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2021 NATURAL LIVING DIRECTORY

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“As a result of the pandemic, 22 million new gardens were planted in the United States, according to the National Gardening Association. We need to keep that going. It’s very exciting to be a part of this movement as people around the world come to understand the importance of food as medicine. I truly believe that regenerative healthcare is the key to healing our planet.” ~Jeff Tkach

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NEW HAVEN/ MIDDLESEX EDITION

We are happy to present to you our 2021 Natural Living Resource Directory! This special edition is a treasure trove of informative reads and local resources intended to support, inspire and guide you on your wellness journey, while contributing to the restoration of our beautiful Mother Earth. Keep this educational reference year-round and pass it on to others you care about. Our editorial themes in this issue focus on the topics of regenerative organic farming and plant medicine for mental health. The take-home message here is that personal and planetary wellness are interdependent. Vandana Shiva, an Indian scholar, physicist, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate and antiglobalization author of more than 20 books, takes a strong stand on the global impact of regenerative agriculture, asserting: “If governments won’t solve the climate, hunger, health and democracy crises, then the people will. Regenerative agriculture provides answers to the soil crisis, the food crisis, the health crisis, the climate crisis and the crisis of democracy.” Regenerative healthcare begins on the farms. Our feature article shares some sobering facts about the cost of conventional industrial agriculture, along with the good news that regenerative farming can bring depleted soil back to life. March is the one-year anniversary of the Coronavirus global pandemic, which, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, has taken a toll on the mental health of a majority of American adults. In fact, the National Center for Health Statistics reported, that within the first few months of the pandemic, more than one in three American adults reported symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Erik Harris, a holistic practitioner and owner of Chi for Healing here in Connecticut, points out that there are other modalities available besides medication and therapy to improve mental wellness. Read his article: “Herbal Medicine for Mental Health” on page 40 and learn how Chinese herbs can be very effective in supporting mental health. An organic plant-based diet can also boost mental wellness. Check out some mood enhancing nutrients, gut healthy foods and the role that food energetics plays in emotional wellness in Drew Mulvey’s article: “Let Plants Be Thy Mood Medicine.” Mulvey is a Southbury-based certified dietitian/nutritionist, board certified nutrition specialist, founder of Redeeming Life Nutrition, LLC and author of The No-Title Cookbook. We have included delicious plant-based recipes and tips on indoor edible gardening in our Conscious Eating section and some helpful insights on creating a healing space in your home as you begin your spring cleaning and organizing. The centerpiece of this month’s issue is our 2021 Directory, filled with local holistic businesses, practitioners and wellness centers, here to help you achieve your wellness goals for 2021. We are truly grateful for our advertisers and editorial contributors, who made this 64-page Directory possible during one of the most challenging times on our planet. Thank you ever so much! Now spring forward to the pages ahead my dear readers— Enjoy exploring and learning!

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Contents 11 HEALING FROM GRIEF Four Ways to Find Peace

12 DOWN TO EARTH The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming

16 HEMP-DERIVED CANNABIDIOL

A Primer on the Latest Research

40 HERBAL MEDICINE

For Mental Health

42 LET PLANTS BE

THY MOOD MEDICINE

44 JEFF TKACH ON

Regenerative Healthcare

46 A NEW GARDEN MODEL 48 HEALING ROOMS

Making Room for Sustainable Self-Care

52 INDOOR EDIBLE ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact Gail Heard at 203-988-1808 or email Ads@naturalnewhaven.com.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Gail@naturalnewhaven.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online at: NaturalNewHaven.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

GARDENING

Grow Veggies, Sprouts and Microgreens Year-Round

56 CANINE OBESITY

When Doggies Need Diets

DEPARTMENTS 6 health briefs 8 global briefs 10 eco tip 11 inspiration 16 green living 18 2021 directory 40 healing ways

4 4 wise words 50 fit body 52 conscious eating 56 natural pet 58 calendar 62 classifieds

2021 Natural Living Directory

health briefs

Getting an MRI or CT scan is typically not a relaxing experience, and patient discomfort, anxiety or agitation can affect the quality of the image. Taking note of businesses that use lighting to create a mood, researchers from Pepperdine University demonstrated that patient unease in imaging centers can be modified with the use of colored LED lights. In a pilot study involving 35 subjects, 43 percent found blue lighting most relaxing, while 31 percent preferred yellow. The least relaxing lighting color was red, according to 69 percent of participants, followed by yellow (17 percent) and green (11 percent). Each subject was given a handheld device to set the hue, intensity and brightness of lighting, and most chose blue. No patient preferred the standard bright, white lighting of healthcare environments. “When given the opportunity to change a single aspect of the environmental or imaging facility experience, patients feel much more in control of the otherwise unfamiliar and uncomfortable setting,” write the authors in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Ginger root (Zingiber officinale), used historically in traditional medicine to treat indigestion and nausea, may also help people with Type 2 diabetes, suggests a new study from Brazil. Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind study of 103 people with Type 2 diabetes that were taking medications. Those taking 1.2 grams of ginger powder for 90 days experienced a significant drop in the level of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to those taking a placebo.

Use Green Tea Extract and Curcumin to Ward Off Oral Cancer Early signs of oral cancer can include white patches, sores and lumps inside the mouth, biomarkers known collectively as oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). To see if two natural chemopreventive agents—green tea extract and curcumin—could reverse these conditions, researchers in India tested 60 people with OPMD, splitting them into three groups. One group was given 400 milligrams (mg) of green tea extract in a capsule, as well as a gel; a second group was given 475 mg of curcumin; and the third received a combination of the first two treatments. After 12 weeks, researchers found that the supplementation had significantly reduced OPMD biomarkers in all three groups, with particularly strong results in the combination group, suggesting a synergistic effect. 6

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Use Colored LED Lights to Relax

Try Ginger to Lower Diabetes Markers

Improve Children’s Brain Health with Better Nutrition In a study with important implications for underfed children in lowincome countries and elsewhere, a new study in The BMJ medical journal found that six months of nutritional supplements can improve working memory and blood flow in children’s brains. Researchers from Tufts University travelled to villages in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, where they gave 1,059 children, ages 1 through 7 years, a breakfast supplement high in plant polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and protein. They compared results with children eating the standard local breakfast of rice or a common lower-quality supplement. They found that the enhanced nutritional supplement boosted cognition and increased cerebral blood flow in children younger than 4 and raised their hemoglobin concentration if they were anemic. Children older than 4 had improved body compositions—more lean tissue and less fat. With at least 250 million children worldwide younger than 5 that are failing to reach their cognitive developmental potential, these results pose significant impacts for children’s education and national development in low-income countries, say the researchers.

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Try Mindfulness to Improve Cardiovascular Health Mindfulness training can lower blood pressure and positively influence behavior that promotes cardiovascular health, report Brown University researchers. The study published in Plos One involved 43 people with hypertension. In eight weekly 150-minute sessions, participants learned mindfulness meditation movements and techniques, including eating food mindfully, while also receiving instruction on hypertension risk factors. By the end of the year, they reported improvements in stress levels, diet, physical activity and alcohol consumption. On average, systolic blood pressure fell by six points and diastolic pressure by one point, a small, but significant improvement.

Herbs are the friend of the physician and the pride of cooks. ~Charlemagne

2021 Natural Living Directory

Mucky Duck

global briefs

Caribbean Offshore Drilling Threatens Florida Beaches

Saving Coral Reefs Worldwide

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The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has urged governments to take action to save the planet’s remaining coral reefs and their attendant fish populations, because collective human impacts are leaving fewer places untouched, with only 15 percent of the Earth’s land mass formally protected and global biodiversity declining at an unprecedented rate. To that end, a new online data platform, MERMAID (DataMermaid.org) helps scientists and management officials collect, organize and disseminate data on reef fish biomass and diversity, as well as the cover of hard corals, fleshy algae and other benthic groups—all identified by ICRI as key indicators of coral reef health, integrity and function. The newly published 5th Global Biodiversity Outlook and other sources endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services clearly indicate that governments are failing to meet existing global targets for biodiversity and that critical ecosystems like coral reefs will be altered to the point that the biodiversity they harbor, and the services they provide, will be irreparably damaged. Currently, only 2.5 percent of the world’s reefs are being actively protected.

The British-owned Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC), under a license from the Bahamian government, has begun exploratory oil drilling as deep as 18,000 feet in an area southwest of Andros Island and 150 miles from South Florida. Eighteen members of the U.S. Congress, including the entire South Florida delegation, have warned Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis of the potential for severe, even catastrophic impact if a spill occurs. BPC has made assurances that the exploratory well will be sealed and never used again after it completes its exploratory drilling, and supporters of the project say that the process is closely regulated and accidents are rare. Still, Floridians remember the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico that leaked an estimated 164 million gallons of oil and caused billions of dollars in economic and environmental damage. Even a minor accident that leads to a small oil spill could cost the state millions of dollars and disrupt tourism and businesses. Casuarina McKinneyLambert, executive director of the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation, says that delicate areas of the Florida Keys would be particularly vulnerable to a spill.

Hot Stuff

The Benefits of Renewable Geothermal Energy

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Due to the ongoing decay of radioactive elements in the Earth’s core, temperatures 4,000 miles below the surface can reach 10,800° F. The molten magma we call lava carries enormous heat to the surface. But despite its enormous potential, geothermal energy supplied just 0.4 percent of U.S. electricity in 2019. In California, the perimeter of the inland Salton Sea lies several thousand feet above a mineral-rich cauldron of hot water that powers 10 geothermal plants. The state has emphasized wind and solar power while neglecting the development of geothermal plants, despite possessing our most productive geothermal fields. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimated in 2007 that releasing just 2 percent of this untapped resource in sites around the country could supply 2,000 times our overall primary energy needs without needing any improvements in drilling technology. While the first geothermal plants in the 1960s drained reservoirs of their steam or water, binary plants—a new design from the 1980s—allow operators to extract the heat while maintaining the generating potential. Between 2006 and 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy spent only $1 billion on geothermal technology due to falling coal prices, a fraction of what was spent on fossil fuels and solar investment. 8

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Fishy Business

Cold Comfort

Hazardous Pollutants Found in Mount Everest Snow

Susane Grasso REIKI MASTER

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Manmade perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in water-repellant outdoor gear and linked to birth defects, high cholesterol and increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer have been detected in snow at the top of Mount Everest, posing a risk for trekkers, climbers and residents that drink the water. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry suggests that exposure to high levels of PFAS may suppress the immune system and increase the risk of getting COVID-19. The PFAS discovery was reported by Kimberley Miner, a research assistant professor at the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, who along with 20 co-authors published a paper, “Deposition of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ on Mt. Everest,” in the online journal Science of the Total Environment. The PFAS pollution shows that people unknowingly shed these chemicals. Some companies that make outdoor gear are phasing them out, while others cite “technical challenges” in delaying such implementation.

Flying High

Economical Carbon-Neutral Jet Fuel

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Scientists looking for ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere have increasingly focused on the aviation industry, which accounts for approximately 12 percent of transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions. Installing heavy batteries aboard aircraft is problematic, but a team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the UK and Saudi Arabia have developed a way to produce jet fuel using carbon dioxide as a main ingredient, as published in the journal Nature Communications. The process, which uses an iron catalyst with added potassium and manganese, along with hydrogen, citric acid and carbon dioxide heated to 662° F, forces the carbon atoms apart from the oxygen atoms in CO2 molecules, which then bond with hydrogen atoms to produce the kind of hydrocarbon molecules that comprise liquid jet fuel, with water as a byproduct. This is less expensive than converting hydrogen and water into fuel because it uses less electricity. Use of this fuel in aircraft would be carbon-neutral because burning it would release the same amount of carbon dioxide that was used to make it.

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The Benefits of Using Electric Bikes Gas-guzzlers are the worst of vehicles, emitting harmful pollutants and using up non-renewable natural resources. An Earth-friendlier alternative for work commutes or pleasurable neighborhood spins is the e-bike, powered by pedaling and an electric motor. Reaching maximum speeds of 20 to 28 miles per hour and costing $400 and up, an electric bicycle offers a more scenic and easier ride that gets us to our destinations without trashing the planet.

improvements regardless of whether they used an electric bicycle or a conventional, non-motorized model. With the power assist, e-bikers were able to cycle at higher speeds and climb hills more easily, which also proved to be highly motivating.

Environmental Benefits

Be visible. Outfit the bike with lights and a bell and wear eye-catching clothing.

Zero emissions. Electric bikes run on clean energy, eliminating the devastating carbon emissions associated with cars, vans, trucks and motorcycles.

Plug and Pedal

Safety Tips Pay attention to traffic. Many car drivers may not expect a biker to reach 20 or more miles per hour. Ride defensively.

Start slow. Get a feel for the bike’s capabilities at lower speeds before cranking it up.

Long-lasting power. The batteries last for years—much longer than traditional types. They don’t contain lead and can be recycled.

Give it a brake. With the added speed and power, slowing down well ahead of stop signs, lights and road crossings is a must.

Easier on roads. Bikes are considerably lighter than larger vehicles and cause much less damage to infrastructure.

Health-Friendly Commuting

Be careful on the mount and dismount. An e-bike is about 20 pounds heavier than a regular bike, so a stepthrough frame might make good sense, even for men.

E-bikes are a great way to bring some physical activity to an otherwise sedentary lifestyle. In a 2018 study, Swiss researchers found that commuters enjoyed similar cardiorespiratory

Wear a helmet. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, head injury is the most common cause of death and serious disability in bicycle-related crashes.

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C O R E

inspiration

hen I was 13, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. At 15, I was at her graveside, navigating my first experience with the other side of love: loss. Ten years later, my beloved and only brother died tragically as a result of PTSD and untreated addiction. In a word: suicide. Where my mom’s death silenced me, my brother’s death pushed me into a deep pursuit of healing. In the nine years since then, I have committed to discovering the light side of grief, to identifying and embracing the invitations that lay within its deep layers. What I’ve come to learn is that grieving is actually a renewal state—a cycle of releasing and reconnecting. The tears and sadness are, quite literally, just a more fluid connection to love. These are the four invitations I’ve found within the grief:

HEALING FROM GRIEF Four Ways to Find Peace by Jasmin Jenkins

1 The invitation to pause

When someone we love dies, our whole world changes in an instant and forever. And with this disruption, there is an opportunity for sacred inquiry that arrives as we pause and honor the absence of our loved one: the impressions they made on our lives, what we will miss about them, how we will continue to celebrate their lives and what their story taught us.

The invitation to connect with our breath

With the intensity of emotions surrounding loss, breath can serve as our anchor. Simply remembering to close our eyes and breathe allows us to stay grounded in our body, mind and spirit. In the TED talk “Breathe to Heal,” Max Strom explains how certain patterns of breathing can actually change how we feel.

3 The invitation to feel

Elizabeth Kübler–Ross taught us about the five stages of grief, but since everyone’s story and process is so unique, there is ultimately no linear order of the stages. If an emotion arises, allow for it. Feelings, after all, are just information about the state of our heart. The more we can give ourselves permission to be with where we are in our grief, the more at peace we will be in our process.

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4 The invitation to heal

Healing is a verb requiring action and commitment. We have to allow for the pain to heal, also remembering that in doing so, we must keep our hearts open. We have to ask for help when healing, because most of us can’t heal in isolation. Therapists who specialize in grief, online grief courses, bodywork and support groups can help us move forward. Zen Buddhism reminds us that the obstacle is the path. By exploring these invitations, we arrive at the truth that grief is actually a sacred pathway into a deeper connection within our hearts. Jasmin Jenkins is a Los Angeles-based integrative grief guide and the founder of Fall Up, which supports people navigating the spectrum of grief. Learn more at WeFallUp.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

DOWN TO EARTH The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming by Sandra Yeyati

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

The way we’re growing food now is not sustainable. “According to the United Nations, we only have 60 harvests left before our soil is completely depleted. Years of conventional industrial agriculture have drained the soil dry of all of the organic matter, all the microbes, that microbiome that brings nutrients to our plants and to our planet as a whole,” says Margaret Wilson, content creation and media relations specialist at the Rodale Institute. The UN also reported last year that agriculture and forestry were responsible for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. “Agriculture is a climate-intensive process and conventional practices make that even worse because they’re fossil fuel-intensive,” Wilson says. “They require a lot of machinery to plow fields and distribute pesticides. Fertilizers 12

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are fossil fuel-based. Tillage is a huge part of conventional agriculture, where you’re turning the soil over, and that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.” One third of the world’s land surface is considered desert, and according to Judith D. Schwartz, the Vermont author of The Reindeer Chronicles and Cows Save the Planet, most deserts are manmade. “If we look historically, we learn that most deserts

were once thriving grasslands or some other kind of ecosystem and became deserts after hundreds of years of poor grazing management or farming that was no longer putting nutrients back into the soil.” The good news is that deserts can be brought back to life. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where much of the land is degraded, ingenious ranchers have figured out a way to support healthy animals and plant biodiversity. “The ranchers were earning money by managing the livestock holistically in a way that was reviving the ecological function of these lands, so there were thick grasses, birds and butterflies flourishing right next to land that looked horrible—absolute deserts with a lot of erosion, the soil so depleted that it couldn’t hold water,” recalls Schwartz, who visited the area. Regenerative organic farming holds great promise to rebuild soil, draw carbon from the atmosphere and ultimately grow healthier food. “When you take out the pesticides, fertilizers and intensive tilling, our farming systems trial concluded that regenerative organic agriculture uses 45 percent fewer fossil fuels and releases 40 percent fewer carbon emissions than conventional practices,” Wilson says, adding that a recent Rodale Institute white paper postulated that by transitioning all global crop and pastureland to regenerative management, we could sequester 100 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions. As the founder of the Rodale Institute, J.I. Rodale, said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people.” Soil restoration is job one, and we know how to do this. “The goal of regenerative farming is to farm and ranch in nature’s image,” says Gabe Brown, a North Dakota farmer and author of Dirt to Soil. He offers the following six principles to create a thriving, regenerating agricultural ecosystem:

1 2

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

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

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

Diversity: “Where in nature do you see a monoculture? Usually only where man put it or man’s actions have driven it to be a monoculture. Nature is very diverse, so hundreds of different grasses, legumes all growing in harmony. We’ve gotten away from that. Now we plant monocultures. That’s not the way nature functions.”

Livestock and insect integration: “Nature does not function properly without animals. Too many people think we have to remove the animals from the landscape. That’s the worst thing you can do. What’s going to pollinate the plants? The way our rich soils were formed was with large herds of ruminants, grazing the plants. That plant, once grazed, starts sloughing off root exudates to attract biology, to regrow, and then that plant is able to cycle more carbon out of the atmosphere.”

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

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Brown waxes poetic when he talks about the amazing results of regenerative farming. “Healthy soil looks like dark chocolate cake. It’s full of pore spaces. Healthy soil is dark because of the amount of carbon in it. It smells good, whereas unhealthy soil is very compacted. There’s no pore spaces. Water cannot infiltrate into it. It’s a dull, pale color. You can see it, you can smell it, you can feel it.” According to Wilson, the Rodale Institute is poised to help farmers adopt these principles and make them profitable. “People say regenerative organic isn’t scalable, but through our farming systems trial, we’re proving that you can do this on a large scale. It might require customization, but that’s why we’re investing so much in providing support and research to farmers to help them navigate that, and we’re seeing that scalability is not a barrier to implementation because so many big companies like Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia are starting to implement these practices because people are demanding it. The market finds a way to make it doable and as long as we keep up our consumer education and show people that this is a benefit to everybody, I think large-scale farmers and corporations that buy their products will respond.” Last year, Graham Christensen’s father gave him and his brother full control of a 750-acre farm in Oakland, Nebraska, that has been in the family since 1867. Over the decades, the farm has seen many changes, but the biggest transformation is still to come, as the brothers eagerly transition their once conventional operation into a regenerative organic one. The family began to incorporate a few innovations 12 years ago when they stopped tilling the land and adopted solar energy, but this year they’ll take bolder steps to eliminate their dependence on GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers and pesticides which over the years have reduced organic matter levels in the soil and led to increased and unhealthy nutrient levels in their waterways. “For the first time, we’ll be cover-cropping 612 acres and expanding habitats for wildlife, especially in some riparian areas, so we can get more roots in the soil and have better filtration and cleaner water,” Christensen explains. “We’re going to produce nutrients by building a biodiverse ecosystem and we’re incorporating animal grazing systems to help us fertilize naturally rather than having to add synthetics like nitrogen and phosphorus.” They have planted a 100-tree hazelnut orchard that they hope to expand as a tree crop. “That’s going to help us stop soil erosion, store more carbon in the ground, produce another form of income and also be able to fit right into our cropping system, virtually taking out no extra land; just creating a higher layer, so now we’re farming higher in the air.” The transition is not without its risks, Christensen adds. “Farms like ours have been heavily subsidized by the federal government to ship our grain to other countries. What we’re trying to do now is produce more small grains and hazelnuts for a regional market and reintroduce livestock to the land—not in confinement—so we can focus more on feeding people in our local community and in Omaha or Lincoln or Kansas City or Des Moines.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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Wellness Center The Red Barn in Durham Janice Juliano, MSW, LCSW Holistic Psychotherapist Coordinator MassageTherapy Nutrition / Yoga / Reiki / Sound Healing Professional Photography / Art Classes 860-559-6151 352 Main St, Durham TheRedBarninDurham.com

EFT Tapping /Hypnosis Therese Baumgart Emotion Code Emotional Freedom Technique Hypnosis & Past Lives Clear Stress, Lose weight, Release pain, Stop smoking Free 15 minute strategy session In-person, Skype, Phone 203-710-7438 HypnosisandEFTct.com

Lightworker Bradford W. Tilden, MM, CMT, UWT Remote journey and coaching sessions Workshops in Crystal & Sound Healing Professional certification courses In Universal White Time (UWT) Energy and Gemstone Healing 860-830-5841 Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com

We Welcome You! To Join Holistic Community Professionals

CONTACT: Shirley Bloethe: 860-989-0033

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2021 Natural Living Directory

green living

Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol A Primer on the Latest Research by Sandra Yeyati

ver since the Farm Bill of 2018 legalized the commercial production of hemp, U.S. sales of cannabidiol (CBD) have exploded onto the scene with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of vendors popping up around the country. CBD, a cannabinoid, is abundant in the hemp flower. “By law, hemp is defined as a variety of cannabis plant that has less than 0.3 percent THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid that induces a high,” says Shannon Livingston, a cannabis consultant for Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers. Proven Benefits of CBD: “The enthusiasm for CBD is soaring above the actual scientific evidence,” says Peter Grinspoon, M.D., a leading medical cannabis expert and primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “What’s known is that it helps with childhood epilepsy, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a CBD drug for that. It is believed, and there’s good animal data and some human data to suggest, that CBD helps with chronic pain, insomnia and anxiety.”

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Anxiety Under Study: A clinical trial examining a high-CBD, low-THC (the psychoactive component) sublingual custom formulation for patients with moderate to severe anxiety is being conducted by Staci Gruber, Ph.D., director of Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery at McLean Hospital, in Belmont, Massachusetts, and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “In the open label phase of this study, we’ve seen a rather dramatic and precipitous drop in symptoms of anxiety and depression after four weeks of treatment. We’ll see if this holds in the doubleblind phase, which is underway now,” she explains.

New Haven/Middlesex

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Entourage Effect: Gruber notes that this customized formulation is a full-spectrum, whole-plant formula, saying, “You often seem to get a bigger bang for the buck using a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum (whole plant minus THC) product, rather than just a single extracted compound.” The process she’s describing is called the entourage

effect—an assumption that all elements of the cannabis plant, working together, are most effective. “I believe there’s a significant role for terpenoids, flavonoids and other cannabinoid constituents of the plant, in addition to the big two (THC and CBD), and I have a grant to look at that very question,” she says. How to Start CBD: Experts agree that the best approach is to start low and go slow. “With experimentation, the patient will know what works for them,” Grinspoon says. “When CBD doesn’t work with my patients, the next step is to add a little bit of medical cannabis; it often takes a very little dose to help them with their sleep or their chronic pain.” Medical marijuana has been legalized in 36 states and the District of Columbia.

EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED! Mindfulness • Guided Relaxation • Reflexology Energy Healing • Acu-Wellness • Hypnosis • Essential Oils Mind-Body Healing with Julie Thackeray, LPN, CRT, CH, ADS 203.215.6087 • solutionsforwellnessinc.com

Route of Administration: “When you smoke or vape, it’s an almost immediate onset, which is helpful for breakthrough pain, nausea and anything you want to treat immediately, but the effect is very short-lived,” Livingston explains. “For chronic pain, you might take a capsule or the patch that will last six to eight hours. If you want to fall asleep, a sublingual will work. For a skin condition, you might rub an oil on your skin. It’s really about the time of onset, how long you need it to last and what you’re treating.” Ensuring Quality Control: “Choose CBD providers that are certified for good manufacturing practices; conduct batch-specific, third-party testing on all of their products; and provide certificates of analysis directly from those labs. These tests can detect the presence of heavy metals, bacterial or microbial life, mycotoxins and pesticides, and also provide cannabinoid potency and terpene profiles,” says Grace Kaucic, senior communications and content manager at Bluebird Botanicals, a CBD company in Louisville, Colorado. Our Built-In Cannabinoids: In the mid-1990s, researchers discovered the endocannabinoid system of receptors and neurotransmitters throughout the body, which uses cannabinoids that our own bodies produce. “This system is believed to control homeostasis, the body’s ability to regulate itself and maintain normal functioning,” Grinspoon says, adding that he believes this system will become central to medicine over the next few years as more research is conducted. Research is Ongoing: “It’s an incredibly exciting time for cannabis science,” Gruber says. “There’s every reason to be optimistic about the potential of harnessing and exploiting the benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids in ways that may still surprise us, but to be cautiously optimistic. It is not a panacea. It will never be one-size-fits-all.”

CELC Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics.

CTExperiential.org 203-433-4658 28 School Street Branford, CT 06405

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EMPOWERING STUDENTS. CHANGING LIVES.

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Final Journey, LLC (Pet Euthanasia Service) Kristen Klie, D.V.M. and Associates (203) 645-5570 www.finaljourneyllc.com

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

Natural Living 2021 Directory

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& Glossary

New Haven/Middlesex

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Balance Wellness Wendy Marek, RN,MSN The Red Barn in Durham 352 Main Street , Durham, CT 203-710-5521 balancewellness@gmail.com BalanceWellness.net

Practice summary/ Primary services offered: I am a RN MSN, Reiki practitioner providing Reiki, energy healing, and hypnotherapy. I offer in person and distance Reiki sessions. What drew you to this profession? I have always been a caregiver and drawn to the healing arts. When I was a child I would bring home every stray animal I found and take care of them. It’s part of who I am. It feels great helping others and making a difference. How does your holistic practice differ from others in your profession? I combine my extensive nursing education and experience with my gift of intuitive empathy to help clients with things like anxiety, depression, smoking cessation, weight loss, chronic pain, etc. What should a client expect from working with you? Clients can expect to feel lighter, clearer, more relaxed, comfortable; just an overall sense of wellness. How is your holistic practice evolving in 2021? I am adding hypnotherapy to my services. As a licensed RN I am able to practice in the state of CT upon completion of my training. I am excited to be offering this soon! What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? I am able to feel the energy of my clients. With this insight I am able to focus on what is needed most and help with the healing process.

Borrowed Time Emporium

352 Main Street, Durham, CT 860-929-6623 BorrowedTimeEmporium@gmail.com BorrowedTimeEmporium.com

Practice summary/Primary services offered: The Borrowed Time Emporium is a Metaphysical/Crystal Store and so much more! Offering over 160+ varieties of crystals including large specimens. If we don’t have it—we can do our best to source it for you! We have Angel/Oracle/Tarot cards, wire wrapped necklaces, soy candles, diffuser jewelry, Young Living Essential Oils, Florida Water, Incense, Smudge/Sage and Palo Santo Items, Sprays, Selenite Lamps, Pendulums, Hag Stones, Rattles, feathers and so much more! How is your holistic business different from that of others in your field? The Borrowed Time Emporium is owned by Psychic Medium and Intuitive Spiritual Coach / Counselor Jennifer Gaylord. You can schedule a reading with her for before the store opens and shop right after! Looking for a certain crystal to help with something? Just ask—we can help! What benefits should customers/clients expect from your services and/or products? We are here to help you on your path. It is all about the journey and we are grateful to be a part of yours. You can expect unique, one of a kind crystals and other treasures to add to your collection. How is your business evolving in 2021? We are expanding hours and increasing our inventory to match your needs. We are thrilled to be able to work with you! What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? The store is open 7 days a week for your convenience! A one stop shop to get your crystals, a reading and so much more!

2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

AROMA FREEDOM

ACUPRESSURE Based on the same system as Acupuncture, but fingers and hands are used, instead of stimulation with needles, in order to restore the balanced flow of the body’s life energy (qi or chi, pronounced “chee”). This force moves through the body along 12 energy pathways, or meridians, which practitioners unblock and strengthen. Common styles of Acupressure include Jin Shin, which gently holds at least two points at once for a minute or more, and Shiatsu, which applies firm pressure to each point for three to five seconds.

ACUPUNCTURE Acupuncture is an ancient Oriental technique which stimulates the body’s ability to sustain and balance itself. It is based on the theory that an electromagnetic life-force is channeled in a continuous flow throughout the body in a network of “meridians.” Disease is understood as an imbalance in the meridian system. Needles are inserted at specific points along the meridians to stimulate or disperse the flow of life-force, in order to correct the imbalance. The systems of diagnosis used read the pulse, face, tongue and body energy. Acupuncture principles include the yin and yang polarities and the five elements’ associations with bodily organs.

AKASHIC RECORDS The Akashic Records are an energetic imprint of every thought, action, emotion and experience that has ever occurred in time and space. The Akashic Records can also be understood as the imprint of all experiences of all lifetime in all realities. They are an etheric, holographic, repository of information for human consciousness for the past, present and potentials for the future. The knowledge contained in the Akashic Records is imprinted upon a subtle substance called the Akasha, which describes the energy of Love that permeates and creates everything in the Universe.

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE A system of re-educating the body and mind to support and facilitate proper posture and ease of movement. Through gentle manual guidance, accompanied by verbal directions, the Alexander teacher coaches the student to become aware of unnecessary tension and to unlearn longstanding patterns of movement. The Alexander Technique is an established method for helping to improve chronic conditions such as back, shoulder or neck pain, nervous tension, poor coordination, breathing problems and vocal strain. It is frequently used by athletes and performing artists to improve performance level.

A R O M AT H E R A P Y Aromatherapy is an ancient healing art utilizing the essential oils of herbs and flowers to treat emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety, as well as a wide range of other ailments. Oils are massaged into the skin, inhaled, or placed in baths. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Herbology, Chiropractic, and other holistic treatments. 20

New Haven/Middlesex

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Aroma Freedom is a step-by-step process for identifying and releasing negative thoughts, feelings and memories that interfere with reaching our goals and dreams. It is meant to be used as a way to set a person’s emotional energy flowing in a positive direction, towards growth and expansion rather than contracting in fear, doubt and paralysis. It uses therapeutic grade essential oils to trigger a permanent shift in how we view ourselves and the world. There are currently four distinctly different processes meant to help you through extreme stress, traumatic memories, procrastination or overwhelm, or a full session as described above. This process was developed by Dr. Benjamin Perkus, clinical psychologist since 1996 and veteran essential oil practitioner.

ART THERAPY Uses the creative process of making art to improve and enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being and to deepen selfawareness. The therapist works with clients and encourages them to express their feelings and unconscious thoughts through the nonverbal creative process and by observing the forms and content created.

AY U R V E D A Practiced in India for thousands of years, Ayurveda is an ancient medical system combining physical, psychological and spiritual therapies. It focuses on disease prevention and natural maintenance/protection of the whole person (mind, body and soul), achievable through the balancing of five elements (space, air, fire, water and earth). Various combinations of these elements form three energies known as Doshas: Vatha; Pitta; and, Kapha. Every body is some amalgamation of the Doshas, an imbalance of which disrupts health or causes illness. Depending on the individual, treatments may include Herbal Medicine, Aromatherapy, Detoxification, Massage, Nutritional Counseling, stress reduction, exercise, behavioral modification, and more.

BIOENERGETICS Bioenergetics is a psychotherapy that works through the body to engage the emotions. Specific postures and exercises create a condition where the body cannot continue both the exercise and the chronic muscular tension and defensiveness (known as body armoring). Continuing the exercise causes the release of layers of body armor. As feelings are unlocked, this creates the opportunity for understanding and integrating those feelings.

BIOFEEDBACK Biofeedback is a relaxation technique that involves careful monitoring of internal body states. Used especially for stressrelated conditions such as asthma, migraines, insomnia, and high blood pressure, Biofeedback is a way of monitoring minute metabolic changes in one’s own body (e.g., temperature changes, heart rate, and muscle tension) with the aid of sensitive machines. By consciously thinking, visualizing, moving, relaxing, etc. one learns which actions produce desirable changes in the internal processes being monitored.

(CELC) Middle School 28 School Street, Branford, CT 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org CTExperiential.org

Summary of education offered: With a 6:1 student:teacher ratio, CELC provides personalized instruction in a complete range of subject areas, both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. The methodology of employing this type of instruction in a multidisciplinary, hands-on program engages and motivates our students to achieve results that are transformational to each student’s life. What is different about the education you offer? CELC Middle School is a school catering only to middle school-aged students, using highly qualified middle school teachers who discover and nurture the gifts of each student. Our students’ parents tell us that: 1. CELC focuses only on the middle years, with specialist teachers who understand how to motivate and engage students, transforming their lives. 2. CELC teaches students how to learn in the way that they learn best. The students find their pathways to learning at CELC. 3. Differentiated instruction that is highly personalized and focuses on the academic and social emotional elements of education creates children with a high sense of self-esteem. 4. The focus on out-of-classroom activities including daily physical education builds character within each student. 5. The strength of the academic program is equal to the extraordinary quality of the experiential program. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about your school? With many parents who feel their children may have “lost” another part of a school year by being remote or hybrid, CELC has much to offer—a place where students receive personalized attention to rebuild engagement and have solid and joyful middle school experiences that offer growth of the person, academically/socially/emotionally, towards preparedness for success in high school and beyond, all for which CELC is known.

Chi for Healing

352 Main Street, Durham, CT 860-593-8397 erik@chiforhealing.com ChiForHealing.com Practice summary/Primary services offered: Chi for healing integrates Chinese medicine (Qi gong, Acupressure, Chinese Herbs, Cupping) with holistic healing practices to provide a multifaceted program to take back your health. Erik Harris specializes in helping people suffering from chronic pain and chronic illness (autoimmune conditions) to find and treat the root cause of dis-ease. What drew you to this profession? As part of my healing journey with chronic pain and illness I was introduced to a variety of holistic healing practices, one of them being Chinese medicine. My life was forever changed from using these healing modalities. I decided that I wanted to help others find ways to heal themselves using the tools that helped me. How does your holistic practice differ from others in your profession? My practice is a collaborative approach to healing that focuses on the body, mind, emotional, and spiritual connection. Knowing what it is like to not be well and having seen the positive effects first hand gives me a unique perspective. I have compassion and acceptance for all people and the stages that they are at on their healing journey. What should a client expect from working with you? I create a safe and harmonious environment so that clients can feel comfortable to go within and heal. I work with my clients to create a plan to map out the goals that they have for their healing journey. This gives them the tools that they need to take the healing into their own hands. How is your practice evolving in 2021? I am expanding upon my virtual offerings. This includes virtual sessions, classes, workshops, and healing products. I am providing new courses online starting with the qi gong for everybody certification course. I will be starting private Facebook groups focusing on self-care with holistic healing and wild foraging and herbal medicine, plus a new podcast called Gaia centric living focusing on earth conscious living and holistic healing. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? My mission is to empower people to take a holistic view of their health, to become more connected to themselves, and the natural way of life. My goal is to help people to create lasting change in their lives. I support people to move through their healing journeys and become the best version of themselves. 2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

COLON THERAPY

B O DY WO R K A general term referring to therapeutic techniques involved with manipulation and realignment of the body in order to improve its function. Massage and Yoga are perhaps the best known types of Bodywork, both having proven success in relieving tension/stress, promoting blood flow, loosening stiff muscles and stimulating the organs. There are countless Bodywork techniques within Massage (e.g.: Swedish, Shiatsu, Rolfing), Yoga (e.g.: Hatha, Iyengar, Kundalini), and otherwise (e.g.: Aikido, Alexander Technique, Bowen, Feldenkrais, Pilates, Rosen Method, T’ai Chi Chuan, and Trager). Finding Bodywork that improves mental and physical health is a very individual process and several can be combined for the greatest benefit.

C H E L AT I O N T H E R A P Y Chelation Therapy is a non-surgical medical procedure that improves metabolic and circulatory function by removing undesirable heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, copper and others from the body. Typically administered in an osteopathic or medical doctor’s office, Chelation Therapy is a series of intravenous injections of the synthetic amino acid EDTA. Once in the bloodstream, EDTA blocks excess free radical production, protecting the tissues and organs from further damage. Over time, injections aim to halt the progress of the underlying condition that triggers the development of many degenerative diseases. More recently, Chelation Therapy has also been used to help reverse symptoms of atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) by removing the obstructive plaque that has built up in the circulatory system.

CHINESE MEDICINE Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the world’s oldest complete systems of holistic health care. It combines the use of medicinal herbs, Acupuncture, Food Therapy, Massage, and therapeutic exercise, along with the recognition that wellness in mind, body and emotions depends on the harmonious flow of life force energy known as qi.

CHIROPRACTIC Chiropractic is based on the premise that proper structural alignment will permit free flow of nerve activity in the body. Since the spine is literally the backbone of human health, when spinal vertebrae are out of alignment, they put pressure on the spinal cord (and nerves extending from the spinal cord), resulting in diminished function and illness. Misalignment can occur in a variety of ways including physical trauma, poor posture and stress. The chiropractor seeks to analyze and correct these misalignments through spinal manipulation or adjustment.

New Haven/Middlesex

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Colon Therapy is an internal bath that washes away old toxic waste accumulated along the walls of the colon. It is given with pressurized water by a professional using special equipment. One colonic irrigation is the equivalent of approximately four to six enemas. Colonic irrigations reach every part of the intestinal tract, cleaning out matter that collects and remains for years in the pockets and kinks of the colon. The treatment is used as a corrective process, and for prevention of disease. Colonics are recommended for ailments such as constipation, psoriasis, acne, allergies, headaches and the common cold, to name a few.

COLOR THERAPY and COLORPUNCTURE The impact of color on mood is widely recognized. Color Therapists believe that different hues can treat illness and improve physical, emotional, and spiritual health. According to the theory, the vibrations of color waves can directly affect body cells and organs. Many practitioners also claim that the body emits its own “aura,” or energy field, the colors of which reflect a person’s state of health. Color Therapists apply color through lights or mental suggestion to restore both the body’s physical and psychic levels. Colorpuncture is a system that combines the insights of light physics with the knowledge of the meridian points emphasized in Acupuncture. This non-invasive technique is used to clear blockages and restore healthy energy flow in the meridians. Kirlian photographs track improvements. Another sensory healing technique is light therapy, which attempts to restore well-being and can be successful in treating the depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

CORE ENERGETICS A path of personal growth employing physically expressive techniques for emotional release and psychological process work. Developed by John Pierrakos, MD, Core Energetics is a marriage of Body Psychotherapy and Spiritual Development. The work brings consciousness to places of blocked energy in the body/mind, and recreates the defense patterns learned in childhood that keep people limited and disempowered. Those who experience Core Energetics can be awakened to the fullness of their life-force, feel their hearts open, and become grounded in the integrity of who they really are.

C O U N S E L I N G / P S YC H O T H E R A P Y Counseling and Psychotherapy encompass a broad range of practitioners, from career counselors who offer advice and information to psychotherapists who treat depression, stress, addiction, and emotional issues. Formats can vary from individual counseling to group therapy. In addition to verbal counseling techniques, some holistic therapists may use bodywork, ritual, energy healing, and other alternative modalities as part of their practice.

Crystal Music Healing

Bradford Tilden, MM, CMT, UWT CT/MA, remotely and globally 860-830-5841 Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com Practice summary/ Primary services offered: My goal is to empower you in awakening to the highest aspects of the Universe and your Authentic Self. I offer sessions and teach certification classes in Universal White Time (UWT); Lemurian Intuitive, crystal and sound healing; journey healing through energy work, music and guided visualization; and vocal activation coaching. You can purchase personally attuned crystals, gemstones and Alphay medicinal mushroom superfood products through me. I am the MediMind guided meditation app’s composer in residence. What drew you to this profession? I hold a master’s degree in music composition. Realizing my music has inspirational healing qualities led me to study holistic healing arts. These studies have guided me through personal health recovery, spiritual growth, authentic expression, empowerment and transformation. Now I teach these tools to others. How does your holistic practice differ from others in your profession? Helping clients and students activate their natural abilities to increase their life-changing capabilities sets my work apart. The powerful modalities I use are effective and groundbreaking. Currently, I am the only UWT Teacher in the Northeast. What should a client expect from working with you? I strive to ensure my clients and students obtain a sense of peace, empowerment and improved quality of life. Gaining clarity and a sense of purpose occurs as my clients and students perceive their truth and remove blockages that distort their perception. How is your practice evolving in 2021? I am continuing to create a community of UWT practitioners from my certification classes, developing a sound healing certification program featuring vocal toning and crystal bowls, expanding my virtual platform to reach a global audience, and helping distributorships grow within my Alphay medicinal mushroom business organization. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? The next UWT Level 1 classes are fast approaching: March 19-21 for UWT Energy Healing and April 10-11 for UWT Gemstone Healing.

CT Thermography

April Beaman 2 Forest Park Dr. Farmington, CT 212 New London Turnpike Glastonbury, CT 860-415-1150 info@ctthermography.com CTThermography.com Practice summary/Primary services offered: CT Thermography offers the highest standards in radiation-free, non-invasive breast and full-body medical thermography screenings. What drew you to this profession? Having two friends diagnosed with breast cancer in their early 30s and knowing there is no screening method recommended to younger women. If they had been aware of thermography, they could have seen early changes in their breasts before discovering a lump. How does your holistic practice differ from others in your profession? I support my clients following their thermography screening, whether it’s referring them to practitioners or helping them to implement easy protocols to improve their breast and overall health. What should a patient expect from working with you? My passion. I love what I do! I want my clients to be empowered by their thermography scan—empowered to be proactive to improve their lifestyle for optimal health. How is your practice evolving in 2021? Over the past year we have partnered with several new medical practitioners. These partnerships have increased our opportunity to educate the community about thermography. Please visit the events page at (CTthermography.com) to attend one of our monthly thermography webinars. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? Breast Thermography has been cleared as an adjunct screening for breast cancer detection since 1982. The addition of thermography as a breast screening tool can help detect functional changes in the breasts years before other methods may detect a structural change. This screening tool is effective for women of any age, and beneficial those that have inconclusive mammograms, dense breasts and implants.

2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

D E T O X I F I C AT I O N

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY ( CST ) A manual therapeutic procedure to remedy distortions in the structure and function of the craniosacral mechanism — the brain and spinal cord, the bones of the skull, the sacrum and interconnected membranes. Craniosacral work is based upon two major premises: that the bones of the skull can be manipulated, because they never completely fuse; and that the pulse of the cerebrospinal fluid can be balanced by a practitioner trained to detect variations in that pulse. CST is used to treat chronic pain, migraine headaches, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), ear and eye problems, balance problems, learning difficulties, dyslexia and hyperactivity.

C R YS TA L A N D G E M T H E R A P Y Crystal and Gem Therapy involves the use of quartz crystals and gemstones for therapeutic and healing purposes. Crystals have their own unique energy frequencies. They have the capacity to amplify other frequencies which may assist with healing. They also absorb and store frequencies and can be programmed to carry healing intention. In the ancient art of “laying-on of stones,” practitioners place crystals and gemstones on various parts of the body, corresponding to chakra points, to balance energy flow.

DA N C E M OV E M E N T T H E RA PY

The practice of resting, cleansing and nourishing the body from the inside out. According to some holistic practitioners, accumulated toxins can block or drain the body of energy and make it more susceptible to disease. Detoxification techniques may include fasts, special diets, sauna sweats and colon cleansing.

DOULA A person who supports an expectant mother through pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period. Studies indicate that support in labor has profound benefits, including shorter labor, less desire for pain medication, lower rate of Caesarian delivery and more ease in initiation of breast feeding. Fathers have reported that they were more relaxed with a Doula present because they felt reassured, and therefore freer to support their mates. (Also see Midwife).

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE ( EFT ) A self-help procedure founded by Gary Craig that combines fingertip tapping of key Acupuncture meridian points while focusing on an emotional issue or health challenge and repeating key phrases. Unresolved, or ‘stuck,’ negative emotions, caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system, are seen as major contributors to most physical pains and diseases. These can remain stagnant and trapped until released. EFT enables that release, is easy to memorize, free and can be done anywhere.

A method of expressing thoughts and feelings through movement, Dance Movement Therapy as practiced today was developed in the United States in the 1940s. Participants attend sessions given by trained therapists in which they are encouraged to move freely, sometimes to music. Dance Movement Therapy can be used by people of all ages to promote self-esteem and gain insight into emotional problems, and it is also practiced to help those with serious mental and physical disabilities. As such, it is widely used in the United States, and is becoming established around the world.

ENERGY FIELD WORK

DECLUTTERING

E N E R G Y P S YC H O L O G Y

Based on the theory that clutter drains both physical and mental energy. Decluttering involves two components. The first focuses on releasing things (clothing, papers, furniture, objects and ideas) that no longer serve a good purpose in one’s life. The second focuses on creating a simple system of personal organization that is easy to maintain and guards against accumulating things that are neither necessary or nourishing.

The term refers to psychological methods that change the human vibrational matrix (meridians/acupoints, chakras, biofields) by stimulating specific Acupuncture points. This is often done by tapping these points in a set protocol. Energy Psychology (EP) is frequently used to treat trauma, anxiety, depression, limiting beliefs, sports and work performance, addictions/compulsions, phobias and stress. It is particularly gentle with trauma, eliminating the risk of flooding, or being overwhelmed by traumatic memories. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is perhaps the most well-known of the EP methods.

DENTISTRY ( HOLISTIC ) Dentistry from a holistic approach regards the mouth as a microcosm of the whole body. The oral structures and the body are seen as a unit. Holistic dentists often incorporate such methods as Homeopathy, biocompatibility testing and nutritional counseling. Most emphasize wellness and preventive care while avoiding (and often recommending the removal of) silver-mercury fillings.

New Haven/Middlesex

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Energy Field Work is the art and practice of realigning and reattuning the body between the physical and the etheric and auric fields to assist the body’s natural healing processes. Working directly with the energy field in and around the body, energy is channeled through the practitioner and directed into the cells, tissues, and organs of the body. In this way, healing occurs on physical and non-physical levels at the same time. Sessions may or may not involve the physical laying-on of hands.

Elm City Wellness

774 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 493 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 475-238-7841 ElmCityWellness@gmail.com ElmCityWellness.com Practice summary/ Primary services offered: Elm City Wellness focuses on whole-body wellness, providing custom bodywork, acupuncture, skin care, and holistic yoga all under one roof. Our wellness stores feature locally made gifts, self-care supplies and a wide range of quality CBD oils, creams, gummies and more How does your work differ from others in your profession? We place a heavy emphasis on self-care at Elm City Wellness, because practitioners who take care of themselves have the energy to care for others joyfully because that caregiving doesn’t come at their own expense. What benefits should customers/clients expect from your services and/or products? We are a one-stop shop for New Haven’s wellness seekers. Our skilled massage therapists, acupuncturists and estheticians offer sessions that are thoughtful, compassionate and client-centered. How is your holistic center evolving in 2021? We are in constant evolution. Since opening our second location at 493 Whitney Ave., we now offer private yoga and free CBD consultations, and have expanded our holistic products lines at both locations. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? After a session at Elm City Wellness, many clients walk away with a deeper understanding of their bodies and new ways to care for them. Our intention is to make Elm City Wellness a place to relax and heal.

Eagle Flight Healing LLC Cathy Stubbs, RN, Reiki Master, Shaman Certified Light Body Healer 203-535-8849 EagleFlightHealing@gmail.com EagleFlightHealing.com

Practice summary/ Primary services offered: Light body healing releases unresolved emotions and traumas retained in our bodies. They affect our physical, mental and emotional health, how we see ourself and the choices we make. Chakra illumination and soul retrieval are 2 methods I use in my healing practice to release trauma, fear, pain, shame and to discover limiting beliefs and find lost aspects of soul. Soul holds mattering. The more integrated we become in soul, the more we allow ourselves to matter. What first drew you to Shamanic Energy Healing? Practicing Reiki showed me how empathic I am, I felt called to study shamanism. Special training/certifications I am a licensed RN, certified Reiki Master, Certified Light Body Healer, Shaman. How does your work differ from others in your profession and what should a client expect from working with you? Sessions are guided by a client’s intention, higher consciousness and guides. Clients learn a breathing technique that aids the releasing desired. Expect to feel lighter, freer, peaceful, more vitality, happier, more present with a new perspective How is your practice evolving in 2021? I added a process called spirit flight. It’s a collaboration between myself, soul and higher consciousness of the client. I release heavy emotions from the physical body while soul and higher self work with the light body, raising its energy of vibration. Clients feel lighter, more present and often experience a release of physical symptoms such as pain. This process takes 15 to 20 minutes. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? I establish a safe, loving environment. Intentions do not need to be shared with me. Sessions are via cell phone.

2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary E N V I R O N M E N TA L M E D I C I N E Environmental Medicine explores the role of dietary and environmental allergens in health and illness. Factors such as dust, mold, chemicals, and certain foods may cause allergic reactions that can dramatically influence diseases ranging from asthma and hay fever to headaches and depression.

ENZYME THERAPY Enzyme Therapy can be an important first step in restoring health and well-being by helping to remedy digestive problems. Plant and pancreatic enzymes are used in a complementary way to improve digestion and absorption of essential nutrients. Treatment includes enzyme supplements coupled with a healthy diet that features whole foods.

EXCEPTIONAL MARRIAGE MENTORING

preventing artery hardenings. The sulfates found in Epsom salt also assist with flushing out toxins and heavy metals. The use of essential oils in a soaking bath will intensify the cleansing effects for the body and its systems.

GUIDED IMAGERY C R E AT I V E V I S U A L I Z AT I O N Guided Imagery and Creative Visualization involve the effective use of images or symbols to focus the mind on the workings of the body in order to cause real physiological changes. In practice, Creative Imagery is the conscious creation of positive thoughts and images and the communication of them to the body to accomplish a desired outcome. It can be utilized for the relief of pain, the curing of disease, or to affect behavioral change. Imagery can take on many forms. It is a flow of thought involving all five senses. An important part of the visualization process, imagination is the ability to create a mental picture of what is desired and transform circumstances of life.

This experiential, energetic, and expressive approach to couples work was developed by Marcia and Brian Gleason. The goal is to assist couples in using their relationship as a vehicle for fulfilling each person’s potential. Exceptional Marriage Mentoring (EMM) helps couples move from self-protective feeling states to expansive, self-fulfilling emotions that allow each partner to become more fully human. The EMM model invites, in a very structured way, full expression of the passionate self, which includes anger, laughter, longing, fear, sexuality, grief, remorse, empathy, gratitude, compassion and love.

HEALING TOUCH

FELDENKRAIS METHOD

An herb is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities. Herbal Medicine, by far the oldest form of medicine practiced by mankind, uses natural plants in a wide variety of forms for their therapeutic value. Herb plants produce and contain a variety of chemical substances that act upon the body to strengthen its natural functions without the negative side effects of synthetic drugs. Herbs are prepared for internal and external use in a variety of ways, including teas, tinctures, extracts, oils, ointments, compresses, and poultices.

The Feldenkrais Method is a form of somatic education aimed at achieving mental and physical coordination. It involves gentle movement sequences, focused attention, and awareness of entrenched patterns. Approaches include Awareness Through Movement lessons typically taught in groups, and Functional Integration hands-on personalized care given to an individual by a practitioner. Physics, biomechanics, creative learning, and human development are at the core of this method, which aims to increase ease and range of motion, improve flexibility and coordination, aid in rediscovery of the body’s natural capacity for pleasurable efficient movement, and expand self-awareness.

FENG SHUI Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art and science of mindfully arranging objects in order to create or facilitate harmonious energy flow (qi) in environments (building placement, office, home, garden…). Energy is tempered or enhanced so as to positively affect one’s relationships, prosperity, and wellness.

F L O ATAT I O N C E N T E R S Floatation centers use up to 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt—a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate—mixed with a warm solution of water in float tanks to produce a high buoyant effect. Soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt has been shown to increase magnesium and sulfate levels in the body. Magnesium can help with reducing inflammation, improving muscle and nerve function and 26

New Haven/Middlesex

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A non-invasive, relaxing and nurturing energy therapy that helps to restore physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance and support self-healing. A gentle touch is used on or near the fully-clothed client to influence the body’s inner energy centers and exterior energy fields. Healing Touch is used to ease acute and chronic conditions, assist with pain management, encourage deep relaxation and accelerate wound healing.

HERBAL MEDICINE

H O L O T R O P I C B R E AT H W O R K Holotropic Breathwork is a powerful technique of selfexploration that combines breathing, evocative music, and a specific form of bodywork. It includes and integrates the physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. Presented in a two-day workshop by certified facilitators, participants try to access the four “levels” of experience that are available during breathing; sensory, biographical, perinatal, and transpersonal. By accessing buried memories, an individual can relive their own birth experience or traumatic life events, free up “stuck” emotional or viewpoints, or in some cases experience a mystical state of awareness.

Fernwood Holistic Health

1921 Boston Post Rd, #3, Westbrook, CT 860-661-5824 info@fernwoodholistichealth.com FernwoodHolisticHealth.com

Practice summary/Primary services offered: Fernwood Holistic Health is a multidisciplinary holistic health center, founded by Dana Krete, ND, LAc. Modalities include naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, neuro-acupuncture, massage, cranio-sacral therapy, holistic health coaching, and private yoga. How does your holistic business differ from others in your profession? Our primary mission at Fernwood Holistic Health is to provide holistic patient-centered health care, where patients come before profits. We are a professional group of very passionate, caring, and dedicated expert practitioners who believe in treating the whole person, finding and treating the cause, and inspiring our patients to create positive changes in their lives and health. What benefits should clients expect from your services? Our patients and clients can expect a warm, relaxing, comfortable environment to thoroughly explore their health issues and goals. They can expect positive results without side effects, leading to optimal health. How is your holistic business evolving in 2021? Fernwood Holistic Health opened in March 2020, and has been rapidly growing despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the pandemic. Dr. Krete started as a single practitioner, and since has added two additional acupuncturists, additional naturopathic physician, massage therapist, holistic health coach and yoga instructor. Next goals include adding an integrativeminded APRN to our team, plus online workshops. We look forward to in-person workshops when the time is right.

Janice Juliano, MSW, LCSW The Red Barn in Durham New Earth Therapies and Art Center 352 Main Street, Durham, CT 860-559-6151 TheRedBarnInDurham.com Facebook: Janice Juliano, MSW, LCSW

Business summary/ Primary services offered: I have been in the field of service to children, adults and families since 1976, and have over 35 years of clinical work, post masters in social work , both in Connecticut and New Mexico. My focus presently is on women’s issues and women’s spirituality, for women of all ages – helping with life transitions, medical issues, separation and loss, and empowerment. I am the Director of the Vision of The Red Barn and work collaboratively with the holistic practitioners at The Barn. We are Mind, Body, Spirit, Heart. How does your practice differ from others in your field and what benefits should clients expect from your services? With a vision and dream realized, I am very fortunate to work among seasoned practitioners who offer holistic therapies such as, energy work, therapeutic massage, nutritional and dietary information, spiritual services, psychic readings, mediumship, Chinese medicine, meditation, life coaching and aesthetic services. The Red Barn also houses the Soulshine Salt Cave and The Borrowed Time Emporium. There are also three other psychotherapists who offer their own specialties. How is your practice evolving in 2021 and What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? My practice will be providing holistic psychotherapy along with EMDR for relaxation, Heart Math services such as mind-heart coherence, essential oils, and flower essences. I have been providing telehealth services during the past year. Many of my future sessions will be office based as Covid guidelines allow. The Art Center at The Red Barn will be offering more as the Covid guidelines allow. Check out our website and Facebook page for updated information.

What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? At Fernwood Holistic Health we know every patient feels how much we care. We create relationships of collaboration and partnership with our patients to support them every step of the way in achieving their health goals. Patients who see more than one practitioner within our practice benefit from an integrative team approach that guides their health and wellness plan. 2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

I N T E G R AT I V E M E D I C I N E

H O M E O PAT H Y Homeopathy is a highly systematic therapy that uses small doses of specially prepared plants and minerals to stimulate the body’s defense mechanisms and healing processes in order to cure illness. The word “homeopathy” is taken from the Greek homeos meaning “similar” and pathos meaning “suffering.” Thus, Homeopathy means “to treat with something that produces an effect similar to the suffering.” This “law of similars,” the concept of “like cures like” is the basic principle of Homeopathy. A remedy is individually chosen based on its capacity to cause, if given in overdose, physical and psychological symptoms similar to those a patient is experiencing.

HYDROTHERAPY Hydrotherapy is the use of water, ice, steam, and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation, and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program.

HYPNOTHERAPY Hypnotherapy refers to a range of hypnosis techniques that allow practitioners to bypass the conscious mind and access the subconscious. The altered state that occurs under hypnosis has been compared to a state of deep meditation or transcendence, in which the innate recuperative abilities of the psyche are allowed to flow more freely. The subject can achieve greater clarity regarding their own wants and needs, explore other events or periods of life requiring resolution, or generally develop a more positive attitude. It is often used to help people lose weight or stop smoking, and in the treatment of phobias, stress, and illness.

I N T E G R AT I V E M A N U A L T H E R A P Y ( I M T ) This comprehensive treatment approach views all of the body’s structures and systems in an interrelated manner, addressing anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and energetics to facilitate the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Through manual diagnostics, the practitioner perceives and interprets the body’s subtle rhythms and signals to identify the causes of pain, disease or disability. Interacting with these subtle energies and reflexes, the practitioner facilitates corrective responses from the body to bring about healing. IMT techniques include very gentle forms of deep tissue work, Myofascial Release, Craniosacral Therapy, joint mobilization, lymphatic drainage, and positional release, as well as Guided Imagery, deep relaxation, Biofeedback, Applied Psychosynthesis, Detoxification, energetic healing and functional recovery.

New Haven/Middlesex

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This holistic approach combines conventional Western medicine with complementary alternative treatments in order to simultaneously treat mind, body and spirit. Geared to the promotion of health and the prevention of illness, it neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies, without serious evaluation.

INTUITIVE ARTS Intuitive Arts is a general term for various methods of divination, such as numerology, psychic reading, and tarot reading. Individuals may consult practitioners to seek information about the future or insights into personal concerns or the personality. Among the modalities: Numerology emphasizes the significance of numbers derived from the spelling of names, birth dates, and other significant references; psychics may claim various abilities, from finding lost objects and persons to communicating with the spirits of the dead; and tarot readers interpret a deck of cards containing archetypal symbols.

IRIDOLOGY Iridology is the art and science of analyzing the delicate structure of the colored portion of the eye, or the iris. Over 90 specific areas on each iris have been “mapped,” making a total of over 180 zones, which act as a readout gauge to reflect conditions in the corresponding area of the body. Physical weaknesses can be noticeable in the iris long before they would be discernible through blood work or laboratory analysis, thus making Iridology one of a number of tools for preventative selfcare.

KINESIOLOGY / APPLIED KINESIOLOGY Kinesiology is the study of muscles and their movement. Applied Kinesiology uses the relative strength and weakness of selected muscles to indicate whether there is decreased function in any bodily organs or systems, or whether there is an imbalance or restriction in the energy flow. Much of Applied Kinesiology is based on the observed relationships between specific muscles and organs. Testing makes use of Acupuncture meridians and/or interrelationships among muscles, organs, the brain and the body’s energy field. Applied Kinesiology is also used to check the body’s response to a treatment that is being considered.

LIFE / BUSINESS COACH A professional who helps clients identify their personal and/or professional goals and design a plan or institute techniques for achieving them. The life/business coach works with clients to recognize and overcome any obstacles that may interfere with achievement of those goals.

Rev. Lauri Ingram 605 Washington Avenue North Haven, CT 203-435-5650 Lauri@lauriingram.com LauriIngram.com

Practice summary/ Primary services offered: Spiritual Counseling: Spiritual counseling is reflective listening and inquiry, that helps remind an individual that we are immersed in Spirit and the Divine is always present in every situation, as a constant resource and a mirror to guide us in what needs to be healed or learned. I incorporate many practices and modalities into my work, all to meet my counselee whereever they may be on their journey. What drew you to this profession? My own journey of self-discovery led me to help others find their own divine light. How does your work differ from others in your profession? As an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, I am combined a unique set of offerings and services that combine spiritual exploration, crystals, light, color and sound. What should a client expect from working with you? Working with me is a journey of self-discovery; I believe we all have the answers we seek within. How is your holistic business evolving in 2021? This year I will be exploring incorporating creative arts into my offerings as another way to explore, including art journaling and other practices. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? As an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, I believe there is much to learn as we journey through life. It begins with openness, curiosity, and deep self-compassion. My commitment is to using my life skills, experience, and training to create safe and sacred space for self-discovery, as I companion others along the way.

Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, LLC

500 East Main Street, Suite 310, Branford, CT 203-315-7727 PTServicesGuilford@yahoo.com PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com

Practice summary/Primary services offered: We offer aspects of both traditional and manual PT to patients of all ages. Our therapists have advanced training in treating the whole body to find the root of your problem, effective for treating orthopedic/sports injuries, balance/mobility dysfunction, TMJ, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue, arthritis, incontinence, headaches, dizziness, concussions, and fibromyalgia. What drew you to this profession? Practice owner, Phyllis Quinn, PT, was drawn to physical therapy through her mother, the first female in CT to have a private PT practice. At the start of Phyllis’ career, she practiced traditional techniques. Early on, she incorporated muscle energy, myofascial release, and craniosacral methods and was amazed at the often-instantaneous results achieved. How does your work differ from others in your profession? We individualize each session to meet your needs. Treatment time is reserved to address structural dysfunction. Repetitive strengthening exercises can be done at home or at a gym. What should a patient expect from working with you? Our patients can expect to meet for one-on-one sessions with a licensed PT. Our goal is to offer pain relief as quickly as possible and prevent it from recurring. Each session will start with a quick full-body analysis in order to gauge improvements. How is your practice evolving in 2021? We are committed to remaining on the cutting edge of our profession by attending continuing education courses given by top educators in the country. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? In spite of insurance changes over the years, we continue to provide you with the undivided attention of a caring PT for each visit. Typically, patients notice an appreciable difference in symptoms in about 4 visits, oftentimes finding it to be an alternative to pain medications. Each of our 5 therapists has 20-35 years of experience. We are passionate about our careers and helping you feel better. PT can help facilitate healing to those of you that are still experiencing post-Covid symptoms. 2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

MEDIUMSHIP

MACROBIOTICS Macrobiotics is an Eastern philosophy that is perhaps best known in the West through its dietary principles. Macrobiotic theory begins with the realization that there is a natural order to all things and we can achieve a fuller sense of balance, both within ourselves and with the world around us, by synchronizing our eating habits with the cycles of nature. Low-fat and high-fiber foods, whole grains, vegetables, sea vegetables, and seeds cooked in accordance with macrobiotic principles are stressed.

MAGNETIC FIELD THERAPY Electromagnetic energy and the human body have a valid and important interrelationship. Magnetic Field Therapy can be used in both diagnosing and treating physical and emotional disorders. This process has been recognized to relieve symptoms and may, in some cases, retard the cycle of new disease. Magnets and electromagnetic therapy devices are now being used to eliminate pain, facilitate the healing of broken bones, and counter the effects of stress.

M A N U A L LY M P H AT I C D R A I N A G E A gentle, non-invasive, rhythmical whole-body massage aimed at stimulating the lymphatic system to carry away excess fluid in the loose connective tissue, which helps remove toxins. Blockage or damage within the system may lead to conditions like edema, acne, inflammation, arthritis and sinusitis. The therapy stimulates one of the body’s natural cleansing systems to help bring tissues to a healthier state.

MASSAGE THERAPY A general term for the manipulation of soft tissue for therapeutic purposes. Massage Therapy incorporates various disciplines and involves kneading, rubbing, brushing and/or tapping the skin, muscles and connective tissues. Its goal is to increase circulation and detoxification in order to reduce physical and emotional stress and increase overall wellness.

M E D I TAT I O N Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus/contemplation used to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth. There are many different types of Meditation practiced (e.g.: Buddhist, Mindfulness, Transcendental, Walking), which include a variety of techniques for achieving harmony such as imagery, mantras, observation/awareness and deep breathing. Some meditators seek a mystical sense of oneness with a higher power or the universe, while others utilize it to gain serenity, alleviate anxiety or high blood pressure, or heighten focus, creativity and/or self-awareness. Research has shown that Meditation can contribute to an individual’s psychological and physiological well-being.

New Haven/Middlesex

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A Medium professes to sense and communicate with spiritual entities, conveying messages from those who are no longer incarnate to people in the physical world. Readings focus on those evidential messages, which are said to be delivered for one’s “highest good.”

MIDWIFE A birth attendant who assists a woman through the prenatal, labor, birth and postpartum stages of pregnancy. The mother is encouraged to be involved and to feel in control of her birthing experience. Midwives are knowledgeable about normal pregnancy, labor, birth and pain relief options. They respect the process of birth as an innate and familiar process. Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have received advanced training and passed a national certification exam. Nurse-midwives collaborate with physicians as needed, especially when problems arise during pregnancy. (Also see Doula).

M I N D / B O DY M E D I C I N E The field of behavioral medicine which recognizes the relationship between the mind and body, the body’s innate ability to heal and the partnership between the patient and healer in restoring health. It is strongly research-based and encompasses the field of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). Mind/Body Medicine is used for those conditions, which may be exacerbated by the patient’s emotional stress, such as heart disease, cancer, preparation for medical procedures, autoimmune diseases, pain management, asthma, diabetes, gastrointestinal upsets (such as IBS), trauma and insomnia. Treatment commonly includes a blend of Hypnosis, Guided Imagery, Biofeedback and other methods.

MONTESSORI SCHOOL The Montessori method of early childhood education (age range 2.5 to 6 years) was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, who served in special education. Montessori programs utilize a child-centered approach, based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. The teacher, child and environment create a learning triangle where students are encouraged to learn at their own unique stages of development and cultivate their natural abilities through practical play. Children learn through discovery rather than traditional direct instruction. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child—physical, social, emotional and cognitive. Components necessary for a program to be considered authentically Montessori include multiage groupings that foster peer learning, uninterrupted blocks of work time and guided choice of work activity.

Spirit of the Lotus 5 Gavin Drive, Columbia, CT 860-709-3903 Robin@spiritofthelotus.org SpiritoftheLotus.org

Practice Summary/ Primary services offered: Robin Barros is a Hands-on Healer, Medical Intuitive, Shaman, Medium and Spiritually Guided Coach. She also works with clients around the world doing distance healing. What drew you to this profession? Robin lost her parents to Cancer, found herself broken and unhealthy. 15 years later she’s healthier and has her own practice. How is your work different from that of others in your profession? Robin works with Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury, Cancer Patients, Chronic Pain and PTSD. Using distance healing, she can treat anyone anywhere. Skeptical? She offers one free session per family. There are few practitioners that can feel, hear, touch and heal the levels of body and consciousness that Robin has learned to reach. Her skills as a medical intuitive and medium adds to her ability as a healer.

Susane Grasso, RMT

Reiki / Acupressure / Theta Healing® Sound Healing / Distance Healing 2489 Boston Post Road, Suite F, Guilford, CT 203-500-6950 Practice summary/ Primary services offered: Stress is the plague of the 21st century and the cause of physical and emotional woes. Because of this my sessions combine my ability to see auras with Reiki, Theta Healing®, Acupressure, and Sound/Vibrational Healing to provide deep relaxation and balance. “Tension out! Wellness in” is more than a phrase. For my clients it is a statement of fact. What drew you to this profession? My chronic pain from Lyme Disease was alleviated by a Reiki Practitioner which made a believer out of me. How does your work differ from others in your profession and what should a client expect from working with you? Each session is individually tailored to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of my client. During the session the chakras are balanced and the aura cleansed of blockages. The deep relaxation that follows provides focus and tranquility.

What should a client expect from working with you? So many of Robin’s clients come to her at wits end, having lost all hope to ever feeling better—Her clients leave feeling better, with their hope restored and with a plan for becoming the best version of themselves they could have ever imagined.

How is your practice evolving in 2021? I have added the dimension of sound, sympathetic resonance, to my practice via Tibetan singing bowls. Theta Healing® has also been integrated to add another dimension to chakra maintenance and well-being. I will continue to explore other energy healing modalities and I am now offering distance Reiki.

How is your holistic practice evolving in 2021? Spirit of the Lotus is working with people around the world. This past year has been difficult in many ways with lockdowns, fear, health scares, division and even bullying that is causing depression and suicides. Robin believes that as the world is dealing with so much, individually we are asked to dive even deeper for our own personal health and wellness. If not now, when?

What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? It is an honor to provide relaxation therapy for my clients. Working with them to maintain and strengthen their aura is my primary goal. I love watching an energy signature go from ragged and wispy to whole and vital.

What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? Natural Awakenings’ readers should know they are worth the time and the cost to heal, expand and become optimally aware. They are worth the cost to nourish themselves, even when it means “asking,” for something better. May your readers know You Are Worth It.

2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING ( NLP )

MUSIC THERAPY Music therapy is an established healthcare profession available for all ages in multiple settings. It is utilized by trained professionals who integrate music interventions in therapy sessions to help address, restore, and/or enhance physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. No musical ability is needed for clients to benefit.

M YO FA S C I A L R E L E A S E ( M F R ) This holistic form of bodywork is used for reducing pain, improving movement and function, and restoring emotional tranquility. MFR is labeled holistic because it involves treating the whole body as a connected organism, recognizing that symptoms in one place may be caused by tight connective tissue elsewhere. This tightness places pressure on pain sensitive structures like muscles, nerves, bones, joints, blood vessels or organs. Such ischemic pressure results in symptoms like pain, tingling, stiffness, and lethargy. MFR is most commonly practiced by licensed Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists who have taken specialized training in this technique. The goal of treatment is to restore balance and alignment to the human structure, and enhance optimum flow throughout the entire system.

N A M B U D R I PA D ’ S A L L E R G Y E L I M I N AT I O N T E C H N I Q U E S ( N A E T ) A non-invasive, drug free, natural modality that tests for and eliminates allergies. NAET uses a blend of selective energy balancing, testing and treatment procedures from Acupuncture, Acupressure, Allopathy, Chiropractic, Kinesiology and Nutritional Medicine. One allergen is treated at a time.

N AT U R O PAT H I C M E D I C I N E Naturopathy is a comprehensive and eclectic system that incorporates the use of a broad range of natural substances and natural means to promote health. Naturopathic Doctors work in harmony with the body’s natural healing abilities. Training may include the study of specific approaches such as Massage, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Counseling, Applied Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, minor surgery and basic Obstetrics for assistance at natural childbirth.

NETWORK CHIROPRACTIC Network Chiropractic is a form of chiropractic that views the spine as a powerful “switchboard of consciousness.” The method is based on the belief that spinal adjustment can serve to unify the physical, emotional, and mental body with a universal intelligence or consciousness.

New Haven/Middlesex

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NLP is a systematic approach to changing limiting patterns of thought, behavior and language. In conversation, practitioners observe the client’s language, eye movements, posture, breathing, and gestures in order to detect and then help change unconscious patterns linked to the client’s emotional state.

NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING Embracing a wide range of approaches, nutrition-based complementary therapies seek to alleviate physical and psychological disorders through dietary modification and food supplements, and involving either macronutrients or micronutrients. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats, proteins and fiber. Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that cannot be manufactured in the body. Nutritional therapy often uses dietary or food supplements, which may include tablets, capsules, powders or liquids.

ORTHOMOLECULAR MEDICINE Employing vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to create nutritional content and balance in the body, Orthomolecular Medicine targets a wide range of conditions, including depression, hypertension, schizophrenia, cancer, and other mental and physiological disorders.

O S T E O PAT H I C P H YS I C I A N S Osteopathic Physicians are trained to help the body stimulate and restore its own immune system naturally. Osteopathy utilizes generally accepted physical, pharmacological, and surgical methods of diagnosis and therapy, with strong emphasis on body mechanics and manipulative methods to detect and correct faulty structure and function. Doctors of Osteopathy (DO’s) offer a hands-on approach to the diagnosis and treatment of selected ailments involving bones, muscles, tendons, tissues, and the spinal column through the use of palpation, manipulation, and physical therapy.

O X YG E N T H E R A P I E S Oxygen Therapies alter the body’s chemistry to help overcome disease, promote repair, and improve overall function. These therapies are effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including infections, circulatory problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, allergies, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. The major types of Oxygen Therapy used to treat disease are Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Ozone Therapy, and Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy.

PA S T L I F E / R E G R E S S I O N T H E R A P I E S Past Life and Regression Therapies operate on the assumption that many physical, mental, and emotional problems are extensions of unresolved problems from the past — whether from childhood traumas or experiences in previous lifetimes. The practitioner uses Hypnosis (or altered states of consciousness) and relaxation techniques to access the source of this “unfinished business,” and helps clients to analyze, integrate, and release past traumas that are interfering with their current lives.

Vigor Fitness

Mark Simmons 77 Beacon Street, Hamden, CT 475-209-3511 vigorfit58@gmail.com

Practice summary/Primary services offered: A fitness studio created to help those with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and weight management, utilizing exercise, nutritional coaching and support to help reduce or heal complications of cardiovascular disease. The goal is to eventually remove the need for medications used to treat these conditions and boost overall wellness. What drew you to this profession? I have always worked out with the idea of maintaining healthy vital numbers. My intention as a fitness instructor is to support others in achieving a healthier lifestyle and optimal wellness. How does your work differ from others in your profession? My priority is to tend to each person as an individual, focusing on their specific needs. I work with each person based on their level of fitness and I am available to support and coach them during non-workout times. What should a client expect from working with you? My dedication to nurture, foster and elevate my clients to a healthier lifestyle. How is your business evolving in 2021? My fitness program has adapted to the current climate by offering one-on-one private sessions. I am very conscientious about cleaning and wiping equipment with disinfectant after each use and practicing safe distancing. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? Small adjustments will have a big impact on your life and health. You owe it to yourself to feel your best. Call for a free consultation: 475-209-3511 or Email: vigorfit58@gmail.com

Wolf Spirit Wellness 670 Main Street South, Suite B2 Woodbury, CT 203-263-3175 info@wolfspiritwellness.org WolfSpiritWellness.org

Practice summary/ Primary services offered: Wolf Spirit Wellness and Counseling offers both traditional and alternative mental health counseling for individuals, families, couples, and groups.

How does your holistic business differ from others in your profession? We specialize in trauma (PTSD, complex trauma, and family trauma) from a neurobiological and somatic perspective. We utilize alternative healing methods such as Reiki, meditation and hypnosis into our traditional sessions, so our clients get the maximum benefit of the mind, body, and spirit connection. What benefits should clients expect from your services? We are Mind, Body and Spirit connected and collaborate with MD’s, APRN’s, and BCBA’s to ensure our clients and their families have a coordination of care that reflects a holistic and traditional (where warranted) perspective. We feel this is the optimal way for our clients to achieve successful healing while learning to navigate their world in the healthiest manner. How is your holistic business evolving in 2021? We have begun work on a larger space (ready in March of 2021) so that we may provide more classes, play therapy, art therapy, aggression work, drumming, energy sharing, meditation, and therapeutic groups to provide our clients with an abundance of healing options. What is most important for Natural Awakenings’ readers to know? We are providing telehealth, in office, and in-home therapy for individuals, couples, and families. We take most commercial insurance, Husky/Medicaid and will work on a sliding scale with clients who have no insurance. The Wolf Spirit Family is ready to assist you on your journey towards your own mind, body, and spirit connection.

2021 Natural Living Directory

glossary

R E B I R T H I N G B R E AT H W O R K

A Personal Fitness Trainer is a certified professional who designs fitness programs for individuals desiring one-on-one training. Trainers offer their services in the privacy of ones home or at various locations (club, office, etc.).

Also known as Conscious Connected Breathing (or by some practitioners as Vivation), Rebirthing is a means to access and release unresolved emotions. The technique uses conscious, steady, rhythmic breathing without pausing between inhaling and exhaling. Guided by a professional Rebirther, clients re-experience past memories — including birth — and let go of emotional tension long stored in the body.

P H YS I C A L T H E R A P Y

RECONNECTIVE HEALING

Evaluates difficulties with mobility or function and focuses on rehabilitation through a restorative treatment program and instruction on how to make efficient use of the body in daily activities. Physical Therapists use massage, exercise, electrical stimulation, ultrasound and other means to help the patient regain functional movement.

Utilizes light and dimensional frequencies to reduce stress, foster relaxation, and enable holistic healing. Practitioners use their hands to focus a flow of energy into the client’s aura/ energy field. This stimulates meridians and DNA strands, causing a shift that releases old patterns and reconnects clients to their essence and universal energy.

P I L AT E S

REFLEXOLOGY

A structured system of small isolated movements that demands powerful focus on feeling every nuance of muscle action while working out on floor mats or machines. Emphasizes development of the torso’s abdominal power center, or core. More gentle than conventional exercises, Pilates, like Yoga, yields long, lean, flexible muscles whose gracefully balanced movements readily translate into everyday activities like walking, sitting and bending. Can help in overcoming injuries.

A natural healing art based upon the principle that there are reflexes in the feet and hands that correspond to different parts of the body. Correctly stimulating and applying pressure to the feet or hands increases circulation and promotes specifically designated bodily and muscular functions in those corresponding areas.

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER

REIKI

Polarity Therapy asserts that energy fields exist everywhere in nature and that the free flow and balance of this universal energy in the human body is the underlying foundation of good health. Practitioners use gentle touch and guidance to help clients balance their energy flow, thus supporting a return to health. The practitioner’s hands do not impart energy, but redirect the flow of the receiver’s own energy in order to recharge and achieve balance.

Reiki, meaning “universal life-force energy” is a method of activating and balancing the life-force present in all living things. Reiki practitioners use light hand placements to channel healing energies to organs and glands or to align the chakras (energy centers). There are techniques for emotional and mental distress, chronic and acute physical problems, and for achieving spiritual focus and clarity. Reiki is increasingly being integrated into the work of Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, Nurses, and others for whom the use of touch is essential or appropriate.

PRANIC HEALING

ROLFING

Pranic healing is an ancient science and art of healing that utilizes prana or ki or life energy to heal the whole physical body. It also involves the manipulation of ki and bioplasmic matter of the patient’s body. Prana is the Sanskrit word for “Life-force energy”— also referred to as Chi, Qi, Ki, or Ruach.

Rolfing is a deep tissue massage technique. It re-organizes and improves alignment through connective tissue manipulation.

POLARITY THERAPY

Q I G O N G A N D TA I C H I Qigong and Tai chi combine movement, meditation and breath regulation to enhance the flow of vital energy (qi or chi, pronounced “chee”) in the body , improve circulation and enhance immune function. Qigong traces its roots to traditional Chinese medicine. Tai chi was originally a self-defense martial art descended from Qigong and employed to promote inner peace and calm.

S A LT H E A L I N G T H E R A P Y Himalayan rock salt has been found to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Salt caves offer healing benefits of a rock salt rich in trace elements and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iodine, bromine, copper, selenium and iron. Salt caves combine speleotherapy—the use of salt cave and mine microclimates to treat diseases—and halotherapy, which utilizes a salt vaporizer to push dry aerosol salt vapor into the air to help with various respiratory and skin issues, allergies and other conditions.

SHAMANISM Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition that dates back 40,000 years or more. It is based on the belief that all healing includes the spiritual dimension. Shamanic healing usually

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natural living directory APPLIED KINESIOLOGY KC CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS Kevin Healy, DC 17 Woodland Road, Madison, CT 203-245-9317 KevinHealy@sbcglobal.net DrHealMe.com

Applied Kinesiology is a neurological evaluation to find and treat dysfunction. Different because it addresses causes instead of chasing pains, Dr. Healy tests if a therapy alleviates dysfunction, finding immediate answers as to which provides the most improvement. Chiropractic, craniosacral, myofascial and acupressure are among the therapies Dr. Healy uses. Generally, no single cure exists as disease and dysfunction typically involve multiple areas of the body. The goal of any therapy—physical, chemical, or emotional—is to improve function; a combination of therapies typically yields the best results. See ad on page 17.

CHINESE MEDICINE CHI FOR HEALING

Erik Harris 352 Main St. Durham, CT 860-593-8397 erik@chiforhealing.com ChiForHealing.com Chi for healing integrates Chinese medicine with holistic healing practices to provide a multi-faceted program to take back your health. Erik specializes in helping people suffering from chronic pain and illness to find and treat the root cause of dis-ease. Chi for Healing now offers virtual consultations for Chinese herbs, Tong Ren therapy, Immune support, Emotional support, Qi gong and Meditation instruction. See Profile on page 21.

COUNSELING

HYPNOTHERAPY / REIKI

RETURN TO FIRE

BALANCE WELLNESS

Counseling is a collaborative process where the transitions, challenges and traumas of life are viewed as a gateway into a more authentic life. With guidance to reframe their personal stories, my clients are empowered to free themselves from ineffective patterns and make significant personal growth. Call, text or email now for a free consultation: 203-731-7755, healingbear11@gmail.com or Returntothefire.com. Remote sessions available.

Hello. I am a RN, Reiki practitioner and intuitive empath. By nature I have the gift of feeling and seeing energy around me and others. I combine this gift with my extensive nursing education and background to provide Reiki, energy clearing and hypnotherapy to my clients. Some benefits include improved health, sleep, stress-relief, weight loss, and smoking cessation as well as decreased chronic pain levels. I would love to help you. See Profile on page 19.

EDUCATION

MEDICAL INTUITIVE/SHAMAN PAST LIFE REGRESSION

Jody Grose 320 Kent Road, New Milford, CT 203-731-7755 healingbear11@gmail.com Returntothefire.com

CONNECTICUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL 28 School Street, Branford, CT 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org http://CTEXperiential.org

CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School provides experientially-based education with a personalized approach to learning, designed to empower young people to thrive. Our students come from a variety of towns throughout Connecticut, from families looking for a program that engages and deepens learning, where their children can flourish during these important and impactful 5th-8th grade years. See Profile on page 21.

HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTER FERNWOOD HOLISTIC HEALTH

1921 Boston Post Road, #3, Westbrook, CT 860-661-5824 info@fernwoodholistichealth.com FernwoodHolisticHealth.com

Wendy Marek, RN MSN 352 Main Street Durham, CT 203-710-5521 balancewellness9@gmail.com BalanceWellness.net

SPIRIT OF THE LOTUS

Robin Barros, IMT-C, CSC, CPLC 5 Gavin Drive, Columbia, CT 860-709-3903 Robin@spiritofthelotus.org SpiritoftheLotus.org

Spirit of the Lotus is a sacred space, warm and welcoming, where you can go for holistic health and healing. Robin uses many modalities to get to the heart of what’s caus-ing you to be in pain, out of alignment or just frustrated with what feels like a block to living your best life. Integrative Manual Therapy, gently helps you release tension from injury, illness or surgery. Intuitive guidance helps you release Physical, Mental & Spiritual baggage, carried for years, lives or generations. As an Advanced Soul Coach & Past Life Coach (R), we clear away inner debris in order to connect you with the wis-dom of your soul. With years of experience and training, you can experience optimal health & wellness. See Profile on page 31.

Fernwood Holistic Health is a multidisciplinary, patient-centered, holistic health center, founded by Dana Krete, ND, LAc. Fernwood provides the highest standard of advanced medicine based on science, research and proven traditional methods. Modalities include naturopathic medicine, acupuncture & Chinese medicine, neuro-acupuncture, massage, cranio-sacral therapy, holistic health coaching, and private yoga. See Profile on page 27.

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glossary

TRADITIONAL THAI THERAPY

Sound Healing involves the use of vocal and instrumental tones, generated internally or externally. When sounds are produced with healing intent they can create sympathetic resonance in the physical and energy bodies. Sound healing can bring discordant energy into balance and harmony.

Traditional Thai Therapy (also known as “Thai yoga massage”) is an ancient healing system that integrates reflexology, acupressure, conscious breathing and assisted yoga postures with Indian Ayurvedic principles—the combination of which relieves tension, relaxes the mind & body, and provides lasting benefits to the overall health & well-being of the receiver. It has been referred to by many as “yoga for lazy people” because rather than rubbing on muscles, the body is compressed and gently stretched. A traditional session typically lasts two hours in duration and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body. Clients wear comfortable clothing while receiving on a floor mat during the session, and no oils or lotions are used.

SPIRITUAL HEALING / COUNSELING

TRAGERWORK

Spiritual Healing/Counseling comes in two forms. In one, the healer uses thought or touch to align their spiritual essence with the spirit of the client. The healer works to either balance the spiritual field or shift the perceptual base of the client to create harmony between mind and body and draw the client into the active presence of a Divine Healing Force. In the other, the healer transforms healing energy into a vibrational frequency that the client can receive and comfortably assimilate, gently reminding the person’s intuitive core of its inherent healing ability and imparting a vision of health. Spiritual Healers often work within a particular spiritual tradition, seek guidance from “spirit helpers,” and rely on some form of prayer or meditation.

Tragerwork uses passive movement to encourage progressive, generalized release of deep body tension. The client receives a blend of rhythmic, rocking movements, elongations, and gentle compressions so body and mind relax into new and freer movement patterns. Tragerwork helps with stress and specific pain, such as sciatica, back, neck and shoulder pain, and TMJ. It can improve results in Physical Therapy, Psychotherapy, athletic and artistic training, and treatment of disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Post-polio Syndrome, and Multiple Sclerosis.

involves induction into an altered state of consciousness and journeying into the spirit world to regain personal power and access the guidance of nature and of teachers. This approach may be taken literally or employed symbolically.

SOUND HEALING

TA N T R A Tantra has emerged as a modern spiritual path of embodied consciousness, with roots in ancient Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It views the “spiritual” as being directly present within the “physical” and respects sensory experience as a vehicle for accessing higher states of awareness. Tantra practices balance the chakras (energy centers) and can contribute to a sense of presence, intimacy and fulfillment in all aspects of living.

TA N T R A TA I C H I Tantra Tai Chi is a recently developed practice of Tai Chi/ Qigong-style body movements designed to be performed with a partner. It can enhance intimacy by sequentially and simultaneously focusing attention on the root or sexual center near the base of the spine, the heart or love center in the midchest region, and the upper spiritual center in the head. The cycling of energy through these chakra centers encourages a blended experience of intimate presence with one’s own internal being and one’s partner.

THERMAL IMAGING A diagnostic technique that uses an infrared camera to measure temperature variations on the surface of the body, producing images that reveal sites of inflammation and abnormal tissue growth. Inflammation is recognized as the earliest stage of nearly all major health challenges.

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T R A N S C E N D E N TA L M E D I TAT I O N Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple, effortless technique of meditation practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. Through the use of a mantra, TM allows the mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience the source of thought-pure awareness, the most silent and peaceful level of consciousness. In this state of restful alertness, the brain functions with significantly greater coherence while the body gains deep rest.

YO G A Yoga is the practical application of the ancient Indian Vedic teachings. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj which means “union” or “to join,” and refers to the joining of man’s physical, mental, and spiritual elements. In Yoga, the goal of good health is accomplished through a combination of techniques including exercises called “asanas” or postures, controlled breathing, relaxation, meditation, and diet and nutrition. Although Yoga is not meant to cure specific diseases or ailments directly, it has been found effective in treating many problems.

Z E N S H I AT S U Zen Shiatsu, sometimes referred to as “Acupuncture without needles,” uses gentle but firm finger and palm pressure to activate the body’s energetic channels and acupoints to bring the body back into balance and harmony on the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual levels. Clients remain fully clothed and receive treatment in a relaxing, comfortable and supportive environment.

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REIKI SUSANE GRASSO, RMT

MEDICAL THERMOGRAPHY CT THERMOGRAPHY

April Beaman 2 Forest Park Dr. Farmington, CT 212 New London Turnpike Glastonbury, CT 860-415-1150 info@ctthermography.com CTThermography.com CT Thermography specializes in medical thermal imaging, also known as Thermography. Thermography is the use and study of thermograms for detecting and measuring variations of heat emitted for the surface of the body. A thermogram is produced by a highly sensitive, medical infrared camera that accurately maps the temperature variations which are then interpreted by Board Certified physicians known as thermologists. Thermography does not expose the body to radiation or involve contact and is used to aid in the detection of inflammation, disease and cancer. See Profile on page 23.

PET EUTHANASIA SERVICE FINAL JOURNEY, LLC Kristen Klie, D.V.M. 203-645-5570 FinalJourneyLLC.com

F inal Journey, LLC is an in-home euthanasia service for your animal companion that brings comfort and peace during a sensitive and challenging time. See ad on page 17.

PHYSICAL THERAPY PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES OF GUILFORD 500 East Main Street, Suite 310, Branford, CT 203-315-7727 (Phone) 203-315-7757 (Fax) PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com

At Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, we specialize in manual therapy using hands-on techniques to help the body’s natural healing process. We also incorporate traditional programs and modalities to maximize health. 40-minute sessions are conducted one-on-one in private treatment rooms. See Profile on page 29.

2489 Boston Post Road Guilford, CT 203-500-6950

Stress is the plague of the 21st century and the cause of physical and emotional woes. Because of this, my sessions combine my ability to see auras with Reiki, Theta Healing, acupressure and Sound Vibrational Healing to provide deep relaxation and balance. “Tension out! Wellness in” is more than a phrase. For my clients it is a statement of fact. Distance Healing available. See Profile on page 31.

SALT HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER REVIVE SALT THERAPY

374 New Haven Avenue Milford, CT 203-283-5968 Hello@ReviveSaltTherapy.com ReviveSaltTherapy.com Gail Perrella,M.S. is a Holistic Nutritionist, creator and founder of Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness. Our mission is to educate, inspire, and empower our clients to create the health they deserve. Services offered include halotherapy, nutrition, detox, massage, reiki, salty (halotherapy) yoga, guided meditation, mindset coaching and wellness workshops. We also have a wellness retail shop where we offer professional supplements and high quality salt products. For more information visit ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA

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

SHAMANIC ENERGY HEALING EAGLE FLIGHT HEALING, LLC Hamden, CT 203-535-8849 Info@EagleFlightHealing.com EagleFlightHealing.com

Eagle Flight Healing provides transformative energy work using shamanic methods, the guidance of a client’s higher consciousness and unseen guides. Clients experience a new perspective of self in addition to feeling more vitality, happiness and joy See Profile on page 25.

SPIRITUAL COUNSELING REV. LAURI INGRAM

605 Washington Avenue North Haven, CT 203-435-5650 lauri@lauriingram.com LauriIngram.com As an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, I believe there is much to learn as we journey through life. It begins with openness, curiosity, and deep self-compassion. My commitment is to using my life skills, experience, and training to create safe and sacred space for self-discovery. See Profile on page 29.

UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME CRYSTAL & SOUND HEALING CRYSTAL MUSIC HEALING

Bradford Tilden, MM, CMT, UWT 860-830-5841 info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com My goal is to empower you to develop spiritually and professionally. I offer sessions and teach certification classes in Universal White Time (UWT), Lemurian Intuitive, Crystal, and Sound Healing, transformational voice coaching, and guided visualization. I use these techniques and more to help you toward authentic expression, empowerment, and transformation. You can purchase personally attuned crystals, gemstones and Alphay medicinal mushroom superfood products through me. My clients and students gain clarity and a renewed sense of purpose in working with me. See Profile on page 23.

2021 Natural Living Directory

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natural living directory WHOLE BODY WELLNESS CBD MASSAGE ELM CITY WELLNESS

774 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 493 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 475-238-7841 ElmCityWellness.com Elm City Wellness is an independent, womanowned wellness center with a focus on community healing. Services include a variety of skilled massage, CBD massage, community and private acupuncture, Reiki, craniosacral therapy and organic skin care, including signature, microderm and high frequency facials. Skilled therapists specifically tailor each and every session. Our wellness store features local products, candles, wellness supplies and books, smudge kits and a large range of third-party tested, pharmaceutical grade CBD products. See Profile on page 25.

WELLNESS CENTER THE RED BARN IN DURHAM NEW EARTH THERAPIES AND ART CENTER

352 Main Street, Durham, CT 860-559-6151 TheRedBarnInDurham.com Facebook: The Red Barn in Durham We are a collaborative of practitioners who have created a safe healing environment for holistic care, healing arts and creativity. We have licensed, insured and seasoned practitioners for many modalities of healing—body, mind, spirit and heart. Also located in our 10,000 square foot barn are The Borrowed Time Emporium and The Soul Shine Salt Cavern. The Art Center at The Red Barn will be offering more as the Covid guidelines allow. Check out our website and Facebook page for updated information.

YOGA & AYURVEDA BALANCE BY MELISSA

Melissa Pytlak Yoga Instructor Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor 203-305-5531 SeekLifeBalance@gmail.com BalanceByMelissa.com Melissa invites you to come home to yourself and awaken the healer within. Offering private and group instruction in yoga and Ayurveda, Melissa guides you to connect with your True Self and to trust that you already possess all the wisdom you need to heal yourself in order to return to your innate state of harmony and health. Melissa enjoys teaching group classes but particularly loves the magic that unfolds in helping people one on one. If you need a little guidance on your path of wellness, please reach out for a free 10-minute consultation

YOGA & WELLNESS INTUITIVE WISDOM AND WELLNESS Dina DiCrosta Yin Yoga Teacher Holistic Nutritionist & Wellness Coach 203-824-3369 Instagram: @holisticallydina

Dina’s mission is to bring awareness to the interconnectedness of the body, mind and spirit. Offering Yin Yoga, nutrition, and mindset work, Dina will guide you on your wellness journey, helping you become more aligned for optimal health and well-being.

ANSONIA NATURE CENTER 104 acres of wooded hills and grassy fields, miles of nature trails, streams, a two-acre pond, wet meadows, upland swamp, butterfly & hummingbird garden, woodland wildflower and fern garden, community gardening, childrens’ playscape, visitor center, animals & nature exhibits, classes and more!

(203) 736-1053 AnsoniaNatureCenter.org

LIFE FULL YOGA & PILATES

Kim Preveza 119 Samson Rock Drive, Madison, CT 203-350-3616 Kim@lifefullyoga.com LifeFullYoga.com Yoga, Pilates, Wellness Coaching, Online Courses, Virtual Studio. Helping you Live Life Fully so that you can feel more focused, energized, and grounded. Individual Yoga, Pilates and Wellness Coaching. Group Yoga & Pilates Classes. Wellness, Meditation, and Breathing Courses.

Promise me you’ll always remember — you’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. ~Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh

2021 Natural Living Directory

Herbal Medicine For Mental Health

by Erik Harris

ental health has become just as much of a primary focus as immunity during the global pandemic. Many have struggled to cope with being in isolation, having a loss of income, grief for loved ones, and so many other factors. It seems anxiety and depression are at an all-time high. It is unfortunate that there have been so many drug overdoses and suicides during this time as well. Therapists are working overtime to manage this mental health crisis. Is there something else that can be done to provide support for people who are struggling besides medication and therapy? For some, the answer may lie in Chinese medicine and particularly in Chinese herbs. In Chinese medicine, practitioners search for the root cause of an ailment. The root cause of anxiety and depression often lies in an imbalance of the liver and heart. It can start when a blockage of energy is caused that creates 40

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a liver qi stagnation. This liver qi stagnation over time can cause a liver blood deficiency, which leads to a heart blood deficiency. There is a term called Shen in Chinese medicine. It is a person’s spirit and it resides in the heart. The Shen also has a connection to the mind. When the Shen is disturbed, this is when issues of mental health can arise. Negative thoughts, inability to sleep, night terrors, melancholy and fatigue can be caused by not having enough qi and blood to support the Shen. This is one perspective in looking at mental health through the lens of Chinese medicine. There are other imbalances that may cause mental health issues, but this is a very common way that they occur. So what can be done to bring back balance? If there is an imbalance in a particular organ, a Chinese medicine practitioner may use a combination of qi gong, acupuncture or acupressure, Chinese herbs,

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moxibustion, cupping, auriculotherapy, and dietary changes to build back these deficiencies. First, they will do an assessment by asking questions, checking the patient’s tongue, and, if possible, checking their pulses. Pulse diagnosis is different in Chinese medicine than Western medicine. They check the yang organs (lung/large intestine, spleen/stomach) and kidney yang on the right wrist and then the yin organs (heart/small intestine, liver/ gallbladder) and kidney yin on the left wrist. Feeling where there may be excesses or deficiencies of these organ systems in conjunction with looking at the tongue (which shows a picture of what is going on in the body) can tell a practitioner which herbs to prescribe. A Chinese herbal formula is a combination of herbs that work synergistically to support the body to heal. Some common Chinese herbs used for mental health are Shishandra berry, red date seed,

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healing ways

In Chinese medicine, practitioners search for the root cause of an ailment. The root cause of anxiety and depression often lies in an imbalance of the liver and heart. biota seed, mother of pearl shell, amber resin, coptis root and reishi mushroom. These are just a few herbs that may be used in formulas that will have other herbs that may build blood and qi. There are also some incredible Western herbs that can benefit mental health. The most commonly known herbs are lavender, chamomile and St. John’s wort. They have a calming effect and can be really helpful with anxiety. If we look at these plants, they love the sun; they can help to bring light to those who use them. There are also herbs like lemon balm, stinging nettles, wild lettuce, mugwort and other

wild-foraged herbs that are loaded with phytochemical and compounds that will support the brain and nervous system. There are a variety of medicinal mushrooms that can be really effective besides reishi mushrooms. Lion’s mane mushroom, in particular, is a mushroom that can support the neurological system. It can open up neural pathways that can awaken areas of the brain that have been affected by anxiety or depression. There are so many ways that herbal medicine can support mental health. Chinese herbal medicine and herbalism as a whole have been a part of our human existence for thousands of years. There is so much that nature has to offer for healing humanity. Anyone can get started using this medicine just by going outside and connecting with a plant or tree. Oftentimes, this can be impactful in affecting someone’s mental health. If they can find a connection in nature, they can, in turn, find a connection in themselves that can gives them hope and lifts their spirits. This can be a way for their healing to begin. Erik Harris is the owner of Chi for Healing, located at 352 Main Street in Durham. He specializes in helping people suffering from chronic pain, chronic illness and autoimmune conditions. Connect at 860-593-8397 or ChiforHealing.com. See Practitioner Profile on page 21.

SKILLED MASSAGE ORGANIC FACIALS COMMUNIT Y ACUPUNC TURE PHARMACEUTICAL-GRADE CBD CBD MASSAGE

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2 Convenient Locations in Farmington and Glastonbury • ctthermography.com 2021 Natural Living Directory

Be Thy Mood Medicine by Drew Mulvey

ur emotions can dictate our food choices (and cravings), but what goes in our mouths can also have a profound effect on the former. Why is that? New evidence is starting to reveal that there is a large connection between the gut and the brain, also known as the “Gut-Brain Axis.” Food contains nutrients and compounds that can directly affect our mood, impulse control and cravings, particularly if we are deficient in them! Yet our mental state can impact how well these nutrients are assimilated. Stress, particularly psychological stress, sends a cascade of signals down our bodies to decrease stomach acid and increase adrenaline. This is better known as “fight or flight.” Stomach acid is needed for digestive enzymes to properly break down the food we eat into smaller molecules to be absorbed in the intestines and used by the body. Lack of that can 42

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cause deficiencies. Lowered stomach acid also changes the pH of the gut, potentially creating an imbalance of harmful microorganisms to beneficial ones. It’s a vicious cycle! One way to improve both mood and gut function is by increasing consumption of plant material in our diets. How can they help? Eating more plants in the diet has been touted in several traditions such as Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic. It is theorized that eating more of these foods can create more of a sense of well-being. Why is this? Direct contact with anything in nature is better known as grounding or earthing. Grounding/ earthing may be responsible for improving a sense of well-being and decreasing inflammation. Plants are also an excellent source of fiber and phytonutrients such as antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals important for our brain health and mental well-being.

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With these two concepts in mind, here are some ways to use the power of plants to help boost mood levels and improve gut health.

Mood Boosting Nutrients

Chemical compounds in our brain, known as neurotransmitters, are responsible for our emotions and creating a sense of well-being. Two particularly important ones for mood are serotonin and dopamine. The latter, when too high, can cause addictive behaviors, but when low can have a profound impact on our disposition. Therefore, it is important to take these factors into account when including specific plant material in our diets to enhance mood. Nutrients important for the production of these neurotransmitters are tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin; phenylalanine, the precursor to dopamine;

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Let Plants

Food contains nutrients and compounds that can directly affect our mood, impulse control and cravings, particularly if we are deficient in them! Yet our mental state can impact how well these nutrients are assimilated. and vitamin B6, a cofactor in the pathway to serotonin and melatonin production. Another important mineral is magnesium, as it has a calming effect on the nervous system. Magnesium is in any food that is green, as it is in the middle of the chlorophyll molecule. There are plenty of ways to enjoy more plant-based sources of each! Try including some of these foods each day to boost mood levels. Magnesium: Pumpkin seeds, organic green leafy vegetables, avocados, broccoli, asparagus, nuts (cashews, almonds), seeds, legumes, whole grains, chocolate, organic tofu, quinoa Tryptophan: Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, organic peanuts, organic tofu and whole soy Phenylalanine/Tyrosine oats, oregano oil, seaweed, almonds, chocolate, organic coffee, bananas, organic berries, apples, papaya, avocado B6: Organic sweet potatoes, organic potatoes, bananas, brown rice, organic peanuts, organic carrots, organic spinach, green peas, bananas, chickpeas, avocados

Gut Healthy Foods

Typically, eating more of a plant-based diet increases our intake of fiber, an important nutrient for the health of our gut. There are two forms of fiber: insoluble and soluble. The former helps with regularity by helping to push bulk along while the latter helps to decrease blood cholesterol and sugar levels. Fiber is found in foods such as beans, fruits, veggies, organic whole grains, nuts and seeds. One subset of soluble fiber that is particularly beneficial for gut function is prebiotic fiber, as it acts as a direct fuel source for probiotics in our gut, microorganisms, or “cultures,” responsible for proper digestive function, generation of important metabolites and 80% of our immune system. Including foods that contain these microorganisms, better known as probiotics, are important for repopulating these beneficial bacteria in our guts and crowding out harmful organisms.

Both prebiotics and probiotics work in tandem creating a symbiotic environment to keep the gut healthy. Here are some plant-based foods each can be found in. Probiotics: fermented foods (sauerkraut, non-dairy yogurt, kimchi, tofu, tempeh, kombucha, etc.) Prebiotics: bananas, asparagus, berries, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, organic apples, gluten-free oats, leeks, dark chocolate Need some ideas for incorporating both? Give these combinations a shot. Top non-dairy yogurt with bananas, top oats with non-dairy yogurt, make a tempeh stir-fry with leeks and asparagus, or have a treat with a decadent piece of chocolate paired with kombucha.

Food Energetics

Based on a system known as food energetics in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the preparation of the food can have a profound effect on our mood, particularly the qi. This is better known as our life force and warmth. Deficiency in qi can manifest as fatigue, weakness, physical and mental apathy, poor digestion, and coldness. Being undernourished spiritually and mentally can also contribute to an imbalance of our qi. Therefore, specific foods and plants can have a means of bringing this back into equilibrium. Foods that are “warming” thermally and nourishing are typically recommended to improve these parameters, particularly a sense of calm and warmth. These include grains such as wellcooked brown rice, oats, millet and spelt (unless celiac); starchy vegetables such as winter squash, organic carrot, rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, garbanzo beans, black beans, peas, organic sweet potato, yam and pumpkin; spices such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper; veggies such as onions, leeks and fennel; and small amounts of fruits and sweeteners such as molasses, organic cherries and dates. Foods should also be enjoyed sauteed, steamed, stewed or cooked in soups.

Chocolate

This one needed its own recognition. Why? Chocolate contains mood-enhancing compounds such as serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter) and phenylethylamine (a natural antidepressant). This can also be found in legumes such as peas and beans (chickpea brownies anyone?). Chocolate is also an excellent source of magnesium and can boost dopamine levels. For the health benefits, enjoy chocolate >70% cocoa. Feeling a little down? Grab a square of dark chocolate. Drew Mulvey is a Southbury-based certified dietitian/ nutritionist, board certified nutrition specialist, founder of Redeeming Life Nutrition, LLC and author of The No-Title Cookbook. Connect at Drew.Mulvey@RedeemingLifeNutrition. com or RedeemingLifeNutrition.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

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Jeff Tkach on Regenerative Healthcare by Patricia Trenchak

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

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How did your personal journey lead you to explore regenerative healthcare? In 2016, I experienced a tremendous health collapse in my own life. I went through six conventional medical doctors and $50,000 in medical bills. I had been a highperforming businessperson up until that point, and found myself on medical leave, bedridden and unable to work. I sought out a doctor who practiced something called functional medicine, which focuses on finding the root of whatever caused the breakdown in health. After numerous

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tests, it was discovered that I had chronic Lyme disease. The doctor explained that there was nothing he could prescribe that was going to instantly make me better. Through my work with him, I had to look at my body as a whole system and came to realize that food is medicine. Ultimately, alternative modalities like acupuncture and IV [intravenous] therapy, as well as food healed me.

What is regenerative healthcare? It is a system in which farming and healthcare work together focused on a prevention-based approach to human and environmental health. Instead of using toxic chemicals to farm, regenerative healthcare aims to prevent disease through an organic, plant-based, whole-foods diet. Regenerative healthcare begins on farms that work in harmony with nature. At Rodale Institute, we see ourselves as a human health organization, not an agricultural organization. We use agriculture as a tool to promote human health. Our goal is to build the first brick and mortar facility in the world, called the Regenerative Health Institute, that will connect medical doctors and farmers. The facility will be a 333acre certified organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, that will provide innovative research on the links between farming and human health. We’re going to be doing scientific research that demonstrates the

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

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How can we harness the power of regenerative organic farming to foster good health? The current mode of farming is systemically broken, and farmers need to move in a healthier direction. The science is showing that elements in pesticides and herbicides are known carcinogens that are wreaking havoc on our immune systems. They are ubiquitous in our air and drinking water. Farmers are no longer able to control where those chemicals land. They’re leaching into our groundwater, killing the life in the soil and causing major soil erosion. Ultimately, they’re causing imbalances in nature of mass proportion.

How can you convince people to adopt organic and consider food as medicine? We need to encourage people to get to know a farmer. There are incredible regenerative organic farmers in our own communities that oftentimes don’t have access to mainstream markets. During the pandemic, we saw a major increase in sales directly from farms to consumers. When the supply chains in the grocery stores broke down, we turned to farmers. That’s profound. As a result of the pandemic, 22 million new gardens were planted in the United States, according to the National Gardening Association. We need to keep that going. It’s very exciting to be a part of this movement as people around the world come to understand the importance of food as medicine. I truly believe that regenerative healthcare is the key to healing our planet. For more information, visit RodaleInstitute.org. Patricia Trenchak writes for KnoWEwell, a Regenerative Whole Health Community platform and a collaborative partner of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. See ad on inside front cover.

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

e all use models to help explain the world around us. For example, when a traffic light turns green, many of us reflexively hit the accelerator and go. We don’t check whether any cars are coming from the left or right, because our mental model assumes that cross traffic has stopped. Another example: At day’s end, we don’t worry when the sun goes down and it gets very cold, because we have a clear certainty that the sun will rise again tomorrow morning, providing light and warmth. Our mental models define our reality. We tend our gardens and farm fields 46

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

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pests, and provide significantly higher levels of nutritional value—are the inspiration for a new model for tending gardens and farm fields, one that focuses on the entire ecosystem that the plant grows in. And from these ideas arises a new garden model that makes use of a different set of tools and gardening practices. The old plant model that most gardeners followed for decades envisions a one-way flow of nutrients from the soil into the plant, with no biological interaction involved. In this model the soil isn’t given much importance—it’s just a matrix for root growth. Gardeners add nutrients to the soil in the form of fertilizer. Plants absorb those nutrients through their roots, and the plants produce a harvest. Gardeners also remove weeds that might rob the crop plants of the costly fertilizers so carefully applied, and they use sprays to kill pests and disease organisms that might attack the plants. A new model of plant growth is based on a two-way flow of nutrients between soil and plant and an understanding of a

A new model of plant growth is based on a two-way flow of nutrients between soil and plant and an understanding of a soil rich in biological interactions: the soil as the digestive system for plants. soil rich in biological interactions: the soil as the digestive system for plants. It is a model of symbiosis, recognizing that it is not possible to grow truly healthy plants unless all aspects of the model are in place—minerals in the correct proportions and in forms that the plants can access, appropriate water and sunshine, and a highly functioning soil biology with sufficient energy flow. In this new plant model, a soil that is rich in a form of organic matter called humus is central. Humus-rich soil provides an environment that will support and shelter a large and diverse biological community, and this is hugely important. Humus-rich soil provides many pore spaces to retain water and allow for good airflow. This gas transfer both in and out is essential because the soil is a living, breathing ecosystem. Humus, as well as clay, is capable of holding mineral ions. Increasing the amount of humus further increases the soil’s ability to store these important ions in sufficient quantity to support plant needs for the entire growing season. Plants can grow in nearly any soil condition, including sterile soil, but when the soil is poor, they cannot produce the complex compounds needed for optimal health. Nor will the plants be able to realize their genetic potential and propagate improved seeds year after year. A healthy and diverse soil biology extends the reach for minerals and water much farther than the plants’ root zones. The soil biology not only shares these important resources, but also processes them, providing them to plants as fully assembled complex compounds. According to Marschner’s Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, the fixing of nitrogen, the mobilization of phosphorus, the release of organic acids, and the reduction and oxidation of manganese are some of the actions of soil microorganisms that provide nutrients to plants. Because the plants do not have to expend energy making these compounds gifted by the soil biology, they can use that energy to make even higher-order compounds called secondary metabolites, which are needed for optimal health. Biological diversity establishes resilience and stability by the redundancy of organisms to complete tasks within the soil and also keeps single organisms (pathogens) in check. The two-way flow of nutrients between plant and soil has radical implications. It’s long been known that plants take up water and nutrients from the soil through the xylem pathway, a component of a plant’s internal nutrient transport system. But plants also transport sugars produced in their leaves both upward and downward through the phloem pathway, another component

of this transport system. Plants release as much as 25 percent of the sugars they produce via photosynthesis through their roots into the soil, thus feeding soil biology. In exchange, the biology provides needed nutrients and water to the plant through the xylem pathway. The soil biology is very adept at breaking down soil minerals into forms the plant can use, directly providing many compounds that the plant would otherwise have to produce itself. As the health of the plant increases and the percentage of sugar within the plant sap increases, insects and pathogens that might otherwise prey on the plants are unable to affect it. The plant is no longer a food source for insects, because the insects do not have the enzymes in their digestive system needed to break down these sugars. Pathogens are unable to penetrate the robust waxy cuticle and epidermis of the plant leaf and thus cannot infect it. With this new plant model as a guide, the gardener or farmer may participate with the natural cycles in the garden, working with nature by making and applying amendments that introduce minerals and a local, thriving soil biology. These amendments provide the spectrum of needed minerals in plant-available forms, and increase the paramagnetic nature of the soil to improve the flow of energy between plant and soil. Nigel Palmer has been a lifelong gardener in New England, relying on the amazing complexity of nature to inspire his gardening philosophy. He is the instructor and curriculum developer of the Sustainable, Regenerative Gardening program at The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition, and the author of The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments.

2021 Natural Living Directory

Healing Rooms

Making Room for Sustainable Self-Care

by Joan Law and Ariana Fine

reating a life you don’t want to run away from includes creating spaces within our homes for self-care. Focusing on areas such as the bedroom, kitchen and repurposed rooms can help us further our healing journey using feng shui principles. The practical, intuitive art is used to bring individuals and their environments into harmony. It works with the system of the five elements and the principle of chi, the vital energetic force present in all beings and things. Restful Energy in the Bedroom The bedroom is our space to rest and rejuvenate. Certain items can keep the energy circulating in the room when it should be a peaceful place. For instance, stacks of books by the bedside creates a sense of not having the time to read them all. Remove items from the bedroom such as mirrors, televisions, items under the bed, laundry, paperwork and electronics as much as possible. Even putting the cellphone on a bureau so that 48

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it is not easily accessible from the bed will help. Pictures of children should not be in the bedroom; it is not that we are not thinking of them, it is more the visual reminders that we worry about them, and the anxiety and stress that might cause. The bed placement is important. Try not to have it under or in front of a window as that symbolizes lacking support. Position the bed where the door can be seen so we can see who is entering. Another simple tip is opening and closing the curtains in the bedroom or living room. This ritual at the beginning and ending of the day can make a difference in our perception of the day’s progression. Making the bedrooms fit the people is another concept that can help familial energy. If, for instance, there are three boys sharing a bedroom when the parents are in the bigger room, it may make sense to rearrange the bedroom allocations. Use the house the way it works best for the whole family.

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What’s the Purpose? Rethinking How Rooms are Allocated Look at the home through feng shui “eyes” to reimagine spaces that may not be used frequently or optimally. Just because conventional thought say a room’s purpose is supposed to be one thing doesn’t mean it has to be. Live in a space that is comfortable and efficient for the family. A spare room that is “saved” for infrequent guests could be repurposed as a self-care space to bring peace, healing and rejuvenation to the people actually living in the home. Remember that we are trying to create the space for the activity we want more of, so don’t just fill it with “something.” Wait for the perfect item for the space. For parents that lament that their

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The Right Space to Cook at Home = Healthier Eating As we strive to be healthier, our kitchen can reflect our emotional clutter and health difficulties. The supplements and kitchen equipment we use for special diets can take up space. The cluttered counters then become a stressful, visual reminder for the family of the impact the diet may be having on family financials. Clearing out cabinets from infrequently used things, such as extra mugs, makes space to put away the constant dietary reminders and declutters the countertops. Other tips include ensuring plenty of room on the counters for food prepping. Keeps snacks behind closed doors; if we don’t see them, we are less likely to eat them so readily. “Having an organized, decluttered, kitchen with good flow and full of nutritious food makes eating so much easier and encourages healthier habits,” said Diana Pruzinsky Abata, CHC, AFMC (DianaPruzinsky.com). Hoarding food, which can support a feeling of not having enough and living fearfully, is an interesting topic as some people like to be prepared for the future with sufficient supplies. There is a difference between buying on sale where many items then go bad or expire before they are used and long-term, healthy storage of food.

Guest Bedroom Before

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Guest Bedroom After

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grown children or family never visit, take a look at their room or the guest room in which they would stay. Are the rooms treated as a storage or big closet room? Use that space with intention; is it an inviting room ready for guests? Many of us need to face the retention of “things” and the patterns of unwillingness to let them go. The physical action of releasing is part of a healing process to create pathways in the brain for other things that we need to release. Strengthening or loosening the “muscles” of letting go can change the way we look at life in general, whether it is about people, jobs or other life elements that are no longer serving a productive purpose for us. “A health concern prompted me to call a feng shui practitioner again. My home office was really out of control. I’d convinced myself ‘the clutter didn’t bother me.’ I needed to change my space to support a healthier lifestyle,” said Kara Flannery. “After we finished that office, I suddenly felt lighter. I realized how much energy it had taken me to ‘block out’ the clutter each day so I could focus on my work. I was spending several hours a day in a room that was just weighing me down and holding me back. Now, I work in a room that inspires me.”

with parents and grandparents. Those items take up space physically and energetically. It can help to work with family members on a list of what they really want to save and what is truly important to the parents and grandparents. Empty nesters may also need to think about whether they will sell and downsize; that requires sifting through what is more important. Getting comfortable with small, feng shui changes prepares them for making the bigger life changes coming. A house can be cluttered with things that aren’t relevant to the current life we are living, such as a retired nurse with scrubs or a lawyer with college textbooks. We may be saving the good china sets and party gear but no longer host formal parties. Or we may be a parent keeping so much of our kids’ artwork. Consider what we see as we enter the house. Are the entrances cluttered or stressful to look at? Do they feel welcoming when the family returns home? Do they reflect who the family is? Learning the lesson of buying with purpose and of donating that which we don’t need can help us change our behavior to be more intentional in how we design the healing spaces we live in.

All That Stuff! Many of us retain things because we don’t want to throw them out or we want to save them for others. This is especially apparent

Joan Law, a Stratford-based certified feng shui consultant and clutter clearing expert, owns Feng Shui Joan’s Way, which provides decluttering, downsizing and real estate staging. Connect at 203-260-7770 or FengShuiJoansWay.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

ON A ROLL

Foam Rollers Ease Pain and Workout Recovery

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by Marlaina Donato

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oam rolling— rolling parts of the body on top of a lightweight foam cylinder—targets trigger points or painful knots in muscles and is a valuable tool for reducing chronic pain and enhancing workout recovery. From sciatica to pelvic floor dysfunction, there is a foam roller for almost every condition, including low- to high-density, heated and textured types for massage-like benefits. Research during the past several years shows that using foam rollers before or after exercise quells fatigue, improves joint mobility, lowers risk of injury and eases muscle soreness. Its effectiveness is attributed to the activation of the central nervous system resulting in better circulation and reduced inflammation. “Foam rollers are used to relieve tension in the fascia (connective tissue), ‘roll’ out sore muscles and provide a soothing, self-controlled, soft-tissue massage,” says Amber Kivett, owner of Kivett Kinetic Solutions, in Monrovia, Indiana. “They can 50

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also be used for proprioception, balance, flexibility, core stability training and most importantly, natural pain relief.”

Freeing the Body Fascia, the body’s all-pervasive connective tissue, tightens like an invisible net from injury and other stresses and can adhere to the underlying muscles, creating pain and restriction. “Foam rolling has the power to change and realign the 12 fascial lines responsible for human movement and support,” says Kivett. “Those same fascial lines also sense and transmit pain and emotion far greater than any nerve or muscle and respond well to foam rolling. There’s an emotional and spiritual release in the body when fascia is compressed and released. That response facilitates a structural change to human alignment and an immediate change in pain levels for all types and causes of pain.” Foam rollers offer an opportunity for self-care, according to Los Angeles fitness trainer Ashley Borden. “Foam rolling is one of the best ways to troubleshoot your own body, keep it healthy and mobile. Us-

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ing an inexpensive tool like a foam roller not only feels good, but it also connects you to your body. Foam rolling the entire body encourages circulation and an immediate feeling of relief afterwards. My clients who don’t like to work out are usually surprised how good they feel post-rollout and feel encouraged to do more.” She cites research that shows that a dynamic warm-up, paired with the use of foam rollers before and after workouts, amplifies recovery and aids in the repair of muscular micro-tears. For Rafal Augustynowicz, founder of TeamRAF Fitness, in Kent, England, it’s about counteracting lifestyle stresses. “The foam roller is a beautiful and great tool, especially in the 21st century, when we sit too many hours. It is a great tool to get our mobility and our posture back to normal.”

Recovery, Joint Pain and Sciatica Gently rolling targeted muscles below and above specific joints can help to resolve certain types of pain, including in the knee. “Many times, when a person has pain in the knee, it’s more than likely they have

tight muscles elsewhere—calves, inner thighs, hip flexors or glutes—and the pain shows up in the knee,” says Augustynowicz. “Foam rolling and using a massage ball have saved me many times when I had a lot of problems with my back, neck, hip and a dislocated shoulder.” The practice can help ease sciatica, a sometimes-excruciating condition. “Most cases of sciatic pain are caused by tight muscles deep in the buttocks, including the piriformis muscle,” says Kivett. “The sciatic nerve travels through the piriformis, so if it’s tight, it will cause a sensation similar to that of sciatica nerve pain. A foam roller can be used along the back, throughout the buttocks and the legs to relieve tension, soften tissues and calm the nervous system for instant pain relief.” Kivett, who was introduced to foam rollers during intensive physical therapy after a life-altering accident, found them to be a way to recover from severe fibromyalgia pain. “My nerves were hypersensitive from the injuries, and I used foam rolling to reboot the ‘software’ in my brain, which allowed me to engage in recovering.” Foam rolling is an all-around boon, Borden highlights. “The immediate relief, the muscle definition, the decrease in cellulite, all of these are added benefits.” Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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MORE ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS what to know before a roll

Amber Kivett: Ideally, it’s best to perform foam rolling right after a light warm-up for five to 10 minutes to increase circulation to the muscles and decrease tension and stiffness. If there is extra time, do a quick three to five minutes of foam rolling after a workout, but preferably after you’ve done your cool-down or some walking. You don’t have to foam-roll the entire body post-workout; just do a quick “scan” of areas that are more sensitive or painful. For those with high levels of pain, fibromyalgia, MS, autoimmune conditions or an acute injury, I would recommend buying a low-density, soft, foam roller or [one] that vibrates, because soft and/or vibrating foam rollers are gentle to fragile areas. Ashley Borden: Foam rolling is a valuable tool for the senior population to improve overall body tightness and circulation. Assistance is needed if you have a hard time getting up and down. I would also suggest a non-slip yoga mat and using the softest foam roller first to gauge the pressure. If you feel like you have to hold your breath when you are foam rolling, the surface is too hard. Rafal Augustynowicz: Never use foam rollers on bones, joints, the spine or armpits; only on the muscle/flesh. Be informed to avoid arteries, etc. If it hurts too much, it’s probably not right. Watch tutorials or go to a professional.

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2021 Natural Living Directory

conscious eating

Indoor Edible Gardening Grow Veggies, Sprouts and Microgreens Year-Round by April Thompson

trellis for vining plants like cucumbers, wiring it up with screw eyes.

Mini-Greens, Major Nutrients Many health-conscious gardeners are drawn to sprouts and microgreens for their nutritional benefits, as they contain as much as 40 times the nutrients as their full-grown counterparts. Sprouts can easily be grown with or without soil, and are eaten before the first tiny cotyledon leaves emerge, whereas microgreens are harvested later, often just before or after the first true leaves, the second pair, pop up. “Sprouted greens grown at home are the freshest food you’ll ever eat. Being able to grow your own salads is also a lot of fun in the winter, to see the wonderful colors growing on your shelf,” says Peter Burke,

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here’s no need to wait until the last frost date to sow a kitchen garden. Impatient gardeners or those without outdoor space can grow almost anything indoors with a little light and creativity. “You can start many edible plants from seed on a sunny windowsill, even in late winter. You’ll be surprised how quickly everything germinates this time of year,” says Zia Allaway, the British author of Indoor Edible Garden: Creative Ways to Grow Herbs, Fruits, and Vegetables in Your Home. Herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are among the many foods that can be easily grown from seed indoors, according to Allaway. Many fruiting plants that are not self-pollinating, such as cucumbers, need a boost from hand pollination if growing them indoors. Allaway adds, “When growing any plants on a windowsill, rotate them periodically so they grow evenly, as they will turn toward the light.” While crops like garlic, beets and carrots won’t reach maturity indoors, they can still be grown inside for their tasty, nutritious leaves. To grow garlic shoots, for example, remove the papery outer case and submerge the flat end of a garlic bulb in a container of water, leaving the top exposed to air. Within a few weeks, garlicky-flavored shoots will sprout up that can be harvested and used like chives, advises Allaway. To maximize space, she suggests growing plants vertically, perhaps by hanging bushy herbs or trailing plants in a window basket. She has also used interior walls to erect a

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the Calais, Vermont, author of Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening: How to Grow Nutrient-Dense, Soil-Sprouted Greens in Less Than 10 Days. Burke’s tried and true method is to plant a small amount of seed every day from a mix of sunflower, peas, radish, buckwheat and brassicas like broccoli or kohlrabi, providing a steady supply of his family’s daily dose of greens. While some gardeners grow sprouts or microgreens directly on paper towels or coconut coir, Burke prefers using a storebought, germination soil mix, spread up to two inches deep in reusable trays, watered once a day and grown without artificial light. Many seeds commonly found in the home pantry can be turned into sprouts and shoots, says Lina Wallentinson, the Swedish author of Sprouts, Shoots and Microgreens: Tiny Plants to Grow and Eat in Your Kitchen. “Mustard seeds from the spice shelf, whole lentils in all colors, chickpeas and yellow peas can all be easily grown for sprouts and shoots without any special equipment,” she says. Seeds can be put into wide-mouthed jars, soaked overnight, and then drained and rinsed two to three times a day. Germination of seeds into sprouts, from mung beans to quinoa, can typically take less than 24 hours with this method. Sprouts and microgreens make great toppers for salads, soups, sandwiches or smoothies, and they can also be cooked. “Newly sprouted mung and lentil seeds with a short ‘tail’ are perfect to flash-fry and season with soy, chili and a little sesame oil as an alternative to rice or pasta,” says Wallentinson. “Sprouts are also nice to bake with. Like seeds and nuts, they give a good little chew in all kind of breads.” Whether growing sprouts, microgreens or full-sized plants, Allaway advises home gardeners to make drainage holes at the bottom of the containers to avoid overwatering. “It’s better to underwater than overwater a plant, because once it starts to rot, it’s game over. There is also research showing that a little stress from occasional underwatering can trigger the plant to produce more phytochemicals, which are nutritionally beneficial,” she says.

Tasty, Plant-Based Recipes Noodle Soup with Coconut, Sprouts and Shoots My colleague Sofia is a true pro when it comes to developing recipes. This soup is a favorite in our home. Simple to make, it’s warming thanks to just the right amount of bite from the chili. Yield: 4 servings 1 8¾ oz pack of noodles 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 carrot 2 tsp red curry paste Canola oil, for frying 1 13½ oz can coconut milk 1 tsp tomato purée 2 Tbsp fish sauce (or Japanese soy sauce) 1 vegetable stock cube 1 tsp sugar 1¼ cups water 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice 1 red bell pepper About 7 oz mung bean sprouts Pea and radish shoots, for garnish Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain off the water, and mix the noodles with the oil. Peel and thinly slice the carrot. In a saucepan, cook the curry paste and carrot in some oil for about 1 minute. Add in the coconut milk, tomato purée, fish sauce, stock cube, sugar and water, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the lime juice. Halve, seed and julienne the bell pepper; add it to the soup. Divide the noodles between the bowls, add the soup and sprinkle with sprouts and shoots.

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

Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

Green Smoothie Bowl Here’s a recipe that contains both sprouts and shoots. The buckwheat provides a little extra satiety. Top the bowl with some poppy seeds, grated coconut, nuts and berries. Yield: 2 bowls Approx. 1¼ cup mild, tender shoots such as broccoli, chia, pea or sunflower 2 frozen bananas 3½ oz frozen mango, diced 2 Tbsp buckwheat sprouts 6¾ oz mild plain yogurt (3 percent) or coconut or almond milk Hemp hearts, poppy seeds, grated coconut, nuts and frozen red and/or black currants, for topping Blend shoots, bananas, mango, sprouted buckwheat and yogurt until smooth using a countertop or immersion blender. Pour into bowls and top with hemp hearts, poppy seeds, nuts, coconut and berries.

Sprouted Hummus “Make hummus, not war!” Every Middle Eastern family has their own recipe for hummus. Naturally, there has to be a sprouted version of it, too. With a jar of hummus in the refrigerator, I can always cobble together some kind of dish for lunch or dinner. Yield: about 6.75 fluid oz (nearly 1 cup) 7 oz sprouted chickpeas (or yellow peas) 1 garlic clove 2 Tbsp tahini 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp sambal oelek ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp salt 4 Tbsp olive oil Put the sprouted peas in a small saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the peas for 10 minutes. Pour off the water. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix the peas in a food processor or with an immersion blender, along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, sambal oelek, cumin, salt and oil. Dilute with some water if the hummus seems too thick. Option: Turmeric adds a nice yellow color to hummus. But sample the hummus as you add it in—some enjoy the taste of turmeric, others less so. Start with ½ teaspoon per recipe. Recipes excerpted from Sprouts, Shoots & Microgreens: Tiny Plants to Grow and Eat in Your Home Kitchen, by Lina Wallentinson. Photography by Lennart Weibull.

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible. 54

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CANINE OBESITY When Doggies Need Diets by Julie Peterson

year ago, Leroy became exhausted lifting his furry head. Today, he has energy to run, chase and play, thanks to his owner helping the 11-year-old Shiba Inu lose 14 pounds. Leroy was adopted last May by Peter Nguyen, a facilities coordinator in Bellevue, Washington. Back then, Leroy weighed 56.4 pounds—twice the recommended weight. Nguyen found a holistic veterinarian to provide an integrative support plan to remove him from danger. Overweight dogs are at risk for joint problems, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and more. According to a 2018 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 55.8 percent of dogs (about 50 million) in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. The APOP also reports that most of the owners of these dogs don’t realize or are in denial about this important fact.

Determining Appropriate Weight “A dog that is a perfect weight, you can feel the ribs, but not see them. And you have an abdominal tuck when you look from the side. From above, right in front of the hips, you can see the waistline,” says Leroy’s veterinarian, Jackie Sehn, at Mercy Vet, in Mercer Island, Washington. She points out that the dog must be touched to feel the amount of fat, especially in long-coat breeds. This evaluation can be done at home using the online Body Condition Score chart at PetObesityPrevention.org. The American Kennel Club also has a weight chart for dozens of breeds that can help determine an initial goal weight, although ideal weight can vary among individual dogs.

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Doggy Diets

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Debbie Hensel, who fosters dogs, took in a morbidly obese 13-year-old Chocolate Labrador for the Mr. Mo Project, in Cary, North Carolina. Under her care, the pet went from 108 to 81 pounds within nine months. “Since Bruce was an older dog and overweight, the first thing we did was start him on a joint supplement with turmeric and a prescription diet food. In the beginning, I withheld some of his food and used it as treats throughout the day,” says Hensel. Every four to six weeks, Hensel decreased Bruce’s food intake. She also divided up portions to feed him four times per day to help him feel full. “Portion control is important,” agrees Nguyen. “Leroy has a habit of wanting to eat more. I think he

has a hard time knowing how much food he really needs.” But the problem isn’t just eating too much. Pet owners are often feeding the wrong foods. “It is the quality sometimes more than quantity. Health doesn’t come from processed food,” says Sehn, adding that most dry kibble is essentially overprocessed junk food that lacks nutrients and contains fillers. Fortunately, refrigerated and frozen dog food has made it easier to feed organic, fresh, nutritionally balanced, raw food which is based on a dog’s ancestral diet. Raw food is also available dehydrated. Treats, if included, should satisfy the chewing instinct without adding many calories. Sehn recommends dehydrated chicken or duck feet, tendons and healthy jerkies. “Switching to a raw diet helped with Leroy’s weight, but I had no idea it would have so many other benefits,” Nguyen says. “I noticed that his coat was getting a lot softer and he smelled a lot better.”

Ease into Exercise “Bruce sounded like an elephant falling when he laid down and he couldn’t stand for long,” says Hensel. Indeed, exercise can overburden the heart and joints of an obese dog. At first, Leroy and Bruce both had a hard time just getting up off the floor, so losing weight first was crucial. As the weight began to come off, they both became more engaged and stamina slowly increased. Hensel started by walking around in the backyard and letting Bruce follow. Their initial walks were to the end of the block. They would stop and rest before going back home. “As he lost weight and his strength improved, our walks got longer,” says Hensel. Weight loss must be a healthy process. “Breaking down excess fat takes time,” says Sehn, adding that losing too fast results in muscle loss. Patience and time are key. “I think Bruce just needed less food and someone that wanted to do things with him,” says Hensel, who has adopted Bruce as her “forever foster dog”.

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Julie Peterson writes about health and environmental issues. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com. 2021 Natural Living Directory

calendar of events

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17

Salty Yoga Flow with Traci Weber – 6pm-7pm. Come experience the magic of Halotherapy + Yoga. in our gorgeous Moroccan inspired Salt Room. Halotherapy detoxes the respiratory system, skin, and it relaxes the body. Come detox, move, breathe, and relax with us. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com.

Salty Stress Relief with Virginia – 6:30pm7:15pm. It’s time to take care of yourself and reconnect with your body and mind. Every day we experience a wide range of emotions, and meditation can help us manage them more effectively and maintain an optimal level of serenity and well-being. Give yourself the gift of slowing down with a guided salty meditation to release stress and find your calm. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

Circle of Women – 7pm-9pm. Join in sacred space (temporarily on Zoom) to release the lessons and blessings of Winter and call in Spring. Practice self-care and global compassion. Stay connected to self, spirit, others and earth rhythms as we navigate these times. $25. Call Susan to reserve space/get coordinates. 203-645-1230.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

Salty Sound Bath with Kelly Nicholson – 6:30pm7:45pm. Join us for an evening of pure rest and rejuvenation. There is nothing you have to do. This is about simply BEing. Leave your worries at the door and float to a state of grace on the vibrations of sound. A Salty Sound Bath is a group Sound Healing Session done in the beautiful sanctuary of the Moroccan Salt Room with the added benefit of halotherapy. Relax in one of our zero gravity chairs as you soak in the layers of sound. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

Mindfulness in Challenging Times – 9am11:15am. This is a live virtual program offered by Dr. Jerry Silbert. Experience a variety of mindfulness practices that can help us respond to challenges with wisdom and compassion. $25. Mercy by the Sea, 167 Neck Rd, Madison. For more information and to register, call 203-245-0401 or visit MercyBytheSea.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 5 Learning the Tools of Mindfulness – 12pm-1pm. (A 4-wk series, Fridays, beginning on March 5th). No CECs. This 4-week introduction to mindfulness is designed for mental health clinicians who want to learn the powerful tools of mindfulness to help their clients develop effective coping skills, Mindfulness can help to manage their fears, sadness, and anxiety during this global crisis. $20. CT Women’s Consortium, 2321 Whitney Avenue, Suite 401, Hamden. Register at WomensConsortium.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6 Free Essential Oil Class – 10am-11:30am. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. On Zoom. 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com. Salty Introduction to Tarot Card Reading with Julie – 2pm-3pm. Dive into the mysteries of the Tarot while activating your intuition in the healing salty air. The Tarot is a powerful tool that can give you the guidance you’re looking for. We’ll learn the basics of the tarot deck and talk about opening your own intuitive ability. We will have decks to purchase or borrow, or you can bring your own favorite deck. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. To register, visit ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

New Haven/Middlesex

FRIDAY, MARCH 19 Universal White Time Healing Level 1: March 19-21 – Fri, 6pm-9pm; Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Increase your healing abilities with this effective, groundbreaking energy-healing modality that is rapidly gaining recognition. UWT works with the forces of unconditional love, divine light, and all time as one unit. It is a healing that is targeting the problem through time and space. $450. Braulttree Wellness Center, Higganum. 860-830-5841. info@crystalmusichealing.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 20

CELC Middle School Virtual Open House – 10am-11am. Looking for a middle school where your child can thrive? Find out if CELC Middle School is right for your child. Safe, small classes, experientially-based personalized learning, transformative program, 5th-8th grade. Openings available for 2021-2022 academic year. Call now. RSVP: 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org.

Spring equinox healing meditation and holistic remedies discussion – 1pm-3pm. A discussion of holistic allergy remedies and a meditation focusing on renewal of body and mind as we head into the season of spring. $30. For more information, go to ChiForHealing.com.

Salty Sound Bath with Kelly Nicholson – 2:30pm3:45pm. Join us for an evening of pure rest and rejuvenation. There is nothing you have to do. This is about simply BEing. Leave your worries at the door and float to a state of grace on the vibrations of sound. A Salty Sound Bath is a group Sound Healing Session done in the beautiful sanctuary of the Moroccan Salt Room with the added benefit of halotherapy. Relax in one of our zero gravity chairs as you soak in the layers of sound. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

Free Essential Oil Class – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. On Zoom. 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com.

Sonic Alchemy – 7pm-8:30pm. This sound healing meditation concert combines Bradford Tilden’s inspiring piano music, crystal bowls and channeled vocal tones to create a powerful activating, and healing experience. $20. Avant Garde Holistic Center, Branford. RSVP Recommended. 203481-8443, AvantGardeCT13@yahoo.com AvantGardeCT.com. LIVESTREAM access for $4.99 at Facebook.com/CrystalMusicHealing.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14 Free Community Meals Presented by Master’s Community Meals: Dinner – 3:30pm-5pm. Drive up meal pickup only. No eating in hall allowed. If you walk up, must wear facemask and stay 6 feet apart in line. Please enter parking between church and school. Do not exit vehicle. No RSVP. Donations graciously accepted. Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. For more information, contact Masters Table Community Meals: 203-732-7792, MastersTableCT@gmail.com. MastersTableMeals.org.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24

Salty Sound Bath with Kelly Nicholson – 6:45pm8pm. Join us for an evening of pure rest and rejuvenation. There is nothing you have to do. This is about simply BEing. Leave your worries at the door and float to a state of grace on the vibrations of sound. A Salty Sound Bath is a group Sound Healing Session done in the beautiful sanctuary of the Moroccan Salt Room with the added benefit of halotherapy. Relax in one of our zero gravity chairs as you soak in the layers of sound. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25 Salty Yoga Nidra with Joann Dunsing, Hypnotist – 6:30pm-7:30pm. Come experience the dual benefits of yoga Nidra + Halotherapy in our zero gravity chairs as you relax and unwind in the gorgeous Moroccan Salt Room. Yoga Nidra also known as “yoga of the mind” will deeply relax you and give you the best sleep of your life while halotherapy also promotes relaxation and enhances the immune system. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

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Universal White Time Gemstone Healing 1 Certification

Physical Therapy

April 10-11 9am-6:30pm

UWTGH is unlike any other crystal healing education in the world. It is ground-breaking, and rapidly gaining recognition as a tool for spiritual awakening. Learn to heal yourself, others, animals and the environment with this rare and ancient knowledge. All levels of experience are welcome. Braulttree Wellness Center Higganum, CT $350. Contact Bradford 860-830-5841

for

Post COVID-19 Symptoms If you have had COVID-19 and are experiencing lingering symptoms, they may be partially due to biomechanical dysfunction of the rib cage. Excessive coughing can lock up the rib cage, which can then prevent the rib cage from fully expanding and allowing a full breath. Likewise, some of the neck muscles attach on the upper ribs. If these muscle attachments are immobile, you may experience neck pain.

Take advantage of our complimentary screenings to assess if this might be happening to you.

Call 203-315-7727

to schedule a complimentary 10-minute in-person or telephone screening with Physical Therapist, Phyllis Quinn. Physical Therapy Services of Guilford 500 East Main St, Suite 310, Branford, CT

PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com

info@crystalmusichealing.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 Salty Crystal Basics with Clair – 2pm-3pm. Are you curious about the healing properties and uses of crystals? Come experience Halotherapy in the Moroccan Salt Room and learn the basics of how these beauties from the Earth can support you on various levels, in every aspect of your life. Lesson #1, salt is a metaphysical cleanser! Get your energy scrubbed squeaky clean and leave with a crystal to start your journey. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 28 Spring Qi Gong essence meditation with Erik Harris and John Odlum – 11am-12:30pm. Connect with the energy of the plants and trees using medicinal aromatherapy. Start with a meditative qigong practice then move into a guided meditation using sound healing. $30. For more information, go to ChiForHealing.com.

GREEN IS SEEN when you advertise with us.

203-988-1808 Free Community Meals Presented by Master’s Community Meals: Dinner – 3:30pm-5pm. Drive up meal pickup only. No eating in hall allowed. If you walk up, must wear facemask and stay 6 feet apart in line. Please enter parking between church and school. Do not exit vehicle. No RSVP. Donations graciously accepted. Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. For more information, contact Masters Table Community Meals: 203-732-7792, MastersTableCT@gmail.com. MastersTableMeals.org. Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8pm. Align w/new energies of this months Full Moon. Opportunities for letting go of the old and allowing spiritual energies to reach human hearts and minds. $25. On Zoom. 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com.

2021 Natural Living Directory

ongoingevents

wednesday

monday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special March Offers – Private Salt Room for up to 4 people $79+tax. 4 Salt Room sessions for $79 (SAVE $61). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Holistic products available for curbside pickup – Salty gift baskets, salt lamps, natural body products, sage, crystals and journals. Pick up at Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2020-21. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org.

tuesday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special March Offers – Private Salt Room for up to 4 people $79+tax. 4 Salt Room sessions for $79 (SAVE $61). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Holistic products available for curbside pickup – Salty gift baskets, salt lamps, natural body products, sage, crystals and journals. Pick up at Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2020-21. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org. Weekly Qi Gong class – 6pm-7pm.Qi gong translates to the practice of moving energy. Qi gong focuses on breath and movement to open up the energy flow in the body. There will be brief meditation integrating breathe-work with a combination of chanting, singing bowls, and aromatherapy, and an inspirational reading at the end of each class. $15. For more information, go to ChiForHealing.com.

New Haven/Middlesex

Wellness Wednesday at Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness – Enjoy a Moroccan Salt Room Session or Infrared Sauna Session for ONLY $20 + tax. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special March Offers – Private Salt Room for up to 4 people $79+tax. 4 Salt Room sessions for $79 (SAVE $61). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Holistic products available for curbside pickup – Salty gift baskets, salt lamps, natural body products, sage, crystals and journals. Pick up at Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2020-21. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org. Weekly Qi Gong class – 9:30am-10:30am. Qi gong translates to the practice of moving energy. Qi gong focuses on breath and movement to open up the energy flow in the body. There will be brief meditation integrating breathe-work with a combination of chanting, singing bowls, and aromatherapy, and an inspirational reading at the end of each class. $15. For more information, go to ChiForHealing.com. Open Healing Arts Exchange – 6pm-8pm. (Every 2nd Wednesday of the Month). Gather and experience each other’s unique healing modalities. While featuring White Time Energy and Gemstone healing, we welcome all practitioners and anyone interested in giving and receiving a healing and/ or curious about the healing arts. $20. Braulttree Wellness Center, Higganum, CT. 860-344-9573. IntuitivePetCareLLC.com.

thursday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special March Offers – Private Salt Room for up to 4 people $79+tax. 4 Salt Room sessions for $79 (SAVE $61). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Holistic products available for curbside pickup – Salty gift baskets, salt lamps, natural body products, sage, crystals and journals. Pick up at Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

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Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2020-21. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org. The Caring Network: Free virtual support group through Microsoft Teams for adults who have lost a loved one – 6pm. (March 4th & March 18th). Bridges Healthcare, 949 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford. Information about grief and loss; facilitated open discussion. Adults do not need to register. The group is facilitated by a Bridges counselor and is sponsored by Bridges Healthcare and Cody-White Funeral Home. For more information, please email brtorres@bridgesmilford.org or call the Group Facilitator, Brooke Torres M.Ed., at 203-878-6365 ext. 480. Tong Ren Distance Healing Class – 7pm-8pm. Tong Ren Therapy is based on the power of our mind creating energy for healing. Using the hammer technique, we hit points on an acupuncture doll to focus the energy on a person. During the Tong ren class people will sit and receive energy. 3 things will be tapped on for each person. Group energy healing will be received and we will send distance healing also. This class also utilizes meditation, sound healing, and inspirational readings. $10. For more information, go to ChiForHealing.com.

friday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special March Offers – Private Salt Room for up to 4 people $79+tax. 4 Salt Room sessions for $79 (SAVE $61). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Holistic products available for curbside pickup – Salty gift baskets, salt lamps, natural body products, sage, crystals and journals. Pick up at Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle School Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2020-21. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org.

2021 Natural Living Directory

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ALS SUPPORT THE ALS ASSOCIATION CONNECTICUT CHAPTER – Leading the fight to treat and cure ALS through research & advocacy while empowering people w/Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives w/compassionate care & support. 4 Oxford Road, Unit D4. Milford. 203-874-5050. WebCT.alsa.org.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S CONSORTIUM – Aim: ensure the behavioral health system responds to the needs of women & the people & organizations that affect them. Eliminate discrimination/promote excellence in care for women through educ., training, advocacy & policy dev. 203-909-6888, WomensConsortium.org.

DECLUTTER YOUR HOME DECLUTTER YOUR HOME – Go from overwhelm and stress (because your home is a mess) to calm and joyful! Learn the tools to create an organized, decluttered home. Joan Gilbert of Well Loved Space invites you to request your “Clutter To Calm” Strategy Session. Email: joansusan.star@gmail.com. You deserve a home you love.

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GREEN HOUSES FOR SALE NOW HOUSES FOR SALE NOW! – Unique, friendly, cohousing community. New energy-efficient, green homes in a neighborhood with an organic farm. RockyCorner.org: Where conservation and community come together!

LYME DISEASE CT LYME RIDERS, INC. – Founded in 2007 by motorcyclists Sandy Brule & Tony Gargano. A 501(c)(3) non profit public charity aiming to bring awareness to the public about Lyme Disease. Events & info. 860-537-0255, ctlymeriders.com.

MEDICAL/INTUITIVE HYPNOTIST HYPNOSIS THERAPY CENTER – There is a meaning behind every ailment and condition people have. It's your body speaking to you. If you are tired of being sick and are ready to help yourself heal, then consider having a Discovery Session so you can learn the cause and 'cure.' Madison. 203-245-6927.

NATURAL AWAKENINGS NEW HAVEN FOR SALE TURN YOUR PASSION INTO A BUSINESS – Are you ready for a meaningful and creative career that connects you to the community while you work from the comfort of home? If you are passionate about healthy living and enjoy inspiring others to make choices that benefit themselves and the world around them, consider becoming a Natural Awakenings publisher. The New Haven and Middlesex counties edition of Natural Awakenings is for sale! This is a meaningful home-based business opportunity. No previous publishing experience is required. Extensive training and ongoing support is provided. Learn more today! Call: 203-988-1808 or email: Gail@naturalnewhaven.com..

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION – Mission: “To Ease the Burden, To Find A Cure” for those w/Parkinson’s Disease and their caregivers in CT. Education, support and socialization. 860-248-9200, ctapda.org.

RENTALS GROUND FLOOR OPPORTUNITY AT NEW HOLISTIC CLINIC IN CENTRAL CT – Opening April 2021, Willowbrook Health Center will be a multidisciplinary clinic in Cromwell with 5 offices to sublet for wellness professionals (LMT, LAc, DC, RDs). Accessible high-traffic location with utilities, advertising & perks included in rent. More at drsarand.com, call Dr. Frawley at 203-293-7293 or drsarafrawleynd@gmail.com.

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Climate Change Health Impacts Plus: Healthy Home

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2021 Natural Living Directory

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Natural Awakenings New Haven & Middlesex CT MARCH 2021

Articles inside

DOWN TO EARTH

HEALING ROOMS

JEFF TKACH ON

LET PLANTS BE

A NEW GARDEN MODEL

HERBAL MEDICINE

HEALING FROM GRIEF