Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey / March 2021 by Natural Awakenings Central NJ & Eastern PA

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

PSYCHEDELIC HEALING HOW IT CAN SAVE THE PLANET

Easy Ways to Grow Edibles Indoors

FREE

ALL ABOUT CBD RESEARCH POINTS TO ITS BENEFITS

HEALING GRIEF & LOSS

March 2021 | Somerset-Middlesex-Hunterdon-Mercer-S. Warren NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

KnoWEwell.com

YOUR ONE-STOP SOLUTION TO HEALTH CARE A REGENERATIVE WHOLE HEALTH COMMUNITY & MARKETPLACE THERE IS NO SIMPLE WAY TO DESCRIBE KNOWEWELL BUT THINK BIG! “WebMD meets Match.com, HomeAdvisor, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Indeed for Regenerative Whole Health, all in one place for the benefit for everyone.”

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P U B L I S H I N G

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Visit KnoWEwell.com

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Natural Health and Beauty Products. Holistic and Traditional Medicines. Unmatched Expertise.

Anxiety. Addressing the basics. Are you suffering from any of these symptoms?

Our discussion will focus on:

• Constantly tired • Feeling sad or pessimistic • Prone to panic attacks • Easily agitated and irritated • Excessive moodiness • Struggle to get out of bed

• Role of the nervous system and how to support it

• Key factors underlying anxiety

• Recommended testing to determine neurological imbalances • 5 Nutritional Factors that may contribute to anxiety

Dr. Nikki Conte N.D.

Naturopathic Doctor www.nikkiconte-naturopath.com

Join our FREE 30 minute zoom webinar, followed by a live Q&A. Dr. Nikki Conte N.D. and Kirstin Nussgruber BCHN, EMB will discuss ways to address the anxiety we all are facing during these unprecendented times.

March 19th at 12 pm ET This is a FREE event—space is limited. Call 908-658-4900 or email janet@valleypharmacyrx.com to reserve. Kirstin Nussgruber BCHN, EMB

Board Certified Nutritional Consultant & Cancer Mentor www.kirstinscancercare.com

Micronutrient Testing, Food Sensitivities, Gluten/Celiac, Hormone Testing has resumed. Call us for appointment or information: 908-658-4900.

SHIPPING

VIP CONCIERGE

& SHIPPING SERVICES

We’ll deliver or ship right to your door. $3.00 delivery charge.

Spend $50 Get 20% off Every time. Come in for details

75 Washington Valley Road, Bedminster, NJ 07921 • 908.658.4900 • valleypharmacyrx.com Located next to Fresh Market • Current hours: Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm March 2021

Natural Awakenings is a family of 50+ healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

Contents 34 16

16 HEMP-DERIVED CANNABIDIOL

A Primer on the Latest Research

20 DOWN TO EARTH

The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming

24 HEALING FROM GRIEF Four Ways to Find Peace

25 JEFF TKACH

on Regenerative Healthcare

26 THE HEALING POTENTIAL

OF PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINES

Promising Studies on Stress Disorder, Depression and Addiction

28 INDOOR EDIBLE GARDENING

Grow Veggies, Sprouts and Microgreens Year-Round

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 908-405-1515 or email Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Kathy@ NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email calendar events to: Kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. 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 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 virtual fare 12 health briefs 14 now open 16 green living 18 global briefs 24 inspiration 25 wise words 26 healing ways 28 conscious

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eating

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31 teen voices 32 local yoga 33 yoga corner 34 calendar 36 business

directory 37 classifieds

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

publisher letter

CENTRAL NJ EDITION

A Vision of Hope Today I have hope. Hope is an amazing miracle when taken into our hearts. It allows us to start over, inspires new thinking and opens our eyes to see a path of separation from whatever may be causing us emotional pain, physical pain or even controlling pain. Hope represents a vision of a better tomorrow. Hope Joe Dunne, Publisher allows us to shake off the grip of fear and gloom. Hope plants the seed needed to breathe in the possibilities of a brighter day. Hope inspires. Through hope we cultivate optimism—a vision of better days, less stress, a brighter future. Thinking shifts and the brain seems to restore our “feel good all over” energy. It is funny how less irritable I am when hope comes alive in me. My tolerance levels improve, and a sense of peace enters my spirit. Thank God we have hope today. We have faced many challenges over the past year, and there are still challenges today. Now, though, hope will lead the way to acceptance. Traveling hand in hand, hope and acceptance pave the way forward. Our new path still requires that we dust off our scars, face our fears and deal with our difficulties, but the light of hope brings the courage to step into the future. So, I would like to encourage everyone to believe in hope and imagine the world as one community. A world community filled with gigantic dreams and monumental dream makers, a community that at its core believes someday we will reach the distant star called “peace on Earth”. Hope for it, believe in it, work for it, one thought, one act, one message at a time. Achieving the impossible happens every day. Let’s each commit to being part of making the impossible possible. Let’s hope so. With peace, love and laughter,

Mindful Experiences

modern psychology meets ancient insight & tools for mindful, authentic living

Are you hesitant to use traditional therapy?

You aren’t alone.

Many people rightly fear that their spiritual experiences will be misunderstood or that the transformative illuminations they have received will be lost if they ask for help. Linda’s classic training combined with her unique background and understanding of ancient wisdom allows her to respect your experience and gently help you find your own balance within a new life.

Call Today for Free Consultation 908-689-6896

LindaLaMarca.com

Linda LaMarca Schuler, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Publisher Joe Dunne Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-405-1515 • Fax 877-635-3313

Managing Editor Kathy Tarbell Kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-912-4569 • 770-867-2101 direct

irector of Community Connection Jean O’Toole D

Design & Production Kathy Tarbell Social Media Tiffany Brackens

Website Kristy Mayer Accounting/Billing Asta Dunne Asta@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-405-4040

SALES & MARKETING Joe Dunne • Bedminster, NJ 908-405-1515 Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Visit our Facebook page for the latest health updates and information, or to post your events and comments.

NaturalAwakeningsCentralNewJersey

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne Art Director Josh Pope Layout & Design Gabrielle W-Perillo Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Asstistant Anne-Marie Ryan Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4851 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 200 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakenings.com © 2021 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

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

Please Recycle

March 2021

Directory of Display Advertisers Thank you for being part of our community! 7 Chakras Wellness

Be Here Now Yoga

Be The Medicine

Califon Yoga

Center for Advanced Health 39 Through Dentistry Dr. Clare Larkin

Green Meadow Burial

Holistic Dental Center

Hunterdon Integrative Physicians

KnoWEwell 2 Linda LaMarca Schuler

Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness

Morning Star Family Health Center

Moving Into Wellness

news briefs

Chakra Energy Healing in Watchung

ounder Jennifer Agugliaro is pleased to announce that chakra energy healing sessions are now offered as a stand alone therapy at 7 Chakras Wellness. To help acquaint the public with this Ayurvedic healing method, Agugliaro is offering an introductory special of $150 for three sessions during the month of March. “I use a pranic healing method called Healing Light Yoga to balance the chakras. It is not traditional yoga, rather a sequence of breathwork and guided meditation to awaken, soothe or rebalance any chakra(s) needing attention,” explains Agugliaro. Each session is tailored specifically to the individual needs of the client. Additional exercises and practices are taught to provide support in between sessions. Clients are given the knowledge and skills to help keep the chakras balanced and to prevent future issues. Although it is a stand alone therapy, Agugliaro recomments at least three sessions for optimum healing. Pranic healing doesn’t require sessions to be in person. However, due to risks of COVID-19, all appointments are currently conducted via Zoom so that the breathwork can be performed without the hindrance of a mask. The upside of this approach is that it allows the sessions to be recorded upon request so that they can be repeated and shared solely with the client. For information, call 908-251-1200 or email jennifer@7ChakrasWellness.com. 7ChakrasWellness.com. See ad, page 21.

Mederi Cosmetics

Natural Awakenings

Natural Awakenings Singles

“Action may not always bring happiness,

New Jersey Natural Medicine

but there is no happiness without action.”

Ondov Relationship Coaching

- Benjamin Disraeli

Personally Yours Lingerie

Psychic Reader & Advisor

Qi Gong for Healing

Samsara Chiropractic

Seasons In Wellness

Shining Threads LLC

Sunrise Nutrition Center

The Hemp Oil Store

Valley Integrative Pharmacy

Whole Foods

Yoga Central

Thermography is “Health Discovery” a very important part of your preventive wellness program.

Radiation Free Breast and Full Body Thermography for Both Women & Men

Find out if you have inflammation before it becomes a problem. Non-Invasive-Pain Free Imaging World class state of the art Infrared technology high quality images. All reports approved and written by Board Certified M.D.s

15 32

FREE Dry Brush for new clients only

* new or returning advertiser

Let them know you found them in Natural Awakenings Central NJ!

~ Visit Website for Test Locations in NJ, NY & PA ~

Call for your appointment today! 855-667-9338

Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC • LisasThermographyAndWellness.com

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NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Peace, Clarity, and Health are within reach Get Unstuck in All Areas of Your Life! Janet StraightArrow’s unique blend of ancient wisdom with practical methods opens the door for discovering your true self.

Meet Your True Self free of fear & anxiety free from trauma free to grow in love

Awaken

Deep Love, Complete Healing, Practical Spiritual Living.

Shaman, Healer, Teacher, Yogi, Sage

973-647-2500 | BeTheMedicine.com Workshops, Shaman & Reiki Training, Energy Healing Private Sessions | Remote, Virtual, In-Person

High Quality CBD Oil 3rd Party Lab Tested Trusted CBD Brands Drops • Pet Products • Capsules • Sprays • Flower Softgels • Gummies • Topicals • Beauty Products And More! 855-904-4367 3 E Afton Ave Mon-Sat: 10am-6:30pm TheHempOilStore.com Yardley, PA 19067 Sun: Closed March 2021

Make It Fit Make It New For You

Create new from old whether from a thrift store, your closet or Grandma’s attic.

Clothing Alterations Decorative Items Home Goods Sportswear

Upcycle or Repair Clothing or Special Occasion Garments

My machine needles can sew ANY THING!

Shining Threads, LLC Susan McDonald susan914home@gmail.com 908-655-2788

Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project

Donation Based

Virtual Movement Sessions Every Sunday at 10am

Facebook.com/ Moving-Into-Wellness-108152643994012/

Call/text 917-405-0596 • movingintowellness@gmail.com

news briefs

New Location for Psychic Services in Raritan

sychic Gallery has a new name and location: Psychic Reader & Advisor at Raritan Crossings in Raritan, New Jersey. Psychic readings and advisements are offered by appointment and walk-ins are always welcome. Sessions are always private and confidential. “2020 has been a difficult year for everybody. There are a lot of people who are suffering.” shares the owner. “Readings and spiritual life coaching can be very helpful, and insight into the future can bring you back in order and offer peace of mind. Let’s see what 2021 has in store.” Location: Raritan Crossings #3, US Hwy 206 S, Raritan. For appointments, call 908-397-7797. See ad, page 31.

Ascent Online Learning Platform for Women

scent is an interactive digital platform packed with resources women business owners need to set, and achieve, their business goals. Ascent is designed for the “missing middle” — growth-oriented women entrepreneurs who are beyond the start-up phase and already generating revenue yet looking to grow and scale. Most learning resources for business owners focus on either startups or mature businesses. Ascent is here to change that. Ascent was created through a joint initiative between the White House, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Bringing these agencies together provides Ascent users with unique access to a wealth of knowledge and expertise not found anywhere else. During these challenging times, SBA’s Ascent offers research-backed tips and strategies, along with examination tools to identify both internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) that may have arisen because of COVID-19 to help business owners create a comprehensive recovery strategy. Ascent is a resource that is designed to be consistently helpful as one’s business grows and needs change. For more information, visit Ascent.SBA.gov.

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NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Return to the natural Cycle of Life – to nourish soil, green a meadow and live on! At Green Meadow, we believe that death is no mere end. In our natural, green cemetery, it’s a continuation, part of the great Cycle of Life – of death and rebirth, regeneration and decay – that turns to make all life possible. To schedule a tour or for more information contact Ed Vogr ins: 610-868-4840 | Info@GreenMeadowPA.org 1121 Graham Street • Fountain Hill, PA 18015

March 2021

Intuition & Spiritual

Blossoming into Light

Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar Virtual Classes & Intuitive Readings By Appointment 862-222-4268 call/text Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

Native Wisdom

Be The Medicine

Janet StraightArrow, Shaman, Healer, Sage Online Sessions, Classes, Workshops 973-647-2500 Janet@Bethemedicine.com

Online learning isn’t only webinars. It’s exploration of the mind, engagement with others, moving with music, and connections that take us to inner worlds of wonder and sanctuaries of healing. Follow this link to the opportunities featured in this Virtual Fare. NaturalAwakeningscnj.com/pages/cnj-virtual-fare

Qi Gong & Tai Chi

Advertise in Virtual Fare Print & Web for $49.95.

Call or text 908-405-1515 for details. 10

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

Qi Gong For Healing

Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA Virtual Classes for Beginners and Advanced 908-647-1563

Blossoming into Light

Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar Qi Gong & Tai Chi 862-222-4268 call/text Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Energy Healing Be The Medicine

Janet StraightArrow, Shaman, Healer, Sage Distance Healing Classes, Reiki 973-647-2500 Janet@Bethemedicine.com

Blossoming into Light

Yoga Be Here Now Yoga

Online Sessions and Classes Yoga & Breathword 908-642-0989 Karen@BeHereNowYoga108.com

Yoga Central

Antonette D’Orazio Online and Outdoors 908-707-0759 yogacentralnj202@gmail.com

Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar Reiki Certification 862-222-4268 call/text Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

Music Patricia Turse

Harpist. Music Performance, Virtual or in the Home 908-722-9757 patriciaturse1@verizon.net

Psychology & Counseling Linda LaMarca Schuler / Mindful Experiences

Virtual Classes & Counseling Licensed Professional Counselor 908-689-6896

Cathy Ludwig, Ed.S, LPC

Hypnotherapy, Past Life Regression, Psychotherapy 201-738-8311 ludcat@optimum.net

Health & Wellness Wellness Gala TV

Balance Your Life with the Wellness Gala series 973-713-6811

Let’s Move Live Love Move with Teresa D’Angelo

Dating Natural Awakenings Singles Conscious Dating Network

Nia & Ageless Grace classes 973-610-8353 teresa@live-love-move.com

Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project Conscious Movement Sessions 917-405-0596 movingintowellness@gmail.com

March 2021

health briefs

Use Colored LED Lights to Relax Getting an MRI or CT scan is typically not a relaxing experience, and patient discomfort, anxiety or agitation can affect the quality of the image. Taking note of businesses that use lighting to create a mood, researchers from Pepperdine University demonstrated that patient unease in imaging centers can be modified with the use of colored LED lights. In a pilot study involving 35 subjects, 43 percent found blue lighting most relaxing, while 31 percent preferred yellow. The least relaxing lighting color was red, according to 69 percent of participants, followed by yellow (17 percent) and green (11 percent). Each subject was given a handheld device to set the hue, intensity and brightness of lighting, and most chose blue. No patient preferred the standard bright, white lighting of healthcare environments. “When given the opportunity to change a single aspect of the environmental or imaging facility experience, patients feel much more in control of the otherwise unfamiliar and uncomfortable setting,” write the authors in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Try Ginger to Lower Diabetes Markers Ginger root (Zingiber officinale), used historically in traditional medicine to treat indigestion and nausea, may also help people with Type 2 diabetes, suggests a new study from Brazil. Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind study of 103 people with Type 2 diabetes that were taking medications. Those taking 1.2 grams of ginger powder for 90 days experienced a significant drop in the level of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to those taking a placebo.

Try Mindfulness to Improve Cardiovascular Health Mindfulness training can lower blood pressure and positively influence behavior that promotes cardiovascular health, report Brown University researchers. The study published in Plos One involved 43 people with hypertension. In eight weekly 150-minute sessions, participants learned mindfulness meditation movements and techniques, including eating food mindfully, while also receiving instruction on hypertension risk factors. By the end of the year, they reported improvements in stress levels, diet, physical activity and alcohol consumption. On average, systolic blood pressure fell by six points and diastolic pressure by one point, a small, but significant improvement.

Use Green Tea Extract and Curcumin to Ward Off Oral Cancer Early signs of oral cancer can include white patches, sores and lumps inside the mouth, biomarkers known collectively as oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). To see if two natural chemo-preventive agents—green tea extract and curcumin—could reverse these conditions, researchers in India tested 60 people with OPMD, splitting them into three groups. One group was given 400 milligrams (mg) of green tea extract in a capsule, as well as a gel; a second group was given 475 mg of curcumin; and the third received a combination of the first two treatments. After 12 weeks, researchers found that the supplementation had significantly reduced OPMD biomarkers in all three groups, with particularly strong results in the combination group, suggesting a synergistic effect.

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NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

March 2021

Here is a collection of local businesses whose doors (or windows :) are Open for Business as (Un)Usual. Fortis Farms, LLC

Yoga Central

Sunrise Nutrition & Wellness

18230 Edwards Shop Rd., Elkwood, VA Webstore is open 24/7 540-409-6871 hello@growfortisfarms.com GrowFortisFarms.com

953 Hwy 202 North Online and Outdoors; dates/times vary 908-707-0759 yogacentralnj202@gmail.com YogaCentralNJ.com

Dr. John Harrington

Fortis Farms grows nutritious, local produce and designs, sells, and leases aeroponic tower gardening solutions for home, greenhouse, or commercial use.

Offering online and outdoor classes. Please check website, Instagram, or FaceBook for complete schedule.

Be The Medicine

The Hemp Oil Store

Online Sessions and Classes Home Base: Morristown 973-647-2500 Janet@Bethemedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com

3 E. Ave., Yardley, PA Online Store open 24/7 855-904-4367, 267-679-2949 coolbreezedist@gmail.com TheHempOilStore.com License Number: 82-2609404

Monika Christian and Kiley Doll

Janet StraightArrow Shaman, Healer, Sage

We have easily transitioned into a mostly online business for private healing sessions, profound energy work, coaching, Healers Training, Shamanic classes-sessions. Zoom, Phone, In person.

7 Chakras Wellness Jennifer Agugliaro

Ayurvedic Practitioner, RN Call for free consult for new clients. 908-251-1200 jennifer@7chakraswellness.com 7ChakrasWellness.com Are you tired of feeling unwell? Jennifer offers natural, holistic methods to help you take control of your health and life. She focuses on women’s health issues such as reproductive health, digestion, sleep and anxiety. Book a free consult today.

Go Local! 14

Antonette D’Orazio

Joseph Wilker

137 Mountain Ave., Hackettstown Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 9am-7:30pm 908-441-2276 drharrington@SunriseNutritionCenter.com SunriseNutritionCenter.com We are dedicated to providing a health improvement program unique to your body. We aim to improve your health through nutrition and other safe, non-invasive therapies.

Holistic Dental Center Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS

The Hemp Oil Store is a family-owned CBD store. Our goal is to bring you, your pets, and your loved ones high-quality CBD products at affordable prices. Shop online at TheHempOilStore. com with free shipping. We also have curbside pickup and walk-ins are always welcome.

Morningstar Family Health Center 54 Old Highway 22, Clinton Mon-Fri; 8:30am-5pm 908-735-9344 MorningStarFHC.com

91 Millburn Ave, Milburn Current hours: Mon 9am-7pm; Tues-Thurs, 8am-5pm; Fri 9am-6pm 973-379-9080 inquiry@drgdds.com HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com Holistic dental care that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums. By treating the cause, not just the symptoms, Dr. Gashinsky helps improve his patients’ quality of life through dental care that respects and honors the body for healthy teeth and gums.

d, page 28.e 12.

Dr. Clare M. Larkin, DC, CMRP

MorningStar’s team of health professionals cares for you like family. Our membership based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care.

The Center For Advanced Health Through Dentistry Dr. Joseph R. Mele, DDS, CNC

215 Union Ave.,Ste D, Bridgewater Monday, Tues, Thurs 8:30 to 4:30, Fri 8-1 908-526-2266 MeleDDS.com

located in Warren 908-930-0628 DrLarkin@optonline.net DrClareLarkin.com

Your cells remember traumatic injury on a deeper level. Some injuries hang on because their energy gets trapped in the deeper tissues of the body. Matrix Repatterning allows the detection and release of these deeper injuries, improves electrical flow and allows the body to function normally again.

We offer the highest quality dental services with a holistic approach for children and adults.

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Modern Acupuncture

Qi Gong For Healing

Joan Arata

176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ Mon-Tues: 10am–3pm; Wed-Fri: 2-7pm; Sat: 10am-3pm 973-765-9500 Nj001@modacu.com ModAcu.com/nj001 65 W. Houston Street, SoHo, NYC Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am-3pm; Tues, Thurs: 2-7pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm 917-388-2886 Ny001@modacu.com ModAcu.com/ny001 We offer an approachable, natural pathway, validated by thousands of years of practice, to better health and well-being for all in a convenient, peaceful and modern location.

New Jersey Natural Medicine Dr. Jason Frigerio, ND, LAC

2424 Lamington Road, Bedminster NJ Hours: 9am-5pm 973-267-2650 info@njnaturalmedicine.com NJNaturalMedicine.com Since 2004 New Jersey Natural Medicine utilizes Naturopathic, Chinese, Ayurvedic and Biological Medicine: treating the whole person, not just his or her symptoms.

Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA Virtual Classes 908-647-1563 QiGongForHealing.com Specializing in T’ai Chi and Qi Gong classes, as well as private session clinical Qi Gong and acupuncture since 1994. Chinese Medicine weekend seminars teach how to apply clinical Qi Gong remedies to specific disorders. Excellent for the lay person and healthcare providers. All are welcome to observe or join a class..

Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC

Thermographer and Holistic Counselor See website for locations in NJ and NY By appointment 855-667-9338 Lisa@LisasThermographyAndWellness.com LisasThermographyAndWellness.com Thermography gives an early look at the most important indicator of a potential health problem – inflammation. Early stage disease screening is an area in which thermography excels. Radiation-free breast and full body screenings for men and women.

Natural Awakenings is proudly distributed at: Bound Brook (Bridgewater) 319 Chimney Rock Rd.

Clark 1255 Raritan Rd. Unit 150

Madison (Rose City) 222 Main St.

Metuchen

“A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.” -Nicole Snow

645 Middlesex Ave.

Millburn-Union 2245 Springfield Ave. Vauxhall

Montclair 701 Bloomfield Ave.

Morristown 110 Washington St.

Newark 633 Broad St.

Parsippany 60 Waterview Blvd

Support Local Business!

Princeton 3495 US Rt 1 S

Ridgewood 44 Godwin Ave.

West Orange 235 Prospect Ave.

March 2021

green living

Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol A Primer on the Latest Research by Sandra Yeyati

ver since the Farm Bill of 2018 legalized the commercial production of hemp, U.S. sales of cannabidiol (CBD) have exploded onto the scene with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of vendors popping up around the country. CBD, a cannabinoid, is abundant in the hemp flower. “By law, hemp is defined as a variety of cannabis plant that has less than 0.3 percent THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid that induces a high,” says Shannon Livingston, a cannabis consultant for Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers.

kostrez/AdobeStock.com

Proven Benefits of CBD: “The enthusiasm for CBD is soaring above the actual scientific evidence,” says Peter Grinspoon, M.D., a leading medical cannabis expert and primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “What’s known is that it helps with childhood epilepsy, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a CBD drug for that. It is believed, and there’s good animal data and some human data to suggest, that CBD helps with chronic pain, insomnia and anxiety.”

Anxiety Under Study: A clinical trial examining a high-CBD, low-THC (the psychoactive component) sublingual custom formulation for patients with moderate to severe anxiety is being conducted by Staci Gruber, Ph.D., director of Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery at McLean Hospital, in Belmont, Massachusetts,

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and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “In the open label phase of this study, we’ve seen a rather dramatic and precipitous drop in symptoms of anxiety and depression after four weeks of treatment. We’ll see if this holds in the double-blind phase, which is underway now,” she explains. Entourage Effect: Gruber notes that this customized formulation is a full-spectrum, wholeplant formula, saying, “You often seem to get a bigger bang for the buck using a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum (whole plant minus THC) product, rather than just a single extracted compound.” The process she’s describing is called the entourage effect—an assumption that all elements of the cannabis plant, working together, are most effective. “I believe there’s a significant role for terpenoids, flavonoids and other cannabinoid constituents of the plant, in addition to the big two (THC and CBD), and I have a grant to look at that very question,” she says. How to Start CBD: Experts agree that the best approach is to start low and go slow. “With experimentation, the patient will know what works for them,” Grinspoon says. “When CBD doesn’t work with my patients, the next step is to add a little bit of medical cannabis; it often takes a very little dose to help them with their sleep or their chronic pain.” Medical marijuana has been legalized in 36 states and the District of Columbia.

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Route of Administration: “When you smoke or vape, it’s an almost immediate onset, which is helpful for breakthrough pain, nausea and anything you want to treat immediately, but the effect is very short-lived,” Livingston explains. “For chronic pain, you might take a capsule or the patch that will last six to eight hours. If you want to fall asleep, a sublingual will work. For a skin condition, you might rub an oil on your skin. It’s really about the time of onset, how long you need it to last and what you’re treating.”

Since 2004 Naturopathic, Chinese & Biological Medicine

Ensuring Quality Control: “Choose CBD providers that are certified for good manufacturing practices; conduct batch-specific, third-party testing on all of their products; and provide certificates of analysis directly from those labs. These tests can detect the presence of heavy metals, bacterial or microbial life, mycotoxins and pesticides, and also provide cannabinoid potency and terpene profiles,” says Grace Kaucic, senior communications and content manager at Bluebird Botanicals, a CBD company in Louisville, Colorado.

COMPREHENSIVE & COMPASSIONATE

Our Built-In Cannabinoids: In the mid-1990s, researchers discovered the endocannabinoid system of receptors and neurotransmitters throughout the body, which uses cannabinoids that our own bodies produce. “This system is believed to control homeostasis, the body’s ability to regulate itself and maintain normal functioning,” Grinspoon says, adding that he believes this system will become central to medicine over the next few years as more research is conducted.

All who come to NJ Natural Medicine benefit from

Research is Ongoing: “It’s an incredibly exciting time for cannabis science,” Gruber says. “There’s every reason to be optimistic about the potential of harnessing and exploiting the benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids in ways that may still surprise us, but to be cautiously optimistic. It is not a panacea. It will never be one-size-fits-all.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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March 2021

Buzz Kill

global briefs

Honey Bees Have a Dirty Secret

Fishy Business

Saving Coral Reefs Worldwide

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The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has urged governments to take action to save the planet’s remaining coral reefs and their attendant fish populations, because collective human impacts are leaving fewer places untouched, with only 15 percent of the Earth’s land mass formally protected and global biodiversity declining at an unprecedented rate. To that end, a new online data platform, MERMAID (DataMermaid.org) helps scientists and management officials collect, organize and disseminate data on reef fish biomass and diversity, as well as the cover of hard corals, fleshy algae and other benthic groups— all identified by ICRI as key indicators of coral reef health, integrity and function. The newly published 5th Global Biodiversity Outlook and other sources endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services clearly indicate that governments are failing to meet existing global targets for biodiversity and that critical ecosystems like coral reefs will be altered to the point that the biodiversity they harbor, and the services they provide, will be irreparably damaged. Currently, only 2.5 percent of the world’s reefs are being actively protected.

Flying High

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Economical Carbon-Neutral Jet Fuel

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Scientists looking for ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere have increasingly focused on the aviation industry, which accounts for approximately 12 percent of transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions. Installing heavy batteries aboard aircraft is problematic, but a team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the UK and Saudi Arabia have developed a way to produce jet fuel using carbon dioxide as a main ingredient, as published in the journal Nature Communications. The process, which uses an iron catalyst with added potassium and manganese, along with hydrogen, citric acid and carbon dioxide heated to 662° F, forces the carbon atoms apart from the oxygen atoms in CO2 molecules, which then bond with hydrogen atoms to produce the kind of hydrocarbon molecules that comprise liquid jet fuel, with water as a byproduct. This is less expensive than converting hydrogen and water into fuel because it uses less electricity. Use of this fuel in aircraft would be carbon-neutral because burning it would release the same amount of carbon dioxide that was used to make it.

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Although honey bees symbolize prosperity, sustainability and environmentalism, and are vital to farmers, they also have a distressing effect on the environment—destabilizing natural ecosystems by competing with native bees. Thousands of beekeeping hobbyists and campaigns to save the bees provide honey bees much more media coverage than native pollinators. High densities of honey bee colonies increase competition with the native pollinators for forage, putting even more pressure on the wild species that are already in decline. Honey bees are extremely general foragers and monopolize floral resources, leading to exploitative competition where one species uses up a resource, not leaving enough to go around. Sheila Colla, an assistant professor and conservation biologist at Toronto’s York University, tells Scientific American, “Beekeeping is for people; it’s not a conservation practice. People mistakenly think keeping honey bees, or helping honey bees, is somehow helping the native bees, which are at risk of extinction. The focus on neonics [pesticide] and honey bees has taken a ton of resources away from conserving wild pollinators from their most important threats.”

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March 2021

DOWN TO EARTH The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming by Sandra Yeyati

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ith its dependence on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, heavy tilling techniques, concentrated animal feeding practices and mono-crops—all designed to maximize yields—conventional farming has come at a great cost. “Conventional intensive farming practices have significant negative consequences for the land and surrounding ecosystems,” says Richard Teague, Texas A&M professor of Ecosystem Science and Management. “By disrupting the natural function of these habitats, the valuable ecosystem services they provide are compromised.”

The way we’re growing food now is not sustainable. “According to the United Nations, we only have 60 harvests left before our soil is completely depleted. Years of conventional industrial agriculture have drained the soil dry of all of the organic matter, all the microbes, that microbiome that brings nutrients to our plants and to our planet as a whole,” says Margaret Wilson, content creation and media relations specialist at the Rodale Institute. The UN also reported last year that agriculture and forestry were responsible for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. “Agriculture is a climate-intensive process and conventional practices make that even worse because they’re fossil fuel-intensive,” Wilson says. “They require a lot of machinery to plow fields and distribute pesticides. Fertilizers

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are fossil fuel-based. Tillage is a huge part of conventional agriculture, where you’re turning the soil over, and that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.” One third of the world’s land surface is considered desert, and according to Judith D. Schwartz, the Vermont author of The Reindeer Chronicles and Cows Save the Planet, most deserts are manmade. “If we look historically, we learn that most deserts were

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once thriving grasslands or some other kind of ecosystem and became deserts after hundreds of years of poor grazing management or farming that was no longer putting nutrients back into the soil.” The good news is that deserts can be brought back to life. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where much of the land is degraded, ingenious ranchers have figured out a way to support healthy animals and plant biodiversity. “The ranchers were earning money by managing the livestock holistically in a way that was reviving the ecological function of these lands, so there were thick grasses, birds and butterflies flourishing right next to land that looked horrible—absolute deserts with a lot of erosion, the soil so depleted that it couldn’t hold water,” recalls Schwartz, who visited the area. Regenerative organic farming holds great promise to rebuild soil, draw carbon from the atmosphere and ultimately grow healthier food. “When you take out the pesticides, fertilizers and intensive tilling, our farming systems trial concluded that regenerative organic agriculture uses 45 percent fewer fossil fuels and releases 40 percent fewer carbon emissions than conventional practices,” Wilson says, adding that a recent Rodale Institute white paper postulated that by transitioning all global crop and pastureland to regenerative management, we could sequester 100 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions. As the founder of the Rodale Institute, J.I. Rodale, said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people.” Soil restoration is job one, and we know how to do this. “The goal of regenerative farming is to farm and ranch in nature’s image,” says Gabe Brown, a North Dakota farmer and author of Dirt to Soil. He offers the following six principles to create a thriving, regenerating agricultural ecosystem:

Context: “There’s a reason bananas do not grow in North Dakota. They don’t fit the context, whereas more spring wheat is grown in North Dakota than anywhere else. You have to farm and ranch in your context.”

The least amount of mechanical and chemical disturbance possible: “Nature tills with earthworms and burrowing rodents, but it certainly doesn’t till the soil like we do in farming or even in gardening. Tilling is the worst thing you can do if you want to raise nutrient-dense food. Nature aerates the soil with the use of living plants and soil aggregates. Those soil aggregates will only last about four weeks, then new ones need to be formed, and the only way to form them is by not tilling and allowing biology and fungi to secrete substances that help bind sand, silt and clay to form soil aggregates.”

Armor on the soil: “Nature always tries to cover the soil, whether it be leaves in a forest or decaying plants in a pasture or field. Nature does not like bare soil.”

Diversity: “Where in nature do you see a monoculture? Usually only where man put it or man’s actions have driven it to be a monoculture. Nature is very diverse, so hundreds of different grasses, legumes all growing in harmony. We’ve gotten away

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A living root being in the soil as long as possible throughout the year: “I go out in the spring here in North Dakota, and you’ve got crocuses coming up through the snow. That’s nature’s way of trying to take the solar energy and all of these compounds out of the atmosphere, and through photosynthesis convert it into carbon to feed soil biology.”

Livestock and insect integration: “Nature does not function properly without animals. Too many people think we have to remove the animals from the landscape. That’s the worst thing you can do. What’s going to pollinate the plants? The way our rich soils were formed was with large herds of ruminants, grazing the plants. That plant, once grazed, starts sloughing off root exudates to attract biology, to regrow, and then that plant is able to cycle more carbon out of the atmosphere.” Brown waxes poetic when he talks about the amazing results of regenerative farming. “Healthy soil looks like dark chocolate cake. It’s full of pore spaces. Healthy soil is dark because of the amount of carbon in it. It smells good, whereas unhealthy soil is very compacted. There’s no pore spaces. Water cannot infiltrate into it. It’s a dull, pale color. You can see it, you can smell it, you can feel it.” According to Wilson, the Rodale Institute is poised to help farmers adopt these principles and make them profitable. “People say regenerative organic isn’t scalable, but through our farming systems trial, we’re proving that you can do this on a large scale. It might require customization, but that’s why we’re investing so much in providing support and research to farmers to help them navigate that, and we’re seeing that scalability is not a barrier to implementation because so many big companies like Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia are starting to implement these practices because people are demanding it. The market finds a way to make it doable and as long as we keep up our consumer education and show people that this is a benefit to everybody, I think large-scale farmers and corporations that buy their products will respond.” Last year, Graham Christensen’s father gave him and his brother full control of a 750-acre farm in Oakland, Nebraska, that has been in the family since 1867. Over the decades, the farm has seen many changes, but the biggest transformation is still to come, as the brothers eagerly transition their once conventional operation into a regenerative organic one. The family began to incorporate a few innovations 12 years ago when they stopped tilling the land and adopted solar energy, but

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MATRIX REPATTERNING

from that. Now we plant monocultures. That’s not the way nature functions.”

APRIL

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Coming Next Month

this year they’ll take bolder steps to eliminate their dependence on GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers and pesticides which over the years have reduced organic matter levels in the soil and led to increased and unhealthy nutrient levels in their waterways. “For the first time, we’ll be cover-cropping 612 acres and expanding habitats for wildlife, especially in some riparian areas, so we can get more roots in the soil and have better filtration and cleaner water,” Christensen explains. “We’re going to produce nutrients by building a biodiverse ecosystem and we’re incorporating animal grazing systems to help us fertilize naturally rather than having to add synthetics like nitrogen and phosphorus.” They have planted a 100-tree hazelnut orchard that they hope to expand as a tree crop. “That’s going to help us stop soil

erosion, store more carbon in the ground, produce another form of income and also be able to fit right into our cropping system, virtually taking out no extra land; just creating a higher layer, so now we’re farming higher in the air.” The transition is not without its risks, Christensen adds. “Farms like ours have been heavily subsidized by the federal government to ship our grain to other countries. What we’re trying to do now is produce more small grains and hazelnuts for a regional market and reintroduce livestock to the land—not in confinement—so we can focus more on feeding people in our local community and in Omaha or Lincoln or Kansas City or Des Moines.”

Healthy Home Plus: Climate Change Health Impacts

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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inspiration

HEALING FROM GRIEF Four Ways to Find Peace by Jasmin Jenkins

hen I was 13, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. At 15, I was at her graveside, navigating my first experience with the other side of love: loss. Ten years later, my beloved and only brother died tragically as a result of PTSD and untreated addiction. In a word: suicide. Where my mom’s death silenced me, my brother’s death pushed me into a deep pursuit of healing. In the nine years since then, I have committed to discovering the light side of grief, to identifying and embracing the invitations that lay within its deep layers. What I’ve come to learn is that grieving is actually a renewal state—a cycle of releasing and reconnecting. The tears and sadness are, quite literally, just a more fluid connection to love. These are the four invitations I’ve found within the grief:

The invitation to pause

When someone we love dies, our whole world changes in an instant and forever. And with this disruption, there is an opportunity for sacred inquiry that arrives as we pause and honor the absence of our loved one: the impressions they made on our lives, what we will miss about them, how we will continue to celebrate their lives and what their story taught us.

invitation to connect with our 2 The breath

With the intensity of emotions surrounding loss, breath can serve as our anchor. Simply remembering to close our eyes and breathe allows us to stay grounded in our body, mind and spirit. In the TED talk “Breathe to Heal,” Max Strom explains how certain patterns of breathing can actually change how we feel.

3 The invitation to feel

Elizabeth Kübler–Ross taught us about the five stages of grief, but since everyone’s story and process is so unique, there is ultimately no linear order of the stages. If an emotion arises, allow for it. Feelings, after all, are just information about the state of our heart. The more we can give ourselves permission to be with where we are in our grief, the more at peace we will be in our process.

4 The invitation to heal

Healing is a verb requiring action and commitment. We have to allow for the pain to heal, also remembering that in doing so, we must keep our hearts open. We have to ask for help when healing, because most of us can’t heal in isolation. Therapists who specialize in grief, online grief courses, bodywork and support groups can help us move forward. Zen Buddhism reminds us that the obstacle is the path. By exploring these invitations, we arrive at the truth that grief is actually a sacred pathway into a deeper connection within our hearts. Jasmin Jenkins is a Los Angeles-based integrative grief guide and the founder of Fall Up, which supports people navigating the spectrum of grief. Learn more at WeFallUp.com.

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Jeff Tkach on Regenerative Healthcare by Patricia Trenchak

or over 70 years, Rodale Institute—a pioneer of the organic food movement—has championed the concept of farming without herbicides and pesticides by funding and supporting scientific studies and education. Now entering his fifth year with Rodale Institute, Chief Impact Officer Jeff Tkach is committed to upholding the legacy of the Institute’s founder, J.I. Rodale, who believed that healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people. According to Tkach, farmers and healthcare professionals need to embrace a prevention-based approach to human and environmental health, and Rodale Institute is here to bridge the gap between these two industries by unlocking the transformational power of regenerative healthcare.

How did your personal journey lead you to explore regenerative healthcare? In 2016, I experienced a tremendous health collapse in my own life. I went through six conventional medical doctors and $50,000 in medical bills. I had been a high-performing businessperson up until that point, and found myself on medical leave, bedridden and unable to work. I sought out a doctor who practiced something called functional medicine, which focuses on finding the root of whatever caused the breakdown in health. After numerous tests, it was discovered that I had chronic Lyme disease. The doctor explained that there was nothing he could prescribe that was going to instantly make me better. Through my work with him, I had to look at my body as a whole system and came to realize that food is medicine. Ultimately, alternative modalities like acupuncture and

IV [intravenous] therapy, as well as food healed me.

What is regenerative healthcare? It is a system in which farming and healthcare work together focused on a prevention-based approach to human and environmental health. Instead of using toxic chemicals to farm, regenerative healthcare aims to prevent disease through an organic, plant-based, whole-foods diet. Regenerative healthcare begins on farms that work in harmony with nature. At Rodale Institute, we see ourselves as a human health organization, not an agricultural organization. We use agriculture as a tool to promote human health. Our goal is to build the first brick and mortar facility in the world, called the Regenerative Health Institute, that will connect medical doctors and farmers. The facility will be a 333acre certified organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, that will provide innovative research on the links between farming and human health. We’re going to be doing scientific research that demonstrates the link between soil health and the health of people, and we’re going to educate and train tomorrow’s doctors to become more literate in agriculture and to understand how they can use food as medicine.

How can we harness the power of regenerative organic farming to foster good health? The current mode of farming is systemically broken, and farmers need to move in a healthier direction. The science is showing that elements in pesticides and herbicides are known carcinogens that are wreaking havoc on our immune systems. They are ubiquitous in our air and drinking water.

Farmers are no longer able to control where those chemicals land. They’re leaching into our groundwater, killing the life in the soil and causing major soil erosion. Ultimately, they’re causing imbalances in nature of mass proportion.

How can you convince people to adopt organic and consider food as medicine? We need to encourage people to get to know a farmer. There are incredible regenerative organic farmers in our own communities that oftentimes don’t have access to mainstream markets. During the pandemic, we saw a major increase in sales directly from farms to consumers. When the supply chains in the grocery stores broke down, we turned to farmers. That’s profound. As a result of the pandemic, 22 million new gardens were planted in the United States, according to the National Gardening Association. We need to keep that going. It’s very exciting to be a part of this movement as people around the world come to understand the importance of food as medicine. I truly believe that regenerative healthcare is the key to healing our planet. For more information, visit RodaleInstitute.org. Patricia Trenchak writes for KnoWEwell, a Regenerative Whole Health Community platform and a collaborative partner of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. See ad, page 2. March 2021

healing ways

The Healing Potential of Psychedelic Medicines

“Psilocybin Can Occasion Mystical-Type Experiences Having Substantial and Sustained Personal Meaning and Spiritual Significance.” Pollan turned his journalistic skills to researching the potential of psychedelics to actually heal the mind and treat mental and behavioral disorders, and the book that resulted became a number one New York Times bestseller.

Promising Studies on Stress Disorder, Depression and Addiction

Research Breaks New Ground

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by Linda Sechrist

or more than 30 years, intersections of the human and natural world—our plates, farms and gardens—have been of interest to author Michael Pollan, who recently added the mind as another significant association in his latest book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence. Pollan’s interest was sparked by two articles. The first, a New York Times story, “Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again,” details how researchers from Johns Hopkins, the University of Arizona, Harvard, New York University (NYU), the University of California/ Los Angeles and other institutions had been giving doses of psilocybin—the psychoactive compound in certain mushrooms—to terminal cancer patients as a way to help them deal with their “existential distress” at the approach of death. The second, a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Psychopharmacology by Johns Hopkins researchers, was entitled

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Much of the research for studying psychedelic medicine has been supported by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). The 35-yearold Santa Cruz, California, nonprofit is currently backing research into psychoactive methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also referred to as ecstasy, which produces effects resembling stimulants and psychedelics, as well as a feeling of connectedness. It plans to publish the full results of phase three clinical trials for MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2022, the final stage before seeking U.S. Food & Drug Administration approval for its use as a prescription treatment. MAPS founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., who spent 30 years studying how psychedelics might help heal trauma and mental illness, was trained and mentored by Stanislav Grof, M.D. A renowned psychiatrist with more than 60 years of experience researching non-ordinary states of consciousness, Grof proposes that psychedelics are to the study of the mind what microscopes are to biology and the telescope is to astronomy. When used wisely, he suggests, they can heal, inspire and perhaps save us. Researchers have found that psychedelics reduce activity in the brain’s default mode network that creates our sense of self—the equivalent of our ego—filtering all incoming information according to personal needs and priorities. When activity is reduced in the default mode network, the ego shifts from the foreground to the background, allowing us to see that we’re part of a larger field of awareness. This can be

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Johns Hopkins and NYU research has demonstrated how psilocybin can help with treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and addiction. among an individual’s most important experiences, allowing for feelings of connectedness, altruism and acceptance of death.

Psychedelics as Treatment Since 2010, in addition to treating PTSD, MDMA has shown positive results for depression, social anxiety in autistic adults and anxiety associated with a life-threatening illness. Johns Hopkins and NYU research has demonstrated how psilocybin can help with treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and addiction. Both MDMA and psilocybin have been studied as adjuncts or catalysts to psychotherapy rather than as standalone treatments. Jennifer Phelps, M.D., who teaches for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C., and practices family and integrative medicine in Georgetown, Connecticut, says that psilocybin can transform a terminally ill individual’s quality of life for the remainder of their time. “This compassionate use can presently only be prescribed by a physician with the required license issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Presently, LSD, MDMA and psilocybin can only be prescribed for research,” she says. Charley Wininger, a Brooklyn-based psychotherapist, authored Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA after experiencing its positive effects on his marriage and psyche. “For those who experiment responsibly, psychedelics can open their lives up to spiritual growth and transformation. It’s a way to learn about how connected we are to each other, to the natural world and to the world at large. When you experience this level of connection, you and your worldview are transformed,” he says. “MDMA helped me with the aging process. I keep growing and exploring consciousness in an unconventional way,”

he adds, enthusing that psychedelics can be a unique, life-enhancing opportunity for healthy people across their entire adult lifespan. Wininger explains that MDMA floods the body with serotonin and oxytocin, creating a sense of safety and well-being. “It’s best to do it with a trained psychotherapist or sitter, so that if any trauma surfaces, it can be relieved with a sense of safety. While individuals report that their relationship to trauma is altered permanently, integration groups give them opportunities to share and anchor their experiences.”

Getting Informed Daniel Shankin, program director of the wellness organization Tam Integration, Align and Flow, in Fairfax, California, offers mindfulness-based coaching and mentorships to integrate psychedelics with life, education and a related career. “Having a guide, preparation coach or therapist is good,” he says. “For the transformation to be lasting, preparation work is needed. Answering questions such as—Why are you here? What are your expectations?

And what makes you feel safe and comfortable?—helps to build rapport with a guide that can help you form a simple, powerful intention beforehand. “Personal growth work is invaluable to psychonauts,” says Shankin, who offers podcast interviews on TamIntegration. com, as well as replays of a 2019 Psilocybin Summit in which notable speakers explore the facets of psilocybin mushrooms and methods for creating ceremony and holding a safe space. Also discussed are traditional and indigenous use, as well as efforts to change public policy so that individuals can legally have access to psychedelic medicine. The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies also educates the public about psychedelic medicines and trains psychotherapists to work in the expanding field of psychedelic studies. Its online programs inform the general public via podcasts about conscious medicine and the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy, which appears promising in light of the recent decriminalization of psilocybin in Oakland, Denver and Washington, D.C. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

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Indoor Edible Gardening Grow Veggies, Sprouts and Microgreens Year-Round by April Thompson

sprout up that can be harvested and used like chives, advises Allaway. To maximize space, she suggests growing plants vertically, perhaps by hanging bushy herbs or trailing plants in a window basket. She has also used interior walls to erect a trellis for vining plants like cucumbers, wiring it up with screw eyes.

Mini-Greens, Major Nutrients Many health-conscious gardeners are drawn to sprouts and microgreens for their nutritional benefits, as they contain as much as 40 times the nutrients as their full-grown counterparts. Sprouts can easily be grown with or without soil, and are

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here’s no need to wait until the last frost date to sow a kitchen garden. Impatient gardeners or those without outdoor space can grow almost anything indoors with a little light and creativity. “You can start many edible plants from seed on a sunny windowsill, even in late winter. You’ll be surprised how quickly everything germinates this time of year,” says Zia Allaway, the British author of Indoor Edible Garden: Creative Ways to Grow Herbs, Fruits, and Vegetables in Your Home. Herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are among the many foods that can be easily grown from seed indoors, according to Allaway. Many fruiting plants that are not self-pollinating, such as cucumbers, need a boost from hand pollination if growing them indoors. Allaway adds, “When growing any plants on a windowsill, rotate them periodically so they grow evenly, as they will turn toward the light.” While crops like garlic, beets and carrots won’t reach maturity indoors, they can still be grown inside for their tasty, nutritious leaves. To grow garlic shoots, for example, remove the papery outer case and submerge the flat end of a garlic bulb in a container of water, leaving the top exposed to air. Within a few weeks, garlicky-flavored shoots will

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eaten before the first tiny cotyledon leaves emerge, whereas microgreens are harvested later, often just before or after the first true leaves, the second pair, pop up. “Sprouted greens grown at home are the freshest food you’ll ever eat. Being able to grow your own salads is also a lot of fun in the winter, to see the wonderful colors growing on your shelf,” says Peter Burke, the Calais, Vermont, author of Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening: How to Grow Nutrient-Dense, Soil-Sprouted Greens in Less Than 10 Days. Burke’s tried and true method is to plant a small amount of seed every day from a mix of sunflower, peas, radish, buckwheat and brassicas like broccoli or kohlrabi, providing a steady supply of his family’s daily dose of greens. While some gardeners grow sprouts or microgreens directly on paper towels or coconut coir, Burke prefers using a storebought, germination soil mix, spread up to two inches deep in reusable trays, watered once a day and grown without artificial light. Many seeds commonly found in the home pantry can be turned into sprouts and shoots, says Lina Wallentinson, the Swedish author of Sprouts, Shoots and Microgreens: Tiny Plants to Grow and Eat in Your Kitchen. “Mustard seeds from the spice shelf, whole lentils in all colors, chickpeas and yellow peas can all be easily grown for sprouts and shoots without any special equipment,” she says. Seeds can be put into wide-mouthed jars, soaked overnight, and then drained and rinsed two to three times a day. Germination of seeds into sprouts, from mung beans to quinoa, can typically take less than 24 hours with this method. Sprouts and microgreens make great toppers for salads, soups, sandwiches or smoothies, and they can also be cooked. “Newly sprouted mung and lentil seeds with a short ‘tail’ are perfect to flash-fry and season with soy, chili and a little sesame oil as an alternative to rice or pasta,” says Wallentinson. “Sprouts are also nice to bake with. Like seeds and nuts, they give a good little chew in all kind of breads.” Whether growing sprouts, microgreens or full-sized plants, Allaway advises home gardeners to make drainage holes at the bottom of the containers to avoid overwatering. “It’s better to underwater than

overwater a plant, because once it starts to rot, it’s game over. There is also research showing that a little stress from occasional underwatering can trigger the plant to produce more phytochemicals, which are nutritionally beneficial,” she says. Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

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Tasty, Sprout-Inspired Recipes Green Smoothie Bowl Here’s a recipe that contains both sprouts and shoots. The buckwheat provides a little extra satiety. Top the bowl with some poppy seeds, grated coconut, nuts and berries. Yield: 2 bowls Approx. 1¼ cup mild, tender shoots such as broccoli, chia, pea or sunflower 2 frozen bananas 3½ oz frozen mango, diced 2 Tbsp buckwheat sprouts 6¾ oz mild plain yogurt (3 percent) or coconut or almond milk Hemp hearts, poppy seeds, grated coconut, nuts and frozen red and/ or black currants, for topping Blend shoots, bananas, mango, sprouted buckwheat and yogurt until smooth using a countertop or immersion blender. Pour into bowls and top with hemp hearts, poppy seeds, nuts, coconut and berries.

Noodle Soup with Coconut, Sprouts and Shoots This soup is a favorite in our home. Simple to make, it’s warming thanks to just the right amount of bite from the chili. Yield: 4 servings 1 8¾ oz pack of noodles 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 carrot 2 tsp red curry paste Canola oil, for frying 1 13½ oz can coconut milk 1 tsp tomato purée 2 Tbsp fish sauce (or Japanese soy sauce) 1 vegetable stock cube 1 tsp sugar 1¼ cups water 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice 1 red bell pepper About 7 oz mung bean sprouts Pea and radish shoots, for garnish Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain off the water, and mix the noodles with the oil. Peel and thinly slice the carrot. In a saucepan, cook the curry paste and carrot in some oil for about 1 minute. Add in the coconut milk, tomato purée, fish sauce, stock cube, sugar and water, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the lime juice. Halve, seed and julienne the bell pepper; add it to the soup. Divide the noodles between the bowls, add the soup and sprinkle with sprouts and shoots.

Recipes excerpted from Sprouts, Shoots & Microgreens: Tiny Plants to Grow and Eat in Your Home Kitchen, by Lina Wallentinson. Photography by Lennart Weibull.

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible. 30

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

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teen voices

How to Survive Freshman Year During a Pandemic by Jared Zornitzer

hat is college like for you? Are you able to experience it in-person right now? Or are you, like countless other students across the globe, facing the difficult transition to remote learning? This is my short story of finding gratitude during these trying times by relying on a friend which I’m confident would befriend you. Given the adversity that we have all had to face over the past year, I hope that this story inspires you to step back, take a deep breath, and recognize that beauty in life still flourishes. I am lucky enough to have spent the past two semesters at school. Despite many restrictions, I have met a few close friends and had some memorable in-person experiences. At the same time, I have spent about five weeks in total under school-wide quarantines. The majority of my classes are online so, in common with many others, I experience the fatigue from looking at a computer all day and the feeling of disconnect from members of my college community. Our generation faces unprecedented levels of stress and barriers to social interactions; it seems like the odds are up against us. On my walk to a COVID-19 test following a quarantine period, my thoughts rambled between worry about school assignments and a yearning for an escape route from the monotony of online classes. Once I joined the long line of students waiting to get tested at the outdoor testing site, I happened to cast my glance to the west. Through the trees, across the Hudson Valley, I beheld the vista of a mountain. It was a stunning sight; it awakened my connection to nature which had been dormant over the past two and a half weeks which I spent in a dorm room.

The mountains are one of my favorite places to be. The anticipation that comes with setting off on a mountain trail: being fully immersed in nature, surmounting the physical obstacles, laughing and enjoying the company of those who I am with—these are my supreme sources of happiness. In short, I feel at home in the mountains. Seeing a not-too-distant peak that morning brought me back to the present instead of worrying about the day ahead and made me realize that I am really not that far away from home. In fact, I am close to some of the most iconic mountains in the northeast. We all live in a wonderful region of the country. We have the joys of blooming spring, the sunny days of summer, the rustic fall foliage and snow-covered peaks in the winter. If you are feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to remember that vibrant signs of life in its purest forms surround us. All it takes is a step outside to breathe in the fresh air. You are sure to be revitalized and reminded by our Earth-bound friends to take this one day at a time, as they do all around us. Jared Zornitzer is a full-time college student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY studying engineering. An advocate of balancing work and school with exercise and healthy living, he loves hiking, biking, running, cooking, spending time with family and friends, and learning in his classes.

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Yoga Corner What is Ayurveda? by Nicole Zornitzer

n Sanskrit, Ayurveda is the science of life, it is the sister science of yoga. Both yoga and Ayurveda developed together and have influenced the other through history. It has long been thought that Ayurveda is one of the most remarkable holistic medical systems in the world, having been in existence for thousands of years. Ayurveda’s purpose is to look at the bodily and mental diseases and prevent them versus the Western view of treatment of disease. In today’s society we are accustomed to taking medications to mask illness when in fact according to Ayurveda we can take actionable steps to prevent dis-ease before its onset. In holistic terminology, dis-ease is spelled correctly: dis (not) – ease (a state of balance). Dis-ease is a state of imbalance in the body, mind or spirit. The goal of Ayurveda and yoga is to find ease. Ayurvedic practices promote physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological well-being. Three Basic Ayurvedic Constitutions/Doshas: Vata = Element Air/Ether Pita = Element Fire/Water Kapha = Element Earth/Water The first step in Ayurvedic treatment is determining one’s dosha/constitution. At the moment of conception, our birth constitution is determined (prakruti), our vikruti is how we have been culturally conditioned and becomes are current

constitution. Over our lifespan our constitution becomes imbalanced and the purpose of Ayurveda is to rebalance the dosha. These imbalances occur due to diet, stress, life stage and season. An Ayurvedic practitioner looks at all aspects of the individual. A unique understanding of one’s constitution is taken into consideration and a treatment plan that includes diet, herbs, exercise and lifestyle routines including yoga and meditation are carefully executed to bring about wellness and balance. What Ayurveda teaches us is our connection to our ancestry, our interaction with the earth elements and how we can affect change, balance and connection with self through understanding we are all part of a great system of Vedic knowledge which states that all the universe is one. Being part of a global community of Ayurvedic counselors and healers is one of my most honorable accomplishments. Ayurveda has caused me to look at myself and others with a different lens and this lens offers compassion and a knowing that dis-ease is preventable and our mission is to prevent versus treat disease.

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Nicole Zornitzer, Ayurvedic counselor, ERYT 1000, yoga therapist, founder of Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala, located in Randolph, New Jersey, and Upper Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

March 2021

daily & ongoing

All calendar events for the April 2021 issue must be received by March 10 and adhere to our guidelines. To submit, visit naturalawakeningscnj.com/pages/calendar-listings or email kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com for submission form.

MARCH 2021 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

Tarot 101 Class via ZOOM – Each Wed. in Mar.; 7-9pm. Four Class Series with Rhonda Alin. Learn and connect with other like-minded individuals and be able to use your deck. $140. Minimum deposit of $40 reserves space. Balance due by first class. Blossoming into Light, Chester. 862-222-4268. For more information, visit BlossomingIntoLightChester.com.

Reiki Level II Training via ZOOM – 11:30am5:30pm. Learn three symbols to use, distance healing, essential oils, Reiki grid, receive an attunement to this level and more. $295. Minimum deposit of $80 to reserve your space with balance due by day of class. Payment plans are available. Class includes handbook, level certificate and some sample essential oils. Blossoming into Light, Chester. 862-222-4268. For more information, visit BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7 Movement as Prayer – 10am. This 1-hour donation-based session is being offered as part of the Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project and will be offered via Zoom. Email movingintowellness@gmail.com for info.

TUESDAY, MARCH 9 Discernment in Today’s World – 7-8:30pm. Find peace in chaos and freedom in adversity and the confidence to move forward through learning to discern Universal Truth and how to sort through the illusions and misperceptions in our mind and world to live the truth in our lives. Led by Janet StraightArrow, Shaman-Sage-Healer. $25$50. Be The Medicine (Online SessionsClasses), 48 Frederick Place, Morristown. 973-647-2500. BeTheMedicine.com.

Save The Date / August 20-22, 2021

VISION QUEST MITOTE RETREAT ART FARM, FAWN LANE IN ACCORD NY A sacred rite of passage. A time for you. Pause and get off the track of your life to go inside and discover your authentic voice, needs, and choices.

Be The Medicine Janet StraightArrow Shaman, Sage, Healer $575 ~For information ~ 973-647-2500 Janet@BeTheMedicine.com

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Treats for Tweets Winter Bird Scavenger Hunt – 1-2:30pm. The Great Backyard Bird Count: walk the sanctuary, visit our feeders and make a treat for the birds. All ages. Registration required. Free. Hawk Rise Sanctuary, 1811 Lower Rd, Linden. NJAudubon.org.

and profound. Instructor: Janet StraightArrow. $350. BeTheMedicine.com (Online SessionsClasses), 48 Frederick Place, Morristown. 973647-2500. BeTheMedicine.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19 Addressing Anxiety: Starting with the Basics via Zoom – 12noon ET. With Dr. Nikki Conte, ND & Kirstin Nussgruber, BCHN, EMB. 30-minute talk outlines key factors underlying anxiety, the role of the nervous system and how to support it, recommended testing for neurological imbalances and nutritional factors. Free. RSVP to 908-6584900 or janet@valleypharmacyrx.com. ValleyPharmacyRX.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 21

Spring Sides – 2-3pm. Spring into shape and strengthen your core with this dynamic, Pilates-inspired class. $25. Niyama Yoga Shala, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. $25. Pre-registration required by visiting our website or downloading our APP “Niyama Yoga & Wellness Studio” from the APP Store. 973-500-2939. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

Movement and Music - Exploring Balance and Breath – 10am. This 1-hour donationbased session is being offered as part of the Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project and will be offered via Zoom. Email movingintowellness@gmail.com for info.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

Be Kind to Your Body: Nia Moving to Heal– 10am. This 1-hour donation-based session is being offered as part of the Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project and will be offered via Zoom. Email movingintowellness@gmail.com for info.

SharQui, The Bellydance Workout – 10am. This 1-hour donation-based session is being offered as part of the Moving Into Wellness Community Dance Project and will be offered via Zoom. Email movingintowellness@gmail. com for info. The Protected Healer – Noon-4pm. Blending Advanced Shamanic and Energy Medicine Teachings. Awaken to more profound, subtle, and gross levels of energy and how to work with it in this experiential course. Recordings sent. Led by Janet StraightArrow, Shaman-SageHealer. $150.-$180. Prepay by 3/7 for discount. Join by Zoom link later with a free follow up with Janet. Be The Medicine (Online SessionsClasses), 48 Frederick Pl., Morristown. 973647-2500. BeTheMedicine.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 Advanced Soul Shamanism Series – 3/174/14; 7-9:30pm. Experience further initiations and ways to explore our life now and continue our soul journey. Learning to move through any blocks into wholeness, health, happiness, truth, beauty, and light allows your entire life to transform into its perfect alignment—more ways to know and heal you and others that are simple

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

SUNDAY, MARCH 28

ONGOING DAILY Qi Gong for Beginner Series – Times and days vary. Four 1-hour classes. Begin the gentle movements of a Qi Gong Tai Chi journey featuring Patty Pagano live online. First 1-hour class is Free! Check schedule or register at https://forms.gle/k2kcv9tVJ6X1QfpD8. For information contact Patty at 908-3921313 or PattyQigongforHealing@gmail.com. QiGongForHealing.com.

MONDAY Intuitive and Spiritual Development Classes Via Zoom – Times vary: Mon pm, Wed am, Sat am. Weekly class to explore, develop and learn to trust intuitive abilities. Includes

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guided meditation, discussion and practice exercises. Non-refundable deposit of $50 holds your spot. Weekly cost $25. RSVP/ Questions: Call or text Sue at 862-222-4268 or email info@blossomingintolight-chester. com. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com. Spiritual Acceleration Classes via Zoom – 2nd & 4th Mondays; 7-8:30pm. Variety of topics for discussion, guided meditations and practices you can use. Spiritual topics such as ascension, life purpose, spiritual etiquette, ascended masters, spiritual rays, levels of initiation, nature kingdom and much more. $25 per class or purchase four classes for $90. Register at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/135879572459. Blossoming into Light, Chester. Zoom link provided on registration. For more information email info@blossomingintolightchester.com, or text/call Sue on 862-2224268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

TUESDAY Tai Chi with Sal via Zoom – 6:30-7:30pm. Learn Tai Chi from the comfort of your home via Zoom. When permitted will include in-person option. $35. RSVP/Questions: Call or text Sue at 862-222-4268 or email info@blossomingintolight-chester.com. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

MARCH advertiser specials Mention Natural Awakenings to take advantage of these terrific specials.

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WEDNESDAY Focus on the Joints – 8:45-10am. This class focuses on warming up the body and moving the joints. Small movements reap big rewards as we move stuck energy through the body! Simple pranayama (breath work) and asana sequence is followed by relaxing savasana. Adults $18, Seniors/Students $16 or class card. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg. 908-707-0759. YogaCentralNJ.com.

THURSDAY Historic Downtown Jersey City WinterSpring Farmer’s Market – 4-6pm. On the Grove PATH Plaza: The winter-spring market happens every Thursday. Local produce, organic soap, food vendors and more. Free to Attend. Grove PATH Plaza, Grove Street, Jersey City. jcdowntown.org/events/farmersmarket. Qigong –7-8pm. In person or Zoom. Qigong is a way to create balance, harmony and wellbeing. Join Sal each week in-person (limited space for in-person) or via Zoom. $35 per class. To RSVP, text/call Sue at 862-2224268 or info@blossomingintolight-chester. com. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com. $35. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave Suite 105, Chester. 862-222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

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March 2021

Central New Jersey Community

business directory

Join the community! Request our media kit today by emailing Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Your local source for natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

Ayurveda/Women’s Health

Coaching/Counseling/ Therapy

Eden Energy Medicine/ Sound Meditation

7 Chakras Wellness

Mindful Experiences

RedTail Energetics

Jennifer Agugliaro

Linda LaMarca Schuler, MA, LPC

Karen E Adamo, EEM-AP

Are you tired of feeling unwell? Jennifer offers natural, holistic methods to help you take control of your health and life. She focuses on women’s health issues such as reproductive health, digestion, sleep and anxiety. Book a free consult today. See ad, page 21.

Your mental and emotional well-being is key to living an abundant, healthy, peaceful existence yet reaching out to a therapist may feel uncomfortable. I employ a spiritual, holistic, educational and heart centered philosophy. Virtual sessions are judgment free; HIPPA secure. Plus online courses. See ad, page 5.

Ayurvedic Practitioner, RN 908-251-1200 jennifer@7chakraswellness.com 7ChakrasWellness.com

age 25.CBD Oil The Hemp Oil Store

Joseph Wilker Cool Breeze Distributors 3 E. Ave., Yardley, PA 855-904-4367, 267-679-2949 coolbreezedist@gmail.com TheHempOilStore.com License Number: 82-2609404 The Hemp Oil Store is a family-owned CBD store. Our goal is to bring you, your pets, and your loved ones high-quality CBD products at affordable prices. Shop online at TheHempOilStore.com with free shipping. We also have curbside pickup and walkins are always welcome. See ad, page 7.

Chinese Healing Arts

908-689-6896 lindaschuler@rocketmail.com LindaLaMarca.com

Cosmetics – Organic Mederi Cosmetics

Education/Schools 1062 Cherry Hill Rd, Princeton 609-466-1970, x115 PrincetonWaldorf.org

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Terry Martin, mother of five, is CEO, owner and founder of Mederi Cosmetics, offering both natural/organic and paramedical makeup lines (mainly for accident and burn survivors). Medical esthetician and paramedical makeup artist, motivational and lay ministry speaker, author of Makeup & More and Beyond Makeup, radio talk show host, newspaper founder. See ad, page 23.

The Waldorf curriculum, used in 1,000+ schools School worldwide, integrates arts, of Princeton academics, movement, and music, emphasizing social and environmental responsibility. The hands-on approach is screen free.

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Functional Medicine Morningstar Family Health Center 54 Old Highway 22, Clinton 908-735-9344 MorningStarFHC.com

Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA 908-647-1563 QiGongForHealing.com

Experience more joy, peace, calm, health and vitality through the combination of two profoundly effective healing modalities—Eden Energy Medicine, which corrects imbalances in nine different energy systems, and Sound Meditation with authentic bronze Himalayan Singing Bowls and Gongs.

Waldorf School Of Princeton

Terry Martin 570-575-8185 Terry@MederiCosmetics.com

Qi Gong For Healing

Specializing in T’ai Chi and Qi Gong classes, as well as private session clinical Qi Gong and acupuncture since 1994. Chinese Medicine weekend seminars teach how to apply clinical Qi Gong remedies to specific disorders. Excellent for the lay person and healthcare providers. All are welcome to observe or join a class. See ad, page 21.

Eden Energy Medicine Advanced Practitioner Phillipsburg, NJ 908-752-0097 (phone or text) Karen@RedTailEnergetics.com RedTailEnergetics.com

“In the absence of clearlydefined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we

MorningStar’s team of health professionals cares for you like family. Our membership based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care. See ad, page 9.

become enslaved by it.” - Robert A. Heinlein

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

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Holistic Chiropractors

Hypnosis & Reiki

Samsara Chiropractic Wellness Center

Energy Health & Wellness LLC

Dr Jennifer Redmond 7 E. High St, Somerville 908-300-8800 DoctorRedmond.com

We believe that the body is designed to heal itself but structural issues, toxins, lack of nutrients or an emotional component can affect overall health. We offer Whole-istic healing techniques including Neuroemotional Technique, Active Release techniques, Activator, Flexion Distraction and more! See ad, page 35.

Holistic Dentistry The Center For Advanced Health Through Dentistry Dr. Joseph R. Mele, DDS, FIND, CNC 215 Union Ave.,Ste D, Bridgewater 908-526-2266 MeleDDS.com

Our aim is to restore you to health and vitality by eliminating dental road blocks. We offer the highest quality dental services with a holistic approach for children and adults. See ad, page 39.

Holistic Dental Center Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS

91 Millburn Ave, Milburn 973-457-4688 HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com Holistic dental care that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums. By treating the cause, not just the symptoms, Dr. Gashinsky helps improve his patients’ quality of life through dental care that respects and honors the body. See ad, page 40, back cover.

“All brave men love; for he is only brave who has affections to fight for.”

Michele Dellavalle, CH, CHTP, ART Clinton & Flemington Online Sessions available #908-403-2045 EnergyHealth4Wellness@gmail.com ReikiEHW.com Employs complimentary methods to treat individuals in a holistic manner helping clients reach their goals and highest possible level of mental, physical & spiritual well-being. Offering 5-Path Hypnosis®, 7th Path Self-Hypnosis®, Reiki, Healing Touch, Crystal Healing & Meditations.

Integrative Psychotherapy Bobbie Lynn Edwards LPC, NCC,M.Ed

Licensed Psychotherapist 15 E. Main St., Clinton 908-892-8978 • HunterdonTherapist.com Bobbie Lynn Edwards is a licensed psychotherapist for 35 years. Practicing integrating psychotherapy focusing on a broad spectrum of spiritual philosophies and practices to assist in your healing. Clinically trained to provide guidance and direction to individuals, couples and families. Goals set within a mutual learning environment is the process. Meditation workshops for small and large groups are available. Call for a free consultation and further information.

classifieds Have a business opportunity, job opening, space for rent or other need? Place your classified ads here, 30 words for $30, extra words $1 each. Email to Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication date.

INTUITIVE SERVICES READINGS: Oracle card and palmistry readings offered in person, phone, parties welcome. Spiritually guided channeled messages are for your highest good. Let my gifts guide you! Reasonable rates. Cheryl 908-268-8029.

HEALING WITH MUSIC BOOSTING YOUR ORGANS & TISSUES WITH VIBRATIONAL MUSIC: Gobinthran Muniandy, a specialist in Quantum Varma Medicine and Michael Legge, a composer of Healing Music have produced an innovative at-home program. Muniandy can scan any individual in the world from his location. Legge’s Music Transitions upgrades depleted organs and tissues with abundant energy focused by Kotodama. For more information, click: Energy.FiveNotes.com.

Matrix Repatterning Dr. Clare M. Larkin, DC, CMRP located in Warren 908-930-0628 DrLarkin@optonline.net DrClareLarkin.com

SUPERFOOD SEA MOSS: the superfood of the sea. Rids mucus, supports thyroid, 92 minerals, mood enhancer, weight loss, sexual health and fertility, joint health. Available in gel and raw form. Visit VibesOfLuxuryApothocary.com or email StarrScott@PuffsandPetals.com for wholesale information.

- Nathaniel Hawthorne March 2021

Meditation/Spiritual

Nutrition

Relationship Coach

Center For Healing and Empowerment

Sunrise Nutrition & Wellness Center

Ondov Relationship Coaching

Phyllis Livera

Dr. John Harrington

172 Washington Valley Rd, Suite 3, Warren 732-882-9676 CenterForHealingAndEmpowerment.com Are you seeking deeper meaning in your life? Are you stressed and ready for a change? Tired of being in both physical or emotional pain? We offer spiritual development, meditation and mini-me yoga classes, which have been helping people live more productive, happier lives.

Music Patricia Turse

5 Mohave Path, Somerville 908-722-9757 patriciaturse1@verizon.net

TheHarpSound.com Harp Therapist, Board Certified Music Therapist, harp performances for relaxation and renewal in your home or on zoom. I play classical, folk, Christian hymns, Contemporary Christian, Bollywood, Spanish, popular hits of yesterday and today, Neopolitan, Celtic, and more. $15 a person for a Zoom performance; $50 for a performance in the home.

Naturopathic Medicine New Jersey Natural Medicine Dr. Jason Frigerio ND, LAC 2424 Lamington Road, Bedminster 973-267-2650 NJNaturalMedicine.com

Since 2004, NJNM has treated countless patients with naturopathic, Chinese, ayurvedic and biological medicine. Some come to improve and maintain health, while others are seeking treatments outside the traditional medical sphere. Regardless of the reason for the visit, our guiding principal remains constant: to observe and treat the whole person, not just symptoms. Using this approach, NJNM is better able to identify and treat the root cause of illness, help restore balance and promote optimal health. See ad, page 17.

137 Mountain Ave., Hackettstown 908-441-2276 drharrington@SunriseNutritionCenter.com SunriseNutritionCenter.com

Rhoda Ondov, MS, MFT, CPC

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The Center for Advanced Health Through Dentistry Our aim is to restore you to health and vitality by eliminating dental road blocks.

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The Holistic Dental Center Working Together with Other Holistic Practitioners to Create a True Holistic Approach to Your Health

team approach to your overall health and it starts at the Holistic they don’t see, I do, and vice versa, seeing dental infections and Dental Center in Millburn, New Jersey, with their highly skilled how they can affect organ systems through meridians or directly and team of trained professionals in holistic and biological dentistry. From utilizing the benefits of networking with a holistic practitioner can and their award winning doctors and their state of the art technology to does make all the difference in patient care…I wouldn’t have it any their use of ozone and self-healing therapies, they are committed other way,” Dr. Gashinsky says about working with other practitioners. to not only treating your dental related symptoms, but also, the root So if you’re looking for an approach that is inclusive of all aspects cause thereby eliminating disease and promoting optimal health. of holistic care, visit Dr. Gashinsky and his team at The Holistic Dental Little did conventional practitioners know so many years ago that Center in Millburn, New Jersey. It’s their priority to ensure complete it took more than just looking at the mouth. A generation ago there holistic care by promoting the benefits of holism. “It’s not just your was a disconnect, a thought that our mouth and teeth had no bearing teeth anymore,” as he says, “It never was,” but now they have the on the health of the rest of our body. Now more and more research ability to not just treat overall disease but truly prevent and promote has been showing that there is a strong connection between dental whole body wellness. disease and systemic health. Dr. Gashinsky, Holistic Dentist, has always known that. A holistic approach to health is multifaceted, so he Other than being a dentist for 40 years, Dr. Vladimir Gashinsky, is a certified nutritional consultant, Accredited by the International Academy has built a network of healthcare practitioners to assist his patients in of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, SMART certified and a Naturopathic obtaining their desired level of optimal wellness. doctor “My passion for learning is never complete, I will continue to Working hand in hand with Naturopaths, Functional Medicine research and learn the latest in alternative treatments and team up practitioners and many others in the field of holistic medicine has with the best in the fields of holistic and alternative medicine to bring expanded Dr. Gashinsky’s ability to help more people. “I find it to be my patients the best treatments available, this I can assure you.” incredibly fulfilling to work synergistically with these practitioners to be able to improve patients’ health so dramatically. Some are coming Holistic Dental Center is located at 91 Millburn Avenue, Millburn, to me so very sick and by working together we’re seeing drastic New Jersey. For more information, call (973) 457-4688 or visit improvements in their quality of life,” says Dr. Gashinsky. HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com. Dr. Gashinsky feels strongly in the need to practice in such a manner as to take patients whole health into consideration. So much so, that he traveled to Switzerland this past spring to visit the Paracelsus Clinic and Swiss BioHealth Clinic; two healthcare models that promote the oral-body connection, to study their holistic approach to patient care. Dr. Gashinsky says, “To truly practice holism; the thought that everything is understood in relation to the whole and not just its parts, it’s important to remember that when treating a person it’s not just what one practitioner does, but how they can work together for your appointment today! to improve the final outcome.” “Finding and working with like minded practitioners to help my patients has not only been professionally satisfying, but also on a Mercury Free and Mercury Safe personal level knowing that my patients are being well taken care of,” Metal Free Implants say Dr. Gashinksy. “Finding and addressing the root cause of disease Fluoride Free • Holistic Cleanings in all our disciplines is the key to success in our patients’ health. What __________________________________________ A D V E R T O R I A L __________________________________________

Looking for a “TRUE” Holistic Dentist? Call 973-457-4688

Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey / March 2021

Articles inside

JEFF TKACH

HEALING FROM GRIEF

THE HEALING POTENTIAL