Natural Awakenings New Haven & Middlesex CT JAN 2021 by Natural Awakenings New Haven

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HEALTHY

LIVING

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SPECIAL EDITION

HEALTH & WELLNESS LOSE WEIGHT

AND GAIN HEALTH IN 2021

SIMPLE WAYS TO

BLESS A HOME

TIPS FOR MANAGING

ECO-ANXIETY

EAT RIGHT FOR

HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS January 2021 | New Haven-Middlesex | NaturalNewHaven.com January 2021

2021 Resource Directory

Be Found

Year-Round

Our Natural Living Resource Directory is coming in March! It will be referred to by readers throughout the year... Now more than ever, our community needs to know about your healthy and sustainable products that can be offered remotely, picked up, delivered or ordered online.

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The 2021 Natural Living Resource Directory will be the centerpiece of our March issue, reaching more than 50,000 health-conscious consumers in print and online. For details and early bird discount, go to: NaturalNewHaven.com /annual-resource-d irectory

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January 2021

letterfrompublisher Happy 2021 my wonderful readers! I hope you all remained healthy and safe during the holiday season that was certainly like no other.

PUBLISHER Gail Heard EDITOR Ariana Rawls DESIGN & PRODUCTION Gail Heard CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ariana Rawls SALES & MARKETING Gail Heard DISTRIBUTOR Man In Motion, LLC WEBSITE Chik Shank

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© 2021 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

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NEW HAVEN/ MIDDLESEX EDITION

Our New Year editorial theme is Health and Wellness—Never in our lifetime has there been so much intense global focus on the issue of health. Good health begins with a willingness to take personal responsibility for our own wellness—and, as we learned the hard way in 2020, public responsibility for our safety and the safety of others. As you will read in this month’s feature article, hospital care in the US is now expanding from the traditional Western medical model (primarily pharmacological and invasive procedures) to a more integrative approach, incorporating less intrusive, complementary therapies, such as mindfulness techniques, acupuncture and energy medicine. Less than 20 years ago when I was working as a critical care educator in a large medical center, I recall energy medicine being referred to by some of my colleagues as “witchcraft.” While initially met with resistance, more hospital nurses and physicians are now integrating energy healing modalities, such as Reiki into the patient’s plan of care. When I was new to this magazine, I was a tad skeptical about Reiki until I received my first 10-minute Reiki treatment. Before the treatment I was recovering from a bad chest cold and feeling very run down and stressed. Immediately after the treatment, I had more energy, felt lighter and my emotional well-being was significantly improved. Learn more about the benefits of Reiki in “Increase Resilience with Reiki,” written by local Reiki practitioners Eileen Anderson and Mary Kay Porter (see page 15). The most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. Nutrition experts: David Katz, MD, founder of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center and the nonprofit True Health Initiative; Jill Weisenberger, Registered Dietician/Nutritionist, and Lisa Mallonee, Registered Dietician, have provided healthy eating guidelines to help you achieve your optimal weight and boost your well-being in this month’s Conscious Eating feature. The pandemic has left millions of Americans financially challenged—to say the least! Check out some helpful tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle on a tight budget in our Healing Ways department. After careful consideration we have decided to publish our 2021 Natural Living Resource Directory in March, instead of in February. In response to the recent spike in COVID cases, which could continue to rise further during the month of January and into February, (in the aftermath of the holiday season) health officials will encourage people to stay at home more and avoid crowded public venues. It is our hope and intention that we will begin to break the back of this pandemic by spring and be able to breathe more easily again … literally. We will print the same quantity of directories as usual and plan to circulate them over a 2-month period (March and April). We will keep the directories on the stands until every one of them has been taken. Our directory will also be published online. We strongly encourage all holistic and sustainable businesses to participate in this special issue, which readers will keep as a year-round reference. Now, more than ever, our community wants and needs to know about your healthy and sustainable services and products—especially those that can be offered remotely, delivered, picked up or ordered online. For more details and to participate, see pages 2 and 3. May this New Year be a time of healing for all of us as we look forward to a brighter future. The sun will come out again—It always does.

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

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

Contents 13 CLIMATE ANXIETY

Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes

14 HOUSE BLESSINGS

for Clearing and Protecting Spaces

15 INCREASE RESILIENCE with Reiki

16 INTEGRATIVE HOSPITAL CARE

Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities

19 TERRY WAHLS on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions

20 LOSE WEIGHT

WITHOUT DIETING

How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best

22 FRUGAL WELLNESS

Healthy Living on a Tight Budget

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. 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.

24 STAYING FIT IN 2021

Workout Trends Bend to the Times

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 12 global briefs 13 green living 14 inspiration 19 wise words 20 conscious

22 healing ways 24 fit body 26 calendar 28 classifieds 29 resource guide

eating

January 2021

Eagle Flight Healing Debuts New Spirit Flight Sessions

athy Stubbs, RN, a shaman, certified light body healer and Reiki master, has introduced a new shamanic energy work process that is offered through her Eagle Flight Healing business. Called spirit flight, it involves working with the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s higher consciousness and soul. It is a 15-minute experience in which Stubbs releases low-vibration emotions from the physical body while the higher self and soul Cathy Stubbs work with the light body to raise its energy of vibration to a new resonance. Clients report feeling lighter, renewed and released from heaviness; some report having a resolution of physical pain. Stubbs has been utilizing spirit flight for four years and recently introduced it to the public via her website. It is offered for $50 per session. If a series of sessions of spirit flight is chosen, the price is adjusted to offer a discount. All of the energy work offered through Eagle Flight Healing is done remotely via a cell phone. For more information, call 203-535-8849, email EagleFlightHealing@gmail.com or visit EagleFlightHealing.com.

Support Program for Socially Isolated Seniors During Pandemic

n order to stay safe during the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, seniors have been advised to stay at home. It is also important that the elderly be protected from health conditions associated with social isolation, such as decreased mobility and function, and higher risk for falls and injury. Physical Therapy Services of Guilford has implemented a support program to help seniors stay active, engaged, function independently and safely at home. Seniors will be partnered with

one another via phone calls and support each other to be more active. Weekly activities and suggestions will be provided by a physical therapist on YouTube or Facebook. For more information and to join the program, call Phyllis Quinn, physical therapist and owner of Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, at 203-315-7727. For more information, call 203-315-7727 or visit PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com. Physical Therapy Services of Guilford is located at 500 East Main St., Ste. 310, Branford, CT. See ad on page 21.

Relax, Revive and Heal with Reiki Classes

ileen Anderson, a CCRN alumnus and Reiki master, will be offering Reiki Level 1 and 2 classes at two Connecticut locations starting in January 2021. Reiki is a healing practice originating in Japan. It restores balance to the body physically and emotionally, thereby promoting rest, relaxation and stress reduction. Reiki Level 1 classes will be held at The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center (Buttonwood.org) in Middletown on January 24 and 31 from 1-6 p.m. This course will be repeated monthly at The Buttonwood by Eileen Anderson arrangement. Reiki 1 will also be taught at Wallingford Adult Education (WallingfordAdultEd.org) from 6:30-9 p.m. on March 16, 23 and 30, and April 6. For Reiki Level 1 (beginning level), students will learn Reikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits, uses, history, precepts, and protocols for hand placements for giving treatments to others and yourself. Reiki 1 is the foundation for Reiki practice and self-care. A student will receive a certificate to practice Reiki 1 (must attend all sessions). of the course. Reiki Level 2 is offered for Reiki 1 practitioners who want to deepen their practice. Classes will be held at The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center by arrangement and at Wallingford Adult Education on March 2 and 9 from 6-9 p.m. Students will learn how to use Usui symbols and to send distant Reiki. You must be a Reiki 1 practitioner with three months of practice (on self or others). You will receive a certificate to practice Reiki 2. CDC protocol will be followed with small classes in both locations. Anderson retired in 2017 after 32 years as a critical care nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital. Since 1999, she has been giving Reiki treatments to patients, families and staff until her retirement. She offers private treatments at Orange Chiropractic Center and Wallingford Senior Center, and also gives virtual community presentations on Reiki. For more information, call 203-314-5401, email eilande@comcast.net or visit ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com.

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Hypnosis and EFT Services Offered Remotely

n response to the challenging times we are facing, Hypnosis & EFT in Connecticut is expanding its offerings to make Emotion Code, EFT tapping and hypnosis more accessible to the local community and beyond. Services have now successfully been transitioned for all modalities to be available remotely by phone, FaceTime, Skype and Zoom. To facilitate individual circumstances, scheduling is flexible, and prices are reduced for Therese Baumgart the next few months. There is now more wide acceptance of working remotely by new and ongoing clients, says Therese Baumgart, Emotion Code practitioner, certified hypnotist and EFT tapping coach. Some clients prefer phone and computer sessions, and benefit from the convenience and safety of remaining in their own familiar environments. Another advantage of remote sessions is that without in-person distractions, concentration is heightened; methods can be even more powerful and effective than in person. For more information, call 203-710-7438, email Therese@HypnosisandEFTCT.com or visit HypnosisandEFTCT.com.

Common Ground High School to Hold Open House

n January 23 from 10 a.m. to noon, Common Ground High School, Urban Farm, and Environmental Education Center, located in New Haven, Connecticut, will hold an in-person open house for prospective students.

The unique, college-preparatory high school has an environmental justice mission. Students from New Haven and all Connecticut communities are eligible for enrollment at Common Ground. In addition to school buildings, Common Ground’s 20-acre campus includes an environmental learning center and demonstration farm at the city’s edge. Contact Sharyn Lopez at 203-389-4333 ext. 1206 or Sharyn.Lopez@CommonGroundCT.org to RSVP for an open house, arrange a shadow opportunity or ask questions. Common Ground High School is located at 358 Springside Ave., New Haven, CT.

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Better Understanding Food Allergies with Holistic Moms Network

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n January 19 at 7:30 p.m., join the New Haven County chapter of Holistic Moms Network virtually on Zoom as holistic health coach Gabrielle Sellari offers insights and experiences about food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities for your own health and that of your children. Sellari will provide tips to help people manage their allergies and how to keep the community safer. She will clarify common myths and provide an understanding of food allergy labeling regulations. This is a program for the community to learn whether or not food allergies personally impact you.

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A holistic health coach and mother to a child with severe food allergies, Sellari (Instagram.com/gmab89) has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, elementary education and special education; a master’s degree in special education, specializing in severe emotional disturbances; and a sixth-year degree in school adminis11:09 AMtration. She has worked in a teaching capacity for over 15 years educating children, adults and families. Currently, she focuses on advocacy and educating the community about food allergies and keeping kids safe. For individual and group sessions, Sellari specializes in the areas of understanding and navigating food allergies and children’s behavior, healthy living, personal accountability and health coaching. The mission of Holistic Moms Network, a nonprofit support and discussion network, is to connect parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. It welcomes people wherever they are on their own holistic path in an environment that does not judge. The monthly meetings, open to the public, are the third Tuesday of each month. Children are welcome (quiet area set up in back of the meeting room with a babysitter); the YMCA also has a free child watch room for those attending our meeting. For more information, visit HolisticMoms.org or Facebook.com/ HMNNewHaven. RSVP for the event on the Events page on Facebook.com/HMNNewHaven.

Celebrate what you want to see more of. ~Tom Peters

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Holistic Community Professionals Our professional team of holistic and natural businesses provides community outreach and education. We are committed to improving the health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit in the communities we serve. Visit our Site: HolisticCommunityProfessionals.org

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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

Intuitive Counselor & Healer Gayle Franceschetti, MEd, CHt Hypnotherapy, Meditations Reiki/Energy sessions, Essential Oils Group Past Life Regression Individual Past Life Regression Workshops, Spiritual Power Journeys, Private mentoring & counseling Return2love3@gmail.com Return2Love.com 203-265-2927

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

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A downside of the rising number of caesarean (C-section) births is that it deprives babies of contact with bacteria from the mother’s gut microbiome, which impoverishes the baby’s own microbiome and raises the risk of allergies and obesity later in life, as studies show. Previously, researchers swabbed C-section babies’ mouths with vaginal bacteria, but it had no effect. In fact, the valuable gut bacteria are released in the mother’s fecal matter during the messy process of birth. In a pilot study, doctors from the University of Helsinki tested 17 mothers that were about to need C-sections and chose seven that had fecal matter free of pathogens and antibiotics. After the babies were born, doctors used a syringe to feed the infants a tiny amount of the previously harvested fecal matter mixed with breast milk. The babies had no negative responses. Within three weeks, those babies’ gut flora came to resemble more strongly the gut flora of babies born vaginally than that of those born through C-sections.

Vitamin D Important for Reducing Risk of Preeclampsia Something as simple as a mother’s vitamin D level can have a future impact on her children, a study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows. Researchers examined 20 years of health data from 754 Boston-area mothers and their children and found that preeclampsia—abnormally high blood pressure during pregnancy— was linked to a higher systolic blood pressure in the children during their early and teen years. However, the effect was minimized or even eliminated among children exposed to higher levels of vitamin D in the womb, as measured by blood levels in the umbilical cord. 10

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Fluoride is added to public water supplies to reduce tooth decay, but its effects on health are contentious enough that only 38 percent of Canadian and 3 percent of European public water supplies are fluoridated, compared to 74 percent in America. Its effects on neurodevelopment in children are a particular concern: a meta-analysis correlated high levels of fluoride in water with a sevenpoint drop in children’s IQ scores. Two new studies have linked fluoride exposure to ADHD and other behavioral issues in children. Canadian researchers that collected urine samples and tap water information on 1,877 children between ages 6 and 17 found those that lived in areas with fluoridated water had 2.8 times the incidences of ADHD diagnoses, as well as increased symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention. The effect was most pronounced in teenagers, suggesting a cumulative effect over time, wrote the authors in the journal Environment International. In a Chinese study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 325 children between ages 7 and 13 were studied, and higher levels of fluoride exposure were correlated with rises in behavioral issues, especially psychosomatic symptoms. Storyblocks.com

Fecal Transplant Helps Caesarean Babies

Avoid Fluoride to Lower Risk of Behavioral Issues in Children

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health briefs

Try Ashwagandha for Anxiety

Feeling stuck or hopeless? Sometimes you don't know where to begin!

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In just the first month of the 2020 pandemic, the use of antianxiety medications increased by 34 percent among Americans, according to pharmaceutical surveys. Because select serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in particular tend to lose their effectiveness over time, some sufferers may take heart in a new study in Current Clinical Pharmacology. Iranian researchers gave one gram of ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) each day for six weeks to 22 patients with generalized anxiety disorder and a placebo to a second group of 18. People in both groups were also put on SSRIs. Anxiety scores for the ashwagandha group improved by week two and kept improving during the study, significantly outperforming the scores of the control group. The extract was considered safe and free of side effects.

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Schisandra chinensis, an ornamental, woody vine with pink leaves and bright red berries, has long been used as an adaptogen in China and Russia to lower stress, improve immunity and enhance energy. Korean researchers in a new study in Phytochemical Reviews report it may also be a boon for aging muscles. They tested 45 post-menopausal women that were given 1,000 milligrams of Schisandra chinensis or a placebo for 12 weeks. Compared to the control group, the Schisandra group had significantly increased quadriceps muscle strength and lower lactate levels, indicating greater endurance.

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Try Ginger Extract for Hay Fever For people suffering from the miseries of allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, ginger extract can be just as effective as the popular pharmaceutical product loratadine (Claritin), concludes a study from Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thammasat University. Eighty hay fever patients were given either 500 milligrams of ginger extract or loratadine. After three and six weeks, the ginger groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s improvements in nasal symptoms and quality of life matched those of the loratadine group, but those taking ginger had fewer side effects such as drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness and constipation.

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Microscopic Compass

global briefs

Bacteria Powers Animal Magnetic Sense

Generosity Fosters Increased Longevity

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A new study published in the journal PNAS suggests that people that share more live longer because the act of giving and receiving increases well-being. The recipient benefits directly from the gift, while the giver benefits indirectly through emotional satisfaction. Co-authors Fanny Kluge and Tobias Vogt found a strong relationship between a society’s generosity and the average life expectancy of its members. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, in Rostock, Germany, conclude that people are living longer in societies where members support each other with resources. Residents of African countries such as Senegal and South Africa share the lowest percentage of their lifetime income and have the highest mortality rate of the countries studied. Western European countries and Japan transfer more to the youngest and oldest, and their mortality rates are lower. Kluge notes that the relationship between generosity and lifetime income doesn’t depend on whether the benefits come from the state or from the wider community.

A new paper in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B may explain why some animals, including birds, fish and lobsters, are able to sense the Earth’s magnetic fields. It allows sea turtles to return to the beach where they were born. Researchers hypothesize that this ability comes from a symbiotic relationship with magnetotactic bacteria that are influenced by magnetic fields, including the Earth’s. In support of this theory, Robert Fitak, assistant professor at the University of Central Florida Department of Biology and co-author of the paper, drew from one of the largest genetic databases of its kind, the Metagenomic Rapid Annotations using Subsystems Technology, to identify the presence of these magnetotactic bacteria in animal samples. The researchers are working to develop a genetic test to help with further study. They have not yet identified exactly where the bacteria live in the animals, although they theorize that it could be associated with nervous tissue like the eye or brain. Learning how organisms interact with magnetic fields could facilitate our use of them for navigation, while also understanding how human modifications of magnetism—such as constructing power lines—might be affecting biodiversity. This knowledge may also help develop therapeutic drug delivery systems. petrovich12/AdobeStock.com

Grateful Giving

Surf’s Up

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Some Beaches Can Survive Rising Sea Levels

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An international team of coastal scientists from the United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. has disproved the theory that half the world’s beaches will become extinct over the course of the 21st century (see Tinyurl.com/SandyCoastlinesUnderThreat) in a paper published in Nature Climate Change. The team re-examined the data and methodology underpinning the original study and published their rebuttal in the same journal, after concluding that it is impossible to make such global and wide-reaching predictions with the data and numerical methods available today. The new report sees potential for beaches to migrate landward as sea level rises and shorelines retreat. Beaches backed by hard coastal cliffs and structures such as seawalls are likely to experience “coastal squeeze”, resulting in decreased width, and eventually be submerged because they are unable to migrate, but those with space to move inland will retain their overall shape and form. As such, removal of coastline structures or beach nourishment may be the only methods to safeguard at-risk beaches.

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CLIMATE ANXIETY Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes

by Sandra Yeyati

ollowing a record-breaking hurricane season, out-of-control wildfires and a deadly prolonged pandemic, many of us are anxious and fearful, prompted by the growing realization of being in a state of environmental insecurity. These inklings of impending doom are nothing new for members of the youth climate movement—kids in their teens or younger—succumbing to hopelessness, anger and rage as they learn the science and watch leaders do nothing to address it. Hardest hit are “marginalized communities, including indigenous people, climate refugees, farmers struggling with drought and communities of color, who disproportionately suffer from the health effects of polluting industries,” says Jennifer Atkinson, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Washington-Bothell. Some of us are affected in more subtle ways. Perhaps we’re noticing slow-moving changes around us, like the gradual loss of bees or a disappearance of trees, and we develop a sense of loss the philosopher Glenn Albrecht coined “solastalgia”, which plays on the concept of nostalgia—a longing for a time or place we can’t go back to.

Or, we’re standing in front of a package of blueberries at the grocery store feeling confusion and ambivalence. A desire to be healthy and adopt a sustainable, vegetarian lifestyle is playing tug-of-war with the fact that these blueberries were flown in from South America, are wrapped in plastic and were grown in a monoculture that depletes the soil. It’s hard to know whether to eat or boycott them. “The greater this dissonance grows, the more likely we’ll tell ourselves that the problems are too big. We decide that we can’t make a difference, so why try? We check out,” says integrative psychotherapist Leslie Davenport, author of Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change. The first step to alleviate this anguish is to validate and normalize the dark feelings. “It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with you. What’s happening is actually painful and difficult; there’s a lot of loss involved. Eco-anxiety is a natural response to having your heart and mind open, being an attentive and caring person, if you tune in to what’s happening in the world,” says Davenport, adding that good self-care, including mindfulness practices, will expand our tolerance for

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green living

dealing with tough times. Another powerful antidote can be found in community, according to Sarah Jaquette Ray, associate professor of environmental studies at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California, and author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet. “People feel like they can’t impact the world because they’re only one person. But when they start to shift the lens toward the collective, it allows them to realize that the positive things that are happening in the world are actually happening at scale, and it allows them to feel like they’re part of some larger purpose,” says Ray. As we accept climate-related anxiety and seek the company of like-minded people to affect change, surprisingly positive emotions will arise, including joy, laughter, dancing and camaraderie at street protests. “Those positive feelings help us process grief and anger, engage us in the work long term and help us maintain the stamina we need for sustained work,” Ray says. “Think of climate anxiety as a kind of superpower, a signal that goes off to tell us something’s wrong and needs to be addressed,” says Atkinson, the creator and host of the climate-anxiety podcast Facing It. She points to grief as a compelling motivator. “You can’t feel grief without love,” she explains. “Grief is an expression of compassion and connection to others and to the pain we feel when those lives are destroyed. Love is far more powerful in motivating us to fight than any other affect. There’s no limit to the lengths we’ll go to protect what we love.” We are only limited by a lack of ecological imagination, Davenport proposes. “Our contemporary Western culture emphasizes the rational, cognitive way of thinking, which is linear and analytical. But another part of the brain—the imaginative, creative and intuitive part—views the world synergistically and holistically. If we open up to this ecological imagination, we can have a visceral knowing of interconnectedness, making it simpler to act in a way that’s beneficial to all of us.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. January 2021

inspiration

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New Haven/Middlesex

by Marlaina Donato

oving into a house, office or any new space prompts us to envision bright days ahead filled with hope and joy. Perhaps this is why, from first-century Christians praying to dissuade evil influences to the Mayans smudging herbs to welcome positive energy, the act of blessing a house is such a time-honored tradition. Whether held in private or with a group of kindred souls, with or without religious elements, blessing a new dwelling takes the concept of housewarming to a sacred level. A house blessing can temper the hair-pulling stresses of a move and be a wonderful way to restore harmony after life gives us a jolt, be it a job loss, a broken relationship, a loved one’s passing or an illness. Simple gestures of intention, sprinkled with some beauty, enable us to claim our space and sow a new beginning. Arranging seasonal blooms in jeweltoned vases, scattering fresh rose petals over the threshold or misting the air with ethereal scents consecrates what might otherwise seem mundane. Singing a favorite song, whispering a spontaneous prayer or reciting a Buddhist chant during the flurry of unpacking invites calm and attracts benevolent influences. Pungent smudges of

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dried, white sage, sweetgrass, pine or lilac flowers help dissolve unpleasant memories and energetic imprints from the past. Honoring the four elements of earth, air, fire and water can create balance and celebrate ancient customs. Adding one or more essential oils to a spray bottle filled with distilled water or culinary rose water is an easy way to mist the air and the space inside drawers, closets and cupboards before filling or refilling them. Hanging fresh evergreens, leafy branches or tufts of blossoms over doorways evokes what 10th-century mystic and healer Hildegard of Bingen called veriditas—the greening energy of the Earth. Employing a crystal or Tibetan singing bowl, beating a shamanic drum or playing an instrument in select rooms can charge the atmosphere with fiery hope. Opening windows, even briefly during cooler seasons, invites in the fresh air of possibility. Stepping into a new life—or revitalizing an existing one—is one of the most beautiful acts of caring for soul and self. Blessing our spaces is also an expression of gratitude, something that can make any life wonderful. Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

accessible for you to use, particularly if you self-practice daily.

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Online and Distance Options

INCREASE RESILIENCE with Reiki

by Eileen Anderson and Mary Kay Porter

hese are confusing times as people deal with restrictions and staying healthy during this pandemic. Many people are experiencing pandemic fatigue and anxiety. Many feel stressed due to the losses from Covid-19. During this time, people have been feeling socially isolated while unable to visit their friends and family. Reiki, a healing practice that started in Japan, can help us deal with this stress and anxiety. Stress makes the nervous system go into “fight or flight” mode, secreting hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin. The body cannot easily heal and relax. Reiki practice changes this pattern and promotes healing and relaxation by stimulating the “rest and digest” part of the nervous system, which secretes dopamine, a feel-good hormone, and serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. Reiki helps people feel better and can help increase people’s immunity and resilience. How can we access Reiki and reap the benefits that so many people are

finding right now? Three options are described below.

In-person Treatment by a Reiki Practitioner

The client lies on a table or sits in a chair fully clothed while the practitioner moves through a series of light hand placements on the head, torso, back and extremities. Some practitioners choose not to touch the client during treatment. Responses to treatment vary individually, include feelings of warmth, coolness or tingling as well as increased well-being and relaxation. Clients report benefits such as better sleep, decreased pain, less anxiety, increased concentration and improved digestion. Chemotherapy patients often experience less nausea and fatigue.

In-person Reiki Classes

You can attend Reiki classes to learn to practice Reiki on yourselves and others. Various levels of Reiki are taught. Once you learn to practice Reiki, it will always be

Depending on the practitioner, various arrangements are offered. Reiki self-practice in small groups with live, interactive videoconferences is taught online by Pamela Miles, an international Reiki Master and practitioner (visit website: ReikiInMedicine.org/learn-reiki-online). Online classes to supplement and deepen your Reiki practice are taught by many practitioners. In this time of stress, Reiki helps promote balance of mind and body. It helps people feel more grounded and focused. It can be practiced hands-on or remotely and can be used to send healing globally. Reiki practitioners have been connecting and practicing together online using platforms such as Zoom. Reiki can be easily and successfully combined with conventional medical treatment. An increasing number of hospitals are offering Reiki treatments to patients. Medical professionals have observed the following from Reiki treatments: stabilized blood pressure and heart rate, easier breathing, normalized blood sugar, and faster recovery from surgery. A person can benefit from Reiki even if they are healthy. During the pandemic, there has been an increase in pet ownership and gardening. As people care for their plants and animals, some are discovering that plants and animals can benefit from Reiki as well. Reported results are quite positive, including plants looking healthier and pets more relaxed. Eileen Anderson, a CCRN alumnus, is a Reiki master who teaches Reiki and offers private treatment sessions in Wallingford, Orange and Middletown. Call 203-314-5401, emaileilande@comcast.net or visit ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com. Mary Kay Porter is a developmental editor with experience in writing, publishing and user interface design. She has been practicing and studying Reiki for over seven years. January 2021

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Integrative Hospital Care Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities by Marlaina Donato

hirty years ago, hospital patients were treated for symptoms based on the Western medical model, and holistic modalities were excluded, largely due to a lack of reliable scientific studies. More recently, because of promising research, the traditional template is expanding. The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health encompasses 75 university health centers and health systems that offer integrative approaches—a remarkable seven-fold increase in 21 years. America’s top hospitals, including the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, the Duke University Medical Center and the Yale New Haven Hospital, now offer therapies such as acupuncture, reiki, homeopathy, touch therapy, yoga, clinical aromatherapy and chiropractic. 16

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According to a report in Advances in Medical Education and Practice, nearly half of Americans receiving medical care use alternative medicine (although 80 percent don’t inform their doctors) and physicians agree on the importance of further research and training in such modalities. A 2017 University of California survey published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that hospital patients of all ages were willing to pay out of pocket for healthier food, therapeutic massage and energy work.

Disease: The Big Picture

“Research has repeatedly shown that even with full medical access and optimal medical treatments, a population’s health improves by only about 15 to 20 percent. The rest comes from lifestyle, environment and

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the social and personal determinants of health. Even factors like emotional health, what you feel is your purpose in life and what motivates you to be healthy plays a role,” says physician Wayne Jonas, in Alexandria, Virginia, a clinical professor of family medicine at Georgetown University and former director of the World Health Organization Center for Traditional Medicine. As executive director of Samueli Integrative Health Programs, which aims to make integrative health regular and routine, Jonas emphasizes that patients become healthier and medical costs are reduced when they are engaged in the healing process. For Jonas, the shift toward integrative health care has become most evident during the current opioid crisis and the search for non-pharmacological ap-

proaches like acupuncture and therapeutic massage therapy for pain management. “The evidence body for many of these approaches has grown tremendously over just the past five years, and has shown a spotlight on what works and what doesn’t. These approaches are now recommended in national guidelines as mainstream for chronic pain.” Denise Millstine, integrative physician and internal medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, concurs: “The opiate crisis is an example of the need to broaden our clinical toolbox to incorporate care strategies that are less risky. I believe this change has been multifactorial, based on patient demand and more awareness of the importance of lifestyle management.” Patient demand is also fueled by a desire to avoid medication side effects. In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 106,000 hospital deaths take place each year from adverse reactions to prescription drugs. With more than half of Americans already taking a pharmaceutical drug, and three being the average, adverse side effects can easily mount in a hospital setting. For Millstine, integrative medicine offers many solutions. “We might recommend the best medication or provide cutting-edge therapies, but without considering stress management, resilience, movement and what people ingest, it’s hard to get optimal results. Integrative medicine expanded my approach to include nutrition, exercise, mind-body (connection), spirituality and other medical philosophies like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the patient’s therapeutic plan.”

of soft lighting and music, and performed by trained doctors, as well as licensed acupuncturists with a firm TCM foundation. Integrative health care addresses the emotions that accompany a cancer diagnosis, and patients undergoing conventional treatment now have access to not only acupuncture but therapeutic massage, meditation, movement therapy, clinical aromatherapy, herbal applications, biofeedback and yoga. Millstine says of theMayo Clinic, “We have oncology-trained massage providers who are comfortable with what is and what isn’t safe after someone has had a cancer diagnosis and/ or treatment.” Jonas highlights that when given under the supervision of a doctor and with conventional cancer care, complementary therapies may help people to manage cancer symptoms, boost overall well-being, better handle side effects of treatment and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. “Integrative cancer care can help by activating one’s ability to heal and feel better physically and emotionally,” he says. “Lectures on nutrition, yoga classes and support groups for cancer patients are now common.” The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program, launched by American fashion designer Donna Karan in 2009 after her husband died from cancer, partners with heavy hitters such as the American Cancer Society and the Beth Israel Medical Cen-

ter, in New York City. In many hospital settings, Urban Zen is creating “Zen dens”, calming nooks where staff can discuss cases with colleagues, take a break for selfcare or talk to their patients in a nurturing environment. Urban Zen’s dedication to healthcare integration is international and promotes therapeutic applications of reiki, essential oil therapy, nutrition and other contemplative care.

Energy Medicine Goes Mainstream

“Alternative therapies are no longer considered ‘alternative’ when conventional medicine adopts them—for example, using calcium and vitamin D supplements, which are a standard consideration,” says Millstine. “With high-deductible plans, many patients are accustomed to paying out of pocket for care, thus making payment for alternative providers possibly more palatable.” Reiki, a Japanese form of energy medicine once considered alternative, is now offered at major hospitals like Yale New Haven, where it’s given free of charge to cancer patients. Many hospitals are also offering classes in energy work to families of patients, hospital staff and the community. “A medical doctor introduced me to the practice when my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer,” says Denise Baron, a Philadelphia-based reiki practi-

Whole-Patient Cancer Care

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A 2016 meta-analysis by Taipei Medical University published in the journal PLOS ONE concluded that certain applications of acupuncture reduce pain and opioid use on the first day after surgery. Acupuncture—an ancient modality based on the concept of energy meridians in the body—is also offered in many major hospitals to offset the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Acupuncture treatments at the Mayo Clinic are given in a calming atmosphere January 2021

tioner who works with referrals from clients and wellness professionals. “A hospital does not hire me directly, but the staff know I am available. I’ve worked on patients post-surgery, during and after births, people with cancer and people in hospice. I would say 96 percent of clients walk away with a deep experience of peace, harmony and lower stress levels.” Most recently, she has seen an increase in nurses asking for support during stressful times, with many wanting to learn how to practice reiki themselves. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, reiki is more effective than a placebo and activates the parasympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve. Results include lower blood pressure and less anxiety and depression. Other research shows that the modality also reduces nausea, improves appetite and lessens fatigue.

Holistic Nursing’s Role

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Collaborating with physicians and holistic practitioners, nurses play a key role in integrative hospital care. “We all work together to facilitate the client towards a higher level of well-being. Each profession brings something to the table,” says Margaret Erickson, in Cedar Park, Texas, CEO of the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. The nurse’s role in a patient’s healing journey is an intimate one, and holistic nurses ensure that the whole patient is tended to. “The roots of holistic nursing, grounded in holism, were

verbalized over 150 years ago by Florence Nightingale,” says Erickson. “She believed in the mind-body-spirit-emotion connections and that all aspects need to be nurtured in order for people to heal.” Due to increased demand, more nursing schools are creating educational programs grounded in holistic philosophy, she says. “What makes a nurse holistic is not the skills or alternative therapies she/he/they do, but rather how they show up in their interactions with others. They value and recognize that they are gifted with sharing a person’s most vulnerable moments, and that this shared space is sacred.” Some holistic nurses may use healing therapies such as guided imagery, aromatherapy, energy work, bodywork, deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation to help both their clients and other healthcare providers. Those in the field of integrative medicine agree that the future of medicine is now. “People are becoming more self-aware and taking responsibility for their health and life. Consciousness is growing [by] leaps and bounds,” says Baron. Jonas, drawing on 40 years of experience, agrees. “By working as partners with our patients to help find the care that works for them, we can help them achieve better health and quality of life.” Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

wise words

Terry Wahls on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions by Sandra Yeyati

wenty years ago, University of Iowa Clinical Professor of Medicine Terry Wahls was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Conventional treatments didn’t work, and her health deteriorated to the point where she was wheelchair-bound and facing a progressively grim future. Through rigorous scientific study and clinical trials, she developed a groundbreaking diet and lifestyle protocol that allows people to take control of their health, reversing many chronic disease states, including her own. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, as well as an accompanying cookbook, The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life.

What is your personal journey with multiple sclerosis?

In 2000, I had problems walking, which led to the MS diagnosis. After consulting the best doctors and taking the newest drugs, I went downhill anyway. At my lowest point, already in a tilt-recline wheelchair, I realized that conventional medicine wasn’t going to stop my decline into a bedridden, possibly demented state with intractable face pain due to trigeminal neuralgia. My physicians introduced me to the work of Loren Cordain, who developed

the paleo diet, so after 20 years of being a vegetarian, I went back to eating meat; gave up grains, legumes and dairy. I also studied the basic science for animal models of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and ALS, and decided that mitochondria—the organelles that generate the energy that cells use to run the chemistry of life—were leading to my early loss of myelin and brain cells. I also discovered The Institute for Functional Medicine and took their course in neuroprotection. Based on the science, I devised a supplement program to support my mitochondria. My decline slowed. Then came my “Aha!” moment: What if I redesigned my paleo diet, combining ancestral health with functional medicine principles, relying less on supplements and more on food to support my mitochondria? I did that, and my pain, brain fog and fatigue resolved. I began to get stronger, started walking. In three months, I was able to go for a bike ride with my family around the block for the first time in six years. It felt miraculous. It changed the way I think about disease and how I practice medicine. I now talk to patients about diet, lifestyle, exercise, toxics exposures and stress management, and I’m able to stabilize, reverse and greatly improve their blood pressure, blood sugar, pain and chronic diseases that I was struggling to manage using the latest drugs.

What have you learned about resilience?

People who maintain a sense of control have more robust immune function and are generally healthier. Many of my patients say that their diagnosis ended up being a tremendous gift because it allowed them to take stock of their lives and understand their priorities. That’s true for me. If I eat gluten, dairy or eggs, or I’m exposed to too much stress or toxins, my trigeminal neuralgia will turn on and I’ll have horrific facial pain, but I consider it to be a tremendous gift, because that’s my barometer for the inflammation levels in my brain, which reminds me to look at my triggers and recommit to my self-care. We teach patients how to track their biosensors.

Are you cured of MS?

No. I still have the genetic vulnerability and lesions in my spinal cord, and will always be sensitive to gluten, dairy and eggs. If I become severely stressed or don’t sleep, I’ll probably have a problem again. I caution all of my patients: If you go back to your previous diet and lifestyle, your disease states will return.

Isn’t it easier to just take a prescription drug for symptoms?

It’s a smaller level of effort, but they’re not cures, either. The underlying disease state progresses, so people typically need higher doses of their medications. They also develop co-morbid diagnoses that require new medications. Conventional medicine is effective for some symptom improvements, but it has never been evaluated for improving global health, whereas studies have shown that improving diet quality and incorporating exercise and meditation will improve multiple chemical pathways in the body, gene expression and your microbiome, and dramatically improve health outcomes across many disease states. For more information, including diet protocol guidelines and online courses, visit TerryWahls.com. Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. January 2021

Lose Weight Without Dieting How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best by April Thompson

ne of the top New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, and to that end, millions of Americans go on a diet each year. As we look to reset after holiday indulgences, nutrition experts say it’s a great time to cultivate healthy, longterm eating habits rather than unsustainable diets that lead us in circles. “A ‘live it’ is better than a diet: small, manageable changes you can live with over time,” says Lisa Mallonee, a registered dietician and professor at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry, in Dallas. “People get focused on losing 15 pounds, but once they get to the finish line, they don’t have a plan for after and often end up regaining the weight.” While navigating the labyrinth of nutrition information can be tough, eat20

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ing better is actually simple, says David Katz, M.D., founder of both the YaleGriffin Prevention Research Center and the nonprofit True Health Initiative, and co-author of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered. “There are two general shifts to make: first, to less processed foods, and second, to more plant-based foods,” says Katz. In making such shifts, Mallonee suggests applying the 80/20 rule to food. “If 80 percent of the time you are making healthy choices, and the other 20 percent of the time you allow splurges, you’re less likely to feel deprived and revert to old ways.” Katz agrees that small shifts are more likely to stick, in part because of our adaptable palates. “If you commit

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to improving your diet little by little, you will find that taste buds are adaptable fellas that will learn to love the foods they are with. For example, try something as simple as switching from regular soda to diet to seltzer to water over time.” The good news for dieters with questions, suggests Katz, is there is no one superior diet. “You can have a highquality diet whether you are flexitarian, pescatarian or vegetarian, low-carb or high-carb,” he says. For Jill Weisenberger, a registered dietitian nutritionist, in Yorktown, Virginia, and author of The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition, a healthy diet comes down to three meals a day, each with a good source of protein and fiber. “When losing weight, it’s especially important to eat enough protein so you don’t lose muscle mass with the fat,” she says, suggesting a target of 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day, achieved through a diverse diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables and legumes. Katz, Mallonee and Weisenberger all caution against a diet like keto that restricts many nourishing foods only because they contain carbs. “There is no evidence of long-term safety or benefit of keto,” says Katz. “A truly keto diet cuts out a lot of highly nutritious foods like fruit, grains and beans, all associated with better health and longer life. I think a diet excluding these foods would be a colossal mistake.”

Weighing In While it’s not healthy to obsess over numbers on the scale, it is important to understand the health risks of carrying extra weight, particularly around the middle. “Belly fat is a concern for co-morbidities like pre-diabetes, diabetes, increased blood pressure and even sleep apnea,” says Mallonee, stating that women should aim for a waist circumference of less than 35 inches and men of less than 40. Katz advises that the effects of abdominal fat can vary. “Certain ethnicities are extremely vulnerable to excess weight around the middle, which can

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conscious eating

result in insulin resistance and metabolic mayhem. However, many people can gain considerable amounts of weight and show no metabolic effects,” he says, suggesting that a comprehensive health checkup can clear up any doubts. Physiologically, it is hard to keep weight off, says Weisenberger, but people should not get discouraged if they fall short of their goals. “If you are overweight, you will get an enormous boost from the first 5 to 10 percent of weight loss—it’s much more important than that last 5 to 10 percent.” While weight loss is an exercise in delayed gratification, the power of highquality food is immediate, advises Katz. “You can improve the quality of your immune response with a single meal. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, too, as those positive health benefits accumulate over time.” Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

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FRUGAL WELLNESS Healthy Living on a Tight Budget

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by Yvette C. Hammett

iving healthy on a tight budget may seem like a daunting task, but by setting up a self-care plan, prioritizing and shopping smart, the barriers can seem not quite so tall. With so many people unemployed or under-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for workable options is more important than ever. A sports and nutrition company, My Protein, did a study that shows the average American spends $155 per month on health and fitness. That’s $112,000 over a lifetime. There are, however, strategies that can lower these costs. Jen Smith, a financial writer and cohost of the podcast Frugal Friends, often talks about ways to spend less, save money and be in control of our spending. “You may spend more up front or more on the things you really care about, but cutting out the waste or things that are not so necessary can be a huge cost savings. This is not just for a penny-pinching, stay-at-

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home mom. Being frugal doesn’t mean you are a cheapskate, but being wise with the limited resources that you have.” Smith says she had a pricey membership to a cross-fit gym, but in the long run, staying in shape can greatly reduce the costs of health care and prescriptions. “Any way you can stay active is what you need to do. Spending money in any way that gets you to commit to and consistently move your body is the answer.” Focus on eating good food and moving your body, Smith says. “When emphasis is placed more on that and on self-care, you save more money.” The National Institute on Aging recommends several ways to eat healthy on a budget: use coupons, consider purchasing store brands, know that convenience costs more, focus on priority foods, buy store-brand organics and forgo fresh for frozen organics. Sotiria Everett, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine

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at the Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine, in New York, agrees. “One thing to consider is seasonality. If out of season and organic, that will increase the cost. If you want clean living and healthy eating for the planet, that doesn’t make sense either, because of the cost of fuel and the pollution involved.” Everett recommends frequenting farmers’ markets because they offer seasonal, fresh, local, organic produce that is easier on the wallet and better for health. Her favorite tip is, “Learn how to plant foods. You don’t need a lot of space, but do need sun and water access. You can keep it organic. A couple of seeds can give you a whole season’s worth of produce.” Jody Gatewood, assistant state nutrition program specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and a registered dietitian, works with people on tight budgets through the university’s Spend Smart Eat Smart program. “We do a lot with families with young children,” she says. “They are on a budget and concerned about having enough food to eat. One thing we teach a lot, and it helps with a budget, is to plan your meals. Look and see what is on sale at the grocery store. If there’s a big meat sale, buy it then and use it throughout. I think what happens is if we don’t plan, we go to a restaurant or get convenience foods which can really add up.” Fresh, frozen, canned and dried foods can all have a part in our diet, she says. “I use a lot of frozen vegetables. If you use frozen, you just heat it up and it is ready to go. Protein can be expensive, so have some meals where black beans or lentils are the source of protein. Have that balance.” As for healthcare costs, Smith recommends to those that cannot afford typical insurance or costly prescriptions in their budget to consider using manufacturer discounts and a service like GoodRx.com, which details how much prescriptions will cost at different pharmacies. Consider using a “sharing ministry” for other costs, Smith says. With Liberty HealthShare, for example, people pay in every month and are billed like a cash payer when they have a medical bill while Liberty pays the cash. “When a doctor or hospital is billing an insurance company, they try to get as much as they can, but cash payers pay a lower amount,” she says.

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Staying Fit in 2021 Workout Trends Bend to the Times by Marlaina Donato

C O R E

or 2021, fitness will be more about better health and inner peace rather than weight loss. Gyms and studios will be on the top of their game adhering to hygiene standards and offering safer environments with smaller class capacity and vitamin D-enhanced outdoor sessions. From remote coaching to cost-effective wellness apps, the workout will get a fresh makeover.

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Pandemic repercussions in 2020 amped up client demand for alternatives and also inspired trainers to get more creative. “I’ve enjoyed working with private clients virtually through FaceTime and Zoom. It has required me to create more precision with my training programs depending on what each client has at their home or home gym,” says Hollywood, California, fitness trainer Ridge Davis. “Results have been going through the roof because my clients are more likely to dive into healthy routines and meal plans with my daily guidance.” For those that cannot find local, inperson fitness provisions, subscriptions to streaming-fitness websites like DailyBurn. com and OnePeloton.com provide plenty of

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P O W E R

guides to workouts from yoga to musclebuilding. Health apps can tailor individual wellness strategies for the new year. “Fitness and health apps are becoming more popular, and trainers are able to interact with clients all over the world. If you are like me, you need accountability if you cannot meet your trainer directly,” says Dominic Kennedy, a personal trainer in Los Angeles and creator of the newly launched fitness and nutrition app Dominic Effect. “Nutrition is also going to be key now more than ever. Apps will help keep you in check and on track with your food and goals, helping to set up monthly meal plans, as well as recipe suggestions.” Wearable tech in the form of watches and smart clothing will be another hit in 2021, providing accurate readings on calories burned, number of daily steps and even heart rate and blood pressure.

Virtual Variety, No Pressure Having the option to work out at home might motivate more people to begin a fitness routine without the pressure of comparing with others. Sampling classes online can help them find what they like before they sign up at their local gym or

studio. “Virtual fitness classes provide an opportunity for people to test out different instructors at different times all around the country and even the world,” says Paris Alexandra, co-founder of the BK Yoga Club, in New York City. “People are now realizing the things we can control is our breath and our bodies. Because of this, there’s an appreciation of our capacity, challenging ourselves to try something new.” Even with gym cutbacks, there is a silver lining. “One of my private weight-loss clients has loved our FaceTime workouts so much that she swears she will never go back to in-person training with a coach,” says Chicago-based Stephanie Mansour, host of the weekly national PBS show Step it Up With Steph. “Even on vacation or while traveling, people can still get in their workout because everything is virtual. Trainers also win because they can still do their job, but at a distance.” Me-time with a private virtual coach will offer a tailored regimen for those that prefer a one-on-one experience. Mansour muses, “Private fitness and health coaching sessions will be the hottest trend in 2021. By now, many people’s excitement toward their ‘pandemic workout’ is waning, and they’ll be looking for a totally customized approach to kickstart their motivation and goals.”

Allies for Body and Mind Davis predicts there’ll be greater appreciation for stress-recovery tools such as massage guns for percussive self-treatments, foam rollers to release muscle tightness and stretching apps, noting, “There’s so much noise, uncertainty and anxiety that has come with this pandemic; on-demand meditation classes will be huge.” Mansour concurs, “Focusing on finding inner peace, meditating and positive programming are all huge trends that have emerged due to COVID. By getting your head in the game, you’re 75 percent of the way to your goal.” Mostly, 2021 will be a year for self-care. “I think growth mindset is everything right now,” says Kennedy. “We need to fill our minds with positive affirmations, thoughts or whatever it is that makes you light up inside.”

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Other Fitness Trends on the Rise n Outdoor classes from yoga to strength training n Boutique and micro-studios with specialty clientele n Safer small groups, especially for seniors n Broga yoga, with a focus on strength training, cardio and muscle toning for men n Less-crowded yoga classes with BYO mats and props n Mind-body fitness January 2021

calendar of events

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

MONDAY, JANUARY 4 Positive Vibes For Our Tribe, Let’s Get It Done In 2021 – 6:30pm-7:30pm. (Mondays, Jan 4 – April 26th). Start the new year focusing on YOU! 4-month class to help JUMP START us to stay excited and accountable with your chosen goals for the New Year! Allow yourself to have fun and join our positive tribe for support and encouragement. On Zoom. $150 for Series 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Salty Sound Bath with Kelly – 6:30pm-7:45pm. 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. See Ongoing Calendar (Mon-Fri) for New Client Special offer. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com.

Essential Middle School Experience: Where Learning Comes to Life! CELC Virtual Open House – Find out about CELC Middle School. Safe, small classes, experientially-based personalized learning, transformative program, 5th-8th grade. Openings available for 2020-2021 academic year. Virtual Open House. RSVP: 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org for a Zoom link and more information.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28 Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Align w/new energies of this Super 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.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 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.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20 I love beginnings. If I were in charge of calendars, every day would be January 1. ~Jerry Spinelli

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Salty Yoga Nidra with Joann – 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. See Ongoing Calendar (Mon-Fri) for New Client Special offer. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com.

New Haven/Middlesex

sunday Open Art Gallery & Arts and Crafts Marketplace at The Red Barn in Durham – 11am-3pm. (Starting Jan 31, 2021 & the last Sunday of every month). All art and crafts will be available for purchase. Most of our artisans are local. Also if you are an artist or a crafter please contact us to learn how you can be a vendor. Admission will be free. Also check out our FB page for art classes being offered at The Art Center at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. Text Janice Juliano LCSW at 860-559-6151 for more information. Reiki class Level 1 – 1pm-6pm. (Sundays, Jan 24 & Jan 31). Learn Reiki for self-care and treatment of others. Participants will learn, the benefits, history, and precepts of Reiki. Ample time for practice while following CDC protocol. Small class, open for three participants at The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center, 605 Main Street, Middletown. Cost $150 members, $160 non-members. Call: 203-314-5401or eilande@comcast.net. ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com.

monday

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.

Salty Sound Bath with Kelly – 6:45pm-8pm. 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. See Ongoing Calendar (Mon-Fri) for New Client Special offer. Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com.

ongoingevents

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Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: New Client Special – Three Salt Room Sessions for ONLY $59+tax (ongoing). Value membership Moroccan Salt Room ONLY $59+tax. Save $81 (ongoing). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special January Offers – Private Moroccan Salt Room Session (up to 8 people) $149+tax. Additional Add ons available. Private Salty Sound Journey $149 + tax. Save $50. 2 Salt Room Sessions + 2 Infrared Sauna Sessions ONLY $99 (includes tax). 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: 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.

Alignment Yoga on Zoom – 10am-11:30am.Refine and deepen your practice with graduate of B.K.S. Iyengar Teacher Training Program. Please have standard yoga props or substitutes. Receive individual attention, even on Zoom! Expert instruction since 1991. Register at YogaInMiddletown.com.

Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special January Offers – Private Moroccan Salt Room Session (up to 8 people) $149+tax. Additional Add ons available. Private Salty Sound Journey $149 + tax. Save $50. 2 Salt Room Sessions + 2 Infrared Sauna Sessions ONLY $99 (includes tax). 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. Meditation 101 w/ Katie Cavenagh at The Red Barn in Durham – 7pm-8:15pm. (Tuesday’s starting Jan 5th). New guided topic each week. Create balance and peace from within. $35/session or $99/Month. Call: 860-655-5527, email: Katie@FeelYourLight.com, or visit Facebook page: Facebook.com/IgniteYourAwareness. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.

wednesday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: New Client Special – Three Salt Room Sessions for ONLY $59+tax (ongoing). Value membership Moroccan Salt Room ONLY $59+tax. Save $81 (ongoing). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

friday Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: New Client Special – Three Salt Room Sessions for ONLY $59+tax (ongoing). Value membership Moroccan Salt Room ONLY $59+tax. Save $81 (ongoing). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@ revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com. Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness: Special January Offers – Private Moroccan Salt Room Session (up to 8 people) $149+tax. Additional Add ons available. Private Salty Sound Journey $149 + tax. Save $50. 2 Salt Room Sessions + 2 Infrared Sauna Sessions ONLY $99 (includes tax). Revive Salt Therapy, 374 New Haven Ave, Milford. Information/appointments: 203-283-5968. hello@revivesalttherapy.com. ReviveSaltTherapy.com.

thursday

It is not how old you are, but how you are old. ~Jules Renard

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 for adults who have lost a loved one – 6pm. (Thurs, Jan 7, and Thurs, Jan 21). 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 call the Group Facilitator, Brooke Torres M.Ed., at 203-878-6365 ext. 480.

January 2021

classifieds

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED

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.

BOOKS GOD HEALS – The divine All-Spirit Is the lifeforce, the healing force, in every form of life. Learn how we can open ourselves to this source of healing power. Gabriele-Publishing-House.com. 844-576-0937

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

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED – For monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay at home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors. Thomas@ManInMotionLLC.com.

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.

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.

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.

Coming Next Month FEBRUARY

Eco-Friendly Weddings Plus: Heart Health

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call or text 203-988-1808 28

New Haven/Middlesex

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

Applied Kinesiology i s a n e u r o logical 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 23.

EDUCATION CONNECTICUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL 28 School Street, Branford, CT 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org 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 ad on page 23.

THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE (TGI)

Accredited, Non-profit Graduate School offering holistic programs in contemporary & emerging fields 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT 203-874-4252 Learn.edu The Graduate Institute offers holistic master’s degrees and certificate programs for adult learners. Programs include Integrative Health and Healing, Ecotherapy and Cultural Sustainability, Writing and Oral Tradition, Organizational Leadership, and more. Programs are just one weekend a month.

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

Final 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 23.

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 ad on page 21.

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 HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER 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.

WHOLE BODY WELLNESS CBD MASSAGE ELM CITY WELLNESS 774 Orange Street New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 ElmCityWellness.com

Elm City Wellness is an independent, woman-owned 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 back cover ad.

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.

January 2021

ADVERTORIAL

The Awakening of Humanity By Lynne Girdlestone

oday we are all experiencing one or more of the negative effects of an incredibly destructive ‘agent of change.’ Although horrific things happen every day on this planet, they usually affect other people elsewhere. COVID-19, however, can potentially reach anyone, anywhere, upending our lives in a multitude of ways. The obvious questions—how do we stop this virus, will a vaccine help, will the global economy recover—are all unknowns. They occupy our thoughts and emotions with every newscast. For some, the crisis is merely an inconvenient interruption in their ‘business as usual.’ For others it has created new ways to profit at the expense of others. But for most, it’s an amplified survival issue. We know that nothing happens by chance: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” and “As you sow, so shall you reap.” What is happening today has its roots in everything that has gone before. When dysfunction reaches a tipping point, something extraordinary happens to get our attention. This pandemic may be saying “STOP... NOW ... look at the world you’ve built ... untold suffering amidst obscene excess ... all life forms and the planet itself in mortal danger!” The slowing and isolation are giving us the opportunity to consider these issues deeply and emerge with a better Plan B. That so many people are getting the message is an incredibly hopeful sign. Neighbors are helping each other; service organizations are expanding their roles and methods; scientific organizations around the world are sharing their research findings on possible treatments and vaccines; governments are trying to lift the financial burden of their citizens.

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What would happen if this behavior were to continue post-Covid-19? Could it lead to treating a recovering planet as a ‘global village’ and its citizens as the one human family it is? It would take time, but we can start by demanding of our ‘leaders’ that we all push the ‘reset’ button and begin to move in that direction! Fortunately, at this very time, a little-known cosmic event is also taking place. As we move into the Aquarian age, characterized by energies of synthesis, unity and cooperation, the spiritual custodians of human evolution—the Masters of Wisdom—have once again sent one of their great ones into the world to act as a teacher for the coming time. Some of the past teachers we have known historically as Confucius, Krishna, Buddha, the Christ and Mohammed. Major world religions all expect another great teacher at some future time, and his imminent appearance has been foreseen by some writers since the late 1800s. For more than 40 years, British esotericist and lecturer Benjamin Creme informed the world of a coming change— of the collapse of our old structures to make way for the new. He served as a herald for the World Teacher for this age, Maitreya—the one expected by many and longed for by millions (consciously or not), who has come now to guide us through this perilous time and into a cleansed and transformed new world. Maitreya has advised humanity to make the needed changes to put our world on a saner, fairer path: “He [Maitreya] will show that essentially men are one, no matter the colour or the creed, that the bounty of Earth belongs to all, and that sharing of that

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bounty is the key to man’s future. Only sharing, and the justice which it will bring, offers hope to man. Only justice wrought out of sharing will end the plagues of war and terror. Only sharing and justice can bring men to that Brotherhood which is their true inheritance. When men see this they will rise to the challenge and tackle one by one the many problems which daunt us now.” (Benjamin Creme’s Master from ‘Transformation,’ Share International magazine) Maitreya and his group have worked behind the scenes for millennia to guide our human family. Now, with these powerful, incorruptible allies openly in the world for the next 2,000 years and beyond, we have the opportunity to build a new world that works for everyone. Will we take it? In response to today’s injustices, we are marching. We are protesting. We are sharing resources and helping others. We are agitating for change. We are on the right track! Let’s not even consider returning to ‘business as usual.’ For free information: Share-International.us 888-242-8272 info@share-international.us

In The Awakening of Humanity, Benjamin Creme leads us on a journey of hope for the joyful world-changing events that are on the way. Free download at: https://share-ecart.com/ the-awakening-of-humanity-pdf/

INDIVIDUAL: USE CODE: NACT160 PROVIDER: USE CODE: NACT1300

January 2021

New Haven/Middlesex

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