by Maria Noël Groves. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.

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July 2019

27

~Peter Gray cooperatively. We adults impose competition, unfortunately. Yet even in our competitive society, the really successful and happy people are the ones who are oriented toward cooperation,” says Peter Gray, Ph.D., a Boston College psychology professor and author of Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life.

The Pure Joy of Play 3

Encourage them to take the lead. Let kids decide whether they

Why Kids Need Unstructured Fun

by Ronica O’Hara

N

ot so long ago, kids would be shooed out the door to play and told to return home at meal time.

But the rising use of digital devices and kids’ highly scheduled sports and school activities, as well as parental fears about safety, has made that kind of unstructured play rare—with resulting drops in children’s independence, resilience and creativity, experts say. In fact, play has been shown to be so critical to children’s development that an American Academy of Pediatrics 2018 clinical report, “The Power of Play,” recommends that doctors write prescriptions for it.

“Play is not frivolous; it is brain building,” concludes the report. It defines play as voluntary, fun and spontaneous activities that engross a child, often resulting in joyous discovery, and includes imaginative make-believe, experimenting and risk-taking. It cites 147 studies showing that play builds skills critical for adult success such as problem solving, collaboration and creativity; decreases 28

stress, fatigue, injury and depression; and increases range of motion, agility, coordination, balance and flexibility.

Here are some ways to up the play in children’s lives:

1

Give them lots of free time away from devices. Yes, they

might be bored at first—but boredom enhances creativity, partly by allowing for daydreaming, concludes a study from the UK’s University of Central Lancashire.

2

Encourage fun, rather than competition. By age 6, 60 percent

of American boys and 47 percent of girls are participating on organized sport teams, but three out of four kids quit sports by age 13—one major reason being, “I was not having fun.” Play, on the other hand, is based on pure enjoyment and spontaneous collaboration among kids, minus overanxious adult “sidelining”. “When children play in their own ways, they generally play

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want to play with friends, siblings or alone.

They will happily make up their own games with lots of raw materials that are on hand—blocks, balls, puzzles, crayons, boxes, wooden spoons, old costumes and hats, sand, water, tarps and shovels. “Play is how children learn to create and govern their own activities and solve their own problems independently of adults,” says Gray. “Stated differently, it is how children learn to become adults. This value is destroyed when adults take charge of children’s activities.”

4

Back off from hovering supervision. It can rob them of a

sense of ownership and accomplishment.

Leigh Ellen Magness, a clinical social worker and registered play therapist in Athens, Georgia, grappled with anxiety as she watched her 5-year-old son clamber up a roadside sculpture designed for climbing. “He climbed so high that my stomach flip-flopped to see him so far from me. But I knew there was no better way for him to learn the limits of his own body than to test them,” she says.

Mariana Brussoni, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of pediatrics and the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Canada, concurs: “When they’re

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Play is how children learn to create and govern their own activities and solve their own problem independently of adults.

healthy kids

given the chance, even very young children show clear abilities to manage risks and figure out their own limits. The potential for learning is enormous.”

5

Don’t worry. “The data show that children are far more likely to get injured in adult-directed sports, where they are pushed to compete, than in free play,” says Gray. “Moreover, the kinds of injuries that occur in free play are relatively easy to recover from.” As for the fear of kidnapping by strangers, the odds are very small—one in a million, according to the latest U.S. Department of Justice data. “Weigh the effect of the limits you place on your kids to prevent that very, very, very unlikely possibility versus the fundamental importance for their own health and development of exploring freedom,” advises Brussoni.

Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based freelance health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Explore Free Play OutsidePlay.ca: This online, 20-minute, self-quiz helps parents reflect upon their own childhood adventures and figure out a plan they feel comfortable with for their children’s unstructured “risky play”. Preliminary study data show that by three months, 93 percent of parents using the quiz had accomplished their goals.

“The Power of Play”: Tinyurl.com/ThePowerOf-

Play-AAP This study by the American Academy of Pediatrics lays out the body of research on the benefits of unstructured play for children.

“Say Yes to Play”: A Psychology Today online article

offers 12 strategies to encourage play, as well as additional references. Tinyurl.com/SayYesToPlay-PT.

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July 2019

29

calendarofevents All Calendar events for the August issue must be received by July 10 and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com for guidelines and to submit entries. For extended event descriptions and additional listings, visit NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com.

MONDAY, JULY 1

special event

Boston Harborfest – July 1-7. Main events take place at Faneuil Marketplace, Downtown Crossing, along the Freedom Trail and on the waterfront.

Over 200 events over the week at various locations. Prices vary but some free events. More info: BostonHarborfest.com.

Ancient Rainbow Conscious Healing (ARCH) Learn and discover how ARCH heals the physical, emotional, mental and spirit by global spiritual teacher and intuitive, Elaine Molloy. Includes handout, meditation and attunement.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 Boston Pops Concert – 5pm, opens; 8-10pm, concert. Patriotic tunes including the National Anthem and the 1812 Overture. No fireworks. Free. Hatch Shell, Boston Esplanade, 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston. HatchShell.com.

Sat., July 20 10am - 5pm

THURSDAY, JULY 4

$750. 339 Russett Rd, Chestnut Hill.

978-551-4754. jscalley@hotmail.com

Boston Pops Concert with Fireworks – 5pm, opens; 8-10pm, concert. Patriotic tunes including the National Anthem and the 1812 Overture. Same program as the previous day but with fireworks at the end. Free. Hatch Shell, Boston Esplanade, 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston. HatchShell.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 11 NeuroSculpting Meditation – 6-7pm. Neurosculpting is a 5-step process fusing neuroscience within a guided meditation to help individuals harness the power of self-directed neuroplasticity for healing. $20. Bliss Brain at Union Wellness, 64 Union Sq, Somerville. 617-821-5560. Bliss-Brain.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 12 Gongs & Himalayan Singing Bowls Healing Meditation – 7-8:30pm. In a peaceful beautiful space, experience the soothing healing vibrations of gongs and Himalayan singing bowls with Priscilla Gale. $30. Earth’s Hidden Treasures, 63 S Main St, Assonet. 508-644-7398. EarthsHidden Treasures.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 13 Pints for Paws – 6-9pm. A fun event where beer lovers can come enjoy live music by local band The Oysters, enjoy a corn hole tourny, lite appetizers and silent auction. Furry friends welcome. All proceeds go to provide life-saving medical care, rescue, spay and neuter and community outreach for animals on Cape Cod and around the world. $30. Cape Cod Beer, 1336 Phinneys Ln, Hyannis.

508-648-9115. ColdNosesFoundation.org.

Gongs & Himalayan Singing Bowls Healing Meditation – 6:30-8pm. In a beautiful healing Himalayan salt room, experience the soothing healing vibrations of gongs and Himalayan singing bowls with Priscilla Gale. $35. Just Breathe, 45 E Main St, Westborough. 508-366-8292. JustBreathe ASaltRoom.com.

SUNDAY, JULY 14 Reiki Level 1 Training – 9am-7pm. Learn to care for yourself and others with reiki practice. Monthly

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reiki level 1 training classes in a warm and professional setting. Learn the traditional Japanese reiki meditations, how to practice hands-on healing for self and others, the reiki principles, reiki history, and how reiki promotes mindfulness, well-being and resilience. Comprehensive course manual.

CEUs for nurses, social workers and LMTs. $155.

Brenner Reiki Healing, 324 Central St, Auburndale. 617-244-8856. BrennerReikiHealing.org.

THURSDAY, JULY 18 Introduction to NeuroSculpting – 6-8pm. Neurosculpting uses the brain’s natural neuroplasticity to release stresses and transform your habitual reactions. $40. Bliss Brain at Union Wellness, 64 Union Sq, Somerville. 617-821-5560. BlissBrain.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 19 Sound Healing Retreat – 1-7pm. A sound healing 2-day retreat with Priscilla Gale. On Sat afternoon a workshop about singing bowls, followed by an evening sound healing meditation. Private sound healings sessions on Sun. Eastover Estate Holistic Center, 43 E St, Lenox. 866-264-5139.

Eastover.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 20 Reiki Level II Training – 9am-7pm. Discover deeper teachings and practices within the system of reiki. Level 2 may be a gateway to a professional reiki practice and a way to deepen one’s own self-practice. CEUs for nurses and social workers.

Prerequisite: Reiki Level 1 Training. Comprehensive course manual. $300. Brenner Reiki Healing, 324 Central St, Auburndale. 617-244-8856.

BrennerReikiHealing.org.

Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com

The Nature Connection: Cancer & Climate Change – 11am-3pm. With herbalist and author Brendan Kelly, MAc, LAc. Schedule includes cancer and climate change lecture, farm lunch prepared by Round the Bend (additional cost), and eco-herbal medicine an interactive walk and talk. $15/lecture & herb walk, $25/both talks & lunch.

Round the Bend Farm, 92 Allen Neck Rd, South Dartmouth. 508-748-0800. bit.ly/BKELLY2019.

TUESDAY, JULY 23 Crystal Bed Healing/Private Sessions – 12-6pm.

Experience deep healing while resting beneath 7 vogel quartz crystals, while immersed in the healing vibrations of crystal singing bowls. $99. Just Breathe, 45 E Main St, Westborough. 508-3668292. JustBreatheASaltRoom.com.

Tigers in the Wild – 7-8pm. Dr Neelakantan Sunder discusses the tigers of the National Parks/Tiger Reserves of India, their increasing loss of habitat, and the challenge of capturing tiger on film. Free.

Winchester Public Library, 80 Washington St, Winchester. 781-721-7171. WinPubLib.org.

BEMER Workshop – 7:15-8:15pm. BEMER is designed to improve circulation supporting the body’s natural self-regulating processes. It enhances cardiac function, physical fitness, endurance, strength and energy, concentration, mental acuity, stress reduction and relaxation, and sleep management. Limited space, RSVP. Free. Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Centre, 383 Elliot St, Ste F 250, Newton. 617-894-5834. WellAdjusted.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 26 Sand Sculpting Festival – July 26-28. 8am-8pm.

Watch 15 renowned master sculptors work their magic with individual 12-ton allotments of sand.

Also features music performances, a food truck festival, amusement rides, craft activities and family entertainment. Fireworks display at 9pm, Sun. Revere Beach, Revere. RevereBeach.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 27 Harry Potter Trivia – 2-4pm. Come with a team, or join other individuals to make a team, and test your Harry Potter knowledge. Maximum 4 people per team. Registration required. Free. Winchester Public Library, 80 Washington St, Winchester.

781-721-7171. WinPubLib.org.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31 Crystal Bed Healing/Private Sessions – 5-6pm.

Experience deep, peaceful, healing resting under 7 vogel crystals while immersed in crystal sound vibration. $95/crystal sound vibration, $75/crystal bed only. Tri-Yoga Boston, 60 Prospect St, Waltham. 781-609-2497.

W hat can you learn from a horse?

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74 Lead Mine Road Southampton, MA 01073

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 9

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save the date Vision Quest Mitote Retreat Come for a powerful weekend of ceremony, journeys, transformation and rebirth with Shaman Janet StraightArrow. Awaken clarity, life purpose and joy as we break through illusions, fears and ego. This gentle yet powerful weekend is life changing. We begin at sign up for ongoing support in preparation for the final journey at this weekend retreat. Enjoy healthy food and pristine land. Camping option available. Sign up early; space is limited.

Aug. 9 Prepaid discount. $575. Private Retreat Center in the Catskill Mountains, Accord, NY. 973-647-2500. More info & to register: BeTheMedicine.com.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

save the date Spirit Festival Experience a celebration of wellness, yoga, music and dance in affiliation with Riverfront Recapture and BaliSpirit Festival.

Sept. 13 to 15 Riverside Park & Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, Hartford. SpiritYogaFestival.com.

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July 2019

31

ongoingcalendar All Calendar events for the August issue must be received by July 10 and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com for guidelines and to submit entries. For extended event descriptions and additional listings, visit NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com.

daily Quincy Market History Tour – Learn about Quincy Market’s central and ever-evolving role in Boston’s history. Meet guide, Linda, at the property directly near Anthem Restaurant. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 4 S Market, Boston. 617-523-1300. Available dates & times: FaneuilHallMarketplace.com.

Free Tour of Symphony Hall – 4:30pm select weekdays. Also 3:30pm select Sat. Join volunteers on a behind-the-scenes tour and hear about the hall and the history and traditions of the famed musicians and conductors. Boston Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston. For available dates & times: 617-638-9390. bso.org.

monthly Anxiety and Panic Support Group – 6:30pm. 1st day of month. A group designed to offer a place where people with common interests and experience can meet. People who have been through, or are going through, a similar circumstance can do more than sympathize with you, they can relate to what you are going through and keep you from feeling alone. Free. Washington St, Newton. 617849-3198. UCanBeFearFree.com.

sunday Support Group for Spouses and Family Members – 9-10am. 4th Sun. Is your spouse or family member a cancer patient or survivor? Please join our monthly support group led by the husband of a cancer survivor. Free. Generations, 129 E Main Plaza, Webster. 508-987-3310. PinkHippy.org.

Sunday Celebration Service – 9:30-10:30am.

Change your thinking and change your life through an hour of uplifting music, affirmative prayer, meditation and an inspiring message. All welcome.

Love offering. Concordia Center for Spiritual Living, 292 W Shore Rd, Warwick. More info: ConcordiaCSL.com or Facebook.com/ConcordiaCSL. Seasoned Healers Group – 9:45am. 1st Sun. Come and break bread to discuss and dream of living as an intentional group in a more rural area with like-minded, active, older adults. Singles and couples welcome. Watertown. For more info: 617548-4698 or HealerGinny@gmail.com.

Celebration Service – 10-11:15am. Meditation, 9:45am. Service followed by fellowship. Free. Center for Spiritual Living of Greater Boston, 50 Dudley St, Cambridge. 617-947-2743. CSLBoston.org.

SoWa Vintage Market – 10am-4pm. Designers, collectors, appreciators of the beautiful and unusual love this market. A cool, urban, vintage flea market featuring fresh vintage and designer finds every

32

services to others, please make a donation in any amount for each healing you receive. Donations sent to a variety of local charitable causes. Open Doors, 395 Washington St, Braintree. 781-8438224. OpenDoors7.com.

wednesday

monday

Restorative Yoga – 12-1:30pm. Yoga for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families and caregivers. Please see the yoga page at website, under services, for more information. Free for patients, survivors and caregivers. St. Vincent Cancer & Wellness Center, 1 Eaton Pl, Worcester.

508-987-3310. PinkHippy.org.

Martial Arts for Kids at BMAC – 5pm, Mon & Wed. Also 9:30am, Sat. Fun, confidence, coordination and self-defense in a supportive, student-centered class. Classes for ages 3 yrs to teens. Boston Martial Arts Center, 161 Harvard Ave, Ste 4E, Boston. 617-789-5524. For cost: BostonMartialArts.com.

Guided Meditation – 2pm. 2nd & 4th Wed. Guided meditations for relaxation and healing are intended to assist you release your stress and anxiety.

Relaxing body and mind can improve your overall well-being. Free for patients, survivors and caregivers. Generations, 129 E Main Plaza, Webster.

508-987-3310. PinkHippy.org.

week. Free. SoWa Vintage Market, 450 Harrison Ave, Boston. SoWaVintageMkt.com.

Anxiety and Panic Support Group – 5:30pm.

1st Mon. A group designed to offer a place where people with common interests and experience can meet. People who have been through, or are going through, a similar circumstance can do more than sympathize with you, they can relate to what you are going through and keep you from feeling alone.

Free. Washington St, Newton. 617-849-3198.

UCanBeFearFree.com.

Peace Circle – 6-7pm. 1st Mon. Want to experience greater peace? Join us as we explore different aspects of peace through music, meditation and poetry and how to put it into practice within yourself, relationships, community and the world.

All welcome. Facilitator, Gina Colvario-Krupka, RScP. Love offering. Concordia Center for Spiritual Living, 292 W Shore Rd, Warwick. 401-5805800. More info: Gina@BelieveInYouToday@ gmail.com. ConcordiaCSL.com. Facebook.com/ ConcordiaCSL. Free Guided Meditation – 6:15-6:45pm. Experience different HypnoMeditations (pre-recorded

by Richard Lanza) each week. HypnoMeditation takes you on a journey to states of expansive inner calm which allow for personal transformation and healing. Free. Open Doors, 395A Washington St, Braintree. 781-843-8224. OpenDoors7.com.

tuesday Noon Concerts on the Freedom Trail – 12:15pm.

Stop by to hear a 30-40-min concert. Performers vary each week and perform a wide variety of music ranging from jazz to folk, medieval to modern. $5 suggested donation. King’s Chapel, Tremont & School sts, Boston. 617-227-2155.

Kings-Chapel.org.

Weekly Divine Meditation – 6-7pm. Experience a powerful guided meditation lead by Bhavna, the Golden Light Goddess. No two meditations are ever the same. Drop-ins encouraged. $10. Bhavna’s Wellness Group, 512 Main St, Penthouse Ste, Shrewsbury. 508-970-5620. BhWellnessGroup.com.

Reiki Healing Sessions – 7-9pm. Reiki and energy healers offer their services free of charge.

To broaden the spirit of free care and community

Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com

Museum of Fine Arts Free Wednesdays – Free admission after 4pm. Donation suggested. MFA, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston. 617-267-9300. mfa.org.

Music Therapy with Laughing Drum Circle – 6:30-7:30pm 1st Wed. Music can help reduce pain, relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting.

It can relieve stress and provide an overall sense of well-being. Join in and drum up good energy.

Free/patients, survivors and caregivers; $10/other.

Generations, 129 E Main Plaza, Webster. 508-9873310. PinkHippy.org.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Weekly Meeting – 7-8:30pm. Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? There is a solution. Come to a meeting. Free. St. Brigid’s Parish Center, 1995 Massachusetts Ave, Rm 10, Lexington. 617-6103748. FoodAddicts.org.

Meditation on Twin Hearts and Pranic Healing – 7-8:30pm. Meditation on twin hearts is a loving-kindness meditation. Come together as a group to bless the Earth. Reduce stress, boost your energy and receive healing. Donation. Workbar Boston, 711 Atlantic Ave, Boston. 857-529-7804.

PHBoston.com.

Public Open Night at the Observatory – 8:30pm, Spring/Summer; 7:30pm, Fall/Winter. A chance to come observe the night sky through telescopes and binoculars and see things you otherwise might not get to see. Held most Wed evenings throughout the year, weather permitting. Space limited, reservations recommended. Free. Coit Observatory at Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave, Boston. 617-353-2630. bu.edu.

thursday Free Night at the ICA – 5-9pm. The Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston.

ICABoston.org.

SRR Thursday Night 4.06 Miler – 7:15-8:15pm.

It may be raining. It may be hot or cold. The SRR Thursday night run will happen every week, no matter what. Free. Casey’s Bar, 171 Broadway, Somerville. SRR.org/Events/Thursday-Night-Race.

Observatory Night – 7:30-9:30pm. 3rd Thurs, 6 times per academic year. A non-technical lecture and telescopic observing from the observatory roof if weather permits. Free. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Phillips Auditorium, 60 Garden St, Cambridge. 617-495-7461. More info: CFA.Harvard.edu/publicevents.

friday Watertown Mall Walking Club – 9am. Meet the club leader near Carter’s. Start with stretching exercises followed by a walk through the mall. Occasional guest lectures. Free. Watertown Mall, 550 Arsenal St, Watertown. 617-926-4968.

Watertown-Mall.com.

Restorative Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. Yoga for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families/caregivers. Free/patients, survivors & caregivers; $10/other. JOYashanAH, 915 A Riverside Dr, North Grosvenordale. 508-987-3310. More info: PinkHippy.org.

SoWa First Fridays – 5-9pm. 1st Fri. Over 60 galleries south of Washington St and at the Artist’s Guild, nearby businesses and restaurants open their doors to give you a chance to experience the vibrant South End arts community. Free. Start at 450 Harrison Ave, follow gallery lights around the neighborhood. SoWaBoston.com.

Free Friday Flicks – 6pm, festival; sundown, movie starts. Thru Aug. Bring the family for free movies and entertainment before the start. Free.

Hatch Shell, Boston’s Esplanade. More info & movie lineup: 617-787-7200.

Community Reiki Clinic – 7-8:45pm. 1st Fri. Receive a 30-min reiki session by appt. Appointments start at 7, 7:35 & 8:10pm. If you have been curious about reiki, schedule a session. $15. Brenner Reiki Healing, 324 Central St. Auburndale.

617-244-8856. BrennerReikiHealing.org.

saturday Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Weekly Meeting – 8-9:30am. Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? You are not alone.

Today, there is a solution. Join us. Free. Christ Church, 33 Central St, Andover. 617-610-3748.

FoodAddicts.org.

Restorative Yoga – 8:15-9:15am. Yoga for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families/caregivers. Free/patients, survivors and caregivers.

Oxford Community Center, 4 Maple Rd, Oxford.

508-987-3310. More info: PinkHippy.org.

The Marketplace at Simpson Spring – 10am2pm. Includes farmers, bakers, artisans and local entrepreneurs. Stop in to browse or take in our featured entertainment, local authors, educational seminars and lecturers. 719 Washington St, South Easton. SimpsonSpring.com/saturday-market.

Magic 106.7 Family Film Festival – Thru Aug. 5pm, activities start; sundown, film starts. Enjoy entertainment and children’s activities and then a movie under the stars. Rain dates are the following Wed. Free. South garden lawn at the Prudential Center, Boston. More info & schedule: Magic1067.Radio.com.

classifieds BOOKS THE SOUL ON ITS PATH TO PERFECTION – How is a soul guided in the beyond?

What is it like for the soul of a child? The Eternal Wisdom gives answer GabrielePublishing-house.com. Toll-free: 844-576-0937.

SPIRITUAL SERVICES SPIRITUAL TOOLS TO TRANSFORM OUR PERSONAL LIVES – And help create a world that works for everyone.

A spiritual family that honors all paths to the God of your understanding and can help you experience a personal relationship with the Inner Divine. Sunday Celebration Services, 10-11:15am. 50 Dudley St, Cambridge. CLSBoston.org.

TO PLACE YOUR AD: 617-906-0232

Natural Awakenings Boston |617- 906-0232

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ACUPUNCTURE

BEAUTY

GROTON WELLNESS

ELEMENTAL ESSENCE

Quan Zhou, LicAc, Nutritionist 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

Trinity Lounge, 1314 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA 02476 617-819-4372 ElementalEssence.org

Helping patients return to health with acupuncture, ear therapy, cupping, guasha and acupressure, Quan’s expertise lies in the areas of chronic and acute pain, allergy, digestive conditions, stress-related problems, headaches, migraines, anxiety, depression, neurological disorders, respiratory issues, supportive treatment for cancer, fertility, reproductive health, women’s health and difficult-to-treat conditions in conventional medicine. See ad, back page.

APPLIED KINESIOLOGY

Licensed esthetician, certified aromatherapist and practicing herbalist, Angelica offers an array of wellness therapies. From organic and advanced skincare services, henna adornment, natural cosmetic solutions, vibrational sound therapy sessions, herbal medicine and aromatherapy consultations.

BRAIN TRAINING ADVANCED NEUROTHERAPY, PC

CENTRAL SQUARE HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Kristine Jelstrup, CMFT, CBK, LMT 126 Prospect St, Ste 5, Cambridge, 02139 617-833-3407 Kristine@CentralSquareHealthAnd Wellness.com CentralSquareHealthAndWellness.com Achieve optimal health physically, emotionally, nutritionally.

Kristine uses a form of muscle response testing to identify and clear nervous system interference, facilitating optimal health.

Jolene Ross, PhD 781-444-9115 RetrainYourBrain.com

Specializing in Neurotherapy, an effective, drug-free treatment for: attention, behavior, emotional, and executive function problems, autistic spectrum, anxiety, depression, post-concussion, peak performance and more. See ad, page 7.

ALANA P. HAMMER

Newton Chiropractic & Wellness Centre 383 Elliot St, Ste F 250 Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464 617-964-3332, Fax: 617-332-7601 WellAdjusted.com Alana is a certified acupuncturist providing acupuncture, herbal medicine and adjunctive therapies to treat acute and chronic pain, orthopedic conditions, digestive disorders, stress and anxiety, sleep and cosmetic facial rejuvenations for over 10 years. See ads, pages 2 and 7.

NEWTON CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTRE Julie Burke, DC 617-964-3332 Info@WellAdjusted.com WellAdjusted.com

We are a total wellness center open 7 days a week. We specialize in Gentle Non-Force Chiropractic (NSA), an assortment of massage modalities, HydroMassage, “Super Comfortable” custom orthotics, physical therapy, detoxifying ionic foot baths, and our latest wellness tool, BEMER (designed to improve circulation supporting the body’s natural self- regulating processes). See ads, pages 2 and 7.

COACHING CAROUSEL COACHING

Nancy Lavoie NancyLaterDressageHorses@gmail.com CarouselCoaching.com Nancy Lavoie has a gift for helping people navigate through social pressures and the complications of technology to find their unique confidence.

SYMMETRY NEURO-PATHWAY TRAINING Dianne Kosto, Founder & CEO 132 Central St, Ste 205A, Foxboro 844-272-4666 Dianne@SymmetryNeuroPT.com SymmetryNeuroPt.com

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LOVE CREATES MIRACLES 857-753-6819 PosperityPrincess@gmail.com EdieBlue.com

Edie provides unique, boutique coaching tailored to help you create more love in your life.

Courses by Edie: The ABC’s of Love, The “Write” Way to Love, Soulmate Bootcamp, Knotty Minds: Knotty Bodies. Call Edie for a free 10-min session to see if you are ready to make changes that last. See ad, page 11.

July 2019

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TAKE THE LEAP COACHING

Kim Childs 1025 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA 02476 617-640-3813 Kim@KimChilds.com KimChilds.com Need help clarifying and realizing your desires? Asking “What’s next?” or “How do I get started?” Kim is a certified life and career coach specializing in Positive Psychology, creativity, and midlife transitions, to help clients create more personally fulfilling, meaningful and empowered lives. Initial consultations are free.

COMPOSTING CITY COMPOST

978-378-3048 Info@CityCompost.com CityCompost.com City Compost provides home composting services and custom solutions for events and organizations. All compostables including meat, dairy and paper products are accepted. 100% of the independently processed compost goes to grow more fresh food and subscribers can receive top quality, tested, compost with service. See ad, page 11.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

COMPOUNDING & WELLNESS PHARMACY

GROTON WELLNESS Katryn Miller, MEd, LMT, Colon Hydrotherapist 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

Katryn has always held a deep desire to learn about the body and how it works. After many years of running her own business, Katryn joined Groton Wellness to help others with Colon Hydrotherapy. She holds a training certificate on the Libbe Colon Hydrotherapy Device. See ad, back page.

INTERNAL WELLNESS CENTER Liz Marcano-Pucillo 150 Wood Rd, Ste 403 Braintree, MA 02184 781-228-6915 Liz@InternalWellnessCtr.com InternalWellnessCtr.com

Receive professional colon hydrotherapy by a national board-certified therapist using the Angel of Water system. The most comfortable and private system in the industry. See ad, page 13.

BIRD’S HILL COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

401 Great Plain Ave, Needham, MA 02492 781-449-0550 Pharmacist@BirdsHillPharmacy.com BirdsHillPharmacy.com Familyowned and -operated since 1960, we have evolved from a traditional pharmacy to a worldwide compounding and nutritional resource.

Our unique one-on-one patient consultations produce a full understanding of your health needs.

You, your physician, and one of our compounding pharmacists work as partners to ensure that you will receive the best care possible.

DINNO HEALTH

Acton Pharmacy 563 Massachusetts Ave, Acton, MA 01721 978-263-3901 Keyes Drug 2090 Commonwealth Ave Newton, MA 02466 617-244-2794 West Concord Pharmacy 1212 Main St, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3100 DinnoHealth.com For more than a quarter of a century, Dinno Health has been a trusted provider of pharmacy services and is committed to providing the highest quality of individualized care for each customer. At our three independent pharmacies, we offer prescriptions, compounded medications, medical supplies, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and vaccines. See ad, page 11.

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Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com

JOHNSON COMPOUNDING AND WELLNESS

John Walczyk 577 Main St, Waltham, MA 02452 781-893-3870 • Fax: 781-899-1172 John@NaturalCompounder.com NaturalCompounder.com JCW is the only sterile and non-sterile PCABaccredited pharmacy in Massachusetts. In addition to our compounding service, we offer a full range of nutritional supplements, natural products, homeopathic remedies and home health care equipment. See ad, page 25.

DENTIST DENTISTRY BY DR. DAVID Amparo M. David, DMD 563 Main St, Bolton, MA 978-779-2888 BoltonDental.com

We look beyond our patients’ teeth in order to improve both their smiles and their quality of life. Our practice offers full preventive services: biological, holistic, functional dentistry, ozone therapy, reconstructive dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, dental sleep medicine, implant dentistry, in addition to TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders) therapy. See ad, page 12.

DR. IVETA IONTCHEVA-BAREHMI DMD, MS, D.SC.

1842 Beacon St, Ste 305, Brookline, MA 617-868-1516 BostonDentalWellness.com Dr. Iontcheva-Barehmi is an accomplished dentist and specialist in Periodontics and Implants with a holistic approach to medicine and dentistry. To schedule your comprehensive exam and share the excitement of a healthy smile, call: 617-868-1516. See ad, page 23.

GROTON WELLNESS

Dr. Apoorva J. Shah, DDS 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com Health-focused biological dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, biological dentistry, mercury amalgam removal, digital dentistry and Invisalign.

Dr. Shah is certified in Invisalign and has experience with CAD/ CAM digital technology. He has become increasingly knowledgeable about the mouth-body connection and is excited to offer holistic options to his patients. See ad, back page.

GROTON WELLNESS

ECO-FRIENDLY HAIR SALON

Dr. G. Robert “Bob” Evans, DMD 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

KIMBERLY BRUNO SALON

Health-focused general dentist at Groton Wellness specializing in biological dentistry, oral surgery, chelation therapy and safe mercury removal. Groton Wellness is a 26-chair dental practice, incorporating functional medicine, a detoxification spa, an organic cafe, and energy medicine center promoting total wellness. See ad, back page.

GROTON WELLNESS

Dr. Jean Marie Nordin, DDS, IBDM, ND 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

288 Main St, Reading, MA 01867 781-779-8333 KimberlyBruno.com

Kimberly Bruno Salon is a boutique ecofriendly hair salon created out of love for our planet and animals.

This Certified Green Circle Salon is committed to offering services using high quality products. Experience cruelty-free, vegan products containing organic ingredients, keeping you and the planet beautiful. See ad, page 25.

FRENECTOMY (TONGUE/LIP TIE RELEASE)

Health-focused general dentist, integrative biologic dental medicine and naturopathic dentist specializing in biological dentistry, oral surgery, sleep solutions, chelation therapy and safe mercury removal. Certified trainer of Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) developed by the Benson-Henry Institute in conjunction with Harvard Medical School. Dr. Nordin now teaches staff and other healthcare providers. See ad, back page.

DR. YASMIN’S HOLISTIC DENTAL 284 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446 617-731-6767 YasminChebbiDMD.com

A holistic, caring, bio-integrative dental experience that focuses on the individual, not just teeth. We will help you restore and maintain full body health by setting up the right environments to allow the body to heal. We also specialize in jaw and muscle pain, headaches, and sleep. Mention Natural Awakenings for 20% off your first visit. See ad, page 14.

DIVINE HEALING BHVANA’S WELLNESS GROUP

512 Main St, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 BhavnaSrivastava@BhWellnessGroup.com BhWellnessGroup.com

DENTISTRY BY DR. DAVID Martin Kaplan, DDS 563 Main St, Bolton, MA 978-779-2888 BoltonDental.com

Specializing in pediatric dentistry, Dr. Kaplan uses the latest technology available to diagnose and treat infants as well as children and adults. In 2015 he was instrumental in developing the first in the country “Infant Laser Frenectomy” training class through the continuing education department at Tufts Dental School and is an international leader in the field of dental laser surgery. See ad, page 12.

FUNCTIONAL DIETITIAN

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE GROTON WELLNESS Dr. Henri Balaguera, MD 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

Functional medicine doctor and clinical director of Groton Wellness. Specializes in functional medicine, chronic and infectious disease, autoimmune disorders, functional nutrition, pulmonary disorders, sleep issues, cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction, natural hormone replacement and preventative medicine.

Mindfulness and meditation are at the foundation of his core values. See ad, back page.

FUNCTIONAL ORTHODONTICS GROTON WELLNESS

Dr. Samantha Bogle, DMD, MDS 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com Functional orthodontist specializing in orthodontics, dentofacial orthopedics, braces and Invisalign. Dr. Bogle loves creating beautiful smiles for her patients with a specific emphasis on early treatment in children to improve facial growth and development. She believes focusing on the airway, proper breathing and early structural intervention can reduce the need for orthodontic treatment later in life. Prevention is key. See ad, back page.

BRIDGITTE CARROLL, MS, RDN Johnson Compounding & Wellness Bridgitte@NaturalCompounder.com 781-893-3870 x 149

Bridgitte is experienced and passionate about helping individuals improve their well-being with food and lifestyle changes. Specialties include gastrointestinal issues, inflammatory conditions, anti-aging and weight management although she has worked with people of all ages with many diseases. See ad, page 25.

HEALTH COACH YOUR WELLNESS SCOUT Kirsten Wright-Cirit 919-593-2943 YourWellnessScout@gmail.com YourWellnessScout.com

Your Wellness Scout provides coaching, resources, and tips to set wellness goals and integrate sustainable solutions and practices without tipping the work, life, family balance.

Call now to receive Divine healing energy to release pain from your heart, soul, body and allow for love and joy to enter your life. See ad, page 27.

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July 2019

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MARTIAL ARTS

HOMEOPATHY KRISTA CONNOLLY, RSHom, CCH

BOSTON MARTIAL ARTS CENTER

Reach healing by finding a single homeopathic remedy that addresses your entire symptom picture. It's found by our listening to your symptoms in detail then carefully matching them to one remedy which can stimulate your complete healing. Consultations in-person, phone or Skype.

The Boston Martial Arts Center has been actively training and teaching in the Boston area for over 25 years. We have grown from a small, dedicated group of practitioners into a full-fledged martial arts school devoted to training quality individuals in the best martial arts and self-defense available anywhere. See ad, page 8.

Homeopathic Alternative 608-362-4940 Contact@KristaConnolly.com KristaConnolly.com

HORMONE BALANCING BELLA NATURAL HEALTH

Dawna Jones, MD, FACOG 427 Washington St, Norwell, MA 02061 781-829-0930 BellaNaturalHealth.com Board-certified MD in gynecology and integrative medicine. Hormone balancing, nutrition and detoxification are keys to optimal health. See ad, page 29.

INTEGRATIVE VETERINARY MEDICAL CARE MASH MAIN ST ANIMAL SERVICES OF HOPKINTON Margo Roman, DVM 72 W Main St, Hopkinton, MA 01748 508-435-4077 MASHVet.com

161 Harvard Ave, Ste 4E, Boston 617-789-5524 BostonMartialArtsCenter.com

MASSAGE

GARY KRACOFF, RPH & NMD

Johnson Compounding and Wellness 781-893-3870 Gary@NaturalCompounder.com Dr. Gary Kracoff provides guidance and in-depth consultative services to find the “why” to what is happening physically and mentally, working with individuals to restore balance in the body. Specializes in customizing medications to meet individualized needs of patients, and he suggests nutritional supplements, natural products and homeopathic remedies to aid in faster healing and recovery. See ad, page 25.

NEWTON CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTRE

GROTON WELLNESS

Deep-tissue, medical, sports, Swedish and therapeutic massage, shiatsu, reiki & hydro- massage in a full-service Wellness Centre also featuring chiropractic, acupuncture, Facial Rejuvenation, Facelift Acupuncture and detox footbath. See ads, pages 2 and 7.

Dr. Scholl is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in MA and NH treating patients of all ages using scientific, research-based naturopathic medicine as the foundation. Finding the root cause of chronic and autoimmune diseases. She specializes in craniosacral therapy, detoxification, bio-identical hormone therapy, Lyme disease, diabetes, anti-aging, joint disorders, adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders, endocrine imbalance, epigenetic assessment, cardiovascular health, digestive health, cognitive imbalances, arthritis and more. See ad, back page.

383 Elliot St, Ste 250 617-964-3332 WellAdjusted.com

MIND-BODY MEDICINE BODYMIND REPATTERNING

Alison Shaw APRN, LMT, CEH 109 Massachusetts Ave Lexington, MA 02420 781-646-0686 Alison@BodymindRepatterning.com BodymindRepatterning.com

A full-service integrative veterinary clinic offering caring and healthful options and modalities like acupuncture, functional nutrition, homeopathy, chiropractic, herbs, ozone therapy, surgery and dentistry. See ad, page 31.

An innovative blend of bodycentered counseling, integrative bodywork and energy medicine to uncover and release bodymind patterns that limit your life and health. See ad, page 8.

JAW PAIN (TMJ) DR. YASMIN’S TMJ SLEEP CENTER 284 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446 617-731-6767 YasminChebbiDMD.com

Do you suffer from jaw pain or a locked jaw? Do you grind your teeth at night? Do you have headaches, ear pain, facial pain?

Do you snore or wake up tired?

We can help. Mention Natural Awakenings for 20% off your first visit. See ad, page 14.

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NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com

Breathe

Candace Scholl, ND 493-495 Main St, Groton 978-449-9919 GrotonWellness.com

PHYSICAL THERAPY NEWTON PHYSICAL THERAPY 383 Elliot St, Door F, Ste 250 Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464 617-916-1655 NewtonPT.com

Manual physical therapy which includes CranioSacral Therapy incorporates the mind-body connection for holistic healing which is essential for effective treatment of chronic pain and/or stress.

Effective manual therapy treatment for acute or chronic pain or injury enables therapeutic exercise to be significantly more effective for rehabilitation. See ads, pages 2 and 7.

TANTRA/SACRED SEXUALITY

PRANIC HEALING CENTER FOR PRANIC HEALING

SACRED TEMPLE ARTS

Christian Verde, Certified Pranic Healer 857-529-7804 Info@PHBoston.com A center providing workshops, healing sessions and meditation to alleviate suffering and elevate consciousness through the principles in GMCKS Pranic Healing, Arhatic Yoga and Kriyashakti.

REIKI

Sacha L. Fossa, Masters Health Arts & Sciences, Certified Sex & Tantric Educator, Licensed Erotic Blueprint Coach, Healing Arts Practitioner 978-309-9399 SacredTempleArts.com Ready to have better sex, and love your life more, partnered or not? Holistic cutting-edge sex, intimacy and relationship coaching, energy and bodywork, for your sexual healing and empowerment. In person and/or virtual sessions and programs.

See ad, page 8.

BOSTON REIKI MASTER

34 Lincoln St, Newton Highlands 617-633-3654 BostonReikiMaster.com

THERMOGRAPHY

Are you stressed from the pressure of your job, home life, kids or an illness? Do you want to feel calm and relaxed?

Experience reiki. Certified Reiki Master/Teacher with over 20 years’ experience in energy medicine providing pure Usui Reiki healing/relaxation sessions.

BRENNER REIKI HEALING

324 Central St, Newton 02466 617-244-8856 Elise@BrennerReikiHealing.org BrennerReikiHealing.org Providing you with reiki healing sessions, reiki meditation, and reiki training to support you in reaching your goals of mind-body-spirit wellness and wholeness.

CRYSTAL SOUND HEALING/ SACRED SONG REIKI 978-897-8846 SacredSongReiki@yahoo.com SacredSongReiki.com

Services include: (John of God) Crystal Bed Healing with Crystal Singing Bowls; Sound Healing; Sound Healing with Reiki; Reiki. Release stress, reduce pain, boost your immune system, lower blood pressure, more energy, clarity of thought. sessions and appropriate referrals where necessary.

METROWEST THERMAL IMAGING Susan Shaw Saari, LAc, CCT, MEd, MAOM, Diplomate in Acupuncture (NCCAOM) 781-899-2121 Sue@Thpclinic.com MyThermography.com

A clinical imaging technique that records thermal patterns of the body to help diagnose and monitor pain or pathology in any part of the body. See ad, page 14.

WELLNESS RESOURCES BETH GARDNER

Acton Pharmacy Keyes Drug West Concord Pharmacy BGardner@DinnoHealth.com 508-259-7851 Certified lifestyle educator and the director of health and wellness at Acton Pharmacy, Keyes Drug and West Concord Pharmacy. Beth Gardner works one-on-one with patients to help create ways to improve diet and overall health as a means for disease and illness prevention. See ad, page 11.

YOGA CECILE RAYNOR

Certified Alexander Technique Teacher; Certified Thai Yoga Therapist 33A Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445 617-359-7841 OffTheMatYogaBlog.com Your yoga can release or create tension depending on the quality of your daily movements. Learn to let your postural mechanism work for you and notice excess body tension ease away on-and-off the mat.

WELLNESS CENTER NEWTON CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTRE Julie Burke, DC 617-964-3332 Info@WellAdjusted.com

We are a total wellness center open 7 days a week. We specialize in Gentle Non-Force Chiropractic (NSA), an assortment of massage modalities, HydroMassage, “Super Comfortable” custom orthotics, physical therapy, detoxifying ionic foot baths, and our latest wellness tool, BEMER (designed to improve circulation supporting the body’s natural self-regulating processes). See ads, pages 2 and 7.

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FIND US!

Visit Us At NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com Like Us At NaturalAwakeningsBoston and Natural Pet Boston Follow Us At NAGreaterBoston Follow Us At @nagreaterboston

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Boston | NaturalAwakeningsBoston.com