March 2021 Natural Awakenings Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley CT

E E FR

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

ORGANIZING TIPS FOR SELF-CARE ENGAGEMENT THE “E” IN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

RESTORE BALANCE

WITH AYURVEDIC THERAPIES

WEIGHT-LOSS TIPS FOR DOGS PLANT POWER

REGENERATIVE FARMING Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet HOW IT CAN SAVE THE PLANET

March 2021 | Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition | eNaturalAwakenings.com

March 2021

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KnoWEwell.com

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

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203-856-9566 www.203TLC.com

203 TLC

203 TLC is a community of accredited health and wellness providers offering a wide variety of services and products.

Founded in 1997 by Beth Leas, the TLC Tribe is Fairfield County’s largest holistic health resource - a vibrant and growing community of over 90 Members, committed to living consciously and offering healthy lifestyle opportunities. We offer high quality private sessions, products, workshops, classes and resources designed to help you live life well.

Energy Healing/Meditation/Tarot Beth Leas 25+ Years Experience Private Sessions, Workshops, Events In-person or by phone bethleas.com 203-856-9566

Lyme Disease Healing Gregg Kirk, Lyme Recovery Clinic & Detox Center Heal from chronic illness through all-natural herbal treatments, intensive detox, cleanses & energy healing.

528 Post Rd, Darien Gregg.Kirk@gmail.com 203-858-9725

Spiritual Counseling Katherine Gray Silvan, LMSW Clear Light Spiritual Counseling Interfaith Minister, Reiki Master Inspirational Speaker katherinesilvan.com 203-912-5252

Essential Oils Wayne Leiss, LMT Centering Our Lives Through Touch. dōTERRA Essential Oils and Symphony of the Cells™ Protocols 20 Fifth Ave, Apt A, Danbury Wayne@WayneLeiss.com WayneLeiss.com 203-994-1207

Life Coach/Hypnotist Thea Litsios, CHy Life Coach, Hypnotist, Teacher of Active Dreaming Remote sessions available 203-693-1493

Meditation & Counseling Meg Reilly, MS, CH Counselor, Workshop Facilitator, Writer, Poet Services in person or by phone megreilly360.com 203-952-6272

Salt Cave Salt Cave of Darien Salt therapy, massage, meditation & yoga 555 Post Rd, Darien Info@SaltCaveofDarien.com SaltCaveofDarien.com 203-658-7667

VISIT US

Transformation Coaching/Healing Katie Augustyn, MA, CPC Transformation Coach, Shamanic Practitioner, Spiritual Evolution Trainer, Energy Healer, TV Host TransformationCenterCT.com 203-820-3800

www.203TLC.com www.TribeTLC.com FB: Tribe TLC

Get to know us at TLC’s monthly networking breakfast!

Looking for a relaxed group of professionals offering a supportive community, free networking events, many affordable marketing opportunities, and FUN? We meet on the first Tuesday of every month, at Valencia Luncheria, 164 Main St, Norwalk, CT, from 8:30 -10:00am.

Come the first time as Beth's guest - and if you find your time with us worthwhile, we invite you to become a TLC Member.

Please RSVP to Beth Leas at: 203-856-9566 (call/text) orTLCBethLeas@gmail.com so she can reserve your place.

March 2021

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Contents

Touch of Sedona

Unique Boutique & Spiritual Center

11 TIPS FOR HEALTHY SKIN

Combating Sun Damage and Puffy Eyes

12

1 2 ENGAGEMENT –

THE E IN POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

1 4 THE AYURVEDIC

PATH TO HEALING Respecting the Body’s Own Intelligence

The Finest in Southwest Gifts & Healing Items

Native American Art • Turquoise & Silver Jewelry Crystals of all sizes • Chakra Jewelry • Dreamcatchers Buddhas • Books • Angels • Candles • Incense • Oils

452 Main Street • Ridgefield, CT • 203-438-7146 OPEN DAILY

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1 6 HEALING ROOMS:

Making Room for

Sustainable Self-care

18 BLACK ROCK

HOLISTIC CBD Home-Grown Hemp

for a Superior Product

22 DOWN TO EARTH

The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming

24 JEFF TKACH ON REGENERATIVE HEALTHCARE

26

26 CANINE OBESITY

When Doggies Need Diets

DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 7 ad index 10 kudos 12 positive psychology

series 18 community

spotlight 4

Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

24 wise words 26 naturally

healthy pet 27 natural pet

briefs 28 calendar 29 resource guide 31 classifieds

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

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Is your Soul calling to be in alignment with your Divinity?

If your Soul says YES, please join us to transform your mind, body, and spirit!

Rebirthing from the 13th Octave

March 11 - June 24 Bi-monthly, Thursdays 6:30 - 9:30pm

13th Octave LaHoChi Training April 23 - 25 Friday evening through Sunday

Akashic Field Healing Training

June 23 - November 3 Weekly, Wednesdays 6:30 - 9:30pm with Eilis Philpott

Master Healer and Teacher

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All classes via Zoom. See website for more information.

The Academy for Soul Healing supports the growth and expansion of humanity, individually and on a global scale. "I foresee many students from the Academy becoming teachers of this integrated way of service."

academyforsoulhealing.com • SoulHealingJourney.com Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com • 203-767-5954 Fairfield, CT

HILDA DEMIRJIAN LASER & SKIN CARE ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 203-885-4674 or email Advertising@eNaturalAwakenings.com.

Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com.

Deadline for News Briefs: the 12th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com. Deadline for magazine calendar listings: the 12th of the month. Website calendar listings may be entered at any time.

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.

LASER COLLAGEN TREATMENTS AND LASER HAIR REMOVAL FOR ALL COMPLEXIONS

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HildaDemirjianLaser.com • HildaDemirjianSkincare.com March 2021

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from publisher “The spring wakes us, nurtures us and revitalizes us. How often does your spring come? If you are a prisoner of the calendar, it comes once a year. If you are creating authentic power, it comes frequently, or very frequently.”

— Gary Zukav

FAIRFIELD COUNTY/ HOUSATONIC VALLEY

Publisher Erica Mills

Editor Michelle Bense

Design & Production Kathleen Fellows Erica Mills

Contributing Writers Michelle Bense Nigel Palmer Julie Peterson Ariana Rawls Fine Patricia Trenchak Sandra Yeyati Distribution Man in Motion LLC

CONTACT US

54 Danbury Rd, #354, Ridgefield, CT 06877 Phone/Fax: 203-885-4674 Erica@eNaturalAwakenings.com eNaturalAwakenings.com

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NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

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Layout 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 © 2021 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

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

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

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

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

Erica Mills

s we come into the month of March, I am reminded that the shorter, darker days are behind us. While the cold winter months have their own benefits, there is nothing quite like the month of March. For many it is the forgotten month, with weather that doesn’t ever seem to make up its mind, but for me it is a month of hope. Hope for green grass, rain on my face and a time to begin planning gardens and growing seedlings. Dedicating time to personal self-care inside and out. March is the promise of new life and beginnings.

In this issue, we examine many aspects of these hopeful beginnings. Learn how to eliminate puffy eyes and avoid sun damage from Hilda Dimirjian on page 11. The Ann C. Reeves series on Positive Psychology continues with the “E” for Engagement on page 12. Learn about the benefits of Ayurveda on page 14.

Joan Law and Ariana Rawls Fine explore how to organize our space to maximize self-care on page 16.

We explore the process of home-grown hemp with Dr. Kristine DeMarco, who has become a hemp farmer in order to help her patients and others benefit from the organic hemp she grows to create her own CBD line of products, on page 18.

If you have ever wanted to learn more about regenerative organic farming, look no further than pages 20 through 24 of this issue. We explain why regenerative organic farming holds great promise to rebuild soil, draw carbon from the atmosphere and ultimately grow healthier food.

We look forward to seeing everyone out and about enjoying the warmer, sun-filled days to come.

All the best,

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

Natural Awakenings is proudly printed in Connecticut at Trumbull Printing on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

news briefs

display advertiser index

Sedona Art Brings Art Supplies and Community to Ridgefield

M

arge Courtney, owner of Touch of Sedona, in Ridgefield, has just opened Sedona Art next door, which is now open at 450 Main Street. Inspired by the healing spirit of Touch of Sedona, the unique art supply store provides tools and encouragement for professional artists and anyone who loves to explore and create art. They offer art supplies and positive, loving energy for beginners and experts alike.

“Touch of Sedona has been creating positive energy for many years,” says Courtney.

“Now we want to make the tools, supplies and resources necessary to foster the creative spirit available to customers.” The creative arts have always been important to Courtney.

Her vision to support the arts and artists in the community, while inviting everyone to explore their creative spirit, couldn’t have manifested at a better time.

Sedona Art sells art supplies, in addition to offering other products and services to support artists and art programs throughout Ridgefield. They stock supplies for artists, makers and creative types of all ages. The store offers art and spirit-inspired workshops and hosts in-store events and artist talks.

In the future, Sedona Art will offer a plethora of creative workshops, weaving together the mind, body and spirit of creativity. The store is open Monday to Friday, from 2:30 to 5:30pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 11am to 5:30pm.

For more information, email SedonaArt06877@gmail.com or visit SedonaArt.net.

See Touch of Sedona ad, page 4.

Organic Landscaping Company Accepting New Clients

C

urrently accepting new clients in the Fairfield area, Organic Ways & Means (OWM) is a 100 percent organic landscaping company that only uses electric machinery (mowers, blowers, trimmers) that dramatically reduce noise pollution and eliminate the air pollution created by gasoline mowers and other machines. Those interested can call for a competitive quote for mowing, feeding and their eco-friendly leaf clean-up service.

OWM also builds and delivers locally made, wooden raised garden beds. They plant gardens and provide weekly care services. “Want fresh veggies?

Jeff Cordulack Need compost? This is a great way to get started with backyard gardening, and especially helpful when out of town,” says Jeff Cordulack, owner and operator of OWM. “We also deliver—and can apply—high-quality organic compost to top-dress lawns and renew flower beds. Let us know your needs.”

Cordulack notes that in lower Connecticut and New York, the time to plant veggies is in May and June.

203TLC 3 Alba Thermal Imaging

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The Angel Cooperative/ Angel Wing

10

Chamomille Natural Foods

25

The Computer Fairy

9

Cristina Sarno Artist/ Your Pet’s Portrait Paintings Hilda Demirjian

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eNaturalAwakenings.com Website 31 Feng Shui Joan’s Way

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Final Journey LLC

27

HGH Gel

17

Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies

4

KnoWeWell 2 Lectio 360

8

The Market

25

Natural Awakenings 2021 Natural Living Directory

32

Natural Awakenings Singles

15

Nature’s Temptations

25

Nature’s Way Health Foods

25

New Morning Market

25

Optimal Health Medical/ Henry Sobo, MD

21

Robin Ordan, LCSW

8

Ann Reeves

8

Victoria Shaw, PhD

11

Wellness Institute/ Marvin Schweitzer, ND

19

Wellness Metaphors/ Nancy S. Scherlong

17

Soul Healing Journey

5

Sustainne 10 Touch of Sedona

4

Two Coyotes Wilderness School 13 Whole Foods

25

For more information, call 203-724-1040 and leave a voicemail with address and email address.

March 2021

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Family and Child Psychotherapy Support and Guidance • Divorce Anxiety • Parent/Child Conflict Attachment and Bonding • Trauma • Grief Professional/Executive Coaching

news briefs

Original Pet Portraits

by Artist Cristina Sarno

Robin Ordan, LCSW 203-561-8535

www.robinordanlcsw.com Located on the Old Greenwich/Stamford Border

L

Lectio 360

A Contemplative Practice to Improve Self-Awareness and Serenity

Regular Online 30-Minute Sessions Conveniently Scheduled and Designed to Fit Into Your Day

Learn More and Register at www.lectio360.com

Positive & Nature Based Psychology Promoting well-being and resilience.

Happiness • Strength • Hope • Wisdom • Coping • Flourishing Ann C. Reeves, Psy. D, CAPP Licensed Psychologist

203-451-6208

annreevespsych@optonline.net • www.annreevespsychology.com 3 Hollyhock Lane, Wilton, CT 06897 8

Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

ocal mixed media artist and painter Cristina Sarno specializes in painting pet portraits with flair and originality.

In addition to portraits, she also works in other mediums including silk screen, colorful pencil, graphite and charcoal drawing, and pen and ink with safe, nontoxic black walnut and sumac inks. Sarno also has her own arts and crafts company, Tina Sarno Company TSC. Sarno recently relocated to Silvermine, Connecticut after years of living in Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised in New Canaan and Norwalk, she began painting from her imagination as a young child. “I’ve been an animal lover since childhood,” says Sarno. “I even raised chickens from chicks and had my chicken eggs I hatched. I brought them to my 4th grade science fair in elementary school, at East School, in New Canaan.”

She studied at Parsons School of Design in New York City to earn her BFA in Photography and in the intervening years experimented with many different mediums and subject matter, portrait photography, large scale expressionist paintings and even color and black and white printing/printmaking. She began this process as a college student in Vermont.

While in New York, Sarno found herself designing imaginary album covers on the computer and dressing top fashion models at a major fashion label. Now that she’s back home, she will return her focus to the calm, reflective process of mixing paints, printing pictures and creating her world within the work.

For more information, call 203-216-1900, email CristinaSarno@ gmail.com or visit CristinaSarno.tumblr.com. See ad, page 27.

eNaturalAwakenings.com

Organic Krush Focuses on Organic, Delicious Meals for Family in Westport

I

n November, Organic Krush, known as a Lifestyle Eatery, opened its newest location, at 374 Post Road East, in Westport. The restaurant is a place where family and friends can meet and takeout healthy meals for any discerning palate. The menu allows each guest to mix and change the meals to fit their dietary needs and tastes. This is the seventh location for Organic Krush, with plans to open an eighth location in Greenwich in 2021.

Owners Michelle Walrath and Fran Paniccia have a clear mission. When they created Organic Krush, they set out to craft a menu that was loved by every single member of the family. They sautéed, juiced, smoothied, baked, sourced and created a breadth of recipes that were delectable and organic. A trusted source of delicious, organic food and cold-pressed juices, they are committed to serving food that is free of pesticides, GMOs, hormones and fake ingredients.

Walrath graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a master’s in Education 20 years ago. “I spent a year teaching in Norwalk and getting to know the families of Fairfield County,” she explains. “When an opportunity came up to open our restaurant in Westport, we were so excited. We have many family members in the Danbury and Newtown area, and past connections to the neighborhoods of Fairfield County, so we knew Westport would be just the right fit for our first location in Connecticut.”

Whether vegan, keto, gluten-free or trying a juice cleanse, Organic Krush has options for every palate. Families are spending more time at home and want to have options from the comfort of home. Delivery is offered via the Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery App, or food can be picked up with a safe inside pick-up location.

The eatery is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 5pm.

For more information, call 475-477-1275 or visit OrganicKrush.com.

Apply for Holistic Shamanic Practitioner Training Program

F

or the seventh year in a row, Deana Paqua of Embody the Sacred will offer a year-long Holistic Shamanic Practitioner training program perfect for Reiki practitioners, bodyworkers, counselors and spiritual seekers, starting in October 2021. This shamanic training program is for those looking to dedicate themselves to self-healing and self-empowerment to be of service in their greater communities.

Deana Paqua Applications are now being accepted from those interested in attending this popular program.

The 13-month program will meet one Saturday per month, and will incorporate teachings based on the healing traditions of the Americas, with an emphasis on the Peruvian/Andean traditions, Contemporary and Core Shamanism. Students will learn practical, hands-on and holistic techniques for addressing daily concerns such as physical and emotional balance, energy clearing, grounding and protection, how to connect more deeply with personal spirit guides, guardian angels, power animals and ancestors, the elements of nature and the Earth herself. Students will learn about the tools of the shaman and how to use these sacred tools properly, with respect and without cultural appropriation.

Paqua is a teacher of cross-cultural energy medicine and contemporary Shamanism, Reiki Master, licensed massage therapist and ordained minister. She brings practical wisdom, knowledge, humor and experience to her work and teaching and strives to empower her clients and students to heal themselves and to use their gifts to help others.

Students will be required to keep journals, complete practice sessions and reading assignments, and attend all classes to attain certification. The program will be offered in the New Milford area, location to be announced. A complete program description and program requirements are available online.

For more information, visit EmbodyTheSacred.net. See community resource guide listing, page 30.

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March 2021

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news briefs

kudos

Help Teach Parenting Classes with Saint Joseph Parenting Center

S

aint Joseph Parenting Center (SJPC), a non-secular nonprofit in Stamford which focuses on protecting the child and strengthening families by providing parent education resource support, is seeking assistance with its general parenting program. SJPC envisions a world where all children live free of abuse and neglect. Thus, their mission is to strengthen families that are at risk of child abuse and neglect by supporting parents in changing unhealthy parenting patterns and fostering healthy ones, resulting in the decrease in incidence of child abuse and neglect.

SJPC is looking for people who are passionate about families and would be willing to teach two classes, two times per year for two hours—in English and/or Spanish. A facilitator can be a social worker, have a behavioral health background or be a good, responsible parent. Classes are virtual, and the program curriculum is preset. These programs are provided at no cost to the clients, and a case manager is always present for each class to ensure smooth conduct.

SJPC offers 28 different general parenting classes, 12 fatherhood classes and 12 women empowerment classes in both English and Spanish. Serving approximately 320 parents a year, SJPC was recently award the FIRE Fatherhood grant, enabling them to support more fathers. Additionally, SJPC provides case management support: intake assessments, systems advocacy, emotional support and community resource referrals as well as parent incentives.

For more information, email NKotian@SJPCenter.org or visit SJPCenter.org. Location: Yerwood Center, 90 Fairfield Ave, Stamford.

51 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rt 7), Ridgefield, CT PURVEYORS OF POSITIVITY

A Unique Lifestyle Boutique Featuring the first Shungite Room in the USA. HOME • BODY • SOUL

Introducing…

THE ANGEL WING, A DIVINE SPIRITUAL CENTER The Angel Wing is available to rent for individual or group sessions, workshops, classes, retreats, or for any therapeutic practice including yoga, meditation, reiki, massage, musical events, and more. Optional rental spaces include a large open room and/or an intimate private room with massage/reiki table.

• Wide selection of crystals & jewelry • Candles, essential oils, incense & soap • Feng Shui & home decor • Spiritual gifts, statuary, decks, books & cards • Private & group readings, reiki, guided 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rt 7), Ridgefield, CT meditation, sound therapy & energy work (Located next door to The Angel Cooperative) 203 -4 31-2959 • WWW.THEANGELCOOP.COM

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

Izzi B’s allergen-free bakery at 22 Knight St. in Norwalk recently won a coveted spot on PETA’s just-announced Top Vegan Sweet Treats list—one of only a handful of bakeries around the country selected for recognition.

Making the list was the bakery’s delectable raspberry cream-filled doughnuts dipped in chocolate and decorated with delicate striping of raspberry frosting.

“I just love chocolate and raspberry and we already make raspberry frosting, so it’s a perfect combination,” says owner Pam Nicholas, who lives nearby in Wilton.

Excited to receive the national award, Nicholas said Valentine’s Day is one of her favorite holidays.

CONNECTICUT'S LOCALSUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE DESTINATION IS SUSTAINNE.COM Our actions and decisions today will shape our future. Visit us to get inspired and shop responsibly.

Tips for Healthy Skin

Combating Sun Damage and Puffy Eyes

by Hilda Demirjian and Garni Gharekhania

Sun Damage Since a lot of the skin irregularities are caused by exposure to the sun, it is important to have maximum protection from sun damage in our daily routine. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and more sensitive

Puffy Eyes Eye puffiness, the swelling of tissues around the eyes, is caused by excessive

Lack of sleep.

This causes the body to release the stress hormone cortisol at a higher rate than normal, which results in the breaking of the skin collagen, the main protein that maintains skin’s elasticity and smoothness.

The skin then becomes more prone to swelling.

Excessive water in the skin.

In general, anything extreme is unhealthy for the human body, including the excessive use of water. Since the tissues under the eyes are very gentle, the surplus of water in the body gets concentrated under the eyes. Drink only as much water as the body “wants”.

Overconsumption of salt.

The high concentration of sodium in the body is another serious cause of eye puffiness. Make sure to adjust the diet to reduce sodium intake.

Alcohol.

Toxins contained in alcohol typically cause stress, fatigue and changes in the hormonal function of the body, which can lead to fluid retention and swelling around the eyes.

Hilda Dimirjian is the owner of Hilda Demirjian Laser & Spa, located at 34 S Broadway, Ste 607, White Plains, NY. She follows strict COVID guidelines for the safety of all her clients. Connect at 914-374-1756, HildaDemirjianLaser.com and HildaDemirjianSkincare.com. See ad, page 5.

Victoria F. Shaw, PhD, LPC

Intuitive & Consultant LPC Shaw, PhD, F.Psychotherapist Victoria

Intuitive Psychotherapist & Consultant Combining the best of traditional

psychotherapy with intuitive guidance in Combining the best of traditional psychotherapy with working with children, teens and adults. intuitive guidance in working with children, teens and adults.

Offices in Wilton, Westport and Fairfield.

Offices in Wilton and Westport www.victoriashawpsychotherapy.com

www.victoriashawintuitive.com VictoriaShawPsychotherapy.com • VictoriaShawIntuitive.com 203-254-3403 •• vfshawphd@gmail.com 203-254-3403 vfshawphd@gmail.com

March 2021

hush naidoo/Unsplash.com

T

he skin is the largest human organ and its health is of no less importance than the health of other organs. But how can we know that our skin is healthy? What are the indicators of skin health?

If the skin has irregularities, such as wrinkles, age spots, dark blotchy patches or acne, then it could benefit from the attention of a skincare specialist. But what if there are no apparent signs of skin irregularities? Often, the complete picture of the skin’s condition is invisible to the naked eye, and perfect-looking skin might in fact conceal conditions of concern—even cancer.

The whole spectrum of skin condition lies in all layers of the skin, from the outermost layer to the deepest layer. A detailed picture of the skin can only be extracted through a digital skin evaluation, which documents and analyzes the skin’s health. Undergoing regular digital skin evaluations for the face and other areas can help identify the damaged areas of the skin and prevent further complications in skin conditions.

to sun damage. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the sun can cause skin cancer, and sun exposure can cause thinning of the skin and wrinkle development.

• Having some extra color on the skin is not bad, and if protection is taken while sun bathing, it can be a harmless and enjoyable experience. Follow these guidelines in order to maintain the skin’s health while taking a sunbath.

• Wear sunscreen all the time. Reapply every three to four hours during the day, and more often when in the water.

• Make sure sunblock contains either zinc or titanium, which are the main elements that protect the skin from the sun’s radiation.

• Apply sunblock at night, right before sleep. It will help shield the skin from solar radiation and recover from sun damage.

• Use cleanser and toner before applying sunscreen. To achieve maximum results, a cleanser and toner should be applied prior to the sunblock. This softens and conditions the skin by removing impurities, preparing the skin for the sunblock.

fluid concentration. While a small degree of puffiness may be noticeable for any individual, it is most commonly caused by more serious reasons.

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positive psychology series In this series, we’ll hear from Ann C. Reeves about aspects of Positive Psychology. This month, she continues with the “E” of the Positive Psychology acronym, PERMA-V.

Engagement – the E in Positive Psychology

by Ann C. Reeves

P

ositive Psychology (PP) is the scientific study of optimal human functioning and its research encompassing neurobehavioral, cognitive behavioral and physiological science. The acronym used in PP is PERMA-V. E stands for Engagement, another gateway to achieve wholeness and deep contentment.

To engage is to become involved or engrossed in something, and it suggests a deep connection to whatever one is doing, on a continuum of enjoyment and relaxation to the point of being so absorbed that time no longer exists. Components of engagement are self-regulation, mindfulness, a sense of flow, making choices and decisions, savoring and identifying and utilizing one’s strengths.

On the extreme end of the enjoyment spectrum is the phenomenon called flow, where we are so engaged in an activity that we lose all sense of self and time. Research suggests that regular engagement in flow predicts heightened life satisfaction, achievement, health and creativity. The ability to connect to a sense of flow requires components of self-regulation.

The task or activity must be challenging, demand skill and require concentration.

Usually people experiencing flow have a clear goal in mind—getting the perfect photograph in the darkroom, completing a complex design on a piece of woodwork, writing a poem or working on a complicated science project. When we are in flow, our sense of self vanishes, time stops, emotions are neutral and even pain is diminished. We are all familiar with witnessing an athlete who is totally in the flow zone, throwing the “hail, Mary” pass only to collapse in agony with an injury that occurred much earlier.

That is the phenomenon of flow.

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

The capacity to self-regulate emotions, time and priorities creates deeper opportunities to engage. The opposite states of distraction, disorganization and procrastination make it difficult to feel we are accomplishing anything, much less engaging in a pleasurable activity.

With adequate sleep, we wake up every morning with a pool of energy, which becomes depleted during the day. It is difficult to feel engaged when our responsibilities and distractions are closing in on us, leaving us in a state of exhaustion.

Labelled ego depletion, this condition may result from trying to please others, making decisions, ruminating, planning or completing multiple tasks. The condition of ego depletion reflects a limited pool of mental resources that have been used up, making it more difficult to harness our willpower. Emotional reactivity also tends to be higher. Managing chronic pain likewise is depleting. Learning how to self-regulate is key to lessening ego depletion.

Mindfulness is the calm energy of being awake and present in each moment and is an important component of self-regulation.

Really being present with oneself is difficult in our current technological world. Research has demonstrated the positive mental and physical effects of reducing our use of technologies, and especially screen time.

Visual media stimulates the reward systems in our brain—the same system triggered by sugar, sex and drugs, causing addiction.

A positive step toward self-regulation might be taking advantage of the many avenues now easily available for learning how to be more mindful. Mindful meditation, mindful eating and mindful planning are all useful changes that one can undertake.

Savoring is another way to become and remain engaged, purposefully stretching out the moments of a pleasurable experience and focusing on as many senses as we can, while going deeper into our enjoyment into appreciation and gratitude.

Reminiscing about times when we laughed hard or experienced deep positive emotions has been shown to increase positive emotions. Gathering photographs or holding sentimental objects can stimulate memories.

Making choices is a great freedom, but research demonstrates that too many choices leads to decision fatigue, ego depletion and paralysis when trying to make the right choice. “Maximizers” are people who need to look at every possible choice, taking a long time and using more energy to make decisions. They are less confident in decision making, ruminate more and have lower optimism and satisfaction with life. “Satisficers”, on the other hand, limit their choice pool, settling for “good” rather than “the perfect” choice. They experience less stress and are happier with their decisions than Maximizers, without obsessing about them. Making an effort to limit our choices and, sometimes, honoring our intuitive rather than reflective decision making processes, will lessen stress and strengthen the ability to engage.

It has been said that most people go through their lives using no more than a small fraction of the potential gifts within them. Within the PP movement, there are online measures one can complete for free which ask many questions, resulting in a list of one’s top strengths, such as integrity, curiosity, prudence, open mindedness, leadership and humility. To complete the questionnaire, visit AuthenticHappiness.com, click on Questionnaires and select VIA Survey of Character Strengths. Comparing our top five strengths with our last five strengths is helpful in solidifying priorities, preferences and character strengths as we go about making choices and decisions, all contributing to a deeper sense of engagement in life.

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The Ayurvedic Path to Healing Respecting the Body’s Own Intelligence

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by Neeru N. Kaushik

yurveda is the oldest medical system in the world. Practiced in India for over 6,000 years, Ayurveda believes the body has its own intelligence and innate healing powers. The Ayurvedic objective, therefore, is to assist the natural wisdom of the body and not disturb its inherent process for healing.

Ayurveda in Sanskrit means “science of life” (ayu means life, and veda means knowledge of). It is commonly referred to as “mother of all sciences”. Rooted in ancient books of wisdom, the Vedas, Ayurveda is deeply spiritual and encompasses life in its totality. It epitomizes a true body-mind approach to health and wellness.

This medical system defines health as a balance of body, mind and spirit—a balance that includes being in harmony with one’s environment and the cosmos. The goal of Ayurveda is to maintain this balance and harmony so that one lives life to its fullest.

When imbalance occurs, our outlook and approach to life suffers, resulting in illness or “dis-ease”. To restore balance, Ayurveda combines natural therapies with a highly individualized regimen to revive our innate immune system and restore health. Recognizing that we are all unique, Ayurveda addresses that uniqueness in its specific approach to treating each individual. It evaluates the whole person to uncover and treat the root cause of the health concern. The emphasis is on cure, not just treating the symptom.

To determine whether a balance or imbalance is present, Ayurveda uses the patient’s body type or constitution (called dosha) to make an assessment. In Ayurveda, our dosha is made up of a combination of the five universal elements—space, air, water, fire, earth. The combination of space and air dosha is called Vata; fire and water is Pitta; earth and water is Kapha. Each person contains elements of all three doshas in their own unique balance, with one predominating.

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

Doshas affect various aspects of the body’s functioning. Vata governs movements in the body, such as nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, elimination. Pitta governs metabolism, including digestion and absorption. Kapha is responsible for growth and the immune system.

The seat of all doshas in the body is in the gastrointestinal tract. Kapha is in the stomach and lungs, Pitta in the stomach and small intestine and Vata in the colon. Therefore, an imbalance in any of the doshas will have an impact on digestion and can eventually result in illness or disease. Western medicine is now realizing the connection of the gastrointestinal system to illness and often refers to it as “the second brain”.

By observing the tongue, eyes, posture and feeling the pulse and skin, an Ayurvedic practitioner can determine if the doshas are out of balance, with one being excessive or depleted. This, along with an in-depth discussion about lifestyle, environment, stressors, work and relationships, will determine a plan to correct the imbalance.

The healing process is supported in three ways: first, purifying the body by excreting waste products (digestive or metabolic); second, calming the excessive dosha so that the disease process ceases, and/ or providing rejuvenation herbal therapy to compensate for dosha depletion; third, reinforcing the power of the mind and body so that a healthy state is maintained.

Ayurveda has been used successfully to treat some of the major health conditions prevalent in our society, including: hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis and diabetes, as well as anxiety, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, migraines, male/female issues, skin disorders, ulcers and more.

Treatment also takes into account the fact that Vata, Pitta and Kapha are present in the food we eat and our environment. Therefore, as Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to healing, a regimen might include specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines, vitamin and mineral supplements, herbs and homeopathy, and a detox or cleansing program for expelling toxins and regenerating the immune system.

Ayurveda’s signature detox regimen is Panchakarma, which includes five elements that gently detox the body, lymph and blood systems.

Panchakarma is often used as a seasonal detox as well. Some herbs that are used in Ayurveda include turmeric, cumin, cloves, garlic, ginger, coriander, fenugreek, cinnamon and saffron, to name a few. These are famous for their anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antiallergenic and anti-mutagenic properties, as well as their abilities to optimize digestive, immune and cardiac function. Breathing techniques, yoga exercises and meditation might also be part of the plan. When back in balance and with health restored, our outlook is in sync with life, the environment and the well-ordered universe.

Ayurveda is a healing regimen as well as a health maintenance program. Since imbalances can be detected before the manifestation of illness, Ayurveda offers an effective prevention program as well. Prevention and balance are the main focuses of Ayurveda. Overall, Ayurveda is a way of life—a path to fulfillment, health, happiness, harmony and bliss.

It is important to remember that to avoid any complications from self-medicating, a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner should be consulted when embarking on any health or wellness program.

Dr. Neeru N. Kaushik, ND, MS Acu, MS, MA is the Director of Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies, located at 805 Kings Highway East, in Fairfield. Connect at 203-331-9111 or DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com. See ad, page 4.

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March 2021 15

BEFORE

AFTER

HEALING ROOMS:

Making Room for Sustainable Self-care

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by Joan Law and Ariana RawlsFine

reating a life we don’t want to run away from includes creating spaces within our homes for self-care.

Focusing on areas such as the bedroom, kitchen and repurposed rooms can help us further our healing journey using feng shui principles. The practical, intuitive art is used to bring individuals and their environments into harmony. It works with the system of the five elements and the principle of chi, the vital energetic force present in all beings and things.

Restful Energy in the Bedroom The bedroom is our space to rest and rejuvenate. Certain items can keep the energy circulating in the room, when it should be a peaceful place.

For instance, stacks of books by the bedside creates a sense of not having the time to read them all. Remove items from the bedroom such as mirrors, televisions, items under the bed, laundry, paperwork and electronics as much as possible. Even putting the cell phone on a bureau so that it is not easily accessible from the bed will help. Pictures of children should not be in 16

the bedroom; it is not that we are not thinking of them, but more the visual reminders that we worry about them, and the anxiety and stress that might cause.

The bed placement is important. Try not to have it under or in front of a window as that symbolizes lacking support. Position the bed where the door can be seen so we can see who is entering.

Another simple tip is opening and closing the curtains in the bedroom or living room. This ritual at the beginning and ending of the day can make a difference in our perception of the day’s progression.

Making the bedrooms fit the people is another concept that can help familial energy.

If, for instance, there are three boys sharing a bedroom when the parents are in the bigger room, it may make sense to rearrange the bedroom allocations. Use the house the way it works best for the whole family.

Space for Healthy Cooking at Home As we strive to be healthier, our kitchen can reflect our emotional clutter and health difficulties. The supplements and kitchen equipment we use for special diets can

Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

take up space. The cluttered counters then become a stressful, visual reminder for the family of the impact the diet may be having on family financials. Clearing out cabinets from infrequently used things, such as extra mugs, makes space to put away the constant dietary reminders and declutters the countertops.

Other tips include ensuring plenty of room on the counters for food prepping.

Keep snacks behind closed doors; if we don’t see them, we are less likely to eat them so readily.

“Having an organized, decluttered kitchen with good flow and full of nutritious food makes eating so much easier and encourages healthier habits,” says Diana Pruzinsky Abata, CHC, AFMC (DianaPruzinsky.com).

Hoarding food, which can support a feeling of not having enough and living fearfully, is an interesting topic, as some people like to be prepared for the future with sufficient supplies. There is a difference between buying on sale where many items then go bad or expire before they are used and long-term, healthy storage of food.

What’s the Purpose?

Look at the home through feng shui “eyes” to reimagine spaces that may not be used frequently or optimally. Just because conventional thought says a room’s purpose is supposed to be one thing doesn’t mean it has to be. Live in a space that is comfortable and efficient for the family.

A spare room that is “saved” for infrequent guests could be repurposed as a self-care space to bring peace, healing and rejuvenation to the people actually living in the home. Remember that we are trying to create the space for the activity we want more of, so don’t just fill it with “something”. Wait for the perfect item for the space.

For parents that lament that their grown children or family never visit, take a look at their room or the guest room in which they would stay. Are the rooms treated as a storage or big closet room? Use that space with intention; is it an inviting room ready for guests?

Many of us need to face the retention of “things” and the patterns of unwillingness to let them go. The physical action of releasing is part of a healing process to create pathways in the brain for other things that

BEFORE

AFTER

we need to release. Strengthening or loosening the “muscles” of letting go can change the way we look at life in general, whether it is about people, jobs or other life elements that are no longer serving a productive purpose for us.

“A health concern prompted me to call a feng shui practitioner again. My home office was really out of control. I’d convinced myself ‘the clutter didn’t bother me’. I needed to change my space to support a healthier lifestyle,” says Kara Flannery. “After we finished that office, I suddenly felt lighter.

I realized how much energy it had taken me to ‘block out’ the clutter each day so I could focus on my work. I was spending several hours a day in a room that was just weighing me down and holding me back. Now, I work in a room that inspires me.”

All That Stuff!

Many of us retain things because we don’t want to throw them out or we want to save them for others. This is especially apparent with parents and grandparents. Those items

Just because conventional thought says a room’s purpose is supposed to be one thing doesn’t mean it has to be. Live in a space that is comfortable and efficient for the family. take up space physically and energetically.

It can help to work with family members on a list of what they really want to save and what is truly important to the parents and grandparents.

Empty nesters may also need to think about whether they will sell and downsize; that requires sifting through what is more important. Getting comfortable with small, feng shui changes prepares them for making the bigger life changes coming.

A house can be cluttered with things that aren’t relevant to the current life we are living, such as a retired nurse with scrubs or a lawyer with college textbooks. We may be saving the good china sets and party

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gear but no longer host formal parties. Or we may be a parent keeping so much of our kids’ artwork.

Consider what we see as we enter the house. Are the entrances cluttered or stressful to look at? Do they feel welcoming when the family returns home? Do they reflect who the family is?

Learning the lesson of buying with purpose and of donating that which we don’t need can help us change our behavior to be more intentional in how we design the healing spaces we live in.

Joan Law, a Stratford-based certified feng shui consultant and clutter clearing expert, owns Feng Shui Joan’s Way, which provides decluttering, downsizing and real estate staging. Connect at 203-260-7770 or FengShuiJoansWay.com. See ad, page 8.

Ariana Rawls Fine is a writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings Fairfield/Housatonic Valley. She resides in Stratford with her family.

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community spotlight

BLACK ROCK HOLISTIC CBD

Home-Grown Hemp for a Superior Product

by Michelle Bense

U

nder the 2018 Farm Bill, the production of hemp was authorized in the U.S., and hemp and hemp seeds were removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of Controlled Substances. This means that hemp and hemp-derived products like cannabidiol (CBD) are legal in all 50 states. CBD has been growing in popularity for its use for anxiety, pain, inflammation, stress, sleep and countless other concerns.

This natural product can provide much-needed relief.

Often confused with cannabis, hemp is a different variety of the same plant. Hemp was bred to contain only trace amounts of THC—the substance which causes a high. In fact, those who grow hemp must take care to ensure the levels of THC in their plants remain below 0.3 percent.

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Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

Dr. Kristine DeMarco, a Doctor of Chiropractic, is one such hemp farmer. She has been practicing holistic medicine for over 21 years at Black Rock Holistic Health Center, currently located in Bridgeport. There, she integrates chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, physical therapy and more to help patients achieve better health. Now, she’s added her own home-grown CBD to her wellness toolkit. “I have a lot of patients who have pain, and I want to get them out of pain,” she says. “I’ve used many different modalities... I used CBD myself and noticed I had less pain and inflammation. It was like a perfect fit.”

Research is ongoing, but CBD has been able to help people with varied types of chronic pain and inflammation—present in many health conditions. According to an article from Harvard Health Publishing, “A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis.”

When contemplating the integration of CBD products into her life and her patients’ lives, DeMarco was struck with the realization that she could make a difference in the industry. “I was buying CBD and it wasn’t great quality or great tasting. It was expensive. I thought, ‘I could grow my own.’ I just wanted to produce the best product possible,” she explains.

From that can-do attitude was born Black Rock Holistic CBD, which is organic, pure and locally hand-grown by the doctor herself from quality hemp seeds. DeMarco’s family farm in Washington County, New York was the perfect place to put that plan into action. After applying for a license to grow hemp, DeMarco set to work preparing a one-acre portion of land on the farm that has been in her family for over 100 years.

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She acquired high-quality, organic hemp seeds from Oregon CBD (OregonCBDSeeds. com), a federally-legal cannabis research and development company which focuses on the creation of their award-winning, non-GMO, organic hemp seeds. The two popular strains that DeMarco chose to plant are the Lifter, an energizing pick-me-up, and Suver Haze, a relaxing strain great for anxiety, sleep, inflammation and pain.

The process was a true labor of love. Prior to planting, DeMarco had the soil tested, adding manure for better nitrogen levels and creating optimal growing conditions for the seeds. She began the seeds in trays, then transplanted them into the ground when they were strong enough. Each weekend, DeMarco made the several-hour drive to the farm to check on the seedlings, till the soil, weed and take care of anything else the precious plants needed. Several times during the week, she had a workman check in to water the plants. Other than that, DeMarco was the “lead investigator” of this hemp operation.

DeMarco regularly sampled the plants to check that THC levels remained less than

0.3 percent. “In November, I harvested, cut and hung the plants for four to six weeks,” she explains. “Then I manually took all the hemp off the stick, which produced the biomass for the company that does all the chemical extraction.”

After her first season of growth in 2020, DeMarco achieved almost perfect results.

The hemp plants yielded an incredibly high percentage of CBD—only 5 percent away from perfect for the plant. Her products currently available for purchase are the 1,200mg CBD oil, as well as organic CBD buds of either Lifter or Suver Haze, good for use in a tea or smoked.

Bulk sales are available to retailers and wholesalers.

Black Rock Holistic CBD products include a certificate of analysis and toxic screen, which verify the make-up of the product and are performed by an independent testing company. DeMarco is currently working on the creation of a topical CBD salve, which will be for sale, in addition to being used as a therapeutic tool in her office to treat pain in joints and muscles.

One of her clients, who has much experience with CBD, compliments DeMarco on the excellent taste and great effect of her product. “Many of my patients comment about the comfort they have in knowing where the hemp is from and how it was grown,” she says.

Black Rock Holistic CBD products are available for purchase online, by phone or in person at Black Rock Holistic Health Center. DeMarco is currently accepting new patients as well, and accepts many major insurance plans.

DeMarco is looking forward to the hemp season of 2021, which will begin in April.

For more information and to purchase products online, visit BlackRockHolisticCBD.com.

Connect with Dr. DeMarco at 203-333-6544 or Facebook.com/Dr.KristineDeMarco.

Black Rock Holistic Health Center is located at 4 Calderwood Ct, in Bridgeport.

See community resource guide listing, page 29.

Michelle Bense is a freelance editor and writer for Natural Awakenings magazines.

Connect at EditorMichelleBense@gmail.com.

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The following excerpt is from Nigel Palmer’s new book, The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments: Using Locally Sourced Materials to Make Minerals and Biological Extracts and Ferments (Chelsea Green Publishing, August 2020) and is reprinted with permission from the publisher.

A NEW GARDEN MODEL

by Nigel Palmer

W

e all use models to help explain the world around us. For example, when a traffic light turns green, many of us reflexively hit the accelerator and go.

We don’t check whether any cars are coming from the left or right, because our mental model assumes that cross traffic has stopped. Another example: At day’s end, we don’t worry when the sun goes down and it gets very cold, because we have a clear certainty that the sun will rise again tomorrow morning, providing light and warmth. Our mental models define our reality.

We tend our gardens and farm fields based on our mental models about how plants grow. An example of a plant cultivation model is the assumption that simply putting a tomato seed into the ground, and occasionally watering it, will eventually produce a tomato plant that bears a good crop of fruits. Some gardening and farming models require that the soil be tilled and all weeds removed before seeds can be planted. Some models call for regular additions of nitrogen fertilizer and lime. Plants are tenacious, they will grow under the most difficult of circumstances, and even if a cultivation model is far from ideal, the plants may grow pretty well. Many a good-tasting tomato has been grown following conventional gardening models, but are these the most nutrient-dense tomatoes possible to grow? Can the nutrient density of the crops grown be measured? The answers to these questions lie ahead.

Rediscoveries of forgotten or discarded ideas about plant growth—such as that truly healthy plants can thwart soilborne and airborne pathogens, as well as insect pests, and provide significantly higher levels of nutritional value—are the inspiration for a new model for tending gardens and farm fields, one that focuses on the entire ecosystem that the plant grows in. And from these ideas arises a new garden model that makes use 20

Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

of a different set of tools and gardening practices.

The old plant model that most gardeners followed for decades envisions a oneway flow of nutrients from the soil into the plant, with no biological interaction involved. In this model the soil isn’t given much importance—it’s just a matrix for root growth. Gardeners add nutrients to the soil in the form of fertilizer. Plants absorb those nutrients through their roots, and the plants produce a harvest. Gardeners also remove weeds that might rob the crop plants of the costly fertilizers so carefully applied, and they use sprays to kill pests and disease organisms that might attack the plants.

A new model of plant growth is based on a two-way flow of nutrients between soil and plant and an understanding of a soil rich in biological interactions: the soil as the digestive system for plants. It is a model of symbiosis, recognizing that it is not possible to grow truly healthy plants unless all aspects of the model are in place—minerals in the correct proportions and in forms that the plants can access, appropriate water and sunshine, and a highly functioning soil biology with sufficient energy flow.

In this new plant model, a soil that is rich in a form of organic matter called humus is central. Humus-rich soil provides an environment that will support and shelter a large and diverse biological community, and this is hugely important.

Humus-rich soil provides many pore spaces to retain water and allow for good airflow. This gas transfer both in and out is essential because the soil is a living, breathing ecosystem. Humus, as well as clay, is capable of holding mineral ions. Increasing the amount of humus further increases the soil’s ability to store these important ions in sufficient quantity to support plant needs for the entire growing season.

Plants can grow in nearly any soil condition, including sterile soil, but when the soil is poor, they cannot produce the complex compounds needed for optimal health. Nor will the plants be able to realize their genetic potential and propagate improved seeds year after year. A healthy and diverse soil biology extends the reach for minerals and water much farther than the plants’ root zones. The soil biology not

only shares these important resources, but also processes them, providing them to plants as fully assembled complex compounds.

According to Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, the fixing of nitrogen, the mobilization of phosphorus, the release of organic acids, and the reduction and oxidation of manganese are some of the actions of soil microorganisms that provide nutrients to plants. Because the plants do not have to expend energy making these compounds gifted by the soil biology, they can use that energy to make even higher-order compounds called secondary metabolites, which are needed for optimal health. Biological diversity establishes resilience and stability by the redundancy of organisms to complete tasks within the soil and also keeps single organisms (pathogens) in check.

The two-way flow of nutrients between plant and soil has radical implications. It’s long been known that plants take up water and nutrients from the soil through the xylem pathway, a component of a plant’s internal nutrient transport system. But plants also transport sugars produced in their leaves both upward and downward through the phloem pathway, another component of this transport system. Plants release as much as 25 percent of the sugars they produce via photosynthesis through their roots into the soil, thus feeding soil biology. In exchange, the biology provides needed nutrients and water to the plant through the xyPRP or at Stem Celldown therapy lem pathway. The soil biology is very adept breaking soil is minerals into forms the plant can use, directly providing many right for you compounds that the plant would otherwise have to produce itself.

As the health of the plant increases and the percentage of sugar within the plant sap increases, insects and pathogens that might otherwise prey on the plants are unable to affect it. The plant is no longer a food source for insects, because the insects do not have the enzymes in their digestive system needed to break down these sugars. Pathogens are unable to penetrate the robust waxy cuticle and epidermis of the plant leaf and thus cannot infect it.

With this new plant model as a guide, the gardener or farmer may participate with the natural cycles in the garden, working with nature by making and applying amendments that introduce minerals and a local, thriving soil biology. These amendments provide the spectrum of needed minerals in plant-available forms, and increase the paramagnetic nature of the soil to improve the flow of energy between plant and soil.

Nigel Palmer has been a lifelong gardener in New England, relying on the amazing complexity of nature to inspire his gardening philosophy. He is the instructor and curriculum developer of the Sustainable, Regenerative Gardening program at The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition, and the author of The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments. Connect at TIOSN.com. See community resource guide listing, page 29.

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DOWN TO EARTH The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming

by Sandra Yeyati

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pixdeluxe/GettyImages.com

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

The way we’re growing food now is not sustainable. “According to the United Nations, we only have 60 harvests left before our soil is completely depleted. Years of conventional industrial agriculture have drained the soil dry of all of the organic matter, all the microbes, that microbiome that brings nutrients to our plants and to our planet as a whole,” says Margaret Wilson, content creation and media relations specialist at the Rodale Institute.

The UN also reported last year that agriculture and forestry were responsible for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. “Agriculture is a climate-intensive process and conventional practices make that even worse because they’re fossil fuel-intensive,” Wilson says. “They require a lot of machinery to plow fields and distribute pesticides. Fertilizers are fossil fuel-based. Tillage is a huge part of conventional agriculture, where you’re 22

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turning the soil over, and that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”

One third of the world’s land surface is considered desert, and according to Judith D. Schwartz, the Vermont author of The Reindeer Chronicles and Cows Save the Planet, most deserts are manmade. “If we look historically, we learn that most deserts were once thriving grasslands or some other kind of ecosystem and became deserts after hundreds of years of poor grazing management or farming that was no longer putting nutrients back into the soil.”

The good news is that deserts can be brought back to life. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where much of the land is degraded, ingenious ranchers have figured out a way to support healthy animals and plant biodiversity. “The ranchers were earning money by managing the livestock holistically in a way that was reviving the ecological function of these lands, so there were thick grasses, birds and butterflies flourishing right next to land that looked horrible—absolute deserts with a lot of erosion, the soil so depleted that it couldn’t hold water,” recalls Schwartz, who visited the area.

Regenerative organic farming holds great promise to rebuild soil, draw carbon from the atmosphere and ultimately grow healthier food. “When you take out the pesticides, fertilizers and intensive tilling, our farming systems trial concluded that regenerative organic agriculture uses 45 percent fewer fossil fuels and releases 40 percent fewer carbon emissions than conventional practices,” Wilson says, adding that a recent Rodale Institute white paper

postulated that by transitioning all global crop and pastureland to regenerative management, we could sequester 100 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions.

As the founder of the Rodale Institute, J.I. Rodale, said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people.” Soil restoration is job one, and we know how to do this. “The goal of regenerative farming is to farm and ranch in nature’s image,” says Gabe Brown, a North Dakota farmer and author of Dirt to Soil. He offers the following six principles to create a thriving, regenerating agricultural ecosystem:

1 2

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

You have to farm and ranch in your context.”

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

3

4

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

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

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

5

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

6

Livestock and insect integration: “Nature does not function properly without animals. Too many people think we have to remove the animals from the landscape.

That’s the worst thing you can do. What’s going to pollinate the plants? The way our rich soils were formed was with large herds of ruminants, grazing the plants. That plant, once grazed, starts sloughing off root exudates to attract biology, to regrow, and then that plant is able to cycle more carbon out of the atmosphere.”

Brown waxes poetic when he talks about the amazing results of regenerative farming.

“Healthy soil looks like dark chocolate cake. It’s full of pore spaces. Healthy soil is dark because of the amount of carbon in it. It smells good, whereas unhealthy soil is very compacted. There’s no pore spaces. Water cannot infiltrate into it. It’s a dull, pale color. You can see it, you can smell it, you can feel it.”

According to Wilson, the Rodale Institute is poised to help farmers adopt these principles and make them profitable. “People say regenerative organic isn’t scalable, but through our farming systems trial, we’re proving that you can do this on a large scale. It might require customization, but that’s why we’re investing so much in providing support and research to farmers to help them navigate that, and we’re seeing that scalability is not a barrier to implementation because so many big companies like Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia are starting to implement these practices because people are demanding it. The market finds a way to make it doable and as long as we keep up our consumer education and show people that this is a benefit to everybody, I think large-scale farmers and corporations that buy their products will respond.”

Last year, Graham Christensen’s father gave him and his brother full control of a 750-acre farm in Oakland, Nebraska, that has been in the family since 1867. Over the decades, the farm has seen many changes, but the biggest transformation is still to come, as the brothers eagerly transition their once conventional operation into a regenerative organic one.

The family began to incorporate a few innovations 12 years ago when they stopped tilling the land and adopted solar energy, but this year they’ll take bolder steps to eliminate their dependence on GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers and pesticides which over the years have reduced organic matter levels in the soil and led to increased and unhealthy nutrient levels in their waterways.

“For the first time, we’ll be cover-cropping 612 acres and expanding habitats for wildlife, especially in some riparian areas, so we can get more roots in the soil and have better filtration and cleaner water,” Christensen explains. “We’re going to produce nutrients by building a biodiverse ecosystem and we’re incorporating animal grazing systems to help us fertilize naturally rather than having to add synthetics like nitrogen and phosphorus.”

They have planted a 100-tree hazelnut orchard that they hope to expand as a tree crop. “That’s going to help us stop soil erosion, store more carbon in the ground, produce another form of income and also be able to fit right into our cropping system, virtually taking out no extra land; just creating a higher layer, so now we’re farming higher in the air.”

The transition is not without its risks, Christensen adds. “Farms like ours have been heavily subsidized by the federal government to ship our grain to other countries. What we’re trying to do now is produce more small grains and hazelnuts for a regional market and reintroduce livestock to the land—not in confinement—so we can focus more on feeding people in our local community and in Omaha or Lincoln or Kansas City or Des Moines.”

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

March 2021 23

wise words

Jeff Tkach on Regenerative Healthcare

by Patricia Trenchak

F

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

How did your personal journey lead you to explore regenerative healthcare?

In 2016, I experienced a tremendous health collapse in my own life. I went through six conventional medical doctors and $50,000 in medical bills. I had been a high-performing businessperson up until that point, and found myself on medical leave, bedridden and unable to work. I sought out a doctor who practiced something called functional medicine, which focuses on finding the root of whatever caused the breakdown in health. After numerous tests, it was discov24

ered that I had chronic Lyme disease. The doctor explained that there was nothing he could prescribe that was going to instantly make me better.

Through my work with him, I had to look at my body as a whole system and came to realize that food is medicine. Ultimately, alternative modalities like acupuncture and IV [intravenous] therapy, as well as food healed me.

What is regenerative healthcare?

It is a system in which farming and healthcare work together focused on a prevention-based approach to human and environmental health. Instead of using toxic chemicals to farm, regenerative healthcare aims to prevent disease through an organic, plant-based, whole-foods diet.

Regenerative healthcare begins on farms that work in harmony with nature. At Rodale Institute, we see ourselves as a human health organization, not an agricultural organization. We use agriculture as a tool to promote human health. Our goal is to build the first brick and mortar facility in the world, called the Regenerative Health Institute, that will connect medical doctors and farmers. The facility will be a 333acre certified organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, that will provide innovative research on the links between farming and human health. We’re going to be doing scientific research that demonstrates the link between soil health and the health

Fairfield County & Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

of people, and we’re going to educate and train tomorrow’s doctors to become more literate in agriculture and to understand how they can use food as medicine.

How can we harness the power of regenerative organic farming to foster good health?

The current mode of farming is systemically broken, and farmers need to move in a healthier direction. The science is showing that elements in pesticides and herbicides are known carcinogens that are wreaking havoc on our immune systems. They are ubiquitous in our air and drinking water.

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

Ultimately, they’re causing imbalances in nature of mass proportion.

How can you convince people to adopt organic and consider food as medicine?

We need to encourage people to get to know a farmer. There are incredible regenerative organic farmers in our own communities that oftentimes don’t have access to mainstream markets. During the pandemic, we saw a major increase in sales directly from farms to consumers. When the supply chains in the grocery stores broke down, we turned to farmers. That’s profound. As a result of the pandemic, 22 million new gardens were planted in the United States, according to the National Gardening Association. We need to keep that going. It’s very exciting to be a part of this movement as people around the world come to understand the importance of food as medicine. I truly believe that regenerative healthcare is the key to healing our planet.

For more information, visit RodaleInstitute.org.

Patricia Trenchak writes for KnoWEwell, a Regenerative Whole Health Community platform and a collaborative partner of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.

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February March 2021 25

natural pet

CANINE OBESITY When Doggies Need Diets

The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!

by Julie Peterson

A

year ago, Leroy became exhausted lifting his furry head. Today, he has energy to run, chase and play, thanks to his owner helping the 11-year-old Shiba Inu lose 14 pounds. Leroy was adopted last May by Peter Nguyen, a facilities coordinator in Bellevue, Washington. Back then, Leroy weighed 56.4 pounds—twice the recommended weight. Nguyen found a holistic veterinarian to provide an integrative support plan to remove him from danger.

Overweight dogs are at risk for joint problems, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and more.

According to a 2018 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 55.8 percent of dogs (about 50 million) in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. The APOP also reports that most of the owners of these dogs don’t realize or are in denial about this important fact.

“A dog that is a perfect weight, you can feel the ribs, but not see them. And you have an abdominal tuck when you look from the side.

From above, right in front of the hips, you can see the waistline,” says Leroy’s veterinarian, Jackie Sehn, at Mercy Vet, in Mercer Island, Washington. She points out that the dog must be touched to feel the amount of fat, especially in long-coat breeds.

This evaluation can be done at home using the online Body Condition Score chart at PetObesityPrevention.org. The American Kennel Club also has a weight chart for dozens of breeds that can help determine an initial goal weight, although ideal weight can vary among individual dogs.

News, articles, resources, events— all dedicated exclusively to happy, naturally healthy living for our furred, feathered and scaled animal companions.

For information on how you can be a part of a future issue, call

203-885-4674

or email Erica@eNaturalAwakenings.com 26 26

Fairfield Fairfield County County & Housatonic & Housatonic Valley Valley Edition Edition

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Determining Appropriate Weight

Doggy Diets

natural pet briefs

Debbie Hensel, who fosters dogs, took in a morbidly obese 13-year-old Chocolate Labrador for the Mr. Mo Project, in Cary, North Carolina. Under her care, the pet went from 108 to 81 pounds within nine months. “Since Bruce was an older dog and overweight, the first thing we did was start him on a joint supplement with turmeric and a prescription diet food. In the beginning, I withheld some of his food and used it as treats throughout the day,” says Hensel. Every four to six weeks, Hensel decreased Bruce’s food intake.

She also divided up portions to feed him four times per day to help him feel full. “Portion control is important,” agrees Nguyen.

“Leroy has a habit of wanting to eat more. I think he has a hard time knowing how much food he really needs.”

But the problem isn’t just eating too much. Pet owners are often feeding the wrong foods. “It is the quality sometimes more than quantity. Health doesn’t come from processed food,” says Sehn, adding that most dry kibble is essentially overprocessed junk food that lacks nutrients and contains fillers.

Fortunately, refrigerated and frozen dog food has made it easier to feed organic, fresh, nutritionally balanced, raw food which is based on a dog’s ancestral diet. Raw food is also available dehydrated. Treats, if included, should satisfy the chewing instinct without adding many calories. Sehn recommends dehydrated chicken or duck feet, tendons and healthy jerkies.

“Switching to a raw diet helped with Leroy’s weight, but I had no idea it would have so many other benefits,” Nguyen says. “I noticed that his coat was getting a lot softer and he smelled a lot better.”

Buzz Kill

Ease into Exercise “Bruce sounded like an elephant falling when he laid down and he couldn’t stand for long,” says Hensel. Indeed, exercise can overburden the heart and joints of an obese dog. At first, Leroy and Bruce both had a hard time just getting up off the floor, so losing weight first was crucial.

As the weight began to come off, they both became more engaged and stamina slowly increased. Hensel started by walking around in the backyard and letting Bruce follow. Their initial walks were to the end of the block. They would stop and rest before going back home. “As he lost weight and his strength improved, our walks got longer,” says Hensel.

Weight loss must be a healthy process. “Breaking down excess fat takes time,” says Sehn, adding that losing too fast results in muscle loss. Patience and time are key.

“I think Bruce just needed less food and someone that wanted to do things with him,” says Hensel, who has adopted Bruce as her “forever foster dog”.

Julie Peterson writes about health and environmental issues.

Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

Honey Bees Have a Dirty Secret

Although honey bees symbolize prosperity, sustainability and environmentalism, and are vital to farmers, they also have a distressing effect on the environment—destabilizing natural ecosystems by competing with native bees.

Thousands of beekeeping hobbyists and campaigns to save the bees provide honey bees much more media coverage than native pollinators. High densities of honey bee colonies increase competition with the native pollinators for forage, putting even more pressure on the wild species that are already in decline. Honey bees are extremely general foragers and monopolize floral resources, leading to exploitative competition where one species uses up a resource, not leaving enough to go around.

Sheila Colla, an assistant professor and conservation biologist at Toronto’s York University, tells Scientific American, “Beekeeping is for people; it’s not a conservation practice. People mistakenly think keeping honey bees, or helping honey bees, is somehow helping the native bees, which are at risk of extinction. The focus on neonics [pesticide] and honey bees has taken a ton of resources away from conserving wild pollinators from their most important threats.”

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January March 2021 2021 27 27

events calendar NOTE: All calendar events must be received online by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines.

Email Editorial@eNaturalAwakenings. com for guidelines and instructions.

No phone calls or faxes, please. Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com to submit online.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6 Virtual: Building a Strong Foundation with Karen Pierce – 1:30-3:30pm. The 5 Principles of Vinyasa and the 7 Directions of Movement. Learn how to create an authentic personal practice by applying the 5 principles of practice that make yoga entirely your own. You will also learn the 7 sequences (or order of poses) to incorporate into your practice creating complete balance. $39. Yogaspace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203-730-1893. Yogaspace-CT.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 Rebirthing Breathwork from the 13th Octave – 6:30-9:30pm. 3/11, 3/25, 4/8, 4/29, 5/13. 5/27, 6/10, 6/24. Each weekend will include a 13th Octave Initiation, a group rebirth and paired Breathwork exchanges. This workshop will be for a total of 24-hours over 8, 3 hour bi-monthly sessions​.​ $444. Non-refundable deposit of $144 required for registration. P ​​ ayment plans available.​ AcademyForSoulHealing.com/Rebirthing.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 Witchcrafting Wednesday: Herbal Anointing Oils: – 6:30-8:30pm. Join Bekah Sutter for this online chapter of Witch Crafting Wednesday as we explore a brief history of story and use, what makes up herbal anointing oils, and how you can make them with ingredients you may already have at home or easily foraged. $35. TwinstarTribe.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 21 Blissed & Blessed: A Virtual Restorative Yoga Retreat at Home – 3-5pm. Give yourself the gift of a virtual Restorative Yoga workshop this season from the comfort of your own home. Take time to practice passive yoga to release anxiety and tension, calm the nervous system, and allow the body to unwind on profound levels. Held live on Zoom, with Gloria’s expert and compassionate guidance, renowned playlists and insightful instruction so you can feel truly blissed and blessed! $22. Yogaspace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203-730-1893.

Yogaspace-CT.com.

ongoing events

sunday

thursday

Online Meditation Practice Session – 10-11am.

While in-person meditation is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering online meditation practice sessions and Dhamma talks using Zoom. All levels welcome. No formal charge.

By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Virtual Live Streaming and On Demand Meditations – 10:30-11:45am. Experience inner peace and lasting happiness by learning to control your mind through the practice of meditation. Classes include guided meditations and practical advice to carry into daily life.

Everyone is welcome, no meditation experience necessary. $5-$12. MeditationInConnecticut.org.

Rebirthing Breathwork from the 13th Octave – 6:30-9:30pm. 3/11, 3/25, 4/8, 4/29, 5/13. 5/27, 6/10, 6/24. Each weekend will include a 13th Octave Initiation, a group rebirth and paired Breathwork exchanges. This workshop will be for a total of 24-hours over 8, 3 hour bi-monthly sessions​.​$444. Nonrefundable deposit of $144 required for registration.​​ Payment plans available​. AcademyForSoulHealing. com/Rebirthing.

monday Salt Cave of Darien: Salt and Musical Guided Meditation with Christina Connors – 7:308:30pm. Nurture your body and soul in this unique salt therapy and musical guided meditation with healer and recording artist Christina Connors. To learn more, visit ChristinaConnors.com. $40. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667.

SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

wednesday Salt Cave of Darien: Yin Yoga – 6:15-7:45pm.

Limited to 4 people. Please bring your own yoga mat, blanket, towel, 2 blocks, if you have them and wear white socks and a mask. Join Jennifer Duncan, Certified Yoga Instructor, for a 90 minute Yin Yoga class. All levels class. You can also enjoy the class from the safety of home while hearing and seeing the peaceful cave. $35/In-person; $17/from home.

Reservations required. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

Online Meditation Practice Session – 7-8pm.

While in-person meditation is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering online meditation practice sessions and Dhamma talks using Zoom. All levels welcome. No formal charge.

By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Aleph Talks by Dr Bart Stuck and Rev Marjorie Partch – 7-9pm. An ongoing weekly online lecture series discussing linkages between science and religion through mysticism. Email BartStuck@gmail.com explaining why you wish to participate and will receive remote lecture access information. Offered through the Unitarian Church in Westport CT. No charge. AlephTalks.com.

Please create your free online account at eNaturalAwakenings.com. Enter calendar listings, offers and any other information you would like to share about your business or community group.

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friday Reiki 1st Degree Workshop: Online or In-Person – 10am-5pm. First Friday. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher (24 years). Learn Reiki 1st Level (Western Style). Learn how to use Reiki for self-healing and healing for others. Two manuals and certificate included.

Zoom link will be given with e-mail and payment.

Please call to register. Also held on the first Saturday.

No drop-ins. $135. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReiki.com.

Virtual: Yoga Dance Party Livestreamed – 8-9:15pm. Fourth Friday. Dance party to shake your soul, move your energy, emotions, and let it all flow. Short yoga warm up and cool down, ending with prayers and blessings for the well-being of all. Please register to get the Zoom link. $10.

Yogaspace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203-7301893. YogaSpace-CT.com/Events.

saturday Saturday Dharma and Morning Meditation – 7:308:15am. Every week we will discuss various works on topics such as self-study, meditation, self-improvement, mindfulness, joy and much more. The discussion will be followed by a 30-minute guided breath-based meditation. Proceeds are donated to our charity of the month. $10/cash. Yoga Culture, 105 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury. 203-730-0250. WeAreYogaCulture.com.

One-Day Meditation Retreat – 9:30am-4pm.

Second Saturday. Limited in-person meditation retreat. The extended practice is meant to deepen self-awareness and a previously established meditation practice is suggested. To ensure everyone’s safety, we ask that you abide by guidelines listed on our events page. Must register online. No formal charge. By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Reiki Second Degree Workshop: Online or InPerson – 10am-5pm. Fifth Saturday. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher (24 years). Learn Reiki Level 2 (Western Style). Learn how to send reiki distance healing, deepen your use of Reiki for yourself and others and more. Two manuals and certificate included. Also held on the last Friday. No drop-ins. $225. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReiki.com.

community resource guide

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email Advertising@eNaturalAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

AYURVEDA NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/ nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma. See ad, page 4.

BREAST THERMOGRAPHY ALBA THERMAL IMAGING LLC Safe, painless early detection 71 East Ave, Ste D, Norwalk 203-856-1421 AlbaThermalImaging.com

Thermography can detect breast disease at its earliest stages and monitor and assess pain in any part of the body. Safe, painless, non-invasive, FDA registered. See ad, page 13.

EDUCATION THE INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION 113 Simsbury Rd, West Granby 860-764-9070 Joan@TIOSN.com TIOSN.com

We offer a unique certification program blending the science of nutrition with the hands-on components of sustainable gardening practices. We use food and herbs to make kitchen medicine, teach basic culinary skills, and practice foraging for and using nutrient-rich wild food. Now enrolling.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

BETH LEAS

If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 20 years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 3.

Advances in Regenerative Medicine allow Dr. Sobo to offer cutting-edge technologies such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatments and adult stem cell therapy. Dr. Sobo’s integrative approach addresses a variety of conditions such as: food allergies, Alzheimer’s/ dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight loss, hormonal health, fibromyalgia, anti-aging medicine, and MTHFR-Genetic Mutation.

See ad, page 21.

Transformative Healing • Tarot 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com TLCTarot.com

ESSENTIAL OILS WAYNE LEISS, LMT

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Black Rock Holistic Health Center has the most feminized Organic CBD Oregon Seed products on the market. We offer CBD oil, as well as CBD Buds.

Organically Grown in Washington County, NY. CBD oil and Buds to help deal with pain, anxiety, stress and insomnia.

Using Functional Medicine, Dr. Sachs prevents and treats chronic illnesses by addressing their underlying root causes, remaining respectful of the uniqueness, complexity and intuitions that make us human. Trained at Mt. Sinai Medical School and Yale University Hospital in Internal Medicine, in 2003 she opened Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC. She has great success with IBS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, autoimmune problems, toxicity and more, by creating individualized, realistic and comprehensive personalized wellness plans. She consults in her New Milford, CT office, and also by phone or video using telemedicine.

Optimal Health Medical LLC 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-348-8805 DrSobo.com

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Dr. Kristine DeMarco 203-333-6544 BlackRockHolisticCBD.com

Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC 15 Bennitt St, New Milford 860-354-3304 • TSachsMD.com

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THROUGH TOUCH Improve physically, emotionally and spiritually as I teach you about the benefits and uses of massage with natural and pure dōTERRA Essential Oils. See ad, page 3.

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LIFE COACH/HYPNOTIST

THEA LITSIOS, CHY

Life Coach, Hypnotist, Teacher of Active Dreaming Remote sessions available TheaLitsios.com • 203-693-1493 Use the power of your whole mind to transform your life: Hypnosis for weight loss, smoking cessation, stress relief, and past life review.

Certified teacher of Active Dream work. Individual dream consultations available, as well as workshops and monthly Dream Groups. See ad, page 3.

Teaching kids how to feed themselves and how to live in a community responsibly is the center of an education. ~Alice Waters March 2021 29

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

MEDITATION CENTER FOR MINDFULNESS & INSIGHT MEDITATION

9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-244-3130 • ReddingMeditation.org We teach and practice Mahasati meditation. Mahasati meditation cultivates self-awareness through attention to the movement of the body and, at more advanced levels, to the movement of the mind. No prior meditating experience is necessary. Ongoing weekly meditation classes, retreats and events.

Please check monthly event calendar or visit ReddingMeditation.org for updated information.

METABOLIC OPTIMIZATION MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 DrMarvinSchweitzer.com

We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting edge evaluations and 25+ years experience help to determine precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment. See ad, page 19.

METAPHYSICAL STORE

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma.

See ad, page 4.

MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 DrMarvinSchweitzer.com

We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting edge evaluations and 25+ years experience help to determine precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment. See ad, page 19.

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PSYCHOTHERAPY

HOLISTIC NEW DAY COUNSELING SERVICES

Jessica Lima, MS, LCSW Holistic Psychotherapy/Coaching 158 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-260-5769 HolisticNewDay@gmail.com Jessica will align with you on your journey to emotional and physical well-being. Combining her traditional psychotherapy background with her certification in integrative healing, she will work with you in exploring a more holistic approach to feelings of anxiety, depression, stress and more.

THE ANGEL COOPERATIVE

51 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Cooperative is a unique lifestyle boutique featuring the first and only Shungite room in the USA. Wide selection of crystals, jewelry, candles, essential oils and soaps.

Spiritual gifts, statuary, oracle decks and tarot and home décor. Available in The Shungite Room: readings, Reiki, meditation, sound therapy, energy work and workshops. See ad, page 10.

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ROBIN ORDAN, LCSW

Family, Child, Individual and Couples Therapy Old Greenwich/Stamford 203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLCSW.com Robin has more than 18 years of experience working with families and children.

Specializing in divorce, parent/child conflict, grief, attachment/bonding, child development and parenting. See ad, page 8.

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NANCY SCHERLONG, LCSW

Coaching/Psychotherapy/Consulting Offices in Danbury and Ridgefield 914-572-3167 WellnessMetaphors.com Manage stress with relaxation techniques. Rediscover your creativity through writing and the expressive arts. Resolve trauma with EMDR, IFS or SE. Or book an experiential workshop! Nancy has over 20 years of experience with children, families, groups, adults and corporate wellness programs.

See ad, page 17.

REIKI GIGI BENANTI, USUI REIKI MASTER Angelic Healing Center 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk 203-852-1150 AngelHealReiki.com

Gigi is an experienced Reiki Master/Teacher. She offers all levels of Reiki training monthly.

All classes and Reiki sessions include the latest techniques including Karuna, Angelic and Jikiden Reiki.

TURNING POINT REIKI LLC

JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield 203-438-3050 TurningPointReiki.com TurningPointShare.com JoAnn uses intuition, experience and a deep spiritual connection in her Reiki, IET and Reconnective Healing sessions. Specializing in care for individuals with cancer, Lyme disease and back pain. All Reiki levels taught.

SHAMANIC PRACTITIONER EMBODY THE SACRED

Deana Paqua, MA, LMT Ridgefield and New Milford Deana.Paqua@gmail.com EmbodyTheSacred.net Offering classes, training programs, healing sessions and mentoring in cross-cultural energy medicine and contemporary shamanism for healers, spiritual seekers and the energy sensitive. Learn self-healing, self-empowerment and trauma transformation through the sacred.

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. ~Audrey Hepburns

SOUND HEALING HUMMINGBIRD SOUND YOGA

Barbara (Bobbi) Soares New Milford • 860-946-9470 BSoares@LightOfTheNewMoon.com HummingbirdSoundYoga.com Facebook @HummingbirdSoundYoga Barbara (Bobbi) Soares, MA, CYT, is a sound yoga and vocal yoga teacher, blues/jazz singer, and Reiki master, certified in several modalities of energy and sound healing. She offers hummingbird sound yoga and sound healing immersions for groups and private sessions. Using earth, dance and symphonic gongs, bowls, tuning forks and humming-for-health meditations, her goal is to help individuals experience becoming “one with sound” to promote a deep relaxation response that balances energy and encourages healing.

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING KATIE AUGUSTYN, MA, CPC

Transformation Coach - Shamanic Healer TransformationCenterCT.com 203-820-3800 TransformationCenterCT@gmail.com Katie will assist you in reaching your true potential and heal what has been holding you back. You will experience real selfacceptance and start to live in alignment with who you truly are so you can create a life you love, a life of meaning and purpose. See ad, page 3.

BETH LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com TLCTarot.com

If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 20 years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 3.

SOUL HEALING JOURNEY, LLC Eilis Philpott Fairfield • 203-767-5954 Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com SoulHealingJourney.com

Eilis is a master healer and teacher and certified in numerous modalities as both a practitioner and teacher. She offers soul-level healing, which clears any blocks, obstacles and challenges that are preventing you from living your life to its fullest potential.

See ad, page 5.

WELLNESS CENTER THE ANGEL WING, A DIVINE SPIRITUAL CENTER

Located next door to The Angel Cooperative 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 • TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Wing hosts workshops, yoga classes, retreats, energy work sessions, readings, Reiki and guided meditations.

It is available to rent on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. Optional rental spaces include a large open room and/or an intimate private room with massage/Reiki table. See ad, page 10.

What a

to sitesee!

SALT CAVE OF DARIEN

555 Post Rd, Darien 203-658-7667 Info@SaltCaveofDarien.com SaltCaveofDarien.com

Our wellness destination offers a rich lineup of therapies: community salt cave sessions, special events with local healers, lunchtime meditation class, coffee chatter sessions and weekly yoga and stretch classes.

See ad, page 3.

SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA

787 Main St S, Woodbury 203-586-1172 • NaturalSaltHealing.com Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformation, healing and grounding for mind, body and spirit.

classifieds BOOKS RECOGNIZE AND HEAL YOURSELF Through the Power of the Spirit.The human being is an energy field of the Spirit—The spiritual forces are also healing forces that can be requested. GabrielePublishing-House.com. Toll-Free: 844-576-0937.

HELP WANTED IMMEDIATE PT FLEXIBLE POSITION: Apprentice/assistant for yoga sound healing studio. Experience in social media, online delivery and live recordings. Enthusiasm for hands-on garden and grounds projects for concerts, small events. Resume/interest/references to PO Box 2186, New Preston, CT 06777.

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