Natural Awakenings Fairfield County June 2015

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June 2015

1

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Whole-Body Medicine, LLC – The Natural Approach for Optimal Health 2

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

A Conversation with Food No of SAVOR Bobi,with Rex Making Organic HealthyHealthy Compromise

more of the regular type of pizzas people organic dairy-free money, of always and health before put options, I will eat;lots were familiar with and a littlepeople bit of do what many that… way around.” this, other thehow never, never and organic we eat. “You’d have a better chance of like healthy zero you think aftereatseeing later,that years find Fiveyou’ll surviving,” they said. to offer better our They saidinwe’d andoffseeing this?” menu our be compromises I thanked them for their candor and I people of pizzas type of the come around more have skeptics theregular success, asked them to listen to my answer.

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with No Food Have You Read What Everyone’s Been A Conversation with Rex Bobi, of SAVOR e Compromis Talking About?

Healthy Organic

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A Conversation with Conversation with Bobi of SAVOR, Healthy Organic of SAVOR Bobi, RexRex Healthy Making Healthy FoodOrganic with No Compromise

ommunityspotlight

Making Healthy Food with No ommunityspotlight Compromise A Conversation with Healthy Making Rex Bobi, of SAVOR No Food Healthywith Organic Compromise

hat led you to understanding the tance of fresh, healthy food and d the passion you have for it?

A Conversation with Rex Bobi, of SAVOR Healthy Organic

e, Val, and I grew up in farming rdening families back in Kosovo; everyone grows their own fresh nd vegetables, tends to their own s – cows, goats, sheep, horses, ns Sounderstanding we were exposed the you to ledmore. hatand n early age to all-organic food and healthy food of fresh, rtance using manure as fertilizer for it? you have passion theanimal ed me gardens.

We simply didn’t know in farming up ife, Val, and I grew ere supposed to eatback anyin other way.

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203-939-1666 Now taking orders on line www.savorhealthypizza.com

you’ll savor every bite!

Savor Healthy Pizza

430 Main Ave (Rt 7) Norwalk, CT Across from the Merritt Professional Buildings

letterfrompublisher

H

ow time has flown; it has been two years since I took over Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. I knew then its stewardship would be a great responsibility but I couldn’t have anticipated the incredible journey that has unfolded or the meaningful relationships that would form.

Now I find myself at the helm during a major milestone in the life of any enterprise; this issue marks 10 years since the inaugural issue of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County was distributed. 10 years!!

contact us Publisher/Executive Editor Nicole Miale

The magazine has grown during the past few years by every measure. We are currently printing and distributing more copies than ever before in the magazine’s 10-year history.

Meanwhile, our digital traffic has grown too, demonstrating that demand for the education, information and empowerment we provide – whether in print or online - has never been greater. The community service we provide is necessary and vital, as demonstrated by you, our readers, advertisers and distributors. THANK YOU! Nicole Miale

Editor Ariana Rawls Fine Design & Production Kathleen Fellows Erica Mills Contributing Writers Mary Oquendo Sales & Marketing Leslie McLean Nicole Miale Virginia Trinque Distribution Man in Motion LLC Natural Awakenings Fairfield County 54 Danbury Rd, Ste 323 Ridgefield, CT 06877 Phone: 203-885-4674 Fax: 203-516-2392 NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com eNaturalAwakenings.com NAWebstore.com NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com © 2015 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. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

It is an exciting time to be doing this work. There are important debates occurring on many fronts and we often have decisions to make when deciding what to present because space can be limited. We choose to push the envelope sometimes, to discuss new ideas which may not be comfortable for all. In this issue we explore a big problem facing our society: healing addiction and the need for better balance to live authentic and happy lives. National and local experts discuss the factors which create addictive behavior and pathways which can lead out of the abyss to a more harmonious existence. I hope the information presented provides insight and perhaps hope for anyone who has been affected by addictive behavior, whether their own or that of someone close to them.

Another topic not widely discussed but deserving of attention is that of male midlife transition; hormonal fluctuation is not confined to being a “womens’ health” issue by any means! Several articles provide insights and strategies for dealing with what can be a challenging time.

We also take a look at Lyme disease, a major problem with particular relevance in our area this time of year. This will be a focus of our July issue, so the informative article this month is a teaser of much more to come about this poorly recognized, under-diagnosed and inadequately-treated infection.

Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 14, for Sticks & Stones Farm’s annual Open House and Mountain Laurel Festival – which will also be Natural Awakenings Fairfield County’s 10th anniversary party! See pages 7 and 8 for details about the festivities. We hope to meet you there!

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

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

4

Fairfield County Edition

See our advertiser index on page 62.

Making it easier to find the resources you need. natural awakenings

g Celebratin f 10 Years o Publishing!

Fairfield County

We are grateful to our ever-expanding community for embracing and supporting us over the past ten years. It is only through the generosity of advertisers and distributors that a free community resource like this can exist and flourish the way it has; we are deeply appreciative.

Weʼre thrilled to have been able to work with such talented and passionate members of the community over the years on projects, events and editorial.

We look forward to forming and extending new relationships to do more great things in the months and years to come.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the team–without whose stellar work none of this would be possible.

Co-creating with them each month is a pure joy!

The purpose of this magazine is to inform, educate and inspire. We hope to empower people to evaluate their options and take steps to make their lives happier and healthier.

We are proud to do this important work and pleased to know how much it means to our readers.

It matters to us just as much.

Thank You!

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

5

WHY AN ORGANIC MATTRESS IS RIGHT FOR YOU

contents Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

20 DON’T GET TICKED OFF Natural Ways to Avoid and Treat Lyme Disease

by Linda Sechrist

23 THE GUT-MIND CONNECTION While we sleep, our immune system recovers and prepares for the day ahead. If your mattress is filled with airborne allergens and chemical toxins, your immune system will battle these rather than repair itself. Regular bedding & mattresses are laden with polyurethane foam, toxic flame retardants, and water or stain resistant chemicals.

Organic Innerspring Mattresses

David Perlmutter on How Stomach Microflora Affect Brain Health

by Linda Sechrist

23

24 REDEFINING WORK-LIFE 26 BALANCE

Achieving Harmony

Our cotton innerspring mattresses are made with organic cotton batting and organic wool — free from chemicals and pesticides! Great for those who are chemically sensitive or allergic to latex. A good fit for families on a budget because an innerspring is generally less expensive than a latex mattress.

Natural Latex Organic Mattresses When it comes to latex there’s “natural” and then there’s “all natural”. We sell only “all natural” latex mattresses so you sleep chemical-free. Beware mattress stores online and in your neighborhood selling “natural” or “green” or “sustainable” foam mattresses.

This is “green wash” marketing hype.

FIND A HUGE SELECTION OF THE BEST ORGANIC MATTRESSES IN THE WORLD

Through Resilience

by Michael Pergola

26 RETHINKING RECOVERY

Holistic Approaches to Healing Addictions

by Lisa Marshall

30 SUFFERING TOWARD WHOLENESS

30

by Alex Boianghu and Urgyan Zangpo

32 EXERCISING

CONSCIOUSNESS

Meditation as a Guidebook

by Urgyan Zangpo

36 MANAGING MIDLIFE

TRANSITION FOR MEN

by Kulveen Virdee

TheCleanBedroom TM

The Finest Organic Mattresses & Bedding in the World, all in one place

Manhattan at 230 5th Ave | 212.889.1091 Brooklyn at 145 Montague St | 718.237.1092 Greenwich at 79 East Putnam Ave | 203.292.9275 www.thecleanbedroom.com

6

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

41 KIDS LOVE VEGGIES

How to Instill Healthy Lifelong Habits

by Clancy Cash Harrison

46 THERAPEUTIC

BODYWORK FOR PETS

by Mary Oquendo

46

9 newsbriefs 16 healthbriefs 18 globalbriefs 20 healingways 22 ecotip 23 wisewords inspiredtable 18 38 41 healthykids 44 fitbody 45 productmarketplace 46 naturallyhealthypet 48 communityspotlight 22 51 calendar 56 classifieds 57 resourceguide 62 cosmicrhythms 62 displayadindex

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STICKS & STONES ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

& MOUNTAIN LAUREL FESTIVAL Sponsored by Natural Awakenings Fairfield County

SUNDAY, JUNE 14 11AM – 4PM

Back by popular demand, Sticks & Stones has invited us all back for their annual Open House. This year it’s extra special because the festival falls during Natural Awakenings Fairfield County’s 10th anniversary month of publishing! Please come celebrate this major milestone with us at one of our favorite places and events!

Bigger than ever, featuring exhibitors, demonstrations and activities to suit all tastes and needs. The Open House promises to be a day of family fun and adventure!

FREE Event open to all!

Farm fresh fare, offerings from Kolam and food truck(s) available RAIN OR SHINE Dress comfortably to move, walk and hike outdoors

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE Childrens’ Activities: Yoga • Face painting • Hula hooping Fairy hike with Woodland Fairy “Gum Drop” Puppet parade by CT Guild of Puppetry and members Wellness Spa Activities: Massage • Reiki • Meditation Psychic readings • Essential oils • Singing bowls Nature Activities: Plants and woods walks • Installation of poetry on fabric throughout the forest • Square Foot Gardening demonstrations • Visit the garden and/or the goats! • Stroll up Moss Mountain to join the drum circle • Walk the labyrinth

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

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STICKS & STONES ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

& MOUNTAIN LAUREL FESTIVAL Sponsored by Natural Awakenings Fairfield County

SUNDAY, JUNE 14 •11AM – 4PM Exhibitors*

g Celebratin f 10 Years o Publishing!

• Embody the Sacred • Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary • The Graduate Institute • Hands & Paws Reiki for All • Happy Rainbows • Hunter Healing Hands • Soul Focus • SOUND Center for Arts & Mindfulness • Sova Dance and Puppet Theater • Take a Bite Out of Lyme • Thrive Meditation • Twin Star Herbal Education • Two Coyotes Wilderness School • Western Connecticut State University Institute for Holistic Health Studies

Demonstrations/Workshops* (scheduled events- check the website or white board onsite for specific times) • Yoga with Sarah Breton • Detoxification Diets with Eliana Grubel • Dynamic Stretching & Dance with Adelka Polak and Lisa Lent • Essential Oils workshop with Cynthia Quintanal (oils provided by From Nature with Love) • Nature activities with Justin Pegnataro and staff of Two Coyotes Wilderness School • Stone Carving with Justin Perlman • Labyrinth walk with Crystal Cymbalogy • Family Fairy Hike with “Gum Drop” the Woodland Fairy • THRIVE with Meditation with Lama Urgyan Zangpo • Square-Foot Gardening with Amie Guyette Hall • Crystal Basics Workshop with Jessica Hunter of Hunter Healing Hands • Dance with SOUND for Healing with Susan Chaner • Power Animals and Guardian Angels with Deana Paqua of Embody the Sacred • Guided Imagery Experience with Robyn Housemann of West Conn’s Institute for Holistic Health Studies • Puppet Parade by CT Guild of Puppetry and members • Crystals for Healing with Pets with Mary Oquendo of Hands and Paws Reiki for All • Drum circle with Rick Quintanal

*Events and Exhibitors subject to change. Check website for updates.

On-going Events* • Healing sessions (massage and Reiki) in the spa • Psychic readings • Garden visits • Labyrinth walks • Stone puzzle table

Sticks and Stones Farm • 201 Huntingtown Rd in Newtown For more information, call 203-885-4674 SticksAndStonesFarm.com 8 Fairfield County Edition natural awakenings

newsbriefs

Revitalize with TLC Healing & Psychic Sunday

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Enjoy the Music at Soupstock Festival

S

oupstock Festival’s 2015 music lineup brings 25 national and local touring acts and newcomers to the stage. The annual event has expanded to two days and will take place June 20 and 21 at Veteran’s Park in Shelton.

New for 2015, Los Angeles’s electrofunk Particle band will co-headline with the New Orleans-based Big Sam’s Funky Nation funk group. Ryan Montbleau returns to the Soupstock Festival stage while Cabinet and Roots of Creation make their first appearances. Other performers include Nardy Boy, Hayley Jane and the Primates, and Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan.

Established in 2010, the Soupstock Festival offer arts, food and music as well as a safe interactive environment for children of all ages in the kids fun zone. Annual staples such as the Student Art Competition and the 6th Annual Pro/Am Soup Cook-Off will be joined by the inaugural Chili CookOff on June 21.

Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Mary A. Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund, furthering art, craft and music education for children and young adults.

For more information on the festival and competition submissions, visit SoupstockFestival.org or Facebook.com/ SoupstockFestival. For volunteer opportunities, email Media@SoupstockFestival.org.

n June 28 from 11am4pm, TLC Healing & Psychic Sunday will feature a day of insight, clarity, peace and healing brought to you by the professionals at TLC Center in Norwalk.

At 12:30pm, the Charge Up Your Chakras - Raise Your Vibration mini-workshop with Beth Leas will help you get in touch with your energetic field and give you simple, fun techniques to increase the vitality of your energy system. Mental Arts and the Path to Imperfection with David Conneely of Westport’s iFloat will follow at 1:30pm. Learn how floating and Mental Arts classes offered at iFloat allow people to identify and eliminate fantasies of perfection and “roll” with the imperfections in life through enhanced communication skills. At 2:30pm, Get Your Mojo Moving! with Carol Shwidock will offer an opportunity to rejuvenate for summer and come into full bloom through using the breath, movement and gentle yoga. Beth Leas will hold the final Meditation for Busy People mini-workshop at 3:30pm, to show simple strategies to reduce tension, minimize chronic stress and quickly relax and unwind.

Admission and mini-workshops are free. The healing sessions and readings – which include energy healing, John of God crystal bed healings, chakra balancing, and tarot and intuitive readings – are $20 for 20 minutes. TLC Center has plenty of parking and is walking distance from East Norwalk Train Station.

For more information or to schedule healing sessions and readings, visit TLCCenter.com, email Beth@BethLeas.com or call 203-856-9566. See ad, page 63.

No Pills, No Needles, No Pain!

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CtHeadacheRelief.com eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

9

newsbriefs Sticks & Stones Farm Open House and Natural Awakenings 10th Anniversary Party!

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n June 14 from 11am to 4pm, Sticks & Stones Farm in Newtown will hold their Annual Open House & Mountain Laurel Festival.

Sponsored the past three years by Natural Awakenings Fairfield County as an annual Community Connections event, this year the event is even more significant because it also celebrates the publication’s 10th anniversary party. 2015 marks the 10th year that the Fairfield County edition of Natural Awakenings has been publishing as the area’s premier resource for health well-being.

Join like-minded conscious community members for a day of family fun featuring music, nature, wellness treatments, healthy living inspiration, movement experiences and healthy food. Walk the labyrinth; join in a drumming circle; learn about gardening, stone carving or healing techniques; treat yourself to a massage, sound healing or meditation experience; enjoy the Mountain Laurel Garden; or simply hike the trails throughout the setting of the 60-acre farm.

This year’s event will feature a poetry in fabric art installation through the forest, more children’s activities and a puppet parade by the CT Guild of Puppetry.

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking. The event is rain or shine, so please plan accordingly.

For more information, visit SticksandStonesFarm.com. Location: Sticks & Stones Farm, 201 Huntingtown Rd, Newtown.

A tentative schedule of events can be found on page 8.

Be Inspired with Meditation Documentary

W

hether you are thinking about trying meditation or already have a meditation practice, come be inspired at a screening of On Medication: Documenting the Inner Journey at Fairfield Theater Company in Fairfield. On June 10 at 7pm, you will be able to view this series of portrait films that explore the deeply personal practice of meditation.

On Meditation conveys first-hand experiences of those who have developed meaningful practices and are willing to share their experiences. From teachers to “everyday” people to celebrities, the subjects of On Meditation offer a glimpse into private insights and rituals. Each film–or portrait–focuses on a single individual by exploring how meditation works for them, how it has changed or continues to change them in the deepest or subtlest ways, and what it looks like on the most basic physical level.

Doors open at 7pm with the film beginning at 7:30pm; prior to the show, the gallery will offer attendees the opportunity to mingle with sponsors and other interested groups from the community. The evening will conclude with discussion and a guided meditation. Tickets are $18 per person.

The movie is sponsored by Authentic Matters. The screening is sponsored by Natural Awakenings Fairfield County, Beth Leas, Yoga for Everybody, JL Rocks, nb Premium Foods, nothin’ but and Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters.

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit FairfieldTheatre.org/Shows/Meditation-Documenting-Inner-Journey.

Location: Fairfield Theater Company, 70 Sanford St, Fairfield.

See ad, page 32.

transformative natural healing are you ready for a change?

Naturopathic Family Medicine For over 25 years, Dr. Debra Gibson has provided caring, personal treatment in a friendly, comfortable environment to support healing transformation of body, mind and spirit.

Her thorough, wellness-oriented approach investigates the root cause of chronic health concerns, and uses effective natural therapies to heal imbalances underlying conditions such as fatigue, overweight, allergy and autoimmunity, hormonal imbalance (thyroid, PMS, menopause), gastrointestinal disorders, and children’s health issues. (thy

100 Danbury Road, Suite 102, Ridgefield, CT Ph. 203.431.4443 10

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

Debra Gibson, ND

Wilton Welcomes New Organic Product Store and Lab

Beautiful Color Shouldn't Be Hazardous To Your Health The best thing about our products is what we leave out!

No Ammonia • No Parabens No Scalp Staining • No Scalp Discomfort Best Eco Salon

838 Main Street • Monroe • Tollgate Plaza Tues & Fri 9-5 • Wed & Thur 9-8 • Sat 8-4

203-261-2838 SalonAponte.com

Chantal Gaasrud

G

reen Maid, an all-organic, natural and vegan beauty and home care product boutique, recently opened its door in the Georgetown section of Wilton. The store is both a retail outlet and manufacturing lab with products made onsite in the store’s state-certified lab.

Customers can watch products being made by hand in the certified, organic beauty care lab.

Chantal Gaasrud, the proprietor, chief executive and formulating officer, created the multi-faceted business as an extension of her first business, Green Maids, after searching for high-quality natural cleaning products for her customers. The Southbury-based cleaning service has recently expanded to service clients in Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding and exclusively uses organic products. After working on her formulas and testing for five years, Gaasrud decided to launch the new store and lab to make her own products.

In addition to Green Maid home care products, the store features the La Pomme cosmetic skin, hair and baby care line as well as organic soaps, candles and pet supplies. All of Green Maid’s organic products and natural ingredients are from FDA-certified suppliers; the majority of the products are vegan and include essential oils.

For more information, visit GreenMaidOrganics.com or call 203-558-2662.

The Wilton store is open MondaySaturday, 10am-6pm. Location: 991 Danbury Rd (Rt.7), Wilton.

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May buy extra for gift.

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Offer expires 8/31/2015.

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800-614-7487

www.lipolightmask.com

Imagination is more important than knowledge. ~Sylvia Plath

Discover Westbrook Let your child experience the joy and wonder of nature in a safe and loving environment Set on six beautiful acres in West Redding, CT, Westbrook offers Parent-Child and Mixed-Age Kindergarten Programs, Adult Workshops, Playdays and Seasonal Events

203-664-1554 www.westbrooknatureschool.org

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

11

newsbriefs

The Cleanest Touch LLC Bringing nature to your home

Lyme Disease Challenge Continues

Your home is an extension of your body and spirit.

Shouldn’t it be a healthy, stress-free environment?

We are proud to introduce our new HOUSE GREEN CLEANING SERVICES in Fairfield County, CT. We use only “clean” products, including our signature products made with essential oils.

T

For a free estimate, call us at 203-260-3087 www.thecleanesttouch.com Now serving these areas of Fairfield County: Fairfield, Norwalk, Trumbull, Westport, Wilton, Weston, and Darien.

Lose 3-9 Inches in 9 Sessions 20 Minute Sessions • Super Safe Non-Invasive • No Pain No Downtime • No Side Effects

ew nonsurgical state-of-the-art tive to Liposuction. It is asive, does not cause any down time.

rinciple of n. Infrared light is absorbed by e cell’s pores e the fatty acid urrounding en away by the nd consumed m. The result f inches.

Only One Offer Per Person Restrictions May Apply New Patients Only INTRODUCTORY OFFER Offer Expires 8/31/15

SPECIAL 1 Treatment for $99 or 3 Treatments for $249 Only One Offer Per Person. Restrictions May Apply. New Patients Only. Offer Expires 8/31/15

www.westportlipolight.com

Food is medicine. We can actually change our gene expressions with the foods we eat. ~David Perlmutter

Kindred Spirits A Center for the Mind, Body, & Soul

Relax, Enjoy, Let Your Spirit Shine Through Interfaith Ministry Services Energy Sessions (Reiki, Rising Star) Certification Classes (Reiki, Rising Star) Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Ear Coning • Meditation Classes Intuitive/Clarity Sessions Group Workshops • Buddhist Chanting

203-938-3690 www.kindredspiritscenter.com 59 Ledgewood Road, Redding, CT 06896

12

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

he Take a Bite Out of Lyme Disease Challenge kicked off in March and continues in its effort to raise awareness and funding for improved Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment.

There are three steps to the Lyme disease challenge; follow the three steps and then donate $10. Those that prefer not to take the “bite” are encouraged to donate $100 instead. For the first step, bite a lime and take a photo or a short video of the act with your sourpuss face. Secondly, share one brief fact about Lyme disease, such as the facts provided below. You can say them in your video, write them on your photo or include them in your post.

Then challenge three other people to take a bite by mentioning them in your video or tagging them in your post’s photo. Lastly, post the photo/video to your favorite social media outlets and tag your video or photo with #LymeDiseaseChallenge. You can check back to watch the challenge live at LymeDiseaseChallenge.org/LymeDisease-Challenge-Action.

One fact is that more than 63 percent of patients treated for Lyme disease continue to suffer symptoms that can be debilitating. Studies also show that standard laboratory tests recommended by the CDC to diagnose Lyme disease miss approximately half of actual cases, leading to misdiagnosis and an infection that is more difficult to treat.

All donations are accepted at ILADS.org/ILADS_Media/Lyme-Challenge

by International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society’s (ILADS) nonprofit educational fund.

For more facts about Lyme disease and information on the challenge, visit LymeDiseaseChallenge.org/ Join-Lyme-Disease-Challenge.

Pets and Nature at Catherine’s Butterfly Party

C

atherine’s Butterfly Party will be held on June 6 from noon-4pm at NYA Sports & Fitness Center in Newtown. Presented by The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, the festival event celebrating the memory of Catherine Hubbard will include pet adoption opportunities, programs, birds of prey seminars, games, vendors, art activities and more.

Cats, dogs and rabbits available for adoption will be featured at the event. In addition to live entertainment with music by LaFrance Acoustic, Catherine’s Butterfly Party will offer Horizon Wings Birds of Prey and exceptional pet agility demonstrations. Nature-based activities and exhibitors with Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens Butterfly Education and Audubon Center at Bent of the River will take place alongside a homegrown arts exhibition and hands-on activities.

Insights Wellness Center Heal  Grow  Empower

Christine Guerrera, LMFT Licensed Psychotherapist Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Life Coach, Energetics InsightsWellnessCenter.com

Monroe, CT 203-260-9353

For more information, visit CVHFoundation.org or email Info@CVHFoundation.org. Location: NYA Sports & Fitness Center, 4 Primrose St, Newtown.

Albertson Church Holds Fundraising Antique Mart

T

he Albertson Church Antique Mart will take place on June 13 and 14 from 10am to 4:30pm in Old Greenwich. Albertson Memorial Church, a healing and interfaith resource, is still looking for donations of all types, including antiques, jewelry, furniture, cars, decorative objects and designer clothing. Proceeds from this upcoming event will provide fundraising for necessary restorations at the church.

Founded in 1936, Albertson Church’s Sunday services include music, inspirational talks by spiritualist or interfaith guest ministers, meditation, handson healing and spirit communications. The church also offers a number of classes, workshops and a monthly Spiritual, Psychic and Healing Fair.

For more information, email AlbertsonChurchAntiqueMart@ gmail.com or call 347-330-9184 for questions or appointments for donations or pick up. Location: Albertson Memorial Church, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich.

ɲɧɴɩɾ ˪ɪ ɦɨɷɪɩ Deana Paqua, MA, LMT

Լ

shamanic healer, reiki master, spiritual teacher & holistic health educator

ridgefield & new milford ct

www.embodythesacred.net

deana.paqua@gmail.com Ph. 203.994.5045

eNaturalAwakenings.com

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newsbriefs

Natural Awakenings Publishers Attend Conference in Florida

N

OUND, a Newtown-based center for music, creative arts and mindfulness, is offering four special events in June.

On June 5 at 7pm, Psychic Medium Patty Griffin offers Whispers from Spirit: An Evening of Spirit Communication. She will help you connect to your loved ones in spirit to help bring peace, validation, closure and proof that they are always with you. Tea and light snacks are included. Pre-registration with the $40 fee payment is required to hold your space.

Join Kristie Liotta for Night of Sacred Dance, an evening of dance for your spirit, on June 6 from 7:30-9:30pm. She will lead dancers of all abilities through a musical journey that will explore, question and embrace what it means to be a woman. The fee is $30. A minimum of 10 participants is needed to run this workshop.

Dream into Summer/Soulstice Dreams with Tzvia Gover, CDT, will be held on June 14 at 11am. In this personal growth and exploration workshop, you will learn how to recall and understand the wisdom and messages of your nighttime dreams as well as how to harness the power of dreams to manifest health and well-being in your life. Participants are encouraged to bring a dream or dreams with which they would like to work.

On June 27 at noon, the center will hold its first SOUND Mini Psychic Reading Expo with psychics, mediums, animal communicators and others. To reserve a reading, you must pre-register at Gnewone@hotmail.com.

atural Awakenings publishers from around the nation attended a company conference from May 1 to 3 at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort, in Marco Island, Florida. Highlights included separate presentations by two prominent master life and business coaches, David Essel and Mary Lynn Ziemer, who also participated in discussions on how publishers can become more personally empowered in awakening and uplifting their communities.

In addition, special topics included expanding editorial exposure for a strong advertiser base, effectively managing reach and keeping operations efficient. Subsequent breakout sessions afforded the opportunity for franchisees to share progressive ideas.

The conference was followed by a three-day training program for new publishers taking over the production of three existing magazines. Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. training staff worked with the new publishers of the Bucks and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania; Hudson County, New Jersey; and South New Jersey editions from May 4 to 6 at the corporate headquarters in nearby Naples.

Launched by founder and CEO Sharon Bruckman with a single edition in Naples in 1994, Natural Awakenings has grown to become one of the largest free, local, healthy lifestyle publications in the world, serving approximately 4 million readers in 95 cities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

“It’s always heartening to bring our Natural Awakenings family of publishers together to share successful practices and pioneering ideas as we work together with our communities to create a healthier, more sustainable world,” Bruckman says.

For more information, visit SOUNDCenterArts.com.

Location: 31 Hawleyville Rd, Newtown.

For more information, visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

See ad, page 50.

Dance, Dreams and Psychics at SOUND

S

14

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

actionalert Indian Point Transformer Fire Raises Questions about New Pipeline Approval

A

recent transformer fire at the Indian Point nuclear facility in nearby Westchester, New York, garnered wide coverage in global and local media.

However, there was no mention of Spectra Energy’s proposed new 42-inch diameter high pressure natural gas pipeline, which may present a new hazard to the troubled plant. For more than a year, local, state, county and federal elected officials and the public have been calling for an independent risk assessment of the siting of a massive new gas pipeline in close proximity to the aging nuclear plant’s vital structures. In addition, they are also asking that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rescind its approval of the Algonquin Incremental Market project.

Rick Kuprewicz of Accufacts, a pipeline expert engaged by the Town of Cortlandt to evaluate the project’s impacts on the plant, joined Paul Blanch, a nuclear expert with over 45 years of nuclear safety experience, to analyze the Entergy hazard study that was confirmed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Both believe the study severely underestimates the risk of catastrophic failure at the plant in the event of a pipeline rupture. After submitting a formal petition to the NRC in October 2014, Blanch has requested a local venue for a final presentation to the NRC’s Petition Review Board. A local meeting would be in compliance with NRC guidelines regarding public participation because it would enable all stakeholders, including New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, Governor Cuomo and the public, to attend the presentation.

Education That Reaches Your Core

HVWS_generic_NatAwake_4.75x4.5_Aug014_HVS PM K_CT par 2007 7/15/14 2:03 PM Page 1

6th Grade Geometry

Evolving from a profound understanding of human development and the human spirit, Waldorf Education offers a unique, experiential approach to education through the arts.

NOW ENROLLING: Parent-Child Classes through 8th Grade.

40 Dodgingtown Rd., Newtown, CT 06470 203.364.1113 • www.waldorfct.org Accredited by CAIS and AWSNA

For more information, visit SAPE2016.org. eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

15

healthbriefs

Hatha Yoga Boosts Brainpower

R

esearch from Wayne State University, in Detroit, has found that hatha yoga can significantly improve cognitive health in as little as two months. Researchers tested 118 adults with an average age of 62 years. One group engaged in three, hour-long hatha yoga classes per week for eight weeks, while the other group did stretching and strengthening exercises for the same duration. The participants underwent cognitive testing before and after the eight-week period.

At the end of the trial, the hatha yoga group showed significant improvements in cognition compared to the other group. The yoga group also recorded shorter reaction times, greater accuracy in high-level mental functions and better results in working memory tests.

Source: Journal of Gerontology

Stroke Risk Rises with Two Drinks a Day

N

ew research published in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke has determined that drinking two alcoholic beverages per day during middle-age years increases the risk of stroke more than other known factors, including high blood pressure and diabetes.

The study followed 11,644 twins from Sweden for 43 years, starting between 1967 and 1970. All began the trial when they were under the age of 60. The scientists compared the effects of having less than half a drink—classified as four and two ounces of wine for a man and a woman, respectively—daily to drinking two or more daily.

The study found that consuming two drinks per day increased the risk of stroke by 34 percent compared to drinking less than half a drink per day. Those that downed two or more drinks a day during their 50s and 60s had strokes an average of five years younger than light drinkers. The increase in stroke risk was found to be higher than the danger generally posed by diabetes and hypertension.

AN AVOCADO A DAY KEEPS BAD CHOLESTEROL AWAY

R

esearch published by the Journal of the American Heart Association has determined that just one avocado a day can significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a type of cholesterol carrier known to increase the risk of hardening of the arteries.

The researchers tested 45 overweight adults between 21 and 70 years old that followed an average American diet for two weeks before adopting one of three diets: a low-fat diet, a moderate-fat diet that included one Hass avocado per day or a moderate-fat diet without an avocado.

After five weeks, researchers found that the addition of the avocado reduced LDL significantly more than the diets that did not contain the fruit. While both the low-fat and moderate-fat diets reduced LDL levels, the moderate-fat diet with an avocado reduced LDL by better than 60 percent more than the moderate-fat diet alone, and above 80 percent more than the low-fat diet alone.

Discover the Power Within You at Unity Center Discover the Power Within You at Unity Center Discover the Power Within You!

Celebration Service Sundays at 10:30 am Rev. Shawn Moninger, Minister 3 Main St, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 (203) 855-7922, www.unitycenternorwalk.org

16

Fairfield County Edition

Open Mic Night 3rd Saturday of every month at 7:00 pm

natural awakenings

So much more than church...

We are a New Thought movement for people who are seeking a positive alternative to traditional religion. We believe that God is good and so are we.

We laugh, we sing, we pray, we have fun and we like to make new friends. Won’t you become one of them?

For a listing of our events see the calendar in the back of this issue

THE

GRADUATE INSTITUTE





Dr. Chris Martenson

Economic Researcher, Futurist and Economic Blogger; author of ‘The Crash Course.’ Co-Founder of peakprosperity.com, a website providing insights on how to thrive in the world ahead.

Charles Eisenstein is leading the

way into the new story. Author of The Ascent of Humanity, Sacred Economics, The Yoga of Eating, and The More Beautiful World our Hearts Know is Possible

Becca Martenson Local community builder and healer; Board Chairman of the Vermont Wilderness School. A leader in the Art of Mentoring Community. An expert at navigating the beliefs that impede positive change.

Enjoy Live Music eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

17

For Body, Mind, & Soul

Classes Workshops Drum Circles Private Healing Sessions by Appointment

Jessica C. Hunter

Shamanic Practitioner & OM Shamanic Medium & Intuitive Melody Certified Crystal Healer Certified Reiki Master Teacher Shamanic, Metaphysical, & Crystal Teacher

203-916-8381

www.hunterhealinghands.com hunterhealinghands@hotmail.com

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

Robin Ordan, LCSW 203-561-8535

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

SYNERGY SALON in balance with nature

Relaxing scalp & hand massage with certified organic essential oils, flower essence, and herbal tea rinses. Finish with a beautiful blow dry. t See our website for a full service menu.

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Detox your scalp • Restore your hair • Energize your spirit

18

Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Solar Harvest

New Technology Makes Windows Power Producers SolarWindow Technologies’ new window coatings are a “first of its kind” technology that could turn the buildings we live and work in into self-sufficient, mini power stations. They can generate electricity on see-through glass and flexible plastics with colored tints popular in skyscraper glass.

The coating can be applied to all four sides of tall buildings, generating electricity using natural and artificial light conditions and even shaded areas. Its organic materials are so ideal for low-cost, high-output manufacturing that the technology is already part of 42 product patent applications.

When applied to windows on towers, it’s expected to generate up to 50 times the power of conventional rooftop solar systems while delivering 15 times the environmental benefits. For example, a single SolarWindow installation can avoid the amount of carbon emissions produced by vehicles driving about 2.75 million miles per year, compared to 180,000 miles for conventional rooftop systems.

SolarWindow Technologies, Inc.

Hunter Healing Hands

Lost Lands

Salinity is Eating Away Farmland Worldwide Every day for more than 20 years, an average of almost eight square miles of irrigated land in arid and semi-arid areas across 75 countries have been degraded by salt, according to the study Economics of Salt-Induced Land Degradation and Restoration, by United Nations University’s Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

Salt degradation occurs in arid and semi-arid regions where rainfall is too low to maintain regular percolation of rainwater through the soil and where irrigation is practiced without a natural or artificial drainage system, which triggers the accumulation of salt in the root zone, affecting soil quality and reducing productivity. In the Colorado River Basin alone, studies peg the annual economic impact of saltinduced land degradation in irrigated areas at $750 million.

The cost of investing in preventing and reversing land degradation and restoring it to productive land would be far lower than letting degradation continue and intensify. Methods successfully used to facilitate drainage and reverse soil degradation include tree planting, deep plowing, cultivation of salt-tolerant varieties of crops, mixing harvested plant residues into topsoil and digging a drain or deep ditch around salt-affected land.

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, Westport and Fairfield. www.victoriashawpsychotherapy.com

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Farm Therapy Veterans Heal Through Agriculture

Of the 19.6 million veterans in the United States alone, approximately 3.6 million have a service-related disability, 7.6 percent are unemployed and they collectively make up 13 percent of the adult homeless population, according to the Independent Voter Network.

Organizations worldwide are helping veterans heal their wounds through farming and agriculture.

The goal is to create a sustainable food system by educating them to be sustainable vegetable producers, providing training and helping families rebuild war-torn lives.

Eat the Yard, in Dallas, Texas, was founded by Iraq War veterans James Jeffers and Steve Smith to cultivate fresh produce in community gardens. The two began organic farming in their own backyards for both therapeutic and financial reasons, and then slowly began to build more gardens in their community.

They now sell their produce to local restaurants and businesses.

The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is working with veterans across the U.S. to transition them into agriculture. The coalition partners veterans with mentors experienced in farming and business, matches them with agriculture-related job opportunities and organizes equipment donations in Iowa and California. FVC is helping former members of the armed forces in 48 states.

Source: FoodTank.com/ news/2014/11/veterans-day

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Fairfield County Edition

by Linda Sechrist

I

n 1977, two Yale School of Medicine scientists identified the infected blacklegged deer tick carrying the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi as the disease-transmitting organism of Lyme disease. Since 1982, this most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the U.S. has gained notoriety, with its own resource book, Disease Update: Science, Policy & Law; research center (Columbia-Lyme. org/index.html); International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society website, ilads.org; Lyme Times print journal (LymeDisease.org); and national informational organization, the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance (TBDAlliance.org).

The surge of activity appears justifiable. According to scientists at the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 300,000 cases are diagnosed annually in this country alone.

Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, is a post-treatment Lyme disease patient and co-founder of LymeAid 4Kids (Tinyurl.com/LymeAid4Kids) that funds the diagnosis and treatment of uninsured children with Lyme. She disagrees with physicians that downplay late-stage cases and insist that the disease is cured with a simple round of antibiotics, as does Katina Makris, a classical homeopath from New Hampshire and host of Lyme Light Radio.

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After experiencing mysterious symptoms, Makris spent five years suffering from debilitating symptoms familiar to individuals with Lyme—undiagnosed, relapsing fevers, lingering fatigue, joint pain, headaches, neurological symptoms and cognitive impairment. “Then I finally began my 10-year healing journey,” she says. Her book Out of the Woods: Healing from Lyme Disease for Body, Mind, and Spirit, is a recovery memoir and resource guide for alternative medical, emotional and spiritual support.

Lyme evades detection by standard blood tests for bacterial antigens and antibodies. “The ELISA [enzyme-linked immuno assay] test is only accurate between two weeks and two months after the bite,” says Makris, who notes that the Western Blot test is somewhat more accurate, while the IGeneX Laboratory test is superior. She believes the best laboratories for testing are Clongen Laboratories and IGeneX Laboratory Services.

Dr. Richard Horowitz has treated more than 12,000 Lyme disease patients as medical director of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, in Hyde Park, New York. The author of Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease raises another red flag regarding detection.

Testing for coinfections frequently transmitted along with Lyme is unreliable. Horowitz, who will conduct a workshop with Makris at New York’s Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, in Rhinebeck, and online, from June 26 to 28, counsels that antibiotics are not effective because they don’t address all of the infecting organisms now frequently found in ticks.

Stephen Harrod Buhner, of Silver City, New Mexico, an independent scholar and citizen scientist and author of Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections, says that the bacteria have jumped species and found new hosts that live in habitats formerly occupied by wild animals: “They have learned to exist in humans and are teaching each other how to resist antibiotics and more easily infect us. What they do together in the body is a great deal more complex than what they do alone, making them difficult to treat. Bartonella species utilize the immune system of whatever mammal they infect as part of their infection strategy. Any existing inflammation in the body, such as arthritis, facilitates the growth of Bartonella.”

Essential Oils to Repel Ticks 1 cup distilled water 2 drops geranium essential oil 2 drops Palo Santo essential oil 1 drop myrrh essential oil 4 drops grapefruit essential oil 1 drop peppermint essential oil 1 drop Thieves hand soap or castile soap Place all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake. Spritz on socks, sneakers/ hiking boots, ankles and legs at a minimum and consider other exposed skin.

The weaker or more compromised one’s immune system, the more likely a debilitating course of illness will occur. An improved immune system can identify the outer membrane proteins of the offending bacteria and create countering antibodies in four to eight months. “Once the immune system creates the proper antibodies, the bacteria

are then eliminated fairly rapidly,” advises Buhner.

Makris is grateful that she saw a nutritionist trained in functional medicine.

“He worked slowly and methodically to reduce the inflammation, build up my immune system and restore my digestive, endocrine and nervous systems before killing the bacteria and opening up natural detoxification pathways to flush out the bacteria and their endotoxins.

We used weekly acupuncture appointments, good nutrition and homeopathic formulas, plus various herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements,” says Makris.

Ticks in high-vegetation areas wait for a passing host. To avoid these hitchhikers, wear light-colored long pants tucked into socks. A shirt should also be tucked in. Later, strip down and search hair, underarms, legs, behind the knees and ears, and in the belly button.

As commercial tick repellants contain toxic ingredients, a targeted mixture of topically applied, therapeutic-grade essential oils is preferred.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

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With picnics and barbecues on the calendar, summer is a time for indoor/ outdoor entertaining with family, friends and neighbors. To keep invading ants away, hosts will want to use natural materials, many of which can be found in the kitchen, instead of chemical products that may be hazardous to humans, pets and wildlife.

Natural lines of defense. Applying ground cinnamon or mixing some of the spice with sugar, cloves and water into a thin paste and using a cotton swab to dab it in cracks and around doors and windowsills outside the house where ants might enter can be effective. The aroma is too strong for them, so they’ll either succumb or turn away. Another method recommended by the Mother Nature Network is to clean floors and countertops with a solution of one cup each of vinegar and water, with the option to enhance it with 15 drops of lemon oil.

Try a simple spray. An organic insecticide for application in grassy locations, applied to the legs and sides of the picnic table or chairs, can help reduce intrusion by ants and other pests. ChasingGreen.org suggests pouring one-and-ahalf cups of water into a blender and adding two bulbs of garlic. Liquefy the ingredients to a smooth blend, strain out the remaining pieces of garlic, dilute the mixture with about a gallon of water and fill a spray bottle.

Organic pest control. Some manufacturers specialize in eco-friendly products, including the Extremely Green Gardening Company (ExtremelyGreen.com) that offers diatomaceous earth, Hasta La Vista Ant! and Bug Shooter insecticide. Other chemical-free bug traps can be found at many hardware stores.

Avoid temptation. Keep food container lids and boxes tightly closed indoors and keep food covered as much as possible outdoors.

Taking natural preventive steps now is timely because many ant species are highly active in early summer as they seek to increase the food stores for their colonies.

Man maintains his balance, poise and sense of security only as he is moving forward. ~Maxwell Maltz

22

Fairfield County Edition

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The Gut-Mind Connection David Perlmutter on How Stomach Microflora Affect Brain Health

by Linda Sechrist

D

r. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and recipient of the Linus Pauling Award for his innovative approaches to addressing neurological disorders, has recently released Brain Maker, the latest in a series of books on brain health. This medical advisor to the Dr. Oz Show demonstrates how brain problems can be prevented by adopting lifestyle changes that nurture the bacteria living in the digestive system.

Why did you begin your book with the quote, “Death begins in the colon,” rather than “Brain health begins in the gut”?

I wanted to draw attention to the real life-or-death issues mediated by what goes on inside the gut. Individuals with an immediate concern for their heart, bones, immune system or brain must recognize that the health of these parts and functions are governed at the level of commensal gut bacteria, the normal microflora that eat what we eat. This relationship is the most powerful leverage point we have for maintaining health.

How were you led to expand from studying the nervous system and brain to investigating gastrointestinal medicine?

Early on in my career, I was taught that everything that goes on in the brain stays there. But leading-edge research now reveals that seemingly disparate organs are in close communication, regulating each other’s health. As scientific literature began supporting the notion that gut-related issues

have a huge bearing on brain health, and specifically on brain disease, it became important to me to be able to leverage deep knowledge of this empowering information in terms of being able to treat brain disorders.

What is the Human Microbiome Project (HMP)?

HMP, launched in 2008 by the National Institutes of Health, is a $115 million exploration of the gut microbiome. In the ongoing research project involving genetic and DNA assessment, researchers are looking at the microbiome array in the gut of individuals suffering from various diseases. They are drawing correlations between emerging patterns in the abnormalities of gut bacteria and specific diseases. For example, autism correlates with an overabundance of the Clostridia species. In diabetes, there are more Firmicutes than Bacteroidetes, which we also see in obesity characteristic of the Western cosmopolitan diet.

This is paving the way for interventions designed to restore a normal balance of gut bacteria. An example in my book is Dr. Max Nieuwdorp’s research at the University of Amsterdam, in which he discovered an array of abnormal bacteria that characterize Type 2 diabetes. In the more than 250 individuals diagnosed with diabetes that he treated in a double-blind study, he was able to reverse the disease by inserting a series of fecal material transfers from healthy, lean donors into diabetic patients.

What is the most eye-opening information about the roles played by gut organisms?

More than 100 trillion bacteria live in our gut. Plus, there are viruses, yeast species and protozoa. When we factor in their genetic material, it means that an astonishing 99 percent of the DNA in our body is bacterial. It’s humbling to realize they influence all manner of physiology, from our immune system to our metabolism, making vitamins, maintaining the gut lining and controlling inflammation, the key mechanism involved in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and any number of brain degenerative disorders. They also exert influence over the expression of our 23,000 genes, in effect regulating the expression of the human genome.

The latest startling discovery— which is so new that it’s not in the book—is that bacterial DNA sequences have now been found in the human genome, meaning we are partly bacterial. It reveals the most sophisticated symbiotic and intimate relationship at the deepest level imaginable. It turns the previous way of thinking about who we are upside-down. Our perceptions of the world, moods, hunger or satiety, even our metabolism, are dictated by gut bacteria, which deserve careful stewarding.

They don’t deserve, for example, to be bombarded by the capricious use of antibiotics whenever we have the sniffles.

How can we reestablish good gut health?

Better food choices bring about significant changes in our body’s microbiome.

By incorporating prebiotic foods such as Jerusalem artichokes, dandelion greens, garlic, leeks, onions, jicama or Mexican yam, as well as fermented foods such as kimchi, kombucha tea, yogurt and kefir, individuals can reestablish good gut health that helps them gain control over inflammation, the cornerstone of all degenerative conditions. Inflammation originates in the gut. Balancing bacteria and reducing intestinal permeability, which allows substances to leak through the lining of the small intestine into the bloodstream, can reduce it.

Visit Linda Sechrist’s website, ItsAllAbout We.com, for the recorded interview.

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

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REDEFINING WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Achieving Harmony Through Resilience

by Michael Pergola

A

s the middle class grew in the 1970s, labor-saving devices became more readily available and women began to enter the work force in larger numbers. At the same time, the demand for more leisure and more meaning from work and life exploded as a cultural ideal. Today, that desire collides with the increasing demands of high-profile jobs for both men and women – where 60-hour work weeks and constant electronic access to work responsibilities are prevalent. The expectation of more leisure, meaning and work-life balance has also become a struggle for those with less lucrative jobs merely seeking to earn a living as the middle class that flourished after World War II continues to shrink in the early years of the 21st century.

24

Fairfield County Edition

There is an issue when an idea that was supposed to herald meaningful and healthier life has become a multiplier of the very stress it was intended to reduce. The term work-life balance rose in popularity in the United States in the 1980s, taking the lead from a common notion that happiness increased as the separation between work and play diminished. The idea of harmony may be a more useful notion than work-life balance when framing the question of what truly matters to individuals and as a society.

RISING STRESS IN SEARCHING FOR BALANCE Given the additional stress of modern life and the demands placed on women as they succeed in the conventional

natural awakenings

work force, the stress on these primary providers of “mothering” and nurturing has grown significantly. The significance of mothering should be clearer than ever with what is known today about epigenetics – the study of how the environment causes genes to change and healthy or less healthy traits to emerge in growing children. However, this does not seem to be the case as American society seems generally unsupportive of mothers and “mothering.”

Steven L. Sauter, chief of the applied psychology and ergonomics branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, states that “the workplace has become the single greatest source of stress.”

“Seventy-five to 90 percent of physician visits are related to stress and… problems caused by stress have become a major concern to both employers and employees. Symptoms of stress are manifested both physiologically and psychologically,” according to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association in Arlington, Virginia.

Work-life balance became a societal ideal around the same time the American culture began to encourage people to actually work more hours and have less balance. “The perfect equilibrium of work and personal time is a noble goal to strive for, but the reality is that few can achieve and sustain it. (If you do meet someone who has it all figured out, chances are they will be back at it again in a year’s time.) Life is messy, and one week or month almost never resembles the next,” suggests Kristi Hedges in her 2013 “R.I.P. WorkLife Balance” article in Forbes.It may be that it is time to readjust the thinking about work-life balance.

It seems that people with a passionate commitment often invest tremendous energy in that commitment.

An important example is a mother with a newborn baby. A good mother may be so dedicated to her child’s well-being that balance is the last thing on her

Work-life balance became a societal ideal around the same time the American culture began to encourage people to actually work more hours and have less balance. mind, except of course when lack of sleep becomes too great and it is time for some help.

It is also interesting to note that women took on new duties in the workforce while still being primarily responsible for the home and children. This happened at a time when extended families were breaking down and the help of grandparents and aunts was less available at times of great demand–such as a new baby, house or job. It is worth noting that the notion of work-life balance came into wide usage about the same time that the notion of marriage and relationships sought more equality and joint participation and the level of divorce was increasing dramatically. The deeper question looming under all of this may be what it is you truly want and what will bring happiness?

It is possible the notion of work-life balance was a response to situations where the balance that naturally exists in a genuine community was breaking down as the culture became more isolated yet more driven by accumulating economic success and possessions.

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A NEW GRAIL: HARMONY VIA RESILIENCE It may be that harmony and resilience are more appropriate words than balance as an ideal to seek. In harmony, the cacophony of disparate sounds is blended together as point and counterpoint in order to resolve the tension of the opposites and create beauty. You may seek a life of passion dedicated to what matters to you and, in such a life, there are times of balance but they are few. What is more prevalent is dedication and immersion in those things that really matter – without reaching a level of exhaustion – so the blend of genuine enthusiasm creates a harmony and a vibration of light that carries your life to deeper levels of meaning and satisfaction.

It may be that the aspiration embodied by the notion of work-life balance is a hope for more meaning and a life of harmony, purpose and beauty. But it may also be the case that you have not yet created the structures, nor learned how to orient your life in ways that actually support such an aspiration.

The notion of resilience – the capacity to adjust successfully to changes in your internal and external environments – may well be a key need for a life of harmony and this resource may be the only hope for attaining a semblance of work-life balance during the uncertainty of 21st century life.

Michael Pergola is president of The Graduate Institute and a progressive educational leader, business executive, lawyer, banker, coach, consultant and an ordained interfaith minister.

The Graduate Institute is located at 171 Amity Rd, Bethany.

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RETHINKING RECOVERY Holistic Approaches to Healing Addictions

by Lisa Marshall

T

hrough 15 years of alcohol and prescription drug addiction, one prominent Virginia business owner tried it all to get clean: three inpatient rehab centers; talk therapy; Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), spending roughly $200,000 in the process.

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top of things and get complacent,” says the 52-year-old, who asked that her name not be used. She’d treat herself to “just one drink” and soon find herself in a familiar downward spiral. She last relapsed in October 2012. Three months later, she was on the interstate in the morning, a half-empty four-pack of mini wine bottles on her front seat, when she swerved and slammed head-on into a semi-trailer

truck. She escaped her flattened car with minor head trauma, gratitude that her children didn’t have to “bury their drunk mother,” and a renewed will to sober up and rediscover happiness.

Today, she’s done just that, thanks to a comprehensive, holistic approach that included hiring a life coach that specializes in addiction, overhauling her diet, making time for daily physical and spiritual exercises and reframing her addiction, not as a disease she is cursed with, but as a predisposition she has the power to keep at bay.

“Yes. I was passed a gene by my alcoholic father. Yet that only becomes a threat to me when I make a choice to ingest something that cuts the beast loose,” she says. “I work hard every day, using a whole bunch of different tools to keep that from happening again.”

She is one of a growing number of alcoholics and addicts reaching beyond the standard trifecta of 28-day rehabs, 12-step programs and psychotherapy toward an approach that addresses mind, body and spirit. More than 40 million Americans over the age of 12 (16 percent of the population) are addicted to alcohol or drugs, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at New York City’s Columbia University.

Yet the standard treatments yield lessthan-stellar success rates.

Sixty percent of addicts return to drug use within a year after rehab,

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according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and only 5 percent of AA attendees continue with meetings after 12 months, according to AA research.

David Essel, a Fort Myers, Florida, life coach who specializes in working with substance abusers, says that when examining all the data, only about one in 10 addicts or alcoholics that use conventional means alone are still clean after one year. Fortunately, because people vary widely in emotional needs and physiologies, other complementary options are also catching on.

Mending Brain and Body

Enter a group meeting for recovering addicts or alcoholics and chances are there will be a pot of black coffee, plus donuts or cookies. “Having poor eating habits is a primary contributing factor to relapse,” says Registered Dietitian David Wiss, founder of NutritionInRecovery.com, which provides nutrition consulting for recovery programs in Los Angeles. Because substance abuse can deaden appetite and many of the same neurological circuits that drugs and alcohol stimulate are also activated by salty or sugar-laden foods, newly recovering addicts tend to be ravenous and drawn to junk food. “After 30 days in treatment, people can gain 10 to 30 pounds. They often turn back to addictive substances they’ve abused to get their appetite back under control,” says Wiss. (Because smoking deadens taste buds, drawing people to seek out

more intense salty or sugary flavors, it exacerbates the problem.)

In a subconscious attempt to get maximum stimulation of now-neglected reward centers in the brain, users often eat little most of the day, then binge later, leading to erratic blood sugar levels that can impact mood, further sabotaging recovery. After years of abuse, addicts also tend to suffer deficiencies of proteins and good fats—key building blocks of a healthy brain.

“The brain has been rewired due to the use of substances. Without healing it, you can attend all the meetings in the world and you’ll still struggle with cravings,” reports Essel. He starts new clients with 500 milligrams (mg) daily of the dietary supplement DLphenylalanine, an amino acid precursor to feel-good neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine. He also gives them tyrosine, an energizing amino acid said to quell sugar cravings. For relieving a craving in progress, he recommends 500 to 1,000 mg of glutamine, placed under the tongue.

Wiss says he generally recommends food over supplements, yet asking newly recovering addicts to also revamp their diets can be tough. “I wouldn’t expect anyone to make a big nutritional change in their first week of sobriety,” he says.

After that, he encourages small steps: Drink eight glasses of water per day. Eat three meals and three snacks to keep blood sugar stable. Load up on fiber,

which can help heal the gut and replenish it with healthy bacteria. Eat plenty of lean protein to promote production of feel-good brain chemicals. Load up on nuts, seeds, fatty fish and other omega-3 fatty acids that suppress inflammation in the brain and have been shown in some studies to quell depression.

Daily exercise is also key as Wiss notes that it “circulates our blood and gets all those healthy nutrients into our brain.”

Physical activities can also help fill the void and even provide a new sense of identity for someone whose selfesteem has been shattered, says Scott Strode, founder of Denver, Colorado’s Phoenix Multisport, which hosts group cycling, running and climbing outings for recovering addicts and alcoholics.

Strode kicked his own cocaine habit 18 years ago by immersing himself first in boxing, then climbing and triathlons.

He founded Phoenix in 2007 to help fill what he sees as a gaping hole in recovery support services—a place where people with similar pasts can gather and talk without dwelling exclusively on their dependence issues. He has since served 15,000 people in Colorado, California, and Boston, offering 60 free outings a week for anyone at least 48 hours sober.

“By being part of something like this, you can let go of the shame of being the addict, the junkie or the one that let down the family. Now you are the climber or the mountain biker,” says

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Strode. He stresses that Phoenix programs aren’t intended to replace treatment. Still, “For some, just that redefining of self may be enough. For others, it’s a powerful tool in a broader toolbox.”

Beyond AA

Co-founded in 1935 by an alcoholic named Bill Wilson, Alcoholics Anonymous now has 2 million members and has played an important role in many successful recoveries. However, its Godbased approach (five of the 12 steps refer to God or Him), a credo that alcoholics must admit “powerlessness” and its emphasis on alcoholism as a defining disease aren’t for everyone. Naysayers point to a 2006 finding by the nonprofit Cochrane Collaboration that states, “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or 12-step approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems.”

Such concerns have prompted some alternative recovery fellowships, including Moderation Management (Moderation.org), which helps people that want to drink less; and Smart

Recovery (SmartRecovery.org), which supports an ethos of self-empowerment via cognitive behavioral therapy, nutritional changes and group discussions.

Other programs focus on renewing the soul by applying metaphysical practices to the traditional 12 steps.

“The conventional 12 steps talk about a higher power outside of you,” says Ester Nicholson, a singer, author and addictions counselor. In her book Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction, she describes a descent into crack cocaine addiction beginning in her teens, and the long climb out of it.

At first, she says, the 12 steps helped her break free of what she calls the “spiritual malady, mental obsession and physical allergy,” that is addiction. But after a decade of being clean, followed by a near-relapse, she discovered meditation and other spiritual practices. “I realized that this higher power can restore me to sanity, but the higher power is actually within me. I found this wonderful bridge between the 12 steps and universal spiritual principals, and it is rocking my world.”

Patti Lacey, 54, an Essel client, likewise found lasting sobriety by extending her toolbox, learning to focus not only on past pain, but on bringing forth her best self. According to the International Coach Federation, which reports an uptick in interest in recovery coaching, a coach helps to establish individual goals and map a journey to success.

Two years into recovery, Lacey still takes her supplements daily, rises at dawn to meditate, attends 12-step meetings and is part of a nondenominational church community. She also regularly meets with her coach to report progress and update goals, including getting a handle on her finances, a frequent casualty of addiction. “Everybody’s journey is different,” Lacey confirms. “What I needed was someone to tell me exactly what to do in the beginning, and then be around to hold me accountable. That changed everything.”

Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.

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Ear acupuncture: Since 1974, addiction specialists have used an ear acupuncture needling protocol to ease cravings, decrease anxiety and improve sleep during withdrawal. Numerous published studies in The Lancet, the Archives of Internal Medicine and others support its efficacy. More than 1,000 U.S. programs now use it, according to the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (AcuDetox.com).

Neurofeedback: Also known as EEG biofeedback, this technique uses electroencephalography sensors attached to the head to enable someone to observe their own brain wave activity on a computer and learn to intentionally alter it via visualization and relaxation techniques (ISNR.net).

Aromatherapy: Life coach David Essel recommends three aromatherapy oils to clients in recovery: lavender, a relaxant; lemon grass, for energy; and frankincense, a mood-balancer.

Ibogaine: This psychoactive brew derived from the West African shrub Tabernanthe iboga has been used ceremonially for centuries. In the 1960s, an opioid addict accidentally discovered that after experiencing an intense, four-to-eight-hour dreamlike “trip”, his cravings for heroin ceased. Deborah Mash, Ph.D., a professor of neurology and molecular and cellular pharmacology at the University of Miami, traveled to Amsterdam in the early 1990s to see if there was any truth to such cases.

“I saw a man that was on heroin and cocaine and addicted to benzodiazepines undergo detox with no withdrawal signs, and in 36 hours look like a new person,” she recalls. She has been studying it ever since. The drug is believed to serve as an addiction interrupter, acting on opioid receptors in the brain to quell withdrawal symptoms. Some describe it as “resetting the brain” to a pre-addicted state.

Ibogaine is illegal in the U.S. Some offshore clinics are providing it, but Mash warns that some are unscrupulous, so buyer beware. (ClearSkyIbogaine.com offers medically supervised Ibogaine therapy in Cancun, Mexico).

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29

Suffering Toward Wholeness

by Alex Boianghu and Urgyan Zangpo

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Open Every Day Until 5:30

natural awakenings

uddhism’s worldview describes the human condition as dominated by craving and attachment. Strong psychic undercurrents drive you to form addictive patterns, despite their negative consequences. Everyone is addicted to something to one degree or another, though the form and intensity it takes vary widely. The Buddha was explicit about the cause of addiction – you are driven by the mistaken notion that satisfying your desires will make you happy. There is no question that you all aspire to thrive – to feel fulfilled and genuine to yourselves. So in your search for happiness, how do you get caught up in addictive patterns that detract from your functional well-being and from wholeness? How does addiction become so entrenched that you may barely survive?

You are hardwired to adapt to the surrounding environment and survive, giving you the best opportunity to pass on your DNA. Among other evolutionary capabilities, neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to change and learn through experience. This heightened ability of the brain to rewire itself (especially during infancy and adolescence) allows you to learn from suffering, including addiction. Existential suffering begins at birth and ends in death. No one is immune to the inevitable challenges, harm and pain that are encountered. As children, your most basic needs must be met by others whose own unresolved inner turmoil may limit their ability to function well. In the midst of this relation-

ship, you unconsciously create a façade or self-image that is designed to help you adapt to both subtle unmet needs and overt trauma. These self-images are often maladaptive – while they are created to meet the demands of others in order to get your needs met, they are poorly suited to promote your own development. They contrive a false self and constrict your energy and consciousness. You end up split between responding to your caregivers and honoring your inner authenticity, especially your potential for growth. As you age, the original relational dynamics may never get addressed and remain unprocessed and unintegrated into a healthy sense of individuality. They do not just disappear.

While such maladaptive self-images once served a purpose, they easily become solidified into false identities. Your evolution of consciousness and creative expression gets put on hold with negative self-images that lack both truth and vitality.

You feel increasingly defeated and cut off from the functional well-being and fulfillment that characterize your human potential. In the cauldron of unmet needs and unfulfilled hopes – let alone unimaginable traumas – neural networks becomes wired to react to life instead of responding out of choice. The immediate goal becomes survival, which adds additional stress to the budding nervous system. It thereby reinforces the belief that life is a barren, threatening landscape.

As the intensity of suffering and loss of authenticity increase, the yearning to feel relief takes over. You become desperate in your attempts to quench the feelings of emptiness that deny you trust in your deepest truth. The pressing need to feel better in the moment comes to dominate everyday existence.

The whole dilemma of entrenchment destabilizes your existential foundations, and you eventually turn to the most immediate means of satisfaction – escape into numbing. In reality this is no escape at all, which feels torturous. In the end, you give up hope and dig ever-deeper holes from which addictive highs are the only relief. This is how addiction unfolds.

Once addiction gains momentum, any desire (and even attempts) to quit are overridden by neurological networks wired to the desire and compulsion for immediate relief. The unprocessed dynamics from the past expressed in distorted self-images and negative beliefs, propel consciousness toward a self-confirming identification with shame and guilt. As the underlying belief in your deficiency deepens, a gray wash of daily existence covers over the radiant potential of life. The residue of vulnerability from stress and trauma closes the heart’s receptivity to what is possible and further fuels addiction’s harmful and destructive behavior toward yourself and others.

Only a multifaceted approach drawing on internal and external resources for healing will undercut addiction’s grip and reinstate your faith in the potential of human consciousness. The first step in addressing all misguided addictive patterns is to address the psycho-physical injuries of the past by telling your stories. You must be heard and, most of all, held in a supportive and mirroring environment so you can start the process of looking to inner resources instead of seeking gratification outward. With self-reflection, you can begin to understand the maladaptive sense of self that you learned through negative conditioning. Such mindfulness requires self-regulation, a skill often diminished by trauma.

Emotional regulation is the ability to tolerate immediate discomfort while reintegrating past feelings that were cut off from the flow of consciousness during your formative development. As long as unprocessed thoughts and feelings continue to operate, you feel divided and unfulfilled. Healing into wholeness requires the integration of all experiences into a functional sense of wellness. Unprocessed material is gently approached and processed without the filters and labels of negative self-identity.

The process of inviting unprocessed material into the light of day encourages a reframing of stress and trauma within a healing framework. Because the brain can change and learn from experience, reprocessing past experiences revamps the brain’s neuro-chemistry so that self-regulation is positively linked to emotional satisfaction and vice versa. It promotes a shift in consciousness that is felt to be authentic and renewing. While addiction reinforces old patterning, new learning heals your relationship with history. By feeling and functioning better, your creativity will find expression in an enriched life full of purpose and value. While suffering is a difficult road to travel, if it is the one you are on, it can and does lead to wholeness when you learn from it.

Alex Boianghu, a licensed professional counselor at Insight Counseling, specializes in somatic psychotherapy and is EMDR trained. He can be reached at 203-994-7295. Urgyan Zangpo is a Western Buddhist lama and the founder of Thrive Meditation. He offers weekly meditation instruction and practice, spiritual conversation and private counseling. He can be reached at 860-619-0456 or UrgyanZangpo@gmail.com.

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31

EXERCISING CONSCIOUSNESS Meditation as a Guidebook

by Urgyan Zangpo

I

“Meditation is the science and art of learning to thrive.”

f life is a journey, it can be well-traveled by consciously exploring the terrain while en route. Meditation puts you decisively in the driver’s seat. It gives life traction, drawing you into your human capacity to grow vigorously and flourish.

Nothing satisfies quite like making a conscious experiment of experience. Meditation explores new avenues to access parts of your lives that have been previously hidden. It also guides you forward, creatively helping you tour life—turning it into an opportunity to learn how to live well. In fact, functional well-being is the chief characteristic of wholeness, which does far more than add up piecemeal experiences.

Wholeness is a qualitative richness in which you feel complete and fulfilled. What you want is not simply access to more intense thoughts and feelings but rather a discerning appreciation for life, a sensitive awareness of the whole of a situation, or a wisdom whose illuminating power awakens you to universal truths. These reflect the ability of consciousness to grow holistically. For example, self-awareness is not merely in32

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trospection or reflection on some inner human nature. It is the ability of awareness to reflect on itself, to use existing knowledge to learn profoundly new ways of seeing and knowing.

For meditation to promote transformation, satisfaction and enrichment, it must make you aware of how you are aware. Directing consciousness back upon itself cultivates an unhindered experiential freedom, which is the basis for all other development and decision-making. By relying on that illuminating capacity, you discover consciousness’ own capabilities. These include the ability to stay open and to accept and release thoughts and feelings non-reactively. In addition, remaining subtly aware of your shifting sense-of-self as you transform – and abiding in love – helps your consciousness to train itself. In other words, consciousness itself is the journey, the vehicle and the driver.

Becoming more conscious takes a lot of good, hard work. You get to decide – do you want to thrive, just get by in life, wither or survive. Meditation harnesses life – challenges and all – into the only opportunity you will ever need to find meaning and value. These are the two most enriching qualities that lend conscious life its sacredness. Meditation is like a guidebook of learning strategies for developing human consciousness into its fullest expression as wholeness. That is neither abstract nor imaginary. Consciousness is ultimately functional. It tells you exactly how well you are aware of your being part of the greater whole. Appreciation and effectiveness are its measures – the more you appreciate your place in wholeness, the more effectively you live it, and vice versa.

The development of consciousness can be made understandable, implementable, practical and available as your most essential aid to personal growth, social responsibility and worldly endeavors. This expands considerably and contributes uniquely to how you can educate yourselves. Conscious awareness lends the power of choice to experience, so that you can let go of deficiency, dependency and frustration.

It promotes the power of transformation, inner authority and authenticity. You discover a “freedom to be” that enriches every individual’s way of being – challenging history and all.

The shifting cultural climate increasingly celebrates such unifying principles as harmony and the integration of life’s diversity. Holistic health attitudes and a concern for humanity’s well-being are bridging attitudes and disciplines formerly thought of as incompatible. Meditation is finding its rightful place in schools and other social institutions – which represents a welcome and long-overdue expansion of learning paradigms.

These cultural shifts are effects of the most far-reaching transformation in human evolution – which is and always has been consciousness itself. This is true whether it is called awareness, intelligence, self-discovery, direct experience, awakening or meditation. All are expression of life’s spiritualenergetic basis. It is time to exercise consciousness – individually and collectively so humanity continues to evolve into universal intelligence.

Urgyan Zangpo is a Western Buddhist lama and the founder of Thrive Meditation. He offers weekly meditation instruction and practice, spiritual conversation and private counseling.

See ad, page 13.

Recovery at the Deepest Soul Level I

n her book, Soul Recovery: The 12 Keys to Healing Addiction, Ester Nicholson offers a metaphysical take on the 12 steps. Here’s a look.

You are the Power. Through my conscious union with the infinite universal presence, I am powerful, clear and free. Through the realization that God is within me, expressing as me, my life is in divine and perfect order.

Restored to wholeness. Through my conscious connection with the one power, I reclaim my spiritual dominion and emotional balance. I am restored to my original nature of clarity, peace and wholeness. I am restored.

Complete surrender. I turn my life over to the care of the God I understand, know and embody as love, harmony, peace, health, prosperity and joy. I know that which I am surrendering to, and I do so absolutely. Knowing that this power is the very essence of my being, I say with my whole heart and mind: Thy will be done.

An examined life. Through my absolute surrender and conscious connection to the one power and presence, I courageously, deeply and gently search

within myself for all thought patterns and behaviors that are out of alignment with love, integrity, harmony and order.

Living out loud. I claim the courage and willingness to share the exact nature of my mistakes with another spiritual being. I am heard with compassion, unconditional love and wisdom. In this loving vibration, clarity, peace and balance are restored.

Honoring the inner child. I am now ready to release all thought patterns and behaviors unlike my true nature, which is wholeness. I free-fall into the loving presence of spirit within, and allow it to heal every known and unknown false belief. I am transformed by the renewal of my mind.

Never give up. In loving compassion for every aspect of my being, I humbly surrender to the love of spirit. I know myself as a perfect expression of life. I surrender all, and I am restored to the life I am created to live.

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Willingness. I acknowledge the people I have offended based on false beliefs, fear, doubt and unworthiness. I am willing to go to any lengths to clean up my side of the street.

Cleaning up the wreckage. Backed by all the power of the universe, I lovingly, directly and honestly make amends in a way that supports the highest good of all concerned.

Spiritual maintenance. I am in tune with my inner self. With integrity, love and self-compassion, I acknowledge my mistakes and continue to clean up the mistakes of my past and present.

Conscious contact. Through daily prayer and meditation, I deepen my conscious connection to the divine and experience the fullness of the universal presence as the dynamic reality of my life.

Loving service. Through my awakened consciousness, I am now prepared to carry the message of truth out into the world. I am now a clear channel to support the awakening of others to their true identity of wholeness.

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June 2015

33

Flotation Therapy to Support Connection & Recovery Increases Sleep Quality, Reduces Pain, Anxiety and Depression

by David Conneely

H

uman connection is about having meaningful relationships with others but it also is about being at peace with oneself. Research suggests those without meaningful relationships or a sense of peace with themselves are more likely to become an addict or maintain a drug addiction. One of the first studies on this topic was done by Bruce Alexander, a professor of psychology in Vancouver, Canada. Two groups of rats were separated into a group that lived in a community of rats with a large rat park with tunnels, balls, good food and friends to play with and another group of rats where each rat was separated and lived in a cage alone. Both groups had equal access to two types of water bottles. One bottle was only water. The other bottle was water laced with cocaine. Rats in the rat park did not like the bottle laced with cocaine. The isolated rats liked the cocaine water and became addicted to it. When the addicted rats were put in the rat park, they eventually shifted and stopped wanting the water with cocaine. Being in a healthy environment where they could socialize with other rats seemed to result in them not wanting the drug.

While the rats in the study were isolated involuntarily, many humans voluntarily isolate themselves either physically or in their minds. “Whatever a person believes to be real either is real or becomes real within certain limits to be tested,” says John C. Lilly, the inventor of isolation flotation tanks. There are many people who have beautiful homes, a marriage, children and friends yet still experience life as 34

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isolating and lonely. They are not alone but they believe they are alone. Those who believe they are alone go through their day with feelings of sadness and even depression. This can lead to numbing their sadness with addictions ranging from food, alcohol and gambling or hard drugs like cocaine. A study by the University of Chicago showed loneliness also increases cortisol levels, which can contribute to dangerous physiological effects such as heart attacks. In essence, whether loneliness is real or whether a person is making it real, it is dangerous for one’s health.

One of the most effective ways to tackle the problem of addiction is to help people step out of their sense of loneliness. If someone is physically isolated because they live alone or in a remote area, the simple solution is for them to live with other people (either family or even in a communal setting). That might help a segment of the population struggling with loneliness.

New research from Sweden has found that flotation therapy helps increase sleep quality, reduce pain and relieve anxiety and depression. Flotation therapy, sometimes called isolation therapy, consists of floating in a tank of body temperature water with a high concentration of Epsom salts, with minimized interruptions and sensory stimuli.

Researchers from Karlstad University divided 65 people into two groups. One group underwent twelve, 45-minute flotation therapy sessions for seven weeks, while the other group did not. Both groups were given a battery of physiological and psychological tests before and after the treatment period. The therapy was conducted among three commercial flotation therapy centers, which provided sensory isolation systems to promote relaxation as part of the treatment.

Compared to the control group, the flotation therapy group reported significant decreases in pain, anxiety, depression and stress levels and better sleep quality. The flotation group’s average depression scores went from 4.42 to 2.25, while the control group’s scores barely budged. The worst pains among the flotation group dropped from 64 to 40 on the factor’s scale.

Flotation therapy sessions and classes provide relief for those struggling with loneliness and addiction. When people are addicted, they are usually seeking to numb their frustration. Spending an hour floating in warm water without light or sound can decrease brain wave frequencies from fast Beta brainwave activity to slow Theta and Delta brainwave activity. At these slower levels, frustration can disappear and the grip of disadvantageous beliefs is loosened. Floating has also been shown in studies to reduce the levels of cortisol and other stress hormones in the body, which in turn can ease the sense of isolation a person may be experiencing.

Classes on communication, which help people identify and modify limiting beliefs formed at a young age, are another tool many have used to enhance float experiences and make lasting changes resulting in a life free of addiction and full of harmonious relationships.

David Conneely is the owner of iFloat in Westport.

He can be reached at iFloatCT.com or 203-226-7378.

See ad, page 63.

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Coming to Natural Awakenings Fairfield County

Masters of Yoga & Fitness

Managing Midlife Transition for Men

The yoga and fitness community in Fairfield County has never been more vibrant!

To provide studios with new ways to connect with our loyal and engaged readers, we’re launching a NEW monthly advertising page devoted to the amazing yoga and fitness studios in Fairfield County!

M

Special ad sizes, rates, and packages will be available for 6 and 12 month contract terms. These will include unique editorial marketing opportunities to showcase each studio’s business and approach.

If you own a yoga or fitness studio in Fairfield County, contact your sales representative or the main office TODAY to find out how you can be featured on the new Masters of Yoga & Fitness page!

FFCAdvertising@ NaturalAwakeningsmag.com

203-885-4674 36

Fairfield County Edition

by Kulveen Virdee

any of life’s transitions are coupled with biochemical, emotional and spiritual changes.

Examples include birth, puberty and the transition into parenthood. Just as women experience a stark midlife transition into menopause, conventional medicine is starting to characterize a similar transition – known as andropause – for men. The collection of symptoms include fatigue, reduced libido, lowered physical endurance, anxiety, reduced muscle mass, increased weight gain and fat deposition in the breasts – all of which cause many men to feel less virile. These changes can disrupt a man’s social life, his romantic relationships, impact his productivity at work, and can lead to anxiety and depression.

Under conventional medical treatment, hormone levels are tested in men for decreased testosterone numbers. If testosterone is found to be deficient, supplemental testosterone therapy will be prescribed. This parallels the conventional treatment approaches for menopausal women. Individuals who initiate hormone replacement therapy require re-testing of hormone levels to ensure that they are not overdosing on sex hormones. The body is incredibly sensitive to fluctuations in hormones; symptoms

natural awakenings

of testosterone overdose include agitation, aggressiveness, breast enlargement, and increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Symptoms of andropause can improve after initiating hormone replacement therapy. However, the human body encompasses a large number of complex biochemical pathways that far exceed the simple algorithm of replenishing deficient testosterone levels. This transition into andropause provides individuals with the opportunity to better understand what their bodies need in order to improve the quality of their lives and experience healthy aging.

Changes in some key lifestyle factors can improve health at midlife for men.

THE CASE OF TOO MUCH ESTROGEN Estrogen, known as the “female” hormone, is necessary for men’s health as well. At normal levels, this hormone helps build bones, reduce cardiovascular risk, and increase feelings of sexual desire and connection. Estrogen levels naturally increase with age due, in part, to the increased activity of aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. It is when estrogen levels are too high that men start to experience

symptoms related to andropause.

There are two major causes of estrogen overdose in men: exposure from the environment and obesity. Estrogen mimickers – such as the chlordane, DDT and dioxin pesticides and the benzo[a]pyrenes hydrocarbon – can cause symptoms of high estrogen in both men and women. Eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables and reducing use of plastics are ways to reduce exposure to environmental estrogens.

The fat cells that live in the belly of overweight men convert testosterone into estrogen via the same aromatase enzyme. For men, abdominal weight gain is an indicator that the levels of estrogen to testosterone may be out of balance. In these cases, treatment is focused on reducing estrogen levels rather than supplementing with testosterone. Finding effective and lasting weight loss strategies is important for hormone balance at midlife.

of andropause may be a sign of insufficient vitamin D levels. Correcting these levels may improve libido, stamina and energy levels throughout the year.

NOT ENOUGH ZZZZ’S Circadian rhythm dysfunction is a fancy way of saying that the quality of one’s sleep cycle is poor. As people age, they start to experience difficulty sleeping continuously throughout the night. Sleep is important for maintaining healthy levels of testosterone. It also accelerates metabolism; for some people, a lack of sleep can contribute to conditions such as diabetes and stubborn weight gain. Many overweight men suffer from sleep apnea, which is characterized by symptoms of snoring, nocturnal awakening and day-time sleepiness. Untreated sleep apnea can be life-threatening.

Focusing on adequate sleep is a priority for men who want better midlife health.

TOO STRESSED

TOO LITTLE SUNSHINE Vitamin D is critical for a healthy mood, healthy energy levels and erectile function. In some men, symptoms

The adrenal glands are key players in producing sex hormones after the testes and ovaries decline in function. High levels of stress cause your adrenal glands

to go into overdrive, adjusting to the unyielding levels of stress that you experience. When the adrenal glands must choose between producing the stress hormone cortisol and sex hormones, the body will choose cortisol. Establishing a healthy stress response by engaging in stress reduction habits at midlife is key to maintaining good health.

Highlighted above are a few of the key factors that contribute to andropause symptoms. While these recommendations sound simple enough, over time problems with any of these factors can disrupt physiological balance and lead to disease. The good news is that there is so much a man can do to improve his quality life at midlife without requiring supplemental testosterone therapy Dr. Kulveen Virdee practices naturopathic medicine at Shalva Clinic in Westport. During her general medicine residency, she worked with experts in the field of men’s health, autism, gastroenterology and mood disorders.

She can be reached at 203-916-4600 or ShalvaClinic.org. See ad on back cover.

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INSPIRED

TABLE

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

203-885-4674

inspiredtable Audubon Greenwich Hosts Food & Farm Expo

A

udubon Greenwich will host the second annual Sustainable Food & Farm Expo on May 31 from 10am until 5pm. This year’s Expo will showcase food producers, retailers, a celebrity chef and farmers who will teach guests how to prepare and enjoy a wide variety of local and sustainably grown foods, plus grow some of their own. The Sustainable Food & Farm Expo is a production of Audubon Greenwich, the Fairfield Green Food Guide and Strawberry and Sage aimed at educating the public about the diverse sustainable food community.

The public is invited to enjoy 20 food exhibitors and vendors plus talks, demonstrations and tastings with a wide range of experts every 30 minutes. Snacks, beverages and lunch are available for purchase onsite from Grass Rxoots and Fleisher’s Craft Butchery. Visit FairfieldGreenFoodGuide.com for a complete special events calendar.

Chef Silvia Baldini of Strawberry and Sage will offer three different culinary demonstrations and tastings where locally sourced ingredients take center stage.

Educational tastings include organic, micro-lot, Guatemalan coffee with Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters; five local honeys with the American Honey Tasting Society; single varietal extra virgin olive oils with Olivette; and artisan cheeses with Greenwich Cheese Company.

“We have curated a day chock full of special events so anyone with an appetite for new resources, fresh ideas and a gastronomic adventure will leave feeling sated,” says Analiese Paik, founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide.

Guests are advised to pre-register for paid tastings online as capacity is limited to 50 people per 30-minute event. General admission tickets are $15 per person, $20 per couple or $25 per family. Paid tastings are an additional $10 per person, per session and online reservations are strongly recommended as seating is limited to 50 guests per session.

To register online, visit BrownPaperTicket.com/Event/1568464. Location: Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Rd, Greenwich.

Catch A Healthy Habit Hosts David Wolfe Workshop

D

avid “Avocado” Wolfe, a health, eco, nutrition and natural beauty expert, returns to Connecticut for the first time since 2008 to offer a workshop on conquering candida and lowering inflammation with healing technology. Fairfield’s Catch A Healthy Habit Café is organizing the June 11 workshop held at Norwalk Concert Hall from 7 to 9pm, followed by a break until 9:30pm. Wolfe will then return to the stage for a question and answer session David Wolfe with the audience.

In line with his focus on the use of superfoods and longevity, Wolfe is the celebrity spokesperson for NutriBullet and for LongevityWarehouse.com. In addition to being the co-founder of the TheBestDayEver.com online health magazine, he is the founder and president of The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation with a mission to plant 18 billion fruit, nut and medicinal trees.

Tickets are available online for $45 until June 10. On the day of the event, tickets will be sold at the door for $50.

For more information and for tickets, visit CatchAHealthyHabit.com/Avocado.

Location: Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Ave, Norwalk.

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consciouseating

PERSONAL HORMONE PROFILE

MANLY FOODS

H

ealth counselor James Occhiogrosso says it’s essential to know a man’s entire hormone profile, not just testosterone levels, to understand the best way to treat problems.

A hormone panel should include blood and/or saliva tests of the following:

Boost Testosterone with the Right Choices

by Kathleen Barnes

Today’s rates of male infertility and sexual dysfunction suggest that low testosterone is rapidly becoming a national problem.

J

ohns Hopkins School of Medicine epidemiologists estimate that 18.4 percent of all American men over the age of 20, totaling 18 million, have reported experiencing erectile dysfunction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 7.5 percent of all sexually experienced men under 45, or more than 4 million, have consulted a fertility doctor, suggesting it’s a serious problem among younger men.

“Both erectile dysfunction and infertility reflect elements of lifestyle choices, especially obesity, smoking and exposure to environmental toxins,” says Naturopath James Occhiogrosso, of Fort Myers, Florida, author of Your Prostate, Your Libido, Your Life: A Guide to Causes and Natural Solutions for Prostate Problems

4 Testosterone

and ProstateHealthNaturally.com. He says there are many ways to address low testosterone, a factor in both issues, and a healthy diet is crucial for healthy sexual function in both men and women.

Some foods can help, while others can hinder a man’s sexual vitality, advises Craig Cooper, of Newport Beach, California, founder of the CooperativeHealth network of men’s health websites and author of Your New Prime: 30 Days to Better Sex, Eternal Strength, and a Kick Ass Life After 40. He identifies key no-nos that decrease testosterone as eating excess sugar, drinking excessive alcohol and being sedentary. Here are the best foods for increasing testosterone.

Shrimp: Like fatty fish, this tiny crustacean is one of nature’s few food sources of vitamin D, which Harvard School of Public Health research confirms is linked to testosterone levels.

Four ounces of shrimp contain 162 IU (international units), about 40 percent of recommended daily intake.

Oysters, red meat and pumpkin seeds: All of these are rich sources of zinc, which Cooper notes has a direct

4 Free testosterone 4 SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) 4 Progesterone and estradiol (hor mones not only present in women) 4 DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a precursor, or foundational hormone, that produces both estrogen and testosterone

link to higher testosterone levels. He cautions, however, that too much zinc can cause its absorption to diminish.

Men need 11 milligrams (mg) of zinc a day. Oysters are considered a food of love for a reason: One shelled oyster contains 12.8 mg of zinc. Pumpkin seeds are zinc powerhouses with 7 mg in 3.5 ounces. By comparison, 3 ounces of beef liver or dark chicken meat deliver 4.3 mg and 2.4 mg, respectively.

Lean, grass-fed beef, tuna and nuts: These are high-quality sources of omega-3 fatty acids. “Without obtaining at least 20 percent of our daily calories from fat (no less than 15 percent)

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we can’t function at optimum capacity, as hormones are produced through the components of dietary fats, including the sex hormones like testosterone,” advises Virginia Beach, Virginia, Registered Dietitian Jim White, a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “A diet high in carbohydrates and too much dietary fat—more than 35 percent—will cause a gain in body fat, which can decrease testosterone levels. Balance is the key.”

Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage: Cruciferous vegetables are rich sources of indole-3-carbinol, which helps both balance testosterone and estrogen, and neutralize excess estrogen in men and women, says Occhiogrosso. Yes, men have estrogen, too, just less than women, and too much blocks testosterone production.

Red grapes: This whole food is a good source of resveratrol and proanythocyanidin, which block harmful estrogen production, says White. Excess estrogen production spurred by eating foods like soy and flax and the growth hormones contained in big agriculture’s meat and dairy products lowers testosterone production in men.

Strawberries: Due to their cortisol-lowering vitamin C, all berries help reduce stress, including when hormones are released during a heavy workout that can hamper testosterone production. One study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine confirms that more cortisol equals less testosterone; another in the World Journal of Men’s Health shows that high cortisol lowers sex drive and results in delayed ejaculation. Plus, two Brazilian studies showed animals with the highest vitamin C intake had the highest sperm counts among study subjects. Another good cortisol fighter is the allicin in garlic.

Pomegranates: Occhiogrosso likes pomegranates for building testosterone levels. An impressive study from the International Journal of Impotence Research showed that the performance of 47 percent of the impotent male study participants improved after consuming a daily glass of pomegranate juice for four weeks.

“Food is always the first choice when I’m treating men with testosterone and fertility issues,” says Occhiogrosso. “It’s often effective without the dangers of testosterone injections.”

Kathleen Barnes is the author of numerous health books, including Food Is Medicine: 101 Prescriptions from the Garden. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

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healthykids

Keep it fun, so that your kids will try new things like vegetables. Remember, it takes 12 times before a baby actually prefers a new food, so don’t give up! ~Veronika Van de Geer Buckley, Maine mother

KIDS ¤ VEGGIES How to Instill Healthy Lifelong Habits

by Clancy Cash Harrison

Starting at conception, the early years of a child’s life are a perfect window of opportunity to establish a foundation of healthy eating.

W

ant a child to love veggies?

Here are simple tips parents can practice in the first three years to establish lifelong good eating habits.

Start early. We all know that eating healthy during pregnancy will help a baby grow, but many may not realize that an infant can taste flavors in utero and through breast milk. Eating a variety of fresh produce during pregnancy and breastfeeding helps shape a healthy diet later in life.

Treat weaning as a time for the infant to explore the texture, taste and aroma of an array of foods. After six months of exclusive breastfeeding, food can be introduced, although breast milk is still the primary source of nutrients.

Small, repeated exposures to many foods during this stage will help mini-

mize refusals to try or accept foods in the toddler years.

Children’s foods should be exploding with nutrients. Offering a variety of organic produce ensures optimal nutrition and decreases chemical exposure. Research reported by the Harvard Medical School and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, among others, shows that richly colored foods help build dense bones, powerful brains and tough immunity. Good candidates include butternut squash, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, berries and citrus. Also go for those naturally high in iron, such as peas, leafy greens, apricots, raisins and legumes.

Avoid anything high in sugar and other sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, artificial colorings and other harmful

additives.

Another important yet often overlooked foundation of healthy eating is encouraging a child to self-regulate his or her calorie intake. Self-regulation starts on the first day of breastfeeding and is carried through adulthood.

Respecting a child’s decision to end a meal allows them to control their own food intake. Common signals infants use to end a meal include turning their head away, arching back, throwing food on the floor and showing an interest in other activities. To encourage self-regulation, always serve meals and healthy snacks on a schedule and allow the child to feed himself when possible.

As early as 7 months of age, most healthy infants are developmentally ready to do this, which should optimize nutrient consumption, increase participation in family meals and contribute to a less stressful mealtime. Appropriate foods for self-feeding should easily melt in an infant’s mouth and be a safe size, such as soft fruits and cooked vegetables. To prevent choking, avoid round, hard and sticky foods such as whole grapes, peanuts, popcorn and nut or seed butters.

Don’t be afraid to add mild herbs and spices to a child’s food. An easy way to teach healthy flavor preferences, develop taste buds and reduce pickiness when they’re older is to expose children to many foods, textures and aromas. A dash of cumin in smashed avocado or freshly chopped mint mixed with diced strawberries introduces new perspective on a favorite food.

Food refusal is inevitable, normal behavior. Children will love a food one day and hate it the next. Rethinking the definition of variety empowers parents

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

41

to reintroduce a not-so-favorite food many times. If children don’t like the way an item feels or looks, they may not taste it. The refusal of a carrot doesn’t necessarily doom carrots. They can be coined, minced, mashed, puréed and diced to change the texture, plus they can be served cold, at room temperature or tepid.

A child’s early adventurous eating increases the willingness to experiment with a wider range of less familiar foods as a young adult in a multicultural foodscape. Kids are not born reciting an alphabet; it takes time and practice to read and learn a new language. Similarly, it requires time and patient practice to establish a healthy foundation for eating. Have faith in the family’s ability to make eating together enjoyable for everyone.

Clancy Cash Harrison is a mother of two, pediatric feeding therapist, registered dietitian and author of Feeding Baby: Simple Approaches to Raising a Healthy Baby and Creating a Lifetime of Nutritious Eating. Connect at FieldsOfFlavor.com.

Easy Kid-Pleasing Recipes T

hese recipes are designed to build dense bones, powerful brains and tough immunity by strategically pairing foods to increase the absorption of vital nutrients. Even toddlers love to use the creamy recipes as dips for their favorite vegetable sticks. To encourage self-feeding with a thinner-texture recipe, place food on a spoon and let the infant lean into it or pull the spoon to their mouth.

Banana and Coconut Ice Cream 4 frozen organic bananas (without peels) ½ cup unsweetened organic coconut milk 1 tsp organic vanilla extract

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth. Top with fresh organic berries.

Sweet and Chunky Avocado

½ ripe organic avocado, mashed with a fork ½ ripe organic banana Pinch of organic cinnamon (optional) Mix ingredients well until smooth and creamy. Add breast milk to thin as needed. For more texture, dice the banana and gently mix into mashed avocado.

QUINOA SALAD WITH ROASTED JALAPEÑOS (Serves 6)

This is the perfect accompaniment to a BBQ meal! Healthy whole grain quinoa combines with spicy jalapeños and sweet grapes for a tasty and light side dish. Alternately, the jalapeños can be grilled rather than roasted.

INGERDIENTS:

4 large jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil Salt to taste 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well 1/4 cup lime juice 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted 1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss jalapeños with 1 teaspoon of the oil and salt, transfer to a baking sheet and roast until soft and slightly blackened, about 20 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

• Meanwhile, put quinoa and 2 cups water into a medium pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to let cool.

• Whisk together lime juice and salt. Drizzle in remaining ¼ cup oil while continuing to whisk constantly. Pour dressing over quinoa then add jalapeños, green onions, queso fresco, pumpkin seeds, grapes and cilantro and toss gently to combine.

42

Fairfield County Edition

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Kid Feeding Tips

by Clancy Cash Harrison

Bake sweet potato until its center is soft. Remove flesh from peel. Smashing with a fork, mix in cinnamon. Add breast milk to thin as needed.

n Holding off on fruits as a first food to prevent development of a sweet tooth is a myth. A sweet taste preference is engrained in an infant’s DNA (Annual Review of Nutrition; Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care). n Restricting foods high in sugar and fat increases a child’s preference for them. Then, when sweets are made available, the child feels compelled to overeat them (Appetite; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Proceedings of the Nutrition Society). n Most children will refuse a new food and by age 2, become afraid of anything new. Therefore, introduce a large variety of foods early in life (Appetite; International Journal of Obesity).

Strawberry and Almond Purée

8 raw, soaked almonds 4 large organic strawberries, diced 1 tsp fresh chopped organic herbs (basil, cilantro or mint)

n Infants and children can regulate calorie needs based on current growth patterns and age. Some days an infant will eat large amounts of food, on others very little.

Pulse almonds in a blender until finely chopped. Add strawberries and herb of choice. Mix until well blended.

n Pressuring a child to eat is a behavior associated with unhealthy eating habits. Not only does it set them up for long-term food aversions, it teaches them to distrust their internal feelings of hunger and fullness, often leading to a habit of overeating.

Recipes and photos courtesy of Clancy Cash Harrison from Feeding Baby: Simple Approaches to Raising a Healthy Baby and Creating a Lifetime of Nutritious Eating.

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We Have an Inalienable Right to Know What We’re Eating

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203-885-4674 44

Fairfield County Edition

fitbody

Yoga for the Bros Men Find it Builds All-Around Fitness

F

by Meredith Montgomery

ive thousand years ago, most yoga teachers and students were men.

Today, of the 15 million American practitioners, less than a third are males.

However, this figure has increased in the past decade, with teachers in some areas reporting a balanced ratio of men and women in their classes.

Yet, even as professional athletes add yoga to their training regimen, Power Yoga founder Bryan Kest, in Santa Monica, California, points out, “To the mainstream man, yoga is not masculine. You see men in ballet performances, but it doesn’t mean men are attracted to ballet.”

Eric Walrabenstein, founder of Yoga Pura, in Phoenix, agrees. “To achieve the widest adoption of the practice, we need to shift away from the notion that yoga is a physical exercise primarily for women, to one that embraces yoga’s holistic physical, mental and emotional benefits for anyone regardless of gender.”

Life Benefits

Physically, yoga can complement traditional workout routines by increasing flexibility, strength and balance, and also play a role in pain management and injury prevention. Kest says, “Yoga is the best fitness-related activity I know of, but the tone and shapeliness that results is a byproduct. The focus is on balance and healing.”

He encourages students to challenge themselves without

natural awakenings

being extreme. “The harder you are on anything, the faster you wear it out. If our objective is to both last as long and feel as good as possible, it makes no sense to push hard. Instead we should be gentle and sensitive in our practice.”

Men will do well to learn how to stop what they’re doing and breathe, says Kreg Weiss, co-founder of My Yoga Online (now on Gaiam TV), from Vancouver. He emphasizes the importance of modifying poses as needed during classes and notes that doing so takes vulnerability that doesn’t come naturally to most men. “If you find yourself shaking while holding downward dog, allow yourself to go down to the floor without worrying about what others will think.”

Societal pressures of masculinity sometimes dictate who a man thinks he should be. Breaking through such barriers enables a man to be relaxed with himself and unafraid as, “It changes what goes on off the mat, too,” observes Weiss.

Bhava Ram (née Brad Willis), founder of the Deep Yoga School of Healing Arts, in San Diego, points out, “Men need yoga because it helps us deal better with stress and emotional issues. When we have more inner balance, we show up better for ourselves, spouses, friends and loved ones.”

Therapeutic Benefits

As modern science begins to document yoga’s healing effects, it’s being used in treatment plans for conditions ranging from addiction and trauma to multiple sclerosis and cancer. Ram was a Type A

Be open to the power of relaxation and letting go. Like anything that is organic and pure and whole, yoga works in a lasting way over time.

Natural Awakenings Product Marketplace

~ Bhava Ram

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aggressive reporter and network war correspondent and, “Like many men with similar personality types, I struggled with anger and control issues. I had no interest in yoga; it seemed strange and unnecessary to me,” he recalls.

After a broken back, that ended his journalism career, failed surgery, advanced cancer and dependance on prescription drugs, he found himself facing death. Inspired by his young son to take control of his health, he embraced yoga as a healing way forward. After two years of dedicated practice, Ram says he turned 80 pounds of physical weight and 1,000 pounds of emotional toxins into gratitude, forgiveness and loving kindness. “I left 90 percent of my back pain behind and the cancer is gone.”

Kest explains that yoga’s significant therapeutic value is based on its capacity to reduce stress and its effects, while teaching and strengthening techniques to cope with it.

“Ninety percent of the stress we put on our bodies originates in the stress we put on our minds,” he says. “If you want to be healthy, you have to look at mental fitness, not just the size of your biceps or the strength of your cardiovascular system. It’s calmness and peacefulness of mind that matter.”

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Tips for First-Timers

Weiss urges men new to yoga to take time to find the right class.

“When men that can’t touch their toes walk into some preconceived notion of a class full of women Om-ing, they feel apprehensive and the experience does them no service.” Regardless of one’s state of fitness, it’s important to start slowly, with a focus on the breath. “If you don’t have a good foundation, you can miss a lot of yoga’s benefits. Seek teachers with a solid yoga background educated in anatomy.”

Walrabenstein recommends that first-timers find a class that meets their expectations of targeted benefits. “Remember that yoga is supposed to serve you in enabling your best life possible. If for you that means a vigorous workout, go for it. Even the most physically-oriented yoga styles can carry profound mental and spiritual benefits—and can lead to a deeper, more rewarding practice over time.”

Arrive early to class to get settled and talk with the teacher about physical status, potential limitations or other concerns. Yoga is practiced barefoot and clothing should be loose and comfortable, allowing the body to sweat and move.

Walrabenstein reminds men to have fun. “Yoga, like anything, can be awkward at first. Make space for your learning curve and remember, no one in class is judging you.”

Meredith Montgomery, a registered yoga teacher, publishes Natural Awakenings of Mobile/Baldwin, AL (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com).

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June 2015

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naturalpet

The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!

Therapeutic Bodywork for Pets

by Mary Oquendo

E 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 NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

46

Fairfield County Edition

very year, Americans pay billions of dollars for veterinary care with the majority of the costs spent on reactive care. Instead of proactively keeping a pet healthy, it is a panicked rush to the veterinarian – where the cost is higher to hopefully return your pet to a state of health.

Preventive care is actively taking charge of your pet’s health. It includes diet, exercise and veterinary wellness exams. Hands-on and hands-off bodywork can also be as therapeutic for pets as it is for humans, potentially reducing the need for some other clinical intervention.

HANDS-ON THERAPIES Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncturists insert needles or use electrical impulses in specific points along the energy channels. These channels are also called meridians. These channels can become blocked due to illness, injury, poor diet and toxic environments. Acupuncture stimulates pain-relieving endorphins, releases neurotransmitters to the brain, increases blood and energetic circulation, and unblocks the meridians so that energy can flow freely throughout the body. In addition to being used for

natural awakenings

respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal illnesses, acupuncture can be beneficial for spinal injury and disease and musculoskeletal problems – such as arthritis.

A trained veterinarian should perform acupuncture on your pet.

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture except that is not invasive. Acupressurists use gentle pressure at specific points along the meridians with their fingers or crystal wands. There is specific training involved for animal acupressure.

Massage therapists manipulate soft tissue and muscles to speed healing of injuries, strains and sprains and reduce the corresponding pain and swelling. At the same time, massage increases joint flexibility and range of motion and improves circulation and oxygenation of blood.

Physical therapy uses various techniques, including water and specialized equipment, to increase function and mobility of joints and muscle. Physical therapy can reduce pain and speed recovery from injury, surgery and degenerative and age-related diseases.

HANDS-OFF BODYWORK Examples of hands-off bodywork include Reiki and crystal therapy, which are considered energy work.

Energy work strengthens the channels of energy that flow throughout the body, as well as in the energy field commonly referred to as the aura. When these energy channels become blocked, it can lead to illness and disease. Unblocking them allows your pet’s natural healing abilities to restart. When used in conjunction with modern medicine, medications and procedures are also amplified.

Energy healing has been practiced for thousands of years. In fact, many major hospitals have complementary departments that work with modern medical professionals.

With crystal therapy, crystals are placed on or around the body. Crystals have a measureable frequency and emit vibrations. It is these vibrations that affect a body’s electrosmagnetic field, as well as breaks up blockages along the meridians. Specific crystals are chosen based on the needs of the pet.

Reiki is a Japanese technique in which a practitioner directs energy to a blockage and clears it. The ultimate in hands-off bodywork is distance Reiki. Think of the energetic field that surrounds you and the planet as a communication system, our personal worldwide internet. A level 2 practitioner can tap into

that field and send Reiki anywhere in the world. Pam Pollard of Hands And Paws-Reiki For All in New Milford likes to do distance Reiki on animals as they as going to sleep for the night. “I find that as animals are entering a naturally restful state, they absorb the energy readily,” she says.

Energy work can help with chronic conditions and behavioral problems, while speeding the healing of injuries and surgery and boostsing the immune system. In addition, it can help a pet transition over the Rainbow Bridge.

Most states do not license animal acupressurists, Reiki practitioners, or massage, physical and crystal therapists. Ask a potential therapist about their training.

Including bodywork in your pet’s wellness program is as important as diet, exercise, environment and modern veterinary care.

Mary Oquendo is a Reiki master, advanced crystal master and certified master pet tech pet first aid instructor. She is the co-owner of Hands and Paws-Reiki for All. She can be reached at HandsandPawsReiki.com. See ad, page 48.

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communityspotlight

Paws & Paddle Canine Conditioning

by Nicole Miale

G

rowing up as a multi-sport athlete in Rhode Island, Gail Henderson always knew she wanted to work in a career related to sports medicine and athletics. When she experienced her first serious injuries in high school, she researched how to get better faster so she could return to playing the sports she loved. That was her introduction to the world of physical therapy, leading her to study sports medicine at Indiana State University and work as an athletic trainer while getting her degree and certification in physical therapy from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Little did she know that was just the start of a unique path which would lead her to not only work with human athletes, but canines as well.

“I never had any idea that one sentence was going to change my life

and the direction of my work,” she says.

“I had been looking for a niche, trying to figure out what I wanted my own practice to focus on. I was treating a woman who told me she had to cancel her next set of appointments because her dog was having knee surgery. I halfjokingly asked if there was anything I could do to help. I didn’t expect her to say yes.” The woman’s vet had recommended physical therapy to help her dog recover function after the surgery.

“The light bulb went off and I knew I was going to specialize in therapy for people and dogs,” Henderson says. The

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Fairfield County Edition

idea for what would become Paws and Paddle Canine Conditioning was born.

At that point in Henderson’s 20year career as a physical therapist, there were only 15 clinics in the country doing physical therapy with dogs. In 2001, she began a two-year program in Canine Rehabilitation that had just been approved by the University of Tennessee. Henderson became one of the first 36 practitioners in the world to earn the designation as Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CRRP). She is now one of two CRRPs in Fairfield County with about a dozen practicing in other areas of Connecticut. There are currently three programs offering CRRP training for physical therapists, vets and vet techs only.

Henderson says 98-99 percent of the anatomy of the two species is the same if a human gets on their hands and knees. Humans have collarbones while dogs have tails and more vertebrae, but the physiology and its functionality is essentially the same.

Thus, the same kind of rehabilitation is needed for optimal recovery post injury or surgery. The goals of therapy include decreased pain and swelling, protection of other limbs from compensatory trauma, controlled early mobilization to limit effects of disuse, restoration of normal movement patterns, and earlier and safer return to fun and function.

Treatment for canines is by veterinarian referral only. While much progress has been made in the years since Henderson started her practice, the development of this emerging field has not been easy. “Even 14 years later, I still face skeptics,” she explains. “More progressive vets get what we’re doing and understand what a difference

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peutic Touch and Reiki. “Injuries and recovery are not just physical experiences,” she explains. “Nothing is just physical. We must address the internal and external factors affecting the bodymind-spirit combination in order to heal faster and achieve the best outcome.”

Henderson enjoys working with both species and plans to continue doing both. She gets a lot more kisses from her clients on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. this makes in an animal’s recovery of function. Most pet owners are relieved because while they might be concerned about cost initially, they quickly realize they can’t do everything they want to at home and need someone to help them and their animal. But some vets still tell people just to walk their dogs after knee surgery. And walking is good, but the first time the dog takes off and runs, they’re likely to injure themselves because they haven’t run in 8 weeks or more. You have to understand the process of healing and function which is not necessarily a vet’s area of expertise.”

Henderson is highly trained in observation of movement and gait analysis; her facility in New Milford is the first clinic in the country to house both human and canine conditioning equipment, which is state-of-the-art in both areas. The two clinics share a building but are completely distinct from each other, with separate entrances. She treats humans on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays and sees canine patients on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Although her work began as purely physical, Henderson has incorporated various forms of energy healing and bodywork over the years, such as Thera-

Paws and Paddle Canine Conditioning is located at 350 Litchfield Rd, New Milford. For more information, call 860355-0209 or visit PawsandPaddle.com.

Nicole Miale is publisher of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County.

Connect with her at NicoleM@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. She didn’t know dogs had knees until her husky companion Shiloh tore her ACL and required surgery in March.

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Turn Your Passion Into a Business

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Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

Natural Awakenings is now expanding into new markets across the U.S. Contact us about starting a magazine in a community of your choice or acquiring an existing publication for sale highlighted in red below.

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

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calendarofevents

markyourcalendar Open House at the Farm

Magazine calendar events must be received by June 12 (for July issue) and adhere to our guidelines. All calendar submissions must be entered online at eNaturalAwakenings.com: click on “submit calendar” at the very top of the page.

TUESDAY, JUNE 2 Wise Learning Day School – 10am-noon. With Michele Isenberg, CEO/Founder of Wise Learning talks about The Wise Learning Day School. For students of all ages. Truly a dream come true for the outside the box learner, or any student who is unhappy with their current educational options! Free. The Office of Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, 898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ste #6, Ridgefield. 203-438-4848.

DrRoseannInfo@att.net. DrRoseann.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 Herbal Sleep Pillow Workshop – 7pm. Join Ehris Urban for hands-on creation of your own customized herbal sleep pillow, specific to your own sleeping issue. Free. Bethlehem Public Library, 32 Main St South, Bethlehem. GroundedHolisticWellness@ yahoo.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4 Awakening the Hidden Storyteller: Discovering Your Natural Storytelling Abilities – 7-9pm. Free.

The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany.

203-874-4252. Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu/Events.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5 Shamanic Drum Circle – 7:30-10:30pm. Join us to connect with energy, spirit and Mother Earth through sacred Shamanic drumming, rattling and healing.

All levels welcome, no experience necessary! $20.

Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Bridgeport.

203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com.

HunterHealingHands.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6 Reiki Level 1 Workshop – 9:30am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher. Learn Western style from an experienced Reiki master (19 years).

Includes latest info. Learn Reiki for self-healing and healing others. 4 powerful energy connections, from short (Japanese/Usa) linage, 2 manuals and certificate. $115 + $10/materials. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (enter office downstairs in back), Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.

Animal Blessing – 2-4pm. Raindate 6/7. With speaker Peter V.K. Reid, associate director of Wildlife in Crisis, Inc. The Animal Blessing will include prayers for the protection, health, long life and future path to liberation for the animals. For the safety and comfort of all, animals must be on a leash. Free. Donations accepted. Tibetan Buddhist Center for Universal Peace DNKL, 30 Putnam Park Rd, Redding. 203-664-1574.

Info@DnklDharma.org. DnklDharma.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 7 Expand Your Relationship with your Spiritual Team – 1-3pm. With Pamela Marie Edmunds. We will discuss the different roles each member of your spiritual team has and how they can assist you in life.

A group hypnosis session will follow. Bring a blanket and pillow. $25. Albertson Memorial Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich.

Info@AlbertsonChurch.org. AlbertsonChurch.org.

Yoga Therapeutics for Autoimmune Conditions – 1-3:30pm. With Kathy Sward, PhD, MPH, RYT-500.

Workshop designed for those with chronic health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, lupus, chronic fatigue and other autoimmune illnesses. Learn how to diffuse stress and adjust for a gentle, healing and painless practice. No experience necessary. All welcome. $45/online. $55/at the door.

The Bedford Post Inn/The Yoga Loft, 954 Old Post Rd, Bedford. 914-234-7800. Rebekah@BedfordPostinn.com. BedfordPostInn.com/Yoga-Loft.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9 Information Sessions – 6-7pm. Free. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252.

Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu/Events.

Herbalism, Learn the art and science of traditional healing Flower Essence & with Community Herbalist

203•313•7883

Classes • Consultations • Workshops 65 Bank Street, New Milford, CT www.twinstarherbal.com

Wednesday, June 10 • 6:30-8pm

Spiritual Psychic Fair – Noon. Mediumship readings, tarot cards, pendulum readings, psychic and past life readings. 25 minute sessions. Healing Sessions available: Pranic Healing and Reiki Healing for people and/or animals. Email for appointments.

Walk-ins welcome. $45 and up/readings. $25/healings. Albertson Memorial Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. Info@ AlbertsonChurch.org. AlbertsonChurch.org.

Connecticut’s School of Herbal Studies Lupo Passero

The Institute Of Sustainable Nutrition

Energy Healing Certifications

Come for a walk-about to learn about our one-year certification program. Tour the farm and garden, meet staff, discover wild edibles, prepare a simple dish. Free Holcomb Farm 113 Simsbury Rd, West Granby TIOSN.com • RSVP: 860-764-9070 Essential Oils For Beginners – 7-8:30pm. With Jennifer Gailey. Informative classes to enhance your health and wellness through the use of essential oils.

Free. Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Info@TFLWellness.com. TFLWellness.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10 Film Screening of On Meditation – 7pm. Thinking about trying meditation or already meditating?

Come be inspired to practice at a screening of On Meditation - Documenting the Inner Journey.

A Series of portrait films that explore the deeply personal practice of meditation. The evening will conclude with discussion and guided meditation. $18. Fairfield Theater Company, 70 Sanford St, Fairfield. AuthenticMattersLLC@gmail.com.

Workshop: Tao Yin & Stress Reduction Techniques – 7-8:30pm. Tao Yin exercises encourage flexibility and strength, rejuvenating a person’s muscles, ligaments, and joints and help release blocked energy within a person’s body. This will be a participatory seminar. Loose fitting clothes are suggested. Free for patients. Non-patients: $20 donation, free if you bring a guest. SOPHIA Natural Health Center, 31 Old Rt 7, Brookfield.

203-740-9300. LHoffman@SophiaNaturalHealth. com. SophiaNaturalHealth.com.

Deepen Your Relationships – 7-9pm. Spiritual Seminar with Shakti Durga. Free. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252.

Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu/Events.

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PO Box 603, Brookfield, CT 06804 • 203-775-5006 • JudithBarr@PowerAbusedPowerHealed.com

eNaturalAwakenings.com

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calendarofevents markyourcalendar Albertson Church ANTIQUE MART Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 10am – 4pm Albertson Memorial Church 293 Sound Beach Ave Old Greenwich, CT 06870 Albertson Memorial Church needs your help!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS: Antiques, jewelry, furniture, cars, decorative objects, designer clothing, etc. to help with much-needed restorations.

YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. AlbertsonChurchAntiqueMart@gmail.com or 347-330-9184 to set up an appt. to have goods picked up or dropped off.

AlbertsonChurch.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11 A Conversation with David Wolfe – 7-10pm.

Catch A Healthy Habit Cafe in Fairfield brings you health, eco, nutrition and natural beauty expert David Wolfe. Conquer candida, lower inflammation, healing technology. Doors open at 6pm. $45. The Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Ave, Norwalk.

203-292-8190. CatchAHealthyHabit@yahoo.com.

CatchAHealthyHabit.com/Avocado.

Consciousness and Manifestation Crystal Healing – 7:30-9:30pm. Experience Melody Crystal Healing combined with the power of the sacred Shamanic Journey to connect with the inner consciousness for manifestation of goals, dreams and desires to create your reality. $40. Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Bridgeport. 203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 12 Honoring The Four Directions – 6-9pm. Painted Turtle (Chris Harris) will use his Mohegan heritage to teach us how to live in sacred relationship with our surroundings. Class also includes a sacred cleansing ceremony with an in depth teaching of its importance. $45. Twin Star Herbal’s outdoor classroom, 265 Litchfield Rd, New Milford. 203-313-7883.

TwinStarHerbs@gmail.com. TwinStarHerbal.com.

VIP Dinner: New Story Festival – 6-9pm. Free.

The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany.

NewHaven@HolisticChamberoofCommerce.com.

Learn.edu/Events.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13 New Story Festival – 9am-5:30pm. The Unitarian Society of New Haven, 700 Hartford Tpke, Hamden.

203-874-4252. Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu/Events.

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Fairfield County Edition

Perennial Exchange – 10am-1pm. Bring your excess plants to trade with other gardeners, and everyone will go home with something new for the yard.

Plan on bringing an ingredient or two for a huge group chef salad. Dessert and herbal tea served. Free.

Grounded Holistic Wellness, 785 Main St North, Woodbury. 203-942-0774. GroundedHolisticWellness@yahoo.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.

KickFit CT Grand Opening – 1-4pm. Bring your friends, family members and colleagues to see KickFit’s awesome facility, meet the KickFit staff, socialize and enjoy some snacks and refreshments and other fun surprises. Free. KickFit CT, 109 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield. 203-403-3382. KickFitCT.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 14 Community Bazaar at the Points United Congregational Church Outdoor Lawn – 9am-3pm. Market stalls for vendors, food and nonprofit service in our local community. Wonderful things to see and ask about for all. Free Admission. Sellers: $25 for booth, $10 for nonprofit. United Congregational Church of Norwalk, 275 Richards Ave, Norwalk. 203-8388858. RevHolly@optonline.net. UCCNorwalk.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 Balancing Chakras With Yoga and Herbs – 7-8:30pm. Restorative class incorporates chakra overview, yoga asanas (postures), herbal oils and meditations designed to create harmonious inner balance and support your lustrous subtle body for optimal health and deeply established feelings of well being. Each month will focus on a different chakra. $25. Twin Star/Ah Yoga Studio, 65 Bank St, New Milford. 203-313-7883. TwinStarHerbs@gmail.com.

TwinStarHerbal.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18 Information Sessions – 5-6pm. Free. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252.

Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu/events.

Questions & Answers about Reiki – 7-9:30pm.

With Gigi Benanti Reiki Master/Teacher. 7-8:30pm; talk about Reiki with Q&A for non-Reiki. 8:159:30pm: talk and Q&A for Reiki-certified Practitioners to inquire about advanced training. Includes latest info on Western Style Reiki. Mini-Reiki sessions included. $5 or $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.

Summer Solstice Drum Circle – 7:30-9:30pm. Join us to celebrate the energy of the Summer Solstice through Shamanic Drumming and Shamanic Healing.

All levels welcome, no experience necessary. $20.

Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Bridgeport.

203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com.

HunterHealingHands.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23 Medicinal Uses Of Culinary Herbs & Vegetables – 6pm. Join Community Herbalist, Lupo Passero of Twin Star Herbal Education, as she shares the traditional uses of some of our favorite and common culinary herbs and vegetables and how to use them for their medicinal qualities. Space is limited, preregister. $25. The Green Spot, 354 Litchfield Rd, New

natural awakenings

markyourcalendar Sticks & Stones Annual Open House & Mountain Laurel Festival Sunday, June 14 • 11am – 4pm Bigger than ever, featuring exhibitors, demonstrations and activities to suit all tastes and needs. The Open House promises to be a day of family fun and adventure!

FREE Event open to all! RAIN OR SHINE

Dress comfortably to move, walk and hike outdoors.

For more information, call 203-885-4674 SticksAndStonesFarm.com Milford. 203-313-7883. TwinStarHerbs@gmail.com.

TwinStarHerbal.com.

Essential Oils For Beginners – 7-8:30pm. With Jennifer Gailey. Informative classes to enhance your health and wellness through the use of essential oils. Free.

Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-6217-8228. Info@TFLWellness. com. TFLWellness.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25 The Power of Story: How Stories Make Us Human – 7-9pm. Free. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252. Info@Learn.edu.

Learn.edu/Events.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26 Reiki Second Degree Workshop – 10am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher (19 years). Learn Reiki 2nd Degree in the Western style. Learn to send distance Reiki healing, deepen use of Reiki for others and yourself. 2 powerful energy connections from my short Japanese/Usa Linage. Two manuals and certificate. $215. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (enter office downstairs in back), Norwalk. 203-852-1150.

AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 Boardwalk Walk at White Memorial – 11am. The White Memorial 4000-acre preserve is located in Litchfield, in the hills of northwestern Connecticut. Join us for a stroll on the beautiful boardwalk. Bring a bagged lunch. Free. White Memorial Conservation Center, Whitehall Road, Litchfield. GroundedHolisticWellness@yahoo.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 28 Director of the Soul with Eve Kerwin, White Buffalo Woman, Shamanic Healer and Channel – 1-3pm. Each person may choose either to experience a brief shamanic healing with White Buffalo Woman or receive a specific message through whichever of the masters, guides, angels or messengers chooses to come through to speak. $90. Albertson Memorial Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich.

Info@AlbertsonChurch.org. AlbertsonChurch.org.

First Aid and Reflexology – 7pm. This class, taught by certified reflexologist Ehris Urban, will provide hands-on techniques (that even a non-reflexologist can learn) to use in the event of an emergency. Free. Woodbury Yoga Center, Woodbury. GroundedHolisticWellness@yahoo.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.

ongoingevents sunday

monday

tuesday

Angelic Reiki Meditation with Essential Oils – 8-9am. Receive short, hands-on Angelic Reiki, experience powerful techniques to reduce stress and relax. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

Mahasati Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

New Beginnings in Community Sunday Service – 10am. Join this group of spiritually-minded people embracing and honoring all world religions, belief systems, cultures and traditions. We come together to share thoughts, experiences and wisdom in a supportive, community environment. Free. Mystics By The Sea, 394 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-9806272. NewBeginningsInCommunity.Weebly.com.

Starting Meditation –7-8:45pm. Introduction to the basics of meditation in three aspects: preparation, being present and engaging in practice. For those who have little or no experience in meditation but are interested in starting a daily practice. 6-week class. Free, by donation. DNKL, 30 Putnam Park Rd, Redding. 203-664-1574. Info@DNKLDharma.org.

DNKLDharma.org/node/205.

TLC Monthly Networking Breakfast – 8:3010am. Looking for a community of healthy living professionals? At TLC Center, we understand the power of networking. Relaxed supportive group of professionals. Grab a friend, your biz cards and join us for a fun morning of connecting. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566.

Beth@BethLeas.com. TLCCenter.com.

Family Program (Kids and Teens) – 10-11:30am.

First and third Sunday. Family Program introducing kids to meditation, metta (loving-kindness affirmations), yoga, art practice, a discussion of mindfulness in everyday life, generosity, compassion, letting go of negative mind states and other basic Buddhist ideas that are common to all spiritual paths. Parents can meditate in the main building.

Contact Matt Keeler at MmKeeler@gmail.com.

ReddingMeditation.org.

Mahasati Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Reiki Volunteers – 10am-noon. Pledge time to volunteer Sundays at various homes for the elderly and nursing homes in Fairfield and Southbury. Receive credits towards Reiki training. Reiki Overtones, 95 Harris St, Fairfield. Reservations, Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958.

Celebration Service – 10:30am-noon. With Rev. Shawn Moninger Inspiring message supports your spiritual unfoldment with thought provoking, soul healing topics and uplifting music. Love offering.

Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl (above Ford dealership), Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@ UnityCenterPS.org. UnityCenterPS.org.

Albertson Church Service – 11am-12:30pm. Includes an inspirational talk from caring ministers, guided meditation, time to receive healing energy and spirit messages from those we continue to love.

Free. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. 203-637-4615.

Practicing Meditation – 2-4pm. Introduction to analytical meditation based on the teachings of Stages of the Path (Lamrim) and Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Sessions include a brief mindfulness meditation, talk, guided meditation on the topic and an interactive discussion. 6-week class. Free, by donation. DNKL, 30 Putnam Park Rd, Redding. 203-664-1574. Info@DNKLDharma.org.

DNKLDharma.org/node/22.

Eckhart Tolle Study Group: A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose – 7-9pm. Take part in this open hearted, supportive group as we dismantle EGO (that anxious, negative, limiting part of your mind) and learn to locate and experience your True Self. Free or by donation. 154 Head of Meadow Rd, Newtown. 203-809-4409. VeronicaMarr4@ gmail.com. NewtownLove.org.

Women’s Holistic Self-Defense – 7-9pm. Weekly program combines martial arts and self-awareness techniques, to build confidence, remain calm and empower yourself in any life situation. Meets in Norwalk. Limitless-Potential.net.

Guided Meditation at Sabita Holistic Center –7:30-8:30pm. Give yourself the gift of meditation at Sabita Holistic Center. Internationally known Dr. Levy has worked for over the past 35 years in stress reduction, deep relaxation and meditation. Free. Sabita Holistic Center, 3519 Post Rd, Southport. 203-254-2633.

Monday Meditation for Everyone – 7:30-9pm. This is Meditation Guided Imagery for relaxation and stress reduction. It also helps you move forward on your spiritual path. No experience necessary. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

Reiki Share – 7:30-9:30pm. Fourth Monday. With JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT. Practice Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help each other develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experience. $20. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050.

TurningPointReiki.com.

Pilates Blend Class – 8:30-9:30pm. Open for all experience levels. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

Gentle Yoga – 9:30-10:30pm. All levels of expertise are welcome. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

NA Fun Fact: Natural Awakenings’ free app has been downloaded by more than 40,000 iPhone users and is now available on the Android platform.

To advertise with us, call 203-885-4674.

Pranotthan Yoga Classes – 9am. Classes offerered Tuesday-Saturday. Kripalu-influenced, classic hatha yoga for all levels and styles. Personal inquiry and cultivating individual experience is emphasized. $17/drop in, $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass.

Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Jill.Myruski@gmail.com.

TFLWellness.com.

Yoga Therapeutics – 9-10:15am. With Dr. Kathy Sward. Designed for those with chronic pain, health conditions, prevention and other health concerns.

Traditional poses are expertly modified to allow the mind to calm, joints to align and muscles lengthen and strengthen. $15. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-207-1613.

Dr.KathySward@gmail.com. DrKathySward.com.

Open Level Yoga – 9:30-10:30am. Open level yoga class for all levels of practice. $20/drop-in.

New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@ CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

Mommy and Me Yoga: Tots/Toddlers – 1010:45am. Crawling to 3 years. Partner with your little one for animated yoga poses, games, music and breathing exercises that help to strengthen coordination and build body awareness. Bond with your child, while strengthening their growing muscles. $22/class. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642. KimberlyMotiil@gmail. com. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Studio Open for Free Meditation – 10:30-11am.

Studio is open for free meditation. Free. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886.

Info@CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

Mommy and Me Yoga: Pre-Crawlers – 11:15amnoon. 8 weeks. Moms will restore and rejuvenate through stretching and strengthening poses. Babies will enjoy yoga poses to aid in digestion and sleep.

Bond with your baby and connect with other moms. $22/class. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642. KimberlyMotiil@gmail.com.

FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Toastmasters – Noon. Interested in public speaking? Trumbull Toastmasters is a chartered club of Toastmasters International dedicated to improving members’ communication and leadership skills. Meets alternate Tuesdays. Call or email for more information. Body Smart, Crescent Village, 115 Main St, Unit 11, Monroe. 203-459-6773. Franny.Hannigan@ charter.com. ToastMastersClubs.org.

Mahasati Insight Meditation – 12:30-2pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

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ongoingevents Food Fight! – 1:15-2:45pm. Fight disease with food you’ll love to eat. Learn how food choices can play a role in cancer prevention and survival. Includes educational material, literature, recipes, delicious food samples and a food shopping tour at LaBonne’s, Watertown. $25. University of Connecticut, 99 East Main St, Waterbury. 203-236-9881. Brian.Chapman@UConn.edu. Olli.UConn.edu.

Teen Pilates Stretch – 3:15-4:15pm. Teen Pilates class for ages 11-15. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com.

CafeRuche.com.

Kids Yoga Ages 6-11 – 4:15-5:15pm. Yoga postures, games and partner poses, will provide a fun, non- competitive environment, which will help each child build self-esteem and experience teamwork.

Also on Wednesdays at 4:30pm. $22/class. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642.

KimberlyMotiil@gmail.com. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Pilates Mat II – 4:30-5:30pm. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com.

CafeRuche.com.

BodySmart – 6:15-7:30pm. Semi-private sessions for 2-4 participants. Complete core/body conditioning exercises and stretching utilizing a 9-foot floor to ceiling X-Pole. $45/class-discount with 6+ classes (pre-reg required). BodySmart, 115 Main St, Unit 11, Monroe. Call Lisa for details, additional schedule information and to register: 203-209-7359.

Meditating Holistically – 6:30-8pm. Starts with free information session on 2/10. With Urgyan Zangpo, a Western Buddhist lama sharing a rich practice of traditional meditation guidance directed toward holistic integration. Group meditation and discussion, devoted to our mutual innermost truths. $15. Location: ah Yoga, 168 New Milford Tpke (Rt 202), New Preston. 860-868-6707 or Danbury Area Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation on Meetup.com.

Energy Tools Tuesdays: Understanding the Power of Your Energy Body and Subconscious Mind – 7pm. 4-week workshop. Learn simple techniques to feel better. Energy body; EFT, the power of the subconscious, visualization and intuition. $40/week, $120 for all. Westport residence, given with RSVP. Robin@RobinFriedman.net.

EnergyToolsForDailyLiving.com.

The Science of Getting Rich – 7pm. 8-week series.

Becoming rich is a science that can be proven only by applying the principles of getting rich. Most significantly, thought. Acquire the ability to think the way we want to think. Love offering. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Flr (above Ford dealership), Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@ UnityCenterNorwalk.org. UnityCenterNorwalk.org.

Angelic Healing Group—7-9pm. First Tuesday.

Experience the healing energy of the Angelic Realm.

Your energy body will be infused with the love and light of the Divine through meditation and hands-on touch. $20. Stevens Memorial Church, 8 Shady Ln, South Salem, NY. 203-438-4893.

Open Level Yoga – 7:30-8:30pm. Yoga class for beginners through advanced practitioners. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com.

CafeRuche.com.

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Fairfield County Edition

Reiki Shares – 7:30-10:15pm. First and third Tuesdays. Gigi Benanti Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/ Teacher. For Reiki practitioners only. Exchange ongoing since 1996. Instructions included. $20.

Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk.

Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

Pilates Mat – 8:30-9:30pm. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com.

CafeRuche.com.

wednesday Pranotthan Yoga Classes – 9-10:15am. For all levels of fitness. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement. A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $17/drop in, $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass. Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Jill.Myruski@gmail.com.

TransformationForLifeYoga.com.

Yoga For Beginners – 9:15-10:30am or 11am12:15pm. For all levels of fitness. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement.

A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass.

Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Info@TFLWellness. com. TFLWellness.com.

Core Yoga – 9:30-10:30am. A class designed to strengthen your core and deepen your practice.

With emphasis on proper alignment this class moves slowly through basic postures in challenging ways. Great for beginners or experienced yogis looking to build strength and reduce stress. $17/ drop-in, $150/10-class card. The Graceful Planet, 7 Berkshire Rd, Sandy Hook. 203-426-8215. Kat@ GracefulPlanet.com. GracefulPlanet.com.

Open Level Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Beginners through Advanced practitioners welcome. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30. Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com.

CafeRuche.com.

EFT for Weight & Energy Transformation – 7pm.

EFT is a simple but powerful technique. Stress decreases, cortisol levels drop. EFT research shows that participants in EFT programs continue to lose weight after learning tapping. New tools taught every month. $30. Total Life Care Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. Robin@RobinFriedman.net.

EnergyToolsForDailyLiving.com.

Kundalini Yoga – 7pm. With Gina and Alisa.

Classes incorporate exercises, chanting, breathwork, meditation, and a deep relaxation & integration with the gong to provide you with tools to help manage the stress in your life and live more gracefully in the world. $15/class. $120/10 classes. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, 24 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury. 203-312-0132. CassettaWoman@ hotmail.com.

Albertson Church Healing Service – 7-8pm. Third Wednesday. Guided meditation, receive healing energy from church-sanctioned healers and the gift of saging.

All are welcome. Free. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. 203-637-4615.

natural awakenings

Meditation – 7-8pm. Experience bliss, peace, joy and deep healing. Not your traditional silent or guided meditation class. It is meant to transform you, healing the chakras through the release of long-held negative thoughts and beliefs, stagnant emotions, and discordant vibrations. By donation.

Muktinath Holistic Center, 755 Main St (Rt 25), Monroe. 203-518-5808. MuktinathHC@gmail.com.

MuktinathHolisticCenter.com.

Mahasati Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faith s develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Meditating Holistically – 7-8:30pm. With Urgyan Zangpo, a Western Buddhist lama sharing a rich practice of traditional meditation guidance directed toward holistic integration. Group meditation and discussion, devoted to our mutual innermost truths. $15. WCSU, Danbury Midtown Campus, Warner Hall, Rm 103S, Danbury. Danbury Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation on Meetup.com.

Journey Within: Do You Feel Stuck? – 7-9pm.

First Wednesday. Need support trying to begin something new? Support, intuitive insight, wisdom. Facilitator: Cindy Miller, intuitive. $20.

Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West St, Newtown. Call: 203-426-9448. SacredGrounds.bz.

TrinityProduction.org.

Holistic Moms Network Fairfield County, CT Chapter – 7:30pm. Second Wednesday. Associates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care, 156 East Ave, Norwalk. Home.Homewebs.com/ HMNFairfieldCtyCT. Turning Point S.H.A.R.E. Divorce Group – 7:30-9:30pm. Third Wednesdays. Offering support, healing, advocacy, resources and education for women in the process of, or recently divorced. $20, $150/10-session card. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center, 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050. TurningPointShare.com.

thursday Kripalu Yoga – 9:30-10:30am. With Kat Barton, 500hour professional Kripalu teacher. Focus on breath and be present. Class is suitable for all levels and will start whereever you are. This class will help center you and relax. $17/drop-in, $150/10-Class card. The Graceful Planet, 7 Berkshire Rd, Sandy Hook. 203-426-8215.

Kat@GracefulPlanet.com. GracefulPlanet.com.

Thursday Morning Meditation for Moms – 9:3011am. Come and unwind with a Guided Meditative Journey geared to release stress and a healthful more positive understanding of self. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

Tea and Meditation – 9:30-11am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. By donation. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130.

Info@ReddingMeditation.org. ReddingMeditation.org.

Positive Birth Movement of Fairfield County – 1011am. Third Thursday. Support group for pregnant women. Open to all pregnant women. Come together to discuss thoughts, feelings and insights about childbirth in a positive, supportive setting. Free. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642.

KimberlyMotiil@gmail.com. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Kids Pilates Stretch – 3:15-4:15pm. Kids Pilates class ages 9-12 . $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30.

Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203-5296886. Info@CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

Empowered Kids Energy Tools Class – 4pm. Give your kids a gift they will use for the rest of their lives – the ability to shift their own energy. EFT (or meridian tapping), visualization and meditation, affirmations, energy exercises, the power of their thoughts and words and more. $20/class.

Personal residence, given with RSVP. Norwalk. Alyssa@ IntuitiveChangeAgent.com. IntuitiveChangeAgent.com.

Teen Yoga – 4:30-5:30pm. Through the unity of movement and breath, students will become more connected to their inner selves. Improve flexibility and strength and cultivate an overall feeling of peace. Ages 12-14. $22/class. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642.

KimberlyMotiil@gmail.com. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

ADHD Parent Support Group – 7-8:30pm. Join both parents and caregivers to learn more about how to support children and teens with attentional and executive functioning issues. Emphasis will not only be on connecting with others, but about gaining valuable strategies and techniques. Free. The Offices of Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, 898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ste #6, Ridgefield. 203-438-4848.

DrRoseannInfo@att.net. DrRoseann.com.

Energy Tools Study Group MeetUp – 7-8:30pm.

Come learn about your energy body - every month will be a different topic or exercise. No

experience needed, all are welcome. $15. Location given with RSVP, near Merritt, Weston. 203-2471318. Robin@RobinFriedman.net. Meetup.com/ Energy-Tools-Study-Group.

Pre-Natal Yoga – 7:15-8:30pm. Other times available. $22/class. Family Tree Yoga, 980 Hope St, Stamford. 203-890-9642. KimberlyMotiil@gmail. com. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Meditating Holistically – 7-8:30pm. With Urgyan Zangpo, a Western Buddhist lama sharing a rich practice of traditional meditation guidance directed toward holistic integration. Group meditation and discussion, devoted to our mutual innermost truths. $15. YogaSpace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203730-YOGA or Danbury Area Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation on Meetup.com.

Channeled Messages and Meditations – 7:309:30pm. Fourth Thursday. Through meditation and channeling receive information, energetic atonements and initiations from Spirit. This group is for those who want to develop and expand their energetic vibration. $20. Space is limited. Ridgefield. 203-438-4893.

Practicing Prayers: Seven Limbs & Six Perfections – 7-8:45pm. Class designed especially for beginners and open to everyone. This class will introduce a meditative practice of Buddhist prayers using three of the most common prayers. 6-week class. Free, by donation only. DNKL, 30 Putnam Park Rd, Redding. 203-664-1574. Info@DNKLDharma. org. DNKLDharma.org/node/219.

Reiki 1 Certification – 7-9pm. Once attuned by a Reiki Master, Reiki is like first aid in your hands that you’ll always have as a tool. Energy will flow through your hands whenever you touch with intent. Upon completion, Reiki 1 will enable you to treat yourself and others (including pets). $72. Grounded Holistic Wellness, 785 Main St North, Woodbury. 203-942-0774. GroundedHolisticWellness@yahoo.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.

Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. Second Thursday.

All welcome. Non-Reiki & Reiki practitioners share and experience Reiki. See details on Unity website.

Hosted by Gigi Benanti Reiki master/teacher. $20.

Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGiGiB@ snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com, UnityCenterPS.org.

friday Psychic Tarot Readings – Sunshine Estar Intuitive, Psychic Tarot, Medium Pranic Healer, Reiki II Healer.

Free. Black Cat Mystic Shoppe, 143 Bennett St, Bridgeport. 203-414-9786. JohnnyMastri@aol.com.

BlackCatShopInBlackRock.com.

Love Yourself Fit Meetings – 8:30am. Support for your sacred journey of real weight loss. Meetings offer you a place to be accountable to your highest vision for your healthiest self...Sharing of wisdom, inspiration, motivation and practical tools to love yourself fit. $15. Insights Wellness Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-260-9353. ChrisGuerrera@ me.com. InsightsWellnessCenter.com.

Pranotthan Yoga Classes – 9-10:15am. For all levels of fitness. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement. A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $17/drop in, $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass. Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Jill.Myruski@gmail.com.

TransformationForLifeYoga.com.

You Can Make A Difference

BECOME A MENTOR TODAY

For more information please contact

Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Southwestern Connecticut 203-366-3766 or email: info@bbbsswct.org

www.bbbsswct.org eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

55

ongoingevents A Course in Miracles Study Group – 9:15am.

Meets bi-weekly in Westport. Facilitator: Henry Grayson, PhD. Free. To reserve seat and for dates/ location: 203-454-1745.

Yoga For Beginners – 9:15-10:30am. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement. A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass. Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Info@TFLWellness.com.

TFLWellness.com.

Reiki Share – 9:30-11:30am. First Friday. With JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT. Practice Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help each other develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experience. $20. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050.

TurningPointReiki.com.

Hatha Yoga – 9:30-10:30am. Hatha Yoga, all levels welcome. $20/drop-in. New students/30 days for $30.

Cafe Ruche, 101 Old Ridgefield Rd, Wilton. 203529-6886. Info@CafeRuche.com. CafeRuche.com.

Student Massage Clinic – 11am-1pm. Relax and enjoy a full-body massage at the Danbury Campus public Student Massage Therapy Clinic. Wednesday evenings or Friday mornings available. $30/50 minutes. RidleyLowell Business & Technical Institute, 24 Shelter Rock Rd, Danbury. Call for appt: 203-748-0052.

Mommy & Me Yoga for Babies 6-Weeks OldPre-Crawling – 11:15am-noon. Mom and baby will practice yoga together! This class is a great opportunity to bond with your baby and to connect with other moms. Pre-register for free trial class.

First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bedford St, Stamford. 203-253-0764. KimberlyMotill@gmail.com.

FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Teen Meditation – 5-6pm. This is an enjoyable approach to the understanding of self and how you fit into the world in which you can grow with confidence. Come and explore a guided meditative journey that helps to melt away stress and anxiety.

For teens and up. $15. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plains St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

TLC Tarot Fun & Fabulous Friday – 7-9pm.

What’s in the cards for you? Find out during this playful event designed for everyone from novices to longtime tarot friends. Explore the tarot or develop a deeper relationship with the cards. Everyone will receive a reading from Beth Prins Leas. $40. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566.

Beth@BethLeas.com. BethLeas.com.

Discussion with Spirit – 7:30pm. Last Friday. Bring questions, receive channeled information to help understand who you are, why you’ve come to the earth plane and empower yourself with messages from Spirit and loved ones. $35. Private residence, Monroe. Information/RSVP: 203-268-3262.

Circle of Life – 7:30-9:30pm. Third Friday. Explore topics such as love, trust, permission and forgiveness as tools in navigating through life’s opportunities, losses and changes. Learn how to bring love, life and happiness. Notetaking welcome and encouraged. $40. Bridgeport location given with registration: 203-268-3262. TrinityProduction.org.

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classifieds saturday

Angelic Reiki Meditation with Essential Oils – 8-9am. Receive short, hands-on Angelic Reiki, experience powerful techniques to reduce stress and relax. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

Yoga & Pilates – 8:30-10am. Fun class combining yoga and pilates. In this class we play with all the toys - using bands, blocks, balls and light weights for a complete workout. Lengthen and tone and end with a restorative relaxation. $17/drop-in, $150/10-Class card. The Graceful Planet, 7 Berkshire Rd, Sandy Hook. 203-426-8215. Kat@GracefulPlanet.com.

GracefulPlanet.com.

Community Yoga by Donation – 9-10:15am. Enjoy a 75-minute vinyasa flow yoga practice suitable for all levels with 200RYT Jennifer Cranna. This community class is on a monetary donation basis, so all may reap the benefits of yoga. Bring your mat or use ours. By donation. Zen Do Ju-Jitsu, 80 Park Ln, New Milford.

Pranotthan Yoga Classes – 9-10:15am. For all levels of fitness. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement. A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $17/drop in, $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass. Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Jill.Myruski@gmail.com.

TransformationForLifeYoga.com.

Yoga For Beginners – 9:15-10:30am. Begin from where you are and move towards improvement.

A simple, powerful way to support your healthy lifestyle. $75/5-class pass, $130/10-class pass.

Transformation For Life Wellness Center, 6 Walnut St, Danbury. 203-617-8228. Info@TFLWellness. com. TFLWellness.com Mahasati Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way.

203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

Buddhist Teachings & Practice Discussion Group – 11:45am-1:30pm. Second and fourth Saturday. Join a relaxed group, in a tranquil environment, and explore some of the core principles of Buddhist practice. By donation. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 914-763-4639. Jexel@att.net.

ReddingMeditation.org.

Knitting Group-Purls of Wisdom – 6-8pm. With Diane Bustamante. Make prayer shawls. Shawls will be blessed by the Unity community and delivered to those in need of comfort. Bring yarn and needles/ hook, if you have them. Supplies available for purchase. Love offering. Unity Center, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. UnityPurlsOfWisdom@ gmail.com. UnityCenterPS.org/PurlsOfWisdom.

Open Mic Night – 7-9pm. 3rd Saturday. Bring music printed out in your key and Kenneth Gartman will accompany you at the piano for your moment at the microphone. Comedians, poets, writers and musicians welcomed as well. $10. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@ UnityCenterNorwalk.org. UnityCenterNorwalk.org.

natural awakenings

To place a Classified Listing: $1 per word. $25 minimum.

Magazine deadline: 12th of month prior to publication. Email copy to NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

FOR RENT BRIGHT OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT with a window and new carpet/paint in a physical therapy clinic. Ideal for a wellness professional, great exposure and referrals. In Newtown off 84 exit 9. Email: Karin@fisiopt.com.

PT OFFICE/TREATMENT ROOM AVAILABLE IN WESTPORT for holistic therapist. Just renovated, spacious, natural light, high ceilings, handicapped accessible. Great location, ample parking. 718-490-7600.

HELP WANTED DISTRIBUTORS WANTED: for monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay-at-home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors if you don’t have it in spades, please do not apply!

Thomas@ManInMotionLLC.com.

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED FOR NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS: If you have a passion for health and non-toxic products, we are looking for motivated individuals now! Email Support@35Again.com.

SERVICES GET HEALTHY THIS SPRING WITH CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH, Danielle Carriera. Specializing in healthy eating and digestive wellness. Call to schedule a free health history with me! 203-209-6276. DrCarriera@gmail.com or signup at BalancedNutritionWithDanielle.com

WANTED DONATIONS WANTED: Albertson Memorial Church in Old Greenwich requests donations for June 13 and 14 antique mart. Antiques, jewelry, furniture, cars, decorative objects, gently used clothing; anything of value deeply appreciated. Call 203-637-4615 or email Info@AlbertsonChurch.org for drop off/pick up info.

WOMEN WALKING PARTNERS DON’T WALK ALONE! Join our “get outside & walk” movement of walking women. Step outside as a walking partner today. WomenWalking.net.

WomenWalking@gmail.com.

communityresourceguide 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 (CRG) in print and online email FFCadvertising@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com to request our advertising rates.

ACUPUNCTURE INGRI BOE-WIEGAARD, LAc

Fairfield, Wilton, Bethel 203-259-1660 • CTAcupuncture.com 25-year full-time practice

BREAST THERMOGRAPHY

Offices in Norwalk and Fairfield 203-216-2548 • AcupunctureHealingCT.com High-quality acupuncture at the most affordable prices in Fairfield County. 20+ years experience, specializing in treating all kinds of pain and general health issues.

See ad, page 79.

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.

SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER 31 Old Rt 7, Brookfield 203-740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com

As the hormone experts, we specialize in women’s health, natural hormone balancing, breast cancer prevention and thermography utilizing the highest definition camera in the area with interpretations from MD specialists in the field.

HOUSATONIC VALLEY WALDORF SCHOOL

XTORAYS.COM

Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging Suzanne Pyle, MS, CCT 866-XtoRAYS • SuzannePyle@prodigy.net

40 Dodgingtown Rd, Newtown 203-364-1113 • WaldorfCT.org We develop each child’s unique capacity to engage meaningfully in the world by integrating experiential and artistic learning, academic excellence, respect for diversity and reverence for nature. See ad, page 15.

Get peace of mind with safe (no radiation), FDA-approved breast cancer screening. 8 years earlier detection vs. mammography.

Certified DITI thermographer.

Conveniently located throughout Fairfield.

Ingri treatments help alleviate Pain, Depression, Neck & Back, Anxiety, Headaches, Stress, Allergies, Asthma, Arthritis, Digestive, Menstrual, Infertility and Smoking & Weight Loss Issues. See ad, page 29.

JODY EISEMANN, LAc

EDUCATION

CHIROPRACTIC

WESTBROOK NATURE SCHOOL

RISA SLOVES, DC

Associates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care 156 East Ave, Norwalk 203-838-1555 • CTChiropractic.com Dr. Risa Sloves is 1 of 10 Chiropractic Physicians in Connecticut with Board Certification in Maternity and Pediatric Care including Webster and Bagnell Tu r n i n g Te c h n i q u e s . A l s o provided: acupuncture, BioSET Allergy Elimination Technique and the DRX9000 Spinal Decompression. See ad, page 25.

COLONICS

7 Long Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-664-1554 Info@WestbrookNatureSchool.org WestbrookNatureSchool.org A nature-based education on six acres of trails, streams, and meadows, with an organic garden and natural playscapes. Our curriculum builds physical and emotional resilience, moral awareness and the foundation required for intellectual growth. See ad, page 11.

ENERGY HEALING THE LIGHT OF HAPPINESS REIKI AND WELLNESS

COLONICS

914-921-LIFE (5433) LifelineHygienics.com Experience and personalized service you can trust. The finest in colonic irrigation and personal care. Serving the tri-state area since 1993.

WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC

501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com

Deborah Arconti, LPN, RMT, IARP Reiki Master/Teacher Advance Practice IET Danbury • 203-470-0635 TheLightOfHappiness.com Specializing in Reiki and IET sessions for mind, body and spirit connections. IET “Integrated Energy Therapy” uses angelic connections for soothing results. Teaching all levels of small Usui Reiki classes, experienced in training healthcare professionals.

Ready to start feeling healthier? Take your first step with this gentle cleansing procedure. Watch our colonic and detoxification videos on our new video website located at WholeBodyMed.com. Call for Free CD on detoxification. See ad, page 2.

eNaturalAwakenings.com

June 2015

57

HYPNOSIS

GREEN LIVING

MIND-BODY TRANSFORMATION HYPNOSIS

BIOTOP NATURAL POOLS

BY AQUA-SCAPES LLC.

203-743-7665 • AquaScapeBy@sbcglobal.net AquaScapesPool.com

Diane Bahr-Groth, CHy, TFTdx 1177 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-595-0110 • MindBodyTransformation.com

Fast, effective methods for weight, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc. Certified Hypnotherapist, Thought Field Therapy, Time Line Therapy, NLP and Complementary Medical Hypnosis, since 1989. See ad, pages 29 & 37.

Imagine swimming in cool, pure, healthy, “living” water created by plants, bacterias and 30 years of experience. No more red eye, bleached hair, itchy skin and the many negative effects of chlorine. See ad, page 20.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

HEALTH COACH MARY GILBERTSON MS, BSN,CHHC

Licensed RN, Nutritionist & Certified Health Coach 500 Monroe Tpke, Monroe • 203-521-4733 GilbertsonMary@yahoo.com Prescription4Wellness.com Working 1:1 in groups and corporations to develop customized healthy lifestyle plans. You receive tools to optimize your health through nutrition, disease management, exercise, weight loss & stress reduction. 28 years of experience supporting teens & adults in healthy lifestyle. Available for speaking engagements and health events.

HOLISTIC DENTIST

HENRY C. SOBO, M.D.

Optimal Health Medical, LLC 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamfod 203-348-8805 • DrSobo.com Dr Sobo provides Natural Hormone therapy, Weight Reduction programs, IV Vitamin/Minerals treatments, Allergy evaluation and treatment, Fibromyalgia care, and treatment for a wide variety of problems utilizing an Integrative Medicine approach.

STAMFORD INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Michael E. Doyle, M.D. Conventional & Alternative Medicine 22 5th St, Ste 201, Stamford 203-324-4747 StamfordIntegrativeMedicine.com

Specializing in Natural and Alternative approaches to restoring health. Focusing on underlying causes of illness. Hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalances, nutrition and much more. See ad, page 28.

MARK A. BREINER, DDS, FIAOMT

501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-0300 • WholeBodyDentistry.com Dr. Mark A. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. With over 30 years of experience, he is a sought after speaker and lecturer.

His popular consumer book, Whole-Body Dentistry, has been sold world-wide. See ad, page 2.

CONNECTICUT HEADACHE & MIGRAINE RELIEF CENTER/ TOM ANZALONE, DDS

235 Glenville Rd, Ste 2B, Greenwich 203-531-5688 • CTHeadacheRelief.com Connecticut Headache and Migraine Relief Center’s (CHMRC) approach to headache pain relief actually addresses and treats the sources of the problem. Using techniques that have been proven effective in sports medicine, the CHMRC system targets improper muscle forces in the head, neck, and jaw area that cause painful conditions. See ad, page 9.

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Fairfield County Edition

INTEGRATIVE OPTOMETRY EYECARE ASSOCIATES, PC

Drs. Randy Schulman, Steve Carr, Narvan Bakhtiari, Carl Gruning and C. Lee Mellinger Locations: 6515 Main St, Trumbull • 203-374-2020 139 Main St, Norwalk • 203-840-1991 2600 Post Rd, Southport • 203-255-4005 CTEyeCareAssociates.com

natural awakenings

We offer behavioral optometry, comprehensive vision exams, contact lenses and vision therapy.

See ad, page 19.

INTUITIVE CONSULTANT JOAN CARRA

Psychic Medium 203-531-6387 • PsychicJoanCarra.com Facebook.com/PsychicJoan.Carra Joan is recommended by six books and has 20 years experience.

Find solutions, comfort and closure. Specializing in contacting passed loved ones. Available for private sessions, parties and corporate events.

JOINT PAIN DONNA MILANA

914-882-9758 DonnaHealthyLife123@gmail.com HealthyLegs123.com Ache joints? Considering a replacement, try “JUSURU LIQUID BIO CELL” The Best Bone, Joint and Skin Product in the world with 7 Patents. Natural cartilage regeneration and lubrication, liquid. Helps to protect, repair, rebuild & prevent deterioration.

MASSAGE & BODYWORK LAURA CARLSON, LMT

Redding/Monroe/Easton 203-885-7353 (SELF) Facebook.com/LauraCarlsonMassageLLC Yo u d e s e r v e t o b e nurtured and time to be still, to breathe and to restore balance.

Relaxing and nourishing massage will encourage positive changes in your mind and body. Individual sessions and massage parties available.

ROBIN ORDAN, LMT, LCSW, CICMI Licensed Massage Therapist & Reiki Practitioner Old Greenwich/Stamford 203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLMT.com

Robin has been providing massage and Reiki for over 15 years. Specializing in Swedish, Pregnancy, Trigger Point, Injuries and Infant/ Child Massage Instruction. Sessions are individualized to meet your needs. See ad, page 33.

MASSAGE SCHOOL FINGER LAKES SCHOOL OF MASSAGE

272 N. Bedford Rd, Mount Kisco, NY 914-241-7363 • FLSM.com Join us for a transformative experience as you develop your intuitive and scientific abilities to heal through therapeutic touch. Classes taught to auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. Financial aid available for full and part-time programs.

MEDITATION REDDING CENTER FOR 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.

MIND-BODY WELLNESS CORE RELATIONS

Karin Knoblich, CCEP 522 East Putnam Ave, Ste 8A Greenwich 1239 Broadway, Ste 1003A New York, NY Core-Relations.com • 917-548-8689 Transform negativity into positive energy. Release stress, anxiety and depression through the use of breath, movement and touch.

Reclaim your authentic self by allowing joy to guide and embody the powerful, loving being you are. Individual and couples sessions, workshops and groups.

NATURAL FOOD MARKET THE COMMON BOND MARKET 40 Huntington St, Shelton TheCommonBondMarket.com 203-513-8200

The Common Bond Market is a natural food market that provides The Valley with more healthful alternatives than the usual grocery fare. You’ll also find hot food, supplements, and much more. Find us on Facebook! See ad, page 25.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC

Adam Breiner, ND, Director Elena Sokolova, M.D., ND David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN 501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com

Lisa Singley, ND, MS 2103 Main St, Ste #2, Stratford 203-874-4333 Info@NHAWC.com • NHAWC.com We use advanced diagnostic testing with safe, effective, allnatural healing modalities and treatment options to treat acute and chronic conditions, restore balance and treat the mind, body and spirit. Specialists in endocrine disorders, digestive issues, pain management and chronic fatigue. We offer comprehensive solutions to prevent illness and maintain optimal health for body, mind and spirit.

MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND

Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 • DrMarvinSchweitzer.com Family Health Care using all natural therapies for 25 years. Acupuncture, Bio-Identical Hormones, Homeopathy, Chinese/Western Herbs, Allergy/Toxin Testing, Oxygen T h e r a p y, M e r i d i a n S t r e s s Assessment, Nutrition/Enzyme Therapies. See ad, page 35.

SHALVA CLINIC, LLC

Using state-of-the-art science combined with centuries-old healing modalities, our caring naturopathic doctors correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself.

Treatment protocols or therapies include: Abdominal Manual Therapy, Acupuncture, Allergy Desensitization, Chinese Medicine, Colonics and other Detoxification Protocols, Electro-Dermal Screening, Energy Medicine, F D A - c l e a r e d P h o t o t h e r a p y, Functional Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hormonal Balancing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Metabolic Typing, Nutritional Assessment, Real-Time EEG Neurofeedback and other therapies. See ad, page 2.

ORGANIC MATTRESSES & BEDDING THE CLEAN BEDROOM

Ellen M. Lewis, ND, Director 8 Lincoln St, Westport 203-916-4600 • ShalvaClinic.org Dr. Lewis offers comprehensive holistic care for women including well-women exams, fertility, thyroid and menopause support.

She also has a special interest in pediatrics and utilizes a variety of natural modalities when working with patients with ADD/ADHD, autism, allergies, eczema and asthma. Treatments include herbal medicine, functional medicine, biotherapeutic drainage, homeopathy and more. See ad, back cover.

79 West Putnam Ave, Greenwich 203-292-9275 • 866-380-5892 TheCleanBedroom.com The Clean Bedroom is an organic and all-natural mattress and bedding resource with seven showrooms, including its new location in Greenwich. Through its showrooms and web site, eco-minded shoppers gain insight to create a healthier sleep environment. See ad, page 6.

DR. MARINA YANOVER, ND, LAC 1720 Post Rd East, Ste 213, Westport 203-255-5005 • BigAppleHealth.com

Naturopathic Medicine, Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Natural Face Lift using microcurrent therapy. Specialties include Family Medicine, Women’s Health, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pain Man-agement, Skin Care.

Insurance accepted.

Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier ‘n puttin’ it back in. ~Will Rogers

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June 2015

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PHYSICAL THERAPY PHYSICAL THERAPY OF SOUTHERN CT

PSYCHOTHERAPY ROBIN ORDAN, LCSW

Linda Maude, PT 917 Bridgeport Ave, Shelton 203-926-6997 • PhysicalTherapySoCT.com

Family, Child, Individual & Couples Therapy Old Greenwich/Stamford 203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLCSW.com

Specializing in evaluation & treatment of musculoskeletal imbalance & injuries. Results achieved that traditional physical therapy may not. Therapeutic approaches such as manual therapy, cranialsacral, visceral manipulation and vestibular rehab. State of the art facility for strengthening & overall rehabilitation.

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 18.

DENI WEBER, MA, LPC, D-CEP

PSYCHOTHERAPY MARIA C. CASTILLO, MSW, LCSW 238 Monroe Tpke, Ste B, Monroe 203-445-8966 • Msisi@aol.com LifeBetweenLivesTherapy.com

Holistic Psychotherapist Comprehensive Energy Psychology Fairfield County 203-544-6094 • DeniWeber.com Within a supportive, empathic relationship Deni guides individuals on their journey of selfdiscovery integrating psychology, Eastern medicine and spirituality to heal suffering from traumatic stress related to chronic illness, disabilities, abuse & PTSD.

Past Life Regression, trained by Brian Weiss, MD. Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy, trained by TNI and Michael Newton, PhD. Traditional psychotherapy with a spiritual approach; Reiki. Connect with your soul self and let your inner wisdom guide you.

CHRISTINE GUERRERA, LMFT

PsychoSpiritual Therapy & Coaching InsightsWellnessCenter.com 203-260-9353 • ChrisGuerrera@me.com Non-traditional holistic sessions to free and empower yourself on your path of healing and awakening with a blend of psycho-spiritual therapy, energetics and universal wisdom. See ad, page 13.

YUDIT MAROS, LMFT, CHt

100 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-244-5898 • Center4AuthenticLiving.com Author of Apple of My I: The Four Practices of Self-Love. There is hope! Even life-long unhappiness can be helped. State-of-the art psychotherapy for individuals of all ages, couples and families.

Trauma resolution, Relationship Clinics, six-week Authenticity Clinics for inner connection.

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.

DEBORAH GAYLORD, RMT, IARP

Ridgefield/Danbury 203-733-4535 • DmGaylord@yahoo.com A Reiki Master since 2001, Deborah has worked with clients from infants to the elderly, specializing in children/teens/ young adults with ADHD, anxiety, and depression..

RIVER’S EDGE REIKI

Lori Haggerty • Usui Reiki Master Bethel • 203-994-8978 RiversEdgeReiki.com Feeling the negative effects of a high stress life? Illness, unhappiness, exhaustion? Experience the power of Reiki and how it can restore you physically, emotionally and spiritually. Sessions for adults, children and senior citizens (geriatrics is my specialty!). Reiki training classes offered for all levels.

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REIKI VIRGINIA TRINQUE, USUI REIKI MASTER Danbury 203-733-1330 VirginiasHealthyLiving@gmail.com VirginiasHealthyLiving.com

Virginia is a Reiki Master/Teacher with years of experience healing children and adults. Specializing in physical and spiritual pain relief and “body and soul integration” for easier living in this world. Usui Reiki classes offered for Master level, Levels I and II and Teacher Training. Sessions and classes held in a private, serene setting.

TURNING POINT HEALING ARTS AND EDUCATION CENTER JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT – Turning Point Reiki, LLC 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.

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING BETH PRINS LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot Offices in Norwalk & Ridgefield 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 intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot.

See ad, page 63.

ORGANIC REMEMBRANCE

Slyms Bazile 203-479-0417 • BSlyms@gmail.com Slyms Bazile is a certified Reiki Practitioner and certified Medicinal Aromatherapist. She created Organic Remembrance Therapy, a fusion of healing modalities gathered in remembrance of our organic roots.

Call now for a free consultation.

WELLNESS CENTER

WELLNESS CENTER

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING

SALTANA CAVE

iFLOAT

163 Main St, Westport 203-226-7378 • iFloatSpa.net

HEART’S DESIRE METHOD Shiloh@TheHDMethod.com TheHDMethod.com

The Heart’s Desire Method – 7 Steps to making your dreams come true. Bring highdefinition focus on what you want in all areas – work, family, relationships and money. By energizing the healing power of the authentic self, you will lead a happier, more peaceful and fulfilling life.

WEIGHT LOSS

Experience this superior form of body/mind relaxation as you float effortlessly in warm water with high concentrations of Epsom salt. Relieve stress, chronic pain and more.

See ad, page 63.

KURE SPA

430 Main Ave, 2nd Flr, Norwalk (Wilton Line) 203-857-1500 • Kure-Spa.com

90 Grove St, Ste #03, Ridgefield 203-403-4187 Ingrid@NuWeighWellness.com NuWeighWellness.com

The Ideal Protein Protocol is a medically derived weight loss method refined over 20 years. The fundamental philosophy is to increase overall well being through sensible weight loss and empower clients through coaching to make sustainable, smarter lifestyle choices after they have lost excess weight.

Have a Stubborn Skin Disorder and Tried Everything Else?

Finally, there’s a solution: try Natural Awakenings’ DermaClear, a natural, affordable, skin repair salve.

DermaClear brings comforting relief to sufferers of many skin irritations. The cooling and soothing calcium mortmorillonite/ calcium bentonite clay has been proven to be effective against: • SHINGLES • RASHES • PSORIASIS • ECZEMA • BURNS • JOCK ITCH • STINGS & MORE

Fairfield County’s first and only therapeutic Himalayan salt cave provides relief from respiratory issues such as allergies, asthma, and side effects of smoking and pollution. Salt is naturally antiinflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal.

TRANSFORMATION FOR LIFE

Opening in November to provide a place for people to rely on as part of their weekly routine to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Experience our 4-Pillars of Health for 30-days and we’ll transform your life to one of Health, Healing & Vitality! Offering Vibrosaun, yoga, massage, and an organic juice bar. See ad, page 26.

NUWEIGH NUTRITION & WEIGHT LOSS SERVICES, LLC/ IDEAL PROTEIN CLINIC

590 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-969-4327 SaltanaCave.com

Jill Myruski LMT 6 Walnut St, Danbury • 203-617-8228 LiveYourTransformation.com A beautiful studio in a convenient Danbury location. Offering daily yoga classes, therapeutic massage and essential oil body and face treatments. Owner Jill Myruski has over 18 years experience in therapeutic massage and healing. Free classes on essential oil applications for everyday use. Check website for details. See ad, page 22.

Powerful, Natural Pain Relief!

with Natural Awakenings’ Topical Pain Relief Enjoy safe and effective relief from:

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Like us on Facebook at Natural Awakenings Webstore

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June 2015

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COSMIC RHYTHMS

by Alethea Hunt

A

Sagittarius New Moon arrives on June 2; many may be embarking upon literal or philosophical journeys as this month begins. Besides physical movement, this is also an intellectually restless vibe that highlights learning and quests for spiritual meaning; some may indeed roam the globe seeking knowledge or enlightenment now. Though travel snags are possible due to Mercury’s continued retrograde movement through June 11, doublechecking itineraries, travel papers and booking details can go a long way toward preventing possible mishaps. Mercury retrogrades are always invitations to slow down and take a second look at the mundane, day-to-day details we tend to take for granted. Adopting a mentality of greater flexibility and responding accordingly alleviates any possibly related stress from things like traffic jams or flight delays.

Saturn dips back into Scorpio for a final 3-month stay on June 14; as it hovers around this sign’s penultimate degree, it appears to be cumulative review time. Think back over the last few years of your life and consider several key points. Have you learned to invest your time and energy wisely? Have you learned to set certain necessary protective measures or boundaries in place in order to prevent financial, energetic, temporal or emotional loss?

Have you absorbed the lesson of knowing when to fold or cut your losses? Have you also worked on any fears surrounding intimacy, or relating to loss? This is a final check-in point to iron out whether further work is required in these areas. It is a chance to roll up those sleeves as Saturn’s placement by sign indicates where some of your most important life lessons lie. Because this planet’s movement is so slow, you’re only collectively energetically aligned to surmount these specific issues once every two to three decades.

A New Moon in Gemini on June 16 invigorated by Mars highlights taking intelligent and bold risks in how you communicate. Aside from using this energy to initiate dialog and to push ideas, this is a time to align with new ways of thinking, to embrace new skills, learn something new, and to engage in conversation that gets things moving forward. This is a time for directness in communication – the kind that favors the use of “I think” or “I feel” statements to help us assert, express and articulate feelings without turning abrasive.

The arrival of the Summer Solstice on June 21 coincides with the Sun’s entrance into Cancer and the longest days of the year.

Immediate following this on June 22, the third meet-up between Jupiter in Leo and Uranus in Aries occurs. Look for unexpected opportunities – especially regarding love or money with Venus gracing this duo through late June. To make the most of it, keep your vibe elevated and confident, but also generous, inclusive and social.

A practitioner of Western Tropical astrology, Alethea Hunt has been practicing for more than 17 years. Connect with her at 203-9176312, Alethea@EmpoweredDestiny.com or EmpoweredDestiny.com.

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displayadvertiserindex Aqua-Scapes LLC

20

Acupuncture Center/ Ingri Boe-Wiegaard

29

Advanced Healing Skin Cream 35 Associates in Family Chiropractic and Natural Health Care

25

Audubon Greenwich

29

Avacen Medical

45

Judith Barr

51

Big Brothers Big Sisters

55

The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Medical

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The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Dental

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Le Boudoir

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Lipo-Light/Westport Chiropractic 12 Mind-Body Transformation

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Mind-Body Transformation/ Lipo-Light

29

Mrs. Greens Natural Markets

40

Natural Awakenings’ Community Connections/Sticks & Stones Open House 7&8 Natural Awakenings’ Franchise Sales

50

Nature’s Temptations Healthy Food Market

39

Nature’s Way Natural Foods

22

Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic

47

Olivette

40

On Meditation

30

Robin Ordan, LMT

33

CLH Counseling/Cynthia Haupt 14

Robin Ordan, LCSW

18

The Common Bond Market

Organic Sleep at Sleep Etc

27

CT Headache & Migraine Center 9

Pangaea Massage

22

DermaClear

Chamomille Natural Foods

18

The Clean Bedroom

6

The Cleanest Touch

12 25

Patricia’s Presents

47

Michael E. Doyle, MD /Stamford Integrative Medicine 28

Personal Wellness Center/ Sage Osa

33

Embody the Sacred

13

Salon Aponte

11

Eyecare Associates

19

SAVOR Healthy Organic

Final Journey LLC

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Shalva Clinic/Ellen Lewis, ND

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Fine-Light/Westport Chiropractic 11

Simple Scallion

39

Five Star Printing

19

Victoria Shaw, PhD

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The Gallery of Dreams

13

Debra Gibson, ND

10

Soul Centered Healing/ Danielle Joffe Hampton

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The Graduate Institute

17

Soul Focus/Mela Rispoli

22

Eliana Grubel

40

Sticks & Stones Farm

21

Hands & Paws Reiki for All

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Synergy Salon

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Healthy Choice Mattress

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Thrive Meditation

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Housatonic Valley Waldorf School

Topical Pain Relief

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14

Total Life Care Center

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Hunter Healing Hands

18

Touch of Sedona

30

Ifloat

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Transformation for Life

22

Insights Wellness Center

13

Twin Star Herbals/Lupo Passero 51

The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition

43

Unity Center for Practical Spirituality

Izzi B’s

38

University of Bridgeport Clinics 21

J’Ericka Products

45

Kindred Spirits

12

Wellness Institute/ Marvin Schweitzer, ND

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Kure Spa

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Westbrook Nature School

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The Last Resort

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Westport Farmers Market

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Beth Prins Leas

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Whole Foods

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Total Life Care Center Total Life Care Center is dedicated to holistic health by providing you with highly trained and experienced integrated health care practitioners.

TLC Center is Fairfield County’s largest holistic health center—with more than 90 independent members —and was founded by Beth Prins Leas in 1997 on the premise that a single candle burns brighter in a gathering.

TLC Center 152 East Ave Norwalk, CT 203-856-9566 TLCcenter.com

Beth has created a vibrant holistic health and resource center and growing community of people who are committed to living consciously and to offering healthy lifestyle options in the form of private sessions, classes, workshops and special events.

Please visit our website and sign up for our newsletter to learn more about how TLC Center can support you on your journey to living well.

SOUL CENTEREDHEALING INTEGRATED HEALING SESSIONS FOR YOUR BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT

♥ Eliminate Pain, Clear Anxiety, Balance Hormones, Relieve Stress ♥ Create a life of deep meaning and purpose. ♥ Experience more love, health, & peace in all areas of your life.

DANIELLE JOFFE HAMPTON M.A., L.AC. Each session utilizes Danielle’s profound skills and 20+ years of practice in Intuitive Counseling, Energy Medicine, Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine to address the root cause of your issue.

Formerly one of the leading healing practitioners at Canyon Ranch. Sessions are in-person or via phone.

soulcentered@mac.com

203-292-9869

soul-centered-healing.com

Shift happens...are you ready?

Transformative SOULHealing CENTEREDHEALING INTEGRATED HEALING SESSIONS FOR YOUR BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT Beth Prins Leas

Fairfield County’s #1 Center

For Stress Reduction and Mind Education Float in warm water with a high concentration of Epsom salt with no light or sound.

Amplify slow brain waves, talk to certified float staff, reduce stress, pain, & more.

Schedule your appointments: (203)-226-7378 • ifloatspa.net 163 Main St.,Westport, CT

♥ Eliminate Pain, Clear Anxiety, Balance Hormones, Relieve Stress

Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot ♥ Create a life of deep meaning and purpose.

Experience more love, health, & peace in all areas of your life.

Balance your body, ♥find peace of mind, reconnect to spirit...DANIELLE JOFFE HAMPTON M.A., L.AC. • session reduce stress Each utilizes Danielle’s profound skills and 20+ years of practice in Intuitive Counseling, Energy Medicine, Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine to address the root cause of your issue.

• induce relaxation Formerly one of the leading healing practitioners at Canyon Ranch. Sessions are in-person or via phone.

• relieve chronic and acute pain soulcentered@mac.com 203-292-9869 soul-centered-healing.com • speed wound healing • boost immune function • improve memory and concentration • ease anxiety/depression • recover from injury, illness or trauma • raise your energetic frequency to stimulate health and healing

private sessions, workshops, events, in-person or by phone Norwalk and Ridgefield locations

www.bethleas.com 203.856.9566 eNaturalAwakenings.com

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The Center For Natural Medicine Experts in Science-Based Natural Medicine Revolutionizing Patient Care

Westport’s Premier Naturopathic Clinic Naturopathic Services Naturopathic Primary Care Acute Care Lab & Diagnostic Services Specialty Services Foundation Training Exercise Program Pelvic Floor Therapy Abnormal Pap & Escharotic Treatment Community Wellness Classes and Workshops Community Meditation Vitality Enhancement Therapies Hydrotherapy Craniosacral Therapy Reiki Acupuncture Thai Massage Mayan Uterine Massage

Dr. Ellen Lewis Dr. Kulveen Virdee Dr. Andrew Cummins Cindy Wechsler, APRN Shannon Reynolds, LMT Tracy Pardo Beverly Lewis Amanda Placeres

Our Specialties Include and are Not Limited To • Women’s Health • Hormonal Imbalance • Abnormal Paps • Thyroid Disorders • Infertility • Insomnia • Weight Loss

• Men’s Health • Erectile Dysfunction • Prostate Disorders • Anxiety and Depression • Autoimmune Disease • Ankylosing Spondylitis • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Pediatrics • ADD/ADHD • Eczema • Allergies • Asthma • Food Sensitivities • Chronic Fatigue

Call (203) 916-4600 to receive your complimentary 15 minute consultation with one of our providers.

Come Visit Us at Our New Location Save the Date for Shalva Clinic’s Fall Open House Celebration!

Friday, October 9th, 4 - 9pm You and your family and friends will enjoy: Healthy bites and beverages • Innovative talks and tips • Free massages • Herbal medicine demos Fun and delicious recipes • Raffles and prizes!!!!

Visit www.shalvaclinic.org/openhouse to RSVP and view the schedule of events.

We’ll see you there… don’t forget to RSVP! 64

8 Lincoln Street, Westport, CT 06880 • P 203.916.4600 F 203.916.4601 • Info@ShalvaClinic.org • Fairfield County Edition

natural awakenings

Shalva Clinic, LLC