Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks November 2022

present in all things and thankful for all.”

Maya Angelou

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a place of peace. a space for healing. join us for retreat.

Weekend retreats include: Classes, programming & special events

Dorm Style Accommodations Friday & Saturday night

Vegan, Gluten Free Dinner Friday & Saturday Vegan, Gluten Free Brunch Saturday & Sunday Snacks, Tea & Water

4th 6th The Divinity of Destruction Investment: $349 Join us for a weekend of significant questions and poignant answers when it comes to the role of Shiva, Durga, and the mother Kali. These deva and devi, who often are associated with destruction, have a significant gift for each and every one of us on our spiritual path Without the essence of destruction there could be no growth, no rebirth, and no realization Join us for a deep dive into the realm of the destroyers

11th 13th Durga A Celebration of the Mother

Investment: $349

During this "women only" weekend we will be chanting, practicing, meditating, cooking meals communally, receiving the darshan of the Mother, conversing, laughing, crying, learning, growing and so much more! This weekend will offer sweet and meaningful ways to connect with the Universal Mother while nurturing your human soul.

25th 27th Vipassana (Silent) Retreat

Investment: $279

Silence is Golden and meditation is the most powerful spiritual practice Silence is the foundation of meditation. Explore the essence of quietude and tap into the deep silent wisdom of your own Self This weekend is an opportunity to journey deep within Each attendee will take a vow of silence, no distractions, no cell phones or technology, no reading or writing during your stay. Just an abundant dose of peace.

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l a k a m a l a f o u n d a t i o n . o r g / r e t r e a t s o r d o w n l o a d o u r m o b i l e a p p

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Natural Awakenings is a network of holistic lifestyle magazines providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Dr. Owen Allison Dr. David Lambert

letter from the publishers

Autumn’s brilliant mix of vivid and organic earth tones creates a perfect backdrop for personal reflection and those inward shifts that settle and rebalance our soul. This season holds space for us, inviting a pause and a moment to reconnect with the deeper and more grounded rhythms that align us with restorative stillness and practices of gratitude.

Mental Wellness is the focus of this month’s issue, inviting us to take seriously the factors that influence mood and encouraging us to look beyond any stigma, judgment or self-doubt circling this topic. Diet, environment and self-talk play a role in the nervous system’s equanimity and our contributors highlight practical approaches and insight to soothe turbulent thoughts and less-than serene states of being.

No one needs data to confirm the impact of the past several years on the psyche of the population and our planet. The idea of post-traumatic stress has nearly peaked with professionals and families now mostly familiar with the care needed for anyone who has sustained intense, sudden and life-changing events.

Over the past decade, researchers have revealed a perspective of “post-traumatic growth”, defined as a “positive psychological change” that redirects pain into useful avenues, with the ability to improve relationships and enhance gratitude and a sense of spirituality. In his writings, psychotherapist and researcher Richard G. Tedeschi notes that post-traumatic growth can be “facilitated in five ways: through education, emotional regulation, disclosure, narrative development and service.” This strongly suggests that we need each other; trusted friends, therapists and family with whom to share our story, and tools such as mindfulness to help us regulate our emotions and responses. This new paradigm we are living into requires stamina, and a new caliber of self-awareness and calm to process, discover and continue knowing ourselves and each other.

We celebrate the collective resilience that has risen up over the past few years to meet the waves of change that continue to shift our world, revealing new possibilities every day. The potential of the human spirit is a luminous work of art!

For us at Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks, the last 10 years have been a glorious unfolding of relationships with our readers, local practitioners, small-business owners, educators, artists, healers, gurus and writers, as we’ve witnessed them sharing their wisdom and their gifts. We are so very grateful for each one of you—our own learning has expanded us in all ways, and we look forward to ongoing connections, balance and healing for all.

Thank you for walking with us on the journey! Onward, friends!

LANCASTER/BERKS EDITION

Co-Publishers/ Kendra Campbell

Executive Editors Jacqueline Mast Editor Martin Miron

Contributing Writers Sheila Julson Design & Production Steffi K. Kern Patrick Floresca Sales & Marketing Kendra Campbell Lori Johnson

Social Media/Website Carolyn Coogan

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Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks @NAwakenings @natural_lancasterberks

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Hospice & Community Care Holiday Support Groups

People that are grieving may find that holiday traditions they once anticipated with great joy now leave them with feelings of uncertainty and sadness. The Pathways Center for Grief & Loss, a program of Hospice & Community Care, has in-person and virtual support group sessions that may help people not only get through the holiday season, but find something positive during an otherwise difficult time.

Coping with the Holidays Support sessions are offered weekly throughout November and December with topics ranging from Holiday Survival Guide to Practicing Gratitude, Ways to Remem ber and Living for Today. Specific information about day and evening groups in Lancaster and York, as well as virtual programs, can be found on the website.

Programs are free. Register up to two days prior to any group at Pathways.hccnet.org/groups or call 717-391-2413 or 888-282-2177. Locations: 4075 Old Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy; 235 S. Charles Way, Ste. 250, York. For more information, call 717-391-2413, email Pathways@HospiceCommunity.org or visit PathwaysThroughGrief.org. See ad, page 46.

It Makes a Village Fundraiser

Tammi Hessen’s Bumbada Women Drummers ninth annual It Makes a Village virtual fundraiser and an entire day of entertainment and raffles will be held from 1 to 7 p.m., November 19. Director Tammi Hessen says, “This event, when our ‘village’ comes together, normally benefits a women’s organization; typically, a shelter, but given the rise in the volume of refugees who need help, PAIRWN (Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Net work) stood out as a great choice this year. We met so many won derful, talented women when Bumbada was invited to perform at PAIRWN’s 20th Anniversary Gala, it just made sense to shift our focus this year to support their very important mission.”

The lineup includes Bumbada Women Drummers, Dwennim men African Dance Community, Ama Chandra (singer), Studio Solomon Drummers, Bobbi Carmitchell (acoustic/folk), Carolyn Brandy (conga), Jami Karr (reading children’s stories), Rasika School of Dance and more.

Find Tammi Hessen on Facebook. The Facebook event serves as the hub for performance links and information regarding donations. For more information, call 717-824-9392 or email TammiHessen@aol.com.

Election Night Vigil at Urban Well

Father David Peck, of the Urban Well, will preside over a meeting to practice contemplative global citizenship at 7 p.m., November 8, online or inperson with international reconciliation expert Dr. Salim Munayer, who will share what he has learned from the Musalaha experi ence of reconciliation in Israel and Palestine.

Rather than sit at home and wonder what will make things better or worse, people can gather in the beautiful, historic space of Saint James Church to meditate, listen and share searching questions with one of the elders and great teachers of reconciliation to enable justice and peace to prevail.

Peck says, “Hearing Dr. Munayer is like hearing Dr. King. The voice and the practice and the urgency is all tied together. That this work arises in a context of such deep divisions is helpful to us in America as we ponder what more we can do to seek reconciliation.”

Admission is free. Location: 119 N. Duke St., Lancaster. Register online at SaintJamesLancaster.org. For more information, call 717397-4858 or email UrbanWell@SaintJamesLancaster.org. See ads, pages 4 and 54.

Energy Consciousness Transformational Healing at Energy Body Works

Asha

Scatchard, BHSP, IKH, owner of Energy Body Works, says. “By under standing your energy field, you are able to make more conscious choices in life. Hap piness is your birthright.” She offers Energy Consciousness Transformational Healing ($190 for an initial twohour session). “It is the result of 11 years of professional training with three premier schools related to aspects of energy within the human body. I have been doing this work for 25 years. My clients are referrals and people who have tried other forms of healing.”

She explains that energy distortions in the energy system affect life experiences, relationships and health. “Much is written about the energy field, but what is not stressed is the psychological effects and how distortions can constrict and limit your life. As children, we are absorbing all types of information uncensored and behaviors are developed in order for the child to feel safe. As adults, these behaviors no longer serve us, but remain active in our subconscious.”

For appointments and more information, call 717-843-5672, email AScatchard@yahoo.com or visit EnergyBodyWorks.com. See ad, page 52.

Dr. Salim Munayer

Asha Scatchard

SHIFTS

Integrative Healing Arts November Events

Integrative Healing Arts Studio owner Christina

Rossi will host a full moon crystal meditation-guided relaxation with reiki from 10 to 11 a.m., November 6. This relaxing experience incorporates crystals, reiki and sound healing music. Participants can set their inten tions to let go of what no longer serves them. A crystal set is included in the class price of $15, and registration is required.

The studio will hold a Gift of Wellness sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., November 26, in obser vance of Small Business Saturday, with 10 percent off most items in the boutique, including crystals, herbal teas and more, as well as special offers on gift certificates and classes.

Location: 546 Penn Ave., West Reading. For more information, call 610-451-9577, email HealingArts42@gmail.com or visit IntegrativeHealingArtsStudio.org. See ad, page 45.

Learn About Indian Tantra at Ellister's Elixirs

Ellister’s

Elixirs will present the workshop, A Taste of Tantra, with sex and pleasure expert Ava Ashe, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., November 10. Ashe offers shame-free therapy and authentic tantra programs for holistic healing of the mind, body and spirit.

Ashe says, “A taste of tantra is for anyone that has ever expe rienced a sense of unfulfillment, shame, or guilt surrounding their relationship to pleasure. I invite you into our space, where you will learn why pleasure is a mechanism for healing and con nection. We will journey through tantric movement, a guided somatic release practice, and journal prompts to begin breaking through barriers and ditch the shame so that you can live within your authentic pleasure.” Bring a pillow, yoga mat, water and notebook/pen.

Cost is $40 per person. Location: 332 N. Queen St., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-725-0071, email Ellisters.Elixirs@gmail.com or visit lu.ma/jrotobhm or FlameWithinTantra.com. See ad, page 53.

Yoga Nidra Workshop at Kula Kamala

The Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram will conduct a 36-hour Yoga Nidra workshop from December 9 through 12. This program is excellent for new and existing students of yoga, yoga teachers and yoga teachers in training.

The contents support a refreshing perspective and a deeper understanding of what it means to practice and study. This pro gram is eligible for Yoga Alliance continuing education credits in all categories. Upon completion of this course, teachers of yoga may request to receive a certificate from Kula Kamala Foundation.

Yoga nidra is a practice of deep intense relaxation. The spiritual importance of yoga ni dra cannot be overstated. Practiced appropriately and consistently, yoga nidra is a practice that can reduce fear and anxiety related to change, the unknown and even of death.

The training covers postures of relaxation; relaxation, resiliency and alignment; ner vous system function; explanation of the dialogue of yoga nidra; benefits and contraindi cations; propping; and lots of practice.

Cost is $799 commuter or $899 residential. Location: 17 Basket Rd., Reading. For more information, call 484-509-5073, email Study@KulaKamalaFoundation.org or visit KulaKamalaFoundation.org. See ads, pages 3 and 54.

Inshanti Pure Essential Oils Holiday Celebration

Inshanti Pure Essential Oils is holding their annual Candy Cane Christmas holiday open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., December 1, 2 and 3, with special sales on Inshanti products and unique, handcrafted gifts for the whole family.

Owner Debra Stoltzfus says, “There will be light refreshments, gift sets, handcrafted soaps, perfume, tote bags, skin care, dryer balls, baby products and more. Back by popular demand, we will have our hand made, old-fashioned Christmas cookies for sale, plus a Candy Cane drawing to win extra Inshanti Bucks and free gifts.”

Admission is free. Earn $5 Inshanti Bucks for every $100 spent. Location: 48 Slaymak er Hill Rd., Kinzers. For more informa tion, call 717-587-3990, email Debra@ Inshanti.com or visit Inshanti.com. See ads, pages 43 and 50.

Glass and Pottery Studio Under One Roof

Lancaster Creative Factory, support ing the community arts for more than 20 years, is expanding their classroom space and class content with the addition of Glass Fusing, teaching the basics and beyond, a few evenings each month, with six-week sessions coming in 2023.

Local potters can find space to fire their work, in the wood kiln, gas kiln or electric kiln. The current curriculum offers regular six-week sessions in ceramics on the pot ter's wheel and hand building. Program Coordinator Charlene Randolph says, “We provide wonderful recreational opportuni ties in the arts.”

Cost varies. Location: 580 S. Prince St./Rear, Lancaster. For more information, call 717676-0600, email Randolph at CharRand. ProgramsLCF@yahoo.com or visit Lancaster CreativeFactory.org. See ad, page 42.

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Quaker Friends School Now Enrolling

Lancaster Friends School is in its second year, and will conduct open houses from 10 a.m. to noon on November 15 and De cember 6, with online information sessions via Zoom at 7 p.m. on November 7, December 7 and January 10. They offer small class sizes and are now accepting 4-year-old students into their multi-

Head of School Andrea Carty says, “Lancaster Friends School is a K-8 school with a mission to create a more peaceful and just world through education, with social justice at its core. LFS is grounded in the Quaker values of peace, equity, integrity, simplicity, community and service/stewardship.”

Location: 110 Tulane Terr., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-553-2300, email Admissions@LancasterFriends.org or visit LancasterFriends.org. See ad, page 35.

Holiday Gift Card Special at Link Chiropractic r. Thomas Wachtmann, owner of Link Chiroprac tic Clinic, and Licensed Massage Therapist Debra Readinger are offering a holiday massage gift card promotion of an additional $20 gift card with the pur chase of a $60 gift card for therapeutic massage through December 31.

Wachtmann has taken a natural, holistic approach with patients ranging from infants to seniors for more than 20 years. He comforts patients suffering from back and neck pain, fibromyalgia and headaches by fixing health problems instead of masking symptoms.

He says, “Medical massage is recommended as an extension of chiropractic treatment for pain relief because they both focus on the muscular-skeletal system, which includes the spine, nerves, soft tissues, muscles, tendons and other connective tissue.”

Readinger specializes in Swedish/classic massage, trigger point therapy and deep tissue massage. She says, “Whenever you receive a massage, your body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers.”

Location: 3130 Pricetown Rd., Ste. H, Fleetwood. For appointments and more information, call 610-944-5000 or visit LinkChiropracticClinic.com or lmtlink.com. See ads, pages 17 and 50.

Betula's Botanica Celebrates Five Years in West Reading

Betula’s Botanica is honoring the fifth anniversary of their West Reading shop throughout the month with special events including an Anniversary Weekend from November 11 through 13, special wellness and mystic events, plus a Small Business Saturday and a Best Kept Secret tour stop from November 3 through 19.

Owner Monica Dech says, “This is an opportunity to enter the busy holiday season in a relaxed atmosphere, take advan tage of special savings, schedule intuitive mystical sessions and reconnect with the spiritual meaning of late autumn and the transition into the Yule season.”

Dech draws upon her years of herbcraft and traditional and folkloric wiccan experience, and each month customers have the option to schedule reiki, tarot card or cosmic wisdom readings with talented practitioners. Private soapmaking classes are also available.

Location: 412 Penn Ave., West Reading, For more information, call 484-516-2321, email Monica@BetulasBotanica.com or visit BetulasBotanica.com. See ad, page 45.

Happy Anniversary to Us

The Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks edition is celebrating their 10th anniver sary of publishing this month with exciting giveaways. Four winners will be drawn in early January; two from participants that choose their favorite from past covers, and two from those participating in a reader survey. The contest and survey will be available online at NABerks.com and NALancaster.com through the end of the year.

Co-publishers Kendra Campbell and Jacqueline Mast say, “Over the past decade, we’ve connected with many skilled and insight ful practitioners, local small business owners with a commitment to community and readers who gratefully affirm our efforts to educate and bring people together. We’ve seen a lot of change, as well as courage and resilience in the past few years as we all pulled together to survive and thrive, helping others along the way. We are grateful to be a part of a strong and vibrant community and look forward to the next 10 years!”

To participate in the cover contest and in the reader survey, visit NALancaster.com/pages/celebrating-10-years or scan the code above. See ad, page 5.

Holiday Shopping with a Chance to Win Prizes

The annual Holiday Spiritual & Holis tic Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., December 10 and 11, at Leesport Farmers Market Banquet Hall, with more than 60 vendors of crystals, jewelry, gemstone trees, soaps, bath products, essential oils, clothing, incense, books, salt lamps, artwork, reiki, singing bowls, pet products, readers, massage therapy, animal communicators, food and baked goods for sale and more.

A basket raffle auction will benefit the nonprofit Chopper Foundation, which helps families and local rescues by providing funding for emergency life-saving veterinary care. Money and pet donations will also be accepted. Julie Barracato and her sister Lisa own Lady Lynora’s Gemstone Treasures. Julie says, “We enjoy hosting this event because it’s a great opportunity for holiday shopping for unique gifts, and the basket raffle goes to a welldeserved benefit. Tickets will be drawn at 5 p.m., December 11. You do not need to be present to win, and we have a few options for picking up your winning baskets.”

Admission is free. Free goodie bags to the first 100 patrons each day that mention Natural Awakenings. Location: 312 Gernant’s Church Rd., Leesport. For more information, call 570-573-1651, email Julie@LadyLynora.com or visit LadyLynora.com/holiday-bazaar. Visit LadyLynora.com/benefit-raffle-auction to view raffle items. See ad, page 45.

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Gifts That Give Back Gifts

That Give Hope (GTGH), Inc., will conduct their 15th annual gift fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., December 11, at The Farm & Home Center as an opportunity to give back at the holidays and put meaning into gift giving. There will be food trucks, a Human Rights Day scavenger hunt, the chance to win a free book after completing a scavenger hunt and more.

Participants can learn about community volunteer opportuni ties, shop with 45 nonprofits like Business For Good, B Corps and more, plus marketplace vendors featuring social enterprise, fair trade, ethically sourced and environmentally friendly items.

Fair Coordinator Jennifer Oehme Knepper says, “Father Christ mas will be present all day for pictures, visits and interactive story reading.” A variety of children’s authors will conduct activities, book readings and signings.

Nonprofit participants include Aarons Acres, Big Picture Soc cer, Blackbirds Environmental Justice, Benchmark Program, Clare House, Church World Services, Connection Ubuntu, Heifer Inter national, Good Samaritan Services, Habitat for Humanity, Feed my Starving Children, Music for Everyone, Medan Initiative, Outreach Paraguay, Rafiki Africa Foundation, Thriving Villages International, Reach out and Read Lancaster, Mental Health America, Safe Families for Children, SWAN, The Potters House, Wittel Farm Growing Proj ect, Lifecycles, Walking Forward Together, Heeding Gods Call, Nurse Family Partnership, Hope Walks, Sisters’ Hope Foundation, The Blessing Foundation, Horizon: Empower the Orphaned, Brittany’s Hope, The Period Project, The Common Wheel, Central PA Animal Alliance Hounds of Prison Education (HOPE), Refugee Strong, The Edible Classroom, Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, 2 Seconds or Less, Live Like Libby, Lancaster County Food Hub, Chyatee Foundation, Ukraine War Refugee Aid Fund and World Bicycle Relief.

Marketplace vendors include Revolution Jewelry, CHYATEE: Con scious Living Begins Here, My Peruvian Treasures, Hope Inspire Love, North Star Initia tive, Binding Love Scarves, Girl Crush, Friendship heART Gallery, Empowered Goods, Chestnut Ridge Honey and The Get Stuff Done Book Club.

Food is available for purchase from Stroopies, Homage: Cuisine of the West African Diaspora, Walk-O-Taco, The Cookie Sale to Combat World Hunger, pHresKoo Haitian Lemonade Food Truck, Gourmet Julie’s Way, Isabelle Cuisine: West African & Fusion Fare, Power Broths and Character Coffee Cart.

Nonprofit Gifts That Give Hope Lancaster has a mission to promote charitable, alternative giving through this annual gift fair which offers the opportunity to purchase holiday gifts in support of charitable causes and meaningful gift giving. Beginning on De cember 10, 1948, the gift fair maintains a tradition to engage and inform people that we all have a role to play in making the world a more just, equitable, fair and peaceful place for everyone.

Admission is free. Event location: 1383 Arcadia Rd., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-201-9157, email LancasterGiftFair@gmail.com or visit PresentLancaster.com/gifts-that-give-hope. See ad, page 43.

Swagbag to the first 150 visitors each day

Keynote speakers:

Tom Staverosky

with Birgit Lueders

global briefs

Urban Crops Can Have Higher Yields Than Conventional Farming

A new study led by Lancaster University researchers shows that urban gardens and hydroponics can thrive and may exceed the yields of rural farms. Professor Jess Da vies, project lead for the Rurban Revolution project that developed this study, says, “Urban food growing is often dismissed as something that cannot meaningfully contribute to food security.”

The paper compiled studies on urban agriculture from 53 countries to find out which crops grow well in cities, what growing methods are most effec tive and which spaces can be used for growing. It turns out that urban yields for crops like cucumbers, tubers and lettuces can be two to four times higher than conventional farming. Cost efficiency remains an open question and important factor.

Most studies on urban agriculture focus on private and community gardens, parks and field growing operations. This one includes “grey” spaces in cit ies that are already built, but could be used for growing, such as rooftops and building facades.

Dr. Florian Payen, lead author and researcher from the Lancaster Environment Centre, says, “Surprisingly, there were few differences between overall yields in indoor spaces and outdoor green spaces, but there were clear differences in the suitability of crop types to different gray spaces. You can’t exactly stack up apple trees in a five- or 10-layer-high growth chamber.”

Concrete Made with Rubber Refuse

Concrete consists of water, cement and an aggregate such as sand or gravel. The aggregate has to be mined from the ground, and is now in short supply in many parts of the world, while discarded tires can be partially recycled, but are often burned or relegated to landfills.

Attempts to replace some of the ag gregate used in concrete with crumbled, used tires has been stymied by a bond ing problem because pores in the rubber fill with water when the concrete is first mixed, and become empty holes as the water evaporates and the concrete sets.

As reported in the journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling, scientists at Australia’s RMIT University have produced good-quality concrete in which all of the aggregate has been replaced with tire particles. They started with wet concrete in which all the aggregate is comprised of tire particles, then placed it in special steel molds as it set to place pressure on the concrete, compressing the particles and the pores within.

Once the concrete dried and set, the cement had bonded much better to the tire particles. When compared to previ ous 100-percent tire-aggregate concrete produced by conventional means, the preloaded concrete exhibited 97 percent, 59 percent and 20 percent increases in compressive, flexural and tensile strength, respectively.

robu_s/AdobeStock.com

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been neglected by Western medi cine for years, despite studies es tablishing its power to regulate parts of the central nervous system (CNS) and gastrointestinal tract that began around 1992. Perhaps its association with cannabis, a substance banned for so long, is a big part of the reason.

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, CB1 AND CB2 RECEPTORS

The nervous system drives the way all parts of our body responds to exer cise and injury. The Queensland Brain Institute, in Australia, describes the CSN as an electric grid: with the peripheral nervous system as the network of long cables that connect the powerhouse to cities and towns, then send information back about their status.

These messages that motor neurons transmit tell the body to carry out func tions like breathing, digesting, salivating and body movement. When we receive sensory input through our five senses, those signals then relay back to the CNS so the brain can encode the appropriate sensations and maintain a state of bal ance, or homeostasis.

The ECS, comprising a vast network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that are densely packed throughout the brain and body, directs the communi cation traffic. Cannabinoid receptors in the brain (CB1) outnumber many other types of receptor in the brain, controlling the levels and activity of most other neurotransmitters via immediate feedback, turning up or down the activity of whichever system needs to be adjusted (hunger, temperature, etc.) or alertness.

Cannabinoids, like cannabidiol, are compounds unique to the genus Canna bis. More then 100 have been identified, and they fall into two categories: endo cannabinoids (endogenous cannabinoids) are compounds that our bodies make naturally; and phytocannabinoids, compounds derived from cannabis plants.

There are two major cannabinoid receptors in the ECS: CB1 receptors, found mainly in the CNS (spinal cord and brain), associated with memory, cognition, emotion, motor control, appetite stimulation and perception of pain; and CB2 receptors, located mostly in the peripheral nervous system outside of the brain and

spinal cord, associated with the immune system, the body’s response to inflam mation, pain reduction and relaxation.

The body’s cannabinoid receptors sit on the surface of cells and “listen” to conditions outside the cell, then transmit information about changing conditions and kick-start appropri ate cellular responses. When some thing brings a cell out of its habitable "Goldilocks” zone, the ECS maintains homeostasis. Cannabidiol (CBD) plays a role in bringing us back to homeostasis without affecting normal functioning cells.

SWEPT UNDER THE RUG

Cannabis itself remains a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency Schedule 1 drug (along with heroin as a drug with no currently accepted medical use, a clear contradiction of certified scientific fact.

Because the ECS works with all other bodily systems, it is time to reassess medical curricula and nor malize medical marijuana. Schedule a consultation with a Pennsylvania medical marijuana provider to take control of our collective hemp health. For more information, call 717-874-8480, email Info@HempfieldBotanicals.com or visit HempfieldApothetique.com or HempfieldBotanicals.com. See ads, pages 23 and 50.

Sharing Heartbeats with Horses

A horse’s heart beats more slowly than a hu man’s—28 to 40 times per minute on average, while human hearts beat 60 to 100 times per min ute—and that is why they are so calming. Science is now able to under stand some of the physi ological reasons for that calming connection. Because we are both mammals, our nervous systems, responsible for regulating our heartbeat among other automatic respons es in our body and mind, naturally try to synchronize, or “couple” with those around us through co-regulation.

Basically, our nervous systems influence one another and try to match up. Because a horse’s heart rate is so much slower, ours will slow down to couple with theirs, which allows our nervous system to slow down, relax and regulate, giving us that calm feeling. Horse lovers often talk about the connection they feel, and how that connec tion is soothing. Our breathing and heart rate may slow, our bodies may relax and a feeling of safety, acceptance or belonging settles over us.

Meagan Good, MA, LPC, NLT-2, is the counselor and founder of Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy, located at 699 Wooltown Rd., in Wernersville. For more information, call 717-917-7137 or visit TakeHeartCounseling.com. See ad, page 51.

Mislabeling Found in Some Immunity Supplements

Immunity supplements may not be all they claim to be, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Re searchers conducted liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry tests on 30 of the bestselling, four-star-and-up immunity products on Amazon and found that only 13 contained the exact ingre dients listed on their labels. Thirteen were missing some of the listed ingredients and nine contained ingredients not listed on the labels. Missing ingredients were mainly plant extracts such as aloe vera, astragalus, eleuthero, ginger root and slippery elm. Added ingredients included black rice seed in elderberry extracts and pantothenic acid.

Longevity Diet Involves Fasting, Too

After reviewing hun dreds of studies on nutrition, diseases and longevity in labo ratory animals and humans, the optimal diet for longevity has “lots of legumes, whole grains and vegetables; some fish; no red meat or pro cessed meat and very low white meat; low sugar and refined grains; good levels of nuts and olive oil, and some dark chocolate,” reports University of Southern California gerontology professor Valter Longo. According to the literature review he and others authored for Cell, a day’s meals should ideally occur within a window of 11 to 12 hours, allowing for a daily period of fasting. A five-day fast or fast-mimicking diet every three to four months was also suggested to help reduce insulin resistance, blood pressure and other risk factors for those with increased disease risks.

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Susquehanna Dental Arts Offers Dental Care for the Whole Family

by Sheila Julson

Susquehanna Dental Arts (SDA) offers holistic general dentistry with an empha sis on establishing solid doctor-patient relation ships. Dr. Owen Allison founded the practice in the early 1980s and was a pioneer in the oral/ systemic link; his clinic has been mercury-free for nearly two decades. In November 2020, Allison sold the practice to Dr. Barry Moss.

Allison still practices at SDA. Moss and lead dentist Dr. David Lambert are inspired by Allison’s vision. They are dedicated to continuing the precedent he set while making holistic care available to more people.

Moss received a dental degree in 1996 from Temple Univer sity and started practicing soon after. He became interested in holistic remedies after experimenting with essential oils and through independent research, was attracted to Allison’s holistic approach, commitment and team-oriented staff. “When Dr. Allison and I met, we hit it off immediately and had a lot in common. He wanted to sell to someone who would continue

the precedent he set,” Moss says. “It was an easy transition.”

Lambert, a Lancaster County native, gradu ated from the University of Maryland College of Dental Surgery and began practicing in Colorado in 2014. In 2017, he moved back to Lancaster to be closer to his family. Since April 2021 he has practiced alongside Al lison and was also heavily influenced by his holistic principles.

Lambert became fur ther interested in holistic approaches after using peppermint oil for headache relief. “I had major problems with debilitating cluster headaches. Someone suggested using peppermint oil topically. It’s the only thing that actually worked,” he says. “That changed the way I view holistic medicine.”

Moss notes that Allison had done a great job of setting up a traditional, family-owned office with holistic principles. “We have not changed that,” Moss emphasizes. Since purchasing the practice, he has added a chemical-free tooth sealant used to pro tect primary teeth from cavities, as well as implant placement.

Susquehanna Dental Arts offers general dentistry, including root canals, implants, Invisalign, teeth whitening and ozone therapy to clean and sterilize the gums. Ozone neutralizes free radicals and helps kill bacteria as an alternative to more caustic products.

They offer safe removal of mercurybased fillings using protective rubber dams and draping for patients and staff. Specially designed suction tips and air purifiers help reduce mercury exposure, while advanced mercury separators remove most of the metal contaminants from wastewater to prevent it from enter ing nearby waterways. Amalgams are replaced with non-toxic filling material.

Lambert observes that patients want to be heard, understood and have their opinions considered. “People also have different views of what holistic means. With us, it’s more about working with patients and how they view being holistic. They might not be a super-holistic person in general, but want holistic treatment. If a patient doesn’t want something done a certain way, I’ll find a way around it, even if it’s not the easiest thing to do,” he says.

The staff at SDA is a large reason for their success, Lambert emphasizes. “We have a good time at work and everybody is on the same page. Most of our team has been here for a while, and everyone agrees with how we want to run the office and treat patients. It’s not just me, it’s the front desk, the assistants, the hygienists— we all take examples from Dr. Allison. We’re fortunate to have worked with him.”

Moss knows that you don’t mess with success. He plans to keep existing services in place and gradually expand staff so they can serve more people. He welcomes Allison’s continued presence and mentor ship as the practice grows, noting, “He’s passing the torch on to people he trusts and who care.”

Susquehanna Dental Arts is located at 100 S. 18th St., in Columbia. For appointments and more information, call 717-684-3943 or visit SusquehannaDentalArts.com. See ads, pages 5 and 51.

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STAYING SERENE IN TURBULENT TIMES HOW TO TURN ANXIETY INTO POSITIVE ACTION

by Ronica O’Hara

In this day and age, we have good reason to toss and turn in our beds at night. As our nation faces climate catastrophes, acrid politics, stubborn inflation, unpredictable virus variants and hot-button issues like abortion and guns, there’s good rea son our collective anxiety levels are at a high pitch. A recent Yale survey found that 70 percent of Americans report being anxious or depressed about global warming, and a Penn State survey this year found that 84 percent of us say we are “extremely worried” or “very worried” about where the country is headed. Researchers are coining new terms: “polycrisis”, for complex, cascading crises in interacting systems, and “pre-traumatic stress disorder”, when fear of an outcome makes it as good as real to our psyches.

“It’s easy for people to feel overwhelmed now, feeling there are breakdowns and threats on many fronts. People can wonder ‘Where do I even start?’ and feel powerless and hopeless and numb,” says psychiatrist Janet Lewis, M.D., a founder of the nation wide Climate Psychiatry Alliance and a University of Rochester clinical assistant professor of psychiatry. “We are part of a complex system that is moving into new ways of functioning, but there’s no way of predicting ahead of time exactly what all the features of the

new ways of operating will be. That makes it impossible for us to wrap our minds around everything that is happening.”

Still, she adds, “We are also by definition part of the system, and therefore have a responsibility to do what we can. We can’t sit on the sidelines and merely hope that things transform in good direc tions. The situation being so serious also means that what we do now is really important.”

To move from anxiety into effective action, mental health experts advise several strategies: taking a wider perspective, building resilience through self-care and taking individual steps to make a collective difference. As the Dalai Lama encourages, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito!”

Taking a Wider Perspective

News reports almost always sound dire—just like the amygdala of our brains, journalists often see their function as focusing on threats to alert us to dangers. “Still, if you take the long view of history, we are much better off than we were 200 years ago or 1,000 years ago, but it took many years to make those changes,”

counsels Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D., director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy and author of the bestselling The Worry Cure and the upcoming If Only

“We never know if something is hopeless until we have all the data, and we seldom have all the data,” he says. “And when it comes to political emotions, many of the predictions that are made by the ‘talking heads’ in media never come true.”

Leahy counsels patience: “Social change does not come about by one person doing something. That usually comes about by a long process of millions of people changing their attitudes and changing their behav ior. Small efforts can be made on a daily basis that move this slow process forward. We need to take a longer view, rather than expect immediate change.”

In this ongoing process, anxiety has its rightful place. “Anxiety makes us look around, figure out solutions and act. This can absolutely be turned into something positive,” says neuropsychologist Barbara Easterlin, of Jackson, Wyoming, an expert on eco-anxiety who is on the steering committee of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America. “Doing just one thing to help the planet consistently helps defeat anxiety.”

Taking action moves us into our power— as 15-year-old Greta Thunberg demonstrat ed by holding a sign outside the Swedish parliament. Personal actions matter be cause numbers add up. Only 25 percent of individuals in a social group need to make a shift before significant social change fol lows, conclude researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science that analyzed a decade of societal changes in voting, health, technol ogy and finance. Once a group reaches that tipping point, it can trigger a change in the rest of society, says study author Damon Centola, Ph.D., author of Change: How to Make Big Things Happen.

Building Resilience with Self-Care

Fears about the shape of the planet and nation are often piled on top of our everyday living anxieties about family and finances, which can induce emotional overload. “We all have a ‘zone of resilience’ or ‘window of tolerance’, outside of which we become more reactive,

Lori Martin, BCNP

Peter Hurtubise, DO

Marge Torchia, CRNP

less able to function effectively. But it is not fixed. We can learn tools to expand it and cultivate the capacity to be with more,” says Easterlin.

Therapy can be a part of that process by challenging us to examine “the mental narratives that can exacerbate distress,” says Leslie Davenport, a climate psychol ogy consultant and author of Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change. It’s important to find a therapist, she says, that “validates that your feelings are a nor mal response to an existential crisis.” She has helped develop new programs at the American Psychology Association and the California Institute of Integral Studies to train therapists in treating eco-anxiety. For

low-cost online support, the Good Grief Network offers a 10-step, 10-week program to help process personal anxiety and grief about climate change. People are also sit ting down to share their distress at climate cafes, small local gatherings springing up across the country and globe, including some online.

Getting enough sleep, eating healthy and exercising are also key self-care strategies. When anxiety strikes, psychologists advise shifting attention from the head to the body, using such approaches as mindful breathing, dancing and grounding. Medita tion, easily accessed these days through apps like Calm and Headspace, helps us to enter into what religious and spiritual

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teachings call “the still point within.”

Rather than “doomscrolling” when anxi ety mounts, cutting back our media use can significantly lower stress levels, studies show. Wise media strategies include choos ing well-established, credible news sources; reading rather than watching the news to lower its emotional impact; limiting news intake to 10 minutes once or twice a day; taking a “news fast” on occasion; and pass ing up sources that incessantly feed fury.

On the other hand, it’s essential to find sources for hope, an emotion important in recovery from anxiety disorders, according to a study in Behavior Therapy. Googling “good news on climate change” will bring up articles about alternative energy growth, new super-enzymes that eat plastic rubbish and black rhinos coming back from the brink of extinction. Although dystopic books abound, others offer hope, such as Drawdown, with its sensible, scaled-down strategies to stop global warming by 2050.

Moving into Action

Virtually no one can take on all the prob lems of the nation and globe at once—and the good news is that unless we hold high public office, we don’t have to. Instead, “In taking action, focus on what you are good at, what your sphere of influence might be,” advises Lewis. “What are you most heart broken over? Get involved in that and al low yourself to feel really good about what you’re doing and other people are doing.”

By narrowing our focus, we can hone in

on an issue and figure out our part in its so lution. “We need a broad range of collective action for transformation,” says Davenport. “For climate change, a teacher could bring social-emotional learning to climate educa tion into the classroom or start an after school ‘green club’; an artist could use their creative medium to communicate about climate in a moving way that could engage others; a nurse could create a waste-re duction initiative within a medical setting. These efforts all have ripple effects and help to elevate each other.”

In one recent study, people were found to consume less energy if they believed their neighbors did so and personally cared about conservation. Our neighborhoods are the place to take the small, meaningful steps that address the “crisis of connection” underlying rancorous national crises, says New York Times columnist David Brooks. He advocates “radical mutuality”, saying, “Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.” Through simple actions like having casual conversations around town, pitching in to help a fam ily in crisis, bringing a salad to a block party, tutoring a child or holding a civic post, we build the warm relational bonds that strengthen communities. As we meet others that feel as strongly as we do about our issues, our numbers start building and collective action can unfold.

“Independent of political beliefs, many people can find common values such as wanting safety for their families, a clean environment with clean waterways and recreation in natural environments,” says Easterlin.

That, in turn, helps lower our distress. A recent Yale study found that eco-anxiety was linked to depression only among students not involved in group activities; those engaged in collective action such as being part of an environmental group, working in a letter-writing campaign or going to events or protests did not spiral downward emotionally. “Personal transfor mation and social transformation happen simultaneously. When you reach out and build community, you nourish yourself,” Brooks says.

As Thunberg has put it: “When I’m tak ing action, I don’t feel like I am helpless and that things are hopeless, because then I feel like I’m doing everything I can. And that gives me very much hope, especially to see all the other people all around the world, the activists, who are taking action and who are fighting for their present and for their future.”

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

12 Quick Fixes for Anxiety

SIMPLE STRATEGIES FOR MENTAL WELL-BEING

by Ronica O’Hara

It is an all-too-human experience to have anxiety—feeling fear or apprehension about what might happen. A survival mechanism for our species, it can easily get out of hand in times of uncertainty, morphing from a timely signal to a crippling, chronic condition. Happily, mental health professionals have found many useful anti-anxiety strategies to ease us through difficult moments.

Breathe Deeply

“Controlling your breathing is a fantastic hack to help you move out of a

stress/anxiety response state. It’s important to try different breath ing techniques to figure out which ones work for you,” says Krista Jordan, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Austin, Texas. Many options exist such as breathing slowly into the belly; inhaling through the nose for a count of four, holding the breath for a count of seven and exhaling through the mouth for a count of eight; slowing the breath so that the in and out breaths equalize; and placing mindful attention on our breathing until 10 breaths are completed.

Tap with the Fingers

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a five-minute approach using two fingers to tap on specific points of the head and chest in a certain sequence. In one 5,000-person study, 76 percent of participants found anxiety relief after three EFT sessions, while only 51 percent experi enced relief after 15 sessions of cogni tive behavioral therapy.

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“EFT sends a calming signal to the brain that reduces your anxiety, which allows for newfound thinking and solutions,” says Colorado Springs therapist Dana C. Avey. Simple instructions can be found online and in YouTube videos.

Write It Off with Journaling

Whether it’s a three-page brain dump in the morning, a frantic scribbling on paper in a stressful moment or a nightly ritual in a bound journal, writing out anxious thoughts helps clarify worries and puts things into perspective, research shows. Seattle spinal surgeon David Hanscom, a chronic pain expert and author of Back in Control, counsels writing down in longhand whatever is on the mind using graphic and descriptive language twice a day for 10 to 30 minutes, and then prompt ly tearing it up to let the thoughts go.

Meditate Mindfully

Many soothing types of meditation can be tried out on apps like Calm, Insight Timer and Headspace, but the beststudied approach for anxiety is mind fulness, which involves focusing on the breath and body sensations while letting distracting thoughts float by. A 2017 Aus tralian study found that just 10 minutes of daily mindful meditation can help prevent the mind from wandering and is particularly effective for repetitive, anx ious thoughts. “Just be clear that having a constant stream of thoughts is fine and part of the process. It’s sadly ironic that people turn to meditation to help with anxiety, and then get anxious that they are doing it wrong,” advises Jordan.

Move the Body in Nature

According to the Harvard Health Letter, “Just a single bout of exercise can ease anx iety when it strikes ” Studies have proven the value of everything from aerobics to swimming and yoga, and it’s even better if exercising can be done outdoors, because decades of research have found that being amidst the sights, sounds and scents of natural settings lowers anxiety markers. In a recent study, walking without using a smartphone or another electronic device in urban settings just two hours a week re duced cortisol levels 21 percent in 20 min

utes, “which helps to reduce the medical effects of stress, including chronic inflam mation, GI disorders and heart problems,” says Santa Barbara-based John La Puma, M.D., co-founder of the ChefMD health media brand and creator of MyNatureDose. com, a free, anti-anxiety walking program.

Say a Favorite Prayer

Making a deep spiritual connection—an ageold anxiety solution—can involve praying or for example, reading psalms, saying a rosary, chanting a mantra or reading sacred scrip ture. Eric Almeida, a mental health practitio ner in Bernardston, Massachusetts, recom mends the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” He says, “It doesn’t matter if you believe in God, the wisdom is useful nonetheless.”

Chill Out

“Sip cold water, hold ice cubes, take a cold shower, blast the AC in your face. Our body and mind are very connected, so if you can’t cool down your mind, cool down your tem

perature,” advises San Diego-based marriage and family therapist Sarah O’Leary. Some people find the opposite works: taking a long, hot bath infused with essential oils like bergamot, frankincense and lavender.

Get Rooted

Stand barefoot in grass or dirt while breathing deeply or imagine the roots of trees growing from the soles of the feet deep into the earth. “This helps ‘ground’ you or ‘root’ you, and can help you find steadiness rather than getting lost in anxi ety,” says mindfulness trainer and author Joy Rains of Bethesda, Maryland.

Soothe with Supplements

Boston integrative medicine physician Sarika Arora, M.D., of the Women’s Health Network, recommends vitamins B5, B6 and B12 to improve cellular energy, lower cortisol and restore equilibrium to the nervous system; magnesium to sup port balanced metabolism and increase feelings of calm; L-theanine, found in green tea, to lower stress hormone levels; eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) to limit

excess cortisol; and vitamin E to support hormone production and stress recovery.

Be with the Anxiety

Tyler Read, the San Francisco-based own er of Personal Trainer Pioneer, decided to bite the bullet by using the tools of dialectical behavior therapy to put him self into anxiety-producing public places.

“Instead of convincing myself that I was at peace or not nervous, I accepted that I was nervous. I gave myself permission to shake, sweat and feel nauseous; at times, I acknowledged that I felt like I was dying. And by permitting myself to be nervous, the anxiety decreased over time,” he says.

Move to Music

Relaxing music can be as effective as medication in altering brain func tion, research suggests, especially if the rhythm is 60 beats per minute, which encourages the slow brainwaves associ ated with hypnotic or meditative states. Dancing to upbeat music like no one is watching can also chase worries away. Holistic psychotherapist Kellie Kirksey,

Ph.D., of Youngstown, Ohio, suggests shaking to a favorite song: “Begin by shaking out the hands while holding the thought, ‘I let go.’ If shaking the hands feels good, add in shaking one leg at a time. Shake the whole body while imagining yourself releasing the tension stored in your muscles.”

Bond with an Animal

Merely petting a dog or cat releases the feelgood bonding hormone oxytocin into our system. “Animals speak to you in a nonverbal communication, so the interac tions require you to be present and to feel. Both allow for a meditative experience that is tremendously impactful for reducing anxiety,” says Shannon Dolan, an Austin, Texas, nutritional therapist and horse own er. “If you don’t have your own pet, look up equine therapy in your area, go to a local dog shelter, spend time with a friend’s dog or travel out to a petting zoo, where you can experience the healing power of animals.”

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

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Rachel Jones on grief in the healthcare front lines

by Sandra Yeyati

What are the most pressing challenges in these medical settings?

There’s a stigma where it’s considered weak if you need mental health care, even though you work in a stressful environ ment dealing with death and traumatic incidents. Many doctors and nurses don’t access mental health services for fear that when they renew their licenses, they’ll have to reveal that and be further investigated— even in states where that’s not the case.

Another problem is the shortage of doc tors and nurses that we’re experiencing and will be experiencing in the next decade as Baby Boomers age. Many places are shortstaffed, heightening the burden on those that remain, which doesn’t help retain people. Patching things with travel nurses for short-term contracts isn’t sustainable, and we don’t have enough new people coming into the system.

How do these challenges affect patient care?

After earning a journalism degree from Columbia University, Rachel Jones spent four years as a reporter in Caracas, Venezuela, including a year and a half as a correspondent for The Associated Press. Her articles have appeared in Time magazine, The Lancet, The Delacorte Review and Scientific American. In her book, Grief on the Front Lines: Reckoning with Trauma, Grief and Humanity in Modern Medicine, Jones examines the emotional challenges that healthcare workers face in hospital emergency rooms, hospices and other front-line settings.

What are your most surprising findings about healthcare heroes?

That they’re humans, just like the rest of us. They can make mistakes. Their work affects them, and they take it home. We have this impression that they’re emotionally cut off from their work, and this couldn’t be less true. Also, healthcare workers don’t have all the answers. We have this fantasy that if anything goes wrong, we can go to the doctor and have it fixed, but they can’t save everybody. Even the concept of a hero—that they’re go ing to swoop in and save us—does a disservice because it feeds into that false impression.

Medical errors increase when healthcare workers haven’t slept or eaten, which seems to be the standard, especially medical residents who work insane schedules or hospital nurses who don’t have time to take breaks. Also, mental health issues and depression closes them off from colleagues and patients, giving them tunnel vision. Then there are issues such as bullying where because of the toxicity of the work environment, maybe doctors and nurses aren’t sharing information in the way that they should be, and that can have a very detrimental impact on patients.

Why is it important for healthcare workers to remain emotionally connected with patients?

Traditionally, doctors and nurses are taught to keep an emotional distance, but that can cause them to compartmentalize and numb out feelings, which then spreads to their personal lives. They may be less able to engage with loved ones and feel discon

nected from patients so their work isn’t as meaningful. Most healthcare workers care about people. They want to help patients and want to feel connected, so that discon nection is harmful to them and to their patients who don’t feel seen or cared for.

At the opposite end, some healthcare workers take on their patients’ suffering, bringing it home and obsessing about it. The idea is to find a balance—remaining open enough to connect, but not seeing yourself as the sole responsible person for a patient’s recovery. You’re not entirely in control, so realizing there are other forces at play when things go wrong, even if you made a mistake.

What coping strategies can help practitioners?

It’s essential that healthcare administra tions provide space and time off for staff to heal and grieve, encouraging staff to speak with chaplains or therapists—normalizing mental health care—and ensuring that therapy is covered by insurance and widely available in safe and confidential settings.

Jonathan Bartels, a nurse in Virginia, came up with The Medical Pause—a mo ment of silence after a patient dies to honor their life, think about what they meant to you and understand you did everything you could to save their life. Honor walks for organ donors are where everyone lines the hallway and watches as a patient is wheeled into the operating room after they’ve died and are going to have their organs transplanted into others. Stepping back for a brief moment of mindfulness is a powerful way to set down emotions, rather than letting them lodge in your body.

Self-care—things like yoga, exercise, journaling, taking walks—and peer sup port are important, but administrations need to make time for them to happen. At Johns Hopkins Hospital, a project called RISE [Resilience In Stressful Events] allows practitioners to page a peer after a bad outcome. Sometimes, talking to someone like you that has been there themselves can be more helpful than a therapist.

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

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The Gut-Brain Connection

HOW FOOD AFFECTS OUR MOOD

by Kimberly B. Whittle

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We’ve all heard the phrase, “You are what you eat,” but the connection is more than just physical because food impacts our mood, too. During the last decade, there have been an increasing number of studies explor ing what’s called the gut-brain axis and the role that microorganisms in the gut play in mental health conditions like anxiety, stress, depression and other disorders.

Depression is a leading cause of dis ability in the U.S. and worldwide. There are long-held views in medicine that depression is caused by imbalances in brain levels of serotonin—the neurotransmitter that plays a key role in regulating mood and other func tions like digestion and sleep. These beliefs resulted in decades of extensive use of anti depressants, most of which boost serotonin in the brain.

However, research by University College London, published in July in the journal Mo lecular Psychology, found “no consistent evi dence of there being an association between serotonin and depression, and no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin activity or concentrations.”

Michael Gershon, M.D., a Columbia University professor of pathology and cell biology, and author of The Second Brain, has explained to psychologists that “scientists were shocked to learn” that about 90 percent of serotonin is not created in the brain, but is actually produced in the gut and carried from there to the brain, not the other way around. This relationship is called the gutbrain axis.

A recent literature review of 26 studies suggests that imbalances in gut bacteria can disrupt the two-way communication along the gut-brain axis, leading to depression and other psychiatric issues.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Demuth-Bibb

Gut Health Equals Mental Health

“Gut health is extremely important for mental health,” says Bhavna Barmi, Ph.D., a senior clinical psychologist, relationship therapist and founder of the New Delhi-based Happiness Studio. “The traditional belief that only psychiatry and talk therapy can treat mental health has widened to include lifestyle and food, too.”

“The truth is that our food is the primary contributor of the quality and diversity of bacteria in the microbiome,” says Ishi Khosla, a clinical nutritionist and president of the Celiac Society of India. “There is an intricate relationship between the gut and the brain.” Food sensitivities, alcohol and highly processed, refined and sugary foods can lead to a lower diversity of good bacte ria and increases in bad bacteria in the gut, which can trigger gut inflammation and unfavorable health conditions.

Most mood-related disorders start with inflammation of the brain as a response to inflammation in the gut. “Certain foods, like gluten, can cause an inflammatory response in the gut. Over time, sensitivi ties to gluten and other foods can lead to a ‘leaky gut’, an impairment of the gut lining that lets toxins into the bloodstream. Often, if it remains unresolved, it leads to mood-related disorders and other chronic health conditions,” says Khosla.

Clinical nutritionists and other practitioners use biochemical markers and food sensitivity tests to help identify food ingredients that trigger inflammation in patients. However, if a leaky gut is present, a food sensitivity test may not be very accurate. As Tom O’Bryan, DC, chief health officer of KnoWEwell, explains in his bestselling book The Autoimmune Fix, “When you have a leaky gut, a practitioner may do a 90-food testing panel that comes back sensitive to 20 or 25 different foods. And then the patient

exclaims, ‘Oh my God, that’s everything I eat.’ Well, of course it is, because your immune system is do ing what it is supposed to do— protecting you from toxins. Once the inflamma tion in the gut is reduced through the elimination of wheat and other offensive foods, and the implementation of a personalized diet and protocol to heal the gut [takes place], the same food testing panel will correctly identify those few ingredients to permanently avoid.”

Mood-Lifting Foods

Kelly Brogan, M.D., a holistic psychiatrist and author of The New York Times bestsellers A Mind of Your Own and Own Your Self, as well as co-editor of the landmark textbook Integrative Therapies for Depression, recommends making three dietary changes to lift mood:

n Eliminate processed foods and food toxins

n Add whole foods, good fats and therapeutic foods

n Add fermented foods

Eating foods that are fresh, whole, simple and organic when available fuels good gut bacteria and eliminates the toxins found in packaged foods such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, preservatives, dyes, emulsifiers, taste enhancers and sugars that

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can upset the proper balance in the gut. A powerful mood regulator is the omega-3 fatty acid found in such cold-water fish as salmon and trout or taken as a dietary supplement. These fatty acids regulate neurotransmission and gene expression, act as antioxidants and have potent antiinflammatory properties. Good fats from pasture-raised meats, wild fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil and grass-fed ghee also contribute to mood regulation.

“Resetting the gut through good bacteria in probiotics and feeding the good bacteria with prebiotics is a powerful tool to fight mood disorders,” says Khosla. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickles (truly fer mented, not just cured in vinegar), kimchi and coconut kefir are natural sources of probiotics. They are delicious and easy to make at home.

greens; lettuces; fresh herbs; peppers; and cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli.

Choosing what to eat is complex and affected by culture, cost, environment and taste preferences. Dietary changes can be difficult and take time, and those suffering from mood swings, depression or anxi ety have additional challenges in making changes. Nutritionists advise starting small by incorporating one or two foods rich in beneficial nutrients and eliminating a highly processed or packaged food or two. Focus on incorporating a rainbow of red, yellow, orange and green foods into meals. “Food therapy to improve mood is inex pensive, free of side effects and can begin to show results within days,” says Khosla.

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A 2018 University of Toronto study in the World Journal of Psychiatry identified 12 nutrients to prevent and treat depres sive disorders and found that the following foods had the highest levels of those ben eficial nutrients: bivalves such as oysters and mussels; various sea foods such as octopus, crab and tuna; organ meats; leafy

In view of the gut-brain axis, says Barmi, “It is imperative that from this point on, nutritionists, psychiatrists and psychother apists work together for holistic care of the client to lead to maximum benefit.”

Kimberly B. Whittle is the CEO of KnoWEwell, the Regenerative Whole Health Hub online solution for health and wellbeing. Visit KnoWEwell.com.

ALMOND FLOUR BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

YIELD: 12 TO 24 SERVINGS

3 cups almond flour

6 eggs

½ cup honey

½ cup avocado oil

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredi ents—almond flour, baking soda and salt—and whisk well. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients—eggs, honey and avocado oil—and blend until smooth.

Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly com bined. Fold in blueberries. Line cup muffin tin with paper liners and pour in batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Madiha Saeed, M.D., ABIHM.

Ponticelli

Pixel-Shot/AdobeStock.com

QUINOA AND BEETROOT SALAD WITH A HINT OF MINT

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS

SALAD:

½ cup quinoa

1 medium beetroot, grated

10-12 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

cup fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp shelled pistachios, roasted

2 Tbsp golden raisins

1 cup water

DRESSING:

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice, adjust to taste

2 cloves garlic, adjust to taste

½ tsp roasted cumin powder

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Honey to taste

Rinse quinoa and add to a pot. Add water and cook uncovered for around 15 minutes or until all the water is evaporated. Cover the

pan and switch off the stove. Keep covered for 5 minutes, remove lid and fluff cooked quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, mix all dressing ingredients and set aside. Place cooled quinoa, grated beets, pistachios, raisins and chopped herbs in a large bowl. Pour the dressing, toss well. Serve cold.

Recipe courtesy of Ishi Khosla.

GUT-HEALING SMOOTHIE

Blueberries contain compounds that increase beneficial bacteria in the gut, as well as antioxidant properties that are remarkable at protecting our brain. In fact, consuming 1 cup of blueberries per day for three years gets our brain working as well as it did 11 years earlier. Bananas are high in pectin, which helps to normalize movements of the large intestine. Look for gelatin powders from pastured animals.

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS

water

coconut milk

bananas

frozen blueberries

ground flaxseed

unflavored gelatin powder

high-quality fish oil

ground cinnamon

scoops L-glutamine powder (optional)

In a blender, combine the water, coconut milk, bananas, blueber ries, flaxseeds, gelatin powder, fish oil, cinnamon and L-glutamine powder (if using). Blend until smooth. Add more water for a thin ner smoothie, if desired. Serve immediately or pour into ice-pop molds and freeze for a sweet treat later on.

Recipe courtesy of Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, from his book The Autoimmune Fix

Saretta_followyourdr/AdobeStock.com

The Colors of Healing

ART THERAPY FOR KIDS

by Marlaina Donato

Opening a brand-new box of crayons or making a happy mess with homemade salt dough can provide hours of fun for most kids, but art therapy—based in a clinical setting—can help children achieve emotional equilibrium, culti vate social skills and increase their capacity for learning. Dipping a brush into bright colors or creating a collage under the guidance of a qualified therapist can help a child express what is beyond spoken language: unprocessed trauma, emotional and physical pain or the multilevel challenges of autism spectrum disorder.

“Art therapy is completely different from arts and crafts, or even teaching a child how to do art. The idea behind art therapy is that not everyone attending therapy is able to talk about what is going

on inside of them,” says Robyn Spodek-Schindler, owner of Paint the Stars Art Therapy, in Manalapan, New Jersey.

Art and the Nervous System

According to 2018 research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology & Behavioral Science, painting-based art therapy has been effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in preschool-aged children. Dipping into the unconscious wellspring of creative impulse through doodling and drawing, finger painting or taking a photograph can help kids bounce back more easily from bullying or family conflicts, including divorce. Splashing color on a canvas or throwing pottery has been shown to enhance

Sukjai

fine motor skills, increase attention spans and instill a sense of accomplishment. For those that are not neurotypical, engaging in guided artistic expression can foster sensory integration and promote positive social interaction.

“I have worked with children who have lost a parent, experi enced abuse, abandonment, consequences of addiction in the family, COVID [-19] anxiety and autism spectrum disorders,” says Andrea Davis, founder and CEO of Dallas Art Therapy, in Rich ardson, Texas. “Many times, the body is expressing the trauma in the form of sleep disturbance, eating changes, anxiety, depression and panic attacks, to name a few. Art-making bypasses the brain’s trauma response. The art therapist is trained to support the person in the process of creation and allows the person to utilize their other senses to express themselves.”

Celeste Wade, an art psychotherapist at the Child and Family Art Therapy Center, in Haverford, Pennsylvania, emphasizes that emotional processing cannot occur when an individual is on the alert for potential danger, a physiological response from an over stimulated amygdala. “Trauma needs to be processed for the client to gain mastery and function in a calm state versus fight, flight or freeze. Art making can also activate this area of the brain and have calming effects to counteract trauma responses,” she says.

Willingness, Not Talent

The art therapist provides a nourishing presence without art instruction or critiquing, and sessions can be private, in a group setting or include family members. Conversation, combined with art making, is typical in any art therapy session. Schindler stresses that creating pretty images is not the goal of an art therapy session and dispels the common assumption that “the person attending art therapy needs to have either a talent in art or an interest in art. They just need the willingness to participate in a session.” Some children see immediate benefits, while others realize emotional progress after several sessions.

Art therapy, sometimes in conjunction with other modalities, not only gives children a voice, but provides them with an opportu nity to stretch their wings. Group therapy, says Davis, “can look like working together to create a collaborative mural. In the pro cess, taking turns, hearing one another’s ideas, sharing materials, respecting boundaries and each other’s art becomes an important part of meeting goals.”

During an initial art therapy assessment, Wade might ask a cli ent to draw a family of animals, which creates an opportunity “for the client to share about their own family dynamics in a safe way. If the client has experienced any type of familial trauma and I were to present the same directive as, ‘draw you and your family doing some thing,’ the child may be more hesitant or may shut down.”

In a world that can be overwhelming, self-expression through art can give a young person a safe harbor. Schindler accentuates hu man rapport in the clinical setting, saying, “Art, much like play, is a universal communication tool for children. Sometimes you just feel better when creating and sharing with a trusted person.”

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and composer. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

Creative

Workshops

from the Heart doesn’t just teach writing, it opens us to feeling present and alive. Uplifting, be-who-you-are workshops gently awaken the creative spirit with humor and warmth. A safe haven from stress for all ages. Take a break from perfectionism and self-doubt. No grades, grammar, or anxiety.

Melissa Greene

Caregiving Companions

THE MANY BENEFITS OF SERVICE, THERAPY AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

by Karen Shaw Becker

Sukjai Photo/AdobeStock.com

Animals offer support to humans in innumerable ways, acting as loyal companions, providing soothing therapy and emotional support, and being attentive service animals for invaluable medical assistance. As animals increasingly take on these roles in public spaces, it is necessary to understand what each category offers and the type of access each is given.

“Some people misrepresent their animals as assistance animals in order to bring them to places where pets are not allowed, to avoid fees or out of a misunderstanding of the animal’s role,” states the American Veteri nary Medical Association (avma.org). It points out that although service, therapy and emotional support animals are sometimes referred to interchangeably, they are distinct categories, each with its own definition.

Assistance Animals

As defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an as sistance animal is “any animal that works, provides assistance or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that allevi ates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.” If certain conditions are met, a person may be entitled to keep an assistance animal in a housing facility that would otherwise prohibit animals.

Service Animals

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 defines a service animal as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individ ual with a disability, including a physical,

sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.” Aside from miniature horses, no other species are included.

Service animals perform such tasks as helping with navigation, pulling a wheel chair, assisting during a seizure, providing protection or rescue work, alerting a per son to allergens and interrupting impulsive or destructive behavior.

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals (ESA), accord ing to the Fair Housing Act and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), can be any spe cies. Both laws require a disability-related need and a recommendation by a medical or mental health professional. ESAs do not have to be trained to perform a particular task and may be permitted in otherwise banned housing facilities. Some interna tional airlines allow them to travel at no ex tra cost. As of January 2021, following a U.S. Department of Transportation rule-tighten ing, virtually no American domestic airline allows ESAs to fly free. (Small dogs can still be flown by passengers paying extra.)

Therapy Animals

According to the ACAA, therapy animals may take part in animal-assisted inter ventions when there’s a “goal-directed intervention in which an animal meeting specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process.” Animal-assisted ther apy may involve dogs, cats, horses, llamas,

pigs and other species, typically in hospi tals, schools and rehabilitation centers.

Why They Can Be Controversial

While service animals are highly trained and can even receive certifications as psy chiatric service dogs, ESAs are often pets that help a person to cope with daily life or situations they may otherwise find intoler able, such as being in stores, restaurants, museums and on airline flights and other public transportation.

Controversy has arisen when some people have pushed the line, claiming their pet is necessary for emotional support, but in reality, are just there to enjoy access benefits. Yet, in a survey of more than 500 Americans, both service dogs and emo tional support dogs were viewed favorably, and most participants reported feeling that the majority of people with such dogs were not taking advantage of the system.

The Many Benefits

There is seemingly no end to the emotional, physical and mental benefits dogs offer to humans. Regular visits with therapy dogs may improve the well-being of people seek ing addiction and mental health treatment. Animal-assisted interventions have been used among Canada’s correctional popula tion, for which mental health, addictions and trauma histories are major concerns. Research published in the journal

Anthrozoös found that animal-assisted thera py decreased the need for pain medication in people receiving joint replacement therapy. Studies by the Delta Society suggests hold ing, stroking or simply seeing an animal may lower blood pressure while lessening feelings of hostility and increasing self-esteem. For children, service dogs can be trained to detect the scent of allergens like peanuts or gluten in food and even provide comfort to them and adult witnesses in courtrooms. Be aware that out in public, certain rules of etiquette apply. Service dogs, in particu lar, should never be approached, talked to or touched unless permission is granted by the dog’s handler. And take no offense if the handler says no. Distracting a working dog can result in potential harm to the handler and may interfere with the dog’s focus and ability to follow potentially life-saving com mands or cues.

Veterinarian Karen Shaw Becker, DVM, has spent her career empowering animal guardians to make knowledgeable decisions to extend the life and well-being of their animals.

Improving Quality of Life through Integrative Care for Pets of all Sizes

Acupuncture

Management

Rehabilitation

Care

spotlight

Naturopathic Medicine Done Right

Generative

Health provides services in naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and CranioSacral Therapy (CS), addressing health conditions with natural approaches that are safe and effective, including diet, genomic analysis and herbal medicine. They work on prevention, rather than patch ing symptoms, to find the root cause of the health problems.

Dr. Meghan Gonick holds a doctorate in naturopath ic medicine and master’s degree in acupuncture.

Dr. Javier Palacios holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine and certi fication in CS Therapy, levels 1, 2 and 3. Both doctors passed national boards to hold Connecticut licenses to practice naturopathic medicine. Gonick also completed a residency

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with Dr. Peter D’Adamo in generative medicine, and is a li censed acupuncturist. During her residency, Gonick expressed a desire to bring Generative Health to Lancaster.

She says, “The interest and need for well-trained naturopathic doctors and east Asian medicine providers continues to grow. Both patients and doctors are looking for more options for wellness, and that is where our clinical training and knowledge is indispensable. Additionally, we take the time for a personalized approach, which benefits our patients.”

They offer naturopathic services, nutritional counseling, CS Therapy, acupuncture and nu

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tritional supplements, herbal medicine, Opus23, personalized diets (swami), prescription supplements (Thorne, innate) and homeopathic formulas. The office carries locally grown and processed loose medical herbs, tinctures and oils for custom herbal formulas.

Palacios performs CS as a gentle form of physical medicine that corrects patients’ alignment to alleviate headaches, muscle tension and other physical manifestations of stress. Generative Health also provides individualized herbal formulas, salves and homeopathic formulations.

“We are the only naturopathic office in downtown Lancaster. Not only do we pro vide symptomatic relief using natural and other alternative health modalities, but we also educate the client on their condition so they understand the nature of their prob lems to avoid future flare-ups or unwanted events. We believe health is an investment, but does not need to be costly. Our naturopathic services are thorough, and we take into account pertinent details regarding someone’s health to provide a holistic, evidence-based and free-of-questions plan to better health,” says Palacios.

“We are successful because our clients benefit from the

services we provide. We take pride in being holistic, safetyoriented and personal with each case we encounter. Compared to other naturopathic doctors, we offer affordable prices and services. One of my biggest business challenges is not accept ing insurance due to the licensing nature regarding naturopathic medicine in the state of Pennsylvania,” advises Palacios. “However, a bill is in the works to pass licensing, which will provide us and the public more access to naturopathic care.”

Palacios is accepting new patients for naturopathic and CranioSacral services, and Generative Health is planning to increase of ferings of their proprietary topical herbal for mulas direct to the public. “We are currently looking to hire another acupuncturist so we can expand our offerings,” says Gonick.

People can stop by on First Friday open houses to learn about their services and try delicious tea blends featuring Lancaster Farmacy’s locally grown organic herbs.

Generative Health, LLC, is located at 228 E. Orange St., in Lancaster. For appointments and more information, visit www.GenerativeHealth.com or call 717-869-1524. See ads, pages 15 and 53.

Dr. Javier Palacios

MAKING FOREVER CHEMICALS GO AWAY

M ANMADE COMPOUNDS POSE LASTING THREAT TO OUR HEALTH

by Sheryl DeVore

Decades ago, environmental groups urged the banning of what are known as forever chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, compromised immune systems and hormonal imbalances, among other health issues.

Today, although some of these man-made perand polyfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) are being phased out, there’s still much to worry about.

“These chemicals are everywhere–in products, in our homes, in our drink ing water. They’re even coming down in rain,” says Mike Schade, director of the Mind the Store program of ToxicFree Future (ToxicFreeFuture.org national nonprofit based in Seattle. “This is a growing public health crisis.”

A recent Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) report says that 200 mil lion Americans are likely drinking water contaminated with PFAS, and that these chemicals are even more toxic than once thought. In June, the U.S. Environmen tal Protection Agency (EPA) established new health advisories for these chemicals, warning about the toxicity of even lower amounts in water. The EPA is offering $1

billion in grants initially and $5 billion over time to help remove them from drinking water. Recent research has also shown PFAS detected in sludge used as fertilizer in home gardens. “We need action at all levels of government,” Schade says. “We need states to step up. We need Congress to step up. We need big companies to step up and consumers to take action.”

Origin of PFAS

Since the late 1940s, forever chemi cals have been manufactured for use in products such as nonstick cookware; water proof, water-resistant and stain-resistant textiles; dental floss; and food packaging, such as microwave popcorn bags and fast-food contain ers. Firefighters also use foam that contains the chemicals. “Production and disposal of these chemicals is leading to the contamina tion of drinking water supplies and surface water bodies all across the country,” Schade says. “It’s a huge issue, especially in the Great Lakes.”

“We’re talking about more than 9,000 chemicals,” says Susie Dai, Ph.D., a leading PFAS researcher and an associate professor of plant pathology and microbi ology at Texas A&M University. “Because they contain one of the strongest chemical bonds, the carbon-fluorine bond, they are very stable. That makes it difficult for the chemicals to break down and easy for them to accumulate in the environment.”

Several years ago, chemical companies began manufacturing what they deem are less-toxic PFAS. They’re known as either

NorGal/AdobeStock.com

short-chain or alternative PFAS, and include chemicals named GenX and PFBS. “The more that scientists study this very large class of chemicals, the more that scientists find the replacement chemicals are likely just as toxic,” Schade says. The EPA June health advisories include these two new PFAS.

Meanwhile, as public concern grows, 11 states have banned PFAS in food packaging, and Congress is considering a similar ban, says Schade. Whole Foods Market has stopped using the chemicals in food packaging, and Keen, an outdoor shoe brand, has phased out use of PFAS in their products.

In February, Toxic-Free Future sent rain jackets, hiking pants, cloth napkins, bedding and other products marked as stain- or water-resistant to independent labs for analysis. “Seventy-two percent of them contained forever chemicals,” Schade says. Some of these products are manufactured by recreational equipment company REI, which Toxic-Free is urging consumers to write to, asking it to end the practice.

In July, Columbia Sportswear received petitions with 48,000 sig natures from the Natural Resources Defense Council and other en vironmental organizations urging the company to eliminate PFAS from its products. Although it has begun taking steps, Columbia has yet to set a timeline or define PFAS sustainability standards.

“We can minimize the threat of PFAS contamination by turning off the tap on their use,” says Paloma Paez-Coombe, an associate of Environment Illinois, which participated in the petition drive. “One of the best ways we can do that is by getting a major brand like Columbia Sportswear to publicly lead the way.”

These actions, however, won’t fix the problem of PFAS already in drinking water. Dai and other researchers have created a new bioremediation technology using plant-based material and fungi that could clean places where forever chemicals have been disposed. She hopes a similar concept can be applied to PFAScontaminated drinking water.

Northwestern University researchers published a paper in Au gust in Science showing PFAS can be destroyed using somewhat harmless chemicals called sodium hydroxide, which is the lye used to make soap, and dimethyl sulfoxide, a medicine for bladder issues. Dai says that before these new approaches, the only way to break down PFAS was to expose them to high temperatures in an incinerator, but that is costly and still introduces harmful chemi cals into the environment.

Meanwhile, the Delaware-based chemical company Chemours, a spinoff of Dupont that manufactures PFAS, has filed a lawsuit against the EPA saying the agency’s most recent health advisory regarding PFAS is based on flawed science. Chemours is the same company that has been ordered to pay a $12 million fine to the state of North Carolina after contaminating waterways with PFAS.

Schade surmises, “This is an issue that should be of concern to every American, especially when these chemicals are linked to health problems that are on the rise in our communities.”

Sheryl DeVore has written six books on science, health and na ture, as well as health and environmental stories for national and regional publications. Read more at SherylDeVore.wordpress.com.

WAYS TO AVOID EXPOSURE TO FOREVER CHEMICALS

n Choose textiles and carpeting without water- and stain-repellency.

n Avoid food with greaseproof packaging, such as microwave popcorn.

n Stay away from personal care products with perfluor, polyfluor or PTFE on the label.

n Choose PFAS-free products, some of which are listed at pfasCentral.org

n Contact businesses to ask them to stop selling prod ucts that contain PFAS.

n Reach out to legislators to urge the passage of laws to ban PFAS unless their use is essential.

Sources: Toxic-Free Future, Green Science Policy Institute and Environment Illinois.

Holiday GIVING GUIDE

It’s that time of year again!

Hoping to find unique and meaningful gifts that will be appreciated by everyone on your list? Shop local this year to find sustainable, handcrafted and fair trade items, plus experiences, such as a day at the spa, a workshop, a massage or even a pottery class. Gift certificates or donations to one of many non-profits on behalf of a loved one are also great options to spread the holiday cheer and support your local business owners. Happy Holidays! 580 S Prince St.,

Lancaster, PA | 717-676-0600 LancasterCreativeFactory.org

Gratitude is Good Medicine

by Madiha Saeed

tress, work and family routines can trap us in a pattern of negative thinking that feeds on itself and creates stress and unhappiness. With our internal and external worlds being bombarded these days with negativity, being optimistic is more impor tant now than ever before.

Gratitude is not just a feel-good word. It is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—a universal concept in nearly all of the world’s spiritual traditions. Practicing gratitude daily is proven to have actual physiological consequences. It helps lower inflam matory markers, influences epigenetics, improves the immune system and even helps the heart, adding years to life.

Optimism has been found to correlate positively with life satisfaction and self-esteem. “Heartfelt” emotions like gratitude, love and caring produce coherent brain waves radiat ing to every cell of the body, as shown by technology that measures changes in heart rhythm variation and coherence.

Our subconscious governs 90 percent of our thoughts and actions. It shapes our every behavior. But the subconscious mind is nothing other than neural pathways that have been established in the brain as a result of past beliefs and conditioning. Our subconscious does no thinking of its own, but rather relies on our perception of the world around us, interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues.

When we consciously turn negativity to positivity from the inside-out, the neural path way associated with negativity will take time to come down fully, so it is critical to practice gratitude regularly. Upon waking in the morning, say 10 things that you are grateful for. Keep a gratitude journal. Put sticky notes all over the house with gratitude messages—on photos, light fixtures, fans, exercise equipment—to create a zone of subliminal positivity.

Remember that our perspective can reflect either our pain or our power. That choice is in our hands. Know what you are grateful for each day.

Madiha Saeed, M.D., ABIHM, is the bestselling author of The Holistic RX, an international speaker, founder of HolisticMomMD.com and director of education for KnoWEwell.

NABerks.com

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calendar of events

NOTE: To share your events and classes in our calendar, please visit our websites NABerks.com or NALancaster.com for guidelines and a submission link. Deadline: 5th of the month prior.

Visit our online calendar where you can find updated event and class information and share your events for free.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Contemplative Prayer/Meditation – 8-8:30am. (Tuesdays ongoing). In person and via Zoom. Free. Saint James Episcopal, 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. 717-397-4858. For the Zoom link, visit SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Hatha Yoga – 9-10am. (Tuesdays ongoing). Instudio and virtual. Hatha yoga can improve mood, decrease anxiety, tone muscles, and improve posture and balance. $45 New Student Unlimited, other class pass options available. Register online. West End Yoga Studio, 221 W Walnut St, Lancaster. 717-4069681. WestEndYogaStudio.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Living With Grief: Trauma and Loss – 8:3010:30am. A pre-recorded program focusing on the specific issues raised when losses are sudden and traumatic, shattering the bereaved individual’s assumptions that the world is safe, benevolent or predictable. Free with two CE credits. For info/to register by 10/28: 717-391-2413 or 800-924-7610. Pathways Center for Grief and Loss, 4075 Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy. HospiceCommunity.org.

Mindful Yoga – 9-10am. (Wednesdays ongoing). Onsite and via Zoom. Slow down your breath, your body, and your mind. $15, discounts available. Contact Saint James Episcopal for link. 717-397-4858. 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Lights, Camera, Conservation – 6pm. Each month, Berks Nature will select an environmentally-focused film to showcase at The Nature Place, followed by thoughtful discussion over light drinks and snacks. November’s Eco-Feature: GATHER - A story about Indian resilience and the renaissance of Native food systems. $5. Berks Nature, 575 St Bernadine St, Reading. BerksNature.org.

Newly Bereaved Program – 6:30-8pm. Via Zoom. If your loss was recent, this 3-wk series provides an overview of common grief responses and will help you to begin to identify coping tools. Space limited, registration required. For info/to register: 717-3912413 or 800-924-7610 by 10/26 to discuss with a Bereavement Counselor. Pathways Center for Grief and Loss. HospiceCommunity.org.

Coping with the Holidays – 6:30-8pm. Via Zoom. If you feel uncertain and anxious about the coming holiday season, this session may help you not only get through the holiday season but perhaps find something positive during an otherwise difficult time. Free. To register: Pathways Center for Grief & Loss. 717 391-2413 or 800-924-7610. HospiceCommunity.org.

Ultimate Health Workshop – 7pm. (Wednesdays ongoing). Learn how you can achieve optimal health. Topics vary by week. Free. Call to reserve your spot. Heath Wellness Center, 14 W. Main St, Landisville. 717-530-5555. HeathChiropractic.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3

State of the Environment Breakfast – 7:30am. Meteorologist Lauren Casey narrates a deep dive into the science behind extreme weather and the impact these forces have on Berks County. Registration required. $35 pp ($15/student if registered by a teacher) includes breakfast, a copy of the 2022 State of the Environment publication and free gift. Berks Nature held at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St., Reading. 610-372-4992. Support.BerksNature. org/paid-events.

Contemplative Prayer/Meditation – 8-8:30am. (Thursdays ongoing). In person and via Zoom. Free. Saint James Episcopal, 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. 717-397-4858. For the Zoom link, visit SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Restorative Yoga – 7-8pm. (Thursdays ongoing thru 12/29). A mild form of yoga with a focus on breathwork and longer-held poses. A more relaxed, passive and slow-paced, allowing the body tissue to rest and recover. $15. Hempfield Apothecary, 100 W Walnut St, Lancaster. 717-874-8480. HempfieldApothecary.com.

Lunar Flow Yoga – 7:15-8:30pm. (Thursdays ongoing). Lunar Flow incorporates elements of Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative Yoga to help you tune into the current moon phase and sign each week and deepen your connection to yourself and the cosmos. Register online. West End Yoga Studio, 221 W Walnut St, Lancaster. 717-406-9681. WestEndYogaStudio.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Contemplative Prayer/Meditation – 6:45-7:15am. (Fridays ongoing). In person and via Zoom. Free. 717-397-4858. 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. For the Zoom link, visit SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Mindful Yoga – 9-10am. (Fridays ongoing). Onsite and via Zoom. Slow down your breath, your body, and your mind. $15, discounts available. Contact Saint James Episcopal for link. 717-397-4858. 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Cooking Class: Fabulous Friendsgiving – 6-8pm. Learn all the tips to pull off an effortless Friendsgiving with your people and some easy-to-follow recipes that are sure to impress. Hands on. BYOB. Registration is required. $70. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-435-8890. ZestChef.com.

Evening of Peace, Nidra, Restorative Gong Bath – 6-8pm. Practice restorative yoga postures that support the alleviation of stress, tension and anxiety, followed by an extended practice of deep intense relaxation. $16. Kula Kamala Foundation, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-509-5073. For info and registration: KulaKamalaFoundation.org/classes.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5

Inner Peace Holistic Expo – 10am-6pm. Enjoy free lectures and demonstrations, holistic and natural products and services, spiritual readings, crystals and gemstones, massage, reiki, CBD products, aura readings, iridology and more. Food and drink available for purchase. Free goodie bag for first 150 guests each day. $10/weekend. Veterans, active service men and women and kids 12 and under free.

Hamburg Field House, Pine St, Hamburg. 610-4011342. InnerPeaceHolisticExpo.com.

GLOBE Community Science –2pm. Berks Nature will teach you how to use the GLOBE app to collect real data on cloud cover, tree height, land cover, and even mosquito habitat for use by NASA and other scientists all over the world. Free. Berks Nature, 575 St Bernadine St, Reading. BerksNature.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Meditation – 8-9am. (Sundays ongoing).

Kula Kamala Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Alsace Twp, Reading. By donation. 484-509-5073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

Community Donation Yoga – 9-10am. (Sundays ongoing). Yoga is for everybody regardless of financial state. This yoga class mixes Vinyasa with Alignment; well suited for any level of practice. West End Yoga Studio, 221 W Walnut St, Lancaster. WestEndYogaStudio.com.

Yin Yoga – 9-10:30am. (Sundays ongoing). Kula Kamala Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Alsace Twp, Reading. By donation. 484-509-5073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

NOVEMBER

ONLINE

EXCLUSIVES >>>

Find additional articles and videos at NALancaster.com or NABerks.com Go to the home page and click on the “In This Issue” image in the top carousel or in the right column.

ECO TIP

ECO-SKIING

Planet-Friendly Ways to Hit the Slopes

Full Moon Crystal Meditation- Guided Relaxation with Reiki – 10-11am. Join us for a relaxing experience that includes guided relaxation, crystals, reiki, and sound healing music. Bring a mat, blanket and pillow for comfort. Registration required. $15 includes crystal set. Integrative Healing Arts Studio, 546 Penn Ave, West Reading. 610-451-9577. IntegrativeHealingArtsStudio.org.

Inner Peace Holistic Expo – 10am-5pm. See 11/5 listing for details.

Wisdom Circle – 10:30-11:30am. (Sundays ongoing). Kula Kamala Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Alsace Twp, Reading. By donation. 484-509-5073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Chair Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. (Mondays ongoing). In-studio and virtual. Traditional poses are converted to using a chair as our foundation or prop. The addition of a long scarf/yoga belt, books/yoga block, and beach towel/yoga blanket expand the options. $45 New Student Unlimited, other class pass options available. Register online. West End Yoga Studio, 221 W Walnut St, Lancaster. 717-406-9681. WestEndYogaStudio.com.

Sound Immersion Meditation – 5-6pm. Mondays ongoing thru 12/19. Using a combination of tuning forks, Himalayan singing bowls, gongs and other instruments, prepare to be immersed in sound and vibration to release stress and induce a deeply meditative state. $20. Hempfield Apothecary, 100 W Walnut St, Lancaster. 717-874-8480. HempfieldApothecary.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Election Night Vigil at Urban Well – 7pm. Online or in person. Rather than sitting at home and wondering what will make things better or worse, people can gather to meditate, listen and share searching questions with one of the elders and great teachers of reconciliation to enable justice and peace to prevail. Free. Registration recommended. St James Church, 119 N Duke St, Lancaster. 717397-4858. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9

are sudden and traumatic, shattering the bereaved individual’s assumptions that the world is safe, benevolent or predictable. Free with two CE credits. For info/to register by 11/9: 717-391-2413 or 800924-7610. Pathways Center for Grief and Loss. HospiceCommunity.org.

Durga – A Celebration of the Mother – 4pm 11/11 thru 2pm 11/13. At this “women only” weekend, there will be chanting, practicing, meditating, cooking meals communally, receiving the darshan of the Mother, conversing, laughing, crying, learning, growing and more. $349. Kula Kamala Foundation, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-509-5073. For info and registration: KulaKamalaFoundation.org/classes.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Cooking Class: Holiday Challah – 10am-12pm. Explore holiday yeast-baking in this beginnerfriendly class. The instructor will help take away the stress and mystery of these seemingly challenging techniques. Enjoy some in class and take some home for a holiday treat. Hands on. BYOB. Registration is required. $70. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-435-8890. ZestChef.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

Lancaster Friends School Open House – 10am12pm. Learn more about our unique educational community and get a tour. Masks required indoors. Registration required. Free. Lancaster Friends School. 110 Tulane Terrace, Lancaster. 717-5532300. LancasterFriends.org.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

“Sing Your Heart Out” Voice Embodiment Class – 7-8:15pm. Online / In person hybrid. (3rd Wednesday of every month). Connect through singing, sounding/intoning, movement, joy, and reflection ending with a Summer Music Gathering in June 2023. Drop in $25 or sign up for discounted monthly rate of $20. ResonateYou.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBR 17

FIT BODY

Introduction to the Fundamentals of the Art and Science of Sound Healing – 10am-4pm. This class is not only the prerequisite for students who are considering enrolling in the six-month sound school program but also for anyone wanting to understand the fundamentals of sound healing and sound therapy. $175. Soundwise Health Studio, Suite 263, 313 W Liberty St, Lancaster. 610-3014356. SoundwiseHealth.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10

Taste of Tantra Workshop – 5:30-7:30pm. Ditch the shame and breakthrough barriers to journey through tantric movement, a guided somatic release practice, and journal prompts to harness pleasure as a mechanism for healing and fulfillment. Bring a pillow, yoga mat, water and a notebook/pen. Registration required. $40. Offered by The Flame Within, location Ellister’s Elixirs, 332 N Queen St, Lancaster. 717-725-0071. EllistersElixirs.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Living With Grief: Trauma and Loss – 2:304:30pm. Via Zoom. A pre-recorded program focusing on the specific issues raised when losses

Cooking Class: Cozy Winter Sides – 6-8pm. Spruce up your repertoire in the kitchen with these cozy recipes that are perfect for a holiday dinner or weekend comfort food all winter long. Hands on. BYOB. Registration is required. $70. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-435-8890. ZestChef.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Pawsitive Pace 5K Timed Race and Fun Walk – 8am registration, 9am 5K run, 9:45 Fun walk. The race is timed with awards for each age group. It is a dog-friendly event (runners must clean up after their pets). Benefits the non-profit Pawsitive Hearts rescue services, community education and pet therapy services. $25 before 11/2 incl race shirt. $30 thereafter thru 11/16. 1281 E Main St., Douglassville. To register, visit Tinyurl.com/ PawsitivePace5K. For more information, call 484818-1410. PawsitiveHeartsPA.org.

Survivors of Suicide Loss – 9am-12pm. Join other survivors for a video presentation and discussion of “Life Journeys: Reclaiming Life After Loss.”

Hear from a local panel of survivors and receive information on resources and supports. For info/to register: 717-391-2413 or 800-924-7610 to discuss with a Bereavement Counselor. Pathways Center for Grief and Loss. HospiceCommunity.org.

Furever Home’s 8th Annual Holiday Shopping Fair – 9:30am-3pm. Shop over 100 different businesses, vendors, crafters, food, raffles, door prizes and more. People & Pets photos with Santa 11am-2pm. Family-friendly, indoor event. Admission is free. Free raffle ticket for each cat/kitten item donated. Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd, Lancaster. FureverHomeAdoptionCenter.com.

Kids Cooking Class: Holiday Baking – 10am12pm. Ages 7-12. Give your kids a creative outlet after the tediousness of school. Our fantastic kid’s instructor and resident artist, Gwen Eberly, will teach them essential skills and confidence in the kitchen with these delicious recipes you’ll want them to make again. Hands on. Registration is required. $70. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-435-8890. ZestChef.com.

It Makes a Village Fundraiser – 1-7pm.Bumbada Women Drummers ninth annual virtual fundraiser and entire day of entertainment and raffles to benefit PAIRWN (Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women's Network). For more information, call 717-824-9392 or email TammiHessen@aol.com.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Survivors of Suicide Loss – 9am-12pm. Join other survivors for a video presentation and discussion of “Life Journeys: Reclaiming Life After Loss.” Hear from a local panel of survivors and receive information on resources and supports. Free. To register, contact Elaine Ostrum at 717-391-2413. Pathways Center for Grief & Loss, 4075 Old Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy. HospiceCommunity.org.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Overdose Awareness Day Seminar – 7-8:30pm. International Overdose Awareness Day is a day to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have died from a drug overdose and serves to reduce the stigma of a drugrelated death. Keynote speaker is Dr. Bonnie Milas who has lost both sons to this disease. Free. To register: 717-391-2413. Pathways Center for Grief & Loss, 4075 Old Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy. HospiceCommunity.org.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

Small Business Saturday Gift of Wellness Sale – 10am-3pm. Stop in for our Gift of Wellness sale. 10% off most items in the boutique including crystals herbal teas and more. Special offers on gift certificates and classes. Integrative Healing Arts Studio, 546 Penn Ave, West Reading. 610-451-9577. IntegrativeHealingArtsStudio.org.

Vipassana (Silent) Retreat Weekend – 4pm 11/25 – 12:30pm 11/27. Silence is Golden and meditation is the most powerful spiritual practice. Each attendee will take a vow of silence, with no distractions, no cell phones or technology, no reading or writing during your stay; just an abundant dose of peace. $54, $108 or $279. For info and registration: KulaKamalaFoundation.org/classes.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Cooking Class: Holiday Hors D’Oeuvres –6-8:30pm. Learn tasty and fun treats of all kinds that mix things up a little for some holiday fun. Hands on. BYOB. Registration is required. $80. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-435-8890. ZestChef.com.

plan ahead

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

Candy Cane Christmas Open House – 10am-5pm. Special sales, refreshments, candy cane drawing, handcrafted gifts for the whole family: artisan soaps, perfume, wool dryer balls, tote bags, gift kits and more. Free. Inshanti Pure Essential Oils. 48 Slaymaker Hill Rd, Kinzers. 717-587-3990. Inshanti.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

Candy Cane Christmas Open House – 10am-5pm. See 12/1 listing for details.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

Candy Cane Christmas Open House – 10am-5pm. See 12/1 listing for details.

Winter Wreath Workshop – 11am-3pm. Design a beautiful wreath using ribbons and natural materials gathered from Rodale Institute’s 386-acre organic farm. Enjoy hot drinks around the firepit and free wagon tours. Ride with Santa from 11am-1pm. Pre-registration $45 per person/group or day of event $50 per person/group. Includes one wreath. Rodale Institute, 611 Siegfriedale Rd, Kutztown. RodaleInstitute.org/events.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

Lancaster Friends School Open House – 10am12pm. Learn more about our unique educational community and get a tour. Masks required indoors. Registration required. Free. Lancaster Friends School. 110 Tulane Terrace, Lancaster. 717-5532300. LancasterFriends.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

Yoga Nidra Workshop – 4pm 12/9 thru 5pm 12/12. Yoga Nidra is a practice of deep intense relaxation and can reduce fear and anxiety related to change, the unknown and even of death. The training covers postures of relaxation, nervous system function, benefits and contraindications, propping and lots of practice. Registration required. $799 commuter or $899 residential. Kula Kamala Foundation, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-509-5073. For info and registration: KulaKamalaFoundation. org/classes.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11

Gifts That Give Hope Anniversary Fair – 10am3pm. Visit with 45 nonprofits to shop and learn about volunteer opportunities to get involved in the community with food trucks and Human Rights scavenger hunt for the chance to win a free book and more. Free. Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd, Lancaster. 717-201-9157. GiftsThatGiveHope.org.

Holiday Spiritual & Holistic Bazaar – 10am-5pm. Enjoy vendors of crystals, jewelry, gemstone trees, soaps and bath products, artwork, clothing, pet products, singing bowls and more, along with reiki and reflexology practitioners, tarot, and readers, plus a benefit raffle and auction. Free admission. Leesport Farmers Market Banquet Hall, 312 Gernants Church Rd, Leesport. 570-573-1651. LadyLynora.com/ Holiday-Bazaar.

MONTHLY

december uplifting humanity

january health & wellness

february heart

learn opportunities at:

community resource guide

Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Advertising@NALancaster.com or visit NALancaster.com or NABerks.com.

ACUPUNCTURE

LANCASTER ACUPUNCTURE

Beverly Fornoff

Eden Natural Care Center 600F Eden Rd • Lancaster 717-381-7334 • LancasterAcupuncture.com

Discover your body’s natural ability to heal with the supports of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Acupuncture is a way to relieve acute or chronic pain, stress, allergies, colds, digestive problems, and insomnia and support your overall well-being. See ad, page 24.

BODYWORK

SUPERNATURAL WELLBEING, LLC

Grace Henderson, LMT 342 N Queen St • Lancaster SupernaturalWellbeingLLC@gmail.com

Offering a wide range of bodywork and holistic wellness services to support your wellbeing, harmony and balance of mind/body/spirit, guiding you to the realization that you have always been perfect while empowering you to make necessary changes to create the fabulous life you want to live. LGBQTIA+ friendly.

CBD/HEMP PRODUCTS

HEMPFIELD BOTANICALS

HEMPFIELD APOTHETIQUE 100 W Walnut St • Lancaster 717-874-8480

HempfieldBotanicals.com

Hempfield Botanicals embraces that wellness is the foundation for living a full and vibrant life. We create the THC-free and fullspectrum CBD products to help people find relief from pain and inflammation, sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, lack of energy and more. Certified B-corp, vegan, certified cruelty-free, sustainable and third-party tested. See ad, page 23.

YOUR CBD STORE

Stone Mill Plaza 1380 Columbia Ave • Lancaster 717-209-7123 • GetSunMed.com

At Your CBD Store®, we bring superior quality hemp-derived products for people and pets to the market. Because our oils, tinctures, skin care and pet products are formulated using the whole plant, they contain a full or broad spectrum which includes cannabinoids and terpenes. See ad, page 11.

CHIROPRACTIC

A THERAPEUTIC EFFECT

Dr. Andrew Ashton 313D Primrose Ln • Mountville 717-285-9955 • ATherapeuticEffect.com

Providing an array of therapeutic treatments and services that promote relaxation and detoxification. Our doctor specializes in low-impact Torque Release Technique which provides immediate results for people of all ages. See ad, page 2.

BLUE SKIES CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Leah Reiff

2727 Old Philadelphia Pike • Bird-in-Hand 717-390-9998 • BlueSkiesChiroHealth.com

Chiropractic is used for natural relief from conditions such as chronic pain, injuries, pregnancy complications, complications from aging & more. Dr. Reiff carefully considers every individual's comfort level & provides specific adjustments to support the body for benefits that will last.

HEATH CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER LLC

Thomas Heath, DC 14 W Main St • Landisville 717-530-5555

HeathWellnessCenter.com

For 33 years, Dr. Heath has been helping people recover their health and reduce stress in their lives through Functional Integrative Brain /Body Balance. He uses Professional Applied Kinesiology, Neuro Emotional Technique, Quantum Neurology, Nutritional counseling, traditional Chiropractic and other cutting-edge techniques. See ad, page 27.

LINK CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

Dr. Thomas B. Wachtmann, DC 3130 Pricetown Rd • Fleetwood 610-944-5000

DrWachtmann.com

High-quality, patient-focused Chiropractic Care, and Functional Diagnostic Medicine evaluation and treatment. We focus on correcting the underlying causes of many disorders, diseases and conditions. Call for a complimentary consultation and benefit check. See ad, page 17.

CLINICAL AROMATHERAPIST

INSHANTI

Debra Stoltzfus

48 Slaymaker Hill Rd • Kinzers 717-587-3990 • Inshanti.com

Trust a nationally certified aromatherapist specializing in clinical consultations. Deb can work directly with your physician to create a plan that supports mind and body health. In addition to retail and wholesale accounts of proprietary blends and pure essential oils sourced directly from the farmers, halfand full-day education courses with certification are offered. See ad, page 43.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

LANCASTER SCHOOL OF PSYCHODRAMA AND EXPERIENTIAL PSYCHOTHERAPIES

717-466-0788

RealTrueKaren@gmail.com

RealTrueKaren.com

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, teaches alternative therapies and experiential methods of psychodrama, sociometry, group process, Family and Systemic Constellations. CE credits for social workers, MFTs and licensed counselors, although all helpers and educators welcome. Act 48 and psychology credits pending. See ad, page 12.

COUNSELING

GREY MUZZLE MANOR

1164 Blattadahl Rd • Mohrsville 610-655-5271

GreyMuzzleManor.com Facebook.com/GreyMuzzleManor

Marcy Tocker, MA, utilizes person-centered and strength based therapeutic approaches. She specializes in animal assisted therapy, EAGALA model equine therapy, play therapy, and art therapy. Marcy believes that therapeutic change occurs when we provide empathy, unconditional positive regard, acceptance, and being there to support while our clients discover the strengths we know they've always carried.

COUNSELING

M. HARNISH COUNSELING & SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck, MA (she/her) 228 E Orange St • Lancaster 717-875-5066

MHarnishTherapy.com

The work of healing and formation begins as we listen to what is going on in our inner life, what is happening in our heart and in our head. Using compassion and deep listening, I will be present with you and help you along your way.

TAKE HEART COUNSELING & EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY 699 Wooltown Rd • Wernersville 717-917-7137

TakeHeartCounseling.com

Empowering individuals and families to find hope, healing and wholeness through therapeutic work with horses.

Trauma-informed services address trauma, anxiety, depression, self-worth, spirituality, family issues. Offering individual and group sessions.

DENTISTRY

CENTER FOR TMJ & SLEEP DISORDERS

Dr. Tammy Balatgek, DDS 2433 Morgantown Rd #200 • Reading 610-796-2835

TMJSleepCenter.com

Dr. Tammy Balatgek and her team provide a conservative, nonsurgical approach focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders, management of snoring/ obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and acute and chronic facial pain. They restore their patient’s quality of life by relieving pain and improving sleep. See ad, page 14.

SCHWARTZ FAMILY DENTAL

David A. Schwartz, DDS, PC 701 Jefferson Blvd • West Lawn 610-670-6910

SchwartzFamilyDental.com

We provide general and cosmetic mercury-free dental care to the entire family with attention to “whole person health.” We have advanced training in the safe removal of mercury fillings, nonsurgical gum treatments, orthodontics, sleep apnea, solutions for TMJ, facial pain, and headaches. Visit our website to learn more. See ad, page 27.

SUSQUEHANNA DENTAL ARTS

100 S 18th St • Columbia 717-684-3943 • 717-285-7033

SusquehannaDentalArts.com

We are a fullservice family dental practice providing 100% mercury-free restorations, quality non-surgical periodontal care, INVISALIGN, implant-retained dentures and partials. See ad, page 5.

DNA TESTING

ANY LAB TEST NOW

235 Bloomfield Dr, 110 Bldg B • Lititz 717-207-7604

AnyLabTestNow.com/Lititz

Any Lab Test Now makes it easy for consumers and businesses to manage their health! We provide direct access to clinical lab tests, DNA tests, and drug- and alcohol-testing services, Vitamin B12 injections and more. See ad, page 21.

END-OF-LIFE CARE

PEACEFUL PASSAGES

Elena Snyder, LPN 215-859-2556

Facebook/PeacefulHospiceCare

With over 20 years experience in hospice end of life care, Elena provides personalized hands-on end-of-life comfort care services such as nursing care, companionship, education, emotional support and spiritual guidance through life‘s final journey.

FLOATATION THERAPY

BALA FLOAT & WELLNESS

903 Nissley Rd Unit H • Lancaster 717-537-6955

BalaFloatCenter.com

Experience deep relaxation, a lightness of being, and healing on a cellular level. At Bala we provide open floatation rooms with automated lighting and music therapy for a calming customer experience, relief from chronic pain and discomfort, and an escape from the stress of everyday life. Also offering massage, reiki and biomat. See ad, page 11.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE FUNCTIONAL HEALTH OF LANCASTER

Dr. Mary Regan, DNP, CRNP, IFMCP

2207 Oregon Pike, Suite 301A • Lancaster MR@FH-Lancaster.com 717-490-6227 (call or text)

FH-Lancaster.com

Are you looking for a holistic root cause approach to your health and wellness? Functional Health of Lancaster provides comprehensive adult primary care, functional medicine, nutritional support, thermography and yoga therapy, addressing your important health needs and wellness goals. Membership plans available. See ad, page 23.

FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY

LANCASTER BRAIN & SPINE

221 Granite Run Dr • Lancaster 717-299-9600

LancasterBrainAndSpine.com

Our mission is to improve the lives of people suffering from complicated neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, by utilizing cutting-edge diagnostic testing and customized brainbased treatment plans. See ads, pages 20 and 25.

HERBAL MEDICINE

HERBS FROM THE LABYRINTH

Master Herbalist Sarah Preston Radiance, 13 W Grant St • Lancaster 717-290-1517

HerbsFromTheLabyrinth.com

Long-time Herbalist Sarah Preston crafts small-batch herbal body-care and wellness products, teas, tinctures, syrups, salves and creams using organically grown and ethically sourced wildcrafted herbs. Consultations and custom blends available. Products found at Radiance and Lemon Street Market, both in Lancaster. See ad, page 44.

HOLISTIC WOMEN’S HEALTH

WISE WOMAN HEALING

Pamela Craddock, CNM

31 S Lime St • Lancaster 14 Preston Rd • Reinholds 717-925-7462

WiseWomanHealing.us

With over 42 years of nursing and midwifery experience, Pamela recognizes the interconnectedness of the body, mind and spirit and how imbalances can affect overall health. With compassion and experience she will work with you to formulate a plan that will help you achieve optimal health and wellness. See ad, page 46.

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.

~Native American Saying

HOLISTIC WELLNESS ENERGY CONSCIOUSNESS

TRANSFORMATIONAL HEALING

Asha Scatchard, BHSP, IKH

717-843-5672

EnergyBodyworks.com

Brennan Healing Science Practitioner, 25 years’ experience. Healing on the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual levels of your being. Early forgotten life experiences and traumas are stored in the body’s cellular memory and continue to affect adult experiences and relationships. Healing these distortions allows your body to heal on many levels affecting your health and well-being. Distance healing available via Zoom.

RESTORE YOUR ENERGY

Deb Gallagher, RN, CLP Lancaster 717-203-9666

RestoreYourEnergy.org

Experience Eden Energy Medicine, a practice created by Donna Eden, healer, author and teacher. This method assists with balancing our nine energy systems which can become blocked by stress, pain and illnesses. When the energy is balanced, sleep, joy, concentration and immunity improve, and our body’s natural ability to heal can begin.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DC EAGER SERVICES

Darlene Eager Hoarding Services, Mold Remediation, Safe Demolition 6 E Kendig Rd • Willow Street 717-989-5763

DCEager.com

Hoarding and excessive clutter can hide health threats such as mold, bacterial growth, insect and rodent infestation. With respect and sensitivity, DC Eager will professionally and discretely provide the clean-up needed to return the home to a healthy state. Also offering mold remediation and safe demolition. Free assessment. See ad, page 41.

HUGHES HOME SERVICES

Green Cleaning Professionals

Samantha Hughes samanthannehughes@yahoo.com 717-538-6383

We offer weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly services, as well as “deep cleaning” and organizing using organic safe environmentally kind products. We’d love to help meet specific goals and desires to make your home healthy and happy! Please reach out to schedule a free consultation. See ad, page 8.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

NICK D’ORAZIO, MD

Strasburg Health Associates 181 Hartman Bridge Rd • Ronks 717-687-7541 • DrNickDorazio@gmail.com

Physician board certified in integrative and holistic medicine employs a wide variety of treatment modalities including Ayurveda, IV treatments including chelation, homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional medicine, natural injections, physical rehabilitation, and bodywork. Dr. D’Orazio is a physician who lives what he teaches.

IV THERAPIES

AQUA BLUE WELLNESS CENTER 2435 Old Philadelphia Pk Smoketown • 717-656-8615

AquaBlueWellnessCenter.com

We offer a range of IV hydration vitamin and mineral therapies to support your wellbeing. IV therapies can support hydration, weight loss, increased energy, improved immunity, address nutrient deficiencies and more. See ad, page 19.

LAB TESTING

ANY LAB TEST NOW

235 Bloomfield Dr, 110 Bldg B • Lititz 717-207-7604

AnyLabTestNow.com/Lititz

Any Lab Test Now makes it easy for consumers and businesses to manage their health! We provide direct access to clinical lab tests, DNA tests, and drug- and alcohol-testing services, Vitamin B12 injections and more. See ad, page 21.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN/ MAINTENANCE

EARTHBOUND ARTISAN Serving South Central PA 717-507-6267

EarthboundArtisan.com

Offering conservation landscape design, hardscape and landscape construction, and consultation. Our approach is built on natural systems and processes and uses native plants, ecological benefactors, and organic amendments in design, construction and maintenance of native and naturalized landscape, dry laid stone, and stormwater mitigation. See ad, page 24.

LYMPHATIC THERAPY

AQUA BLUE WELLNESS CENTER

Electro-Lymphatic Therapy

2435 Old Philadelphia Pike • Smoketown 717-656-8615

• AquaBlueWellnessCenter.com

Our lymphatic system plays an important role in supporting our immunity. Over the past 18 years of treating our clients, we’ve found that supporting the proper flow of lymphatic fluid through electrolymphatic therapy positively affects many conditions including: Lymphedema, edema, cancer, Lyme disease, heart disease, enlarged prostate, post-injury/surgical healing and more. See ad, page 19.

MATTRESSES NATURAL/ORGANIC

GARDNER’S MATTRESS & MORE

830 Plaza Blvd • Lancaster 717-299-6228

GardnersMattressAndMore.com

Gardner’s is a locally owned mattress store offering a wide selection of quality natural and organic mattresses ranging from the luxurious to economical. Educating our customers on getting a good night’s sleep and the benefits of sleeping naturally and organically is our mission. To schedule your private sleep consultation, go to SleepLancaster.com/ Natural. See ads, pages 28 and 29.

INTERIORS HOME SLEEP GALLERY

3130 Columbia Ave • Lancaster 717-390-2000

415 Simpson Ferry Rd • Camp Hill 717-686-4000

Mattress1stByInteriorsHome.com

Organic and natural bedding free from irritants, allergens, pressure-point discomfort or temperature struggles so that you are assured the best night’s sleep possible. Visit our trained and certified mattress specialists who will help you find the best mattress for your needs. See ad, page 9.

MEDIATION/ CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PANGEA MEDIATION

717-219-7174

Mila@PangeaMediation.solutions

PangeaMediation.solutions

At Pangea Mediation, we aim to provide the space and tools needed to resolve conflicts in a healthy and productive manner through mediation, conflict coaching and training. We specialize in coparenting, separation & divorce mediation. Let’s get started! See ad, page 8.

RESOURCES

DIVINE DRAGONFLY

1841 Columbia Ave • Lancaster 717-517-7056

Divine-Dragonfly.com

A spiritual and metaphysical store, Divine Dragonfly carries a wide selection of ethically sourced crystals, sustainably sourced herbs, and sage. The store also features a variety of candles, incense, books, Oracle and Tarot cards, tapestries and dreamcatchers. See ad, page 43.

NATUROPATH - TRADITIONAL

GENERATIVE HEALTH

Dr. Javier Palacios, ND, LAc 228 E Orange St • Lancaster 717-869-1524

Dr. Palacios is a naturopathic doctor specializing in migraines, chronicheadaches, men's health, insomnia and diabetes, cardiovasculardisease and othermetabolic disorders. His approach is to educate the patient on naturopathic medicine and provide the safest and most effective natural alternatives. He speaks fluent Spanish. See ad, page 15.

HEALTH BY DESIGN CLINIC

Jeannie Peck, Traditional Naturopath 352 E Main St, Ste 100 • Leola 717-556-8103

HBDClinic.com

We provide nutrition and detoxifi cation services for adults and chil dren using an integrative functional medicine approach, offer therapeu tic massage therapy for your relax ation or chronic pain needs, and permanent fat- and weight-loss services. See ad, page 31.

HEALTH FOR LIFE

Ann Lee, ND, L.Ac 112 Cornell Ave • Lancaster 717-669-1050

DoctorNaturalMedicine.com

Learn how your symptoms are connected, get answers, and achieve improved health and wellbeing as we facilitate your body’s ability to heal itself through acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. Special focus on hormone balancing and fertility (now offering DUTCH hormone testing).

I am happy because I am grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy. ~Will Arnett

NUTRITION

FUSION INTEGRATIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS

Dana M. Elia, DCN, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND 717-917-5259

FusionIHW.com

At Fusion Integrative Health & Wellness, Dr. Dana Elia utilizes an integrative, functional and personalized approach to nutrition, health and healing. Like a detective on a special case, she’ll uncover the root causes of challenging health issues so that you can feel well again. Most major insurance plans are accepted. See ad, page 17.

ORGANIC HAIR SALON

THE GREEN ROOM ORGANIC SALON 135 E King St • Lancaster • 717-844-1051 1387 E Main St • Mount Joy • 717-653-2502 104 Warwick St • Lititz • 717-844-2528

TheGreenRoomLancaster.com

Refresh your mind, body and spirit with natural and organic products for hair and skin. We use OWAY, an ammonia-free color and product line packed with biodynamic, fair trade ingredients and pure essential oils. We specialize in cuts, color, DEVA cuts, styling, bridal styling and more. See ad, page 4.

PET CARE

TILL WE MEET AGAIN In-Home Pet Euthanasia 717-897-0536

TillWeMeetAgain.com

For some, euthanasia of their pet at the veterinary hospital is simply not an option. Dr. Mark Huber and his wife Stacey provide home euthanasia for dogs and cats in the most comfortable environment possible—your home—with the intention of bringing peace and comfort to ease the pain of losing a beloved pet. See ad, page 20.

REIKI

VIRYA ENERGY STUDIO

Christina Bierbach 39 Spruce Ave • Birdsboro 484-719-9460

ViryaEnergyStudio.com

Virya Energy Studio is a safe place that offers single or group reiki healing sessions, Reiki level 1, 2, and Master level trainings, chakra balancing meditation, kids ’ mindful breathing classes and so much more! Contact us for details today!

SEXUAL WELLNESS

THE FLAME WITHIN: Tantra & Transformation 228 E Orange St • Lancaster 716-472-1037

FlameWithinTantra.com

Using Transformational Therapy and Authentic Tantric techniques, Ava provides healing of the mind, body, spirit and sex. From sexual dysfunction to intimacy fears, she guides individuals to liberate their sexuality and pleasure as a mechanism for profound growth and fulfillment.

SKINCARE

GSL ORGANICS 216 S Church St • Quarryville 717-844-1444

GSLOrganics.org

With over 25 years of experience, owner Candy St. Martine-Pack, a certified aroma-therapist, formulates all skincare products using natural and organic ingredients to treat a variety of skin issues including, eczema, psoriasis and the effects of aging. See ad, page 24.

SLEEP DISORDERS

CENTER FOR TMJ & SLEEP DISORDERS

Dr. Tammy Balatgek, DDS 2433 Morgantown Rd #200 • Reading 610-796-2835

TMJSleepCenter.com

Dr. Tammy Balatgek and her team provide a conservative, nonsurgical approach focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders, management of snoring/ obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and acute and chronic facial pain. They restore their patient’s quality of life by relieving pain and improving sleep. See ad, page 14.

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SOUND HEALING/MUSIC

RESONATE YOU

Jennifer Lobo

Lititz/Lancaster ResonateYou@gmail.com ResonateYou.com

Jen Lobo, a voice teacher for over 20 years, will help guide you to release your singing or sounding voice to help in your own personal well-being and healing. Offering private lessons, group classes and sound meditations.

SOUNDWISE HEALTH ASSOCIATES, LLC

Lana Ryder, Director and Senior Instructor 313 W Liberty St, Suite 263 • Lancaster 610-301-4356

SoundwiseHealth.com

Throughout the region our trained and experienced professional practitioners offer individual intuitive sound therapy sessions, group immersions, sonic massage, ReikiSound, ReikiVoice, and hospice CareSound. Also offering sixmonth sound school and individual classes for fundamental education in the art and science of sound healing. Sharing the healing power of sound, voice and music for 50 years.

SPECIALTY FOODS

KWEE-JACK FISH CO

Wild Alaskan Salmon & Halibut Shares 717-842-0180

Sustainably harvested wild Alaskan salmon and halibut available, fisherman-direct. Pre-order annually (spring) at EatWildSalmon.com for local pick-up (fall) of sushi-grade delicious nutrition, deep-frozen at the peak of freshness to enjoy throughout the year.

SPIRITUALITY

URBAN WELL—A SOURCE FOR CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY

Saint James Episcopal Church 119 N Duke St • Lancaster 717-397-4858 • UrbanWell.org

…where diverse people with different faiths gather in a spirit of humility and openness to learn from one another how to quiet the noise of everyday life, become more grounded and find energy, serenity and rest. See ad, page 4.

THERAPEUTIC WRITING

WRITE FROM THE HEART Creative Writing Workshops

Melissa Greene • Lancaster 717-393-4713 • WriteFromTheHeart.us

Our uplifting, be-who-you-are workshops awaken the creative spirit, gently, without intimidation. Taught in an atmosphere of warmth, whimsy and trust, they are a safe haven for all ages. Especially those who long to overcome perfectionism and selfdoubt. No grades or red pen. Sharing optional. Mischief a must. See ad, page 35.

THERMAL IMAGING

AQUA BLUE WELLNESS CENTER

Lori Martin, BCNP 2435 Old Philadelphia Pike • Smoketown 717-656-8615 • AquaBlueWellnessCenter.com

A family wellness center offering thermal imaging for breast and body, detox therapies, therapeutic and oncology massage, lymphatic drainage, a full-spectrum infrared sauna, nutritional education and more. Thermal imaging is a safe, non-invasive procedure for early detection of sources of pain, injury and disease. See ad, page 19.

SHALOM THERMOGRAPHY

Darlene Heath, DC, CTT

14 W Main St • Landisville 717-530-5555

HeathWellnessCenter.com

Thermography provides a noninvasive view of potential health concerns in the breast and body. Used as a risk assessment tool, thermography is able to detect inflammation and metabolic changes, and offers a proactive, prevention-focused approach to health care. See ad, page 27.

TRAVEL

TERRERA TRAVEL

1249 Lampeter Rd, #2 • Lancaster 717-419-7612

https://msha.ke/TerreraTravel/

“Travel the World and Protect it Too” with Terrera Travel, an ecotourism travel agency that strives to educate people on sustainable travel options and lessening their environmental impact. We advocate embracing local culture and protecting habitats all around the world while you travel.

WEIGHT LOSS

HEALTH BY DESIGN

Jeannie Peck, Traditional Naturopath

352 E Main St, Ste 100 • Leola 717-556-8103 • HBDClinic.com

We can help you reach your weightloss goals by offering customized nutrition, body sculpting, weight loss and detoxification services. As you release stubborn fat, you’ll receive support and guidance through every step of your journey. See ad, page 31.

YOGA

KULA KAMALA FOUNDATION & YOGA ASHRAM

17 Basket Rd • Reading 484-509-5073

KulaKamalaFoundation.org

Kula Kamala Foundation is a nonprofit, non-sectarian spiritual center dedicated to mindfulness, non-violence, unity, and healing. Our public and professional programs serve people from all walks of life. No matter who you are, we have something special for you. OM. Peace. See ad, page 3.

MINDFUL YOGA AT SAINT JAMES

119 N Duke St • Lancaster 717-397-4858

SaintJamesLancaster.org/Yoga

A simpler style of yoga that helps achieve a higher level of connection with one’s mind, body and spirit by focusing on the present moment. Is suitable for a wide range of body types and abilities. In-person and via Zoom. See ad, page 4.

WEST END YOGA STUDIO

221 W Walnut St • Lancaster

WestEndYogaStudio@gmail.com

WestEndYogaStudio.com

A diverse yoga studio offering a full range of yoga, meditation, and movement classes, in studio, outdoors and virtual. We are community-oriented, creating a welcoming learning environment dedicated to healing and compassion. All ages and levels welcome. Offering New Student Unlimited Monthly passes and other discounts.

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