Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey / August 2021

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Classic Ways to Preserve

GARDEN

BOUNT Y SMILING CAN MAKE YOU HAPPIER LEAP FORWARD WITH A LIFE COACH 21 st -CENTURY SHAMANISM

August 2021 | Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex Co. | NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Dr. Tom O'Bryan Chief Health Off icer, KnoWEwell

"WE ARE TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE" Personalized. Diverse. Inclusive. Regenerative Whole-Health and Well-Being Benefits.

It’s how KnoWEwell is transforming the future of healthcare. Award-winning. One global online destination for today’s trusted Regenerative Whole Health knowledge, resources, and ecosystem collaborating to inspire and empower individuals to prevent harm, address chronic diseases and achieve WELLthier Living – Happy. Healthy. Abundant. PurposeFilled. Join the movement as we share knowledge and healing success stories, access to evidence-based resources, immersive learning opportunities from the experts, and help create meaningful connections..

Take control and optimize your health and well-being by visiting: KnoWEwell.com As a Natural Awakenings reader, receive 50% off your first year of membership.

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

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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

August 2021

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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.

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Contents

14 WATER SPORTS FOR A TOTAL BODY WORKOUT

Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer

28 32

20 UNLEASH YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL

Working with a Life Coach Can Help

23 SMILING CAN MAKE

US HAPPIER 24 THINK YOURSELF HAPPY

Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier

28 POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY

32

YARDS

Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants

32 PRESERVING THE HARVEST

Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year

30 POWER UP FIDO

Five Ways to Strengthen Your Dog’s Immune System

23

36 ALBERTO VILLOLDO

on Shamanic Healing

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Serving the counties and surrounding areas of Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex. Natural Awakenings ~ your muse for a healthy YOU and a healthy PLANET. 4

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

40 BACK-TO-SCHOOL WELLNESS

Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 14 fit body 16 global briefs 18 virtual fare 20 healing ways 23 inspiration 28 green living 30 natural pet 32 conscious eating

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36 wise words 37 teen voices 39 yoga corner 40 healthy kids 42 calendar 43 classifieds 44 business

directory

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

publisher letter

Grow Local, Eat Local

S

ix or seven years ago, I listened to a presentation about food—more specifically fruits and vegetables. About soils, chemicals, spoilage, the costs of delivery and about time from picking to eating. The presenter brought to my attention the challenging process of transporting fruit and vegetables across our country and even across continents.

He talked about the impact of weather delays, difficulties with refrigeration and much more.

Joe Dunne, Publisher

Now, when I shop, I notice the origin of what I am buying, and think about how long and what that product went through to get to my table. Just how fresh can blueberries from South America or even avocados from Mexico still be once they arrive in New Jersey? The presenter talked about the future and how eventually local was the only answer. It made sense to me, and still does. Here is the point of the talk. Grow local, buy local.

I’m happy that the local supermarkets are boasting about local farmers supplying their shelves, and how organic has established a foothold in our supply chain. Organic agriculture makes so much sense to me. In a nutshell, it works with nature and eliminates chemicals. Biodynamic farming is another common-sense growing practice that is very intense and incredibly interesting.

Personally, I am not close to being knowledgeable or by any stretch of the imagination an expert. Living in a small condo provides little room for a garden but we did manage to squeeze one in. We also bought a hydroponics vertical growing tower that we love. It even comes with soothing sounds from the water spray. Vertically growing allows us to stack and takes up no additional space. We love this!

We enjoy watching the growing process and knowing where the food that hits our table came from. Nothing that I can think of is as good as a large Jersey tomato fresh from the side of our house, grown in the organic soil we treated back in April, or the salads we picked rather than paid for throughout this summer.

Presently, we’re on a list with our local library for a plot in the community garden.

By next year, we hope to expand our passion for growing our own into new challenges to eat with enjoyment. Let the feast begin!

With peace, love and laughter,

NORTH CENTRAL NJ EDITION

Publisher Joe Dunne

Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-405-1515 • Fax 239-920-5147

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

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SALES & MARKETING Joe Dunne • Bedminster, NJ 908-405-1515 Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com Visit our Facebook page for the latest health updates and information, or to post your events and comments.

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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.

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August 2021

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Directory of Advertisers

Thank you for being part of our community!

Aesthetic Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . 29, 48 Ayni Healing Arts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Be the Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Blossoming into Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cathy Ludwig Ed.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Center for Systemic Dentistry . . . . . . . . . 15 Deborah Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Dr. Andy Rosenfarb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 22 Functional Brain Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Heart of Oneness Holistic Expo . . . . . . . 11 Hemberger Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Holistic Dental Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 13 Jean O’Toole/Moving Into Wellness . . . 23 KnowWEwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Leslie Lobell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Linda LaMarca Mindful Experiences . . . 26

news briefs

The Heart Of Oneness Holistic Expo

Sept 24-26 • NJ Convention & Exposition Center In Edison

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et ready to reset, restore & renew in 2021!

The Heart of Oneness Holistic Expo is a national community event that connects attendees with some of the finest holistic experts, practitioners and businesses.

This incredible fall weekend of healing, upliftment and transformation features over 100 unique metaphysical healers, psychic readers, crystals, shopping, henna tattoo, organic herbs, candles, natural gifts, essential oils, angel readings, bath product, skin care, clothing and more. Over 25 free lectures, workshops and special guest presentations on Saturday and Sunday will spark and awaken connections far and wide for all.

The expo will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday; from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The first 150 people at the door on Saturday and Sunday will receive a free tote. Advance tickets are available on Eventbrite and at the door. Applications and registrations for exhibitors are still being accepted. Call or email for details.

Tickets: Free on Friday; $10 Saturday or Sunday; $15 weekend pass.

Location: 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison. For information call 732-508-7990 or email Info@HeartofOnenessHolisticExpo.com. For more details and full exhibitor list visit HeartofOnenessHolisticExpo.com. See ad page 11.

Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness . . . . . 46 Living Waters Wellness Center . . . . . . . 37 Modern Acupuncture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

A Fall Shamic Toltec Retreat in Hudson Valley

Morning Star Family Health . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Mountain Lakes Organic Coop . . . . . . . . 46 Natural Awakenings Franchise . . . . . . . . 38 Natural Awakenings Singles . . . . . . . . . . 35 Natural Home Cleaning by Basia . . . . . 29 Niyama Yoga Shalas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Personally Yours Lingerie . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Portal of Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Simple Bare Necessities Zero Waste . . 17 Starseed Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 The Hair for Life Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Whole Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Unlock Your Hidden Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 * New / Returning Advertisers Let them know you found them in

Natural Awakenings North Central NJ!

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B

reathe in the beauty of peak colors of fall, two hours away, in a beautiful natural space at the Shamanic Toltec Retreat on October 22-24, in the Hudson Valley.

As the trees prepare for their next cycle, we do the same. This is the perfect opportunity for those who are going through big changes and looking for deep healing, transformation and new beginnngs on a higher level.

Join us in ceremonies, profound practices, tools, and teachings of healing and awakening mind, emotions, body, and spirit, led by Janet StraightArrow, shaman, sage and healer.

StraightArrow blends ancient wisdom in sacred and practical ways to help us in our lives today. She offers the Mitote ceremony from the Don Miguel Ruiz lineage as the core ceremony of illumination and healing. Live the four agreements and the mastery of love.

A recent participant shares that “Janet’s teachings emerge from a place of unconditional love. You come away with you, and your life is forever changed. Choosing to work with Janet is giving yourself the most beautiful gift in the world.”

Prepay by 8/15 for discounted price. Location: Art Farm, Accord, NY. For full details, call 973-647-2500 or visit BetheMedicine.com. See ad, page 17.

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

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news briefs

Shamanic Medicine Program Begins This Fall in Newton

T

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.

he long-awaited Shamanic experience begins!

Applications are now being accepted for Ayni Healing Arts Center’s Shamanic Medicine Program.

The course begins October 9 but will fill well before then. An Early Bird discount is offered to those that apply before August 15.

This outstanding course is an intense, experiential year-long program and mentorship journey that teaches participants how to set the stage for transformation to occur, not just for themselves, but also for others. Learn how to look deeply within to partner with powerful, ancient Spirit Helpers while discovering the sacred doctoring ways and ceremonies of the Shaman for deep healing to occur.

As students learn about Shamanic tools and perspectives worldwide, they will also be held by one’s sacred soul tribe. These people are hand-selected by the Spirit and are brought together to offer friendship, community, and a tribe of like-minded souls. One becomes part of a greater whole, supporting each other through individual healing crisis, while also being mentored deeply by Shamans Denise and Joshua Zoppi.

The Shamanic Medicine Program is high-touch, personal, transformative, healing, supportive and enlightening. Learn more and apply today at aynihealingartscenter.com/ shaman-mentor.

Location: 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, call 862-268-3213 or email aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com. AyniHealingArtsCenter.com. See ad, page 14.

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with Structural Integration

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Check out interview at youtu.be/qFQT2dq3xQk Dr. Thomas Findley MD, PhD • Certified Advanced Rolfer

Offices in Boonton and Montclair

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Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Zero Waste at Simple Bare Necessities

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new zero-waste shop and refillery has opened in Sparta.

Simple Bare Necessities is a store where customers can bring in their containers and fill up on a variety of products without having any packaging to send to the landfills. It also saves money.

Owner Mikaela Molnar explains, “When you refill your containers, you’re not only saving plastic and packaging from entering the waste stream; you are also saving money because you are only paying for the product itself.”

With 18 million pounds of plastic that gets dropped in the ocean each year, this way of shopping truly is a revolution, a fight back against the plastic pollution crisis.

“We source as much as we can from local farmers and makers. We only bring in organic foods, source from companies with eco-conscious values alike, and we build relationships with our vendors to work in a closed loop business model where the vendors take back the bulk packaging that they ship the products in to be sanitized, refilled and sent back to us,” states Molnar. “This system diverts so much unnecessary waste from behind the scenes from entering the landfill.”

Simple Bare Necessities offers a wide variety of refillable from its bulk sections—anything from clean-ingredient personal care products, plant-based cleaning products and over 100 different organic foods varying from rice, beans, local handmade pastas, to granolas, brownie mix and chocolate chips. The shop also features an assortment of spices, teas, coffee, oils, vinegars, sauces, and sweeteners.

Simple Bare Necessities is a mission-based business aimed to pave the way for the refill revolution and fight back against the pollution crisis. Bring your favorite containers and stop by today.

Location: 17 Main St., Lower Level, Sparta. (Behind Astrology Boutique.) For information, call 973-362-6960 or email simplebarenecessitieszw@gmail.com.

SBNZeroWaste.com. See ad, page 17.

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Eat Produce to Lower Stress and Heart Disease People needing a push to eat more fruits and vegetables might be motivated by two new studies from

10 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

Australia’s Edith Cowan University. Studying data from 8,600 Australians between the ages of 25 and 91, researchers found people that ate at least 470 grams (about two cups) of fruits and vegetables per day had 10 percent lower stress levels compared to those that ate less than half that amount. “Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental well-being,” says lead author Simone Radavelli-Bagatini.

In a second study based on 23 years of data on 50,000 Danes, researchers found that those that consumed one cup each day of the most nitrate-rich vegetables like leafy greens and beets had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of peripheral artery disease, heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Eating more than one cup daily didn’t increase the benefits, they found, and blending greens into smoothies (but not pulp-destroying juicing) is a good option for increasing intake.

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health briefs

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Eat Oily Fish to Live Longer Omega-3 fatty acids have previously been linked to better heart, brain, eye and joint health, and a new large-scale analysis published in Nature Communications suggests that omega-3s from oily fish may also extend lifespan. Researchers reviewed pooled data from 17 studies of 42,466 people that were followed an average of 16 years. Those that had the highest amount of fish-based omega-3s in their blood—at the 90th percentile—had a 13 percent lower risk for death than people with omega-3 levels in the 10th percentile. The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was 15 percent lower and from cancer 11 percent lower. The blood levels of alpha-linolenic acid omega-3s obtained from plant-based sources like nuts and flaxseed did not show a conclusive link to lower mortality.

Microbiome Linked to Risk of Death from Disease Certain gut microbiota can predict possible causes of mortality, reports a new study from Finland’s University of Turku. Researchers collected stool samples from 7,055 Finnish adults around 50 years old and followed them for 15 years. They found that greater numbers of bacteria from the Enterobacteria family increase the risk of death from cancer, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal disease. “Many bacterial strains that are known to be harmful were among the Enterobacteria predicting mortality, and our lifestyle choices can have an impact on their amount in the gut,” says study co-author Teemu Niiranen.

August 2021

11

health briefs

POWERFUL & EFFECTIVE Are you struggling with anxiety, fears or behaviors that seem to defy all attempts to change?

Your Past Life Back-Story may hold the key to unlock your answers.

Recall experiences from previous lives for understanding and healing in a safe and comfortable environment with

Exposure to even moderate levels of traffic-related air pollutants during childhood results in a greater risk of mental illness by age 18, Duke University researchers report in JAMA Network Open. In the study, the psychiatric health of 2,000 twins from England and Wales followed into adulthood was compared to recorded levels of air pollution in their neighborhoods.

Twenty-two and 84 percent of the twins, respectively, were found to have had exposure to nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Higher levels produced the most symptoms, including depression and anxiety. The effect, although weak compared to family history, equals that of other neurotoxicants known to harm mental health, particularly childhood exposure to lead. Previous evidence suggests that air pollutant exposures can cause inflammation in the brain and may lead to difficulty regulating thoughts and emotions.

WHO estimates that nine of 10 people worldwide are exposed to high levels of outdoor air pollutants emitted by vehicles, waste disposal, power plants, factories and other industrial processes. Studies show increased hospital admissions for many psychiatric illnesses during poor air quality days in China and India. “Because harmful exposures are so widespread around the world, outdoor air pollutants could be a significant contributor to the global burden of psychiatric disease,” says lead author Aaron Reuben.

Past Life Regression Therapy & Hypnotherapy

Make Peace with Your Past Discover Self-Acceptance & Clarity Resolve Conflict Increase Compassion for Yourself & Others

Cathy Ludwig, Ed.S., LPC

Call today for an appointment 12

Licensed Psychotherapist

109 Main St., Suite 1B, Succasunna, NJ

201-738-8311 • CathyLudwig.com ludcat@optimum.net

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

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Avoid Air Pollutants to Protect Children’s Mental Health

Call Us Today, Consultations Available.

Looking for a “TRUE” Holistic Dentist?

Call 973-457-4688 for your appointment today!

Mercury Free and Mercury Safe Metal Free Implants Fluoride Free • Holistic Cleanings August 2021

13

Water Sports for a Total Body Workout Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer

by Marlaina Donato

W

hether it’s adrenaline-fueled kiteboarding or peaceful paddle boarding, getting active in the water helps to improve bone density, elevates mood and engages major muscle groups without stressing the joints. The highlight of a vacation might be rafting down a river, surfing at sunset or waterskiing on a mountain lake. Whether done regularly or occasionally, water sports offer a good workout disguised as play. While some water sports require a higher level of fitness, most are beginner-friendly and only require the willingness to try something new.

For Natali Zollinger, a raft guide, river surfer and whitewater stand up paddle boarder, it’s about trusting and working with the current: “Either rafting or paddling, our core has to engage way more than it would with other sports, and you’ll definitely notice the internal strength.” Based in Moab, Utah, Zollinger says that in only one week, paddling and kayaking produce noticeably more tone in the triceps and biceps, adding, “If you row boats, you’ll see the traps, shoulders and back muscles develop.”

Stand up paddle board (SUP) yoga on the water, although seemingly placid, challenges the abdominals and cultivates balance. Christy Naida Linson, yoga instructor and owner of Prana Yoga Center and Aligned Flow Floating Studio, in Denville, New Jersey, says, “Paddling is excellent exercise for the core, back, shoulders, arms and legs. Postures are done in relationship to the current of the water and recruit many of the smaller stabilizing muscles.”

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fit body

Getting the Feet Wet

SUP yoga is accessible to both new and experienced students that can swim and are comfortable in the water. All postures can be modified to be done in positions lower to the board, such as Core Adventures kneeling, to make balancing easier. “A typical class is 90 minutes long and begins “Many lifelong Ongoing Ad skiers call waterskiing the fountain of youth. My friends who are in with instruction on land. We go through their 70s, 80s and even 90s that still ski are living proof,” says pro water skier Corey Love the emerald green for sure! Not loving the yellow background. Can we make it blue instead? Maybe a deep b Vaughn, owner of Bum Pass Water Ski Club, in Bumpass, Virginia. “Waterskiing is one paddle strokes and safety, how to get onto with white lettering? Love the way you added a white glow to “We Offer” but maybe change the glow to gold colo the board kneeling, transition to standing of the best total body workouts on the planet, yet you are having so much fun it never when feeling stable, paddle and stop,” says feels like a workout.”

And I need my title “Medicine Woman” changed to “The Soul Doctor”. My bad on that I didn’t ask this initially.

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Linson. “The worst thing that happens if you lose your balance is that you go for a little swim!”

Fitness requirements for river rafting can vary, depending on the type of trip and location. “Usually a couple months of ‘stair-stepper’ and some squats and lunges will do the trick,” says Zollinger.

When it comes to gear, commercial trips offer the most freedom, especially for beginners, she says. “Normally, commercial trips pack all the gear that you need for basic camping, and all you have to bring is your personal gear like clothes, toiletries, etc.”

Waterskiing can be a challenge, but learning is easier with proper instruction, optimal equipment, an experienced, skilled boat driver and positive encouragement. “People tell me about Uncle Fred just throwing them behind the boat with a couple of old skis, telling them to hang on tight and then gunning the boat. This is not what I would consider best practices,” says Vaughn. A typical lesson lasts about 30 minutes, involves six to eight passes up and down the lake and includes technical guidance on body positions and timing.

For optimal waterskiing, Vaughn prefers private lakes to avoid interruption in the rhythmic flow of skiing that can occur on busier lakes or bodies of saltwater due to boat traffic, winds, tides and currents.

Vaughn marvels when everything comes together; “There is nothing quite like the smile of a first-time skier when they get up [on their skis] and realize they are gliding across the water.”

In the end, water sports are all about embracing possibilities.“It is a genuine joy to see people who may be new or doubt their ability come away feeling empowered,” says Linson.

Zollinger passes on wisdom about time on the water. “The river continuously teaches me to be in the flow and appreciating the little things.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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Suiting Up

Soil Regulators Soft on Pesticide Use Pesticides cause significant harm to earthworms and thousands of other vital subterranean species. These invertebrates, nematodes, bacteria and fungi filter water, recycle nutrients and help regulate the planet’s temperature. The most comprehensive review ever conducted on how pesticides affect soil health, published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science, reveals that beneath fields of monoculture crops, a toxic soup of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides is wreaking havoc on the ecosystem.

The study recommends changes in how regulatory agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assess the risks posed by the nearly 850 approved pesticide ingredients. Presently, regulators ignore pesticide harm to earthworms, springtails, beetles and many other subsoil critters. The EPA relies on one insect, the European honeybee, to represent the thousands of species that live or develop underground. The ongoing escalation of pesticide-intensive agriculture and pollution are major driving factors in the precipitous decline of many soil organisms that are critical to maintaining healthy soils. This contamination has been identified as the most significant driver of soil biodiversity loss in the last decade.

Textile Manufacturers Fight Climate Change

Clothing makes the man or woman, but mankind makes the clothing. The Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index (MCI) has been tracking industry changes and their impacts since it was launched in partnership with GreenBiz in 2019. The MCI is the largest business-to-business comparison initiative tracking progress toward more sustainable material sourcing for apparel, footwear and home textiles. It also monitors alignment with global efforts such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the transition to a circular economy. With a goal to accelerate action, 2019 was established as a baseline year from which to track the related efforts and progress of leading corporations.

The MCI is part of Textile Exchange’s Corporate Fiber & Materials Benchmark program, enabling companies to measure, manage and integrate a strategy for using preferred fiber and materials in their operations. With a goal of 45 percent reduced CO2 emissions from textile fiber and material production by 2030, Textile Exchange is pushing for urgent climate action. This year, they are launching an insights Superfund Mine-Polluted Stream Restorations See Success report, leaderboard and Large investments have been made to clean up acid drainage into streams and rivers polluted by toxic metals from abandoned mining sites. A new study published dashboard (Textile Exchange.org/2030-cliin Freshwater Science based on long-term monitoring data from four U.S. Envimate-plus) to provide a ronmental Protection Agency Superfund sites in California, Colorado, Idaho and comprehensive analysis Montana shows that cleanup efforts can allow affected streams to recover to near of the state of the indusnatural conditions within 10 to 15 years after abatement work begins. try and determine ways to David Herbst, a research scientist at UC Santa Cruz and co-author of the paper, work with the data. says, “The good news from them all is that Superfund investments can restore the

Reversing Ruin

water quality and ecological health of the streams.” Researchers combined data from long-term monitoring during periods of 20 years or more using aquatic insects and other diverse invertebrate life such as flatworms and snails as indicators of the restoration of ecological health, with nearby unpolluted streams as standards for comparison. Much of the recovery occurred within the first few years of treatment.

Herbst says that the promising results suggest that even daunting environmental problems can be remedied.

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H

healing ways

iring a life coach can be an empowering decision for people that want to understand themselves better and lead fulfilled lives. Coaches may specialize in distinct topics like business, parenting or weight loss, but, “It’s all life coaching,” says Patrick Williams, a master certified coach by the International Coach Federation, licensed psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training. “If I hire a specialist like a wellness coach, I assume they’re going to know something about wellness, but I’m not hiring a consultant to tell me what I should do in diet and exercise. I want to be coached in living a more well life.”

According to master certified coach Fran Fisher, with 30 years of experience, “Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. It’s a partnership of two experts. The client is the expert of the content: who they are, what’s important to them and what they believe, think and feel. The coach is the expert of the process.

They’ve been specially trained to help the client access their deeper wisdom and make better choices that align with who they are.”

Unleash Your True Potential

Working with a Life Coach Can Help

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Going for Gold

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Martha Beck, Ph.D., a Harvard-trained sociologist, renowned coach and bestselling author of The Way of Integrity, says, “Most problems can be resolved by simply talking to someone who is willing to listen compassionately and deeply to whatever is going on in their lives and to give them good feedback. A coach will get you to high levels of happiness, self-fulfillment and self-expression. Unlike therapists, coaches don’t deal with the mentally ill.

They deal with the mentally well who want to maximize their performance.”

“A coach helps you think and say and dream of things you hadn’t thought before,” says Williams. “I can advise myself all day long, but as soon as I have a conversation with a trained coach, I hear myself differently. I get new ideas, and that motivates me to make change. The value may come monetarily. It may improve someone’s business or money decisions, but it also may come in how you live your life. There may

Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. be value in having less stress, more time, more fun. Anybody who is motivated to make a change or maybe is in the midst of change and they don’t know what to do; that’s who benefits from coaching.”

Limiting Beliefs and Turtle Steps According to Beck, one of the most common issues a coach must address is their clients’ limiting beliefs. “It’s about freeing yourself from beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward or convincing you that you can’t have what you want, so you never try,” says Beck. “There’s something in your behavior that’s not allowing you to move forward. Let’s find the behavior, figure out why you’re doing it and change that belief. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving in partnership with the client.”

Beck’s favorite tool for making changes is what she calls one-degree turns, or turtle steps, defined as the smallest steps you can take toward a goal. “Research shows that large steps tend to get discouraging,” she notes. “We could do them at the beginning of a really passionate, goal-seeking time, but we almost never sustain it. If we go in tiny steps toward what we really believe and what we really want, we get there. The tortoise wins the race.”

Achieving Goals and Feeling Free

When it comes to setting and achieving goals, coaches have different approaches.

Williams, for example, considers himself an accountability partner. “I won’t punish you if you don’t achieve your goals,” he says. “If you report progress, we celebrate and talk about what’s next. If you say, ‘I didn’t get it done,’ then we talk about what got in the way, what needs to change. We never make

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the client wrong. It’s what’s true for you.”

For Beck, goals take a back seat. “My clients tend to give me goals that are culturally based on what they think they should do. People move forward much more rapidly when you don’t hold them to a goal. When they have permission to do whatever they want, they actually start doing the things that all the goal setting in the world won’t allow them to do.

We have such a strong response to freedom. When we feel like we’re forcing ourselves to do something, we won’t do it because it’s not free. When we’re free, we do the things that are best for us.”

For more information, visit DrPatWilliams.com, FranFisherCoach.com and MarthaBeck. com.

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

Finding the Right Coach The search for a coach often begins online to check credentials, training and experience, and to understand the coach’s approach and personality. “Trust your gut,” says renowned coach and author Martha Beck. “See how you feel when you’re looking at somebody’s website or when you email them and get a response.”

Master certified coach Patrick Williams recommends asking for referrals from friends or through the International Coaching Federation (CoachingFederation.org) and the European Mentoring and

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Coaching Council (EMCCGlobal. org). “A coach should have some level of certification. You want to ask about their training and how long they’ve been coaching,” he says.

Most experts recommend interviewing at least three coaches.

Many offer a free, 30-minute sample session. “There has to be a feeling of safety and rapport with that person. You want to feel seen and heard,” says master certified coach Fran Fisher.

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help you find out that you already know your path through life, so although you may feel challenged by this person, you should also feel excited, like this could set you free. If a coach gives you a list of things that will never fail you, and it doesn’t feel like freedom to you, and you don’t feel like your real self, find someone else,” Beck says.

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inspiration a strong enough impact on our state of mind to effectively boost overall mental health is still being debated, with some research indicating that “false” smiles can lower mood if used continuously to avoid expressing certain feelings; however, there are several more positive aspects of smiling to take into consideration.

Smiling is contagious. Seeing other people smile stimulates our mirror neurons, which discharge; they discharge similarly whether we’re doing an action or observing someone else do it.

So, being around smiling people, seeing them smile, affects our brains as if we were doing the smiling.

Smiling also provides the health benefits of reduced anxiety and lowers both blood pressure and heart rate. Over the long haul, these attributes add up to improved cardiovascular health and a measurable reduction in risk for stroke.

Get more smile time by working these muscles at every opportunity. Fake it if you must until it comes naturally, watch funny shows, spend time with cheery people and when things are looking down, grin and bear it. You might just feel better right away, and better long-term health is certainly something to smile about.

Julie Peterson is a Random Acts of Kindness activist (RAKtivist.com) and an advisor for Kindness Bank, a nonprofit invested in improving community health and well-being.

Smiling

Can Make Us Happier

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A

smile makes the brain happy. As it turns out, it doesn’t matter if we smile at first because we’re genuinely happy or if we simply fake a smile. The brain doesn’t know the difference.

When we are happy, we naturally smile. But research has shown that the act of smiling can also induce happiness. It happens because the muscles required to lift the mouth into the shape of a smile are connected to nerves that send signals to the brain.

Once the brain gets the message that a smile is happening, it releases dopamine, endorphins and serotonin throughout the body. These feel-good chemicals make us feel less stressed, less pain and happier, which can effortlessly transform a fake smile into a genuine one.

Platitudes through the ages have urged us to “Turn that frown upside down” and “Put on a happy face.” In 1872, Charles Darwin hypothesized that facial feedback could alter emotions and, ever since, the topic of smiling and mood has been a subject of discussion and research. Whether or not forced smiles can have

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THINK YOURSELF HAPPY Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier

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by Ronica O’Hara

W

hat is happiness? Aristotle pondered it, our country’s founders encouraged its pursuit, but only now—thanks to the thriving field of Positive Psychology—have we learned more precisely how to attain and sustain it. In thousands of studies in the last two decades, researchers have watched babies share crackers, put Tibetan monks in brain scanners, asked college students to do kind deeds and explored databases, among other strategies. A major finding has emerged: Happiness is, to a great degree, in our own hands—or more exactly, our own minds.

“You get to choose,” says trailblazing researcher Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity and Love 2.0 and a professor at the University of North Carolina. “No matter where your river of emotions flows today, over time and with continued effort and attention, you can change its course and location to live a happier, more positive life.” Using advanced brain imaging technology, neuroscientists and psychologists have discovered that the brain is “plastic” and malleable. When we change our thinking and actions in positive ways, brain neurons start rewiring themselves to make newfound happiness settle in, especially if our practices are repetitive.

“Interestingly, changes can start quite quickly,” says neuro24 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

scientist Andrew Newberg, who has authored 10 books on the brain, emotions and spirituality, including Words Can Change Your Brain. “For those changes to become more fully ingrained, it can take a few months, but it does not necessarily require hours a day for many years.”

A change in thinking shifted the behavior and life of John Peterson, a sales manager at a major West Coast auto retailer and editor of SafeDriveGear.com. “I was unhappy and miserable, so I decided to give gratitude a shot,” he recalls. “It was mechanical to start, but the reactions I got turned into a domino effect.” Instead of giving cursory thanks, he praised a co-worker’s kindness in handing him a daily cup of coffee; now they chat about their families. Instead of “keeping myself to myself,” he offered to help a neighbor he barely knew to clean gutters; now they’re “barbecue besties,” he says, adding, “I was kind of blown away at the incredible effect gratitude had on my life, both in improving my mental health and boosting my relationships. It was a real revelation to me!”

Positive psychologists offer two major approaches: adopting habits that encourage happiness and clearing away the mental debris that blocks it. Many books and websites offer a wide range of theories, techniques and tips. “The most effective practices for you

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are the ones that you enjoy and are willing to do more often,” says Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., a Psychology Today blogger and founder of The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. The following are research-based methods to enhance happiness:

for a three-to-one ratio of 1Aim positive to negative experiences

The difference between languishing and flourishing, says Fredrickson in her book Positivity, is constructing a life in which heartfelt positive experiences outnumber the negatives by three to one. Positive experiences that flow from feelings such as gratitude, serenity, hope, awe and love can be as simple as exchanging smiles with a passerby, patting a friend on the back, joking with a cashier, picking up something that someone has dropped or planting a kiss on a son’s head. She emphasizes that the experiences must be authentic and heartfelt: acting “Pollyanna-ish” out of habit or pasting on a smile can actually make us feel worse, and positivity can turn toxic if it’s relentlessly turned on 100 percent of the time.

“True happiness is not rigid and unchanging,” she says.

When it comes to marriage, five positive interactions for every negative one is the “magic ratio” that makes it happy and stable, according to studies by renowned relationship psychologist John Gottman, author of What Makes Love Last. “Successful long-term relationships are created through small words, small gestures and small acts,” he writes.

2

Flip negativity by reframing experiences

3

Defuse the inner critic with caring self-talk

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Positive reframing involves shifting misery-making thinking to see the positive side of any situation. Canadian researchers reported in a 340-person survey at APA PsycNet that during the pandemic, reframing was the most effective mental health strategy; people practicing it gradually felt better, while people that vented, distracted themselves or disengaged from others fared worse.

Reframing strategies include viewing a problem as a challenge, a learning opportunity or a way to help others; finding the higher purpose or divine order in a bad situation; exploring what the unexpected benefits might be; and finding humor in a situation.

Berating ourselves for our shortcomings is a sure route to suffering, but applying self-compassion powerfully lowers the volume.

It involves three elements: treating ourselves as kindly as we would a dear friend; realizing that making mistakes is intrinsically human so we’re not alone; and non-judgmentally facing our emotions without denying or indulging them, according to its major theorist, psychologist Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind. Numerous studies show that people that practice self-compassion have less self-doubt and fewer negative thoughts, are less likely to feel anxious or depressed, enjoy better health and relationships and are more resilient and motivated to change.

4

Clear away pain by questioning assumptions

Of our estimated 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, about 80 percent are negative and 95 percent are repetitive, says the National Science Foundation. Those noisy mental loops dampen our spirits by repetitively telling us that something regretful should not have happened in the past or is going to happen to blight the future.

Few worries have real credence: A Cornell University study found that 85 percent of what people worry about never happens. Of the 15 percent of worries that did happen, 79 percent of people found they handled the problem better than they had expected or that they learned a valuable lesson from it. Cognitive behavioral therapists help clients to examine those beliefs and assumptions, challenge the dysfunctional ones and try out different interpretations to uncover the truth.

Victor Blue, a Tampa transportation engineer, examined his difficult relationship with a tyrannical father by asking himself two questions that spiritual teacher and author Byron Katie suggests applying to any painful thought: “Is it true? Can you absolutely know it’s true?” Self-inquiring deeply, Blue realized he had a distorted view: His father had in fact loved him, but had lacked the capacity to show it with warmth or tenderness. “My father started with very little and saw a tough world and treated everyone tough,” he says. “And I came to realize that yes, I am able to father myself.”

5

Open the heart by deepening gratitude

Perhaps the most popular and direct approach to happiness is gratitude. Research shows that feeling and expressing thankfulness significantly boosts emotional well-being, makes us feel more connected and generous to others, and improves health and sleep quality. In one study, writing a few sentences of gratitude once per week for 10 weeks increased optimism and hope in participants; they even exercised more and had fewer doctor visits than those writing about aggravations. Writing a thankyou letter to someone we haven’t appreciated enough in the past can induce a sense of well-being that lasts for at least six months, a University of Pennsylvania study found.

Gratitude can be cultivated simply by daily journaling; writing a list every few days often works even better, research indicates.

The more concrete the items are and the more freshly observed, the better: Rather than, “I’m grateful for my daughter,” it might be, “I’m grateful for my daughter because she made me laugh at breakfast by making a funny face.”

Some people kick off their day by writing two thank-you emails; others find creative ways to fold gratitude into relationships. During the pandemic, Nadia Charif, a San Jose-based wellness August 2021

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Well-Being Basics Besides using mental strategies, choosing happiness involves taking daily actions that enhance our well-being, as studies demonstrate.

day raises spirits. People that exercise at least 30 minutes on most days are about 30 percent happier than those that don’t exercise.

Eat a happy-making diet A gut-wisdom axis may exist. People with a greater diversity of the gut microbiome—the mark of a healthy diet—had higher levels of wisdom, compassion and social support, and lower levels of loneliness than people with less diverse microbiomes, University of California San Diego scientists reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry. A study of 12,000 Australians found that the more they increased their fruit and vegetable intake over a seven-year period, the happier and more satisfied with life they became.

Eating eight servings a day was as happiness-producing as going from being unemployed to employed.

Go for the doze Surveys show that getting enough sleep is the most influential factor in how people rate their daily mood, with good sleepers more likely to rate their life as happier overall. A University of California, Berkeley, study found that inadequate sleep makes our brains 60 percent more reactive to negative stimuli; in other words, being tired makes us grouchy.

Exercise even a little Whether it’s lunges or sun salutations, movement lifts us up. In a review of 23 published studies involving half a million people published in The Journal of Happiness Studies, University of Michigan researchers found strong evidence that any kind of exercise increases happiness; even as little as 10 minutes a

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Love a lot A landmark study that began in 1938 and followed 724 Harvard students and working-class Boston youth for 80 years found that fame and achievements didn’t make them truly happy—warm, loving relationships with their family, friends and community did. In a 2020 study, Pennsylvania State University researchers found that simply becoming aware of daily experiences of “felt love”, defined as “micro-moments when you experience resonance with someone,” increases those heartwarming episodes and improves well-being.

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Be nurtured by nature After walking in a natural setting, people ruminated less and showed increased activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that lowers depression and anxiety, Stanford researchers found. In one study, people watching five minutes of Planet Earth felt 46 percent more awe and 31 percent more gratitude than people watching the news or a comedy show. Biological diversity also matters: European scientists found that an additional 10 percent of bird species in an area increases residents’ life enjoyment as much as a 10 percent increase in their income.

make up our minds to

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Do good deeds Performing five acts of kindness one day a week, such as helping a friend with a task, writing a thank-you email or donating blood, had a more powerful and long-lasting effect on college students’ happiness than spreading five good deeds over a week, reports University of California, Riverside, researchers. A four-year study of 13,000 retirees found that those volunteering more than two hours per week were happier, more optimistic and less lonely and depressed than people that never volunteered.

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- Orison Swett Marden

and health advisor at Coffeeble.com, shared with her boyfriend a note-taking phone app in which they wrote the ways they appreciated each other during the day. “Somehow, no matter how frayed our nerves were, we remembered the last lovely entry and melted like ice to water,” she says. “It diffused many arguments before they escalated.”

6

Quiet the noisy mind with meditation, prayer and mindfulness

7

Lift up others with a positive outlook

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Newberg and other neuroscientists studied meditating Buddhist monks, prayerful Catholic nuns and mindfulness meditators. They found that each practice has its own distinctive pattern of brain activity, yet all three deactivate the brain regions that underlie mind chatter. That “default mode network” is constantly ruminating, nagging and making sure we avoid trouble. Sustained spiritual practices gradually turn down its everyday volume, which may explain in part the well-documented link between spiritual practices and well-being. Even brief meditations can have a quieting effect, counsels New York City psychologist and mindfulness teacher Loch Kelly, author of Shift into Freedom. In a quiet moment, he suggests, “Ask yourself, ‘What is here right now if there is no problem to solve?’”

The more we give with a full heart, the more happiness we experience, studies show—and the benefits radiate far beyond ourselves.

Following nearly 5,000 people over 20 years, Harvard researchers found that one person’s happiness triggers a chain reaction up to three degrees away, lifting the spirits not only of friends, but friends’ friends, and their friends’ friends’ friends. Effects can last up to one year. It’s a vital way to help the world, says Fredrickson.

“The happiness that you experience together with others has ripple effects, both biological and behavioral, that make whole communities healthier.”

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Comprehensive study of origin, history and traditional yogic teachings

Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Internationally recognized teacher trainers respected within the Yoga Therapy community 20+ years of training with a long lineage in Therapeutic Yoga

Online Resources AuthenticHappiness.org: positive psychology news and self-tests Martin E.P. Seligman, a University of Pennsylvania professor and bestselling author who coined the phrase “positive psychology” in 1998, designed this comprehensive website that includes new research and dozens of self-questionnaires.

Pursuit-of-Happiness.org: research and curriculums Resources offered by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., author of Positivity and Love 2.0, include an overview of research, online courses and curriculum suggestions.

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27

green living

vaceslavromanov/AdobeStock.com

Pollinator-Friendly Yards Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants

by Betsy S. Franz

pollen grains from the male anther of one plant to the female stigma of another, thereby helping plants to produce seeds for the next generation. According

to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these hard-working animals pollinate more than 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and nearly 75 percent of our crops, including chocolate and coffee. Without pollinators, say biologists, neither the human race nor the Earth’s ecosystems would survive.

Like many species, some pollinators are showing steady population declines, attributed in part to habitat loss and exposure to pesticides. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that grassy lawns occupy almost 2 percent of the total U.S. land mass, making grass the single largest irrigated crop in the country, which is why the way that people garden and maintain their landscapes can either harm or help pollinators.

Many people spending more time at home last year due to the pandemic did more gardening and maintaining of their own landscapes, often without realizing the significance and impact of their activities. “Now, for the first time in its history, gardening has taken on a role that transcends the needs of the gardener. Like it or not, gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife,” writes Douglas Tallamy, an agriculture and natural resources professor at the University of Delaware, in his book Bringing Nature Home.

“Bees are what comes to mind when

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most people think of pollinators, but pollinators include many other species, including some flies, moths, butterflies, wasps and beetles, as well as bats, hummingbirds and even a few mammals,” says David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. Fortunately, the same principles that make home landscapes more inviting to pollinators also make it safer and friendlier for a wide variety of wildlife.

Rethink the Perfect Landscape

“One of the main dangers for pollinators is loss of appropriate habitat,” says Andre Kessler, an ecology and evolutionary biology professor at Cornell University. “To help them, give up your idea of the perfect, manicured landscape and aim to restore their preferred habitat.” Kessler suggests leaving part of a landscape a bit untidy by including native plants and mowing less often. “An island of native vegetation usually provides flowering plants year-round and, similarly important, nesting sites for native bees,” he says.

Tallamy advocates halving the total amount of space devoted to lawns in the continental U.S.—reducing water, pesticide and fertilizer use—and replacing grass with plants that sustain more animal life. Leave the leaves, sticks and debris, says Mizejewski. “Many species rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.”

anna hoychuk/AdobeStock.com

F

or some people, perfectly mowed lawns without a trace of a weed or an insect makes them proud, but they may not realize that this method of gardening and landscaping could be harming the local ecosystem and the important pollinators that we rely on to keep food and flowers reproducing.

Pollinators are the creatures that move

Choose Appropriate Plantings

With so many different species of pollinators across the diverse terrain of America, few plants work for all locales. Most experts believe the best option is choosing native plants. The Pollinator Partnership (Pollinator.org) lists plants for each zone

by ZIP code, as well as the pollinators they attract. There are also native plant societies in many areas that offer specific recommendations.

Eliminate the Chemicals

“Probably the most important thing the home gardener can do to overcome the pollinator and broader biodiversity crisis is to avoid using any pesticides,” says Kessler. “The uncontrolled use of insecticides and herbicides is the major reason for the dramatic loss of insect life in general and most other organisms depending on those insects.”

“It is now within the power of individual gardeners to do something that we all dream of doing: to make a difference,” Tallamy writes. “In this case, the difference will be to the future of biodiversity, to the native plants and animals of North America, and the ecosystems that sustain them.”

Betsy S. Franz is a freelance writer and photographer who seeks a loving, sustainable balance between the nature of our world and the inner nature of man.

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natural pet

Power Up Fido Five Ways to Strengthen Your Dog’s Immune System

yakobchukolena/AdobeStock.com

by Shawn Messonnier

A

long, healthy life for our animal companions depends on them having resilient immune systems that can resist disease. While supporting a dog’s immunity during illness is vital, it’s also important to help it maintain natural defenses when well to help stave off disease. Adopting all five of these suggestions will help promote optimal wellness.

1Minimize vaccines

Vaccinations can help prevent disease when the immune system responds appropriately to such treatments. However, when dogs are over-vaccinated, improper immune responses can cause immediate allergic reactions or chronic problems such as autoimmune disorders and even cancer. A simple and inexpensive blood antibody test called a titer can determine if and when a dog may require a vaccine after completing the first adult booster vaccination visit. Dogs with serious and chronic immune disorders should never be vaccinated.

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chemicals and 2Minimize medications

Overuse and misuse of chemicals and conventional medications can harm a dog’s body in numerous ways, including causing adverse effects on the immune system. Whenever a chemical product such as a flea preventive or conventional medication like a steroid or antibiotic is needed, we should ask two important questions. First, whether there is a safer, natural alternative to use—there usually is. Secondly, what the lowest dose is to

heal the patient. Usually, lower doses of many chemicals and medications can be used safely and effectively. Some doctors over-prescribe chemicals and medications because of incorrect diagnoses, a lack of knowledge of safer natural therapies and to increase their income.

3

Feed a great diet

No matter what else is done to keep a dog healthy, it is critical to feed a good, natural diet, either homemade or purchased from a reputable company that specializes in healthy, natural foods.

Many pet foods are full of unhealthy ingredients that may not be helpful for a dog’s immune system. Animal and plant byproducts, which typically are scrap from the food processing industry, provide little if any positive health benefits and may actually be harmful to a dog.

Added chemicals, flavorings and colorings have no specific wellness attributes and may harm the dog’s DNA through oxidative damage, resulting in various immune problems such as cancers.

4

Enable exercise

As with people, a sensible exercise program for a dog is important. It keeps the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems in great shape by mimicking the natural activities that a dog’s wild relatives experience every day. It also strengthens the immune system and builds and enhances the human-dog bond.

5

Use supplements

Dogs that receive supplements every day tend to live longer, feel better and act happier. Even when they may have serious problems like cancer from which they may not recover, they are healthier, stronger and happier while battling the disease.

Good formulas contain enzymes, probiotics, glucosamine, vitamins, fatty acids and minerals to help support a normal dog’s overall constitution.

Choline reduces symptoms in senior animals with cognitive disorder and reduces the chances in normal older animals of developing it. Its use is advisable for animals

with liver disease or diabetes and for those with seizures. Chamomile and tryptophan reduce any type of anxiety or phobia. They can also reduce itching in allergic patients with an obsessive component to their scratching.

Olive leaf extract is not only good for immune support, but can also help animals with infections of the ears and skin, making it a good alternative to antibiotics and anti-yeast medications. A cancer and immune support supplement containing scute, cordyceps, poria, American ginseng and coix is good for any animal with an immune disease, chronic infections and especially cancer.

These five easy and inexpensive steps to keeping a dog’s immune system healthy will reduce trips to the doctor and extend his life with minimal effort.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM, owner of Paws & Claws Animal Hospital and Holistic Pet Center, in Plano, Texas, is the author of several books on veterinary medicine. Visit PawsAndClawsAnimalHospital.com.

August 2021

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conscious eating

levels can be increased with lemon juice.

Vegetable pickles become acidic through the addition of vinegar. Heat-sealed jars are shelf-stable if the seals remain intact.

Paul Fehribach, chef and co-owner of Big Jones, a restaurant in Chicago, gives canning tips in The Big Jones Cookbook.

For pickles and preserves, he recommends using a simple canning kit with a tool to lift jars in and out of boiling water, a jar rack that sits in the bottom of a stock pot and Mason jars with new canning lids to hold the food.

Both Paster and Fehribach suggest using professionally tested recipes. “Go to a reliable source, whether it’s a cookbook or a website, because there are some food safety issues. Recipes have been calibrated to have the right ratio of water and vinegar to vegetables to ensure it’s acidic enough,” says Paster. “Pickles are a great place to begin because they’re really hard to mess up.”

Preserving the Harvest Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year

by Julie Peterson

teatian/AdobeStock.com

Refrigerator Pickling

W

hether gardening, purchasing at farmers’ markets or ordering from a community supported agriculture farm, preservation techniques capture the bounty of the harvest and ensure availability of fresh flavors year-round.

Dehydrating “Dehydrating machines can be purchased for about $50, but an oven that goes down to a temperature of 150 or less will work,” says Brekke Bounds, educator at City Grange, a garden center in Chicago. Before dehydrating, consider the end use. Peaches or cherries can be cut into bite-size pieces. Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced or cut in half and dried, can go in winter soups and stews. “Apple chips are super-easy,” Bounds says. “Core and slice with a mandoline, dunk in a lemon solution, sprinkle with cinnamon, dehydrate and store in an airtight jar.”

Foods can be seasoned or marinated before drying. “We make zucchini bacon for vegan BLTs,” says Anthony Damiano, chef proprietor at Counter Culture restaurant, in Vero Beach, Florida. Dried herbs chopped in a food processor can be stored in airtight containers and used up to a year later as a flavorful salad toppings or soup mixes.

Canning “One of my go-to methods is water bath canning,” says Emily Paster, author of The Joys of Jewish Preserving. “It’s a really safe and effective method of home preservation for high-acid foods. Certain kinds of microorganisms, most specifically botulism, can’t live in a high-acid environment.” Fruits that go into jams and jellies are typically acidic enough, but 32 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

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The pickling process can be done without water bath canning, but the jars must remain refrigerated. The fun is in the quickness and variability of the recipes.

Beyond traditional cucumber pickles, excellent pickles can be made with green beans, carrots, onions, cauliflower and green tomatoes. Brine can be dill, spicy or sweet. Damiano makes refrigerator pickles with a variety of local organic produce, including radishes, okra and other vegetables. The pickles are great for eating and can be used in salads and recipes like plant-based tostadas.

Fermenting “Fermentation is an essential part of how people everywhere make effective use of food resources,” says Sandor Ellix Katz, fermentation revivalist in Liberty, Tennessee, and author of The Art of Fermentation.

“Fermentation produces alcohol, helps preserve food by producing acids and makes foods more digestible, more nutritious, more delicious and sometimes less toxic.”

Cultures around the world developed fermentation techniques as a practical method to prevent food decomposition.

Studies show that fermented foods and beverages provide beneficial probiotics

to the gut microbiome. Anyone can give fermentation a try with ordinary kitchen tools—a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl and a jar. “Certain ferments, such as yogurt or tempeh, require specific temperature ranges,” advises Katz.

uckyo/AdobeStock.com

Cold Storage Many fruits and vegetables freeze well, but a basement or backyard root cellar is a no-electricity, cold storage method. Items that store well in a root cellar include most root crops and firm fruits like apples and pears. “Root cellars use the natural, cool, moist conditions underground for fruit and vegetable storage. Earth-sheltered options work best for cooler climates where the ground temp is naturally cooler,” says Laurie Neverman in Denmark, Wisconsin, creator of CommonSenseHome.com. Those with no outdoor spot or cold basement room can still use cold storage. “Some crops like onions, garlic, potatoes, winter squash, apples and carrots keep well in dark, dry, cool room temperatures of about 55 degrees,” says Neverman.

Food preservation methods extend the blessings of the harvest. A little preparation now will provide edible delights for months to come.

Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin.

Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

‘Clean the Garden’ Kimchi This easy kimchi recipe turns common garden veggies into a spicy probiotic ferment that’s loaded with good bacteria and health benefits. yield: 32 servings 4 Tbsp sea salt and 4 cups water 1 lb Chinese cabbage (napa or bok choi preferred, but other cabbage will do) 1 daikon radish or a few red radishes 1 to 2 carrots 1 to 2 (minimum) onions (or shallots or leeks) 3 to 4 (minimum) cloves garlic 3 to 4 hot red chilies to taste (seeds removed, dried is fine, nothing with preservatives) 2 to 3 Tbsp (minimum) fresh grated ginger root Prepare brine in a nonreactive container such as a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Mix water and salt, and stir thoroughly to dissolve salt.

Cut up cabbage, radishes and carrots. (Add in other vegetables as an option.) Mix vegetables together and move them into fermentation vessel. Cover vegetables with brine.

Use a fermentation weight or plate with a heavy object to weigh the vegetables down and keep them below the brine. (Mix more brine if needed to make sure vegetables are completely submerged.) Put a cloth over the fermentation vessel and wait for vegetables to soften (a few hours or overnight).

Drain the brine from the vegetables, reserving it. Give the vegetables a taste. They should be salty, but not too salty. Sprinkle on additional salt, if needed, and mix; rinse if too salty.

Mix the onion, garlic, chilies and ginger into the drained vegetables and blend well.

Pack the vegetable mix into the fermentation vessel. Use the fermentation weight or plate to press it down until the brine covers the kimchi-in-progress. Add a little brine back, if needed, to make sure the vegetables are completely covered.

Ball & Kerr recipes and products for canning: FreshPreserving.com

Cover the fermentation vessel with a cloth and leave it on the counter for about a week. Taste test to check the fermentation.

When happy with the flavor, the kimchi is done. Store in the refrigerator in a glass container to stop the fermentation.

Complete Dehydrator Cookbook, by Carole Cancler

Recipe by Laurie Neverman at CommonSenseHome.com.

Food Preservation Resources National Center for Home Food Preservation: nchfp.uga.edu

The Pickled Pantry: From Apples to Zucchini, by Andrea Chesman Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables, by Mike and Nancy Bubel

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

August 2021

33

Pineapple Tepache

yield: about 1 quart

Ferment for 2 to 5 days, depending upon temperature and desired level of fermentation.

It’ll get fizzy, then develop a pronounced sourness after a few days. Taste each day after the first few to evaluate developing flavor. Strain out the solids. Enjoy fresh or refrigerate for up to a couple of weeks.

½ cup sugar, or more, to taste (ideally piloncillo, panela or another unrefined sugar, but any type of sugar will work) Peel and core of 1 pineapple (eat the rest of the fruit), cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces 1 cinnamon stick and/or a few whole cloves and/or other spices (optional) Dissolve the sugar in about 1 cup of water. Place the pineapple skin and core pieces and spices into the vessel. Pour the sugar water

sveta zarzamora/AdobeStock.com

over the pineapple, then add additional water as needed to cover the pineapple. Cover with a loose lid or cloth and stir daily.

Tepache is a wonderful, effervescent, lightly fermented pineapple beverage. It’s made from the skins and core of pineapple, making use of the parts typically discarded.

Recipe is an exclusive first look from the forthcoming book, Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys (Chelsea Green Publishing, October 2021).

1 to 2 watermelon radishes ¼ cup white wine vinegar ¼ cup rice wine vinegar ½ cup water 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1 tsp sugar 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tsp ginger, microplaned ½ tsp peppercorns, lightly crushed

Wash and peel watermelon radishes. With a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, slice radishes into round discs. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the water, white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the garlic, ginger and peppercorns. Pour the hot liquid including the garlic and peppercorns over the radishes. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.

russiandoll64/AdobeStock.com

Pickled Watermelon Radishes

Zucchini Bacon

In a large bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, chipotle chili pepper powder and season generously with black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, slice zucchini length-wise into thin strips.

Place strips in bowl and toss until coated

in marinade. Let sit for several hours or overnight.

Place in a single layer on dehydrator trays, making sure not to overlap. Set the dehydrator to 145° F and let the strips dehydrate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove them when they are crispy. Thicker strips may take longer. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.

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photo by Julie Peterson

2 medium zucchini 2 Tbsp grape seed oil 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp liquid smoke Pinch chipotle chili pepper powder Freshly ground black pepper

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wise words

Alberto Villoldo on Shamanic Healing

by Marlaina Donato

Shamans mediate between the visible world of matter and the invisible world of energy and consciousness.

I

n his mid-20s, Alberto Villoldo, a psychologist and medical anthropologist, was the youngest clinical professor at San Francisco State University, where he founded and directed the Biological Self-Regulation Laboratory to decode the effects of energy medicine on the human brain. Villoldo eventually set aside the limitations of the microscope in search of a broader, more ancient perspective. His 10-year deep dive into the heart of shamanic culture in the Andes and the Amazon regions filled in the missing pieces of his research, but a dire health crisis decades later drove him to explore shamanic transformation. Today, Villoldo is in vibrant health and the author of bestselling books translated into several languages, including Grow a New Body: How Spirit and Power Plant Nutrients Can Transform Your Health. He is the founder of the Four Winds Society, which trains energy medicine practitioners in its Light Body School.

What is shamanism and the shaman’s role?

Shamanism is a philosophy and a lifestyle similar to Buddhism in many ways. It includes healing practices for clearing the imprints of trauma from the luminous energy field (LEF) that surrounds the physical body, and that organizes the body in the same way that a magnet organizes iron filings on a piece of glass. Shamans mediate between the visible world of

matter and the invisible world of energy and consciousness. The understanding of the shaman is that what we call reality is simply the projection of a map of the world we carry within us. To change the world, you need to change the map, but the map only changes through sacred ceremony.

Shamanism is making a comeback because we have exhausted our masculine, reductionistic and predatory Western paradigm. It offers a more feminine, participatory worldview that is founded on the notion of becoming Earth Keepers—stewards of the garden of nature.

How does shamanism address body, mind and spirit?

We need to think of the quaternity, including Gaia, the great mother. There is only one illness—disconnection from the great mother. There is only one cure, which is returning to Gaia. The luminous energy field is an information field. It contains all your genetic history—the story of the drama that runs in your family that you have programmed into the neural networks in your brain. Shamans discovered how to upgrade the quality of the information in the LEF. Out of the 40 million different species on Earth, only humans, whales and dolphins don’t have death programmed into their DNA. There are no grandmothers in nature; menopause doesn’t exist. The minute you cannot make babies, you are eliminated. We have the opportunity to take part in an experiment to grow bodies that are disease-proof, where our health span can equal our long lifespan.

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What shamanic principle can we apply daily?

Our Western diet and antibiotic use have decimated our gut flora, and in the process, ruined our “gut instinct”—the basis of the shaman’s “second sight”, the ability to see the hidden nature of reality. You cannot meditate, heal yourself or others, forgive those who wronged you or stop feeling like a victim if your gut flora is compromised. If your gut is riddled with Candida, you will only perceive strife and be angry.

Even if you live in a city, you can cultivate sprouts and make probiotic-rich foods.

How do you see our future?

I was trained as a medical anthropologist, yet what I do today is to train modern shamans; men and women versed in the ancient wisdom teachings and cutting-edge neuroscience. This is where the magic of science and shamanism meet. Western science and religion are very patriarchal and repressive of the feminine, confusing information for knowledge. We know how to diagnose, but do we know how to heal?

I love science, but we must understand that most science, especially in medicine, is bogus. Studies are poorly designed; results are cherry-picked to support the authors’ beliefs. The greatest science is the one that explores the soul’s journey through infinity, which is what shamans are concerned with.

This is where we discover true healing.

Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

teen voices

BACKPACKING

is a Learning Experience

By Jared Zornitzer

T

hree books in, I thought that I was familiar with what I would encounter on the trail. I went into my sectionhike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) with preconceived ideas of what it would be like. After a mere three days, I gained a wealth of knowledge which has given me a more realistic perception of it. I was humbled by the power of Mother Nature and grateful for its gifts in ways that could only be achieved through firsthand experience.

We faced lows during our trip that we were not prepared for. Through reading books and researching the AT, I found out beforehand that bad weather and wildlife can create obstacles for hikers. We passed two nights with minimal sleep due to torrential rain and ominous animal noises in nearby woods. We hiked many miles during the day through rain as well. No preparation can adequately prepare you for the feelings of discomfort due to putting on wet clothes each morning, fatigue due to lack of sleep, or fear of bears and coyotes outside your tent. These were all wake up calls for things that are commonplace on the trail and that I will have to get used to.

At the same time, certain aspects of being out on the trail surpassed my hopes.

There was not a single moment in all of my three days on the trail when I was not inwardly smiling and cherishing this experience unlike any that I had before. I enjoyed stepping away from my normal, busy life and living in the outdoors. I embraced the days spent away from technology and living by the time of the sun. I was a quick learner on the trail and am now confident

in my ability to filter water from creeks and streams, set up a tent and cook trail food. I truly loved the hike and acquired a newfound passion for backpacking.

These revelations came clear to me while watching the sun set over the Smokey Mountains on a bald near our shelter. It was one of the most beautiful feats of nature that I have ever witnessed.

The sky was adorned in hues of pink and blue, while layers of mountains extending into the horizon released clouds of mist from the day’s rain. All of this formed a surreal landscape and left me in awe of the world that we live in.

This sunset capped off a rainy and overcast day. Rain is sure to come, and I acknowledge that a thru-hike of the

Appalachian Trail is a remarkably difficult task. However, just like the sun came out and gave us a beautiful ending to the day, nature has the potential to uplift and there will always be parts of the journey to be grateful for.

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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37

CELEBRATING 27 years in THE business of

38 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

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Yoga Corner Trail Magic

by Nicole Zornitzer

A

ccording to all the books and experts who have traveled the Appalachian Trail, there is a term referred to as “trail magic”. The definition of such is: Acts of generosity in the wild and primitive setting of the Appalachian Trail, where basic amenities of civilization are intentionally absent, are often received in a heightened sense of wonder and gratitude by hikers.

These acts of generosity are referred to as “trail magic”.

My son and I recently completed our first experience on the Appalachian Trial in the mountains of North Carolina; Max Patch to Hot Springs, to be exact. Our intentions in taking this adventure are many, but the most important is as a training for our desire to hike the full 2190+ mile trail from Georgia to Maine in approximately four years. The necessity of training for a trip of this nature cannot be understated and requires practice in reliance on pure physical and mental strength to persevere and not become injured along the way. We have spent the better half of 12 months preparing for this trip; participating in multiple types of exercise and mindful behaviors.

I knew going into this trip that we would probably not see the “real” trail

magic as sited above due to the relatively small number of miles we planned to hike. However, I did go into our experience with eyes wide open to experience all of what was presented to me.

As I walked miles upon miles with 26 lbs on my back, through a hurricane dumping massive amounts of rain, I began to wonder “where is the glory in this?”

I was soaking wet, tired, hungry, and carrying more weight on my back than I thought possible. I began to feel muscles in my legs that I never knew existed, which is amazing to me since prior to the first step I believed I understood anatomy well. When we finally made it to our first evening’s shelter site and pitched our tent in a wilderness one can only imagine, I placed my body on Mother Earth and pondered this idea of “trail magic”. In this moment, these are the words that came to me: What if the true meaning of trail magic is: »

Pre-hike eating warm biscuits and cinnamon apples for breakfast at an old tomato plant that became a roller rink and is now an infamous dinner named Smokey

Mountain Diner at the base of the A.T. in Hot Springs »

Finding the definition of MUSIC in a dingy bathroom framed for all to read just because someone else cares as much as I do about music

»

Watching a bird watch you

»

Feeling mud squish between your toes

»

Eating dehydrated hummus on a pita while sitting near a water source of fresh mountain water on a rock filled with moss

»

Seeing spectacular landscapes that are even now impossible to describe

»

Enjoying each rain drop as it hits your face and becomes your outdoor shower

»

Learning about flowers, plants, mountain terrain from a certified botanist who just happens to be your guide

»

Laying down in a tent while pellets of rain threaten to wash you down a mountain like a pile of forgotten debris

Trail magic can become so many things to the individual hiking this trail.

What I have realized is that my trail magic is watching a young man, who once was a baby and is now a man, experiencing more beauty than one could imagine and absorbing every step, every scent, every experience with the eyes of the very same child that came out of my belly.

Trail magic is the magic of just being.

Being everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Trail magic for me was the pure bliss of watching my son, Jared, visualize his big dream for the day when he hikes the A.T. as a through hiker, enduring 2190+ miles on this glorious place called earth.

Nicole Zornitzer, ERYT 1000, yoga therapist, founder of Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala, located in Randolph, New Jersey, Upper Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, and Delray Beach in Florida. NiyamaYogaShala.com. See ad, page 27.

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healthy kids

iaroslava zolotko/AdobeStock.com

Back-to-School Wellness Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

by Ronica O’Hara

are needing support or are feeling overwhelmed or concerned, they can always talk to you to work through the issue together,” she says.

drobot dean/AdobeStock.com

Reset bedtime creep

A

fter a year dealing with the ups and downs of pandemic-era schooling, many parents are anticipating their children’s return to school with mixed emotions.

“Families indeed have had a rough time in the pandemic, resulting in increased food insecurity, weakened social skills, splintered attention spans due to constant multitasking and arguments over screen time, yet many families also feel that they grew closer together as they coped with the adversity,” says Jenifer Joy Madden, author of How To Be a Durable Human.

As we wave our children off to classes, we can draw on those hard-won, deeper ties by taking steps to ensure our children’s health and well-being. Here are some suggested strategies:

Hold a family sit-down Meet as a group to talk about schedules and logistics to make sure everyone’s commitments will work together, recommends Erika Beckles Camez, Ph.D., a licensed family therapist in Temecula, California. “Talk as a family about how everyone feels about going back to school and intentionally tell your student that throughout the year if they 40 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

“During the summer, bedtime tends to creep later and later. Two weeks before school starts, begin to reset bedtime by reversing the creep by 15 minutes every few nights,” suggests Amber Trueblood, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Culver City, California, and author of Stretch Marks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 6 to 12 years of age sleep nine to 12 hours a night and teenagers 13 to 18 sleep eight to 10 hours. Getting enough sleep, it advises, leads to “improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health.” Sleep experts recommend not allowing kids to be on device screens beginning an hour before bedtime, and perhaps storing devices in another room.

Buoy them with breakfast According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, children that eat a complete breakfast have been shown to work faster, make fewer math mistakes and show improved concentration, alertness, comprehension and memory. “Get in the habit of a healthy breakfast that contains a mix of lean proteins, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates and fiber,” advises Amy

Spindel, a functional holistic nutritionist in Plano, Texas. “That might be something like eggs scrambled with spinach in olive oil; a smoothie with greens, coconut milk, nut butter, cherries and steamed cauliflower; or a small bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with berries and almond butter alongside some turkey sausage. These types of combinations help promote stable blood sugar until lunchtime, which means your child will be able to focus on learning and social interactions instead of their tummies.”

Satisfy them with healthy snacks

There’s a metabolic reason students head straight for the fridge when they get home—but it’s best if they can’t grab sweets. “Children need healthy, wholefood, nutritious snacks after school to fuel both their bodies and their brain,” says Uma Naidoo, M.D., a Harvard-based nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef and author of This Is Your Brain on Food.

To support optimal brain development and help lower kids’ anxiety and hyperactivity levels, she suggests snacks rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B12 and D, and iron and folate, such as: “Fries” cooked in an air fryer to crisp up zucchini, carrots or green beans n Veggie dips or hummus made with chickpeas, carrots, beets or spinach n Almond butter on celery sticks, or n

Two weeks before school starts, begin to reset bedtime by reversing the creep by 15 minutes every few nights. seed butter for dipping sweet peppers or apple slices n Homemade fish sticks made by heating salmon pieces in an air fryer n Granola that includes walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds

Take allergy precautions About one in 14 U.S. children has a food allergy. Anisha Angella, an early childhood specialist and author of Easing Allergy Anxiety in Children, recommends taking special precautions with an allergy-prone child, including frequent handwashing; carrying an EpiPen for sudden, severe

reactions that require an epinephrine injection; and not sharing foods. “Connect with their teachers,” she advises. “They want to help in any way, too. When a child sees an adult that supports their allergy safety in all environments, they feel comfortable, and that lessens anxiety.”

“Readjusting from the pandemic will take patience and perseverance on the part of parents,” says Madden. “Having the family start simple wellness habits can help.”

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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daily & ongoing

AUGUST 2021 SUNDAY, AUGUST 1 Trail Clean Up – 8–11am. Join Mikaela Molnar as we clean up the trails of Sussex County, much like a beach cleanup but we clean up the trails. Free. Monument Trail Loop High Point State Park. For information, call/text 973-362-6960 or email simplebarenecessitieszw@gmail.com.

SBNZeroWaste.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4 Intuitive Wisdom Four Class Series – Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25; 9:30-11:30am (Zoom) or 7-9pm (In person or Zoom by request). Fourclass series to explore and develop your intuitive wisdom! Focus on the Oracle Cards and Auras, and how to use imagery to develop your intuitive abilities plus exercises to go deeper into the meaning of the cards. Practice seeing auras. $100 for series. Zoom link sent on registration.

Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave., Ste. 105, Chester. For information, call 862222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester. com.

Book Club: “How to Listen with Intention” – 7pm. Join us for a fun evening discussing our newest book club choice, wine and light snacks! Donation-based. Niyama Yoga Shalas, 270 Sparta Ave., Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta. For information call 973500-2939 or email niyamayogastudio@ gmail.com. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 Reiki Level I Class – 10:30am-4:30pm; In person (limited space) or Zoom. Receive two attunements, learn Reiki history, Reiki benefits, hand positions for self Reiki and to give to others and more. Plus learn essential oils that may enhance Reiki and overall well-being. Learn about energy management. Includes guided meditation.

Zoom participants register early to allow time to received mailed handbook with sample essential oils. Completed level receives certificate. $50 deposit reserves space.

Total cost: $195; balance due by first day of class. Register at: https://Eventbrite.com/e/ reiki-level-i-training-tickets-163177394981.

Zoom link sent on registration. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave., Ste. 105, Chester. For information, call 862-2224268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

Psychic Saturday! – 11am–4pm. Receive a Holistic Treatment, a Reading (or two!), and so much more! Your choice of Readers: Psychics, Shamans, and Mediums available. $29/15 minutes. Walk-ins Welcome

All calendar events for the September 2021 issue must be received by August 10 and adhere to our guidelines. To submit, visit https://www. naturalawakeningsnj.com/pages/calendar-listings or email kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com for submission form.

or pre-book your preferred time/reader.

Ayni Healing Arts Center, 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, contact 862-2683213 or aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com.

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/Events.

Sham ani c H eal i n g C i rcl e – 7:30pm.

Receive personal healing attention within group setting. Shamanic Techniques: Shamanic Extraction, Psychic Surgery, Clearing Ceremonies, Soul Retrieval, Rattle Doctoring, Medicine Songs, and more! $50 or bring a friend and you each pay just $40! Pre-registration required by Aug. 6. Ayni Healing Arts Center, 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, contact 862-2683213 or aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com.

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/Events

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8 Special 8-8 Sacred Sound Meditation – 4-5:30pm. Celebrate the Lion’s Gate. Learn what this means and bring everyone into a meditation along with lots of different sounds such as singing bowls, awakening bell, tuning forks, crystal pyramids and more! $33. Register at: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/162542164991. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave., Ste. 105, Chester.

For information, call 862-222-4268.

BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12 Complimentary Reiki Introduction Workshop – 5:30. Come speak to our Reiki Master, learn about our 5-Step Reiki training program that begins in October and meet some of the Niyama Tribe as we connect with likeminded individuals. Free. Niyama Yoga Shala, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph.

For information call 973-500-2939 or email niyamayogastudio@gmail.com.

NiyamaYogaShala.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 Vision Quest Mitote Retreat Art Farm, Fawn Lane In Accord Ny – 8/20, 12noon-8/22, 3pm. A sacred rite of passage. A time for you to 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. $625.

For information or to register, call 973-6472500 or email Janet@BeTheMedicine.com.

BeTheMedicine.com.

Multi-Gong Immersion – 7:30pm. Float on the healing frequencies of multiple gongs - each with their own Song, Wisdom, and Medicine - to doctor you body mind and soul. $40 per person OR Bring a Friend a you each pay

42 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

just $30! Pre-registration required by Aug. 20. Ayni Healing Arts Center, 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, contact 862-2683213 or aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com.

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/Events

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21 Multi-Gong Immersion – 7:30pm. Float on the healing frequencies of multiple gongs - each with their own Song, Wisdom, and Medicine - to doctor you body mind and soul. $40 per person OR Bring a Friend a you each pay just $30! Pre-registration required by Aug. 20. Ayni Healing Arts Center, 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, contact 862-2683213 or aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com.

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/Events

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29 Reiki Level III Class – 10:30am-5pm. Receive initiation as a Reiki Level III Master/Teacher.

Class includes attunement and information for the Rose Ray Reiki and the master symbol along with other symbols useful in practice.

Information regarding offering your own classes and marketing your Reiki business are included. Includes handbook, sample essential oils and two certificates. Cost: $595; $95 non-refundable deposit reserves space. Register at: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/reiki-level-iii-with-rose-light-reikitickets-163181693839. $595. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave., Ste. 105, Chester. For information, call 862-2224268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

PLAN AHEAD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 Sound Bath with Founder, Nicole Zornitzer – 5:30-6:45pm. Come rest, restore and renew while listening to Integral Sound Therapy Facilitator Graduate, Nicole as she bathes the crowd in crystal bowls, tibetan bowls and many other beautiful instruments. The benefits of sound healing are profound and each event sells out, so be sure to enroll ASAP. $45. Niyama Yoga Shala, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973-500-2939 or email niyamayogastudio@ gmail.com. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Be The Protected Healer – Noon-4pm; Zoom. Blending Advanced Shamanic and Energy Medicine Teachings. Awaken to more profound, subtle, and gross energy

levels and how to work with them. Learn to be a guardian and warrior for yourself, and for clients and students. Recordings sent. Energy attacks and transmissions can be very subtle, and we can miss them and think they are something else and become ill or affected in many ways on one or more levels. Includes free follow-up with Janet StraightArrow, Shaman and Healer. $175$200; Prepay by 9/7 for a discount. Be The Medicine (Online Sessions-Classes), 48 Frederick Place, Morristown. 973-647-2500.

Register at BetheMedicine.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Yama Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training 200 Hour RYT Begins – Sat/Sun; 8am-6pm.

9 Month Program, ends June 2022. This is the most in depth and useful anatomy training available to teacher training programs today. This full online and in-person experience is available only through studios like Niyama Yoga & Wellness. See website for tuition and payment plan information.

Niyama Yoga Shala, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973-5002939 or email niyamayogastudio@gmail. com. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Heart of Oneness Holistic Expo – 9/2426; 5-9pm; 10am-7pm; 10am-5pm. Over 100 unique holistic experts, practitioners, services and vendors, plus over 25 free lectures, workshops and presentations.

Free on Friday; $10 single day; $15 weekend pass. NJ Convention & Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison. nfo@ HeartofOnenessHolisticExpo.com. For more details and full exhibitor list visit HeartofOnenessHolisticExpo.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Barre International Training – 9/25-26; 11am-6pm. Train with the esteemed Barre International Team on the ballet barre.

This 14-hour training program will immerse you in the sequencing and anatomical understanding of the barre method created

by Lotte Berk. Training certified through ACE, AFFA & NASM. See website for tuition.

Niyama Yoga Shala, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973-5002939 or email niyamayogastudio@gmail. com. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 Shamanic Medicine Program – Year 1 – 11am–6pm. Bring your Soul to the Altar of the Sacred and Be Transformed. Guided by legendary mentorship of Master Shamans.

Step into your Spiritual Calling. Apply by 8/15 FOR early bird discount of $215/mo; $225/mo thereafter.Ayni Healing Arts Center, 9 Moran St., Newton. For information, contact 862268-3213 or aynihealingartscenter@gmail. com. AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/Events

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 Healing Ourselves—A Toltec Wisdom Retreat – 10/22, 12noon-10/24, 3pm. Go deeper into your process and understanding as Janet StraightArrow guides you through higher pearls of wisdom to have love and compassion for you as you open the doorways to deep release and resolution—inspiration, love, and clarity to help you move forward. Art Farm, Fawn Lane. Accord, NY. Be The Medicine Janet StraightArrow, shaman, sage, healer. $525 (prepaid by 8/15); $575 afterward.

Payment plan available. For information or to register, call 973-647-2500 or email Janet@ BeTheMedicine.com or visit BeTheMedicine. com/event/healing-toltec-wisdom-retreat/.

BeTheMedicine.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12 Soul Shamanism – The Inner Journey – 11/12, 2pm-11/14, 2pm. Soul Shamanism is a unique practice of Shamanism that grounds us in our everyday world with profound spiritual experiences of our higher dimensional Self. This advanced practice is for spiritual practitioners. Meditation and even core Shamanism are good preparation for this journey. You will leave with a practice that connects, heals, relaxes, and informs your life journey. Led by Janet StraightArrow, shaman, sage, healer. Location: Himalayan Institute, Honesdale, PA. $425 (prepaid by 11/7); $450 afterward. For information or to register, call 973-647-2500 or email Janet@ BeTheMedicine.com or visit BeTheMedicine. com/event/soul-shamanism-the-innerjourney/. BeTheMedicine.com.

ONGOING thursday Holistic Dentistry: Materials Reactivity Testing – 8am-4pm. Learn about and discuss Materials Reactivity Testing with the expert holistic dentists at Princeton Center for Dental Aesthetics &amp; Implants.

Biocompatibility testing can be a good way to learn what dental materials may be best suited to your oral health needs. This free consultation has a $152 value. It’s your opportunity to benefit from the decades of experience we offer all of our patients. For patients who so choose, we can arrange the testing process. FREE $152 value. Princeton Center for Dental Aesthetics & Implants, 11 Chambers Street, Princeton. 609-924-1414. princetondentist.com/holistic-dentistry.

Qigong –7-8pm. In person (limited) or Zoom. Qigong is a way to create balance, harmony and well-being. $35 per class.

To RSVP, text/call Sue at 862-222-4268 or info@blossomingintolight-chester. com. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com. $35. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave Suite 105, Chester. 862-222-4268.

BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

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.

HOME WITH OFFICE HOME IN PARSIPPANY: Are you looking to have a professional office in your home?

This lovely 4 bedroom home in Parsippany with a custom kitchen and master suite, has ample space for legal professional use.

Contact Nancy Doyne, 201-400-0347, Elaine Brens 201-492-4807 at Compass.

VOLUNTEER FOR HYPNOSIS DISCOVER HYPNOSIS: Seeking volunteers to experience various techniques for deep,relaxed focused state. Contact Lisa: at the Awakened Rose: 908-266-0467.

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.

SOUND IMMERSION GONG PORTAL EXPERIENCE:Private sound immersion. 24 gongs including the entire planetary series and 2 - 60 inch gongs. covid friendly hepatic air filter. Denville 252-646-3283

REIKI SERVICES TMJ RELIEF: Rebecca Brooks, Reiki Intuitive, channels your healing vibrations when she comes to your home for a restorative TMJ massage. While listening to a body scan, you will receive a facial/head massage to release any tension within the jaw region. $75/45 Minutes. Call to book 862-926-7327.

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North Central New Jersey Community

business directory

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

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

Acupuncture

Brain Training

Dr. Andy Rosenfarb, ND, LAc

FBT - Functional Brain Training

Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine; Board Certified in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine 332 South Ave East, Westfield 908-928-0060 • AcuVisionTherapy.com

Dr. Rosenfarb is world renowned in the field of holistic eye health.

He is passionate about helping people with degenerative eye diseases. Learn of his astounding work in this area—call now to qualify for your free copy of his groundbreaking book, Recover Your Vision. Additional specialties include glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy. See ad, pages 22, 9.

Modern Acupuncture – Florham Park Joan Arata 176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park 973-457-4467 ModAcu.com/nj001 Modern Acupuncture is revitalizing the ancient practice of acupuncture with enhanced fullbody treatments using tiny needles (smaller than human hair) to access distinct points to help restore the body’s balance, alleviate pain, reduce stress, promote relaxation and/or improve overall well-being. See ad, page 47.

Bakery/Specialty Starseed Bakery Linda Beg 100 Hibernia Avenue, Rockaway 973-957-0500 StarseedBakery@gmail.com StarseedBakery.com 100% gluten-, dairy-, soy- and GMO-free retail and wholesale bakery. Available products: artisan breads, custom cakes, pies, cookies, desserts, seasonal, vegan, Paleo, natural sugars, nut-free. See ad, 41.

Dr. Don Joergens 862-777-8612 info@functionalbraintraining.com FunctionalBrainTraining.com Unlike conventional medicine we assess the function between areas within the two sides of the hemispherical brain. This allows a deeply revealing approach to where unbalanced strengths and weaknesses create your issue.

Then we physically create symmetry, making you whole. See ad, page 10.

Coaching Law Of Attraction Life Coach David Scott Bartky, CLOALC 973-444-7301 David@LifeCoachDavid.com LifeCoachDavid.com D av i d i s a ce r t i f i e d a n d experienced Law of Attraction life coach. His clients all have great success because he teaches them powerful processes and techniques so they can attract what they want, instead of what they don’t want in all areas of life (both materialistically and emotionally). The Law of Attraction is always responding to you, so if you’re ready to say “Yes!” to attracting what you want, and/or improving your life in some way, contact David today.

Coaching sessions are held over the phone and the first session is always free.

Coaching/Counseling/ Therapy Mindful Experiences Linda LaMarca Schuler, MA, LPC

Beautification Services Unlock Your Hidden Beauty Natalia Schweitzer, Licensed Esthetician & Board Certified Permanent Makeup Artist 1236 US Highway 46 West, Suite B-1 Parsippany 862-432-9074 UnlockYHB@gmail.com UnlockYHB.com We provide natural permanent makeup application: m i c ro b l a d i n g ( h a i rs t ro ke b rows) , p owd e re d b rows , eyeliner, lip blush, 3D realistic areola and nipple reconstruction, and natural skin rejuvenation treatments. Our permanent makeup and skin rejuvenation services can help enhance your natural beauty and make you feel more relaxed, confident and beautiful. See ad, page 7.

“Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.”

- James Stephen

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NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

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

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 26.

Colon Hydrotherapy Living Waters Wellness Center Ann Ochs • Colon Hydrotherapist I-ACT Certified, Advanced Level Certified National Board for Colon Therapy, Body Ecology Diet Certified 26 Elm St, Morristown 973-998-6550 • ColonHealthNJ.com AnnLivingWaters@aol.com Ann Ochs has more than 20 years experience as a colon hydrotherapist. She holds an advanced certification from the International Association of Colon Therapists (I-ACT), is certified by the National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy, and is a certified body ecologist.

Living Waters offers the Angel of Water®, an advanced colon hydrotherapy system, designed to offer the ultimate in privacy and dignity. Call today Cosmetics – Organic

Enzyme Nutrition

Healing Arts

Holistic Healing & Therapy

Next Level Healing Of NJ, Inc.

Ayni Healing Arts Center

Susan Richter, RN, Nutritionist, CCH, LDHS Denville • 973-586-0626 NextLevelHealing.com

Rev. Denise and Joshua Zoppi 9 Moran St., Newton Call or Text: 862-268-3213 AyniHealingArtsCenter.com

Awakening Wellness, LLC

Enzyme nutrition is rapidly becoming a sought after therapy for the underlying digestive issues related to autism, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, skin problems, mood disorders, bowel issues and allergies. The system of analysis is scientific, non-invasive, and based on anatomy and physiology.

The methods of correction are food-based, drugfree, and have no side effects. Regardless of age or diagnosis, correcting digestion, supporting the immune system, and following guidelines for healthy choices are the backbone of Susan’s successful private practice of 36 years. If you are looking for a gentle approach to healing, call her.

Massage, Certified Shamanic Healing and Psychic Development Courses, Holistic Psychotherapy, Shamanic Healing Ceremony, Readings and Mediumship, Spiritual Counseling, Ministerial Services, Movement Therapy, Retreats. In-person or Virtual Sessions. See ad, page 14.

Holistic Dental Center Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS 91 Millburn Avenue, Millburn 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 ads,

Eye/Vision Health Dr. Andy Rosenfarb, ND, LAc, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine; Board Certified in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine 332 South Ave East, Westfield 908-928-0060 • AcuVisionTherapy.com

Dr. Rosenfarb is world renowned in the field of holistic eye health.

He is passionate about helping people with degenerative eye diseases. Learn of his astounding work in this area—call now to qualify for your free copy of his groundbreaking book, Recover Your Vision. Additional specialties include glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy. See ad, pages 22, 9.

Functional Medicine

Morning Star Family Health Center 54 Old Highway 22, Clinton 908-735-9344 MorningStarFHC.com MorningStar’s team of health professionals cares for you like family. Our membershipbased practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care.

See ad, page 31.

Hilary uniquely blends CranioSacral Therapy with other healing modalities to alleviate chronic pain, headaches, stress and accumulated tension. Treatment benefits physical, emotional and energetic levels, and facilitates the body’s self-healing process; gently releasing restrictions in the connective tissue and removing energy blockages. Clearing the body of stuck stress improves health, feelings of wellness, ability to feel calm, centered and empowered.

Holistic Health Jule Lane Yoga Jule Lane 862-281-6686 team@julelaneyoga.com JuleLaneYoga.com Jule Lane Yoga provides tailored yoga, meditation, and breathing sessions based on your personal goals and needs. We work with you oneone-one to increase strength and flexibility, ease stress, establish the mind-body connection, and promote physical and mental

pages 3, 13.

Holistic Healing Services Heartmath+ Linda Sercarz Certified Heartmath Coach Serving North Jersey & surrounding area 973-714-8650 • Sercarz@aol.com Heartmath+ consists of simple heart-focused, science-based meditations. The techniques are designed to change the way your body responds to stress by learning to self-regulate. They create more resilience, coherence, clarity (even in stressful situations), and the capacity to selfregulate. Heartmath+.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”

- Sydney J. Harris

Hilary D. Bilkis, MS, CST CranioSacral Therapy • SomatoEmotional Release Work • Visceral Mobility Energy Healing • MELT Method Instruction 973-479-2229 • Awakening4Wellness.com

make our souls blossom.”

awareness.

Hypnosis Morris Hypnosis Center Linda West, BA, ACH 55 Madison Ave, Morristown 973-506-9654 MorrisHypnosisCenter.com Advanced Clinical Hypnosis using an interactive, personalized technique; based on a lengthy interview at first sess i o n a n d d i a l o g u es a t following sessions. Specializing in weight, stress, smoking, chronic pain, releasing the past, performance, obsessive thoughts, substance use, sleep, fears, confidence and attention issues. If you have constraints that you can’t seem to break through, hypnosis can free you and put you back in charge. Come for a free consultation to learn how you can reframe your past and design your future.

- Marcel Proust August 2021

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Psychotherapy

Spiritual Healing, Teaching

Yoga/Wellness

Leslie Karen Lobell, MA, LPC

Be The Medicine

Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala

Pompton Plains (Rte 23) and Montclair 908-577-0053 • Leslie@LeslieLobell.com LeslieLobell.com Do you suffer from anxiety or stress? Want to lose weight, stop smoking, gain self-confidence or change a habit? Need support and guidance through a life or career transition? Are you ready to achieve your goals, pursue your dreams and actualize your potential? You CAN create the Life You Desire... I can help you MAKE IT HAPPEN! Using proven techniques—Holistic Psychotherapy, Hypnosis, Stress Reduction, Reiki and Dream Interpretation, I help teens & adults create happier, healthier, more peaceful and fulfilling lives. See ad, page 9.

Past Life Regression Therapy & Hypnotherapy Cathy Ludwig, Ed.S., LPC 109 Main St., Suite 1B, Succasunna 201-738-8311 • ludcat@optimum.net CathyLudwig.com Do you want to make peace with your past? Self-acceptance and clarity are yours when you determine how the past is influencing the present and when you make conscious choices about the future. As a licensed psychotherapist, Cathy helps you experience healing in all areas of your life. Using the powerful and effective treatments of Past Life Regression Therapy or Hypnotherapy alone or in combination with talk therapy, Cathy helps you develop your full potential, resolve conflict and have more compassion for yourself and others. Call to discuss which treatment option will work best for you. See ad, page 12.

Janet StraightArrow 973-647-2500 Janet@BeTheMedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com Shamanic Healing, Energy Medicine, Past Life, Medical Intuition, Life, Health, Spiritual Coaching, Astrology Readings, House and Land Clearings. In p e rs o n , p h o n e o r S ky p e.

Professional Reiki, S h a m a n i s m , a n d M e d i ca l I n t u i t i ve Tra i n i n g . Re t re a t s. 4 0 ye a rs’ experience. See ad, page 17.

Nicole Zornitzer, Founder 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph 270 Sparta Ave., Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta 550 SE 6th Ave., Ste. 200K, Delray Bch, FL 973-500-2939 NiyamaYogaShala.com Vinyasa, hot vinyasa, yin yoga, HIIT, barre fusion, yogalates, Pilates and Iyengar rope wall, plus private yoga therapy, ayurvedic counseling, reiki healing and Thai yoga bodywork. All programs are International Yoga Alliance accredited. See ad, page 27.

Thermography Lisa’s Thermography and Wellness Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC Thermographer and Holistic Counselor See website for locations in NJ, NY & PA 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. Whether your pain is acute or chronic, or you are merely curious about the state of your health, thermography can help provide answers.

Radiation-free breast and full body screenings for men and women. See ad, page 46.

Zero Waste & Refillery Simple Bare Necessities Mikaela Molnar

17 Main St., Lower Level, Sparta 973-362-6960 simplebarenecessitieszw@gmail.com SBNZeroWaste.com Simple Bare Necessities is a zero waste store and refillery aimed to foster positive individual change by offering plastic-free goods and refillable products. See ad, page 17.

“Cross your bridges before you come to them and you have to pay the toll twice.”

- Franklin P. Jones

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

FREE Dry Brush for new clients only ~ Visit Website for Test Locations in NJ, NY & PA ~

Call for your appointment today! 855-667-9338

Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC • LisasThermographyAndWellness.com

46 Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Pick-up 3-8pm on Thurs. at Mountain Lakes Denville • Madison Rockaway

FLORHAM PARK & SOHO Text GO FLO or GO SOHO to 89000 For SPECIAL OFFERS* 176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ 07932 | 973-765-9500 | modacu.com/nj001 65 West Houston Street, NY 10012 (SOHO) | 917-388-2886 | modacu.com/ny001

PAIN | STRESS | BEAUTY *Intro offers for new patients only. Must be local resident. Expires by 7/31/2022. Gift cards available to all. The laws relating to the practice of acupuncture vary from state to state. Please visit modacu.com for clinic ownership information, offer details and any state specific disclaimers.

Individual results may vary. Not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Franchises Available.

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