Natural Awakenings New Haven & Middlesex CT APRIL 2022 by Natural Awakenings New Haven

E R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

PLAYTIME WITH NATURE STORIES CONNECT KIDS TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY 2022 EATING FOR THE PLANET RESTORING WILDERNESS IN OUR LIVES AND YARDS

April 2022 | New Haven-Middlesex | NaturalNewHaven.com

April 2022

Nature’s Virus Killer Copper can stop a virus before it starts

By Doug Cornell

cientists have discovered a with a tip to fit in the bottom of the natural way to kill germs fast. nostril, where viruses collect. Now thousands of people When he felt a tickle in his nose are using it against viruses and bacteria like a cold about to start, he rubbed the that cause illness. copper gently in Colds and his nose for 60 many other seconds. illnesses start “It worked!” when viruses get he exclaimed. in your nose and “The cold never start multiplying. got going. That If you don’t stop was 2012. I have them early, they had zero colds spread and take since then.” over. “We don’t Copper kills viruses almost In hundreds of make product instantly studies, EPA and health claims,” university researchers confirm copper he said, “so I can’t say cause and effect. kills microbes almost instantly just by But we know copper is antimicrobial.” touch. He asked relatives and friends to try That’s why ancient Greeks and it. They reported the same thing, so he Egyptians used copper to purify patented CopperZap® and put it on the water and heal wounds. They didn’t market. know about microbes like viruses and Soon hundreds of people had tried it. bacteria, but now we do. Feedback was 99% positive if they used “The antimicrobial activity of copper copper within 1-3 hours of the first sign is well established.” National Institutes of bad germs, like a tickle in the nose or of Health. a scratchy throat. Scientists say the high conductance Users say: of copper disrupts the electrical balance “It works! I love it!” in a microbe cell by touch and destroys “I can’t believe how good my nose it in seconds. feels.” Some hospitals tried copper “Is it supposed to work that fast?” for touch surfaces like faucets and “One of the best presents ever.” doorknobs. This cut the spread of “Sixteen flights, not a sniffle!” MRSA and other illnesses by over half, “Cold sores gone!” which saved lives. “It saved me last holidays. The kids The strong scientific evidence had crud going round and round, gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. but not me.” He made a smooth copper probe “I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no ADVERTORIAL New Haven/Middlesex NaturalNewHaven.com

more headache, no more congestion.” “Best sleep I’ve had in years!” The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on fingers and hands after you touch things other people have touched. The EPA says copper works just as well when tarnished. Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the science teams. He placed millions of viruses on a copper surface. “They started to die literally as soon as they touched it.”

Customers report using copper against: Colds Flu Covid Sinus trouble Cold sores Fever blisters Canker sores Strep Night stuffiness Morning congestion Skin infections Infected sores Infection in cuts or wounds Thrush Warts Styes Ringworm Threats to compromised immunity CopperZap® is made in the USA of pure copper. It has a 90-day full money back guarantee. Price $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code NATA28. Go to www.CopperZap.com or call tollfree 1-888-411-6114. Buy once, use forever. Statements are not intended as product health claims and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

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© 2022 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

Every April on the 22nd of the month since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated globally (now in more than 193 countries) to demonstrate support of environmental protection. Today, as we face urgent threats to the well-being of our planet on a regular basis, we need to individually and collectively take actions daily to protect the health of our planet, which will also contribute greatly to the enhancement of our own physical and mental wellness. Natural Awakenings, which is published monthly (to those of you, who are new readers of our magazine), is committed to informing and educating the community on the benefits of living a more natural and sustainable lifestyle. Our magazine also provides tools and resources so that our readers can take effective actions in order to live healthier lives on a healthier planet. This month, our editorial is 100 percent environmentally focused in honor of Earth Day. Our April feature article points out the many reasons we need to preserve wild spaces that serve as habitats for millions of creatures (many that are now endangered) in our communities and in our own backyards. For instance, native flowering plants, which are essential for production of oxygen and clean water, are dependent on the existence of pollinators. The loss of pollinators would result in the loss of 90 percent of flowering plants. Consequently, life in the wilderness would suffer and so would humans. Not only are natural settings beneficial for our physical health, but also for our mental and emotional well-being, such as reducing depression and anxiety. One of the reasons I feel happier and more balanced in the late spring and throughout the summer is simply because I spend most of my time outdoors. While I continue to work full-time during these months, I transport my office (which consists of my iMac desktop computer and my iPhone) to my covered deck that faces a wooded area, teeming with wildlife. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner out there and after sunset, I go for a long walk in my complex. Nature boosts my mood, inspires creativity, clears my head and keeps me in a steady state of appreciation. That’s pretty powerful! How do you create a wild space at your home? Our feature article this month offers tips to help you along. If you have not yet read the article in our 2022 Natural living Directory (released in March): “Holistic Wellness through Restorative Care” by Brittney Hawthorne and Michael Baczewski, founders of New England Pollinator Gardens, I highly recommend this very informative read. Our 2022 Directory is still available at our distribution sites and on the homepage of our website (NaturalNewHaven.com). They offer very helpful steps in restorative land care to help Mother Nature thrive in your yard. Last spring, I planted a Blue Fortune in my garden, a flowering perennial, which is native to New England. Blue Fortunes attract lots of beautiful butterflies. They grow and flower within just a few months after planting and it feels so good to watch these beautiful purple flowers blossom and provide food for butterflies. Yesterday, during my walk, I could hear a symphony of bird songs in the woods, the official sign of spring. If only I knew what species they were. I was thrilled to read about the nature apps that are available to identify thousands of wildlife species (both plants and creatures), such as iNaturalist (iNaturalist.org) in our Green Living article. On a final note, regardless of how polarized humans are on many issues, we all share the same planet and all of its vital resources that literally keep us alive and healthy. Let’s turn our attention toward this beautiful earth—our common bond, and commit to a united purpose of caring for our planet as though our life depends on it—It does.

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

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Natural Awakenings is a family of 50+ healthy living magazines celebrating 27 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

Contents

12 WHY WE NEED WILD PLACES

How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes

16 NATURE SPEAKS Storytelling Connects Kids to the Natural World

20 18 BRIAN SAUDER

on Faith-Based Grassroots Change

20 TECHNOLOGY MEETS NATURE

Apps Bring Us Closer to Flora and Fauna

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.

22 EATING FOR THE PLANET

Diet for a Climate Crisis

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 11 eco tip 16 healthy kids 18 wise words

20 green living 22 conscious eating 25 calendar 27 classifieds 28 resource guide April 2022

The Blue Buddha Relocates Massage Services to North Haven

Welcoming Earth Day 2022 in Person

ocal events are returning this spring for Earth Day 2022. Here are just a few to choose from as we honor and celebrate this day.

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news briefs

April 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Earth Day Celebration Festival at Ansonia Nature Center (AnsoniaNatureCenter.org) At this annual event in the center’s lower field, vendors and food trucks will offer food and unique items for sale. Enjoy plantings, hikes, live animals, music and more with environmental exhibitors and information booths. Bring cash for a raffle to support the center. All ages are welcome for this family-friendly, free event. April 30, 9 a.m. Rock to Rock Earth Day Ride (RocktoRock.org) The New Haven celebration includes a bike ride from West Rock and East Rock. Along the way, cyclists will eat food, hear music, take on environmental service projects, and explore the city’s parks and neighborhoods. All are welcome. Sign up for the day of service on April 9 as well. Register ahead for ride lengths that include 12, 20, 40 and 60 miles as well as family rides and hikes. You can also collect pledges to raise funds for 20 local environmental organizations. April 23, 10 a.m. Earth Day and Spring Clean Event at Woodbridge Town Library (Woodbridge.LionInc.org) In addition to The Friends of the Library’s book sale, there will be a community tag sale, Boy Scout plant sale, electric vehicle car show, craft supply swap, electronic recycling, Goodwill donations, Rid Littler Day and more. Pickup is also available of pre-purchased compost bins and rain barrels. April 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Town of Hamden (Hamden.com/329/ Annual-Earth-Day-Celebration) Hamden will celebrate Earth Day indoors and outdoors at the Hamden Middle School. Exhibitors include community groups and local businesses that support environmental work. Entertainment, vendors and environmentally educational events will also be included.

n January, The Blue Buddha – Integrative Massage officially opened in North Haven, Connecticut. Relocated from Woodbridge, it is a woman-owned business dedicated to exclusively massaging women with individualized no-rush massage sessions that balance physical, emotional and psychological well-being through the mindful application of Western and Eastern massage techniques. “Addressing the body as a whole is an approach inspired by years of meditative discipline,” says owner Angela Amendola, LMT. “This lends a deep level of sensitivity and awareness to the profession and assists individuals in achieving greater relaxation and healing.” Massage is a recognized method of treatment for healing injuries; relieving and breaking pain cycles; reducing stress; assisting relaxation; and recovering from grief, loss and trauma. Restoring physical and mental balance promotes natural healing and reestablishes harmony between the body and the environment, resulting in greater health and prevention. “If you are expanding or contracting, grieving or transforming, feeling joy or stress or anxiety, experiencing an ending, or processing a new beginning, massage is a beautiful modality to help you heal, process, be embodied, connected and aligned with yourself and your world,” shares Amendola. For more information and to make an appointment, call or text 203-435-5925, email Angela@TheBlueBuddha.com, or visit TheBlueBuddha.com. See ad on page 28.

Getting Out with Other Holistic-Minded Parents

s we head toward planning for summer activities and getting outdoors, it is important that we also include invigorating, nurturing, grounding, learning and/or healing time for ourselves and our families. On April 19 at 6:30 p.m.,

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join the New Haven County chapter of Holistic Moms Network as we gather to talk about insights, resources and questions about interesting ways to get our families outdoors and active, whether it is a local spot, motivating groups, activity ideas, a vacation, products, or other ideas. The meeting will be held in person at Nate’s Plates (NatesPlates.net) in Milford, Connecticut for local attendees and on Zoom for those farther away. This is also a chance for those interested in finding other holistic-minded parents in the Connecticut area to network with and get to know each other in an informal way. 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. While they usually take place in person at the Woodruff YMCA in Milford, Connecticut, the monthly meetings are currently offered through Zoom. For more information, visit HolisticMoms.org or Facebook.com/ HMNNewHaven. RSVP for the event on the Events page on Facebook.com/HMNNewHaven.

New Age Fair Comes to Newtown

he New Age Fair will be held April 24 from 11am to 5pm at the Edmond Town Hall, in Newtown. The day will be filled with creative and spiritual enlightenment. Vendors from the tristate area will be on hand, as will readers skilled in past lives, angels, astrology and more. The fair will offer attendees free admission to access vendors specializing in crystals, oils, singing bowls, books, Reiki, health, wellness and spiritual needs. Local artisans will have handcrafted jewelry, candles, soaps and more for sale. Check out plants and

seeds perfect for the spring gardening season. Attendees are asked to wear a mask to the indoor fair. For more information, email CrYours87@yahoo.com or visit Facebook.com/New-Age-Craft-Expo-724103394360582. Location: Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown. See ad, page 11.

Edge to Health Business Focuses on Making Health Changes Through Food

enee Edge has recently launched a new business, Edge to Health. Drawing on 17 years of experience as a therapeutic foster parent, as well as training in nutrition and mindfulness, Edge shows individuals and families how simple food changes can help the body and brain to heal to promote behavioral change. Often, individuals or families think Renee Edge that a diagnosis such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism, PTSD, or even the behaviors and feelings following the experience of a traumatic event can only be healed with medication or therapy. While those play an important role, food is a part of daily life and is often forgotten in the healing process. In many cases, the foods craved when stressed or emotionally overwhelmed are those which are actually causing harm to the body and brain. They may be increasing symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, impulsiveness, forgetfulness, quickness to anger, inability to focus, bodily aches and pains, and more. Edge teaches how to make simple dietary changes—without fancy recipes that take hours to prepare—in order to promote healing of the body and brain. For more information and to make an appointment, call 860-681-3427, email Renee@EdgetoHealth.com or visit EdgetoHealth.com.

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news briefs

crochet, paint by numbers, color books, or what have you; if it makes you happy, color it, paint it, bring it along.”

Earthly Goddess Art of Durham Celebrates Second Year

Paintiing by: Cheryl Tuttle

arthly Goddess Art Studio, which prides itself on small class sizes and individualized attention, will start its second year in business this April. The small, women-owned business offers classes in painting, drawing, clay and other craft mediums for adults, children and homeschool groups. “During the pandemic, people started looking for practices that Cheryl Tuttle (left) and Marcy LaBella (right) relieved stress and ways to create peace and mindfulness,” says co-owner Marcy LaBella. “We knew it was time to start something together, and we both wanted that to be a community-based arts center with a focus on art and the healing effect that art and creativity can have in your life. Of course we want people to learn new processes, but it’s as important that they leave feeling renewed. We learned a lot in our first year and have started to grow a really nice creative community.” “One thing we both know is that art is good for the soul. Our main focus is bringing quality art instruction in a nurturing environment for both adults and children” states co-owner Cheryl Tuttle. “We have clay, painting, jewelry making and a very popular creative crafting night where people drop in just to hang out and socialize and work on art or craft projects. You can literally bring anything you are working on or try what we have in the studio. We have a no-judgement zone where you can knit,

KCC_bc_final_vendor2.pdf

10/25/15

For more information, call 860-349-0251, email EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/ EarthlyGoddess3. Location: Earthly Goddess Art, 352 Main St., Durham, CT. See ad on page 17.

Results Plus Fitness’ New Events Offer Community Connections

esults Plus Fitness has begun hosting New Haven County Freedom Group potluck community events on a weekly basis at its location in Hamden, Connecticut. Attendees are encouraged to come and share ideas, experiences and food. Bring an organic/ healthy dish to share with this community of independent thinkers every Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition, Results Plus Fitness is introducing a First Friday Film Series with the next film event taking place on April 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. The studio believes in the transformative power of art, culture and community. Join us for this brand-new film series with screenings of cutting-edge, socially engaged films followed by a group discussion about the ideas presented. Reservations are requested. Another new event series is the New Haven County Small Business Networking Social, which will be held on the third Thursday of each month at the studio. Network with area professionals, promote upcoming events, introduce your business or service, pass on referrals, and partake in meaningful connections at the next event on April 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. Registration is encouraged. For more information and to RSVP, visit ResultsPlus.com/Events. Location: 3013 Dixwell Ave., Hamden, CT.

11:26 AM

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New Haven/Middlesex

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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

HCP CBDa 10xPure TM Earleen Wright CBDa 10xPure TM is known for its healing power over CBD alone. We are the only company that has CBDa. Contact Earleen Wright 203-215-3222 EarleenWright@gmail.com EarleenWright.myctfo.com

Energy Healing (Women)

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

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Jill Andrzejewski LMT, RMT, Psychic Massage Therapy #9900 Reiki & Chakra Balancing Angel Tarot & Oracle Card Readings A Moment In Time Treasures items for self-care and healing Workshops and classes 203-909-1108 jillamomentintimemassage@gmail.com AMomentInTimeMassage.org

Naturopathic Physician Vis Wellness Center Dr. Nicole Klughers ND, PharmD, MSAc Naturopathic Physician Acupuncture Provider Rocky Hill & TeleMedicine info@DrNicoleKlughers.com DrNicoleKlughers.com 234-2-ACU-DOC

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 203-631-7803

Lotus Moon Reiki Healing With Annette Reiki Master/Shamanic Healing Spiritual Guidance Belly Dance instructor Berlin, CT 203-314-5764 LotusMoonReikiHealing.com

Lightworker

Intuitive Counselor & Healer

The Center for Higher Living We are a holistic collective Providing: Massage Therapy, Reiki sessions and training, Shamanic healing, Holistic Psychotherapy, Qigong classes, Tarot/Psychic readings, and more. 860-707-6210 (TEXT) TheCenterforHigherLiving.com

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

We Welcome You! To Join Holistic Community Professionals contact: Shirley Bloethe: 860-255-8844 HolisticCommunityProfessionals.org 9 April 2022

health briefs

Avoid Formaldehyde to Sidestep Cognitive Problems

A new type of immunotherapy that enables T-cells to fight cancer cells is proving hopeful for people with the deadly skin cancer melanoma, and a new study has found that a high-fiber diet improves the effectiveness of the therapy. Researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported in Science that, by analyzing the gut microbiome in hundreds of patients, they found that higher dietary fiber intake was linked with disease nonprogression among patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade therapy compared to patients eating little fiber. The results were strongest in patients that ate the most dietary fiber, but did not take probiotics, a finding that was replicated with lab animals.

Consider Berberine and Probiotics to Improve Cholesterol

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When used together, the plant alkaloid berberine and the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve work synergistically to significantly improve total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, reports a new study in Gut Microbes from Shanghai Jiao Tung University, in China. Researchers tested 365 diabetes patients at 20 centers throughout the country, giving them either a placebo, one of the two substances or both. Comparing post-meal blood samples after 12 weeks, patients that had taken both the berberine and the probiotic had significantly better cholesterol readings and experienced positive changes in the gut microbiome, as well as better fatty acid metabolism. 10

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Workers exposed over years to formaldehyde may experience thinking and memory problems later in life, researchers at the University of Montpellier, in France, have concluded. Their study published in the journal Neurology surveyed and tested more than 75,000 people with an average age of 58. Of those, 8 percent were exposed to formaldehyde through their occupations as nurses; caregivers; medical technicians; workers in the textile, chemistry and metal industries; carpenters and cleaners. The risk of developing thinking and memory problems was an average of 17 percent higher in people that were exposed to formaldehyde on the job than those with no such exposure. People exposed to formaldehyde for 22 years or longer had a 21 percent higher risk of cognitive impairment.

Try Fenugreek to Boost Male Fertility and Health Fenugreek, an herb used in Indian curries and Middle Eastern cuisine, has been shown in studies to increase breast milk production in women, and a 12-week study of 100 men has found that it also boosts male testosterone and fertility. A research team at King George’s Medical University, in Lucknow, India, gave 500 milligrams a day of an extract made from fenugreek seeds to men that ranged in ages from 35 to 60. Sperm motility, or movement, significantly increased at eight and 12 weeks of treatment, while abnormal sperm morphology significantly decreased at 12 weeks. Testosterone levels, cholesterol markers and libido also improved. Higher levels of alertness were documented, along with lower blood pressure.

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Eat Lots of Fiber to Improve Melanoma Outcomes

eco tip

Expiration Dates

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When to Eat or Toss Food

Americans waste about 40 percent of the food supply every year, which translates to billions of pounds of edible food rotting in landfills and generating dangerous greenhouse gases, along with the dollars leaking out of our wallets. We squander limited resources like water and fuel and needlessly uptick our carbon footprint to produce and transport food that will never be consumed. One major contributor to this problem is expiration labeling—those ambiguous “best before” or “sell by” dates on canned goods, prepared foods, egg cartons, milk jugs and meat packages. Consumers are not quite sure what they mean, and as a result, they often throw out ingredients that are perfectly good to eat. Except for baby formula, the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not require or regulate date labels. Generated by food manufacturers, these cryptic markings convey information about the quality and freshness of products rather than their safety. Experts advise that food that doesn’t show signs of spoilage after a specified date can still be eaten. Instead of allowing a package date to dictate the lifecycle of food, we can rely on an

item’s look, smell and taste to make that decision. To become better stewards of the environment, we need to become food conservationists—purchase only what we will consume, plan meals to cook the most perishable items first, scrape the fuzz off sour cream or yogurt, snip off the mold on a block of cheese, freeze items we aren’t going to consume in a timely manner, and eat everything on our plates. WHAT LABELS MEAN

Sun., April 24, ‘22 11 AM - 5 PM Edmond Town Hall (I84 Exit 10) 45 Main Street, Newtown, CT

A Day of Spiritual & Creative Enlightenment Intuitive Readers, Healers & Reiki, Crystals, Books, Health & Wellness, Handcrafted Jewelry, Candles, Soaps, And... FREE ADMISSION... Please wear your mask!

Best if used by/before date indicates when a product is at peak quality and flavor. Freeze by date denotes when an item should be frozen to maintain peak quality.

cryours87@yahoo.com

Sell by date tells a retailer how long to display the product for sale. ACTUAL FOOD LIFE SPAN Milk lasts seven to 10 days after the “sell by” date. If it smells bad, chuck it. Otherwise, it’s safe. Eggs typically stay fresh in the fridge three to five weeks past the “pack date.” Meat should be cooked or frozen within two days of bringing it home. Cheese lasts refrigerated from one to eight weeks. Harder, aged varietals last longer. It’s safe to remove mold and continue enjoying the rest. Canned goods don’t expire. The “best by” or “use by” dates only relate to peak freshness, flavor and texture. Store in a cool, dark place, and don’t buy bulging, dented, leaking or rusted cans. Fruits and vegetables with blemishes taste the same, are a fraction of the cost and safe to eat.

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Why We Need

WILD PLACES How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes by Sheryl DeVore

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graph the natural scene above them instead, as Hoffman witnessed in Great Britain. Such regions that offer vast tracts of natural beauty and biodiversity are even found in and around major cities like Chicago, says Chicagoland nature blogger Andrew Morkes. “A wild place is also where you don’t see too many people, or any people, and you can explore,” he says. “You can walk up a hill and wonder what’s around the next bend.” “A wild place could be a 15-minute drive from home where we can walk among plants in a meadow, or a tree-lined street, or front and back yard, if landscaped with wild creatures in mind,” says Douglas Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts with Your Yard.

Sustaining Our Species

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n a blustery day, Julian Hoffman stood outdoors and watched wild bison grazing in the restored grassland of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, fewer than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. For him, it was a wild place, affording a glimpse of what North America looked like hundreds of years ago when bison roamed the continent by the millions. “We’re witnessing, in a way that’s both terrible and tragic, just what the profound cost is of continuing to destroy the natural world,” he writes. Saving wild places is critical for human health and wellbeing, say both scientists and environmentalists. But defining what a wild place is or what the word wilderness means can be difficult, says Hoffman, author of Irreplaceable: The Fight to Save Our Wild Places. “If wilderness means a place untouched by humans, then none is left,” he says. Even the set-aside wildernesses where no one may have ever stepped have been altered through climate change, acid rain and other human interventions. Humans are also losing the wilderness that is defined as land set aside solely for plants and creatures other than humans. Prominent naturalist David Attenborough, whose most recent documentary is A Life on Our Planet, says that in 1937, when he was a boy, about 66 percent of the world’s wilderness areas remained. By 2020, it was down to 35 percent. A wild place can be as spectacular as Yellowstone, a 3,500-square-mile national park in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, filled with hot springs, canyons, wolves, and elk. It can also be as simple as a sky filled with a murmuration, or gathering, of thousands of swooping starlings, which once caused two teens to stop taking selfies and photo-

“We need these places to save ourselves,” says Tallamy, who heads the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. “Humans are totally dependent on the production of oxygen and clean water, and that happens with the continued existance of flowering plants, which are dependent on the continued existence of all the pollinators. When you lose the pollinators, you lose 90 percent of the flowering plants on the Earth. That is not an option if we want to stay alive and healthy.” Our mental and emotional health is also at stake. According to a recent overview in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, studies have shown that natural settings can lower blood pressure, reduce depression and anxiety, and help the immune system function better. People have saved wild places over time, of course. “The world’s ancient redwoods are still with us today because people in the early 1900s fought to protect and preserve what they could already see was rapidly diminishing,” Hoffman says. “In April 2022

CREATING A WILD SPACE AT HOME In their book The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden, University of Delaware ecology professor Douglas Tallamy and landscape designer Rick Darke show how to create wild spaces in yards, including what and where to plant and how to manage the land. They advise homeowners to: Stop using pesticides and herbicides. Replace non-native plants with those native to the region. Reduce lawn space, converting it to native plants. Leave leaf litter, withering plants and dying trees alone to provide shelter and food for wildlife. n Create a small pond or another water feature. n n n n

“Mourning cloak butterflies overwinter as mature adults. If you say, ‘Hey, let’s just clean up all of that so-called leaf litter,’ you could be cleaning up the habitat of mourning cloaks and killing them,” says Darke, who has served as a horticultural consultant for botanic gardens and other public landscapes in Texas, Maryland, New York, Illinois and Delaware. “That’s not litter. It’s meaningful habitat. “A dead tree in your home landscape, called a snag, often contributes as much to the local ecology as a living tree,” he adds. “For example, woodpeckers build nests in holes or cavities in a snag, and countless insects find shelter and nourishment in the organic material of the snag.” the year 2022, we are the beneficiaries of those past actions. Yet less than 5 percent of those old-growth redwood groves are left, and we live in an age where we’re losing an extraordinary range of wild species; for example, 3 billion birds have disappeared from the skies of North America in just the past 50 years. That’s why people need to continue to fight for wild spaces.”

Community Crusaders

In researching his book, Hoffman went looking for wild-space struggles. In Glasgow, Scotland, he met people that fought to save an urban meadow from being turned into a luxury home development. “I’d never experienced as much joy in any one place as when I spent time with the community fighting to preserve this tiny meadow,” he recalls. “They campaigned and lobbied politicians, and eventually, the government backed down. And now the whole community is able to enjoy this site where a lot of urban wildlife thrives.” Once-wild places may also need human help to again become wild refuges. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, where Hoffman saw the buffalo, “was once an arsenal for the production of extraordinary quantities of ordnance for a number of wars,” he says. After hundreds of die-hard volunteers dug out invasive plants, scattered seed and documented wildlife on the 18,000-acre prairie, visitors can now walk among big bluestem and golden alexander, and listen for the sweet song of meadowlarks in the grasslands and chorus frogs in the wetlands. Conservation volunteers working to save wild places hail from every state. In fact, nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute more than 6.5 million hours of volunteer service a year to the U.S. National Park Service, from leading tours to studying wildlife and hosting campgrounds. One doesn’t have to be an environmental crusader to save wild places, Hoffman stresses. Exploring local wild places and sharing them with others can help save them, as well. “We can only protect those places that we love,” he says. “And we can only love those places that we know.” Sadly, roughly 100 million people, including 28 million children, do not have access to a quality park within 10 minutes of home, according to The Trust for Public Land. Projects, 14

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such as the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, which enables urban communities to create outdoor spaces, can help. The U.S. Department of the Interior committed $150 million to the program in 2021. “Every child in America deserves to have a safe and nearby place to experience the great outdoors,” says Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

A Homegrown National Park Tallamy says one of the most important ways to get people to appreciate and save wild places is to begin in their own yards. “We have wilderness designations. We have national forests. We have national parks. We have 12 percent of the U.S. protected from development,” he says. “Yet, we are in the sixth great extinction. Our parks and our preserves are not enough. My point is that we have got to focus on the areas outside of parks and preserves.” He urges what he calls a “homegrown national park,” in which homeowners, land managers and farmers create a habitat by replacing invasive plants with native species. Tallamy speaks from experience. He lives on a 10-acre former farm in Oxford, Pennsylvania. “It had been mowed for hay and when we moved in, very little life was here,” he says. “We have been rebuilding the eastern deciduous forest here, getting invasive plants under control and replanting with species that ought to be here.” He’s now counted more than 1,400 different species of moths on his property and documented 60 species of birds nesting within the landscape. “We have foxes who raise their kits in the front yard,” he says. Lots of acreage is not required, he says. In Kirkwood, Missouri, homeowners created a wild place on six-tenths of an acre on which they’ve documented 149 species of birds. “If one person does it, it’s not going to work,” he stresses. “The point is to get those acres connected. When everybody adopts this as a general landscape culture, it’s going to help tremendously. By rewilding your yard, you are filling in spaces between the true wild places and natural areas. The reason our wild spaces are not working in terms of conservation is because they are too small and too isolated. Even the biggest national parks are too small or too isolated.”

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Tallamy says people can create wild spaces in their yards by reducing the amount of lawn they have or even getting rid of it. They can grow native plants and discontinue the use of pesticides and herbicides, which are disrupting ecological function of wild places the world over, as research shows. Hoffman agrees, “We’ve cultivated a culture of tidiness. It’s actually very easy to welcome wildlife into your home places, often by doing fewer things, by not bringing the leaf blower out and by leaving some dead wood where it fell, which creates important shelters for insects, for example. “Such wild yard spaces encourage wonder. Suddenly, the kids are out there and they can be absolutely fascinated by a small glittering beetle. For me, to experience the wild is to go to the shore of a lake, to be present in the mystery, to be among the lake’s reed beds, to see a marsh harrier sleek out of those reeds and to know you’re part of something much larger,” he says. “There’s so much joy and beauty and complexity in being in the presence of other lives besides human.” That in itself is reason enough to save wild places. Sheryl DeVore has written six books on science, health and nature, as well as health and environmental stories for national and regional publications. Read more at SherylDeVore.wordpress.com.

LEARN MORE The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative, by Florence Williams Irreplaceable: The Fight to Save Our Wild Places, by Julian Hoffman

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A Life on Our Planet, Netflix documentary by David Attenborough Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts with Your Yard, by Douglas Tallamy The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden, by Rick Darke and Douglas Tallamy

April 2022

healthy kids

Nature Speaks STORYTELLING CONNECTS KIDS TO THE NATURAL WORLD

hildren are natural storytellers with imaginations that shape their play and learning. In outdoor settings, everything from puddles to pine cones can engage children and draw them closer to the natural world, opening up a lifelong appreciation of natural environments. Connecting with nature also improves creativity, academic performance and attentiveness, while reducing stress and aggressive behavior, a body of research shows. Organizations, like the Wilderness Awareness School, a Duvall, Washington-based nonprofit, work to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, 16

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community and self. “We find that children who feel at home in the outdoors are often more resourceful, creative and allow for curiosity to naturally unfold,” says Leah Carlson, director of marketing and communications at Wilderness Awareness School. “Allowing them to play freely and explore in nature is a wonderful way to build resilience and resourcefulness. When children can be intrigued through a story, it also allows them to understand their own outdoor experiences. They become more

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by Carrie Jackson

adept at finding new solutions to problems using the tools they have access to and creative thinking.” Weaving storytelling into their programs helps children understand their outdoor experiences. “Regular time spent with experienced nature mentors, playing games, exploring unique plants and animals and getting excited about the possibilities of nature is how a connection begins. When children are outside, the characters of these stories are the plants, animals, rocks and landforms around them. The suburban tree that was always an obstacle on the sidewalk can be seen through new eyes as a dragon, monkey bars or a red alder,” Carlson explains. Megan Zeni, a public school teacher in Steveston, British Columbia, says there is a global body of research that shows every measure of wellness is improved through time spent outside. She teaches solely outdoors, ensuring that her students have exposure to nature regardless of which neighborhood they live in. “In our modern world, higher-income families generally have better access to green spaces. Incorporating outdoor activities into the school day gives children equitable exposure to nature and outdoor learning,” she explains. Zeni uses both non-fiction and fiction storytelling approaches to teaching. “To learn about water cycles, I’ll have kids jump in puddles, observe where the water goes and track where it is in the community. They’ll then relay a fact-based story based on their observations and experiences. For a lesson on squirrels, I’ll ask the students to imagine where their habitat is, who their family is and what they eat. We use loose parts, which are open-ended items, such as pine cones and sticks, to creatively illustrate the story. “By using storytelling as a measure of knowledge, it is more equitable for students who don’t perform as well using traditional test and essay methods,” she says. Listening to a child’s story can also reveal misconceptions that can be clarified through further exploration and instruction. Storytelling can take on many forms and be enhanced with the use of props. As the artistic director of Rootstock Puppet Co., based in Chicago, Mark Blashford performs puppet theater rooted in stories that promote mutual kindness and ecological awareness. “Puppets are remarkable storytelling agents because, not only can they play characters and support narrative through movement, they can also tell a story from the very material they inhabit,” he says. “Puppets invite kids to exercise empathy by compelling them to accept and invest in the thoughts, feelings and life of another entity.”

By making puppets out of wood and using them to weave environmental awareness into his shows, Blashford helps to put the natural world in perspective. “My show TIMBER! is about an entire forest and a single tree which is home to a family of spotted owls. I want children to see the role of both the forest and the tree in the lives of an owl family. When they fall in love with little wooden puppet owls, they are able to convert the giant concept of deforestation into a manageable scale,” he says. He encourages parents to regularly engage their children with their natural habitat. “Go to your local forest or park, find a tree, name it and check on it as often as you can. Prompt children to ask questions about who they think lives in that tree, why the branches stretch out how they do and what happens at night. As children learn to see the outdoor world as part of their own characters and setting, the stories will develop naturally,” he advises.

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“We find that children who feel at home in the outdoors are often more resourceful, creative and allow for curiosity to naturally unfold.” –Leah Carlson

Connect with writer Carrie Jackson at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.

LEARN MORE Rootstock Puppet Co.: rootstockpuppet.com Wilderness Awareness School: wildernes sawareness.org Megan Zeni: meganzeni.com

Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely.

~The Land Before Time

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April 2022

wise words

“One way to describe justice is love in action.”

How does Faith in Place work?

Brian Sauder on

It’s very grassroots. We believe in a Green Team model, which is a core group of people within a faith community, anywhere from three to 30 individuals, depending on the size of the community. Through coaching, we help teams evaluate the community’s needs and assets, set goals for the year, and create a strategic plan to address needs through programming, advocacy and a network of nonprofit partners.

Faith-Based Grassroots Change by Sandra Yeyati

ith degrees in natural resource management, environmental science, religion and business administration, Mennonite Reverend Brian Sauder is an adjunct professor at two Illinois seminary schools, as well as president and executive director of Faith in Place, a Midwest nonprofit headquartered in Chicago that helps diverse faith-based groups become community leaders in a shared quest for environmental, social and racial justice.

Why are Green Teams effective in bringing about change?

The messenger matters. When you work with a community, it’s the people in that community that are going to understand the culture, the theology, the context, the history, the politics of the local body; so they understand how to meet people where they’re at and how to talk about these issues in a way that’s effective and attainable.

How are places of faith uniquely positioned to address environmental and racial justice?

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Can you describe a noteworthy Faith in Place project?

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If you look at the history of the U.S. environmental justice movement, from Warren County, North Carolina, where black church women laid their bodies on the road to stop toxic waste dump trucks in their community, to Dr. Benjamin Chavis’ coining of the phrase “environmental racism” through the United Church of Christ, there’s a legacy of people of faith and diverse spiritualities calling out environmental racism and organizing the community to take action. We view ourselves in that historical lineage, with a mission to provide the tools, resources and programming for our faith partners to continue to advance these valuable pursuits.

We partnered with a Green Team that wanted to address the need of hunger in their community by turning four acres of land that they had into a congregationsupported agriculture project (CSA), where people paid upfront to get a weekly bushel of produce grown on the land, while the church tithed 10 percent of it to local food pantries. Over several years, we helped them write a business plan, approach the committee structure of the church, hire a farmer, set up a legal structure and launch Sola Gratia Farm, which today is employing a bunch of people and stocking local food pantries with fresh tomatoes, kale, fruits and vegetables grown right there in the community. Once Faith in Place shared this story, other faith partners wanted to replicate it. We now support five different CSAs across Illinois.

Does Faith in Place welcome all denominations? Absolutely. Whether it’s an institution of

religion or a spiritual tradition, people are bringing the wisdom of the ages to bear on understanding the moment we’re in. Everything is connected, and the ecological crisis is a spiritual crisis. The healing of me and the healing of you and the healing of Earth are bound together, and this mutuality is core to all our different spiritualities and traditions. At our annual Green Team summit, people from different regions, backgrounds and religions come together, all united by the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land where our food is grown and a deep sense of calling and purpose. It’s hope-inspiring in a world that is so divided.

What areas of environmental justice do you focus on? A Green Team might say, “We have an issue with lead pipes in our communities,” or, “We have an issue with high schoolage youth needing employment.” Our programs, which are shaped by the needs of our Green Teams and are constantly being reevaluated and reshaped, cover sustainable food and land use, climate change and energy, environmental advocacy, youth empowerment, and water and flooding prevention. We also advocate to policymakers. Last year in Illinois, Green Teams helped pass the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act by convincing legislators to not only reduce carbon emissions, but also prioritize employment opportunities in the new green economy for highunemployment neighborhoods.

What is your philosophy concerning the intersection between faith and environmental and social justice?

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We’ve got to be committed to the transformation that we seek. Our spirituality calls us to remember how connected we are. One way to describe justice is love in action—a love that begins with ourselves— and as we love ourselves more deeply, it spurs outward action that seeks to dismantle injustice. Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. April 2022

TECHNOLOGY MEETS NATURE APPS BRING US CLOSER TO FLORA AND FAUNA by Sheryl DeVore

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hile exploring Seattle, Jackie Lentz Bowman noticed some bushes filled with pink and orange berries. She discovered she could safely eat them by using the smartphone nature app called iNaturalist (iNaturalist.org). “I learned they were salmonberries and edible,” says the Chicago area photographer and birder. “I just had to try them. They were very similar to raspberries.” Bowman is among a growing number of people using their smartphones to enhance their nature experiences. Phone apps are available for free or a modest price to identify

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mushrooms, bugs, birds, dragonflies, reptiles, beetles, wildflowers and other flora and fauna. “Whether it is to help identify a plant I’ve taken a photo of or to familiarize myself with what a bird looks like and sounds like, these are tools I’m always glad to have in my back pocket,” she explains. At least 6,300 nature apps were available in 2015, according to Paul Jepson and Richard Ladle, Oxford environmental scholars and co-authors of “Nature Apps: Waiting for the Revolution,” a research paper published in the Swedish environmental journal Ambio. Such programs are only beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible. They write, “As most people own a mobile phone today, the app—though a small device—is a major way conservationists could be reaching a huge audience with transformative possibilities.” Right now, some apps allow the user to point a smartphone to a plant or animal to get instant feedback on its common or scientific name. Others ask the user questions about what they are seeing and suggest an identity based on the answers. Some allow the user to interact with scientists, share their knowledge, record their observations and contribute to science. Perhaps the most popular nature app is iNaturalist, which has all those features and more. “Our mission has been to connect people to nature through technology,” says Scott Loarie, co-director of iNaturalist, a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. “By 2030, we want to connect 100 million people to nature to facilitate science and conservation.” The app began as a master’s degree proj-

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green living

photo by Jackie Lentz Bowman

ect at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2008, and today 2 million people have recorded about 100 million observations, covering one in six species on the planet. “iNaturalist has grown to the point where it’s helping take the pulse of biodiversity,” he adds. Newcomers are often mentored and helped with identifications by volunteers that are experts in different fields. One example is a worldwide competition called the City Nature Challenge in which beginning and advanced naturalists document urban flora and fauna for several days. During the event, people share their photos of plants and animals on iNaturalist. During Chicago’s Challenge, Eric Gyllenhaal, who blogs about nature on the city’s west side, found an uncommon species. “A Canadian expert helped confirm the identification as a bronze ground beetle native to Europe,” says Cassi Saari, project manager of natural areas for the Chicago Park District. “It’s an introduced species in Illinois and could have implications for wildlife in the region down the line.” Two other nature apps that Loarie likes are eBird (eBird.org) and Merlin (Merlin. AllAboutBirds.org), both administered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in Ithaca, New York. With eBird, users can report on their phones a list of birds they’re seeing in the wild, including when and where, and the sightings are added to a database for scientific research. Merlin is a field guide app to help folks identify the birds they are seeing. “Merlin has taken on authoring content with great descriptions of birds, something iNaturalist doesn’t do,” Loarie points out. “Merlin also just released sound recognition in the app, so people can identify birds by sound. It’s huge for birders.” Award-winning nature photographer Adriana Greisman, of Phoenix, says she uses both Merlin and iBird (iBird.com), another field guide app, to identify birds in the wild and when processing photos. “These are great resources to identify unknown species and to learn about their behavior.” The favorite app of Joyce Gibbons, a volunteer at the Natural Land Institute, in Rockford, Illinois, is Odonata Central (OdonataCentral.org), which focuses on

her passion—dragonflies and damselflies, collectively called odonates. “I’ve loved solitary walks in the woods, prairies and other natural areas since I was a child,” she says. “I’ve always taken photos and tried to ID the many species I’ve observed. Now, with these apps on my phone, I feel like I am actually contributing to the scientific body of knowledge and connecting with other enthusiasts and not just keeping all this joy of discovery to myself.”

Turning YOUR Vision into Reality! Newspapers Books•Magazines Business Cards•Posters Banners•Mailings AND so much MORE!

Sheryl DeVore is an award-winning author of six books on science, health and nature. Connect at SherylDevoreWriter@gmail.com.

NATURE APPS TO LEARN BY AUDUBON GUIDE: Search a field guide to 800 species of birds found in North America with tips on places to find them (Audubon.org/app).

594 Blakeslee Blvd. Dr. West Lehighton, PA 18235 Phone: 800.443.0377 - Ext. 3104

E-mail: mgriffith@tnonline.com

PICTURE INSECT: Identify thousands of different insects and learn about them using this entomologist in a pocket (PictureInsect.com). PICTURE MUSHROOM: Identify thousands of different mushrooms using a smartphone (PictureMushroom.com). PLANTNET: Identify wild plants by posting photos. Images are compared to thousands of images from throughout the world in a database (PlantNet.org). SEEK BY iNATURALIST: Seek uses data submitted to iNaturalist to show suggestions for species nearby, but unlike iNaturalist, findings made with Seek will not be shared publicly, making it safe for children to use. Users can earn badges as they discover wildlife (iNaturalist.org/pages/seek_app). TRAILLINK: Search a database of more than 40,000 miles of trails in the U.S. and download trail maps on a smartphone (TrailLink.com).

an unforgettable, experiential evening of discovery, freedom and power!

LivingWithoutLimits.com April 2022

conscious eating

Eating for the Planet DIET FOR A CLIMATE CRISIS

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by Sheila Julson

hat we choose to put on our plates influences not only our physical health, but also the health of the environment. While much of the climate conversation focuses on the burning of fossil fuels, commercial food production—particularly livestock—uses large amounts of land, water and energy. Wasted food contributes to approximately 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Leigh Prezkop, food loss and waste specialist for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), says agriculture accounts for 22

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about 70 percent of the world’s fresh water use, while pasture and crop land accounts for about 50 percent of the Earth’s habitable land. “The environmental impacts begin with the soil,” Prezkop explains. “Soil that’s depleted of nutrients loses its ability to capture carbon and produce nutrientrich foods. The long chain continues with the processing and packaging of that food, and then transporting it to grocery store shelves and, eventually, to the consumer’s home.”

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Eat Less Meat

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change, argues author, screenwriter and playwright Glen Merzer in his latest book, Food Is Climate: A Response to Al Gore, Bill Gates, Paul Hawken & the Conventional Narrative on Climate Change. “When we have 93 million cattle farmed in the U.S. and 31 billion animals farmed globally each year, they create mountains of waste,” says Merzer, a dedicated vegan of 30 years. “That waste infiltrates water supplies and causes contamination, such

“When food is wasted, we’re not just throwing away food, but everything it took to produce that food is also wasted— the water, the fertilizer and the land.” –Leigh Prezkop as E. coli outbreaks, in foods like lettuce and tomatoes that are grown downstream.” He adds that cows belch methane, a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and that grass-fed cows belch even more of it than grain-fed, feedlot cows. In addition, nitrogen fertilizers used to grow animal feed run into waterways. Overfishing and ocean warming threaten populations of phytoplankton, which sequester carbon dioxide and seed clouds. Deforestation to create grazing land may be the single greatest future threat to our climate because forests also sequester carbon and provide a home for diverse flora and fauna.

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Make Simple Swaps Prezkop emphasizes that despite these problems with the industrial food chain, changing the way we produce food is also the solution. The WWF works with suppliers to educate and promote regenerative production practices. On the consumer side, changing the way food is produced can be achieved by changing people’s dietary demands. “We don’t prescribe people to eat a certain way. We do believe different people and cultures have different dietary needs,” she says. “The global north eats a lot of meat, so we do recommend a plant-forward diet while still incorporating animal proteins, depending on individual dietary needs.” Merzer argues that we have little control over fossil fuel burning, but we can control our diets. He promotes plant-based eating as a primary solution to climate change. Changing mindsets about “normal” traditions, such as having hamburgers on the Fourth of July or turkey on Thanksgiving, can be difficult, but achievable with the planet at stake, he says. Sophie Egan, founder of FullTableSolutions.com and author of How to Be a Conscious Eater: Making Food Choices That Are Good For You, Others, and the Planet, advises to start small by looking at the foods eaten most frequently and identifying ways to make simple swaps. “If you have toast with butter every morning, that could be changed to a nut butter. A sandwich with cold cuts every day for lunch, that can be replaced with a roasted vegetables and hummus sandwich or an avocado sandwich. You can still eat something in a familiar form, but replace ingredients with loweremissions options,” she says. If someone is intimidated by switching to an all plant-based diet, a flexitarian option emphasizing foods from the plant kingdom while enjoying meat only occasionally may be more sustainable throughout a person’s lifetime. Her book contains a “protein scorecard” from the World Resources Institute that lists animal

SCRAP VEGETABLE STOCK Those potatoes that start to sprout, the straggler stalks of celery wilting in the back of the crisper drawer or that pompon of green carrot tops can all be used to make vegetable stock. This is a very general recipe with plenty of creative license to get more mileage from leftover vegetables that normally would have been discarded. Start by collecting vegetable scraps that typically aren’t used— thick asparagus ends, carrot tops and broccoli stems. Even wilted kale or limp carrots that are no longer good to eat fresh, but are still free from mold or mush, can be added. Coarsely chop scrap veggies and put them into a freezer bag. Store them in the freezer until four to five pounds of vegetable scrap have been accumulated. yield: about 3 quarts 4 to 5 lb vegetable scraps (can include the freezer bag of vegetable scraps, green tops from a fresh bunch of carrots, slightly wilted kale, turnips that are starting to turn soft or any combination) 2 bay leaves 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 2 medium onions, cut into quarters 6 quarts water Salt to taste Coarsely chop all vegetables and add to a large stockpot. (If the vegetables are still frozen, dump them into the stockpot; they’ll begin to thaw during the cooking process.) Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for about two hours or until the liquid is reduced by about half and the color begins to fade from the vegetables. Let the mixture cool. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Compost the vegetables, as they are now flavorless; all of the flavors have been cooked into the broth. Strain broth a second time through a cheesecloth or sieve for an even clearer broth. Salt to taste and portion into Mason jars. Store in the refrigerator for one to two weeks, or freeze if saving for later use. Courtesy of Sheila Julson.

April 2022

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MUNG BEAN CURRY

3 cups water 1 cup dried mung beans 2 dry bay leaves ½ medium onion, chopped 3 cloves raw garlic, minced 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp yellow curry 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or sweet basil 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice Black pepper to taste

Scoop away the white foam that forms on the surface of the water and discard. Simmer covered for about 40 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric and curry, and continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro or basil, lemon juice and black pepper. Serve over rice or another grain.

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Courtesy of Joanna Samorow-Merzer, reprinted with permission from Own Your Health, by Glen Merzer.

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Prezkop says approximately 40 percent of the food produced globally is lost while still on the farm or further up the supply chain. “When food is wasted, we’re not just throwing away food, but everything it took to produce that food is also wasted—the water, the fertilizer and the land.” A recent WWF report entitled Driven To Waste cites new data indicating that food waste contributes to approximately 10 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions—nearly twice the emissions produced annually by all the cars in the U.S. and Europe. Egan suggests using a shopping list; impulse buys can be forgotten and are prone to spoiling. Keeping food visible by putting fruits and vegetables front and center ensures they won’t be forgotten. Leftovers can be kept from languishing by designating a section of the refrigerator for food to eat first or a day of the week to eat leftovers for dinner. “You can freeze just about anything,” Egan says, from leftover bread to cheese, which can be shredded before frozen. Even scrambled eggs can be poured into a freezer container to use later. (For more ideas, check out SaveTheFood.com and Dana Gunders’ Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook.) Nonprofits throughout the country are creating solutions to divert food waste from the landfills. Keep Austin Fed, a nonprofit comprised of mostly volunteers, helps neighbors experiencing food insecurity by redistributing wholesome, nutritious, surplus food from any food-permitted business. Volunteers pick up leftover food from urban gardens, rural farms, grocery stores and caterers serving area tech firms. All prepared food accepted and redistributed is handled by licensed food handlers. Executive Director Lisa Barden says that Keep Austin Fed redistributed 982,428 pounds of food, or the equivalent of 818,695 meals, in 2021, thus keeping it out of the waste stream. Similarly missioned organizations exist nationwide. FoodRescue.us, with 40 locations in 20 states, provides assistance and even a dropoff/pickup app for people starting local groups. Since its founding in 2011, it has provided 85 million meals and kept 109 million pounds of excess food out of landfills. Its website offers a potent plea: “Fight Hunger. Help the Planet. Be the Rescue.” Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.

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Cut Food Waste

Rinse the mung beans, then soak overnight in water. The next day, discard the water, rinse the beans again and add 3 cups of water and bay leaves. Bring the beans to near boil and reduce heat to simmer.

and plant sources in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per gram of protein from the worst offenders to the least, with beef (along with goat and lamb) being at the top. Prezkop recommends eating a wide variety of foods. “Currently, 75 percent of food produced is from 12 plant species and five animal species, despite that there are thousands of varieties. This means there’s less diversity happening in the field. Diversity helps with regeneration and healthy soils. Producing the same crops over and over means there’s no crop rotation and no diversity happening, leading to degraded soils and deforestation to produce more of the same crop.” Egan adds that diets that are over-reliant on just a few food sources like corn, wheat, rice and soy threaten the Earth and can lead to food insecurity. “Think of it as risk management with a financial portfolio: We have a diversified portfolio of foods available to feed a growing population, but as the climate warms, extreme weather events threaten yields because lack of fresh water and unhealthy soil threaten the planet and, ultimately, food production.” Eating food that is as close as to its original state as possible is better for the planet. “The more food is processed, the more resources it took to get it to market,” Prezkop notes.

calendar of events FRIDAY, APRIL 1 Art Explorations for Homeschoolers: Ages 4-6 – 10:30am-12pm. (April 1-May 20). Instructor Mary Alice Landry. Lots of fun with paint, clay, oil pastel, markers, and other 2D art. Class fee: $145. Includes all materials (late sign-ups will be pro-rated. Pre-registration required) Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2 (VIRTUAL) Into the Wilderness Journaling with Debie Thomas – 10 am-12pm. Explore the challenges, and beauties of the Lenten wilderness using writing prompts. Fee $55. Mercy by the Sea, Madison. Register: https://programs. mercybythesea.org/CourseCatalog/ScheduleView. asp?ScheduleID=3328.

Clay Creation for Grades 3-5 – 4pm-5:30pm. (April 5-May 24). Instructor: Kathy Newell. Kids learn to create hand-built pottery using pinch, coil and slab methods. Class fee: $145. Includes all materials (late signups will be pro-rated. Pre-registration required). Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

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Creative Clay Handbuilding for Adults – 6:30pm9:30pm. April 5-May 24). Instructor: Marcy LaBella. Learn to make functional and sculptural pottery. Garden Art, bowls, platters, cups and more. Class Fee: $270 plus clay cost $32 (late sign-ups will be pro-rated. Pre-registration required). Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

Come Experience a Day of Spiritual & Creative Enlightenment!

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Usui Reiki Level Two Certification and Attunement Class with Michaeala D. Feliciano, RMT, Love and Light Works, LLC: April 2-3 – 10am-3pm. (Both days: April 2 & 3). Reiki Level Two, Usui Reiki Training, will be a two-day training. Price: $440. Braulttree Wellness Center, 415 Killingworth Rd, Higganum. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com/events.

Breast Thermography with CT thermography – 7pm. How do you know if your breasts are healthy? Are you looking for a radiation-free breast screening? Have you considered thermography to assess your breast health? Join CT Thermography to learn about the benefits of breast thermography, the difference between thermography & mammography, and how this screening tool has helped millions of women assess & monitor their breast health safely and effectively. To register for this FREE Zoom webinar please visit CTThermography.com/events or email info@ctthermography.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3

FRIDAY, APRIL 8

New Sound & Salt Dates! – Join in for a guided sound healing meditation with salt therapy at the Soulshine Salt Cavern. Dates: 4/3, 4/9 (with Kelly McCarthy $77), 4/16, 4/29. $60 per person. See full list of times and themes at FeelYourLight.com/ events. Registration required, space is very limited. Email Katie@feelyourlight.com or text 860-6555527. The Red Barn, 352 Main St, Durham.

Universal White Time Healing Level 1: Friday April 8th-Sunday April 10th – (Fri, 6pm-9pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-6:30pm). UWT is an advanced healing energy system that connects one more deeply to oneself and to Universal Consciousness. It is a manifestation of Light and Love that encourages one’s personal awakening and truth while working with all frequencies of color and time - past, present and future in one unit. $525 Register with $125 deposit: https://tinyurl.com/UWTEnergy1April2022 Braulttree Wellness Center, Higganum. Contact Bradford: 860-830-5841 info@crystalmusichealing.com.

Salt Cave Spring Renewal Meditation – 10:30am12pm. Qigong, meditation with aromatherapy, sound healing, crystal healing, and salt therapy. $60. Soulshine salt cavern, 352 Main St, Durham. Registration: ChiforHealing.com/pages/classes.

MONDAY, APRIL 4 Adult Painting – 1pm-3pm. (April 4-May 23). Learn to use acrylic paint and watercolor. In nice weather we will schedule some Plein Air painting dates. Instructor: Marcy LaBella Class Fee: $220. (late sign-ups will be pro-rated. Preregistration required) Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5 Studio Arts for Homeschoolers: Ages 7-11 – 12pm-1:30pm. (April 5-May 24). Instructor Mary Alice Landry. Lots of fun with paint, clay, oil pastel, markers, and other 2D art. Class fee: $145. Includes all materials (late sign-ups will be Pre-registration required). Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

NEW AGE FAIR Sponsored by Natural Awakenings

SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022 11am - 5pm

Edmond Town Hall 45 Main Street, Newtown 184 Exit 10

Crystals, Oils, Singing Bowls Reiki Healings, Health & Wellness Intuitive Readers … Angel Cards, Past Life, Astrology, Handcrafted Jewelry, Candles, Soaps ... and more!

Free Admission PLEASE WEAR A MASK!

For more information: Facebook.com/ New-Age-Craft-Expo-724103394360582

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SUNDAY, APRIL 10 Sunday Guided Hike: Explore Vernal Pools – 1pm. Come learn about our local amphibians and their importance during our hike to the nature center’s vernal pools. Amphibians play a special role as indicator species in determining the health of our environment. These fascinating creatures secretly inhabit our woodland and wetlands; help our staff lift rocks and logs to find these slippery creatures beneath. Make sure you and your family wear old clothes and shoes because we will get wet and dirty. Free. Pre-register at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

TUESDAY, APRIL 12

THURSDAY, APRIL 14 Spring Nature Day – 9:30am-3pm. For children 6 -11 years old who love to be outdoors. Enjoy the day exploring the Nature Center’s wetlands for amphibians and other important creatures who live in these unique habitats. Children will need to be prepared to get wet and muddy during our adventures. Please pack appropriate clothes and shoes as well as a snack and lunch. Class space is limited, so pre-registration is a must at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Fee: $30 priority students (Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members) $35 for all others. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

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. In Person, 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. For questions, please call 203-631-7803, email: Return2love3@ gmail.com or visit: Return2Love.com/workshops.

April 2022

calendar of events

FRIDAY, APRIL 22

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 Collage Exploration For Adults – 10am-4pm. Instructors Marcy LaBella and Cheryl Tuttle. Oneday workshop of collage, mixed media fun and making a beautiful piece of art. Class Fee: $150. All materials included (registration required). Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3. Reiki Share with Michaela D. Feliciano, RMT, Love and Light Works, LLC – 1pm-2:30pm. This will be a time for any Reiki Practitioners to come together and help each other heal and grow by practicing on each other. This is a very lovely experience for all who attend. Guests are welcomed. $20 for Reiki Practitioners and $30 for guests. Braulttree Wellness Center, 415 Killingworth Rd, Higganum. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com/events. Full Moon Hike: Pink Moon – 7pm. Join ourstaff on a hike in our meadows to watch as this full moon rises. April’s Full Moon is named after the early springtime blooms of a wildflower native to eastern North America commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink.” Each child must be accompanied by an adult. Limited space, so please pre-register at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Fee: $3 per person. Wear appropriate footwear. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

MONDAY, APRIL 18 Registration begins April 18 for Summer Nature Days – (Dates: July 11-15, July 18-22, August 1-5, and August 8-12). Choose one of our week-long sessions, held from 9am-3pm. For children 6 to 11 years old who love the outdoors and wildlife, these popular classes will be educational and children will also have a chance to explore the 156 acres our park offers. We will visit a variety of habitats in the park, such as wetlands, fields, and woodlands. Hikes, games, crafts, and cooking will be incorporated into our lessons. ANC is a great choice for a fun summer experience! Tuition per week: $150 priority students (Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members); $175 for all others. Please register on or after April 18th by emailing ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. We do not hold spots. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Group Past Life Regression – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Discover reasons for current fears, recurring dreams or personality tendencies. Attendees explore past lives, learn reasons for repeat patterns or why they were born to a certain family. $30. Heart Light Wellness Center, 35 N Main St, Southington. lightheartwellnessllc@gmail.com. 860-863-5900. Virtual Live Earth Day program – 6:30pm8:30pm. This live, virtual Earth Day program will include ritual, guided meditation, and personal and small group reflection to honor our love for creation. Fee $45. Mercy By the Sea, Madison. Register: https://programs.mercybythesea.org/CourseCatalog/ScheduleView.asp?ScheduleId=3332.

New Haven/Middlesex

Succulent Planter DIY + CBD Night – 6pm. Join Lindsey’s Craft Studio at Your CBD Store North Haven for a relaxing evening! We will be decorating mini succulent planters AND learning about the benefits of CBD as a healing tool during this zen activity. Each participant will receive a gift bag of mixed CBD items. Ages 18+. Cost $30 (Supplies included). Spaces are limited so be sure to purchase your ticket and reserve your spot today. Call us 203-234-7779. “This is the perfect date to unwind and learn.”

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 Earth Day Celebration –10am- 3pm. Every day is Earth Day at the Nature Center! We invite everyone to join us to honor Mother Earth. At this annual event, enjoy plantings, hikes, live animals, music, and environmental exhibitors. Food and unique items will be available for sale from local vendors. Bring some cash for our raffle! All ages are welcome for this family-friendly event. No park admission fee. No registration required. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24

Universal White Time Gemstone Healing Level 2: Saturday, April 30th and May 7th – 9am-6:30pm (both days). This class is open to anyone. Explore stones and layouts for healing the body and the aura and for meditation, and an introduction to healing with color. Layouts are practiced in class to open you up to greater creativity, increase your frequency and balancing your aura with every color of the rainbow. Initiation at end of class. $500 Register with $75 deposit: https://tinyurl. com/UWTGem2April2022 Avant Garde Holistic Center, 328 E Main St, Branford. Contact Bradford: 860-830-5841. info@crystalmusichealing.com. Reiki Share with Michaela D. Feliciano, RMT, Love and Light Works, LLC – 1pm-2:30pm. This will be a time for any Reiki Practitioners to come together and help each other heal and grow by practicing on each other. This is a very lovely experience for all who attend. Guests are welcomed. $20 for Reiki Practitioners and $30 for guests. Braulttree Wellness Center, 415 Killingworth Rd, Higganum. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com/events. Free World Tai Chi and Qigong day class – 2pm-3pm. At Starr Mill Yoga, 91 Beverly Heights, Middletown. Information: ChiforHealing.com/ pages/classes.

Reiki Class Level 2 – 10am-4pm. For Reiki Level 1 practitioners who want to deepen their practice. Will learn the use of the three Usui symbols to use for inpatient or remote treatments. Ample practice time for giving remote and table treatments while following CDC Protocol. Small class, open for 4 participants at the Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center, 605 Main Street, Middletown. Requirements: Reiki 1 Certificate and Proof of Vaccination. Cost: $150 members. $160 non-members Call: 203-314-5401 or email: eilande@comcast.net. ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Earth Day Forage walk with Qi gong practice – 2pm-4pm. Identify wild edible and medicinal plants/mushrooms of spring. Class by donation. Wadsworth Falls state park, 721 Wadsworth St, Middletown. Registration: ChiforHealing.com/ pages/classes.

Mono Printing Gelli and Beyond for Adults – 11am-3pm. Instructors: Marcy LaBella and Cheryl Tuttle. One-day workshop of print making and fun; you will learn to create many different pieces of art using lots of new techniques. Class Fee: $150. All Materials are included (registration required). Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 Birds on the Move – 9am. Spring is underway and many birds are busy migrating. Join Ranger Evelyn for a bird walk and learn about how and why birds migrate, as well as some of the challenges they face and what you can do to help our fine feathered friends! Binoculars provided or bring your own. This is a family program and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Free. Register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. Reiki I – 9am-12:30pm. Reiki is the science and art of activating, directing and applying natural, universal life energy, to promote energy balancing, healing and wholeness. Includes certificate and materials $125. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-631-7803, or Return2love3@gmail.com.

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The North Haven Garden Club Annual May Market Visitor Day – 9am-12pm. Your CBD Store North Haven is very excited to be part of this event. Stop by to meet your CBD expert and learn more about your “Health Without The High” store. We will have samples available + Coffee and baked goods. Location: The North Haven Town Green (Good weather) otherwise The North Haven Congregational Church. For more info, call us 203-234-7779.

TUESDAY, MAY 10 Breast Thermography with CT thermography – 7pm. How do you know if your breasts are healthy? Are you looking for a radiation-free breast screening? Have you considered thermography to assess your breast health? Join CT Thermography to learn about the benefits of breast thermography, the difference between thermography & mammography, and how this screening tool has helped millions of women assess & monitor their breast health safely and effectively. To register for this FREE Zoom webinar please visit CTThermography.com/events or email info@ctthermography.com.

ongoingevents

sunday Sunday Guided Hikes – 1pm. Join a Nature Center guide on Sunday afternoons for fun, exercise, and learning about our trails! Free. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. Preregister: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org.

monday Birth Partners Doulas now offers in-home private yoga sessions with a relaxing hand/foot massage included! – $75 per session Call 203-718-6512 or email info@birthpartnersdoulas.com to book your or to gift one to your favorite mama-to-be! BirthPartnersDoulas.com. Usui Reiki with Annette (for Women) – By appointment. Reiki uses universal life force energy. The energy channeled from the universe through the practitioner and to the person receiving. Positive imagery and sacred Reiki symbols are used to help release, relax and prepare the body for healing. Techniques may vary depending on the needs of the body at the time of the session. For more information and to book a session, visit LotusMoonReikiHealing.com. Shamanic Reiki with Annette (For Women) – By appointment. Through natural worldly elements and the four directions of the medicine wheel, Shamanic Reiki helps to unblock deep emotion and trauma. We may cut cords of attachment that keeps us from moving forward, retrieve pieces of ourselves that were once thought lost and light the path forward. For more information and to book a session, visit LotusMoonReikiHealing.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. Limited openings still available for 2022. 28 School St, Branford. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org.

tuesday Family Organic Garden – 3:30pm-5pm. (Tuesdays, April 26 – June 14). ANC will lead fun, family-friendly activities in our organic garden. Learn about growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dress appropriately; keep in mind you will get water and/or soil on your clothing. Free, with the potential to take home fresh local produce! Class size is limited to 10. Please register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. Sound Healing Meditation – 7pm-8:15pm. Relax into a deep, guided, healing meditation using sound from bronze singing bowls, bells, gong, and voice. Rotating weekly focus with emphasis on selfhealing. Bring a mat or lawn chair, blanket, pillow, and water. $35/session or $100/mo pre-pay. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. Email Katie@FeelYourLight.com to register.

wednesday Birth Partners Doulas now offers in-home private yoga sessions with a relaxing hand/foot massage included! – $75 per session Call 203-718-6512 or email info@birthpartnersdoulas.com to book your or to gift one to your favorite mama-to-be! BirthPartnersDoulas.com. Explore White Time – 6pm-8:30pm. (April 13th. Every 2nd Wednesday). All are welcome to participate in this exclusive round-robin style healing circle featuring White Time Energy and Gemstone healing. Everyone gets a turn on the table to receive White Time energy and the featured gemstone treatment of the month. Facilitated by Roslyn Carrier-Brault. $30 for all participants, $10 discount for Universal White Time Practitioners. Braulttree Wellness Center, Higganum, CT. 860344-9573. roslyn@braulttreewellnesscenter.com. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com. Four/Fifth Agreements Workshop Series – 6:30-8pm. (Wednesdays, April 6, April 13, April 20, April 27, & May 4). Come and discover the underlying wisdom of The Four/Five Agreements, and why they have the power to rapidly transform your life to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. This 5-week series will deepen your understanding and practice of The Four/Five Agreements. $97 for series. On Zoom. To register you can call Gayle at 203-631-7803, email: Return2love3@ gmail.com or visit: Return2Love.com/workshops.

thursday Jr. Rangers: In-Person – 3:30pm -5pm. (Thursdays, April 21– June 9). Calling all teens 11 to 14 years old who love nature! Has your child wanted to work with animals, garden, help maintain our trails, and help with conservation and community science projects? This is the opportunity to help the Nature Center in our 8 – week after-school program. Parental permission and registration are required. Class size is limited; this class fills up fast! Free. Register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. The Caring Network: Free virtual support group through Microsoft Teams for adults who have lost a loved one – 6pm. (Thursdays, April 7 & April 21). Bridges Healthcare, 949 Bridgeport Ave, 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. or email brtorres@bridgesmilford.org.

Sound Healing Meditation – 6pm-7pm. (April 14 & 28). Join Bradford Tilden every other Thursday for a deeply restorative and activating Sound Healing Meditation. He creates soothing sonic tapestries with his voice and crystal bowls for you to relax, unwind and release stress and unwanted energies from your body, mind, and field. Please Bring your own blanket, chair or yoga mat to sit on. Register via eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/BradfordBridge. Walk-ins welcome. $15-$35 sliding scale, The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578, https://bridgehac.com.

friday Birth Partners Doulas now offers in-home private yoga sessions with a relaxing hand/foot massage included! – $75 per session Call 203-718-6512 or email info@birthpartnersdoulas.com to book your or to gift one to your favorite mama-to-be! BirthPartnersDoulas.com. Creative Crafting for Adults – 6pm-9pm. (1st and 3rd Friday nights each month except holidays). Cost: $10. Bring your own craft or try a simple craft on us. In the spirit of a quilting bee this is a gathering of like-minded people. Food and music and comradery make for a relaxing fun evening amongst friends. Pre-register or drop in by chance. Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

saturday Creature Features – 12pm. Come to meet our furry, scaly, and feathery animal ambassadors. You’ll have the chance to touch and hold them in this Free family program for all ages. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org.

classifieds 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.

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

April 2022

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

LIFE TRANSFORMATION COACH CHANNELING YOUR WISDOM COACHING

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 8.

Lynda Mettler, ACC Life Transformation Coach Reiki Master Milford, CT 203-623-6066 Lynda@YourWisdomCoaching.com YourWisdomCoaching.com Combat anxiousness and overwhelm by embarking on a healing journey to discover your confidence, courage and selfcompassion. Transformation coaching with IFS “parts work” will help you get out of your head and into your life.

MASSAGE THE BLUE BUDDHA INTEGRATIVE MASSAGE

Angela Amendola, LMT #004570 BOARD CERTIFIED #504545-06 North Haven, CT 203-435-5925 Angela@TheBlueBuddha.com TheBlueBuddha.com

DOULAS BIRTH PARTNERS DOULAS OF CONNECTICUT 203-718-6512 Info@birthpartnersdoulas.com BirthPartnersDoulas.com

Not Just doulas … Birth Partners! Proudly serving clients for over 30 years, providing quality birth and postpartum doula care. Contact us any time for more information.

HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY WILDHEART ECOTHERAPY

Justin Pegnataro, LPC 3496 Whitney Avenue, Suite 202 Hamden, CT 203-859-1953 Justin@justinwildheart.com JustinWildheart.com

The Blue Buddha – Integrative Massage, exclusively for women. Offering individualized no-rush massage that balances your physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing through the mindful application of Western and Eastern techniques. Inspired by years of meditative discipline, providing a deep level of sensitivity and awareness to assist individuals in achieving greater relaxation and healing. Pre and postnatal massage, grief and stress relief, injury and recovery, wellness and relaxation massage.

Justin is dedicated to helping people live vibrant lives filled with connection and purpose. He provides traditional psychotherapy and also ecotherapy sessions in indoor or outdoor settings. Justin works with adults and older teens in discovering who they are and in finding their place in life.

New Haven/Middlesex

NaturalNewHaven.com

MASSAGE THERAPIST A MOMENT IN TIME MASSAGE, LLC Jill Andrzejewski LMT #9900, RMT & Psychic 3490 Whitney Avenue, Suite 205 Hamden, CT 203-909-1108 Jillamomentintimemassage@gmail.com AMomentInTimeMassage.org

I use a holistic approach to treat my clients—We work as a team, setting goals to move forward to get you where you wish to be physically, mentally and spiritually. My intention is to empower people to empower themselves. I am an advocate for gentle stretching, crystals and breath work to maintain a feeling of being grounded and calm. Services available: massage, 30-minute sessions for chronic pain management, Reiki, chakra balancing, angel tarot, oracle card readings, couples Reiki, foot baths with hand made all natural herbal ingredients, group events and classes. A Moment In Time Treasures items available for purchase. Sessions available by appointment only.

MEDICAL THERMOGRAPHY CT THERMOGRAPHY

April Beaman Main Office: 11 Melrose Dr. Farmington, CT Satellite Office: 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 from the surface of the body. A thermogram is produced by a highly sensitive, infrared camera that accurately maps temperature variations which are then analyzed by Board Certified physicians known as thermologists. Thermography screenings are effective to assess and monitor whole body health and can aid in the detection of inflammation, disease processes and cancer. Furthermore, this health screening tool is noninvasive, radiation-free and does not involve any contact with the body. See ad on page 7.

community resource guide 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 8.

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

My service provides transformative energy work helping clients resolve the traumas, pain, shame, and struggles of the past. They experience new self-value and mattering, feel more vitality, happiness and joy with which to enjoy life and dream the future.

REIKI SUSANE GRASSO, RMT 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.

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.

UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME CRYSTAL HEALING

TALK THERAPY SENIEL LUCIEN LCSW, PH. D

Offices in Essex & W. Hartford 860-767-2189 Slucien.com In person (depending on CDC compliance) or telemedicine With separate trainings in behavior therapies, psychoanalysis, crisis and trauma, for adults, and children and adolescents, I am fortunate to have both a broad range and depthful knowledge to assist you. Whether from past wounds and conflicts or new situations like those surrounding Covid, many of us develop behaviors or symptoms as we struggle with fear, anxiety, or depression. Talking reveals your unique individuality: being ‘heard’ by a specially trained clinician allows us to consider better choices and understanding so that you are less drained, less pained, and have a better chance for increased productivity and contentment.

BRAULTTREE WELLNESS CENTER

Roslyn N. Carrier-Brault MA, UWTH, CHT, RMT Three Oaks Plaza 415 Killingworth Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 9A Higganum, CT 860-344-9573 roslyn@braulttreewellnesscenter.com BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com As a student and fellow Lightworker of Bradford W. Tilden, in 2020, Roslyn established Braulttree Wellness Center (BWC), where she, her husband, William Brault, and the subleasing practitioners offer Universal White Time hands-on healing sessions. Roslyn enjoys working with people and their pets, using a wide variety of holistic modalities, such as Lemurian Crystals, Crystal and Mineral Lays, Universal White Time Healing (UWTH), and Essential Oil. Roslyn is a gifted healer and empath, who has over 25 years of experience as a Reiki Master Teacher, who now exclusively works within the higher vibrational energy of UWTH. BWC provides a safe space that supports and meets each client where they are within their path of self-care and healing. Roslyn’s outreach services include intuitive pet care services and intuitive dog training, IntuitivePetCarellc.com and fine art photography, RoslynnCarrierBrault.com. Additionally, BWC provides a venue for fellow practitioners to offer small, safe wellness classes and workshops. See ad on page 6.

coming in the may issue

Women's Wellness

April 2022

community resource guide UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME CRYSTAL & SOUND HEALING CRYSTAL MUSIC HEALING

WHOLE BODY THERMOGRAPHY B WELL THERMOGRAPHY

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 to obtain authentic expression, empowerment, and transformation. You can purchase personally attuned crystals, through me. My clients and students gain a renewed clarity and a sense of purpose in working with me.

Shirley Prendergast, CTT, INHC 380 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 705 Boston Post Rd, Guilford, CT 203-915-9712 shirley@bwellthermography.com BWellThermography.com

Choosing B Well Thermography is a step in the right direction for Early Detection and Prevention. Thermography testing is a radiation-free, state-of-the-art screening procedure that captures heat images of the breast to aid in the early detection of cancer and fibrocystic breast disease. As a Health Coach, I use the holistic approach when working with patients to achieve optimal health. See ad on page 11.

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, 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 back cover ad.

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Articles inside

TECHNOLOGY MEETS NATURE

WHY WE NEED WILD PLACES

BRIAN SAUDER