Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey / November 2020

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

FREE

HOW TO BE A

PEACEFUL

PARENT

HERBS THAT SOOTHE PETS’ SKIN PROBLEMS

PREVENT

TYPE 2

DIABETES

SIMPLE WAYS TO PRACTICE

BODY GRATITUDE

INDIGENOUS WISDOM

FOR OUR TIMES

November 2020 | Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex Co. | NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNER HAS LAUNCHED ®

TRANSFORMING YOUR HEALTH CARE TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH & WELL-BEING Natural Awakenings is honored to give our dedicated readers the opportunity to be among the first members welcomed into the KnoWEwell community. With gratitude for our 26 years of readership and support, through our mission-aligned collaborative partnership with KnoWEwell, we are pleased to gift both individuals and providers with:

FREE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP - FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

“There is no simple way to describe KnoWEwell but Think Big! WebMD, meets Match.com, HomeAdvisor, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Indeed for Regenerative Whole Health, all in one place for the benefit of everyone.”

Joe Dunne, Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp., COO

Join for FREE at KnoWEwell.com INDIVIDUALS ENTER CODE: NANJ360

PROVIDERS ENTER CODE: NANJ3300

(a $60 value)

(a $300 value)

A Top 50 Healthcare Company 2019

The KnoWEwell Collaborative with benefits for all in the RWH and well-being ecosystem.

2

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

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

A

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

November 2020

3

Contents

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 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.

24

22 BODY GRATITUDE

22

Being Thankful Empowers Our Workouts

24 PREVENTING

TYPE 2 DIABETES Natural Lifestyle Choices to Curb the Disease

32 MINDFUL PARENTING

The Conscious Path to Raising a Child

26

34 NATURAL BEAUTY Homemade Solutions for Glowing Skin

28 SHERRI MITCHELL

on Indigenous Wisdom for Our Times

38 SKIN-SOOTHING ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 908-405-1515 or email Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for editorial: Articles (5th of the month); News and Health briefs (10th of the month).

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit calendar events online at NaturalAwakeningsNJ. com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

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

34

HERBS FOR DOGS AND CATS Simple Ways to Reduce Itching

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 8 health briefs 14 now open 16 global briefs 22 fit body 28 wise words 31 teen voices 32 healthy kids 34 healing ways

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

38 natural pet 40 local yoga 41 yoga corner 42 calendar 44 business

directory 45 classifieds

publisher letter

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

What It’s About

I

n today’s crazy times the hope for love and peace can seem far away. But love is truly the only thing that counts.

Nothing started with the truth of love can fail.

NORTH CENTRAL NJ EDITION

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

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

So let love rule.

In love, peace and laughter,

Design & Production Kathy Tarbell Social Media Christian Tang

Joe Dunne, Publisher

“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that

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

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

life is far more than anything you can ever see or

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

hear or touch.

That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive.

Love that conquers hate, Peace that rises triumphant over war, and Justice that proves more powerful than greed.”

– Fred Rogers

NaturalNJ

NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

Art Director Josh Pope

Layout & Design Gabrielle W-Perillo

Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy

National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Assistant Anne-Marie Ryan Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4851 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 200 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513

NaturalAwakenings.com © 2020 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

The content herein has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not meant to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any condition.

Statements are the opinion of the author/speaker.

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

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

Please Recycle

Natural Awakenings is printed on recyclable newsprint for the environment.

November 2020

5

news briefs

Correcting The Toll of Sedentary

D

uring the past six months of limitations due to the risk of contracting COVID-19, reports of adult musculoskeletal pain have seen a significant spike. Physically passive behaviors—prolonged sitting, increased time on a computer, general inactivity—have all contributed to lower back stress resulting in pain and discomfort.

While lack of movement takes a toll, so does repetitive motion.

Renowned concert pianist Leon Fleisher spent years following a grueling schedule of practice and performance that developed a debilitating over-use syndrome. This led to the loss of use of his right hand and a frustrating decade of teaching, conducting and performing pieces for the left hand.

Over the decades, Ed Hemberger, Certified Rolf Structural Integration, has seen Structural Integration move from being an alternative therapy that helped people feel more balanced and grounded, particularly when other approaches had failed, to a recognized methodology that rehabilitates patients with long standing soft-tissue and postural restrictions.

After exploring dozens of diagnostic and therapeutic avenues in an attempt to return to two-handed playing, Fleisher discovered Structural Integration. Ten months later, after receiving many treatments from Advanced Practitioner Tessie Brungart, Fleisher triumphantly returned to Carnegie Hall and has since returned to touring. In early 2009 he released his first CD in 20 years. Brungart was subsequently invited to present her work to the National Institute of Health.

This manipulative therapy restores natural movement and posture, plus helps to correct a myriad of conditions. Hemberger is committed to helping patients become pain free and able to enjoy life in their own body again. Now is a great time to take or re-take control of your own health and fitness. Call today for a free 30-minute consultation and discover if Structural Integration is right for you.

Launch of KnoWEwell for Natural Awakenings

K

noWEwell, a collaborative partner with the Natural Awakenings family of publishers since June, has launched a personalized, integrated, private, secure, community and marketplace platform designed to transform health care. The one online trusted destination for today’s Regenerative Whole Health knowledge, resources and community that inspires and empowers individuals to take control and make better informed health decisions to achieve WELLthier Living, KnoWEwell received the Top 50 Healthcare Companies award from the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare.

KnoWEwell is an immersive, global online platform that connects the dots between lifestyle choices, soil, food, the planet and health. With vetted providers, evidence-based resources and peer-reviewed content, it’s a safe space to learn and share. Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. Chief Operating Officer Joe Dunne says, “There is no simple way to describe KnoWEwell but to think big―WebMD meets Match.com, HomeAdvisors, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Indeed for Regenerative Whole Health, all in one place for the benefit of everyone.

“Natural Awakenings is honored to give our dedicated readers the opportunity to be some of the first members to be welcomed into the KnoWEwell community. With gratitude for our 26 years of readership and support, through our mission-aligned collaborative partnership with KnoWEwell, we are pleased to gift both individuals and providers with free annual memberships. The new platform can be found at KnoWEwell.com.”

For more information, visit KnoWEwell.com and see the ad on page 2, which includes free membership codes.

Online Nutrition Certification Course Begins November 15

Location: Offices in Boonton and Montclair. For more information, contact Ed at 973-462-3112 or ed_hemberger@verizon.net.

HembergerStructuralIntegration.com. See ad, page 33.

Mastery Level Training in Six Months

R

eiki Master Healer Teacher Training at a comprehensive professional level taught by a reiki master and shaman. Originally this is a ten-year practice, study and achievement.

However, Janet StraightArrow guides students through this life-enhancing training into mastery with a six-day training over six-months for the complete work. The classes are once a month with homework and practice with one another and clients in-between. One on one sessions with Janet are included.

Dates and times are being arranged now. The classes will be offered via Zoom and in-person when possible. Those interested may contact Janet for details.

For more information, call 973-647-2500 or email Janet@ Bethemedicine.com with questions and interest. BeTheMedicine. com. See ad, page 7.

6

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

N

utritionist Dian Freeman, owner of Dian’s Wellness Simplified, has been in practice for almost 40 years and has shared her experience by teaching a six-month nutrition certification course for 17 years in New Jersey. Freeman is now offering her classes online. This November 15 marks the beginning of her upcoming Nutrition Course and will be presented in real-time on Zoom. Those who miss a class will be able catchup by viewing videos of each class.

Passing a final exam leads to being awarded a CHHC, Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Many of her graduates are now in practice themselves while others take the course for their own healthcare information. Mentoring is offered to all students as long as needed.

For information or to register, call 973-267-2816, email Dian2@ WellnessSimplified.com or visit WellnessSimplified.com. See ad, page 30.

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Peace, Clarity, and Health are within reach Get Unstuck in All Areas of Your Life!

Janet StraightArrow’s unique blend of ancient wisdom with practical methods opens the door for discovering your true self.

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

Awaken

Deep Love, Complete Healing, Practical Spiritual Living.

Shaman, Healer, Teacher, Yogi, Sage

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

Directory of Advertisers Thank you for being part of our community!

Aesthetic Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . 35, 48 K&P Holistic Health & Fitness . . . . . . . . . 40 Phyzeke Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Ayni Healing Arts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 KnowWEwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Salt Spa and Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Be the Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Leslie Lobell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Shakti Yoga & Living Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Bee You Yoga & Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Lisa’s Thermography Blossoming into Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Starseed Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

and Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Studio Yoga Madison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Cathy Ludwig Ed.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Living Waters Wellness Center . . . . . . . 45 Sussex County Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . . 18 Center for Systemic Dentistry . . . . . . . . . 12 Modern Acupuncture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Transform Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Deborah Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Morning Star Family Health . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Wellness Simplified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fortis Farms - Grow Tower . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Mountain Lakes Organic Coop . . . . . . . . 46 Whole Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Functional Brain Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Natural Awakenings Singles . . . . . . . . . . 31 WholeListic Hair Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Hemberger Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Natural Home Cleaning by Basia . . . . . 47 Holistic Dental Center - Dr. Vladimir

Nature’s Rite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 * New / Returning Advertisers

Gashinsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 19 Niyama Yoga Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Jean O’Toole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Personally Yours Lingerie . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Let them know you found them in Natural Awakenings North Central NJ! November 2020

7

Active mediation by a third party provides better outcomes for couples’ arguments by heightening activity in the “reward” part of the brain that generates romantic love. That’s the conclusion of researchers from the University of Geneva in a study in the journal Cortex that included 36 heterosexual couples that had been married for one year. After receiving brain scans with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and filling out a questionnaire, the couples argued for an hour about a key conflict such as intimacy, finances or in-laws. Half the couples received guidance from a professional mediator; the other couples did not.

Afterward, couples with the active mediator reported feeling more satisfied with the content and progress of the discussion and had fewer residual issues. When individuals were shown photos of their spouse and another unknown person during a second fMRI, the couples that had mediation were more likely to experience heightened activation in the nucleus accumbens, a key region in the reward circuit of the brain linked to pleasure, motivation and feelings like love. The more satisfied a person was with the mediation, the greater the neural activation.

“Our results suggest for the first time that third-party mediation has a significant and positive impact on the way couples argue, both behaviourally and neurally,” concludes Olga Klimecki, a study author and researcher at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences.

8

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

The herb black cohosh has long been used to relieve menopausal symptoms, and a new study in Pharmaceuticals suggests that it’s most effective when combined with rhodiola, an adaptogenic herb known for balancing stress responses, as well as supporting brain, liver and heart health. Researchers from the Democratic Republic of Georgia Zhordania Institute of Reproductology divided 220 women into three groups. After 12 weeks, those given the combination of the two herbs reported 71 percent fewer menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, and 67 percent fewer psychological and physical symptoms. These were significantly better results than for those that received either a high or low dose of black cohosh or a placebo.

Take Vitamin D and Calcium to Reduce Vertigo When a change in the position of a person’s head results in a sudden spinning sensation, it’s a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

For 86 percent of people afflicted with it, daily life can be interrupted, including missing work. Treatment usually involves a doctor or health practitioner performing a series of movements to the patient’s head that shift particles in the ears, but scientists in South Korea have found another simple solution: 400 international units of vitamin D and 500 milligrams of calcium daily. In a study of 957 people published in Neurology, 445 in an intervention group were given supplements if vitamin D levels were less than 20 nanograms per milliliter. The 512 people in the observation group did not get supplements. After a year, the supplement-takers had 24 percent fewer episodes, and those with very low vitamin D levels at the start experienced a 45 percent reduction.

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

michelle blackwell/Unsplash.com

davis kokanis/Unsplash.com

Have Conflicts Mediated for Best Results

spline_x/AdobeStock.com

Try Rhodiola and Black Cohosh for Menopausal Symptoms

health briefs

Try Flaxseed Oil to Reduce Weight and Body Mass Index

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common form of chronic liver disease affecting up to one quarter of the population worldwide.

Associated with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, MAFLD is quickly becoming the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and has been linked to more severe COVID-19 outcomes. With no effective pharmacological treatments, the focus has been on reducing weight by 7 to 10 percent. But a new study from Trinity College, in Dublin, based on liver biopsies of 24 patients, found those that undertook 12 weeks of aerobics had significant improvements in markers of liver and metabolic health, even without weight loss, making exercise theoretically more important than losing pounds. The positive results were not sustained once the exercising stopped, leading researchers to recommend follow-up programs in community settings.

Flaxseed, with its high nutritional value and low glycemic profile, has been shown to lower blood sugar in patients with Type 2 diabetes. To see if flaxseed as an oil has similar effects, Iranian researchers gave 40 overweight and prediabetic patients either 2,000 milligrams of flaxseed oil or a placebo daily for 14 weeks. The flaxseed oil did not produce lower inflammatory or glycemic markers than the placebo, but it did lead to significantly greater weight loss and a lower body mass index.

A 2019 study of 50 obese and overweight adults found that consuming milled flaxseed for 12 weeks resulted in more than 20 pounds of weight loss, lower body mass index and greater reductions in triglycerides and inflammatory markers compared to a control group.

karolina grabowska/Pexels.com

Do Aerobic Exercises to Improve Fatty Liver Condition

ITEX/ TERRI MARTIN AD

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

Past Life Regression Therapy & Hypnotherapy

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

Call today for an appointment

Cathy Ludwig, Ed.S., LPC Licensed Psychotherapist 109 Main St., Suite 1B, Succasunna, NJ

201-738-8311 • CathyLudwig.com ludcat@optimum.net November 2020

9

Iodine and Breast Health

by Don Joergens

F

ibrocystic breast disease affects more than 60% of women in the U.S. While fibroids in breast tissue are not evidence of cancer and do not increase the risk for cancer, the lumpiness in one or both breasts may cause discomfort, breast tenderness and pain.

What causes fibrocystic breasts? Abnormal hormone levels during the menstrual cycle contribute to the cyst formation and inflammation. This condition can be worsened by consuming caffeine and overconsumption of bad fats (or good fats in the wrong ratios) may add to the inflammation. Diminished iodine levels are less well known but are a critical factor in maintaining breast and body health.

Although most people think they consume enough iodine, it is estimated that up to 96% of the population is deficient. Diet is partly responsible because digesting nitrates in foods can expel iodine and tap water may contain iodine blocking chemicals such as bromides, fluorides and perchlorates. The FDA recommended daily allowance for iodine is only 150 micrograms. This standard was based on studies conducted in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s that found iodine consumed at that level prevented and reversed enlarged thyroid glands, called goiters, in both children and adults.

However, cells in the body require iodine in significantly greater amounts to optimize function and protection.

Many women are unaware of the importance of correcting iodine deficiency in getting relief from fibrocystic breasts. Iodine

10

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

is not only one of the most potent antioxidants in the body—its effect is even broader than vitamin C—it is a critical molecule that tells an older, failing cell when it’s time to perish, allowing new cells to be born. A process which, if blocked, can lead to these disease states and more. Iodine is also needed and transported into every cell of the body for a litany of biological reactions to occur but only if there is enough daily supply.

Iodine is not only important in managing and even relieving fibrocystic breasts. It can also be vital for breast cancer prevention and remediation. Research published in Oncology Times shows that molecular iodine has a “potent inhibitory effect” on cell growth for both fibrocystic breasts and breast cancer. Research has demonstrated that rats given known cancer-causing carcinogens will develop cancers and that when iodine is taken along with carcinogens, tumor formation cannot occur.

In the case of breast cancer, we know that a combination of iodine/iodide positively affects expression of the BRCA1 gene— which produces proteins that suppress tumors—in estrogen-responsive breast cancer. It does this by increasing BRCA1 activity.

Researchers in this study also found that this combination “could enhance the efficacy of tamoxifen therapy...thus preventing or slowing the development of tamoxifen resistance.”

Those who have had a mastectomy and/or chemotherapy for breast cancer may still need high quality iodine/iodide as studies suggest it provides a significant proactive prevention going forward.

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

GIFT CARDS PACKAGES MEMBERSHIPS GIVE THE GIFT OF ACUPUNCTURE

FLORHAM PARK 176 COLUMBIA TURNPIKE, FLORHAM PARK, NJ 973-765-9500 NEW PATIENTS ONLY modacu.com/nj001 November 2020

11

Addressing iodine deficiency isn’t as simple as just buying a supplement in any dosage. There are risk factors as other health considerations come into play so it is important to work with someone highly knowledgeable in how iodine/iodide may interact. For example, those with autoimmune or thyroid issues would be warned not to take large doses initially or until other measures have been established. Accurate measurement of iodine levels requires a 24-hour iodine challenge test given by a physician. Home tests are also available.

The future is incredibly exciting for women, men and children alike as knowledge of our great need for iodine is understood. Not only for breast-related diseases but also to prevent, manage and heal from thyroid disease. Iodine is also being studied as factor in addressing prostate cancer, immune weakness, ADD/ADHD, atherosclerosis, excess mucous production, fatigue, headache/migraines, infections, hypertension, ovarian disease, vaginal infections and more.

Dr. Donald Joergens, D.C., and founder of Functional Brain Training (FBT), is an expert in functional medicine and advanced nutrition. He is part of a team that has developed advancements in iodine, the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2, as well as mitochondrial/anti-aging nutrients.

Functional Brain Training is located in Rockaway and Whitehouse. For more information and to schedule a free phone consultation or set up a talk, call 862-777-8612, email DrDon@functionalbraintraining.com or visit FunctionalBrainTraining.com. See ad, page 13.

12

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Breathe, Detoxify, Relax Let yourself sink into the relaxing, calming and restorative salt experience.

Salt Cave | Salt Lounge | Salt Booth | Infrared Sauna Salt, Sound & Color Booth | Kid’s Salt Room Chair Massage Room Salt Cave Yoga

t Saly pable, a r e h T An affordution

y sol e health p eas to hel nd ngs a u l r u yo n. ur ski o y l a he

Special!

10% off for New Customers

Surr yours ound elf wi th

Salt Sound & Colo r Your Safety is Our Priority!

We follow all CDC requirements for a healthy visit.

908-750-4554 SaltSpaTherapy.com 1930 State Hwy 57, #11 • Hackettstown, NJ

November 2020

13

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

Be The Medicine

Fortis Farms, LLC

Janet StraightArrow, Shaman, Healer, Sage Online Sessions and Classes Home Base Morristown 973-647-2500 Janet@Bethemedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com

Monika Christian and Kiley Doll

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

Blossoming into Light Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar 31 Fairmount Ave., Suite 105, Chester

By Appointment 862-222-4268 Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com Currently we are offering services and classes virtually and in-person. Crystals available by appointment or at sessions and classes.

Offering classes on crystals, Sound Therapy, Reiki, Raindrop Technique, Aromatherapy & Other Spiritual topics. Sessions include intuitive readings, Akashic readings, Reiki, Sound Therapy, Raindrop Technique, AromaHarmony. Self-Mastery program tailored to your focus. Healer Certification Program available..

Cathy Ludwig, Ed.S., LPC 109 Main St., Suite 1B, Succasunna

By Appointment 201-738-8311 ludcat@optimum.net CathyLudwig.com

18230 Edwards Shop Rd., Elkwood, VA

Webstore is open 24/7

540-409-6871 hello@growfortisfarms.com

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

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

Thermographer and Holistic Counselor See website for locations in NJ and NY

By appointment

855-667-9338 Lisa@LisasThermographyAndWellness.com

LisasThermographyAndWellness.com Thermography gives an early look at the most important indicator of a potential health problem – inflammation. Early stage disease screening is an area in which thermography excels. Radiation-free breast and full body screenings for men and women.

Ayni Healing Arts Center Rev. Denise and Joshua Zoppi Newton, NJ By appt. Mon-Fri, day and evening.

Call or Text: 862-268-3213 AyniHealingArtsCenter.com Massage, Shamanic Healing Ceremony, Past Life, Mediumship, Spiritual Counseling, Certified Shamanic Training, Mentorship, Soul Midwifery, House Blessing, Dream Interpretation, Lectures, Retreats. In-person or Virtual Sessions. See ad, page xx.

All services are now available by appointment in person or online using a secure HIPAA compliant platform.

14

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

Hemberger Structural Integration Edward Hemberger 550 West Main St Boonton, Entry #2 & Flowers Healing Arts, 460 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair Mon-Fri, 10 am-8 pm; Sat 10 am-2 pm 973-462-3112 ed_hemberger@verizon.net HembergerStructuralIntegration.com

Starseed Bakery Linda Beg 100 Hibernia Avenue, Rockaway Tues-Fri: 9am-5pm; Wed till 6pm; Sat. 8am-4pm. Closed Sun & Mon. 973-957-0500 StarseedBakery@gmail.com StarseedBakery.com In-store shopping, online ordering, curbside available. Call for custom orders. 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.

Modern Acupuncture Joan Arata

176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ

Mon-Tues: 10am–3pm; Wed-Fri: 2-7pm; Sat: 10am-3pm 973-765-9500 Nj001@modacu.com

ModAcu.com/nj001 65 W. Houston Street, SoHo, NYC

Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am-3pm; Tues, Thurs: 2-7pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm 917-388-2886 Ny001@modacu.com

ModAcu.com/ny001 We offer an approachable, natural pathway, validated by thousands of years of practice, to better health and well-being for all in a convenient, peaceful and modern location.

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Morningstar Family Health Center

Deborah Nelson, CSG Law

Mon-Fri; 8:30am-5pm

973-530-2390 dnelson@csglaw.com

54 Old Highway 22, Clinton 908-735-9344

MorningStarFHC.com

Membership based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care. .

Next Level Healing Of NJ, Inc. Susan Richter, RN, Nutritionist, CCH, LDHS Call for consultation.

Denville • 973-586-0626

NextLevelHealing.com 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.

Aesthetic Family Dentistry Holistic Family Practice 35 W. Main St., Suite 208, Denville

Now open. Call for appointment.

Call for appointment CSGLaw.com Divorce with Mutual Respect. Mediation, arbitration and collaborative law.

Salt Spa & Therapy Lisa Marzano 1930 Rt 57, Hackettstown

Mon-Fri 9:30am-7:30pm; Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 10am-5pm 908-750-4554

SaltSpaTherapy.com Ease into relaxation and breathe in health salt therapy. Offering Salt Lounge, Salt Cave, Kids Zone, Infrared Sauna and Salt Booths.

10% Off Special for new customers.

Niyama Yoga Studios

973-500-2939 Niyamayogastudio@gmail.com

Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala(s) are now open in both locations; Randolph and Sparta. Our classes have been limited to 25% capacity and all CDC guidelines regarding safety are being adhered to. We have indoor / outdoor circulation of air through both studios as well as outdoor options in both locations; with our Randolph studio having a 600 sq foot outdoor Shala and our Sparta location being on the Upper Lake Mohawk promenade. Additionally, we have installed medical grade air filtration systems in both studios to eliminate 99.9% of germs, environmentally friendly / sustainable water systems and we offer radiant heated classes; which are the healthiest and most natural form of heated yoga.

438 Springfield Ave, Berkeley Heights 908-464-9144

HolisticDentistryNJ.com Holistic dentist proficient in both traditional and alternative dentistry with over 30 years of experience.

Health Queen

Avis Gardell-Feldstein 1 Shadowbrook Lane, Basking Ridge Remote NLS Analysis & more 732-547-1196 (phone or text) HealthqueenAvis@gmail.com

HealthQueenAvis.com We are excited to be able to bring the most cutting edge information in the Health Industry through our Certification in Naturopathy.

Private consultations with Matrix Decoder diagnostics and Biofeedback plus testing available for Food Sensitivities, Hormones and more! S

Plus: Creating Community & Connection

Hours: 6am-9pm; 7 days a week

afdpa.com

Dr. Philip Memoli, DMD, FAGD, CNJ, FIND Open for appointments.

Spending Locally

1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph 270 Sparta Ave., Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta

NiyamaYogaShala.com

Center for Systemic Dentistry

Coming Next Month

Nicole Zornitzer

973-627-3617

Integrative dental therapies that transform quality of life.

DECEMBER

Holistic Dental Center Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS

91 Millburn Ave, Milburn Current hours: Mon 9am-7pm;

Tues-Thurs, 8am-5pm; Fri 9am-6pm 973-379-9080 inquiry@drgdds.com

HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com

Holistic dental care that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums. By treating the cause, not just the symptoms, Dr. Gashinsky helps improve his patients’ quality of life through dental care that respects and honors the body for healthy teeth and gums.

Support Local Business!

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

908-405-1515 November 2020

15

global briefs

Equality Matters

Overall Concern

Nearly 6,000 scientists signed a pledge to #ShutDownSTEM on June 10, the day of the Strike for Black Lives across higher education. (STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math.) They canceled lab meetings, halted research projects and actively confronted perceived racism in their institutions in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Particles for Justice (ParticlesForJustice.org) physics collective members Brian Nord and Chanda Prescod-Weinstein helped develop the idea for the strike. They called on university science departments, national laboratories and all others engaged in scientific endeavors to stop business as usual for that one day.

The aim was educating themselves and their colleagues about the role of their own institutions in perpetuating white supremacy and creating concrete actions they could take to reduce anti-Black bias after the strike.

According to the Pew Research Center, only 24 percent of college faculty members were nonwhite as of 2017, and a study published in the March edition of the journal BioScience found that Black, Latino, Native American and other underrepresented scholars account for only 9 percent of faculty members in STEM fields.

The American Chemical Society reports that blue jeans, a popular wardrobe choice during the COVID-19 pandemic due to an increase in telecommuting, creates a unique type of environmental pollution.

This denim is processed with synthetic indigo dye and other chemical additives.

Researchers in Canada have detected indigo denim microfibers in wastewater effluent, lakes and even remote Arctic marine sediment, as noted in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Washing denim releases microfibers that are mostly removed by wastewater treatment plants, yet some still enter the environment through wastewater effluent.

The researchers estimate that the wastewater treatment plants in their study discharged about 1 billion indigo denim microfibers per day. In laundering experiments, they found that a single pair of used jeans could release about 50,000 microfibers per wash cycle. The researchers did not study the effects that these microfibers have on aquatic life—perhaps a topic for future inquiry. In the meantime, washing jeans less frequently may reduce denim pollution.

16

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

MkzqWlAu/Storyblocks.com

Denim Microfibers Pervade Waterways

margarita/AdobeStock.com

Scientists Confront Academic Racism

November 2020

17

Burned Out

Clock’s Ticking

A study published in Global Ecology and Biogeography of 22 burned areas across the southern Rocky Mountains found that forests are becoming less resilient to fire, turning into grasslands and shrublands instead. The research team, led by the University of Colorado at Boulder, projects that by 2050, as little as 3.5 to 6.3 percent of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forests in the region will be able to recover after fires.

Encompassing 710 square miles, from southern Wyoming through central and western Colorado to northern New Mexico, researchers used satellite images and ground measurements to reconstruct what the forests looked like before fires and assess how well the forests were recovering by counting juvenile trees and observing tree rings. The study shows that forest recovery declines significantly under warmer, drier conditions caused by climate change. The number of acres that have burned annually across the country has already doubled since the 1990s, so it may be better to plant seedlings in regions more likely to bounce back rather than in dry sites no longer suitable for survival.

The nonprofit World Wildlife Fund (WWF) conservation group has determined that species of global conservation concern have declined in Canada by 42 percent and that Canadian at-risk species fell by 59 percent, between 1970 and 2016 (wwf. ca/living-planet-report-canada-2020). Their report cites human-related activities as the main cause. The Living Planet Index measures the ecological performance of 883 species around the world likely to face habitat loss, land and shoreline developments and pollution. To date, humans have pushed 500 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians to the brink of extinction worldwide. “Conservation actions that target only a single threat are unlikely to successfully stop and reverse wildlife declines, as threats to species are often cumulative or synergistic and can have cascading effects,� the report states. It also found that indigenously managed lands had more species than other parts of Canada and better supported at-risk wildlife. The report suggests working with native Canadians to create more indigenous protected and conserved areas.

Climate Change Impedes Wildfire Reforestation Efforts

18

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

ludovic migneault/Unsplash.com

isaac quick/Unsplash.com

Canadian Species Extinction Risk Looms

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 November 2020

19

The Surprising Joy of Virtual

by Janet StraightArrow

2

020 has been quite an adventure. As an entrepreneur for 45 years and a professional healer-teacher for many of those years, I am always ready to adapt to what is required to be successful and effective in my work shared with others.

I love to work on Zoom. People have worked with me by phone for decades as far away as Australia. Now with Zoom, we can see and hear one another as if we are in the same room— which we are, which we are virtually speaking.

Zoom opens up possibilities, creativity, and responsibility.

Being present together, on-screen helps us relate and stay present.

Students who have wanted to take classes from around the country can now share class with people from many states learning, healing, and sharing.

Interactive classes challenge us to learn how to teach larger groups. It also requires fine-tuning and focus so that the material presented can benefit all students effectively. Information, engagement, practice, receiving, giving, and entertaining are all more real when we look face to face with all people.

The warmth of personal contact is something people think they will miss. So, to be warm, loving, and personal is important even when there is less engagement with students.

Setting the stage for people to receive is even more important now. The key to the healer and teacher is to develop the skills needed to be effective and helpful. And bring joy to the virtual experience.

Massage • Shamanic Healing Ceremony • Mediumship

Certified Training Programs • Past Life • Ministerial Services • Events and Retreats

For more information, contact Janet StraightArrow, Reiki Master, Healer-Teacher-Shaman, at 973-647-2500, Janet@Bethemedicine. com, or BeTheMedicine.com. See ad, page 7.

Heal •Connect •Grow Let us help you heal your pain & connect you to a tribe of like-minded people.

Grow your spiritual gifts and soul calling.

we offer: Massage • Shamanic Healing Ceremony • Mediumship Certified Training Programs • Past Life • Ministerial Services • Events and Retreats

Re v. D e n i s e S a r a c c o - Zo p p i A u t h o r, M e d i c i n e Wo m a n , S h a m a n M e n t o r, L M T, C M L DT, S u c c e s s C o a c h J o s h u a Zo p p i Medium, Soul Midwife, S h a m a n M e n t o r, Anthropologist

HEALING ARTS CENTER

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com (862) 268-3213

20

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Virtual Fare Be The Medicine

Janet StraightArrow, Shaman, Healer, Sage Online Sessions and Classes Home Base: Morristown 973-647-2500 / Janet@Bethemedicine.com

Don’t leave the girls hanging...

BeTheMedicine.com

Yoga Central

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

Qi Gong For Healing

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

Blossoming into Light

Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar 31 Fairmount Ave., Suite 105, Chester Virtual Classes & Intuitive Readings By Appointment 862-222-4268 / Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

Give yourself the perfect fit!

Bras 32AA-50DDD including specialty sizes E thru K Bra-Sized Swimwear • Sports Bras • Nursing Bras Strapless • Reconstruction Bras OEKO-Tex Standard 100: Tested for harmful substances.

PersonallyYours Lingerie

Expert Bra Fitting & Special Attention since 1974

“A Comfortable Bra is a Right, Not a Luxury”

315 Main Street, Bedminster 908-234-1444 • PersonallyYoursLingerie.com Hours:Tues-Fri 10-5 • Sat 10-4 • Closed Sun-Mon

Ayni Healing Arts Center

Journey with the Spirit of Ayahuasca Monday, November 2 Presented online in weekly classes over 11 monthsAyniHealingArtsCenter.com/ayahuasca for syllabus and registration form.

862-268-3213 / aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com yniHealingArtsCenter.com

Dian’s Wellness Simplified

Dian Freeman, CHHC, Certified Clinical Nutritionist 6-Month Nutrition Certification Course begins November 15 973-267-2816 Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com WellnessSimplified.com

Heart of Oneness Virtual Holistic Expo Sunday, November 22 • 10am-5pm EST

HeartOfOnenessHolisticExpo.com/virtual-expo

Jean O’Toole

Empowerment Coach, Life Designer and Movement Facilitator Spirit Animal Guidance - 5 Days of Inner Wisdom Monday, December 7 - 11 • 12noon-1pm

Zoom link sent on registration. Contact 917-405-0596 or email meetyourselfinnature@gmail.com to register.

November 2020

21

there is temptation to reach for another slice of pie.

fit body

jacob lund/AdobeStock.com

Appreciation in Motion

Body

Gratitude Being Thankful Empowers Our Workouts

by Marlaina Donato

E

xercise is crucial to preventing and managing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and many other health conditions, but staying motivated to maintain a routine can sometimes be challenging, even for fitness devotees. Cultivating an appreciation for the way our bodies carry us through life can turn what may have seemed like a humdrum workout into something special. Research shows that a gratitude practice fosters patience, encourages self-care and nourishes self-discipline, especially when

22

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

“When we’re appreciating ourselves, we open the floodgates to joyful movement and freedom,” says personal trainer Katie Hunt, in Milwaukee. “What if today were the last day I got to run? This question forces me to appreciate every little thing my body can do and minimizes the focus on what I dislike doing. Suddenly, running feels like a gift instead of a task.”

During pandemic restrictions, a socially distant power walk with a friend can get the blood moving and shift perspective.

“Something about feeling my heart pounding, a cool breeze after I first break a sweat and the ability to share authentically with a close friend at the same time reminds me of both my powerful mind and miraculous body. How can I not be grateful?” asks Andrea Stern, owner of the Satori Yoga Studio, in San Francisco. Her thankful intention is carried into each yoga session. “I encourage students to bring a sense of gratitude to the mat with them. Before the class begins, I ask folks to connect with the present moment and to check in with themselves.”

Motivation Through Affirmation Using daily affirmations—simple sentences written or spoken aloud—is a wonderful way to infuse exercise time with positivity.

Leaning into a challenging asana or doing one more lap in the pool with self-affirming intention can snuff out self-criticism.

“Moving your body is not a competition.

You don’t have to prove yourself or your ability to anyone. Practice feeling grateful for how your body can move, starting with your heartbeat and breath,” says Sofia Angelina Marcus-Myers, an intuitive energy worker and portrait photographer in Portland, Oregon. Healing self-portraiture and dedication to daily affirmations propel Marcus-Myers through chronic pain and help her to see the body as a sacred vehicle.

“Affirming your body is a practice, and sometimes it will feel awkward, absurd or

tedious. Do it until you feel more comfortable affirming yourself, and then keep doing it.”

Calling a truce with body imperfections can help us feel more comfortable in our skins, something that can go a long way. For Hunt, shifting perspective inward is key. “What if we all stop and imagine being on a desert island? What would your perfect workout, body and life be like if there were no outside influences?”

Pain and Compassion Living with discomfort makes exercising challenging, but learning to respect the body’s rhythms and limitations can be beautifully empowering. “I love the quote, ‘Unless your compassion begins with yourself, it is incomplete,’” says Stern. “Taking a class together (even virtually) gives us a sense of being in this together. When we breathe, stretch and grow together through our practice, it helps us to appreciate where we are on any given day.”

For Loolwa Khazzoom, a Seattle-based author and musician, it’s all about surrender. “Don’t fight your pain; dance with it— literally and figuratively. Dance from your bed. Dance in your head. Dance wherever and however it’s comfortable.” As the founder of Dancing with Pain, a wellness company that teaches a natural approach to pain relief through movement, Khazzoom says, “Our consciousness naturally goes to the places in pain and overlooks the places that feel good. Those places are quite literally our pathways to wellness.”

She recommends focusing on pain-free areas of the body with the joy, power, harmony and other sensations that come from moving to enjoyable music, noting, “As we inhabit those places with our entire beings, there is less and less room for the pain, to the point that it may vanish altogether.”

Marcus-Myers brings the message home with, “It isn’t your body’s purpose to be anyone’s ideal. Your body is an incredible living thing, worthy of love and gratitude.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Steps to Building Body Gratitude Affirmations from Sofia Angelina Marcus-Myers “When you wake up, take several deep belly breaths. During each breath, acknowledge parts of your body. Imagine sending oxygen to your eyes, nose, lips, throat, chest, arms, fingers, waist, legs and toes. Softly say, ‘I am grateful for my eyes. I am grateful for my hands. I am grateful for my heart,’ and so on. Affirmations to try during exercise or any other time: ‘My imperfections are beautiful and connect me to others. My body is good.

I am worthy of taking up space.’ Write or type affirmations on a beautiful piece of paper and put them somewhere you’ll see daily.”

Daily Techniques from Katie Hunt “Spend three minutes filling a piece of paper with things you love about yourself.

Include physical, mental, spiritual and emotional things. The act of writing yourself a mini-love letter every day sets the tone for a day of taking good care of yourself. Listening to the body is a practice. At a minimum, run a daily head-to-toe body scan, taking note of what feels good and what needs extra care.”

Gratitude Yoga Poses from Andrea Stern Savasana or final resting pose (lying flat on your back with your arms by your side): “Use support (a rolled blanket or pillow) under the knees or thighs if that feels good.

I love adding a body scan, sending breath to each muscle or joint, to my savasana, because it allows me to tap into my body and thank all the parts of me.”

Ardha Uttanasana (half forward bend): “Place both hands on the kitchen counter or waist-high at the wall in front of you. Walk the feet back, folding at the waist. Press the fingertips into the wall or counter keeping the ears in line with the arms. Send energy up and out through the fingertips and down and out through the legs and heels. Keep the core engaged and the thigh muscles firm. You’ll feel this in your hamstrings, upper back and shoulders. Hold for three to five breaths and take a moment to bring gratitude into the present moment.”

A Movement Exercise by Loolwa Khazzoom “Get as comfortable as you can—whether lying down, sitting or standing. Scan your body and find both the places that feel constricted and painful, and the places that feel expansive and comfortable. Wave hello to the pain places and let those places know that you’ll give them your full attention in the next 10 minutes, half-hour or hour; however long feels right to you. Then set your intention to focus on the places that feel good.

“Put on some gentle music you love, and fill with that music the places that feel good—even if the only pain-free place in your body is in your mind (imagination).

Invite the comfortable parts of your body to move slowly and with a sense of ease when they are ready, moving from the music. Allow your body to make the tiniest of movements and recognize them as valid.

“Be sure to stay within your comfort zones at all times. Keep in mind that you can always move more slowly or gently, with tinier gestures and in different ways. Explore the parameters of your comfort zones and fill them with ease, joy, grace and harmony.

If you start to feel pain, back off what you are doing and get curious about how to stay in your comfort zone. As you dance, you may discover that the edges of pain move out farther and farther as you ride the waves of sound and organically expand your happy places until the pain begins melting away as a result of your pleasure.”

November 2020

23

ndab creativity/AdobeStock.com

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Natural Lifestyle Choices to Curb the Disease

by Marlaina Donato

S

ix decades ago, only one American in 100 had diabetes.

Today, it’s almost one in 10, including rising numbers of youth and one in four people older than 65. More than 90 percent of the cases are Type 2, once known as adult-onset diabetes, which is linked to diet, obesity, inactivity, environmental toxins, heredity and other factors. It can wreak havoc throughout the body—attacking blood vessels, eyes, nerves and organs—and make COVID-19 harder to combat.

The good news is that scientists have identified lifestyle strategies that lower the risk and harm of diabetes. “Type 2 diabetes is a condition, not a disease. It exists in a particular environment; when you change the environment, you can change the condition,” says San Francisco-based Nicki Steinberger, Ph.D., author of Wave Goodbye to Type 2 Diabetes. That’s important news for the one in three Americans—about 88 million people—that have prediabetes, 84 percent of whom are not aware of the fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

24

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

A key player is the pancreas, a multitasking organ of both the endocrine and digestive systems, which produces insulin to help make and store energy from sugars, as well as enzymes to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. While Type 1 diabetes, a genetic autoimmune disease, negates the body’s ability to produce insulin, Type 2 results from an insufficient or improper use of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes can be triggered by metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by high blood pressure, a large waist circumference and high triglycerides. Insulin resistance—the body’s improper use of insulin—can also be a sneaky forerunner to the disease, often manifesting as excessive abdominal fat, fatigue and frequent infections years before hyperglycemia—too much sugar in the blood—becomes evident.

“Diet and lifestyle play a tremendous role,” says Lauren Bongiorno, a virtual diabetes health coach and creator of The Diabetic Health Journal. “Increasing insulin sensitivity is a multi-prong approach, most notably influenced by improving circadian rhythm,

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

reducing stress, eating lower glycemic carbs, reducing animal fats and increasing activity.”

Hidden Environmental Factors The American Diabetes Association cites excess weight and lack of exercise as significant risk factors in the development of Type 2 diabetes, while recent studies also point to impacts from toxic air, chemicals and mercury exposure. Research published in 2018 in Environmental Science and Pollution Research International reveals a correlation between exposure to phthalates found in plastics and the incidence of new-onset Type 1 diabetes in children, suggesting that the loss of beta cells from phthalate exposure leads to a compromised insulin response.

“Plastics containing BPA can mimic estrogen (xenoestrogens) and can contribute to insulin resistance, insulin over-secretion, beta cell exhaustion and the development and progression of Type 2 diabetes,” says registered dietician and nutritionist Brenda Davis, the Alberta, Canada, author of The Kick Diabetes Cookbook and Kick Diabetes Essentials.

An earlier Indiana University study published in Diabetes Care showed young-adult exposure to mercury can raise the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life by 65 percent.

Davis adds, “Heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, have been linked to impaired insulin secretion and decreased insulin sensitivity.” Choosing organic produce and fish that contain lower levels of mercury, such as salmon, shrimp and catfish, is advised.

Medication Backlash Improving gut flora is vital in improving most health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes. “Microbes in the gut that have become toxic for a multitude of reasons create an inflammatory response.

This type of assault repeated over time increases the risk of fatty liver and compromised cells—conditions linked to a decrease in insulin sensitivity,” says Steinberger.

Research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests that antibiotic use, especially narrow-spectrum ones, can contribute to diabetes. The side effects of certain medications like statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs has been debated for decades, and 2019 research published in Diabetes Metabolism Research and Reviews concludes that statins can more than double the risk of Type 2 diabetes, especially for people taking them for two years or longer.

Sleep and Sugar The National Sleep Foundation considers sleep deprivation a significant diabetic risk factor and recommends that people take melatonin as a sleep aid and avoid working night shifts. It cites a study in which healthy adults that were restricted to four hours of sleep for just six nights exhibited a 40 percent reduction in their ability to break down glucose.

Although the role of dietary sugar in diabetes is debated by scientists, evidence shows a strong correlation between Type 2

Is it Strep… or is it viral? One Throat Relief gets both!

Stop the germs, stop the damage…

STOP THE DISCOMFORT. Throat Relief™ utilizes a powerful, enhanced aqueous silver colloid delivered directly to the infected area to relieve discomfort and halt the damage caused by invading germs. The pleasant minty flavor and easy to use nozzle makes application simple and comfortable.

The more you spray, the sooner it goes away!

I’ve been using this product in my family, on my kids and myself for 20 years. It works faster and better than anything else that you can get. Period. I’ve studied it in the lab, in the field and in the clinic. This is the best-ever solution to a sore throat.

Believe it.

Order online at MyNaturesRite.com or call 800-991-7088 20% OFF your entire order with coupon code THROAT20 November 2020

25

healthier blood sugar levels. Stevia, an herb, is a better sweet substitute. Preferable in drops or bulk form rather than blended with sugars, it’s been shown to help control blood sugar.

hugo/AdobeStock.com

Promising Phytotherapy

diabetes and sugar, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup in the diet. A 2015 review of 21 studies published in The British Medical Journal found that regular intake of sugary beverages can lead to diabetic conditions even when obesity is not a factor. Many holistic health advocates identify all sweeteners, including “healthy” alternatives like honey and maple syrup, as sugars that harbor similar potential.

This mindset is harmonious with glycemic index recommendations, so avoiding any added sweeteners and opting for fresh, low-glycemic fruits like berries, citrus and apples, as well as eschewing pasta, white rice and bread, can go a long way toward maintaining

26

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Insulin-supporting medicinal herbs offer many benefits for Type 2 diabetics. Aloe vera, bilberry, cinnamon, goldenseal, bitter melon, milk thistle, fenugreek, fennel and gymnema sylvestre, among others, have been found to aid in the utilization and production of insulin. Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is a heavy hitter for reducing blood glucose and buffering the kidneys and liver from the metabolic side effects of high blood sugar. Herbs that support the liver, such as milk thistle, dandelion and artichoke, are other noteworthy plant medicines, especially when blood sugar fluctuates from high to low.

Renata Atkinson, a clinical herbalist in Greenbelt, Maryland, says of blood tests, “Clinical trials have shown that many of these herbs can have a significant effect on the clinical markers for diabetes and prediabetes in fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose and HbA1C, or glycosylated hemoglobin.” Animal and in vitro studies show that they impact blood sugar by slowing digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates, thereby improving insulin sensitivity, increasing the release of insulin and modulating the metabolism of glucose in the liver. Some of Atkinson’s favorite plant allies are hawthorn, hibiscus and tilia for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as

well as lipid, glucose and vascular support.

Atkinson also emphasizes the wisdom of keeping it simple.

“I encourage clients to incorporate culinary herbs and spices into their daily diet, like cinnamon, fennel, garlic and onions. For someone taking insulin, it’s important to introduce herbs slowly and be sure to take them with meals, monitor blood glucose levels closely and keep their physician informed of herbal protocols and follow their physician’s recommendations.”

Improving diet choices can be highly rewarding and fun, too. “Not only does eating well not have to be tortuous, it can be enjoyable, inspiring and creative,” says Steinberger. “It helps to keep it simple by using fresh, whole foods with basic herbs and spices.”

Vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin C, B complex and chromium are also valuable in managing Type 2 diabetes. Polyphenols—antioxidants found in tea and unsweetened cacao nibs— also pack a healthy punch. Alpha lipoic acid, found in broccoli, spinach and fish oil, can help to reduce inflammation. Berries, kale and other nutrient-packed greens, nuts, sweet potatoes and beans promote sugar balance and are versatile for delicious, healthy meals.

Whole-Body Healing Holistic bodywork modalities such as acupuncture also support diabetic health. In 2019, Iranian researchers reported in the journal Hospital Practices and Research that biofeedback training lowered glucose levels and improved the quality of life for diabetic patients. “The biggest mistake I see people with diabetes make is to view the mental piece as not as important as the physical,” says Bongiorno.

Linking all the vital threads in the complex web of Type 2 diabetes, she adds, “I would say to start with the basics—plantbased foods, exercise, stress management and better sleep.

When you have a solid base, your body will be less susceptible to the other factors.”

Thriving is possible through commitment and wise choices.

As Davis says, “There is strong and consistent evidence that many people who are motivated to reverse Type 2 diabetes can succeed in this task.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Strategies to Prevent Diabetes

Nutrition Tips from Brenda Davis The foundation of the diet should be whole-plant foods— organic, whenever possible—deriving the vast majority of calories from vegetables, legumes, fruits, intact whole grains, nuts and seeds, which are rich in protective components, such as fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Eliminate or minimize inflammatory items, including fatty dairy products like cheese and ice cream, ultra-processed and fried foods, refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour, alcohol and meat—especially red and processed varieties. Avoid all sugar-containing beverages.

Holistic Reminders from Lauren Bongiorno “All areas of our lives are linked together, and if one area is depleted, it’s going to impact your ability to thrive in the others. The 8 pillars of diabetes wellness within my practice are exercise, diet, sleep, stress, self-love, relationships, energy and diabetes management. For improved blood sugar management and sustainable habit changes, you must identify where you are least fulfilled and work to fill that gap.”

“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be” – Marcel Pagnol

Inspiration from Nicki Steinberger “The area where we are most vulnerable, without a doubt, is our own toxic thoughts. Because our thoughts and beliefs trigger emotions which lead us to action and non-action, mindset is the first place to investigate to understand the results of our lives.”

November 2020

27

wise words

Sherri Mitchell on Indigenous Wisdom for Our Times

by Linda Sechrist

A

uthor of Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, Sherri Mitchell (Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset) has been an attorney, spiritual teacher and indigenous rights activist for more than 25 years. Born and raised on the Penobscot Indian Reservation, she draws upon her ancestral knowledge to address environmental protection, social justice and spiritual change, offering a set of cultural values to help preserve our collective survival for future generations.

Why is a deeper understanding of the foundational laws of creation so important now?

What people really need to understand about the laws of attraction and manifestation, which are foundational laws of creation, is that humans have been manifesting the reality they’ve been living in for a very, very long time. Connected by the laws of entanglement, whatever we are giving life to, whatever we are thinking, speaking and breathing out is creating the current that is manifesting the storm we are currently living. We are co-creators of this reality, and it is time to move beyond the kindergarten-level of the law of attraction and take conscious responsibility for what we are actively creating, whether we intend it or not, because we are creating and putting things into motion all the time. We, as spiritual beings having a human experience, need to begin taking grown-up responsibility and move beyond the childlike dependence that colonization has imprinted within us.

Human beings have set in motion all the ideologies and beliefs that are currently governing and manifesting the reality that we step into, moment-by-moment. Accord-

28

capitalism, reaches what appears to be an end point, and then it turns around and begins cannibalizing itself. For example, we’re seeing colonization of the commons—companies taking control of the majority of the Earth’s drinking and potable water and making a statement that human beings don’t have a right to that water.

Water should be part of the commons and available to everyone equally.

Cannibalization by ongoing colonization is also happening to our air through the Paris Agreement. Trading for shares of clean air through a carbon credit program is the greatest smoke-and-mirrors scam of our time. We are in the midst of the “Dance of the Cannibal Giant” with colonization and capitalism as key players.

What is the Dance of the Cannibal Giant?

ing to the law of motion, this is going to stay in motion until it meets with an equal or greater force. That force is us. We need to stand in the path of the energy we have created and actively stop its movement. We need to transform the energetic pattern of it and shift it in another direction.

What is colonization?

It’s difficult to talk about colonization in sound bites because it’s a complex subject.

With regard to history, colonization was about taking over lands occupied by an indigenous population. The romanticized myth of colonization, the settling of the Americas, was unsettling. The language surrounding colonization makes it sound as if it was a wonderful thing, when it was actually disruptive, destructive and filled with violence and domination.

Moving into and taking over an already occupied area to gain and maintain control over resources is an act of conquest and domination. We are not living in a post-colonial era. Colonization, like

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

It’s an indigenous extinction story for the human species. There are a number of them relevant to the times we are living in. In the Wabanaki tradition, Giwakwa, the cannibal giant, lives deep in the forest and only awakens to the Earth mother’s distressed cry. This lets Giwakwa know that humans are consuming faster than she can produce and harming her faster than she can heal. Awakened, Giwakwa plays music on his flute that dances people into frenzied, mindless, faster and faster consumption until they consume themselves off the planet, giving Mother Earth the opportunity to heal and renew. These indigenous extinction stories are active now across the globe.

The only way to put the cannibal giant back to sleep is for us to wake up fully to the fact that the Earth is being damaged at a rate far greater than she can heal herself, and that there are many species on the verge of extinction. We are one of them. People must be incredibly discerning now. They must get grounded in their center to listen and heed the direction of their inner compass that will guide them in a right direction.

For more information, visit SacredInstructions.life.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

29

November 2020

29

Stand Taller

and Return to Balance

by Edward Hemberger

T

he presence of or increase in physical pain may appear to be sudden, however, the road to physical body constraint begins at birth.

The culprit is gravity.

Dr. Ida Rolf recognized that the earth’s gravity exerts a continuous influence on the balance of the body, locking into place any of the distortions caused by injury, poor posture or post-surgical scarring.

Systematically manipulating the pliable

connective tissue, known as fascia, held the key to structural re-balancing and from this a more aligned, energized person would emerge. These soft-tissue mobilization techniques realign the body so that it returns to its natural posture.

This means patients get taller.

Pilot studies conducted by Dr. Thomas Findley with patients at the VA hospital in East Orange found height increased by .5” on average after 10 Rolf Structural

Integration sessions. Additional pilot studies found even greater increases up to 2”. The premise is simple: when all body parts are in perfect alignment and compaction is released, the effect of gravity is minimized on the spine and other parts are less compressed. The patient is then able to stand taller which leads to an overall height increase. Balance between the inner core and the outer sleeve is reestablished with an accompanying increase in vitality and vigour.

This is a scientifically validated process of restructuring the body through movement, touch and education. It is a process of treatments (usually but not always a 10-series process) to correct imbalances brought on by years of poor posture, improper use of the body (such as carrying heavy loads on one side), stress, injury, trauma and other factors. As the body moves away from the debilitating effects of muscular imbalances with their associated tension and pain, movement becomes more fluid and effortless, bringing longterm relief to aches, pains and other problems related to the body’s structure. Ease in movement shows up in everyday activities as well as in sports and the performing arts. A number of well-known sports people and dancers credit this approach with enhancing or extending their careers.

Consider Structural Integration Rolf Method to get back to where you belong.

Edward Hemberger, LMT, is a Certified Structural Integration specialist based on the Rolf Method, with additional training with Advanced Rolfer Dr. Thomas Findley.

Additional therapies include (ART) Active Release Therapy, Muscle Release Therapy, and Neuromuscular Therapy. He served as a massage therapist in the 2002 and 2004 Olympics, and has worked with the Navigators Pro Cycling team, Rutgers football team, New Jersey Jackals, and started the New Jersey Sports Massage Team, as well as served as a Board Member for the AMTA. Location: Offices in Boonton and Montclair. For more information, contact Ed at 973-462-3112 or ed_hemberger@verizon. net. HembergerStructuralIntegration.com.

See ad, page 33.

30

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

teen voices

Thankful

by Isabella Dussias

W

hile teens are frustrated with the fact that this virus is taking its time to dissipate, we want to remain thankful for what we have. Over the past nine months, many adjustments have been made to our way of life—a new look for school and sports, cancelled milestone events and an adjustment to our new “virtual world”. We’ve had to learn to be flexible in this fluid environment. It is easy to become frustrated, yet we have found a new appreciation for things we may have taken for granted before: an appreciation of health, certain conveniences and scheduled activities.

While sometimes we can get caught up in what is annoying or inconvenient, we cannot be upset with the fact that some things take longer to accomplish now because of precautions.

When I recently polled my peers about what

they are thankful for. The answers they shared are similar to the ones expressed before the pandemic.

Teens are grateful for their health, their families, their friends and their schools. Teens are generally hopeful, and still thankful beyond the frustrations.

We just want to learn and laugh with our friends, spend time with our families and do so safely as we look to our future.

Here’s to a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Isabella Dussias

Isabella Dussias is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter/ composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com.

November 2020

31

Mindful Parenting

The Conscious Path to Raising a Child

by Ronica O’Hara

L

o Bannerman, a Tucson nutritionist, was making homemade cookies with her toddler. “Or rather, making a mess while stirring cookies,” she recalls. “Something in me snapped. I wanted to take control, kick her out of the kitchen and do everything the ‘right’ way.”

As Bannerman took a deep breath, a memory arose. “As a child, I was only allowed to count scoops of flour or teaspoons of vanilla. I was never allowed to fully, actively participate in the kitchen. Everything had to be perfect, and I was not ‘good enough’ to make it so. I felt this in my core. Was I passing this on to my daughter?” Bannerman recalls that, after taking a moment to reset, she and her daughter “happily made a mess, a memory and a foundation for a brighter future together.”

Bannerman, who blogs at NourishingFamilies.org, was practicing an increasingly popular approach in raising children known as either conscious, mindful, soulful, awake or peaceful parenting. Instead of focusing on shaping a child’s behavior through rules and discipline, which can bring up contentious issues of fear, ego and control, the focus is on connecting deeply with a child through love, authenticity and acceptance of the child’s innate nature.

32

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

fitze/AdobeStock.com

healthy kids

“It’s crucial we realize that we aren’t raising a ‘mini-me’, but a spirit, throbbing with its own signature,” says psychologist Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D., author of The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children. “Children aren’t ours to possess or own in any way. When we know this in the depths of our soul, we tailor their raising to their needs rather than molding them to fit our needs.”

The transformation starts with—and hinges upon—parents understanding themselves deeply and realizing how their upbringing shapes their parenting actions.

It’s not always easy, especially during housebound pandemic months. “Our children have the capacity to trigger us more than anyone else. So, when they exhibit childish behavior—which is, of course, part of their job description—it’s often hard for parents to stay calm,” says Laura Markham, Ph.D., a Brooklyn clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

“We see our child’s behavior (He hit her again!), and we draw a conclusion (He’s going to be a psychopath!) which triggers other conclusions (I’ve failed as a mother!).

This cascade of thoughts creates a runaway train of emotions—in this case, fear, dismay, guilt. We can’t bear those feelings.

The best defense is a good offense, so we lash out at our child in anger. The whole process takes all of two seconds, and later we wonder why we overreacted.”

The answer often lies in our past, Markham says. “Any issue that makes you feel like lashing out has roots in your own early years. We know this because we lose our ability to think clearly at those moments, and we start acting like children ourselves, throwing our own tantrums.”

The more deeply we know ourselves— whether through therapy, reading, journaling, meditation, mindfulness practices or simply facing head-on the hard knocks of life—the more open we are to forging a deep relationship with our children and the easier it is to calm ourselves in the moment of a trigger, psychologists say.

Correcting a child becomes then a matter of being a guide or coach, rather than a law enforcer. “Disciplining from a place of presence or awakened consciousness means having the willingness to pause,

reflect, course-correct as needed in the moment, apologize, take ownership, ask for help and to drop history and reset as needed,” says Renée Peterson Trudeau, the Brevard, North Carolina, author of Nurturing the Soul of Your Family and The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal. “Most of all, practice self-compassion. You will make mistakes. Forgive yourself and move on; this is beautiful modeling for your kids.”

Jessica Speer, a family-book author in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, lives that process. Raised in a home “where anger wasn’t managed well,” she had no tools to draw on when she got triggered by her toddler’s tantrums. It was, she says, “a wake-up call that I needed help.” Diving deeply into books, mindfulness and meditation helped her to understand herself better. “Fast forward 10 years, and I still meditate regularly,” she says. “Now, when my daughter experiences big emotions, I try to ground myself so I can be there by her side. This has been so healing for both of us.”

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

I Feel Taller!

Gravity pushes everything down, including our bodies.

Structural Integration works to free your body from the effects and pain caused by a lifetime of gravity, stress, injury and sedentary lifestyle.

Call 973-462-3112 Today!

Mention this ad for a

FREE 30 Minute Consultation (one time only)

Ed Hemberger, LMT, ART

I stand straighter!

Structural Integration/Rolf helps relieve: Pain & Stiffness Tennis/Golf Elbow Lower Back Pain Tension Headaches Carpal Tunnel Sciatica Joint/Neck Pain and more!

The pain is gone!

Hemberger Structural Integration

Certified Rolf Offices in Boonton and Montclair Structural Integration 973-462-3112 • HembergerStructuralIntegration.com

November 2020

33

diego cervo/AdobeStock.com

healing ways

Natural Beauty Homemade Solutions for Glowing Skin

by April Thompson

S

kin, our largest organ, plays an important role in supporting and protecting the rest of the body. That’s why it should be treated kindly by using natural, chemical-free ingredients. Many U.S. beauty products contain hidden chemicals, including dozens of ingredients that are banned in other counties. Even products labeled “organic” or “natural” can contain potentially harmful petrochemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group.

A natural skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Balms, masks, scrubs and toners can be made from healthy, everyday products already present in most homes. “Oats, yogurt, coconut oil, honey: there are many kitchen staples that you can easily use in your skincare routine,” says Marlene Adelmann, founder of the Herbal Academy, in Bedford, Massachusetts, and author of Botanical Skin Care Recipe Book.

As an example, face masks can be made with ingredients from the spice rack, including turmeric and black pepper. “One-ingredient treatments, like a honey or yogurt mask, feel so good and are easy to make,” says Stephanie Gerber, the Nashville author of Hello Glow: 150+ Easy Natural Beauty Recipes for A Fresh New You. Facial, body and foot scrubs are great beginner creations, according to Stephanie

34

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Tourles, author of Pure Skin Care: Nourishing Recipes for Vibrant Skin & Natural Beauty. The Marble Falls, Texas, esthetician recommends starting with a base of sugar or salt and adding an edible oil such as almond, plus a few drops of an essential oil. Essential oils should be diluted—add only six to 12 drops per ounce of finished product. Her favorites are lavender, tea tree, sweet orange and frankincense. Lemon, lime and bergamot are phototoxic and can cause sensitivity if added to any scrub before sun exposure.

“Scrubs are wonderful for softening, soothing and exfoliating the skin,” Tourles says, cautioning that salt scrubs can sting if applied after shaving or waxing.

Other common ingredients that can be added are oats, almonds or sunflower seeds ground in a coffee grinder. When mixed with water, cream or yogurt, they offer a moisturizing facial treatment.

Tourles loves homemade body balms using oil and a thickener such as cocoa butter or beeswax. “Balms are easy to make, great for kids and good for dry cuticles and lips. You don’t have to worry

about ingredients spoiling. They condition the skin and smell great,” she says.

In harsher weather, skin requires a little extra TLC. Tourles suggests a hydrating winter toner made with a 50/50 mix of aloe vera juice and rosewater. “Honey is also nice for the face and incredibly hydrating for winter,” she says.

“Simply warm a little bit, apply it to your clean face for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.”

“People often forget to apply more moisturizer in winter. One of the best things you can do is exfoliate your face with a simple scrub to slough off dry, dead skin. Use gentler ingredients for your face than your body, like oats, baking soda or almonds ground finely,” says Gerber. For chapped lips, she recommends a gentle exfoliant like sugar and honey applied as an antibacterial lip scrub.

“Matcha green tea makes a beautiful mask that astringes and tones skin.

Combine it with aloe gel and honey for some soothing moisture in the colder months when our skin needs rejuvenation,” says Adelmann.

Some products are best purchased from a commercial source. “You can make many preparations at home—from masks to cleansing scrubs, cleansers, lotions and creams—but when these recipes contain water, they have a short shelf life.

If you are looking for something with a longer shelf life, you’re going to run into more complicated instructions incorporating preservatives,” says Adelmann.

“Moisturizers, creamy cleansers and hand creams have the steepest learning curve to craft yourself,” says Tourles.

“Trying to emulsify watery ingredients like herb tea and aloe vera with oils, butters or waxes is like mixing oil and vinegar in a salad dressing; these ingredients want to separate.” According to Gerber, sunscreen is another product worth buying rather than trying to make at home.

Homemade or store-bought products aside, the best skin enhancer is a drink of water, according to Gerber. It doesn’t get easier or more economical than that.

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

ENHANCE YOUR SMILE

Gum Rejuvenation UNIQUE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH “NO SUTURES” “NO SCALPELS” "OZONE THERAPY” “NO PAINFUL TISSUE HARVESTING"

973.627.3617 afdpa.com Derek Fine, DMD Jenni Kwiatkowski, DDS Alan B. Steiner, DMD 35 West Main Street Suite 208 Denville NJ, 07834 973.627.3617 afdpa.com

Holistic Fa m i ly Practice

WITH THEIR REPUTATION for artistry, clinical excellence and more than 50 years of combined experience, Aesthetic Family Dentistry, PA offers a breakthrough treatment for gum recession. What is gum recession? Gum recession refers to the loss of gum tissue along the gum line. This can occur as a result of periodontal disease, the natural aging process, clenching and grinding, and abrasive habits.

Since healthy gums are essential for a healthy mouth, having gum recession treated is important for lasting dental wellness.

The Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique (PST) is a minimally invasive option for treating gum recession.

Unlike traditional grafting techniques that involve the use of donor tissue or soft tissue grafts in order to restore the tissue loss, the Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique requires no grafts, no sutures, and no incisions. It simply involves the adjustment of the existing tissue. While traditional grafting treatment is beneficial, better cosmetic results with enhanced patient experience can be achieved through the Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique.

Call today to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Alan B. Steiner who has been personally trained by Dr. Chao.

Before

After

Do You Suffer From Anxiety Or Stress?

Would you like to ! Lose Weight !"#$%&"#'%()*+"!",-)*".%*/01*21" !"Make a Positive Change?

You CAN Create the Life You Desire.

I offer the Tools and Support You Need to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Leslie K. Lobell, M.A., L.P.C. .%3*415)*+6"78&*%4)46"#$9144":1032$)%* 908-577-0053 or Leslie;<145)1<%=155>2%'

<%2-$)%*4")*" ?%'&$%*"?5-)*4 "-*0"@%*$25-)9 November 2020

35

Homemade Mask Recipes Green Tea Facial Mask Green tea contains polyphenolic flavonoids called catechins, which are strongly antioxidant. It’s also an astringent and anti-inflammatory. Matcha green tea (a powder) makes a beautiful green mask that astringes and tones skin. Combined with aloe gel and honey for soothing moisture, this is a great recipe for the colder months when our skin needs rejuvenation.

photos by Herbal Academy

Excerpted from Botanical Skin Care Recipe Book, by Marlene Adelmann

2 Tbsp matcha or another green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf powder 4 tsp aloe vera leaf gel 1-2 tsp raw honey

GROW Your Business Secure this ad spot!

Contact us for special ad rates.

908-405-1515

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Adjust proportions, as needed, to achieve the desired consistency—add more honey and/or tea powder if it’s too fluid, or more aloe if it’s too thick. Apply gently to the face, avoiding the eyes. Leave in place for 20 to 40 minutes.

Rinse the face with warm water and lightly pat it dry with a towel. Follow with moisturizer.

Turmeric Facial Mask This is an anti-inflammatory, astringent and nutritive face mask with antimicrobial action that is well-suited for acne-prone skin.

Combining turmeric with a fat, like yogurt, mitigates its staining effects. Test this recipe on a small area of skin before using.

1 Tbsp plain yogurt 1 tsp turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome powder 1 tsp raw honey Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. After washing the face, apply this mask and let it set for approximately 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

Black Pepper Facial Mask Piperine, a well-studied constituent of black pepper, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions and can benefit acne-prone or mature skin. Mix ground peppercorns with body or facial scrub ingredients for a terrific exfoliant. Black pepper also does wonders for dull skin, encouraging blood to flow to the surface for a healthy radiance.

Test this recipe on a small area of the skin before using and consider wearing gloves, as this recipe may discolor fingernails.

1 tsp plain yogurt ¼ tsp black pepper (Piper nigrum), ground Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. After washing the face, apply this mask and let it set for approximately 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

36

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Grow UP

with Fortis Farms

It doesn’t get more local than growing food in your own home.

Harvesting your own produce with a Fortis Farms Tower Garden means you get the most delicious, nutrient-packed food imaginable at the peak of freshness.

Easy, Affordable, Space-Saving & Waste-Reducing Tower gardening brings the farmer’s market to your home.

Chef Brianna Sebasto loves her Tower Garden “Whether I’m cooking at my home or yours, having the freshest organic ingredients is key to taste and health. My Tower Garden gives me that.”

Brianna’s Nutrition Kitchen is North Jersey’s premier personal chef service, and is honored to have many professional athletes and celebrities as clients.

Reimagine Gardening

Clean, convenient, and vertical! Tower gardening is a fun, healthy learning tool. Join our community of parents, children, & “grow it yourself-ers,” building a deeper connection to their food.

Community, commercial & retail growers also benefit from saving space, time, and money while increasing yields. We have lease and service options and will design your full-scale system for you.

Call/Text 540-409-6871 hello@GrowFortisFarms.com

@fortisfarms

GrowFortisFarms.com November 2020

37

Proud to Distribute at:

Natural Awakenings

natural pet

Skin-Soothing Herbs for Dogs and Cats Simple Ways to Reduce Itching

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

Clark 1255 Raritan Rd. Unit 150

Madison (Rose City) 222 Main St.

Metuchen 645 Middlesex Ave.

Millburn-Union 2245 Springfield Ave. Vauxhall

Montclair svvvita/AdobeStock.com

701 Bloomfield Ave.

Morristown 110 Washington St.

Newark 633 Broad St.

Parsippany 60 Waterview Blvd

Princeton 3495 US Rt 1 S

Ridgewood 44 Godwin Ave.

West Orange 235 Prospect Ave.

38

by Greg Tilford

F

rom allergies to liver deficiency, many factors can itch, inflame and irritate the skin of our pets. A dog’s or cat’s skin can become damaged or compromised because the skin is the first line of defense against attacks from external substances. Skin problems in pets have many causes, yet a variety of herbs can help a dog or cat feel more comfortable.

While the catalysts of acute-onset skin issues such as insect bites or sunburn are obvious and can be dealt with directly, most forms of skin and coat disease are caused by deeper issues that can be extremely difficult to identify and address. Chronic or recurring skin conditions that cannot be attributed to influences outside the body usually point to deeper health issues, some of which can be serious or even life-threatening.

The greatest mistake one can make when assessing a skin problem is assuming the problem is only skin deep. And while topical salves, liniments, shampoos or lotions can be quite effective in temporarily suppressing itching and pain, they will not likely address the root causes of a dog’s or cat’s skin ailment. For that, the situation must be approached from

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). The roots and leaves are highly nutritious.

They contain a complex assortment of liver-supporting compounds as well as diuretic properties that aid the body in eliminating toxins via urination.

svvvita/AdobeStock.com

Red clover (Trifolium pretense), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and milk thistle (Silybum marianum). These are well-known blood cleansers worth considering. Look for formulas that contain a balanced array of all three.

Greg Tilford is the CEO of Animal Essentials Inc., a natural pets supplement company. He is the author of five books, including Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life. For more information, visit AnimalEssentials.com.

Topical Herbs That Relieve the Itch

T

o heal a pet’s skin problems from the inside-out with good food and supplementation can take a few weeks. In the meantime, the itchy misery can be reduced with topical remedies. One of the most effective approaches is herbal astringents that work by quickly tightening skin and subcutaneous tissue, reducing inflammation and redness. n Witch hazel. This herbal extract can be purchased as a clear liquid at any drugstore. It’s also the primary active ingredient in many commercial hemorrhoid ointments, as it reduces inflamed membranes very quickly. A dab or two of witch hazel applied with a cotton ball can work wonders against flea or mosquito bites. It’s important to know that most products are made with isopropyl alcohol, which is quite toxic if ingested in large amounts. Therefore, this extract should be reserved for situations in which only a few dabs are needed (i.e., don’t use it as a rinse). Better yet, look for witch hazel extract made with ethanol (grain alcohol) or vegetable glycerin, an edible palm oil derivative used in natural soaps and cosmetics for its emollient, skin-soothing qualities. n Aloe vera. With its antibacterial properties, aloe vera gel works especially well when spot-applied directly to hot spots or insect bites. However, unless combined with an emollient, the drying and tightening properties of aloe vera could further exacerbate discomfort caused by dry, chapped skin.

n Calendula. Calendula officinalis, small marigold, is easy to grow or purchase in dry bulk form at natural product retailers. Cooled calendula tea, liberally applied to an animal’s skin and coat, can bring fast relief to inflamed skin and accelerate the healing of open sores. To make a soothing skin rinse, simply infuse two to four tablespoons of dried calendula flowers into a quart of near-boiling water. Allow the tea to cool completely, drench the pet with the tea and allow it to drip dry. n Tea. Peppermint, chamomile and green teas are great for relieving itchy skin. Infuse four to six tea bags of any (or all) of these herbs into one quart of boiling water. Cool thoroughly and rinse the animal. Not only will it feel better, it will smell great, too.

svvvita/AdobeStock.com

svvvita/AdobeStock.com

Burdock root (Arctium lappa). This herb has an ancient history as a skin remedy. It contains inulin, an indigestible polysaccharide constituent that serves as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial microflora in the gut and improving digestion. It also contains a broad variety of compounds that gently stimulate the liver at various levels to

help detoxify the body and aid in transporting waste out of the bloodstream. Burdock can be found as a tincture or a fresh root at many health food stores. Grate the fresh root liberally onto the pet’s food at each mealtime. Burdock is fairly neutral in flavor and very safe, so there’s no need to worry about overfeeding. svvvita/AdobeStock.com

the inside-out with diet and several key herbs.

Many cases of chronic skin issues in dogs and cats are either directly attributable to or strongly influenced by inappropriate and allergy-inducing ingredients in pet foods. Be critical about the quality of pet foods and avoid those that contain meat byproducts, artificial flavors and preservatives, as well as all grains, especially wheat and corn.

It’s also important to give a good fish or krill oil supplement to dogs and cats. The omega-3 fatty acids in these marine lipids play critical roles in regulating immune system inflammatory response to allergens.

More specifically, they inhibit inflammation, while omega-6 fatty acids typically found in grains and vegetable oils stimulate inflammation. Both processes are necessary for healthy body functioning, but an imbalance of too much omega-6 sets the stage for skin allergies, a dull coat and excessive shedding.

Liver deficiency is another common factor to consider. The liver is responsible for producing digestive enzymes and acids needed to break down and assimilate food while also filtering waste from the bloodstream. If the liver is deficient in any of these functions, excess waste that cannot be eliminated via normal pathways will wreak havoc on the body, often manifesting as a skin condition. If this happens, symptoms commonly recognized as pyoderma, eczema or psoriasis will increase as the body tries to eliminate the waste, pushing the toxins outward and away from vital internal organs toward the skin.

In addition to dietary adjustments, liver support is helpful when it comes to skin problems, and this is where herbs come in.

November 2020

39

LOCAL

Find the studio, teacher or style that fits you best

branchburg

franklin

Yoga Central 953 Rt 202 N 908-707-0759 YogaCentralNJ.com

branchville Sunrise Studio

K&P Holistic Health & Fitness

stretch

6 Main St, PO Box 2114 973-948-YOGA (9642) SunriseStudio-NJ.com

418 Route 23, Suite D 973-823-1600 KandPHolistic.com

Studio Yoga Madison

Indigo Yoga Studios

chester Dhyana Yoga Arts

2 Green Village Road, Suite 215 973-966-5311 StudioYogaMadison.com

maplewood

Shakti Yoga & Living Arts

95 W Main St, Ste 1 908-888-2223 DhyanaYogaArts.com

1861 Springfield Ave 973-763-2288 ShaktiNJ.com

fairfield

Lotus Lounge Holistic Healing Sanctuary 5 Washington St, 2nd floor Lotus@Wholistic-Revolution.com LotusLoungeSpa.com

new providence Unwind Yoga & Wellness

madison

caldwell 351 Bloomfield Ave 973-241-5338 IndigoYogaStudios.com

morristown

Transform Yoga

1280 Springfield Ave, 2nd Fl 908-665-YOGA (9642) UnwindYogaNJ.com

namaste randolph

Bee You Yoga & Wellness

3 Middlebury Blvd 973-775-9577 â&#x20AC;˘ BeeYou.com

435 Hollywood Ave 973-334-2787 TransformYoga.net

Niyama Yoga & Wellness Studio 2 Locations: Randolph & Sparta 973-500-2939 NiyamaYogaShala.com

40

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Yoga Corner Courage

by Nicole Zornitzer

S

everal years ago, I read Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown. In my quest for continual self-growth, inspiration and motivation during challenging moments in life, this book and its messages have been a blessing and created a platform for me to share with others the idea of braving our own, internal “wilderness”.

A concept that is introduced in this book is the idea of having a strong back and soft front. Brown eloquently presents the idea of us moving through life in a defensive mode versus an open and compassionate manner; most importantly toward ourselves. The question posed is how can we move through life with strength and vulnerability and coexist in the dichotomy of opposing ideas?

The answer is through courage. It requires courage for us to experience life and feel a sense of belonging in our own bodies, all while maintaining a strong back and soft front.

This courage is not like the typical courage we have learned about as a child, rather this courage is finding the means to express who we are, our truest of feelings and acceptance of the revelations about ourselves without judgment. Becoming the most authentic version of ourselves is difficult, it requires being brutally honest with “all that is”—the good, the bad, the challenges, the joys.

When we find this ability to confront our greatest challenges, to stand alone with confidence and security, we are exuding this idea of courage. As one of my teachers says, “It is moving through a situation that provides true growth and evolution, we should not avoid challenges; we must

go through them all. To do this, requires tremendous courage and compassion for one’s self.”

This idea can then be related to satya, which is one of the yamas. Satya is one of the covenants of yogic philosophy and translates to being truthful. This challenges us to take bold measures in an effort to find our authentic self, our dharma and our purpose. When one begins to remove the walls of protection that we have created around our energy field, when one becomes vulnerable, when one fully engages in life and all that each new day brings, we are taking appropriate steps to become courageous and exude the true definition of strength.

Braving our own “wilderness” be-

comes this idea of evaluating our internal and external world. Becoming friends with ourselves and finding the courage at moments to challenge our comfort zone, to broaden our mind, to expand our hearts, to express vulnerability, to admit that we don’t know. Evolving and aging gracefully leads us to ultimately conclude that we are an expansive wilderness, a tapestry of thoughts, behaviors, compassion, love and even forgiveness. How beautiful that is.

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

NiyamaYogaShala.com. See ad, page 26.

November 2020

41

calendar of events

All calendar events for the December 2020 issue must be received by November 10, 2020 and adhere to our guidelines. To submit, visit https://www. naturalawakeningsnj.com/pages/calendar-listings or email kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com for submission form.

NOVEMBER SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Salt Yoga with Missy – 11am. Join us for gentle yoga in our salt cave. $20. Salt Spa & Therapy, 1930 Rt 57, Hackettstown. To reserve your space and for questions, call 908-750-4554.

SaltSpaTherapy.com.

11-11 Sound Meditation & Activation – 7pm.

In-Person & Virtual. Join Leslie & Sue for a sound meditation and activation. The energy of the 11-11 gateway opens us up to deeper meaning and change. As we navigate this year of 2020, focusing on the incoming energies on special dates like this will open us up to ourselves and our purpose. It’s a special evening of sound, activation and going deeper to our core. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Avenue, Suite 105, Chester. $44.

Contact Sue 862-222-4268 via text or phone, or email info@blossomingintolight-chester.com.

BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Journey with the Spirit of Ayahuasca – Multidimensional transformational healing past present future. Soul Retrieval. Ancestral Healing. Soul Remembering. Clearing toxic wounds, patterns, traumas, curses. Guided journeys and ceremonies. Legendary Mentorship throughout. Facilitated by Rev. Denise Saracco-Zoppi. Presented online in weekly classes over 11 months, with 24/7 support via phone, text or email.

Two pricing levels available. Registration required by 10/30. Register by 10/15 for early bird discount. Class begins 11/2. See AyniHealingArtsCenter.com/ayahuasca for syllabus and registration form. For more information, call 862-268-3213 or email aynihealingartscenter@gmail.com.

AyniHealingArtsCenter.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Reiki Level 2 – 11/7-11/8. Led by Christine Maher, Reiki Master. $325. Preregistration required via website. Niyama Yoga, 270 Sparta Avenue, Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta.

For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com.

Fall Inner Peace Holistic Expo – 11/7-8; 10am5pm. Visit and learn about aromatherapy, reiki, sound healing, chiropractic, reflexology, essential oils, nutrition response testing and iridology. Stop by booths with crystals and gemstones, natural products for self and home, local honey, pet products...and so much more! Food available for purchase and lectures all throughout the weekend! . $5. Veterans free on Sunday. Hamburg Field House, 100-1099 Pine Street, Hamburg.

InnerPeaceHolisticExpo.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Inversion & Arm Balance Foundations – 7-9pm. This workshop is for the new yogi looking to explore the foundations of inversions and arm balances or for the seasoned yogi looking to advance their practice. Led by Danielle Martucci and Nina Petrillo. $50. Niyama Yoga, 270 Sparta Avenue, Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta. For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com.

42

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 Readings with Sue & Leslie – 12:30-4:30pm.

In-Person or Zoom. Have a flower reading, oracle card reading, Akashic Reading or Spirit Reading. For guidance and life purpose, understanding life choices and situations, and how to move forward in the most positive way. 1/2 Hour $65 or 1 Hour $130.

By appointment only. Contact Sue 862222-4268 via text or phone, or email info@ blossomingintolight-chester.com. For bios, visit BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

Autumn Paint & Meditate – 2-4pm. Unlock your creativity and ground yourself to the expression of mandala painting. Learn the ancient philosophy as Katie guides you through how to paint and draw out your mandala. This 2 hour workshop includes a 15-minute break for Chair yoga. All supplies are yours to keep. Online or in-person.

Space is limited. Registration required. $40 includes all supplies. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg. 908-707-0759. yogacentralnj.com.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 6-Month Nutrition Certification Course – Taught by Dian Freeman, CHHC, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, and owner of Wellness Simplified. Classes presented in real-time on Zoom. Those who miss a class will be able catchup by viewing videos of each class.

Passing a final exam leads to being awarded a CHHC, Certified Holistic Health Counselor.

For information and to register, call 973-2672816, email Dian2@WellnessSimplified.com or visit WellnessSimplified.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Align Your Spine – 2-4pm. Led by John Levis.

This is a therapeutic workshop that will teach participants the fundamental techniques that

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

provide alignment of the spine. Learn how to develop a routine, refine your yoga postures and your day to day posture for maximum spinal health. $50. Niyama Yoga, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Heart of Oneness Virtual Holistic Expo – 10am-5pm EST. Holistic event with wonderful exhibitors including Reiki, crystals, psychic readings, natural products and more. Tune in from anywhere in the world to virtually experience this new and innovative platform that brings forth a new way of connecting in LIVE time. Enjoy guest speakers, presentations, interactive exhibitor booths all running simultaneously throughout the day. $10. For tickets and information, visit HeartOfOnenessHolisticExpo.com/virtualexpo.

Coping with Stress Through Yoga – 2-4pm.

Stress is always present in our lives. In these current times, however, it’s looming larger than usual. Do you find yourself feeling tired or rundown for no obvious reason? Is your energy level lower than you’d like? Do you notice your mood unexpectedly swinging? Are you worrying more than usual? This virtual workshop will help us better understand stress and teach us to utilize the tools of yoga to calm the mind and heal the body. Presented

by Mythri S. Menon. Registration is required (online or by phone). $40. yogacentralnj.com.

PLAN AHEAD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Magical Gong Bath – 7-8:15pm. $25. Register via website. Niyama Yoga Wellness, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala. com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Spirit Animal Guidance - 5 Days of Inner Wisdom – 12/7-11; 12noon-1pm.Together let’s honor our inner wisdom. This is a 5-day session. 1 hour each day to honor and connect to the wisdom within ourselves. We will be guided each session by The Spirit Animal Oracle Deck by Colette Baron-Reid. Practice and participate from anywhere. Prepare to attend the session with your journal or writing materials. Optional additional items

to have with you: drawing or art materials, yoga mat, blanket, meditation cushion and essential oils. Join live or participate later with recorded sessions. Facilitator: Jean O’Toole, empowerment coach, life designer and movement facilitator. $50/ full series; 1 day for $25. Zoom link sent on registration. Contact 917-405-0596 or email meetyourselfinnature@gmail.com to register.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 Holiday Yoga & Wine Workshop with Certified Sommelier – 6-9pm. $50. Register via website. Niyama Yoga, 270 Sparta Avenue, Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta. For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala. com.

WEDNESDAY Focus on the Joints – 8:45-10am. This class focuses on warming up the body and moving the joints. Small movements reap big rewards as we move stuck energy through the body!

Simple pranayama (breath work) and asana sequence is followed by relaxing savasana.

Adults $18, Seniors/Students $16 or class card. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg. 908-707-0759. yogacentralnj. com.

Yoga in Salt Cave with Lauren – 6:00pm. Join us for yoga in our salt cave every Wednesday beginning 10/7. $20. Salt Spa & Therapy, 1930 Rt 57, Hackettstown. To reserve your space and for questions, call 908-750-4554.

SaltSpaTherapy.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31 Annual New Year’s Eve Meditation – 6-7pm.

In-person and virtual. We have been hosting this event for over 10 years. It’s a popular way to bring focus and purpose to the new year.

Each participant receives a special gift and we focus on what to expect for the coming year astrologically. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Avenue, Suite 105, Chester. 862222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester. com.

ONGOING

DECEMBER

Coming Next Month

Creating Community & Connection Plus: Spending Locally

THURSDAYS Qigong – 7-8pm. In person or Zoom. Qigong is a way to create balance, harmony and wellbeing. Join Sal each week in-person (limited space for in-person) or via Zoom. $35 per class. To RSVP, text/call Sue at 862-2224268 or info@blossomingintolight-chester. com. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

FRIDAYS

TUESDAYS Salt Yoga with Larissa – 6:30pm. Join us for Vinyasa Yoga in our salt cave every Tuesday beginning September 8. $20. Salt Spa & Therapy, 1930 Rt 57, Hackettstown.

To reserve your space and for questions, call 908-750-4554. SaltSpaTherapy.com.

Salt Yoga with Missy – 10am. Join us for gentle yoga and stretching in our salt cave every Friday beginning September 11. $20. Salt Spa & Therapy, 1930 Rt 57, Hackettstown.

To reserve your space and for questions, call 908-750-4554. SaltSpaTherapy.com.

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

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

908-405-1515 November 2020

43

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

Bakery/Specialty

Modern Acupuncture – Florham Park

Starseed Bakery

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 11.

NJ Advanced Acupuncture Morgan Reade, LAc, MS 616 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell 6 Green Village Rd, Madison 201-400-2261 NJAdvancedAcupuncture.com Morgan Reade has studied Acupuncture, herbal and dietary therapy. Board certified and licensed in Florida and NJ. Specializes in female health including autoimmune and fertility. Other areas of expertise include digestive disorders, food allergies and Lyme disease.

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, 16.

Brain Training FBT - Functional Brain Training 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 13.

Monika Christian and Kiley Doll 18230 Edwards Shop Rd., Elkwood, VA 540-409-6871 hello@growfortisfarms.com GrowFortisFarms.com Fortis Farms’ goal is to create easy access to fresh, local food sources in a sustainable, resource-conserving system. We use and distribute aeroponic garden solutions to produce more, local, lower cost, healthy food in smaller spaces. See ad, page 37.

44

Law Of Attraction Life Coach David Scott Bartky, CLOALC 973-444-7301 David@LifeCoachDavid.com LifeCoachDavid.com D a v 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.

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 for an appointment. See ad, page 45.

Cosmetics – Organic

Agri-business Fortis Farms, LLC

Coaching

MEDERI COSMETICS

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened” – Alexander Graham Bell

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Terry Martin 570-575-8185 Terry@MederiCosmetics.com MederiCosmetics.com Terry Martin, mother of five, is CEO, owner and founder of Mederi Cosmetics, offering both natural/organic and paramedical makeup lines (mainly for accident and burn survivors). Medical esthetician and paramedical makeup artist, motivational and lay ministry speaker, author of Makeup & More and Beyond Makeup, radio talk show host, newspaper founder.

Energy Healing

Healing Arts

classifieds

Balanced Healings LLC

Ayni Healing Arts Center

Ines Calderon PA-C Energy Healing Practitioner Reiki, Esoteric Healing, & Craniosacral Therapy 597 Springfield Ave 2nd fl., Summit 973-664-7613 balancedhealings@gmail.com balancedhealings.com

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

Ines has training in reiki, esoteric healing, and craniosacral therapy.

She integrates the three modalities to serve her clients by reducing stress and improving their mindbody-spirit connection. Her goal is to empower her clients to create balance in their lives and establish optimal health. She is currently offering remote energy healing sessions, both reiki and esoteric healing can be done remotely.

Enzyme Nutrition Next Level Healing Of NJ, Inc. Susan Richter, RN, Nutritionist, CCH, LDHS Denville • 973-586-0626 NextLevelHealing.com 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, Shamanic Healing C e r e m o n y, P a s t L i f e , Mediumship, Spiritual Counseling, Certified Shamanic Training, Mentorship, Soul Midwifery, House Blessing, Dream Interpretation, Lectures, Retreats. In-person or Virtual Sessions. See ad, page 20.

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, pages 3, 19.

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.

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

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.

“Never give up on what you really want to do.

The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.”

– Albert Einstein Save $10 on first colonic new clients only

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 membership-based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care. See ad, page 33.

Colon Hydrotherapy using Angel of Water®, providing the ultimate in privacy and dignity.

Ann Ochs has more than 20 years experience as a colon hydrotherapist.

• Advanced Certification from the International Association of Colon Therapists (I-ACT) • Certified by the National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy • Certified body ecologist.

Experience cleansing in a warm, safe, spa-like environment.

ColonHealthNJ.com

973-998-6550 • annlivingwaters@aol.com • 26 Elm Street • Morristown, NJ 07960

November 2020

45

Holistic Healing Services

Hypnosis

Heartmath+♥

Morris Hypnosis Center

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, c l a r i ty (eve n i n s t re s s f u l situations), and the capacity to self-regulate.

Heartmath+♥

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

Hilary facilitates the body’s selfhealing process; gently releasing restrictions in the connective tissue and removing energy blockages. Using her intuitive abilities, she also helps release stored injury, trauma, memories and emotions. Clearing the body of stuck stress improves health, feelings of wellness, ability to feel calm, centered and empowered.

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 our first session and dialogues at following sessions. I don’t talk “at” you; we both speak before and during your hypnosis. I also teach you self-hypnosis. Specializing in weight, stress, smoking, chronic pain, releasing the past, performance, obsessive thoughts, substance use, sleep, fears, confidence and attention issues.

Hypnosis can get you unstuck in virtually any area of your life. 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.

Nutrition Education Dian’s Wellness Simplified Dian Freeman, MA, MHHC Private Nutritional Consultations, Classes, Nutritional Certification Course Morristown, NJ 973-267-4816 WellnessSimplified.com C l i n i ca l N u t r i t i o n i st D i a n Freeman has a private practice and nutrition school in Morristown, NJ. Her six-month nutritional certification course has certified over 850 graduates in Holistic Health over the last 16 years. She also practices frequency biofeedback, teaches 1-day classes and lectures widely. See ad, page 30.

“Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved!

That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.”

– Leo Tolstoy

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 9.

Psychotherapy Leslie Karen Lobell, MA, LPC

Naturopathic School Health Queen Avis Gardell-Feldstein 1 Shadowbrook Lane, Basking Ridge 732-547-1196 (phone or text) HealthqueenAvis@gmail.com HealthQueenAvis.com We are so excited to be able to bring the most cutting edge information in the Health Industry through our Certification in Naturopathy.

Private consultations with Matrix Decoder diagnostics and B i ofe e d b a c k p l u s te s t i n g available for Food Sensitivities, Hormones and more!

46

Morris, Union, Sussex & Essex County Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Pompton Plains (Rte 23) and Montclair 908-577-0053 • Leslie@LeslieLobell.com LeslieLobell.com Do you suffer from anxiety or stress? Do you want to lose weight, stop smoking, gain self-confidence or change a habit? Do you 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 such as Holistic Psychotherapy, Hypnosis, Stress Reduction, Reiki and Dream Interpretation, I help teens & adults create happier, healthier, more peaceful and fulfilling lives. Allow me to assist you! See ad, page 35.

Spiritual Healing, Teaching Be The Medicine 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, Shamanism, and Medical Intuitive Training.

Retreats. 40 years’ experience. See ad, page 7.

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 43.

830 Morris Turnpike, 4th Floor, Short Hills, NJ 07078 (973) 530-2390 dnelson@csglaw.com

Yoga/Wellness Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala Nicole Zornitzer, Founder 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph 270 Sparta Ave., Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta 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 26.

NATURAL HOME CLEANING • Holistic approach using eco-friendly, non-toxic products • Corner-to-corner done to perfection • Essential oils of your choice • European maids with 30 years of experience

$50 off 3rd cleaning Basia

973.222.8881 • cleanmyhomeorganically.com November 2020

47