December 2017

E HEALTHY LIVING E FR

HEALTHY

PLANET

ZESTY CITRUS HOLIDAY RECIPES

Building PEACE CULTIVATING EARTH CALM INSPIRED ONHealthy and COMMUNITY

Transformative Conflict Resolution

Tips for Happier Holidays

December 2017 | Greater Hartford County Edition | NAHRT.com

DOCUMENTARY SCREENING

January 7, 2018 – 1pm Followed by Q&A with Best Selling Author Henry Grayson, PhD of “Your Power to Heal” Hosted by The Graduate Institute 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT

Tickets $10: www.learn.edu/heal THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE – Graduate Holistic Studies (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu

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Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

contents 5 newsbriefs

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10 healthbriefs

12 globalbriefs 13 ecotip 18 wisewords 20 inspiration 22 communityspotlight

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24 consciouseating

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26 healthykids 27 naturalpet

28 calendar 30 classifieds 30 resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings please contact our sales team: Ads@NAHRT.com or 860-507-6392 Our Fax is 860-357-6034 Due dates for ads: the 10th of the month prior to publication

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Submit articles, news items and ideas to Editor@NAHRT.com or call 860-507-6392 Due dates for editorial: the 10th of the month prior to publication

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit ALL Calendar Events on our website at NAHRT.com.

Due dates for the calendar: the 10th of the month prior to publication.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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.

14 HOW TO KEEP

by Inessa Zaleski

16 PEACE ON EARTH Conflict Resolutions that Work to Bridge Divides

by Linda Sechrist

18 LYNNE MCTAGGART ON THE POWER OF GROUP INTENTION

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by April Thompson

20 THE COMPASSIONATE ACHIEVER

How Helping Others Fuels Success

by Christopher L. Kukk

22 CONNECTICUT’S

HOLISTIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Fostering Healthy,

Mindful Business Growth

by Ariana Rawls Fine

24 THE GIFTS OF CITRUS Colorful Good Health in Holiday Dishes

by Judith Fertig

26 BOOKS THAT

KIDS WILL LOVE

Advice for Parents from

Award-Winners

by Randy Kambic

27 PETS ¤ MUSIC

Each Species Grooves NAHRT.com

16

A CALM MIND DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

to Its Own Beat

by Sandra Murphy

NAHRT.com

27 December 2017

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letterfrompublisher

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contact us Publisher/Executive Editor Nicole Miale Editors Michelle Bense Ariana Rawls Fine Design & Production Erica Mills Local Contributors Siobhan Becker Christopher L. Kukk Sales & Marketing Dian Dossias Alexa Ferrucci Nicole Miale Operations Jill Badyrka Natural Awakenings Hartford 137 Danbury Rd, #323, New Milford, CT 06776 Phone: 860-507-6392 Fax: 860-357-6034 Publisher@NAHRT.com NAHRT.com NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com © 2017 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.

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.

nce upon a time, when the world was smaller and most individuals didn’t venture too far, the word community was neatly defined as the people and businesses closest to us. In our expansive and hyper-connected modern world, the word is often characterized more by similarity of purpose and mission than physical proximity. Community—while it may still mean a place—really encompasses a feeling, a synergy of hearts and minds.

Natural Awakenings is a large and loosely knit network of individual business owners bound by a comNicole Miale mon sensibility and passion for making the world a better place. By definition, our community is of the newer type; more than 80 strong, we’re spread across the country, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Despite the fact that many of us have never met and there are great physical distances between us, we were powerfully reminded in the last quarter of this year about the bonds of Natural Awakenings’ community. That was when, in quick succession, there were a series of natural disasters which had lasting impact on our community. Hurricanes struck first and affected many, with Harvey menacing our Texan contingent and Irma hitting the Naples corporate headquarters in Florida with force. Our amazing team at the mothership somehow prepared and carried on so our readers across the country didn’t notice a thing; however, it was not business as usual for quite some time.

Not long after Irma came Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico, home to one of the longest running Natural Awakenings’ editions. Waleska Sallaberry, who publishes Natural Awakenings Puerto Rico with her partner Luis, relocated to the tri-state area with her children so she could enroll them in school while other Natural Awakenings’ publishers set up fundaraisers to benefit the holistic community back in Puerto Rico.

In October, while Waleska was visiting Long Island publisher Kelly Martinsen, the group woke in the middle of the night to an electrical fire. Kelly’s home was destroyed. She posted on Facebook: “We had a fire and I know that there is word out there that we ‘lost everything.’ I want to assure everyone that this is not the case. While our house may be totaled, ‘everything’ I need was found the morning after the fire as I held my kids (all three, even my furry one!) and my husband in my driveway. For now, we have no needs.”

Community brings people together from near and far, connected by an idea, a common goal, a sense of purpose, a need for joy, solace or escape. What I wish and intend for our future is that more people can embody that humanity is a community unto itself. The stuff we collect and the subsets we choose to form—the “tribes” we seek and hold dear—are precious indeed but at this time may serve to divide us more than bring us together. The time has come for us to search for common ground and connection with all others. While as individuals we may be mighty, as a human collective we could be unstoppable.

I hope this month’s articles will provide some pearls of wisdom or bits of inspiration on the path to expanding our communities both near and far. I’m wishing you the happiest of holidays and peace on earth for the coming year.

With love and light,

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.

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Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

newsbriefs Art+Soul Pop-Up Market and Fundraiser for Animals

Annual Winter Solstice Restorative Celebration

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n December 10 from 11am to 5pm, Hartford’s ArtSpace Gallery will host the 4th annual Art+Soul Hartford’s pop-up market and fundraiser.

An opportunity to shop for unique gifts from local vendors, the event also is a fundaiser for Protectors of Animals (POA).

One hundred percent of the vendor registration fees will be donated to the organization, along with 20 percent or more of sales. The suggested donation at the door is $5 and all door proceeds go to POA.

This year’s vendors include: Meredith Acari; Cinder + Salt; Island of Misfit Crafters; Fallenpeach Lane; Mariposa: Mittens and More; Liberty&44; Stock the Bar Candles; Lindsay Behrens Fine Art; Marni Designs; The Art of Tao LaBossiere LLC; Naturally Dogs & Cats; Jenny Fields Fiber; Avé Rivera Studio; Iron*Art; Colemama Creations; Verse Bags; Lisa Kraimer: Hand knit hats; Specles and Petals; Wren in a Willow; JusTea; Let’s Start from Scratch; Hartford Prints!; Timeflies by Lauralie; Tainted, Inc.

Street parking is free on Sundays (Union Place, Church Street, etc.) or pay to park in the lot across from Union Station.

Protectors of Animals (POA), a 501(c)(3) organization, is a leader in the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of Connecticut’s abandoned, abused and homeless animals with a focus on the neediest cats and dogs in Hartford County. POA was an early pioneer in the state by embracing pediatric spay/neuter; all POA animals are “fixed” before adoption, fulfilling their mission of reducing overpopulation. Formed in 1975, POA is one of the oldest, continuously operating, no-kill animal welfare organizations in the northeast. Primarily run by volunteers, POA dedicates its time and resources not just to rescue, but also to facilitating foster homes for homeless animals, providing extensive medical care for shelter animals, as much socialization and rehabilitation necessary to ready all of their animals for adoption. To date, POA has rescued and successfully placed more than 14,000 cats and 7,000 dogs.

For more information about Hartford ArtSpace Gallery, call 860-548-9975 or visit ArtSpaceHartford.com. For more information about POA, visit POAInc.org. Location: Hartford ArtSpace Gallery, 555 Asylum Ave, Hartford.

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anton’s Chi Healing Center will host a winter solstice celebration on December 21 from 6 to 7pm. The event will include a short series of gentle, meditative exercises with Mary Ellen Mullins. They will be followed by a deep supported relaxation to help you set your intention for the new year using your body, mind and spirit. We honor the darkest, most yin time of year by creating space to rest and nurture our innermost selves with reflection and relaxation.

Take time out of your busy lifestyle to celebrate the presence of spirit and connect with the natural rhythms of the Earth’s cycle. Spiritually shed what you want to leave behind in the old year and plant the seeds of intention for your best new year in 2018. Wear comfortable, cozy clothing and enjoy the self-healing that comes when we rest and allow. Suitable for all ages and all abilities.

The cost is $20 per person. You can drop in or use your Chi Healing Center class card.

For more information, visit ChiHealingCenter.com or Facebook.com/ ChiHealingCenter. Location: Chi Healing Center, 136 Dowd Ave, Canton.

b Chiropractic & Acupuncture with Dr. Joyce b

Dr. Joyce Chung-Quiros has been practicing Chiropractic Medicine and Acupuncture since 2003.

She is dedicated to improving her patients' quality of life through balancing chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, physiotherapy, and exercise in a safe and natural way.

Dr. Joyce supports the use of both alternative medicine and traditional western medicine to harmoniously reach one's optimal health and wellness.

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December 2017

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newsbriefs

Local Effort for Hartford Food Cooperative

Natural Awakenings Publisher Opens Up in Self-Reflection Book

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uthor and Natural Awakenings Long Island publisher, Kelly Martinsen, has published a compilation of essays ranging from the profound and poignant about love, faith and loss, to the heartwarming and hilarious about middle-age angst, motherhood mishaps and dog poop. A Year of Inspired Living offers personal reflection questions and space for the reader to journal and help you create an inspired year. The book will help you discover the life you want to lead, the person you want to be and the impact you want to have on the world. nd

As publisher, each month Martinsen writes a letter to Isla g Lon gs akenin readers that sets the tone of that issue’s unique editorial Kelly Martinsen Kelly Martinsen theme. Four years ago, within two days of publishing her ng ant to lead, first letter, a reader called to thank her for the thoughthe impact provoking piece. Month after month, topic after topic, reorld. sponses to Martinsen’s editorial letters grew and readers on of essays, d poignant— were connecting with her words in life-changing ways. rming and

A Year of Inspired Living is a monthly chapter book otherhood and more. with weekly sub-chapters, compiling and expanding on rs personal space for Martinsen’s letters but leaving the last page of each week al and for the reader to write their own letter. Chapter topate their red year. ics include love, commitment, faith, challenges, death, freedom, middle age, children, cancer, dog poop and more. Written in a familiar voice, A Year of Inspired Living speaks with wisdom, tongue-in-cheek self-effacing humor and raw honesty to help readers develop a greater awareness of their own personal relationships and journeys.

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ecember’s Green Drinks Hartford meeting, from 6 to 8pm, December 13, will focus on a local effort to start a brick-and-mortar food cooperative in Hartford.

Inside the city there are many places where access to healthy and culturally appropriate food is limited.

Food cooperatives present a solution as they are owned by their shoppers; they are created by the community coming together and putting their values first by investing in a community-owned grocery store. These types of grocery stores have been proven to improve access to healthy food and provide sustainable community development in the form of jobs and community engagement.

Join Green Drinks Co-organizer Sam King, James Jeter and Hartford Community Loan Fund’s Dan Britton to learn about cooperatives and how you can get involved. Join the Green Drinks chapter on the second Wednesday of each month to connect, network and have fun with other environmentally conscious people.

For more information, visit Facebook. com/GreenDrinksHartford. Location: Spectra Wired Cafe, 5 Constitution Plaza, Hartford.

1227 Burnside Ave #1 East Hartford, CT

860-888-4314

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Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Bristol Rock and Minerals Shop Celebrates Anniversary

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&D Designs, a rock and mineral, crystal, jewelry and healing gifts shop, opened its doors in Bristol in October 2015, and is celebrating its second anniversary in December with sales throughout the month.

Their celebration kicked off with Small Business Saturday on November 25.

Owner Susan Dawiczyk opened the shop after deciding to branch out from her father’s rock and mineral business, Stone Corner, in Hudson, New York. The store carries a variety of specimens, from large quartz and barite, to small tumbled pocket stones, to kids’ collector sets, as well as a wide variety of jewelry.

With 35 years of experience, Dawiczyk wants the shop to be known for a fun, exciting and warm atmosphere. She wants everyone to have their own special moment whether it’s with rock collecting, metaphysical healing or finding a beautiful gift for someone special at the holidays.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/LDDesignsJewelry.

Location: 199 Central St, Bristol.

Art and Handcraft Sale Benefits Vassar Haiti Project

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nterested in holiday shopping to benefit a great cause?

Through December 21, a Haitian art and handcraft sale to benefit the Vassar Haiti Project is being held at the Mary C. Daly RSM Art Gallery, at the Mercy by the Sea Retreat and Conference Center. All are welcome to explore the gallery and artwork, Monday through Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm, through December 21. All purchases are tax deductible.

For over 17 years, the Vassar Haiti Project has funded primary and secondary school programs, a full-time clinic and sustainable development initiatives in Chermaitre, a remote mountain village in Northwest Haiti. The Haiti Project, based in Poughkeepsie, New York, engages Vassar College students in global citizenship curriculum and fundraisers through the sale of original and affordable Haitian art and crafts.

Mercy by the Sea supports art as the creative expression of the human spirit. The Mary C. Daly RSM Gallery exhibits established and emerging local and regional painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists whose artwork express a powerful connection to creation in all its forms and engages conversation, learning, spirituality and growth. Typically, the exhibits change every two to three months.

For more information, call 203-245-0401 or visit MercyByTheSea.org. Location: 167 Neck Rd., Madison.

Community Acupuncture Offered in Bloomfield

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aturopathic physician and acupuncture specialist Nicole Klughers is offering a series of upcoming Community Acupuncture dates at the Energetic Being Center in Bloomfield. The first will be Saturday, December 2 from 10am to 1pm.

Community acupuncture is a nationwide movement to bring affordable and effective acupuncture and Nicole Klughers Chinese medicine to more people.

Community acupuncture allows for individualized treatment in a common treatment area. In this way, community acupuncture helps to serve the community and increase accessibility to this ancient healing method by offering acupuncture treatments simultaneously to multiple patients in a shared space.

Each participant will receive a 20- to 30-minute acupuncture treatment while comfortably relaxed on a massage table or reclining chair. Please bring a pillow. Only areas below the knees and elbows are commonly needled.

Some of the proven benefits of acupuncture include: increased relaxation, more energy, avoidance of illness/injury, improvement of physical pain, clearer thinking and the ability to calm a racing mind (especially around bedtime).

Klughers will hold additional community acupuncture sessions on January 14 and February 18, from noon to 4pm in Bloomfield.

For more information or to register, call 234-2-ACU-DOC or visit DrNicoleKlughers.com. Location: The Energetic Being Center, 3 Barnard Ln, Bloomfield.

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December 2017

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newsbriefs Celebrating Winter and Holiday Lights with a Trolley Ride

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he Connecticut Trolley Museum presents Winterfest 2017 and The Tunnel of Lights throughout December this year, including a new addition to the trolley ride, a tree light show synchronized with music. Winterfest is open from 5 to 9pm on December 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 and 22-23. Santa will be onsite until he heads back to the North Pole after closing on December 23.

The event will also be held December 26-30 from 5 to 9pm during school vacation break.

Whether riding a closed trolley car or braving the cold to ride the open “electric sleigh�, you can join your motormen in singing traditional Christmas carols as the trolley makes its way through the Tunnel of Lights. When you return, head inside the visitors center, which has been transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with model trains, decorations, hot cocoa and entertainment. Meet and pose for a picture with Santa inside one of the historic trolleys; Santa will have a gift for each child.

Admission prices are $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (62+), $10 for children ages 4-12, and $3 for children 3 and under. Museum members receive half off admission.

For more information, call 860-627-6540, or visit CT-Trolley.org or tinyurl.com/TrolleyWinterfest.. Location: Connecticut Trolley Museum, 58 North Rd, East Windsor.

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Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

Relationship Workshop with Leesa Sklover

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eesa Sklover, PhD, Director of Sklover LoveLife Productions, LLC, will host upcoming educational and experiential programs at the Madison Beach Hotel, in Maadison. The Great Relationship: Self-Love and Respect for Other & World will take place on December 18 and 19. A lecture introducing the topic will take place Monday evening from 7 to 8:30pm, then the workshop the following Leesa Sklover morning from 9:30am to 1:30pm, with lunch from 1:30 to 2:30pm for an additional $20 fee.

This workshop will make the relationship to self and others healthier through a process of spiritual wellness and awareness. Learn mindfulness to be aware of prejudices, consciousness raising, tools for communication and communion with others. Explore relations to other beings and the natural world. Using story, music, meditation and visualization, discover what it means to be in the great relationships of our life to self, other and our world.

A music therapist, yoga therapist, licensed counselor and performing songwriter for over 25 years, Sklover develops education programs for all types of practitioners and offers advanced training for music therapists and yoga therapists, teachers, psychotherapists, psychologists and all in careers of medicine and the arts.

Sklover will offer a MusicYoga Therapy workshop February 5 and 6 in the same location.

For more information, call 917-860-0488, email DrSklover@ gmail.com or visit LoveLifeProductions.net or SoundCloud. com/LeesaSklover. Location: Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W Wharf Rd, Madison.

Shop and Build Community in Middletown

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rtists For World Peace’s (AFWP) annual Market Place will be held at deKoven House in Middletown on December 9 from 11am to 4pm.

Handcrafted gift items from Tanzania, Kenya and Nepal will be available, including baskets, clothing, fabric and slippers.

There will also be a pop-up art gallery of hundreds of original 6-square-inch painted canvases donated to AFWP by artists from around the country.

In addition, the event will include the raffle of a one-ofa-kind quilt made by the Peace Quilters Project in Tanzania.

There will be live on-site painting with the finished paintings being offered at a later date. The day will culminate in an open drum circle led by members of the Eastern Pequot Nation from North Stonington. The event is free and open to the public with plenty of parking behind the building.

Artists for World Peace is a community of artists and activists that promote peace by feeding, housing, educating and providing healthcare to those in need, thereby lifting communities to a place of hope throughout the world.

For more information, visit ArtistsforWorldPeace.org or Facebook.com/ArtistsforWorldPeace. Location: deKoven House, 27 Washington St, Middletown.

Sea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Opens

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ea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Center is a new facility in Hebron offering services including counseling and psychotherapy, shamanic healing, reiki, Celtic reiki, IET, shamanic sound healing, organic facials and yoga. Owner Melanie VanOstrand says opening the center is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. She is a spiritual messenger and healer who uses her natural gifts as an empath and psychic medium to bring her clients healing and guidance from the spirit world.

She and several other experienced practitioners will use the new space to offer a variety of individual treatment sessions as well as group classes.

Sea in the Sky will offer Meditation Mondays every Monday from 7 to 8pm, open to all levels. On the first Tuesday of each month, Soul Circle: A Meditation and Journey Group will be held from 6:30 to 8pm. New events and workshops are being planned for the new year; check the website for more details.

For more information, call 860-530-1552 or visit SeaInTheSkyHealing.com. Location: 269 Church St, Ste 3, Amston (Hebron).

Holistic Benefit Fair in Plainville

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our Holistic Events will hold their last benefit holistic fair of the year in Plainville on December 17 from noon to 4pm.

Featuring more than 45 vendors and readers, this free event holds something for everyone. While admission is free, a food donation is requested to benefit The Plainville Food Pantry.

Vendors at the event will include: readers, aura photography, Tai Chi/qigong, food vendors, reiki, BEMER therapy, personal trainers, naturopathic physicians, home services, healing modalities, psychotherapists, jewelry, chiropractors, essential oils, clothing, home cleaning, natural and personal care products, natural supplements, crystals, skincare, reflexology and more.

For more information, contact Shirley Bloethe at 860-989-0033 or YourHolisticEvents@gmail.com.

For vendor information, visit YourHolisticEvents.com or Facebook.com/YourHolisticEvents. Location: VFW Hall, 7 Northwest Dr. (Off RT 10 on Farmington town line), Plainville.

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December 2017

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healthbriefs

COMING IN APRIL 2018 Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com

Alcohol Affects Our Heartbeat

First Annual

Natural Living Directory

Hartford County Edition

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Publisher@NAHRT.com

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Fifty healthy patients and 50 with chronic fatigue syndrome were tested for bacteria and immune molecules by researchers from Columbia University.

They discovered that imbalances in the levels of certain gut bacteria are prevalent in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disorder often accompanied by extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, cognitive issues and insomnia.

Regular Sleep Times Promote Health

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community:

860-507-6392

erman researchers studied the correlation between cardiac arrhythmia and alcohol consumption by monitoring 3,000 middle-aged volunteers for 16 days during Oktoberfest. Portable electrocardiographs and breathalyzer machines tested for heart activity and breath alcohol concentration. Arrhythmia showed up in 30 percent of the participants, significantly higher than an estimated 4 percent or less among the general population according to an earlier study. An irregular heartbeat often causes discomfort in the short term and possible heart failure and stroke later.

GUT BACTERIA IMBALANCE LINKED TO CHRONIC FATIGUE Ben Schonewille /Shutterstock.com

For the Greater Hartford Area

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natural awakenings

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report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that 35 percent of U.S. adults don’t get adequate sleep. Dr. W. Chris Winter, of the Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine clinic, recommends we pick a wake-up time that works for every day and stick with it, regardless of bedtime; it pays off by eventually training the brain to fall asleep at the same time every night. Swedish scientists found that sleep loss reduces the presence of hormones that promote feelings of fullness in the stomach and increases the amounts of those that promote hunger, leading to obesity.

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In the Spirit of the Season – May We Walk as One Jody Bergsma Jody Bergsma began creating art at age 3, when her mother suggested that she draw her nightmares to vanquish her fears. Monsters illustrated with pink and green crayons were not so scary, and the budding young artist became hooked.

By her mid-teens, Bergsma was selling her fanciful works and she went on to become an award-winning illustrator.

In her whimsical, elfin watercolors and detailed, dramatic images of wildlife, the artist often uses aboriginal, native and geometric designs and symbols derived from the beautiful patterns of ancient cultures. By respectfully working with these images, she reintegrates them into our modern ethos.

“I propose that all humankind shares a common reality just beyond the range of normal sight,” remarks Bergsma, whose watercolor technique is self-taught. “Each person’s physical adventure is unique, but the abstract language of feelings and realization of existence is our shared experience.

“Art is a tradition that helps define who we are and brings us a vision of who we can become,” Bergsma continues. “My painting is my expression and request for a more beautiful, peaceful and harmonious world.”

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December 2017

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globalbriefs ODM/Shutterstock.com

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

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Robot Roomies

New Tech May Relieve Elder Isolation

Approximately a third of those older than 65 and half of elders at least 85 live alone, as do many people with illnesses and mental disorders. All can suffer from feelings of profound loneliness. Emerging virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provide avenues to alleviate such isolation, instilling contentment, peace of mind, enrichment, fun, a sense of companionship and contributing to physical and mental health.

Instead of passively watching TV, seniors can travel virtually to World Heritage sites, revisit old haunts or even attend family events they would otherwise miss. In terms of benefits attained, VR is predicted to measurably improve seniors’ quality of life.

Healthcare applications of AI and telemedicine include reminders to eat, be active or take medications, perhaps assisted by a robotic companion that can share information with practitioners, children, caregivers and emergency personnel. Social applications include helping to form and maintain social connections. It may also serve as a personal concierge by reminding seniors of appointments, playing games with them and initiating dialogue to spark outward engagement.

Tree Tally

Digitalizing Data Helps Rainforest Census The Amazon rainforest is thought to harbor a greater diversity of trees than anywhere else on Earth, but the exact number has long been a mystery. In 2013, scientists estimated that the number of species was around 16,000, but no actual count had been done.

In a new paper in Scientific Reports, researchers delved into museum collections from around the world to confirm the current number of tree species recorded in the Amazon and assess possibilities of those yet to be discovered.

“Since 1900, between 50 and 200 new trees have been discovered in the Amazon every year,” notes Nigel Pitman, a Mellon senior conservation ecologist with the Field Museum.

“Our analysis suggests that we won’t finish discovering new tree species there for three more centuries.”

The study relied upon the digitization of museum collections data—photographs and digital records—of the specimens housed there and shared worldwide through aggregator sites like IDigBio.org. “It gives scientists a better sense of what’s actually growing in the Amazon Basin, aiding conservation efforts,” says Pitman.

A good conscience is a continual Christmas. ~Benjamin Franklin 12

Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

Senior Sisterhood Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

New Options for Independent Co-Housing For 20 years, Maria Brenton, an outspoken proponent of older people living independently, has been campaigning and planning for the opening of a different kind of retirement home run by its residents, supporting each other through old age. She says, “Attitudes to older people in this country are out of date. Most members of the older population don’t wish to have everything done for them.”

She attests that institutions and agencies dealing with older people encourage dependency and are patronizing and paternalistic. “Older people internalize it, and they learn to wait for people to do things for them,” advises Brenton.

New Ground, in Barnet, North London, is the first UK cohousing development set up just for older women, with 26 women from age 50 to 87. Also in London, The Collective has created something similar with enhanced amenities such as a cinema room and a launderette with a disco ball. WeWork is an American company that has set up communal offices, and recently established WeLive, in New York City.

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Regift or Recycle Smart Phones When replacing holiday purchases of smartphones and other electronic devices, don’t just trash the old ones. Manufacturing electronics consumes many resources and discarded waste can leak harmful chemicals into ecosystems. There are far better ways to redirect and repurpose them.

Besides trading in phones for a rebate, another good option is transferring them to an official recycling program that makes sure all components are dealt with properly. Some states offer special provisions. Check the E-Cycling Central website at eiae.org. Major phone makers and carriers offer recycling programs, and some retailers accept select electronic devices.

Best of all, give a device a new life by gifting it. RecyclingForCharities.com accepts obsolete personal electronic devices by mail; the donor selects a charity to receive the proceeds. ShelterAlliance.net, CellPhonesForSoldiers.com and Phones4Charity.org are kindred organizations.

AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org lets users find nearby charity recycling initiatives via zip code. It provides scholarships for U.S. children that have lost a parent through warfare or terrorism, feeds malnourished children in Asia, builds lowincome housing and donates prepaid calling cards to military personnel.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, other unwanted electronic devices can be recycled so that incorporated copper, steel and glass can be recovered and reused. Other materials like lead (in circuit board solder, glass cathode ray tubes of many TVs and computer screens, and batteries) and mercury (in fluorescent backlights of many flat-panel screen displays) can be captured and recycled, instead of polluting the environment.

Small appliances like toasters, coffee makers and clothing irons aren’t considered e-waste and generally aren’t recyclable because they are made of a mix of plastic and metal. Using them for many years helps.

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The easiest solution is to be careful with calorie intake before the holidays.

Keep the calories to just the required amount for a healthy day in order to not feel as bad if we overeat or fill up with sweets later. To counteract any overeating or overindulgence of the sweet tooth, create an exercise plan for the holidays and stick with it.

Dealing with Family Members

How to Keep a Calm Mind During the Holiday Season

by Inessa Zaleski

I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favourite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending. ~ Fred Rogers

F

aces lighten up when the holidays approach. It is a wonderful time to celebrate the bonds we share with families and friends. But this season of merriment also comes with its stresses.

Holiday season can be taxing for people who find it hard to deal with all the events, expectations and family members. Worries include the possibility of weight gain, listening to in-laws’ criticisms, anxious and energetic kids, and more. These can trigger us into wanting to run away rather than being present and enjoying our holiday season.

What are some of these common holiday challenges and what can we do to ease the stress?

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Hartford County Edition

Gaining Weight

“Well, it’s very easy for me to gain weight, but even though I tried not eating for a week when I was really young, I couldn’t do it any longer because I liked my food too much.” ~ Amanda Seyfried

For many people, the best part of holidays is the food that comes with it. With holiday-themed cupcakes and cookies, home-made pies or juicy turkey, everything seems too appetizing to refuse to eat. And saying “no” to a delicious lunch or dinner may be hard on the family member who put so much love into cooking it. But weak holiday moments can lead us toward weight gain.

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One of the downsides of the holiday season may be dealing with grandmothers or that disapproving aunt.

Sometimes even our parents are not satisfied with our life choices and can make holidays a difficult time to handle. Meeting in-laws or our partner’s family members who do not approve of us can be toxic for us and our relationships. Even making the choice of which family member to visit can be a challenge since many are dealing with divorced parents or multiple family members.

Discussing problems with partners beforehand can help generate more positive vibes before dealing with nosy or disappointed members of the family.

Take every grunt of criticism as constructive. Always know we did our best and it is not our job to please everyone.

Also make a list of things that were bothersome each day. Write them in a journal to get rid of them and not carry them further than needed. Listen to some calming music or do some yoga after a mentally taxing day.

Trying to Find the Perfect Gift

Gift shopping is a task people often dread. To buy something for a family member, we must be aware of their recent likes and dislikes. We try to be sure our gift does not remind them of something painful, while being thoughtful but also cost-effective. Even thinking about this ordeal can give us a headache.

The best solution is to directly ask people what they want this year or ask those closest to them. Make a list of those to buy presents for and the budget. Online shopping may potentially save time and money.

Handling Kids Along with All the Busy Routine

As a working parent, holidays are the time for us to take a break from work and relax. But our kids will be home from school or college, which may be fun but is not relaxing. Having to deal with their routines and meal needs challenges our ability to enjoy some alone time. Adding to the pressure of preparing for the incoming family members, our kids are also pseudoguests.

...make a list of things that were bothersome each day.

Write them in a journal to get rid of them and not carry them further than needed. Listen to some calming music or do some yoga after a mentally taxing day

Take a day or two off from work beforehand to prepare before the arrival of kids and guests. Talking to our kids with love and passion about the things that might be too much for us can help. If we let them know how fatigued we are, they will cut us some slack. If possible, plan a vacation during the holiday season every two to three years.

This will give us the energy to deal with the family during the holidays.

Careful planning is important in order to avoid an overwhelmed, overstressed holiday season. Try to be mentally prepared for the worst but also do our best to remain optimistic and positive. Establish a few guidelines. Try to sort the problems beforehand. Learn to let go of the stuff that we cannot control. Though planning can save us time and mental stress, it is also vital to accept that a misfortune is not our fault. Learn to love and accept your own and other’s imperfections.

Dr. Inessa Zaleski is an author, self-improvement expert and a hypnotherapy instructor. She practices in Fairfield County. Connect at 203-708-7777 or Dr.Inessa@Calmness.com.

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PEACE ON EARTH Conflict Resolutions that Work to Bridge Divides Healing happens when we handle conflict in a healthy and transformative way.

Call to Action

Roughly 30 years ago, notable voices began urging Americans to embrace a sustainable worldview of unity in diversity, recognizing our core oneness as a solution to an increasingly out-of-balance society. Success in this endeavor depends primarily on the “habits of the heart” of our citizens, developed in local milieus of families, neighborhoods, classrooms, congregations, voluntary associations, workplaces and public places where strangers gather.

Activating Answers

While mainstream media often largely focuses on the negative aspects of conflict—discord, divisiveness, intolerance, violence, incivility, injustice, chaos and complex problems—a countermovement is convening constructive conversations. Participants are initiating dialogue and deliberations intended to resolve conflicts and create cohesiveness, collaboration, cooperation and compromise among local factions that disagree on how to deal with everything from health care and social justice to environmental protection and climate science. Educational training materials and books are giving outdated models of conflict resolution a facelift.

In The Revolution Where You Live: Stories from a 12,000 Mile Journey Through a New America, Sarah Van 16

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Gelder devotes a chapter to a Greensboro, North Carolina, battle over a story about a deadly, racially charged incident from the city’s recent past. She quotes James Lamar Gibson, a 20-something AfricanAmerican activist and core organizer for the Counter Stories Project: “We’ve been stuck in an old conversation for a couple of decades. We want to have an army of people with restorative conversation skills, so we can get past the divisiveness and imagine together a different sort of Greensboro,” he says.

The project began with facilitator training, and then developed story circles in which residents were able to have the difficult discussions that don’t ordinarily take place among the police, city council, churches and social agencies.

Today’s conflict resolution experts are discovering that conflict is an essential and powerful call for applying spiritual principles and exercising spiritual practices.

Provocative Questions

“What if we considered conflict as a secret ally or a guidepost, showing us what really matters to us and how much we care? What if our intense emotions are sources of invincible energy, with the power to build the world we want, together? What does having conflict in a healthy and transformative way look like?” queries Ma’ikwe Ludwig,

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executive director of Commonomics USA, an organization which educates and advocates for a world where a commonsbased economy creates economic and ecological security for all.

“Conflict has the power to bring to the surface what’s really at stake and to unite people toward a common goal,” advises Ludwig. Her thought-provoking questions can help shift perceptions toward the idea that we need to use conflict; maybe even welcome it.

Ludwig, author of Together Resilient: Building Community in the Age of Climate Disruption, recently helped present new perspectives on conflict resolution during a webinar for Transition US members interested in creating inclusive and diverse communities through collaboration. The nonprofit inspires, encourages, supports and provides networking and training for grassroots initiatives seeking to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as oil spills, climate change and economic crises.

Courtney Breese, managing director for the nonprofit National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) and her colleagues, together with thousands of innovative thinkers, are helping by introducing people to simple dialogue and deliberation structures, processes and resources that invite meaningful and productive conver-

Little Perfect Stock/Shutterstock.com

by Linda Sechrist

sations leading to constructive civic engagement. Breese remarks, “We’re open to working with anyone interested in learning processes that can help bridge divides. We also like sharing stories about what is working.”

Toolbox

The group’s downloadable free tools help newcomers: A beginner’s guide for exploring dialogue (ncdd.org/rc/ beginners-guide); a how-to-guide for Conversation Café (CC) hosts (Tinyurl. com/ManualForConversationCafe); and the American Library Association Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change Project (ala.org/ ltc-models). “To date, we’ve had at least 800 librarians participate in free NCDD webinars,” Breese notes.

Intense emotions can become sources of invincible energy with the collective power to build the world we want.

CC is a simple tool useful in exploring difficult topics and provides a safe space to process different perspectives. “Initial agreement on basic rules includes suspending judgment while listening and seeking to understand others, refraining from persuading or converting and talking only from personal experience,” explains Breese.

One new network member, J. Scott Wagner, author of The Liberal’s Guide to Conservatives, speaks about the importance of using neutral language in dialogue. “I learned from him how words can be emotional triggers and signal one-sided perspectives, leaving some group members feeling angry or excluded because they feel the speaker won’t be open to hearing their perspective,” says Breese.

After three tours of the U.S. and hundreds of interviews with conservative individuals, Wagner, founder of the nonprofit Reach the Right, was inspired to use his knowledge of five arenas—neurology/cognitive psychology, personality, bias, social conformity and morality—to help progressives understand conservatives that are not only their political

leaders, but also their relatives, partners, friends and managers.

He offers a simple explanation for anyone drenched in inaccurate biases.

“We inherit unconscious genetic personality characteristics that lead us to develop our ideology, with which we construct our world and align with others that are in agreement. Differences in our personality characteristics are the culprits that create conflict.”

Community Needs Erase Enmity

Drawing on 25 years of experience of enabling sworn enemies to create peace in places such as South Africa, Northern Ireland and Colombia, Adam Kahane, author of Collaborating with the Enemy: How to Work with People You Don’t Agree with or Like or Trust, shares insights into the “enemyfying syndrome” that instigates conflict.

This habit of thinking and acting as if people we are dealing with are our enemies and the cause of our problems is all around us and dominates the media. “The enemies are always the others, ‘those people’. Enemyfying, which feels exciting and satisfying— even righteous and heroic—usually obscures, rather than clarifies, the reality of the challenges we face. It amplifies conflicts, narrows the space for problem solving and creativity, and distracts us with unrealizable dreams of decisive victory from the real work we need to do,” observes Kahane.

Kahane sees the challenge of conflict becoming more acute.

“People today are generally more free, individualistic and diverse, with stronger voices and less deference.

Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are growing.” Yet, contrary to the common view, it is possible for people that hold contradictory positions to find ways to collaborate.

That’s what he and 40 others representing military officers, guerrillas and paramilitaries; activists and politicians; businesspeople and trade unionists; landowners and farmers; and academics, journalists and young people, accomplished in the Destino Colombia project. They organized to contribute to ending their country’s 52-year civil war.

Motivated to Act

Jonathan Bender, founder of The Performance of Your Life, a public speaking and personal development business, has been on a lifelong quest of fostering personal growth and societal transformation. His therapeutic classes and workshops demonstrate how to connect, honor and deeply resonate with others, even if they have different worldviews, and how to listen and hear in the same way we want to be heard.

Acknowledging the adrenalin rush that’s a common response to fear of conflict, Bender says, “When we learn to be mindful and speak from our entire body, rather than just from our head, we notice that the voice resonates and originates from a much bigger place. This teaches us to cultivate greater awareness of our emotions and how we express them.

“Begin by acknowledging an emotion, and then reduce its intensity through slow, deep breaths, paying attention to the correlating physical sensation. Shifting our focus back to the heart allows us to recognize parts of ourselves in the stories of others and come to understand that our personal history is the filter through which we ‘enemyfy’,” says Bender, who speaks and presents publicly, educating audiences and clients about the universally challenging performances of everyday life.

According to Robert Atkinson, Ph.D., author of The Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness, today’s rugged individualism amid conflicts comprises a crisis of consciousness. “No longer can we settle only on seeing things in opposition to one another; we need to shift our consciousness to be able to see the parts coming together in a new whole. Accepting the oneness of humanity as a biological fact, a social necessity and a spiritual reality will lead us further along our journey toward lasting world peace.”

His observation fits with what Joanna Macy, author and scholar of Buddhism and deep ecology, believes is the call of our time: “As planetary citizens, we are being called to wake up together.”

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings who blogs at LindaSechrist.com.

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wisewords

Lynne McTaggart on the

POWER OF GROUP INTENTION

by April Thompson

T

hirty years ago, speaker, author and journalist Lynne McTaggart recovered from an illness using alternative approaches to health. Since then, she’s been exploring the frontiers of healing through consciousness and alternative medicine. In the 1990s, McTaggart, who lives in London, started a newsletter called What Doctors Don’t Tell You, now an international magazine and popular platform at wddty.com that cites thousands of resources showing what works and doesn’t work in conventional and alternative medicine and how to beat chronic conditions naturally.

McTaggart’s seven books include The Intention Experiment, The Field, The Bond and most recently, The Power of Eight. Her latest work examines the transformative power of small groups of people sending thoughts together for a common goal.

Can you summarize the results of your experiments of healing through collective intentions?

We’ve done hundreds of experiments using small and large groups; 30 were tightly controlled scientific studies conducted in conjunction with researchers at institutions such as the University of Arizona, University of California and Penn State University.

The experiments have involved all kinds of intentions, ranging from the relatively simple to the impossibly complex.

The large-scale intention experiments involved upwards of 25,000 participants remotely logging onto a website to view 18

Hartford County Edition

photos of the targets, sometimes 8,000 miles away, and sending them a well-defined intention, like changing the pH balance of water or healing a war veteran of post-traumatic stress disorder.

To date, 26 of those 30 experiments resulted in positive, measurable, mainly scientifically significant effects. We’ve seen the pH of water change by a full pH number and seen seeds grow twice as much as control seeds.

We also conducted three peace intention experiments with interesting results: After our eightday intention for Sri Lanka during its civil war, violence levels fell; the government had won several decisive battles that week; and within a few months that 25-year war was over. We can’t say with certainty that we had a hand in this, but our other peace experiments showed similar results. If it happens a few more times, that becomes compelling.

What conditions were the most conducive to manifesting positive results?

Was it intention, the power of the group or altruism? I think it’s a little of all of these. We’ve found that larger groups do not have a larger effect, which brought about the “power of eight” concept. I’ve discovered all that’s needed is a group, whether it’s eight or 8,000. In a group, we seem to lose our sense of individuality and separation from the world. We experience an overwhelming sense of oneness with the other intenders, which may be why our influence then becomes more powerful.

natural awakenings

How did the act of sending positive intentions affect the senders?

I was most surprised by the rebound effects reported by participants, whom I started surveying after the Sri Lankan peace experiment. Thousands of extraordinary comments related not only how participants felt during the activity, but also afterwards; they were experiencing major shifts in their relationships, health, careers and well-being.

All they had done was sit individually in front of their computer holding an intention, yet they experienced the altered and mystical states of consciousness described by psychologist Abraham Maslow as “peak experiences”.

Life University, a large chiropractic university in Atlanta, worked with us to study the brainwaves of participants in six “power of eight” groups and found that senders had decreased activity in their frontal and parietal lobes, which govern the sense of self. It was like the boundaries between participants were dissolving into a state of oneness. To me, this partly explained the sense of oneness, compassion and love they experienced. Andrew Newberg, director of research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, in Philadelphia, recorded similar effects in Sufi masters, and nuns and monks engaged in prayer and meditation, but only after years of learning certain techniques. My participants, all novices, were primed only by watching a 13-minute YouTube video of me explaining how to send intention in a group. Group intention appears to be a fast-track to the miraculous—no experience necessary.

Why does “groupthink” have such a powerful, multiplicative effect?

I think a huge part of it has to do with the power of getting off of yourself and setting an intention for someone else.

Another is the connection created in a group. When we engage together in an activity like praying or setting altruistic intentions, we create a powerful virtual circle that proves healing to both the receivers and senders.

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

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DVR players and Although natural-frequency technology was developed programmable appliancearlier by a group of engineers and scientists exploring various es to a seemingly endfrequencies’ influence on water, the initial discovery has been less list of other elecattributed to ancient sages in India that intuited them. For extronic gadgets, we are ample, 7.83 Hz, the frequency of “om”, happens to be Mother in constant contact with Earth’s natural heartbeat rhythm, now known as the Schumann unnatural electromagResonance. Aligned with the brain’s alpha and theta states, this netic frequencies (EMFs) technology of resonating frequencies has been carefully tuned generated by technology. In today’s 24/7 society, invisible and tested by Philip Stein researchers, technicians and sleep EMFs are inescapable; they permeate our working and livexperts. Today, it is at the core of all Philip Stein products. ing spaces. What we may not know is how they negatively Philip Stein’s tuning technology picks up and channels impact our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle: suppressing the beneficial natural frequencies that have always surmelatonin, the hormone that controls the natural circadian rounded human beings. “We believe that all organisms have rhythm, disturbing slumber and even affecting weight gain, evolved or grown accustomed to these natural frequencies, according to University of Tel Aviv research. and our systems are tuned to operate best with them, rather On the brighter side, some new technological products than with the increasing number of manmade frequencies we promise to restore balance to the body, including deeper and experience in the modern world,” explains Stein. more restful sleep. From the Philip Stein sleep bracelet, sleep number beds and portable sleep trackers to sleep-related For more information, visit PhilipStein.com. See ad, this page.

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inspiration

The Compassionate Achiever How Helping Others Fuels Success

by Christopher L. Kukk

A

cting with bert Camus’s main human character in The decency— Plague, Bernard in every situation Rieux, illustrates and interaction— the point that you is another way to don’t have to perconnect to huform heroic acts man capabilities like saving lives; hidden in plain you just have to sight. In news and “do your job” TV stories about with common those who did decency—meansomething heroic, ing civility and they usually say respect. that they were just doing their job Rieux reflects: or they did what I know now that anyone else would man is capable of have done in the great deeds. But I know now that man is same situation. if he isn’t capable None of them did of great emotion, capable of great deeds. it for recognition he leaves me But if he isn’t capable of well, or to receive a cold…However, plaque; they did there’s one thing great emotion, well, he it because it was I must tell you: leaves me cold... the right thing to there’s no quesdo. It was, in their tion of heroism minds, what any decent human being in all of this. It’s a matter of common would do. decency. That’s an idea which may

We have met two types of people make some people smile, but the only who say “I’m just doing my job”: those means of fighting a plague is—comwho use it as an excuse to do nothing mon decency. to help others and those who use it

Rieux’s words point to the idea to downplay credit for heroism. There that basic common decency is all that is a third type of person who uses the is needed to overcome and even avoid phrase: an individual who ordinarily problems in every aspect of society. It’s and routinely acts with kindness, civil- acting in ways that prioritize kindness, ity, and respect in normal daily life. Al- courtesy, and respect for each person

20

Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

you encounter. You befriend and never belittle. Common decency is about honoring and respecting the human dignity of every individual.

I call this way of everyday thinking and acting Rieux’s Routine. Following Rieux’s Routine is the middle way between the excuser and the unsung hero; it’s something that each of us can follow without ignoring (the excuser) or risking (the hero) anything. It’s about acting on our common belief in basic decency. Recent national surveys on civility show that 95 percent of us believe in common decency, but are concerned about its decline in our political, communal, and personal lives.

At the beginning of 2016, 70 percent of Americans polled said that incivility in their country has reached “crisis levels, up from 65 percent in 2014.”

The “crisis” begins and ends within each one of us—meaning that if we each choose to act with civility, we can avert problems that eventually create crises.

From The Compassionate Achiever: How Helping Others Fuels Success

by Christopher L. Kukk, PhD. Kukk is Professor of Political Science, Director of the Kathwari Honors Program and Director of the Center for Compassion, Creativity & Innovation at Western Connecticut State University (WestConn). He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Institute of Holistic Health Studies at WestConn.

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J A The Line In Between N

Vibrational Healing plus: Chiropractic Care

Live Every Day with Purpose

by Siobhan Becker and Michelle Bense

W

hen we die, on our tombstone or plaque it will read the month and year we were born, followed by a line, and then the year we died. What do we do with the line—the line in between? That line in between is our opportunity to live a life filled with purpose.

Recently, there was a story about a young lady named Amanda, who committed suicide. When one reads or hears such news, there is always a shock, and we always ask, “Why?” No one can answer this question, and the one person who can, no longer has the ability to do so. We are left with emptiness, sadness and loss. The author of the story—a young man in his early twenties—decided to not get stuck on the emotions, but instead to learn the lesson that life is short and to be treasured. What a gift to learn this so early, so young.

Living life to the fullest is very important, which includes saying, “I am sorry”, forgiving and loving family and friends. Our awareness that life is not permanent is heightened in the face of tragedy and the little things do matter more. We pay attention to the moments, where we feel happy, at peace, joy, strong, inspired.

Honoring “the line in between” ought to be something we do daily. We can begin doing so at any time. As long as there is no date on the other end

of the line, we are still here solid and, God willing, physically and mentally able. We can wake early and lie there thinking, completely caught up in our head, but we are wasting mind power on the wrong thoughts. All that energy could be used for something useful: our purpose, our goal-driven tasks and choices for the day.

Each day we have choices. Perhaps the biggest choice we have is whether we decide to live our purpose, live on purpose, live in the moment. If only it was simply automatic each day—programmed into our minds that we are here for a reason—and we are not lying in bed thinking bad thoughts about a day that has already passed.

If one person can read this and be inspired, that is already progress. Let us remember this wonderful girl Amanda, who we did not even know, by living our lives mindfully. Let us start honoring “the line in between” by living life on purpose and choosing to place our focus where it does the most good.

Siobhan Becker is a life coach and the owner of The Lavender Group in West Hartford. Connect at LavenderGroupLLC.com.

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Michelle Bense is a freelance editor and writer for Natural Awakenings magazines across the country. Connect at EditorMichelleBense@gmail.com.

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communityspotlight

Connecticut’s Holistic Chambers of Commerce Fostering Healthy, Mindful Business Growth

by Ariana Rawls Fine

F

ounded seven years ago by Camille Leon, Holistic Chamber of Commerce has grown to become an international trade organization focused on holistic, complementary, alternative and sustainable professionals, practitioners and businesses. The group’s mission, achieved through the efforts of local chapters, is to make it easier for consumers to learn about and access holistic, natural and eco-friendly products, services and solutions.

Connecticut is currently home to

22

Hartford County Edition

two growing chapters of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce. Shirley R. Bloethe has been hosting holistic events for the last 25 years with her own business and is now president of the New Haven (CT) chapter, which meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Whitney Christina is chapter president of the Avon and Hartford Metro chapters of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce. Avon members meet on the second Tuesday while Hartford Metro participants network and learn about business on the

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third Wednesdays.

“When the New Haven chapter started nearly five years ago, I was friends with the person who became the president. Since I run holistic events, it seemed a good fit to become their publicity person,” Bloethe says.

“When my friend stepped down, I decided the time was right for me to be the president; that was in March. We are excited to rebuild the chapter to expand our reach to the shoreline.”

One of her immediate goals is to increase marketing to and for practitioners. Consumers say it can be difficult to find existing businesses for a need they have, she explains. But practitioners still need persuading. “That hardest part is getting to a place to find their target market. We can’t promote them if we don’t know they exist,” Bloethe explains.

Each Connecticut chapter currently has 25 to 30 members, but Bloethe says they are aiming for 100 members. “They are good at what they do but tend to be more challenged with getting the word out about their business. And so we have workshops at our monthly meetings to help them with marketing to connect with people and potential clients.”

Christina agrees with Bloethe’s assessment and adds that she sees a tendency among members to undervalue their services and frequently give services for reduced rates or for free.

She says the chamber helps educate holistic practitioners about how valuing what they offer enables them to stay in business and continue to help clients.

In addition to fostering business growth for members, Christina has another goal: expanding the holisticminded businesses’ reach into the general community. “When we had our first Passport to Health & Wellness Expo in October, it was not what I have experienced as a ‘typical’ holistic fair,” she explains. “There was a lot of community involvement from those that weren’t members yet. They sought us out and wanted to be part of the event.”

Of the nearly 30 vendors at the inaugural event, Christina says about half were green, sustainable and/or holistic businesses from the general community.

“It was also encouraging to see how many local attendees came. We plan on having expos twice a year with one taking place annually on Earth Day,” she

says. The chambers are exploring the possibility of a two-day event in the future and they are looking to expand their reach by being present at town events that the general community attends.

Since many of their members are practitioners, Christina says the chambers’ goal is attracting more “green” product and service members, such as dry cleaners, furniture companies, residential cleaners, organic lawn care providers, farm-to-table businesses and others.

The benefits to a practitioner or business of joining the chamber include online member listings, social media promotion, and in-person and online networking with other like-minded professionals. Business-building discounts span professional liability insurance, business products, booking software, advertising in Natural Awakenings and more. Local meetings offer business-focused speakers, panels and roundtable discussions. A professional membership is $16 a month or $177 a year while the business membership level is $37 a month or $377 a year; there is a onetime $35 processing fee.

“The Holistic Chamber of Commerce has given me new friends that

service, you would be able to go to the chamber’s website and search for services. I have been in other chambers in the past and found this one is more helpful when it comes to networking for its members. I have been able to showcase my BEMER business within our holistic community and at our expo.”

The two chapters collaborate on events, such as their recent regional breakfast in November, an upcoming holiday gathering in December and their Spring Passport to Health & Wellness Expo scheduled for April 22, 2018 (Earth Day) in Bristol, Connecticut. share the naturopathic journey I started 20 years ago. Sharing ideas and getting introduced to new holistic modalities has been priceless,” says Earleen Wright, a Bio-Electro Magnetic Energy Regulator (BEMER) provider and an integral member of the New Haven chapter. “The national organization offers information, networking and searchable practitioners on their website. If you were traveling outside your hometown area and needed a doctor, massage, BEMER session or any other holistic

For more information on the New Haven chapter, call 860-989-0033 or email NewHaven@HolisticChamber OfCommerce.com. Connect with the Avon and Hartford Metro chapters at 860-830-1180, or Avon@Holistic ChamberOfCommerce.com and HartMetro@HolisticChamber OfCommerce.com.

Ariana Rawls Fine is Editor for all t hree Natural Awakenings editions in Connecticut. She resides in Stratford with her family.

A quiet evolution is afoot, and it’s all about Enough!

“There is no clearer or more hope-filled guide for thriving during these confusing times of breakdown-breakthrough.”

- Linda Sechrist, Senior Staff Writer, Natural Awakenings Magazine

enoughers.org

bit.ly/enoughtrailer NAHRT.com

December 2017

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lizabarbiza/Shutterstock.com

consciouseating

THE GIFTS OF CITRUS Colorful Good Health in Holiday Dishes

by Judith Fertig

W

inter citrus fruits that arrive in a gift basket or show up on sale at the grocer present a welcome bright spot on winter’s darker days. Valencia and blood oranges, limes and Meyer lemons are delicious in their own right, and deserve their place on the breakfast table. Yet there are many other intriguing ways to enjoy them in vinaigrettes, salads, main dishes, baked goods and desserts.

Winter citrus is full of health benefits, just when we need them most: during the busy holiday season. To start, they help bolster our immune system, guarding against colds or helping us recover faster. Their high vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, content is water soluble.

According to a comprehensive study by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, a daily intake of 400 milligrams of vitamin C can halve the incidence of colds in adults and cut their duration by 14 percent.

The flavonoid hesperidin in citrus helps boost “good” HDL cholesterol and lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, report researchers in the Journal of Nutrition. In a new study in Nutritional Neuroscience, hesperidin in citrus also was found to ameliorate brain deterioration found in Alzheimer’s patients.

Other studies further show that the grapefruit diet wasn’t wrong; eating half a fresh grapefruit before each meal can help us lose weight. In a study conducted at the Scripps Clinic, in La Jolla, California, and published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers put overweight volunteers on an exercise plan for 12 weeks and asked them to eat either half a fresh grapefruit or drink apple juice and pop a placebo pill before each meal.

The grapefruit group dropped an average of three-and-a-half pounds, compared to only one-half pound for the apple group.

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

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natural awakenings

Limonoids, an antioxidant found in most citrus, may help guard against stomach, lung, breast and skin cancer, according to the U.S. Agricultural Research Service. Animal and human cell studies found that limonoids—especially those in fresh oranges—harbor potential as anticancer compounds. Another study in Nutritional Neuroscience showed that the volatile compound limonene, found in the rind of a lemon, can enhance memory.

As nights grow colder and longer, winter citrus “adds a little sunshine to every meal,” says Jamie Schler, author of the recently released cookbook Orange Appeal: Savory & Sweet. Schler grew up in Florida, surrounded by

Zesty Citrus Holiday Recipes Moroccan Spiced Orange Slices with Orange Blossom Water Orange blossom or orange flower water is available at better grocery stores, kitchen shops, Middle Eastern markets or online.

Yields: 4 to 5 servings 5 medium to large navel or large blood oranges 3 Tbsp orange blossom water 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbsp honey or date sugar ½ pomegranate, seeded 1½ to 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios 8 to 10 mint leaves, chopped or torn, for garnish Peel the oranges and cut away all of the white pith and outer membrane.

Slice each orange across the core into ¼-inch slices, six per orange, reserving any juice that runs off. Push out and discard any spongy white core.

Fan the slices in concentric circles, slightly overlapping the fruit, on a large round serving platter.

Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

Brush the radishes, carrots and leeks with olive oil and place in a grilling basket or on a perforated grill rack.

photo by Steve Legato

citrus groves between the Atlantic Coast and Indian River.

“Winters meant Dad’s workbench in the garage groaning under the weight of brown paper grocery bags filled to bursting with navels, tangerines, grapefruits, Valencias and tangelos,” writes Schler. “I fondly recall trips in the old green station wagon to the groves on chilly weekend mornings where we could pick them ourselves.” Today, Schler and her husband own and operate the boutique Hotel Diderot, in Chinon, France, where life’s a feast—especially during citrus season.

Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, turning often, until the vegetables have just started to brown at the edges.

Zest the limes and set the zest aside.

Baby Vegetables and Microgreens with Charry Lime Vinaigrette Yields: 4 servings Charry Lime Vinaigrette: Zest of 2 limes Juice from the grilled limes 1 Tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp sorghum or maple syrup ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

photo by Ilva Beretta

Vegetables: 4 oz baby radishes 4 oz baby carrots, with some of the green top 4 oz baby leeks, trimmed 4 oz baby yellow pattypan squash 2 oz microgreens

Halve the limes and grill, cut sides down, for 1 to 2 minutes or until they have good grill marks; adds a smoky, caramelized flavor.

For the Charry Lime Vinaigrette, squeeze the juice of the grilled lime halves into a bowl. Whisk in the reserved lime zest, rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sorghum and olive oil together until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange the vegetables on salad plates and garnish with microgreens. Spoon the vinaigrette over all and serve.

Adapted lemon and lime recipes are from Red, White, and ’Que: Farm Fresh Foods for the American Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig, permission of Running Press.

Adapted orange recipes are from Orange Appeal, by Jamie Schler, permission of Gibbs Smith.

Yoga - Feel YOUNGER Today Stay Strong, Pain-free & Stress-free. Enjoy increased

Drizzle the orange blossom water and any reserved runoff juice over the fruit.

Using a fine sieve, lightly and evenly dust with cinnamon and a generous drizzle of honey.

flexibility, better balance, improved strength, relief from chronic pain and a more active life. All leading to stress relief for increased mental focus, lowered blood pressure and better overall health.

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50

NEW STUDENT INTRO Unlimited classes for 30 days

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Chill the oranges for at least 1 hour or longer in the refrigerator before serving.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, pistachios and mint leaves evenly over the top.

10 Front Street, Collinsville (Canton) Located in historic, downtown village across from LaSalle Market NAHRT.com

December 2017

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healthykids

Books that Kids Will Love

Advice for Parents from Award-Winners

by Randy Kambic

W

hile kids may list movies, video games, music downloads and other media featuring their favorite athlete, actor or music star as priority holiday gifts, books will expand their thoughts, curiosity and dreams by exposing them to a different set of role models and aspirations.

Reading takes kids away from tech screens and expands horizons in ways that can improve their school grades, maturity and overall inquisitiveness. Many wise-hearted parents are recognizing the benefits, as children’s book sales were up 5 percent in the 12-month period ending in mid-October 2016, according to the American Booksellers Association. Humor, fantasy and magic, classics, nonfiction, time travel and participatory activities rank among the most popular topics.

Award-Winners’ Advice

“Children can’t be what they can’t see,” says author Laurie Lawlor, of Evanston, Illinois. Her 2017 book Super Women: Six Scientists that Changed the World—a nonfiction account designed to excite kids 8 and up about math, science and engineering—cultivates positive role models via inspirational personal stories. She points out that most of those depicted were not that well known, and therefore can be emulated and more readily related to.

One of these is Katherine Coleman Johnson, a black National Aeronautics and Space Administration research mathematician and physicist, portrayed in the recent film Hidden Figures.

Marine scientist Eugenie Clark, known as the “shark lady” for her daring underwater research, and major pioneers in cartography, archaeology and other fields also stir inquiring minds.

“I wanted to provide a variety of fields, backgrounds and ethnicities,” remarks Lawlor. “They were all determined, very smart and persistent, and made strides in opening doors for women.” Lawlor’s 2012 children’s book Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed The World 26

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natural awakenings

describes how Carson’s seminal 1962 book Silent Spring helped spawn the conservation and pro-environment movement by chronicling the dangers of pollution.

Children’s fascination with nature and wildlife can also be met through the Dog and Bear series by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, out of Long Island, New York, and Vermonter Jim Arnosky’s scientifically sound wildlife chronicles (JimArnosky.com).

Kelly Barnhill, of Minneapolis, whose latest work is The Girl Who Drank the Moon, characterizes children as quiet, yet highly active when reading. “They are encountering characters and then building, inserting themselves and more information into the stories, making it more relevant to them,” she says.

The former middle school language arts teacher advocates parental reading aloud with children. “Make it a daily practice of turning to a separate book from what they may be reading on their own. You’re helping them develop cognitive structure by reinforcing and explaining. It’s a shared lens on life.”

Cultivate Reading 4 Know the child’s interests. “If they like horses or birds, you’re certain to find great related books,” advises Lawlor.

4 Lead by example. “Seeing you reading or gardening or making things invites them to learn more about what they like,” says Lawlor.

4 Be flexible and share. There’s no clear-cut time to transition from reading aloud to having a child do it on their own. Try taking turns reading a paragraph and then a page with them.

“Women tend to read more than men, so get Dad involved, as well,” says Barnhill.

4 Access quantity. “Make many books available to kids,”

advises Barnhill. “They’ll enjoy having a choice.” Thrift stores are stocked with heavily discounted used books.

4 Empower them. The interactive, hands-on format of Ellen Sabin’s new The Imagine It Book allows children to “dive in and see how they can make an impact, be innovative, play, fail and then succeed,” says Sabin. “Make them feel like they are ‘driving the bus.’”

Welcoming diversity and providing a safe and reassuring community space for both confident and vulnerable youngsters, the American Library Association (ala.org) provides libraries with positive, unifying resources for children and families. They include a Storytime for Social Justice Kit; booklist for Hope and Inspiration storytime events; resource list on Talking to Kids about Racism and Justice for parents, caregivers and educators; and curated media list on immigration.

The Barnes & Noble bookseller groups selected children’s books—including classics such as Dr. Seuss titles, poetry, nature, sports, history and science—in five age categories from newborn through teenage years.

“It’s an amazing era for children’s books,” assesses Barnhill. “The success of the Harry Potter series reminded people that kids like real stories. There’s been a boom in creativity, vigor and technical skills in story construction.”

Freelance writer and editor Randy Kambic, in Estero, FL, is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings.

naturalpet

Cats Hear Up to 64,000 Hz

PETS ¤ MUSIC Each Species Grooves to Its Own Beat

by Sandra Murphy

J

ust as dogs’ and cats’ noses are more efficient than ours, they also have better hearing, reacting to a broader and higher range of frequencies and vibrations.

“We sense our world from where our ears are. Our plane is generally five to six feet high; animals closer to the ground hear things differently,” says Janet Marlow, founder and CEO of Pet Acoustics, in Washington Depot, Connecticut. The internationally renowned musician, composer and sound behaviorist has invented species-specific music based on her 30 years of research.

Humans hear up to 23,000 Hertz (Hz), which differs substantially from that of many other creatures (lsu.edu/ deafness/HearingRange.html). A Hertz is a standard unit of frequency set at one cycle per second.

Makushin Alexey/Shutterstock.com

Horses Hear Up to 33,500 Hz Marlow found that horses prefer rhythmic pieces matching their natural movements. “When a Tennessee walking horse breeder played music during a birth, the foal and mother recovered faster than usual.”

After that, “The horses ran to the barn upon hearing the same music.”

Sally Morgan, a physical therapist and advanced certified Tellington TTouch practitioner in Northampton,

Massachusetts, who has enjoyed freestyle performance riding, says, “I liked to play our songs in the barn. Five CD players can keep horses relaxed most of the day. They don’t like countrywestern music; it’s often sad and in the wrong cadence. Classical music like Bach is calming. When I played Pachelbel’s Canon in D on my flute, my Morgan gelding, Ten Penny Moonshine, listened for hours.”

Rabbits Hear Up to 42,000 Hz “Rescued rabbits like long tones, common in music accompanying yoga or reiki,” Morgan relates. “Long tones hold a chord with layers of notes on top.”

Dogs Hear Up to 45,000 Hz “People hear in stereo, animals in mono,” says Marlow. It’s why dogs tilt their heads left to right—to allow more sound waves into their ears—collecting information from various angles.

Sound frequency and intensity keeps an animal alive in nature; they learn to flee in another direction, not analyze. Separation anxiety is often due to a sound the dog doesn’t recognize, Marlow explains. Sound triggers behavior, whether good or bad, as dogs relax or are stressed. Music releases tension from their being ever-vigilant as seen in their posture.

To understand what a dog hears, sit or crawl on the floor. Electronic speakers are usually positioned at heights conducive for our ears, not theirs.

“For the holidays, my dogs and horses like We Three Kings, The Holly and the Ivy and especially Greensleeves for their baroque roots and repeating patterns,” notes Morgan.

Marlow credits her cat, Osborn, with inspiring her interest in music for animals. When Osborn was injured, she visited the veterinary hospital and sang to him to keep him calm. Her home state’s Litchfield Veterinary Hospital became her initial testing ground for species-specific music.

“We use Pet Acoustics music boxes in the cat ward, recovery rooms and exam rooms,” says Heather Florkowski, a certified technician at the facility. “In our experience, stress inhibits the healing process. Like people, animals are anxious when ill and visiting the doctor’s office. Music helps ease their stress. At home, when I move the music box to another room, my dog follows it.”

“During a TTouch session, cats are completely relaxed when I play New Age music for them,” says Morgan. “Pick music that fits the cat’s personality. You can tell what they like from their body language; it’s not always what you’d expect.”

Aquarium Fish Hear Up to 3,000 Hz “Fish are frantic animals that must always anticipate their next meal,” says Sam Williamson, a former marine biologist in Edinburgh, Scotland. “When I started playing classical music at feeding time, I noticed my three betas became calmer.

A piece by Benjamin Britten, started two minutes before feeding, led them to expect food only when the music played.”

Domesticated Birds Hear Up to 8,500 Hz In the wild, birds are part of a flock. At home, they’re often solitary. “Birds are the most musical and communicative of all animals,” remarks Marlow. “Without companionship, birds can get neurotic and pull their feathers out. Provide a sense of the outdoors by including nature sounds in played music.”

“Animals need us to be aware of their hearing,” Marlow advises. “Holistic pet people have addressed improved diet and medical procedures. Understanding how music supports their well-being also enables us to better care for them.”

Connect with Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com.

NAHRT.com

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calendarofevents NOTE: All Calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Submit ALL entries at NAHRT.com

markyourcalendar JOURNEY OF YOGA OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

Saturday, January 13 • 9am-12:15pm Save the date! Enjoy the following free classes as Journey of Yoga welcomes you to our annual open house: 9am • Mixed Level Yoga 9:30am • Gentle Yoga w/ Meditation 10am • Gentle Yoga 10:30am • Mixed Level Yoga 11am • Family Yoga 11:30am • Mixed Level Yoga

Solstice Ceremony & Potluck – 4-7pm. Celebrate the Winter Solstice. Welcome another season, add your brilliance to this auspicious turning. Presented by: Alliance for Holistic Living. Hosted at Ravenwood Holistic Wellness Center, 199 W Center St, Manchester.

860-680-1482 Register at JourneyOfYoga.com

Detox Yoga & Gongs – 5-7pm. Movement, poses, breath work, mantra, meditation and relaxation. $25/ in advance; $30/day of. Yoga Born, 1735 Ellington Rd, South Windsor. 860-432-5678.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 Become a Citizen Science Volunteer Monitor: Introductory Wildlife Tracking Hike – 9am1pm. Registration required. $25/CAS members; $35/non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948.

CTAudubon.org/Center-At-Pomfret.

2018 PACE Annual Meeting – 7pm. Features a keynote address from Craig Lewis of Clean Coalition on Renewables-Driven Community Microgrids and music by State Troubadour Kate Callahan.

Unitarian Society of Hartford, 50 Bloomfield Rd, Hartford. SolarEnergyOfCT.org.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 Group Hypnosis for Stress – 12/5 and 12/12.

6-7:30pm. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860-5330179. Registration required: CTNaturalHealth.com/ Event-Calendar.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 Cooking with Kids: Healthy Holiday Snacks – 6-7pm. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860-533-0179.

Registration required: CTNaturalHealth.com/ Event-Calendar.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9 Intro to Essential Oils Class – 2-3pm. Learn how essential oils can lead you to better physical and emotional well-being. Free. TFC Health Foods, 230 Farmington Ave, Farmington. 860-471-6164.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13 Fermentation Class – noon-1pm. With Terry Walters. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860-5330179. Registration required: CTNaturalHealth.com/ Event-Calendar.

Hartford County Edition

Chair Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. Yoga you can do.

Easy moves to improve posture, balance, strength and flexibility. $22/in advance; $25/day of.

Yoga Born, 1735 Ellington Rd, South Windsor. 860432-5678.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17

Journey of Yoga 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury

28

Allergy-Free Cooking 101 – 12/13 & 12/15.

6-7:30pm. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860-5330179. Registration required: CTNaturalHealth.com/ Event-Calendar.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21 Gentle Yoga 6-Week Series – 7:30-8:45pm. Series for times of high stress or low energy. Great for beginners, seniors and experienced students—anyone seeking a gentle and meditative practice. $15/dropin; $13.17/per class with preregistration. Vital Life Center, 100 W Main St, Plainville. 860-479-0466.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28 Monthly Bird Walk – 1pm. Come out in search of wintering bird species. Andy will look for horned larks, ducks, hawks, sparrows, yellow-bellied sapsuckers and more. $5/CAS members; $10/nonmembers. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/ Center-At-Pomfret.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30 Owl Walk – 7pm. Search for wintering owls; such as screech, barred and great-horned owls. Most of the calling is done from the road. Program contingent on the weather. $5/CAS members; $10/non-members.

Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/CenterAt-Pomfret.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 Befriending Your Mind - Intro to Meditation 6-Week Series – 6-7:15pm. Drawing from research in neuroscience on meditation’s ability to positively change the brain and will provide tools to honestly and compassionately relate with your mind. $13.17/ per class with preregistration. Vital Life Center, 100 W Main St, Plainville. 860-479-0466.

natural awakenings

ongoing events daily Annual Holiday Nature Store – 12/1-12/22. 10am4pm. Gifts for all ages with Mother Nature in mind.

Stock changes daily. Author Katherine Hauswirth will be here on 11/18 to sign her new book titled The Book of Noticing. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret. 860-928-4948.

CTAudubon.org/Center-At-Pomfret.

sunday Astrology with Pat Peabody – Afternoons by appointment. See website for details. $35. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-989-1238.

Create Financial Freedom with Healthy Products – 4-5pm. Learn how to build a business and create financial freedom for you by distributing natural Aloe Vera nutritional supplements to help others be healthy. Free. Bristol (call for address). RSVP: 860-372-8171.

Kid or Family Yoga – 4-5pm. Every other Sunday.

Let your little yogi explore and learn on the mat while you play right along with them. Engaging songs and stories will get everyone practicing movement with breath in this fun kid/family class! $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Slow Flow – 5:15-6pm. You’ll flow with the breath through continuous movement and hold postures in this vinyasa practice that provides both a full workout and relaxation. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Qigong - All Levels – 5:30-6:30pm. Deep breathing and flowing movements derived from ancient Chinese healing exercises for increased balance, flexibility, muscle and bone strength, immune function, decreased pain and stiffness. $17 drop-in. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville.

860-693-9642.

monday Vinyasa Express – 7-8am. Start your day with an express Vinyasa yoga class. This class includes meditation and movement, and is appropriate for all levels. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Complete Strength Class – 9:30-10:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293.

Kundalini Yoga – 9:30-11am. Free. Windham Recovery Community Center, 713 Main St, Willimantic. 860-423-7088 or 860-423-9843 for more info.

Open Play! For Ages 10 Months to 5 Years – 1011:15am. Join open play in our creative arts studio.

Non-instructional play will include gross motor equipment like tunnels and balance beams, dress up and art projects. Donation of canned good. Imagine Studio, 97 South St, West Hartford. ImagineStudioCT.com.

Consortium of Unicorns – 6-7pm. This unique empowerment group will support you while you focus on reconnecting with yourself. Learn what true self worth, self-love looks and feels like. $20. The Beyond Center, 281 Hartford Tpke, Ste 5G, Vernon.

860-899-4700.

Gentle + Restorative Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. Great for any experience level. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Reiki Share – 6-8:30pm. 3rd Tuesday each month.

Certified Reiki practitioners of all lineages and levels welcome. This is a time to come together with other practitioners as a community, give/ receive Reiki. $10. 47 Upson St, 2nd Fl, Bristol.

860-302-1609.

Meditate Through the Madness – 6pm. Hosted by Torin Lee. Learn to manage the stress of life through mediation. $10. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. To register: 860-467-6518.

Meditation Mondays – 7-8pm. Meditation for all.

Beginners and drop-ins welcome. Begin each week with a meditation practice to quiet your mind and let go of all that does not serve. Facilitated by Melanie VanOstrand. $10. Sea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Center, Hebron. 860-530-1552.

SeaInTheSkyHealing.com.

Tong Ren Healing Class – 7-8pm. Dr. Ming Wu leads this class focusing on internally healing the body’s energy system by using the collective unconscious. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath.

Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Vinyasa Beginner – 7:30-8:30pm. Vinyasa Beginner introduces basic poses, teaches you how to move with the breath, and helps you feel comfortable in the yoga practice. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

tuesday The Graduate Institute – Call to visit us any day of the week to arrange a visit. We offer Master of Arts Degree programs designed for busy people.

Only one weekend a month; 2 years. The Graduate Institute,171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252.

Vinyasa Express – 7-8am. Start your day with an express Vinyasa yoga class. This class includes meditation and movement, and is appropriate for all levels. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Chair Massage – Treat yourself to a relaxing break.

You decide how long. $1/minute. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. Walk-ins welcome or call for an appointment: 860-467-6518.

Express Vinyasa Yoga – 6-7am. Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. Some yoga experience recommended. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville.

860-693-9642.

Tai Chi for Kids (Ages 6-12) – 4-4:45pm. Learning the Chinese art of Tai Chi is a great way for children to relax, have fun and strengthen body and mind.

Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford.

To register: 860-606-0578.

Tai Chi with Dr. Ming Wu – 6-7pm. Learn from a Tai Chi master who has studied the art of Tai Chi for more than 40 years. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Monthly Information Sessions at The Graduate Institute – 6:30pm-7:30pm. Join us for an info session every 2nd Tuesday of the month at The Graduate Institute. Please contact us to let us know that you’ll be attending. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. Call 203-874-4252.

Soul Circle: A Meditation and Journey Group – 6:30-8pm. First Tuesday. Join us for an evening of meditation, journeying, drumming and healing. Explore power animals and spirit guides, healing light meditations, nature spirit allies and more. Facilitated

by Melanie VanOstrand. At Sea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Center, Hebron. $20. 860-530-1552.

SeaInTheSkyHealing.com.

Turbo Kick Boxing with Mary – 7:15-8:15pm.

Extreme aerobic workout is fun and will get you in shape. Great music. Tuesdays are for beginners and Thursdays are advanced classes. $5. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-883-9664.

Meditation as a Way of Living with Tom Dest – 7:30-8:45pm. Promoting access to intention from deep inside and heart to heart communication - soft live music. Contemplation on our eternal nature and keys to peace. $15. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 413-822-8486.

wednesday Coffee with Coach – 7am. Early morning session facilitated by Torin Lee, Life Coach. Learn ways to handle stress, navigate change and make each day count. $10. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. To register: 860-467-6518.

Gentle Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Chair Yoga – 2-3pm. Chair yoga allows individuals of all physical abilities to enjoy the benefits of yoga. Class features traditional yoga postures and techniques. Chair yoga is gentle, relaxing and strengthening. Facilitated by Michele. $5/suggested donation. Toivo, 399 Franklin Ave, Hartford. 860-296-2338.

Metabolic ZT – 4:30-5:30pm. Our version of a cardio workout. Monitored by individual heart rate, burn calories, get your metabolism revving, and give you the cardiovascular benefits you are looking for. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington.

860-673-4293.

Weight Management Class – 6-7:30pm. Weekly series led by a registered dietitian nutritionist discussing topics such as simple meal planning, what and how much to eat, and the skinny of fats and sugar. Free. ShopRite, 110 Albany Tpke, Canton.

860-693-3666.

thursday Complete Strength Class – 5:30-6:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293.

Vinyasa Express – 6-7am. Start your day with an express Vinyasa yoga class. This class includes meditation and movement, and is appropriate for all levels. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Morning Walks – 8:30am. Stretch your legs, breathe in the early morning air and look for signs of wildlife on the Bafflin Sanctuary with Fran Barnaski. Bring your camera if you are so inclined.

Free to CAS members; $5/non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret.

860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Center-At-Pomfret.

Move and Groove - Conscious Conditioning with Sandy Byrne – 8:45-10am. Fusing the expertise of conditioning athletes with yogic consciousness, this fun, energetic class will jump-start your metabolism and get your body feeling strong and supple. $16 drop-in, class cards available. River Rock Yoga, 274 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield. 860-757-3339.

Bump Day – 10am-6pm. 60-minute prenatal massage or reflexology by Colleen Dumas, LMT and certified in prenatal care. Refreshments, raffle. $40. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. For an appointment: 860-467-6518.

markyourcalendar THE GREAT RELATIONSHIP RETREAT: SELF, OTHER & WORLD December 18-19 With Leesa Sklover, PhD, LPC, C-IAYT MONDAY LECTURE • 7-8:30pm An introduction to the topic of healthy relationships to Self, other and the natural world. $25 donation appreciated.

TUESDAY WORKSHOP • 9:30am-1:30pm We will explore the topic through music therapy, yoga and meditation, imagery and visualization, art, creative writing and tools for spiritual wellness.

Price for both days or just Tuesday: $95.

Lunch on Tuesday at 1:30pm, additional $20.

Madison Beach Hotel, Madison 917-860-0488 LoveLifeProductions.net SoundCloud.com/LeesaSklover NAHRT.com

December 2017

29

ongoing events

saturday

Belly Dance Classes with Elisheva 6-7pm. Learn the ancient art of belly dance in this beginner class.

All levels and abilities warmly welcomed. $17.

Spotlight Dance, Art & Wellness, 45 S Main St, Unionville. Register: 860-967-9424.

Morning Express Vinyasa Yoga – 7:45-8:45am.

Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. $50 for 30 days unlimited classes (new students). Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Community Acupuncture – 6-7pm. Every other Thursday. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860533-0179. Registration required: CTNaturalHealth. com/Event-Calendar.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong – 8-9am. Dr. Ming Wu is a Tai Chi and Qi Gong Master who has dedicated his life to teaching others how to live healing and healthy lives. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Blended Style Yoga Classes – 6-7:15pm. Our many styles meet you where you are. Gentle sound allows tuning and awakening improving life and self. Also every weekday. See our website. $5 or $8. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-649-9600.

Ellington Farmers’ Market – 9am-12pm. Over 40 vendors bringing local and fresh products in a quaint, shaded country setting. Matching SNAP dollars, Kids Power of Produce Club, weekly themes and entertainment. Arbor Park, Main St, Ellington.

EllingtonFarmersMarket.com.

Tai Chi & Meditation – 6-7pm. Instruction is focused on empowering Chi and enhancing health and healing of the mind, body and spirit. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Natural Weight Loss Seminar – 10am-12pm.

Learn how tasty and vitamin-packed Aloe Vera drinks and supplements help you to lose and manage weight for a healthy, active life. Free. Bristol (call for address). RSVP: 860-372-8171.

Sound Bath Session – 6:30-8:30pm. 3rd Thursday of the month. Enjoy a monthly group sound bath with Karen Fox, Sister of Sound. Let singing bowls, bells, drums, chimes bathe you in angelic healing vibrations. $20 advance, $25 at door. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough.

860-467-6518.

Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath.

Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

friday

Baby & Me Yoga –10:30-11:30am. Elements of Yoga, stress reducing breath work, and infant massage create an inviting environment for baby and caregiver alike. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-6801482.

Meditative Coloring – noon-1pm. Coloring for relaxation, stress reduction, meditation and spiritual connection, centering, healing and coming into your true deep self. We will supply coloring pages and supplies or you may bring your own. Facilitated by Heidi. $5/suggested donation. Toivo, 399 Franklin Ave, Hartford. 860-296-2338.

Slow Flow – 5-6:15pm. You’ll flow with the breath through continuous movement and hold postures in this vinyasa practice that provides both a full workout and relaxation. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Hartford County Edition

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. Create your Community Resource Guide Listing online at NAHRT.com.

CHIROPRACTIC INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS & PHYSICAL THERAPY

34 Jerome Ave, Ste 305, Bloomfield 860-519-1916 Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com Dr. Joyce Chung-Quiros is a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist. She is dedicated to improving her patients’ quality of life through balancing chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, physiotherapy and exercise in a safe and natural way.

See ad, page 5.

EDUCATION HARTFORD FAMILY INSTITUTE

classified

Center for Psychotherapy and Healing Arts 17 South Highland St, West Hartford 203-236-6009 HartfordFamilyInstitute.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Vinyasa Express – 7-8am. Start your day with an express Vinyasa yoga class. This class includes meditation and movement, and is appropriate for all levels. $20/drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

30

community resourceguide

START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home based business complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/MyMagazine.

FOR SALE PURE HAVEN ORGANIC & NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS. Choose from skin, hair, makeup, cleaning, baby, pets, body, and essential oils. Visit for a complete listing: purehaven. com/kgreniercarta. Employment opportunities.

Email Krisgcarta@yahoo.com.

HELP WANTED SEA IN THE SKY HEALING AND WELLNESS CENTER is seeking a massage therapist or acupuncturist to join our team at our lovely new facility in Hebron. Amenities include beautiful treatment room with AC, sink and yoga room for group events. $250/month. Contact Melanie at SeaInTheSkyHealing@gmail.com or 860530-1552. SeaInTheSkyHealing.com.

natural awakenings

A cutting-edge psychotherapy and training center since 1969. Treatment includes in-depth body emotional work, energy healing, shamanic spiritual healing, illness and trauma work. Training also offered for psychotherapists and healers. See ad, page 15.

FERTILITY/WOMEN’S HEALTH MERCIER THERAPY OF CONNECTICUT

20 Avon Meadow Ln, Ste 230, Avon 860-987-3823 MercierTherapyofCT.com Explore natural infertility treatments, prenatal massage, childbirth and baby care classes, as well as treatments for endometriosis, painful intercourse, pelvic pain and symptoms associated with menopause.

See ad, page 11.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TAMARA SACHS, MD

Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC 15 Bennitt St, New Milford 860-354-3304 TSachsMD.com Using Functional Medicine, Dr. Sachs prevents and treats chronic illnesses by addressing their underlying root causes, remaining respectful of the uniqueness, complexity and intuitions that make us human. Trained at Mt. Sinai Medical School and Yale University Hospital in Internal Medicine, in 2003 she opened Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC. She has great success with IBS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Autoimmune problems, Toxicity and more, by creating individualized, realistic and comprehensive Personalized Wellness Plans. She consults in her New Milford, CT office, and also by phone or video using telemedicine.

HOLISTIC HEALTH

MASSAGE YOGA CENTER OF COLLINSVILLE 10 Front St, Collinsville 860-693-YOGA (9642) info@YogaCenterCollinsville.com YogaCenterCollinsville.com

Thai Yoga Massage uniquely blends elements of acupressure, yoga reflexology, physiotherapy, a meditation to improve posture, breathing, flexibility, digestion and circulation. Muscles are stretched, inner organs toned and emotional and nervous tension is reduced. New client special: $59 for your first 60-minute massage. See ad, page 25.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE COLLABORATIVE NATURAL HEALTH PARTNERS

315 East Center St, Manchester 860-533-0179 • CTNaturalHealth.com

GEMSTONE THERAPY INSTITUTE

Your path to better health!

860-646-3063 Education@GemFormulas.com LearnGem.com Still looking for a way to feel better?

We can help you find the path to better health!

GemstonePHYSICAL Therapy is the groundHOLISTIC THERAPY

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you’re still not getting better? liminate Chronic Pain and Enjoy a and Healthy, Active Lifestyle

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r FREE tion center!

Receive sustainable and natural solutions for health conditions to address the cause of disease, not only the symptoms. We combine science with the wisdom of nature. See ad, page 12.

and sustain greater health.

Local If you suffer from challenging issues like joint pain, headaches

INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS Chronic aches and pains can prevent you from enjoying activities and sports but more,your our favorite unique integrative approach can they’re help you. often caused by treatable conditions inflammation in the body, poor alignment of the spine, & PHYSICAL THERAPY Seeincluding ad, page 8.

We are a wellness center specializing in holistic Physical Therapy,

34 Jerome Ave, Ste 305, Bloomfield 860-519-1916 Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com Our primary focus is to help you INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS A Winning Treatment Philosophyfind your way to pain-free health! & PHYSICAL We care for you with a holistic andTHERAPY functional health approach. We focus on discovering the source Holly has 25 years of experience in of your issues, and then we customize a treatment plan according to your exact needs, drawing on Call NOW to schedule your FREE 34 Jerome Ave, Ste 305, a variety of holistic techniques including manual therapy,Bloomfield holistic physical therapy, personal training, natural health. Her approach is to nutrition and other wellness services. private consultation at our 860-519-1916 help individuals find practical ways Your Health is Our Priority Wellness Center! 860-519-1916 We want to get you back in the game and return you to a pain-free, active and fun lifestyle as soon as Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com to enjoy making healthy changes to and other common issues. These conditions can often be addressed easily and holistically.

Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) and nutritional wellness.

Our team is highly skilled, practicing Physical Therapy

If you feel sluggish or tired during your activities, you could be experiencing chronic symptoms. cumulatively for more thanfatigue 250 years!

We address common causes like poor joint mobility or circulation and nutritional and sleep deficiencies.

We’ll work with you to determine the causes and prepare a plan to re-energize your body and mind.

possible and for many years to come.

34 Jerome Avenue, Suite 305 Bloomfield, CT 06002 T: 860-519-1916 | F: 860-986-6756 34 Jerome Avenue, Suite 305, Bloomfield, CT 06002 info@IntegrativeWellnessandPT.com Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com • www.IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com www.IntegrativeWellnessandPT.com

create wellness. Holly specializes in Functional Medicine and Functional Nutrition. See ad, page 5.

We specialize in using holistic and advanced Physical Medicare Accepted Therapy, Manual Therapy and comprehensive Nutri- SHANA GRIFFIN, RDN, CD-N tional Wellness to find and treat the underlying causes ShopRite – Joseph Family Markets of pain and dysfunction. Our team works together to 46 Kane St, West Hartford 860-233-1713 help you achieve pain-free living. See ad, page 5.

Shana.Griffin@wakefern.com

PAIN STOPS

304 Main St, Unit B 206, Farmington 203-440-2859 PainStops.com Relax and enjoy magnetic pulses from the Pulse XL Pro to charge your cells to encourage repair and regeneration. See ad, page 9.

STEVE M. SYLVESTER, CR 57 Pratt St, Ste 407, Hartford 860-269-7222 ReflexologyWorks.net

Reflexology is comforting, relaxing and rewarding. I have a private, comfortable studio in downtown Hartford where clients can experience this simple but very helpful modality. I have practiced this art form for many years; come enjoy what I have to offer.

WELLNESS CENTER THE CONDUIT CENTER

Owen James, Director Manchester/East Hartford 860-888-4314 • TheConduitCenter.com Conduit musicians use gongs, singing bowls and other instruments for effortless relaxation, and personal growth. Sounds deepen other healing practices like yoga and massage therapy. See ad, page 6.

YOGA

NUTRITION

fatigue, men’s or women’s health issues, allergies and Play Without the Pain beginner and and practitioner classes.

More Energy for Your Game

REFLEXOLOGY

ShopRite’s registered dietitian is your resource to answer nutrition questions, provide menu ideas and tips to help your family live healthier. Call today for help. See ad, page 15.

JOURNEY OF YOGA

730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury JourneyOfYoga.com 860-680-1482 Inspiring health and happiness with every individual who steps through our door by offering Beginner, Hot Power, Vinyasa, Gentle and Restorative classes throughout the day. See ad, page 11.

YOGA CENTER OF COLLINSVILLE 10 Front St, Collinsville 860-693-YOGA (9642) info@YogaCenterCollinsville.com YogaCenterCollinsville.com

Experience yoga in the vibrant surroundings of historic Collinsville. Morning / evening classes available: Beginners, Gentle, Mixed, Advanced, Yogalates, Belly Dance and yoga for Kids. Drop-ins welcome! New student special: $50 for one month of unlimited yoga classes. See ad, page 25.

NAHRT.com

December 2017

31

Publish One of the Nation’s Leading Healthy Living Magazines Natural Awakenings Magazine

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32

Hartford County Edition

natural awakenings

Contact us about acquiring an existing publication FOR SALE highlighted in RED* Natural Awakenings publishes in over 80 markets across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (listed below).

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Start a magazine in an OPEN TERRITORY

• Los Angeles, CA • Sacramento, CA • San Francisco, CA • Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA • Santa Clara Co., CA • Southern, MA • Annapolis, MD • Baltimore, MD • Kansas City, MO • Saint Louis, MO • Bronx, NY • Brooklyn/Staten Island, NY • Cincinnati, OH • Cleveland, OH • Pittsburgh, PA • Nashville, TN • Ft. Worth, TX • Salt Lake City, UT Inquire about other open areas