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March 2017 | New York City Edition | na-newyorkcity.com natural awakenings
March 2017
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letterfrompublisher
H contact us Publisher Tina Woods CEO Sharon Bruckman Marketing Director Roger Dubin Editor Alison Chabonais Linda Sechrist Calendar Editor Janet Merryman Design & Production Julee Bode Natural Awakenings NYC P.O. Box 482 Radio City Station New York, NY 10101 www.na-newyorkcity.com Contact: publisher@na-newyorkcity.com 212-726-1420
ello natural New Yorkers! Welcome to our March 2017 Issue! With spring in the air we are abundant with the thoughts of fresh new seasonal foods in alignment with nature. It is a blessing most of us can share in and we have taken the time this month to support those who face food sensitivities with a great article entitled Fearless Eating. In this piece you will find a Food Intolerances Self-Questionnaire (pg 18) that will give you a score and guidance on how to proceed with your consumption patterns that could benefit your daily functioning and how you feel overall. We also have taken measures to provide education on the healthy levels of good fats that are in our diet and how they do not make us fat (pg 26). I would also especially like for you to take the time to read Reframing Your Life Story (pg 28) which can serve as a roadmap for the overall journey of your life where you can become your own hero! Each month you can find countless individuals in our magazine that are here to help you reframe your life spiritually, physically and emotionally and we welcome you to connect to the next level of your awakening!
Tina Woods, Publisher publisher@na-newyorkcity.com
neverglossy.alwaysgreen. Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by using post-consumer recycled paper and soybased ink on uncoated stock, avoiding the toxic chemicals and huge energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is harder to recycle.
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contents Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
10 6 newsbriefs 9 healthbriefs 12 ecotip 12 ECO_JOE 13 globalbriefs Making a Cuppa More Planet-Friendly 24 healingways 13 26 consciouseating 16 FEARLESS EATING How to Move Past 28 inspiration Food Sensitivities 29 calendar 30 resourceguide 24 HOLISTIC EYE CARE
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by Kathleen Barnes
Taking the Whole Body into Account by Linda Sechrist
26 THUMBS-UP ON FATS Good Fat Doesn’t Make Us Fat
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by Judith Fertig
advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please go online at www.na-newyorkcity.com or email roger@na-newyorkcity.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.
28 REFRAMING YOUR
LIFE STORY Create Your Own Hero’s Journey by Kim Schneiderman
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Roger
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: roger@na-newyorkcity.com. Deadline for calendar: the 15th 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 multiple markets contact Roger at roger@na-newyorkcity.com or 917-699-6492. DISTRIBUTION To have our magazine placed at your residence or place of business free of cost, please contact Roger at roger@na-newyorkcity.com or 917-699-6492. NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
Natural Awakenings NYC is Growing If you like to Feel Good, Live Simply, and Laugh More, and also believe in Healthy Living and a Healthy Planet, please contact our Marketing Director Roger Dubin. We are looking for like minded people to help in areas such as advertising sales, internships, and neighborhood distribution and community support. Commissions, training, and other benefits. Please email roger@na-newyorkcity.com
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newsbriefs 9 Simple Taoist Ways to Boost the Immune System
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ith flu season not quite gone and allergy season fast approaching, our immune system needs to be in top shape to keep us well. Mantak Chia, a Taoist qigong master and founder of Universal Healing Tao, suggests nine simple ways to boost the immune system naturally.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Turns Customer into Consultant
1. Laugh: Laughter shakes the body and bones, stimulating the production of stem cells and red blood cells; enhances oxygen intake; stimulates the heart and lungs; and releases endorphins that ease pain. 2. Smile: Chia created the Inner Smile meditation to detoxify and energize the internal organs necessary to digest food, clean the blood and eliminate waste. 3. Eat Real Food: For 30 days, eat unprocessed, organic vegetables, fruits, meats and herbs, natural oils and modest amounts of freshly prepared grain. 4. Move: Mindful physical movement squeezes toxins from tissues, flushes bacteria from the lungs and relieves stress that compromises immunity. 5. Practice 5 Bone Marrow Chi Kung (Qigong): Deepen your laughter therapy by focusing your laughter on the sacrum and femur. “When we activate the bone marrow in the sacrum and femur bones, we stimulate the production of the stem cells and healthy red blood,” Chia says. 6. Breathe: Deep diaphragmatic breathing supports the immune system by strengthening T-cell formation and improving lymphocyte production. 7. Jump, Vibrate, Tap: Whole-body vibrating (via jump rope or trampoline), local tapping and gentle hitting with your hands will enhance blood circulation and lymph flow. 8. Try Abdominal Massage: Some 70 percent of the immune system resides in the gut. Try self-massage or visit a certified Chi Nei Tsang practitioner, who can help move immuneboosting cells from the gut to the rest of the body. 9. Drink Clean, Filtered Water: Drinking clean water helps blood carry oxygen to the cells. Without oxygen, we cannot have a strong immune system. Tao master Mantak Chia will lead a teacher training in Universal Healing Tao (UHT) June 9-25 at Eastover Estate and Retreat, located in Lenox, MA, minutes from Tanglewood Music Center and Kriplau Yoga Center. See their full line of spring programs at Eastover.com.
by Catherine Manning
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our skin is your body’s largest organ: certain substances contained in lipsticks, deodorants and other cosmetics are absorbed into the body and bloodstream. As I became more environmentally aware, I became more concerned about what I put in and on my body. While I was living abroad, a British friend introduced me to Neal’s Yard Remedies. I immediately fell in love with the products. They are organic, cruelty-free, and free of parabens, GMOs, petroleum, mineral oil, phthalates and synthetic fragrances. When I moved back to the United States and realized that NYR products were not sold here, I had my husband and friends bring me the products while traveling to and from London. I knew that approach was not going to last—plus I worried that the beautiful glass bottles were going to break in their luggage. After doing some research, I learned that I could become a consultant for the company so I could purchase NYR’s world-class products while introducing them to other people. Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic, the social-selling channel of NYR, has a passion for transforming people’s lives and supporting the environment. If you believe there is a healthier, happier, more planet-friendly way to live, join my life-changing team as a customer or by becoming an NYR independent consultant. Catherine Manning, Independent Consultant, 908-400-8961 camanning1119@yahoo.com US.NYROrganic.com/shop/ catherinemanning
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NewLife Expo Comes to New Yorker Hotel March 17-19
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ore than 100 experts are slated to speak at the NewLife Expo, which returns to NYC March 17-19 at the newly renovated New Yorker Hotel, with exhibits and panel discussions covering topics from nutrition to UFOs. “Most exhibitors are exclusive to the expo,” says its founder, Mark Becker. Among returning experts are Marianne Williamson, Eric Pearl and Dannion Brinkley, who will join Sean Morton, Richard Doyle, Gail Thackray, Stacie Breeze and dozens of other high-profile lecturers. “They’ll make it a weekend you’ll remember forever,” Becker says. “And this is one of our healthiest expos, as Dr. Joel Wallach joins Dr. Jane Goldberg, Dr. Chi, Dr. Cua, Dr. Paul Ling Tai, Dr. Eric Kaplan, Kat James and others to bring you the latest in alternative health care and proper nutrition.” The NewLife Expo is America’s longest-running event focused on holistic enlightenment and rejuvenation, he notes. “The expo continues at the vanguard of raising awareness to more than a million Americans for over 27 years, with its lecturers and exhibitors promoting a healthy mind, body and spirit; alternative medicine; yoga and meditation; anti-aging; and the metaphysical and psychic realms.” For more information or to preregister for discounts, visit NewLifeExpo.com or email Mark@NewLifeMag.com.
Best Selling Hay House Author Speaks in NYC March 4
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eal Swan, international best-selling Hay House author, speaker, and YouTube sensation, will be hosting a Synchronization Workshop in New York City on March 4, 2017 at Baruch Performing Arts Center, Mason Hall. Touted as “The Spiritual Catalyst”, Teal is helping people to overcome trauma, integrate past emotional wounds and create profound Teal Swan personal change in their life. At the Synchronization Workshop, Teal lectures on a range of illuminating topics and answers questions from the audience which everyone can benefit from. Using her unique extrasensory abilities and vast understanding of the human experience and psyche, Teal helps workshop attendees process and elucidate their personal and collective issues. Teal’s mission is to bring healing and self-awareness to as many people as possible. In her latest book, “The Completion Process: The Practice of Putting Yourself Back Together Again”, Ms. Swan gives readers the tools necessary to retrieve the fragmented parts of themselves fractured by trauma. Attendees of the workshop can also expect to see Teal demonstrate The Completion Process in front of a live audience. For more information and tickets visit TealSwan.com.
Become Certified as a Life & Executive Coach in New York City
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ourse participants will learn leading-edge coaching and business development skills supporting long-term success as they prepare to become a full- or part-time professional life coach or executive coach. The Certified Coaches Federation (CCF) will conduct a twoday training to provide attendees all the tools they need to launch their own practice, from 9 a.m., March 4, 2017 through 6 p.m., March 5, at Derrick Sweet the NYC Seminar & Conference Center. Key elements of coaching—including foundation, language, structure, proven techniques and master strategies—will be shared in this intensive certification program. Along with presentations and interactive sessions, training features the CCF Certified Training Manual and tool kit, a one-on-one coaching session with CCF founder and NYC Certified Coach Trainer Derrick Sweet; and inclusion in the continuing education program. Individuals can advance themselves personally and professionally by obtaining the confidence, knowledge and skills needed for helping others achieve their goals. CCF is the leading life coach certification program, with more than 12,000 graduates worldwide. Cost: $1179. Location: 71 W. 23rd St,, #515, NYC. For more information or to register, call 1-866-455-2155, email info@CertifiedCoachesFederation.com or visit CertifiedCoachesFederation.com. See ad, page 27.
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Free Presentation Highlights Teachings of Bruno Groening
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edical doctor and chronic pain specialist Dr. Wolfgang Vogelsberger will present a simple approach to spiritual healing based on the teachings of the late German mystic Bruno Groening on May 1, at 7 p.m., at SUNY College of Optometry’s Schwarz Theater. Groening taught that a higher power exists and can heal, and he showed people how to connect to it. In his free presentation on Groening’s teachings, Vogelsberger will share documented, present-day reports of healings of severe, chronic and reportedly incurable diseases, and people who have been healed will share their experiences. Bruno Groening Groening attracted wide public attention in Germany in 1949, after a grateful father announced that his son had been healed of muscular dystrophy through Groening’s help. In subsequent years, thousands of healings attributed to his teachings were reported throughout the country. Now more than 80,000 people from more than 120 countries practice these teachings through the Bruno Groening Circle of Friends, which shares them free of charge. Vogelsberger says he is among those who have received help through Groening’s teachings. “I had an accident on a tennis court. A specialist ordered an operation, but three weeks later I could play tennis again free of pain, without any medical treatment.” Attendees at the lecture will be able to connect to and absorb this healing power for themselves in a simple way, Vogelsberger says. SUNY College of Optometry’s Schwarz Theater is located at 33 West 42nd St. For more information, call 212-714-5379 or visit Bruno-Groening.org/en.
Personal Resilience Begins with Self-Care
The secret of
getting ahead is getting started. ~Mark Twain
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astor Robert H. Schuller once said, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” We all have stress, hardships and challenges, but when we deal with them in counterproductive ways—by avoiding, withdrawing, acting out or engaging in any “holic” behaviors—we can perpetuate our own misery. Harriet Cabelly, a practitioner of positive psychology, offers several suggestions for developing personal resilience to avoid getting stuck in life’s down cycles. Building resilience begins with self-care, she Harriet Cabelly says. “Stressful times are when you need it the most and are most likely to neglect yourself. Get enough sleep, or even try for an extra hour. It’s restorative to the mind and body. And eat simply and well. When you’re upset or constantly running, you might be tempted to skip meals or gorge on junk.” Regular exercise is critical to building stamina and strength, she adds. “Doing something physical keeps you strong in body and mind. Endorphins kick in, giving you a boost and clearing the mind to better deal with what’s at hand.” Cabelly suggests practicing meditation for cultivating inner calm, and getting outside to see and feel the larger world. “Nature, the ocean, a sunrise or sunset, a view—they all bring perspective where we can feel part of something beyond ourselves.” Being proactive—problem solving, taking action, exploring options and getting information—can give a sense of control, she says. For an appointment or more information, contact Harriet Cabelly at 516-214-4778 or Harriet@RebuildLifeNow.com. See more at RebuildLifeNow.com.
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Fresh Juice Beats Bottled for Health Benefits
FRESH IS BEST.
Healing, A to Z
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or Reba Linker, the launch of AtoZ Healing Space, featuring a variety of online monthly workshops led by bottled well-known healers, is the manifestarinking green juice daily can better be aorthan pills. tion of a vision. “The idea came fully great tool for weight loss, fitness and formed—one of those gifts from the detoxing—but only if it’s done correctly, universe that shout, ‘I’m yours! Take says Rebecca Matsil, marketing manager Reba Linker me!’” she recalls. for New York wheatgrass producer Perfect SHOT = 2.5 LB OF GREEN VEGGIES Along with that vision came this Foods. “Not all wheatgrass is the same,1WHEATGRASS and heavenly guidance: don’t wait for all the answers before you not all juice is the same,” she says. “The bottom line is, fresh juice is SINCE 1982 act—you’ll find them along the way. “Co-creating this space the best juice.” with others helps make it an adventure,” Linker says. “Indeed, Perfect Foods has been growing and distributing organic, local Look for our organic wheatgrass at your local NYC juice bar; the best inturned the city. the roster of featured healers lined up for our monthly workwheatgrass to fresh juice bars since 1982. Since the recentit’s trend 800WHEATGRASS.COM | 1-800-WHEATGRASS shops is impressive. These are luminaries and thought leaders towards cold-pressed juices and High Pressure Processing (HPP) bottles, in a wide range of ‘healing outside the box’ modalities.” The Perfect Foods has made it a mission to educate New York consumers on new online healing center will also host regular gatherings like the superiority of fresh juice over bottled juice, Matsil says. monthly circles and members’ forums. “When wheatgrass juice is fresh, the live enzymes, vitamins and AtoZ’s inaugural March workshop is free. Teri Miller, nutrients are intact and going immediately into your body, which no founder of Time Heals angelic healing, will be live online at bottled juice can do for you,” she says. “Bottled juice is more conAtoZ on March 6, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. For registration invenient, but it is left on the shelf for days, and time deteriorates the formation, visit AtoZHealingSpace.com and sign up to receive nutrients, whether it’s cold-pressed or bottled. It’s common sense— a “spiritual goody bag” full of healing treats from upcoming fresh is best. And New Yorkers only stand for what’s real. Let’s support featured healers Teri Miller, Lea Tran, Jenny Mannion and the local juice bars and get back to fresh together.” Yogeshwari Kamini Desai. Visit 800Wheatgrass.com/services and type in a location to find the two closest juice bars using fresh wheatgrass. For more information about For more information, visit AtoZHealingSpace.com. Perfect Foods products, call 845-651-2021.
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he Awaken Wellness Fair, which returns to Tarrytown March 26, has long been billed as “our area’s best-loved body-mind-spirit-green expo.” There’s plenty to be learned at this event, but the vibe is far more social than educational, notes Awaken Fairs founder Paula Caracappa. “While expo is a word associated with such events, this one is a party—no walls separating people. It’s wide open, with lots of friendly interaction.” Since 2002, this wellness-focused, experiential event has attracted more than 100 exhibitors to locations throughout the tri-state area, expanding from one annual event to multiple events in New York City, Tarrytown, Brooklyn, and Fort Lee, New Jersey. While attendance has grown from 42 people at the first Awaken Fair to hundreds of people in recent years, the goal remains constant: introducing people to the variety of wellness services and products available in our area today. This year’s fair in Tarrytown will take place March 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Grand Ballroom of the DoubleTree Hotel at 455 South Broadway. Keynote speaker Kacey Morabito Grean of WHUD Radio will present “Life Lessons,” discussing what she’s learned in her 30-year broadcasting career. For more info, including exhibitor lists and information for interested vendors/businesses, visit AwakenFairs.com. For questions, email AwakenUSA@aol.com.
healthbriefs
DHA Boosts Elder Brain Function
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esearchers from Tianjin Medical University, in China, have discovered that regularly taking docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improves brain function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. A total of 219 adults over the age of 65 participated in the randomized, doubleblind, 12-month trial. Half of the subjects were given two grams of this omega-3 fatty acid daily, while the others received a placebo. The researchers measured cognitive function, including a full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) test and two IQ subtests which serve as indicators of both short and longterm memory. The tests were administered after six months and again after 12 months. The DHA group showed a 10 percent higher IQ than the placebo group. There were also significant increases in both IQ subtests and brain hippocampus volume in the DHA group. Decreased hippocampus volume is a primary indicator of Alzheimer’s disease. natural awakenings
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Awaken Wellness Fair Has Party Vibe
No Benefit to Cutting Fat in Cheese
Yeko Photo Studio/Shutterstock.com
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nyone that has struggled to reduce their intake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) may have considered avoiding saturated fat in their diets, although the latest meta-study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine now refutes this. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, conducted a test to determine if consuming low-fat versus regular cheeses impacts LDL cholesterol levels. The study divided 139 people into three groups. One ate regular fat cheese, one consumed reduced-fat cheese and one didn’t eat any cheese at all for 12 weeks. Both LDL and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) levels were tested at the beginning and end of the period. Researchers found no significant difference in the LDL levels of any of the groups and no difference between the HDL levels of the reduced-fat and regular cheese groups, suggesting that consuming low-fat versions has no measurable metabolic benefit. An increase in HDL levels among those that abstained from eating cheese altogether was noted.
Natural Way to Ease Eyestrain and Impaired Vision
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ension, if left unchecked, can cause eyestrain, blurry vision, mental fatigue, lack of circulation and elevated stress levels. One of the simplest natural and holistic ways to quickly relax the eyes and decrease eyestrain is the gentle practice of palming. A 2013 study by the Department of Health Rehabilitation Sciences through the College of Applied Medical Sciences at King Saud University, in Saudi Arabia, found that palming for six weeks contributed to a significant improvement in visual acuity for patients with myopia (nearsightedness). To palm, sit comfortably with elbows resting on a table or desk. Rub both hands together briskly to create some heat through friction. Then, cup the palms and gently rest them over closed eyes with the fingers of one hand resting over the fingers of the other hand on the forehead. The center of each palm should be directly over the center of each eye. The hands are cupped so that there is no pressure on the eyes. Take a few deep breaths, relax the shoulders and imagine the darkest shade of black possible. The darkness soothes the optic nerves and the warmth relaxes the muscles of the eyes to encourage increased blood circulation and lymph flow. Begin to focus the mind on a pleasant, happy memory, like a beautiful place or joyful experience. Involve all five senses in this imagining to enhance and deepen the visualization. This process of mental relaxation replaces mental strain and enables the eyes to also relax. The more time spent palming the better; we cannot palm for too long. It’s okay to do it upon waking and right before going to sleep. Take frequent palming breaks throughout the day to prevent the accumulation of visual strain and to maintain relaxed eyes and a focused mind. Nathan Oxenfeld is a certified Bates Method teacher who offers individual coaching, group courses and online holistic vision programs for improving eyesight. For more information, call 910-859-1232 or visit IntegralEyesight.com. See ad page 24.
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The Five-Second Rule Debunked
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he five-second rule is a belief that food that falls to the floor can be safely eaten as long as it’s picked up quickly. Researchers from Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, sought to test its veracity. Four different food items were tested, including watermelon, bread and butter, plain bread and gummy candy, using four different surfaces—stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood and carpet. Each surface was contaminated by bacteria and completely dry before the scientists dropped each item for one second, five, 30 and 300 seconds. A total of 128 separate scenarios were repeated 20 times each and 2,560 measurements were taken and analyzed for contamination. The results proved that longer contact time resulted in more bacterial contamination, but there were also cases of instantaneous contamination, which disproves the five-second rule. The wet surface of a watermelon yielded the most contamination and gummy candy the least. The surface tests yielded surprising results, with carpet transferring significantly fewer bacteria than tile and stainless steel, while wood floors exhibited varied results.
How glorious a
greeting the sun gives the mountains. ~John Muir
Joe Belanger/Shutterstock.com
healthbriefs
HTU/Shutterstock.com
L Kids Going Online at Bedtime Sleep Poorly
utein and zeaxanthin are known key carotenoids for eye health, filtering out harmful high-energy blue wavelengths of light and helping to protect and maintain cells comprising the eye. The human body does not make enough of either nutrient, so we must get them from supplements or food sources such as kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, corn, green peas, broccoli, romaine lettuce, green beans and eggs. Researchers from the University of Georgia, in Athens, investigated the relationship between levels of lutein and zeaxanthin and cognitive function. They measured the levels of each nutrient in the retinas of 43 older adults with a mean age of 72 and asked that the subjects learn and recall pairs of unrelated words. The study found that those with higher levels of both nutrients did better on the test, suggesting that the enhanced neural efficiency that comes from consuming these nutrients leads to better brain function.
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new study from King’s College London has found that children’s use of electronic devices close to bedtime can reduce their chances of a good night’s sleep. Researchers examined 20 existing studies encompassing 125,000 children between the ages of 6 and 19. They found that youngsters using a device within 90 minutes of falling asleep had an increased likelihood of poor and inadequate sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness. Study author Ben Carter, Ph.D., says, “Sleep is an often undervalued, but important part of children’s development, with a regular lack of sleep causing a variety of health problems.” These can include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, reduced immune function and poor diet. Poor food choices and excessive eating can start young, as illustrated in a study from Colorado University, in Boulder, which found a link between sleep deprivation and poor diet choices in preschool children. The Colorado study followed five girls and five boys, ages 3 and 4, that were regular afternoon nappers. They were deprived of their naps for one day, during which their food and beverage consumption was monitored and compared with their choices on a day when their sleep routine remained intact. During the sleep-deprived day, the children ate 20 percent more calories than usual and their diet consisted of 25 percent more sugar and 26 percent more carbohydrates. natural awakenings
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Eye Health Nutrients Also Aid the Brain
Eco-Joe
Making a Cuppa More Planet-Friendly A Gallup poll last year reported that 64 percent of U.S. adult coffee lovers consume one or more cups daily and the average number of cups quaffed each day is 2.7. We can express our affection for both java and the Earth by following these eco-tips. 4 Forego the convenience of single-cup, plastic pod makers like Keurig. As Mother Jones magazine recently reported, only 5 percent of current pods are made with recyclable plastic, and even those, having hard-toremove aluminum tops, pose recycling challenges. Keurig plans to make all of its pods recyclable by 2020. 4 Many other simpler coffee-making devices maximize energy use by facilitating more servings and reducing waste. Treehugger.com recommends the Moka Pot, a pressure-driven alumi-
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num stovetop brewer; the Chemex Coffeemaker, a funnelshaped glass unit with a wooden collar; the Canadian wood product Aeropress; an old-fashioned vacuum pot with two glass chambers connected by a thin neck; and a traditional nonelectric stovetop percolator. 4 Some coffee farms exploit their workers, paying subsistence wages, damage rainforests and use unsustainable farming practices. Jake Carney, co-founder of TheAlternativeDaily.com, founded Lucy’s Bru, an organic wholebean coffee that’s exclusively shadegrown under fair trade conditions,
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sustainably farmed and free of harsh fertilizers and pesticides. 4 Reuse steel and aluminum coffee cans. ChasingGreen.org details how they can make effective dehumidifiers for damp basements when filled with salt; soak paint brushes in thinner solutions; store items in a garage or work space; and serve as a spot lawn or garden seeder after punching holes in the bottom. The website also lists ways that coffee grounds can be used as a beauty, cleaning, deodorizer and dying agent. 4 Use better filters at home. Instead of paper, single-use filters, INeedCoffee. com suggests reusable or unbleached, biodegradable alternatives such as the Medelco cone permanent filter and a French press. 4 For to-go drinkers, many coffee shops and restaurants will pour fresh brew into mugs that patrons bring in. Keeping a clean spoon in the car can save on plastic stirrers.
marlee/Shutterstock.com
ecotip
globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Raw Hide
Junior Achievement
A Veggie Leather Alternative
Igor Gorelchenkov/Shutterstock.com
The Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation (TODASTW) is holding its annual national event on April 27, offering new toolkits and activity guides based on this year’s theme of Dependability at DaughtersAndSonsToWork.org. The group assists businesses, families, schools and organizations throughout the year initiate their own special work day for children and mentees. Each year, more than 3.5 million American workplaces open their doors to about 39 million employees and their children on TODASTW Day. “Human resources and marketing professionals are typically responsible for creating this day within their companies,” says Carolyn McKeucen, the foundation’s executive director. “We provide templates and automated planning elements to save them time while ensuring success for planners and participants.”
Bag Ban
California Outlaws Single-Use Plastic Bags California’s ongoing ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, approved by 52 percent of voters, is setting a notable precedent for other states. A coalition of environmental groups, grocers and others are collaborating, and Mark Murray, of Californians Against Waste, welcomes elimination of the 25 million plastic bags that pollute California every day, threatening wildlife. In 2007, San Francisco first banned plastic shopping bags, setting off a movement that led nearly half the state, including its biggest cities, to do the same. Although the legislature passed a statewide ban on plastic bags two years ago, paper bags are still for sale at grocery stores and other outlets for a nominal fee.
Source: News.iastate.edu
The sweetest of all sounds is praise. ~Xenophon
www.newyorkkneedoctor.net natural awakenings
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Take the Kids to Work
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Researchers from Iowa State University have developed a new form of synthetic leather using cellulose fibers taken from kombucha tea, along with vinegar and sugar, made in shallow plastic tanks. When a colony of bacteria and yeast is added, the material grows on the top of the liquid’s surface, where it can be harvested and dried. The researchers have successfully used the material to make prototype garments, including shoes and a vest. It’s 100 percent biodegradable, so when the fabric gets wet, it softens and becomes less durable; in very low temperatures, it can become brittle. Young-A Lee, Ph.D., associate professor of apparel, merchandising and design at Iowa State University, in Ames, says, “Fashion, to most people, is an ephemeral expression of culture, art and technology, manifesting itself in pracical form. Fashion companies keep producing new materials and clothing, from season to season, year to year, to fulfill consumers’ desires and needs. Think about where these items eventually go. They will take up tremendous underground spaces of the Earth, like other trash.” Spanish designer Carmen Hijosa has created Piñatex, another faux-leather product made from pineapple leaf fibers as a more sustainable and cruelty-free alternative. She acted after seeing how leather tanneries operate.
Now Anyone Can Meditate at the Dentist Dr. Peter Silver is very proud to announce that his dental office is the first in New York City to use this all natural relaxation technology. NuCalm® is a proprietary clinical system that calms the brain within minutes by bringing alert beta brain wave function down to the alpha/theta ranges (deep relaxation). The system is predicated on neuropsychobiology and neurobioinformatics and was developed over eight years by leading neuroscientists. NuCalm is unique because it creates deep relaxation without using narcotics or controlled substances, causes no significant side effects, and requires no recuperative time or supervision. NuCalm organically entrains brainwaves to a frequency that promotes relaxation and calm. Beta brain waves (13 Hz-30 Hz per second) are associated with day-to-day wakefulness - mental activity consisting of cognitive, sensory, and motor activities. High beta brain waves (23 Hz-40 Hz per second) are associated with fear and anxiety. NuCalm brings the patient's brain waves from beta or high beta to the alpha and theta ranges (4 Hz12 Hz per second). Alpha brain waves are considered the first stage of sleep and are typically associated with relaxation and peacefulness during deep meditation and biofeedback. A person with brain waves in the alpha range is physically unable to be anxious. The patented NuCalm system leverages the synergistic benefits of four sensory applications:
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NuCalm Cream
The NuCalm proprietary orthomolecular formula has been developed over several years to maximize the body’s natural relaxation response with NuCalm. The proprietary formula is only available in the NuCalm system and includes structured, nutrientsourced building blocks that rapidly convert to powerful messengers that interrupt the stress response.
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) The Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation device produces low amounts of electrical current (close to the cell’s own electrical values - microcurrent is less than 1/10,000th of an Amp). This easy-touse device has been cleared by the FDA for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Research over the past 50 years indicates an increase in metabolism of neurotransmitters as evidenced by an increase in the metabolites of the neurochemicals.
NuCalm Neuroacoustic
The proprietary neuroacoustic software provided in the NuCalm system uses Frequency-Following-Response (FFR) that initiates a change in brain waves. According to extensive research, a scientifically validated neurophysiologic response is initiated when an auditory pacing signal is presented to the brain. Solace Lifesciences has developed significant advances in the design of binauna-newyorkcity.com
ral and monaural beat sound acoustics, which are overlaid with classical music and presented through a stereo headset. The neuroacoustic brain entrainment software moves the patient’s brain waves from the high beta brain wave frequencies associated with anxiety (23 Hz-40 Hz) to brain wave frequency patterns of alpha and theta (4 Hz-12 Hz). These brain waves are associated with deep relaxation and calmness.
NuCalm Light-Blocking Eye Mask NuCalm's light-blocking eye masks are used to block light from the optic nerve resulting in up to a 30% increase in alpha wave production in the occipital cortex of the brain. This helps maintain deep relaxation. Other options are wearing our sunglasses or just closing your eyes. Some reviews by patients who have tried NuCalm; “Loved it! It really helped me get through a procedure I was nervous about.” – Diana “I can’t believe that was 90 minutes – only felt like it was 30 minutes tops!” – Craig “I can’t really explain it. I just feel really good – thank you.” – Jon Please call 212-924-6890 to reserve your NuCalm appointment. Mention this ad when you call to schedule a free trial session of Nucalm. To see if you are a candidate for this procedure, call Dr Silver's office at 212-924-6890 or email us at DrPeterSilver@gmail.com
The New York City Center for Minimally Invasive Dentistry Peter Silver, DDS
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For over 18 years Dr. Silver has been practicing minimally invasive dentistry in New York utilizing specialized techniques that allows your teeth and gums to be healed in the most gentle manner possible. Traditional dentistry attacks cavities by removing healthy tooth structure along with the decay. Dr. Silver uses Ozone gas to eliminate the bacteria, leaving your healthy tooth structure unharmed.
In many cases, no drilling or injections are needed, because Dr. Silver uses an air/powder spray to remove the decay that doesn’t cause any discomfort. For more extensive restorations, pain free injections are given and you are profoundly numb so that nothing will bother you. For those with any dental anxiety, we have nitrous oxide (laughing gas) which helps you relax in our extra soft chairs. We also offer Relaxation Dentistry (Sleep Dentistry) for those patients who want a completely alternative visit. After wiping out the bacteria, a remineralization solution is placed on the tooth, so it can start healing itself immediately. Then a tooth colored restoration is placed and your tooth is ready for chewing!
212-924-6890 • DrPeterSilver@gmail.com 919 2nd Ave, 2nd Flr (near SW corner of 2nd Ave & 49th St.) Dr. Peter Silver is a founding member of the International Association of Ozone in Healthcare and Dentistry.
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Fortunately, food allergies that trigger such a dramatic, fast, immune response are fairly rare, particularly in adults. “Most of what we’re seeing today is an uptick in food sensitivities and intolerances, terms that are often used interchangeably to describe foods that are not digested well and can challenge the immune system,” says Solana Beach, California, nutrition and fitness expert JJ Virgin, author of The Virgin Diet. Newark, Delaware, medical doctor and allergist Junfang Jiao, Ph.D., attests to increased levels of testing for food allergies and sensitivities in recent years. “I can’t say there are more allergies or sensitivities, but more doctors are aware of the wide-ranging symptoms and more people are getting referred for testing,” he reports. Many experts agree on at least one underlying cause behind the trend—a widely studied condition called leaky
FEARLESS EATING How to Move Past Food Sensitivities by Kathleen Barnes
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omplaints of digestive upsets, brain fog, headaches, relentless food cravings and unrelieved stress appear to be at epidemic levels these days. “These symptoms may be part of newfound awareness of the wideranging and seemingly unrelated health problems caused by food sensitivities and intolerances, which are different from food allergies,” explains microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, from Chicago.
Food Allergies
Food allergies seem to be plaguing America’s children now more than in the past. We know that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, once standard lunchbox fare, have become a no-no. They’re often outlawed by schools to protect the students that experience extreme peanut allergies. 16
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The symptoms of food allergies in adults and children, often including hives, rashes and itching, can range from being annoying to life threatening. For extremely sensitive people, the tiniest fragment of a peanut or a bee sting, exposure to latex gloves or certain medications like penicillin can cause such a sudden strong allergic reaction that it results in anaphylaxis, which makes breathing passages swell shut. If untreated, such extreme allergies can even prove fatal, which is why people with severe allergies carry the antidote epinephrine (adrenaline) with them. Food allergies are diagnosed by blood and/or skin testing under the supervision of a medical professional, usually a doctor of medicine, osteopathy or naturopathy. Effective treatment, which must be customized to the individual, typically entails avoidance of allergy triggers. na-newyorkcity.com
gut, characterized by intestinal permeability. Microscopic pinholes in an unhealthy small intestine can allow undigested nutrients to pass through intestinal walls, triggering mild immune responses, inflammation and, potentially, the onset of some diseases. Theories of what causes leaky gut are diverse and sometimes contradictory but experts recommend consulting a medical professional if one suffers from food sensitivities. Each individual is unique, so there is no “blanket solution” for everyone. Dysbiosis: Leaky gut is often caused by an imbalance in “good” and “bad” intestinal bacteria, sometimes called dysbiosis, says Krishnan. It can be brought on by the use of antibiotics, antibiotic residues in meats and dairy products or a diet high in sugar and processed foods. Most interesting, he believes, is the discovery that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s weed killer
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Some More Common Issues
Roundup used on genetically modified (GMO) corn and soy crops, contributes to dysbiosis, as verified by Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists in a study published in Interdisciplinary Toxicology. They concluded with a plea to world governments to reconsider policies regarding the safety of glyphosate residues in foods. GMOs: While this issue has been less widely analyzed, a 1996 study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin added to Monsanto’s GMO corn crops to kill pests is not destroyed during human digestion. Danish researchers at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University suggested it may damage cells of the intestinal lining. Gluten: “Gluten causes leaky gut,” says Port Jefferson, New York, naturopathic doctor Doni Wilson, author of The Stress Remedy, voicing one side of the controversy based on her review of scientific literature. She’s concluded, “Whether you are sensitive to it or not, gluten increases the production of zonulin, which can result in damage to intestinal walls and cause the cells on the outside of the intestines to set off an immune response to anything that passes through. In this condition, what we’re eating—cheese, milk, eggs, corn, soy—is leaking through the gut lining, triggering an immune response and potentially creating multiple food sensitivities.” Wilson also notes that in her clinical experience, only about half of her patients with gluten sensitivities complain of digestive issues. “I’ve found that gluten causes the immune cells on the outside of the small intestine to affect the nervous system, causing headaches, anxiety, depression and insomnia,” she says. Her findings are backed by research from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Celiac Research and Italy’s University of Catania. The same researchers confirm that non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance can also foster depression; a University of Cincinnati study published in the journal Headache links gluten and headaches. Other proteins in wheat can be problematic, advises Fiona McCulloch, a Toronto doctor of naturopathy, citing a study presented at the annual European Gastroenterology Conference, in Vienna,
As a gluten tolerance test, substitute an amount of non-gluten carbohydrates for the same amount of gluten-containing products. For example, instead of two pieces of bread, substitute three-quarters of a cup of brown rice—a rough equivalent in carbohydrate content. A positive difference in hunger, cravings and energy levels when gluten is eliminated indicates a condition of gluten intolerance. ~Fiona McCulloch last October. The report showed that a family of proteins called amylase trypsin inhibitors can lead to the development of inflammation in tissues beyond the gut, including the lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen and brain. Glyphosate residues can be a factor in gluten intolerance. Although wheat crops produced in the U.S. are not yet genetically modified, many non-organic wheat crops are sprayed with glyphosate to promote rapid drying, according to the Environmental Working Group. Inadequate digestive enzymes: Lactose intolerance is the most common result of missing digestive enzymes like lactase, according to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Avoiding milk products may relieve digestive distress for some.
Eliminate Items, Then Challenge
Most experts believe the easiest way to deal with food sensitivities is to stop eating the food in question. The so-called “elimination and challenge” diet, which has been in use for decades, is effective, free and addresses the foods responsible for common food intolerances, says Virgin.
Simply avoid the food of concern completely for at least three weeks, then eat a small amount of it and catalog the results. For some people, it may only take a couple of hours for symptoms to return after eating a piece of bread, cup of milk, an egg or bit of tofu. Virgin’s seven-food challenge is a bit more rigorous, but improves feelings of general well-being so readily that many people don’t even want to bring back the eliminated foods because they feel so much better, she says. Her threeweek diet completely eliminates the most common food sensitivity triggers: gluten-containing foods (largely wheat), dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, sugar and artificial sweeteners. “When I say eliminate these foods 100 percent, I mean it,” cautions Virgin. “You need to give your immune system at least that much time to cool off.” She adds, “You can do anything such as this for just three weeks.” Virgin also recommends the elimination diet for weight loss because it helps overcome food cravings triggered by the immune system response and leptin resistance, leveraging the hormone that turns off the body’s hunger signals, a finding confirmed by independent studies performed by Sweden’s Lund University and Italy’s University of Palermo. She’s also documented other positive effects through her own research and experience with participants in her programs, including improvements in energy, focus, joint pain, skin clarity and bloating, all in the designated short time frames.
Other Approaches
People with food sensitivities may be able to tolerate occasional indulgences in their trigger foods once they’ve healed their digestive systems, notes Krishnan. Probiotics can help, especially those encapsulated in spores so they can pass through the barrage of stomach acid and reach the small intestine where they are most needed. Krishnan’s research, to be published this spring, showed that half of otherwise healthy young people suffering from leaky gut had a dramatic reduction of symptoms by taking a spore-forming probiotic Bacillus indicus product for 30 days. After the healing period, sensitive people may be able
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to eat small amounts of certain foods with the assistance of dietary aids and supplements, adds McCulloch. Get dirty: Johns Hopkins University research has shown that kids raised in an excessively hygienic environment experience much higher rates of allergies and sensitivities. University of Wisconsin researchers found that youths growing up in households that are less than obsessively sanitary among four or five other people and dogs will strengthen and challenge their immune systems as they mature. Adults need to challenge their immune systems, too, says Krishnan. Eat organic and fermented foods: A widely varied diet helps spread out the immune system challenges of trigger foods. Organic foods don’t contain glyphosate and other potentially harmful chemicals; fermented foods contain digestive enzymes. Eat prebiotics: Raw onions, garlic, leeks and asparagus are prebiotics. They help feed probiotic bacteria and improve gut health. Block sensitivity triggers: Many people with lactose intolerance are able to consume dairy products if they use lactase, the enzyme that helps digest lactose. Similarly, some people with gluten intolerance find they can eat moderate amounts of wheat products with protein supplements like lectin, carb blockers and digestive enzymes that help break down the gluten molecules, according to Virgin. Supplements that might help: Glucomannan (konjac or elephant yam fiber) contributes to a feeling of fullness and stabilizes blood sugar, says McCulloch. She also recommends the amino acid L-glutamine and digestive enzymes to assist in gut healing. Kathleen Barnes is the author of numerous natural health books. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com. 18
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Food Intolerances Self-Questionnaire by JJ Virgin Answer each question with never (0), seldom (1), sometimes (2) or often (3). 1. I need a cup of coffee or another caffeinated pick-me-up to jumpstart the middle of my morning or afternoon. _____ 2. I crave baked goods, pasta and other high-sugar impact foods. _____ 3. I have difficulty falling asleep or I awake during the night feeling anxious and struggle to get back to sleep. _____ 4. My bowel movements occur infrequently (less than one a day), which can sometimes be painful and involve straining. _____ 5. My mood can change swiftly and I take out my crankiness and irritation on coworkers and family members. _____ 6. I want to lay my head down on my desk mid-morning or afternoon because I have little motivation to remain productive. _____ 7. During meetings or conversations I zone out and struggle to concentrate for long periods of time on my work. _____ 8. After eating a big meal, I’m hungry and craving more of what I ate several hours later. _____ 9. Doing routine and important tasks takes all the energy and initiative I have. _____ 10. Even as an adult, I struggle with acne, rashes or blotchy skin, even though I use expensive skin cream. _____ 11. I head to the bathroom or step outside after a meal because of gassiness, bloating or other uncomfortable gut issues. _____ 12. The smell of a scented candle, perfume and detergent bothers me. _____ 13. Walking or moving around can create cramping, achiness or joint pain. _____ 14. I develop headaches that prevent me from enjoying the moment and leave me scrambling for a pain reliever. _____ 15. Even though I don’t have other cold/flu symptoms, I suffer from a scratchy throat or sinus trouble. _____ 6. I eat all the right foods in moderation, exercise religiously, and yet struggle 1 intensely to lose every pound. _____ Total Score: ______
What Scores Mean
18 or above – You most likely struggle with food intolerances that create many unpleasant symptoms and stall fat loss. By removing the seven target foods for just three weeks, you’ll see these symptoms disappear and the scales will start moving again. 10 to 17 – You display some of the symptoms that food intolerances can trigger. You would greatly benefit from eliminating target foods to lose symptoms and those last few pounds. Below 10 – While you suffer few of the symptoms brought about by food intolerances, you could still benefit from the same regimen. Even the healthiest person can take their game up a notch and ditch those last few stubborn pounds. Source: The Virgin Diet, by JJ Virgin na-newyorkcity.com
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Spirituality and the Healthy Living “Three-Legged Stool” By Rev. Chelsea MacMillan and Ilene Sameth
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piritual practice is as essential to holistic living as the foods you put into your body and the amount of time you raise your heart rate each week. Your spiritual, emotional and mental well-being affects your mind as much as food or movement, and you can even apply your spiritual practice to things like eating,
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BREATHE IN D E E P LY TO B R I N G YOUR MIND HOME TO YOUR BODY Thich Nhat Hanh
Interfaith Seminary • Certificate in Interspiritual Counseling • Spiritual Leadership Training • Amazing Workshops • Fabulous Teachers (in-person or distance learning) C o m p li me n t a r y Te a ch i n g fo r Nat u r al Awa ke n i n g s ’ Re a d e r s “ T h e L i fe We Ar e Ca l l e d To L i ve ” (access at URL below) Please join us at an Info session on 3/15 or 4/25 @ 7pm Register online or call Kandace for more information 212.931.6840 x51 w ww. 1 s p i r i t . o r g /n a 247 W. 36th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10018
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exercise, personal relationships and expanding your mind. You are a complex being. Create a self-care practice that is multidimensional so that you can be the most vibrant expression of yourself. Various forms of meditation are practiced across the world’s great religious traditions. Whatever form you choose, meditation is good for you. It’s been proven to calm the body as well as the mind, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system so that the internal organs can function well. Try eating mindfully, pausing between bites to take a breath and offer gratitude for the sunlight, water, soil and labor that made your meal possible. Stretching the mind is as important stretching the body. Learn about different types of spiritual practices to sharpen your mind and open yourself to new horizons, setting the stage for personal transformation. Of course, spiritual practice is about much more than holistic living. Your connection to the Divine is the sacred foundation of all that you do and all that you are. It is the living spring from which your body, heart, mind and soul can draw inspiration, clarity and rejuvenation. Healthy eating, an active body and engaged spiritual practice form the three-legged stool of a full life. Organizations like One Spirit Learning Alliance provide the structure of that important third leg, which brings us into balance. Find that opportunity for yourself to ensure the completeness of your healthy life. Rev. Chelsea MacMillan is event and volunteer coordinator and Ilene Sameth is chief executive officer of One Spirit Learning Alliance, whose programs are based on the essential teachings of the world’s great spiritual traditions as seen in the light of contemporary knowledge. One Spirit is located at 247 W. 36th St., 6th Floor. For more information, call 212931-6840 ext. 41 or visit Onespiritinterfaith.org/NA.
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Green Tea by Franklin St. John
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t’s no longer a secret. It has become a well-established fact that green tea is good for your health. Twenty years ago, I went to China and obtained the rights to a traditional Chinese formula that was primarily green tea, but with other herbs to balance the yin and yang. This is very important—a balanced formula will help maintain the body’s yin/yang balance. A balanced body is required for good health. The high level of antioxidants from the herbs in the formula may very well be what gives this formula its balance. It is only recently that the health care community began advertising on national television, stressing the importance of antioxidants. It’s great to realize that the message from the supplement industry about antioxidants is finally getting the exposure that the public needs. It’s frightening to see the problems that legal drugs can cause. Watch the next TV ad marketing drugs and you will hear of the myriad side effects which could wreak havoc if these drugs are introduced into our bodies. What I’m stressing is when you keep your body in proper balance, you may not need drugs in the attempt to regain your good health—it will not go out of balance in the first place. Let’s go back to green
tea. There has been so much written about what the components in green tea can do for your health. Most prevalent is the fact that free radicals are efficiently neutralized by these compounds, especially epigallocatechin gallate, which is much easier to remember as EGCG. It is the most studied polyphenol and perhaps the most powerful of all antioxidants. Comparison studies have shown that polyphenols are close to 40 times more effective than Vitamins C and E. Also of importance is that the polyphenols in green tea help maintain a strong immune system. Green tea may help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol and triglycerides. I believe that everyone understands this fact, and that controlling this buildup can help maintain good arterial health and a healthy cardiovascular system. How does green tea do this? Again, the polyphenols stop free radicals from accumulating in the arteries. I don’t understand why everyone waits until there is a serious problem before they start thinking about ways to improve their health. There are many supplements available to help maintain good health. Green tea is only one of them, but one I consider the most important and most helpful.
Another area that green tea can be beneficial is weight control. If you get in the habit of having green tea either immediately before or after your meal, you can get a handle on maintaining or even losing weight. How is this so? Again, the polyphenols in the green tea actually block the carbohydrates from converting to fat and allow them to pass through to the colon and ultimately out of the body. Just this simple change in your lifestyle can be a boon in the quest to control weight. We have established that it is important that you maintain a high level of antioxidants in your body. That’s why HerbaSway introduced HerbaGreen Tea more than 20 years ago. By the way, HerbaGreen Tea is a liquid concentrate and that is the most efficient way your body can assimilate this high level of antioxidants. Franklin St. John, founder of HerbaSway Laboratories, was taught traditional Chinese herbal medicine and qigong by a Taoist master from the mountains of China. For more information, call 1-800-672-7322 or visit HerbaSway.com. See ad page 25.
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Ozone The Miracle Medicine From the Desk of Dr. Howard Robins at The Healing Center in New York City
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patients from diseases like herpes 1, 2 and 6, ffective, widespread treatment of disease shingles, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, rheuis possible through toxin elimination, if matoid arthritis, hepatitis B and C, HPV, diabetic only more doctors would fill patients in ulcers and peripheral neuropathy, candidiasis, on the internationally renowned, results-driven fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, macumethod that’s capable of doing it. lar degeneration, glaucoma, and even AIDS. Oxygen’s reputation precedes it. The huRecently, through the targeted use of ozone man body is largely composed of it, most of therapy, Robins was successful in significantly our metabolic energy production comes from reducing two patients’ Reflex Sympathetic Dysit, and all our internal processes are regulated Dr. Howard Robins trophy (RSD), a painful condition (also known as by it. In fact, we can’t live without it. When CRPS) that only worsens over time to a tolerable every cell is properly oxygenated, the imlevel, which had never been done before. mune system can function and maintain itself relatively Despite such a stellar track record, ozone therapy is undisturbed. So, it’s clear that oxygen is an integral piece not usually the treatment of choice for those patients strugof the wellness puzzle, but what about ozone? Only one gling with disease. When they come to Robins for help, little molecule separates it from our beloved oxygen, yet it’s usually because every other doctor they have tried has the term is bound to leave many scratching their heads. The been unable to offer relief. Some other countries legally medical ozone we speak of is known for ridding the body mandate the use of ozone in all pre-and post-op instances of toxins, eradicating sickness, and giving hope to those to prevent infection; ours remains relatively in the dark, who otherwise would have spent their lives riddled with unaware of the benefits and impressive results of ozone. chronic disease. Together with oxygen, it just may be the Would you believe that in Germany if a patient is not disease-fighting superhero you never knew existed. given the choice between antibiotics and ozone treatment, “Ozone acts like a super antioxidant and is a super his or her doctor could be accused of medical negligence? detoxifier that selectively, like a claw or glue, attaches to As a founding member of the American Academy of and eliminates all viruses, fungus, yeast and mold, as well Ozonotherapy (AAO) and The International Association for as every form of bacteria, toxic metal and pathogen from Ozone in Healthcare and Dentistry (IAOHD), Robins has the body,” explains Dr. Howard Robins, considered the lectured around the world on medical ozone’s benefits. foremost clinical expert in North America on bio-oxidative Ozone therapy is remarkably safe when done correcttherapy, who has been administering ozone therapy to paly, but there are side effects—just not the kind you want tients for more than 22 years. Just like clutter in life leads to to avoid. “People fall asleep easier, sleep better, and have diminished performance, the motley build-up of unwanted more energy,” shares Robins. “Their nails and hair grow parasitic organisms in our bodies paves the way for disease longer, stronger and faster. Their complexion is healthier, or causes it directly. and their blood circulates better.” Since 1990, Robins has administered more than 185,000 safe direct IV ozone therapy and major autoheFor more information, call Dr. Howard Robins at 212-581motherapy treatments. By combining medical-grade O2 0101. Robins is considered the foremost clinical expert on the (oxygen) and O3 (ozone gas) and safely delivering it into use of ozone in North America, with more than 21 years of the body, over 45 thousand physicians in over 50 countries clinical practice and 185,000 treatments performed. across the world have successfully eliminated distressed
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Holistic Eye Care Taking the Whole Body into Account by Linda Sechrist
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he “old wives’ tale” about eating carrots for healthy vision wasn’t wrong, but fell far short of a holistic approach to eye health. Today’s holistically trained healthcare providers and ophthalmologists believe that properly maintaining the marvelous phenomenon of eyesight requires taking into consideration genetics, diet, toxin exposures, life environments and our belief systems. “The body does not work as a series of parts in isolation, but as a dynamically integrated living system,” says Marc Grossman, a doctor of optometry, licensed acupuncture physician and co-founder of Natural Eye Health, in New Paltz, New York. “The reductionist method of referring each symptom to the domain of a particular specialist, isolated from the whole person, is slowly being replaced with a complementary view of health care that may include acupuncture and other forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We are beginning to look at each person as an integrated being.” Progressive health providers now consider dietary preferences, general exercise regimens, environmental factors and physical, emotional and mental issues, as well as an individual’s particular symptoms, in determining treatment strategies. “To improve vision, the condition of the whole person needs to be addressed,” says Grossman, whose books include Natural Eye Care: Your Guide to Healthy Vision. Board-Certified Ophthalmologist and Homeopathic Doctor Edward Kondrot’s practice at Healing The Eye & Wellness Center, which he founded in Zephyrhills, Florida, embraces traditional and alternative therapies. He uses microcurrent, ozone therapy and U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved stem cells from a newborn’s umbili-
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cal cord in treating serious eye disease. Kondrot, the author of 10 Essentials to Save Your Sight, systemically understands the eyes as windows to overall health. For instance, his perspective is founded on the fact that a balanced diet is one of the best preventive measures for maintaining eye health. Systemic disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stress-related effects and nutritional deficiencies are easily determined under the scrutiny of his holistic biomicroscope. According to science published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, chiropractic spinal manipulation may also contribute to normal vision; in one case study, 20 treatment sessions helped an individual recover the function of optic nerves and normal vision. It’s generally accepted that chiropractic adjustment realigning the spinal column allows the nervous system to function properly, reduces tension and frees up the body to better transport blood to locations such as the eyes. Additionally, the second vertebra below the skull contains nerves that affect the eyes, optic nerves, auditory nerves and sinuses. Common eye conditions generally develop so slowly that they may not present noticeable symptoms until deterioration has become severe. “Many factors can affect our eyesight, including other health problems. Having a family member with eye disease may mean you’re genetically prone to having that condition as well, but living a healthy lifestyle may prevent the gene from being activated,” advises Kondrot. Viewing the condition of the eyes as a reflection of whole body health means that lifestyle and diet choices play major roles. The Vision Diet and supplement program recommended in Grossman’s Natural Eye
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healingways
Care has been shown to reduce the intraocular pressure in the eyes of study participants by five to seven millimeters, which generally equates to 10 to 15 percent. In general, a diet high in beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and sulfur-bearing amino acids can be helpful. Foods containing such nutrients include garlic, onions, beans, spinach, celery, turnips, yellow and orange vegetables, green leafy vegetables, seaweed, apples, oranges and tomatoes. Other dietary and lifestyle options recommended by Grossman are daily drinking one pint of juice made from mostly green vegetables and drinking eight to 10 glasses of purified water to keep eyes hydrated. Managing stress and doing palming and other eye exercises, such as those found at Tinyurl.com/ComputerEyeStrainExercises, as well as daily aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, are also beneficial. Additionally, Kondrot’s use of multimodal protocols such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, homeopathy, and detoxification can be applied to reverse visual loss. Kondrot advises that avoiding foods that trigger allergic reactions is important. “A study of 113 patients with chronic simple glaucoma showed an immediate increase in pressure in the fluid inside the eye when they were exposed to foods to which they were allergic. Take up meditation, yoga, tai chi or any other practice that helps you manage stress and relax,” he advises. “Some consider glaucoma a stress-related condition.” The best strategy for healthy eyes is to have regular eye examinations. Early detection and prompt treatment can prevent significant vision loss. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.
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consciouseating
Thumbs-Up on Fats Good Fat Doesn’t Make Us Fat by Judith Fertig
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n an era of too much information, the role of fats in our diet has been a victim of not enough information. Today’s turnaround in nutritional thinking acknowledges natural fats as being vital to heart health and weight loss.
Heart Health Benefit
A recent metastudy in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal of the American College of Physicians, concluded that saturated fat does not appear to increase heart disease risk, overturning almost 60 years of accepted medical thought. The researchers analyzed data from 76 studies involving more than 600,000 people and found that those that ate the most saturated, or “bad”, fat did not show a higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared with those that ate the least. Note that processed trans fats remain a villain, still deemed a risk to heart health per the metastudy. The misleading information began in the 1950s, when Physiologist Ancel 26
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Keys, Ph.D., discovered a correlation between diets high in saturated fats and higher cholesterol levels. Soon, the low-fat diet was born. In 2000, further research introduced the concepts of good and bad fats. More recent analysis confirmed this finding with the refinement that saturated fats increase both types of cholesterol. However, the latest research from the journal BMJ shows that saturated fat does not increase the number of LDL, or “bad”, particles, a predictor of cardiovascular disease. Instead, it makes existing LDL particles larger, a fairly benign situation in regard to such disease.
Weight Loss Benefit
Fat doesn’t even make you fat, claims Mark Hyman, a well-known medical doctor in Lenox, Massachusetts, and author of Eat Fat, Get Thin: Why the Fat We Eat Is the Key to Sustained Weight Loss and Vibrant Health. “The na-newyorkcity.com
theory that all calories have the same impact on your weight and metabolism remains one of the most persistent nutrition myths,” says this practitioner of functional medicine who points out that we’ve been sidetracked by wrong thinking. “Eating fat can make you lean. Healthy cell walls made from highquality fats are better able to metabolize insulin, which keeps blood sugar better regulated. Without proper blood sugar control, the body socks away fat for a rainy day. The right fats also increase fat burning, diminish hunger and reduce fat storage,” he notes. Whole30, a 30-day diet revolving around clean eating, also emphasizes healthy fats. Devised in 2009 by Dallas Hartwig, a functional medicine practitioner and certified sports nutritionist, and Melissa Hartwig, a certified sports nutritionist, the program aims to reduce inflammation, detoxify the body and reset metabolism. The Salt Lake City, Utah, authors of the New York Times bestselling The Whole30 recommend healthy fats to keep us full and rev up metabolism. Recommended healthy fats include coconut milk and oil, avocados, olive oil, organic ghee (clarified butter) and raw nuts. Josh Axe, a natural medicine practitioner and clinical nutritionist in Nashville, Tennessee, recommends the healthy fats contained in avocados, organic butter and ghee from grassfed cows and goats, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, sardines, walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds. “Butter’s experiencing a comeback as a healthy fat as its benefits become more widely known,” says Axe. “The omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in butter help the brain function properly and improve skin health.” Ghee, an ancient Indian version of butter, is lactose- and casein-free, while being loaded with fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, says Axe. These vitamins are best absorbed by the body when they’re in a fat substance and then stored in the gastrointestinal tract, keeping metabolism and digestion on track, he notes. Ghee’s high level of vitamin K2, best known as a natural blood coagulator,
“also helps strengthen bones, while the fatty acids found in it improve digestion and reduce inflammation.”
Healthy Levels of Fat
“If you’re active, about 40 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates, another 30 percent from protein and the other 30 percent from fat in general,” says Axe, adding that this has the added benefit of helping prevent arteriosclerosis. “Some people may consume a greater percentage of healthy fats if the goal is to become a fat burner.” “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss and health,” Hyman reminds us. “Low-carb, higherfat diets work for most people, but for some, they may not be optimal in the long term.” Judith Fertig writes food health articles and cookbooks from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).
Prime Sources of Healthy Fats Functional medicine physician Mark Hyman suggests that we include four to five servings of fat in our diets every day. “In the last five years, the scientific evidence has been mounting that high-fat diets outperform low-fat diets for weight loss and for revising every single indication of heart disease risk, including abnormal cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension and inflammation,” he says. Each amount listed indicates a serving size.
Fatty fish (4 ounces of salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna or trout) Avocado (one-half to one avocado) Extra virgin coconut oil (one tablespoon) Organic coconut milk (one-quarter cup) Olives (one-quarter cup) Grass-fed animal butter, clarified butter or ghee (one tablespoon)
Nuts (a handful of walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts or cashews) Seeds (a handful of pumpkin, sunflower of flaxseed) Most plant-based liquid oils (one
tablespoon of olive, safflower, sesame, avocado, macadamia, grape seed or walnut oil)
Aim to eat fats that remain liquid (not solid) at room temperature; it’s a sure sign of heart-healthy, unsaturated fats. Source: Adapted from Eat Fat, Get Thin, by Mark Hyman, M.D.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein
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calendar ofevents
inspiration
Reframing Your Life Story
NOTE: If you would like to add your event to our calendar, please email publisher@na-newyorkcity. com for guidelines. View our entire calendar online at na-newyorkcity.com
Create Your Own Hero’s Journey
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very life unfolds as a uniquely dynamic, purposeful and potentially heroic story that is open to interpretation, especially our own. We are the star and spin doctor of this work-in-progress, with the power to tell our stories as triumphs, tragedies or something in-between. Our life story is filled with suspense: Big and little decisions affect our storyline, including the relationships we choose, our goals, how we live and the ways we nourish ourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. How we tell our story matters. We are constantly sifting through competing narratives to make sense of our world for ourself and others. Whether we consider ourself a heroic figure overcoming obstacles or a tragic victim of destiny often depends on how we choose to read the text of our life and tell our story. Creating a personal myth is a fundamental way we find meaning. We are always the protagonist, with supporting characters providing love and assistance and antagonists posing challenges that push us beyond our comfort zones. Rather than narcissism or navel-gazing, the more intimate we become with our own story, the more we realize that everyone has an equally valid and vital narrative in which they are the central character. Understanding that everyone is on their own story journey can help us establish connection and empathy. In every myth, the protagonist has a character arc; a particular way they mature and develop due to shifting tides in their life story. Similarly, each of us is on an ever-evolving journey of self-discovery with choices about how
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SATURDAY, MARCH 4 Lucky Team Studio/Shutterstock.com
by Kim Schneiderman
Synchronization Workshop with Teal Swan – 10am5:30pm. Teal Swan, international best-selling Hay House author, speaker, and youTube sensation, will be hosting a Synchronization Workshop at Baruch Performing Arts Center, Mason Hall. Touted as “The Spiritual Catalyst,” Teal is helping people to overcome trauma, integrate past emotional wounds and create profound personal change in their lives. Teal lectures on illuminating topics and answers audience questions from which everyone can benefit. Using her unique extrasensory abilities and vast understanding of the human experience and psyche, Teal helps attendees process and elucidate their personal and collective issues. They can also expect to see Teal demonstrate The Completion Process in front of a live audience. 17 Lexington Ave, New York, NY. tealswan.com.
to respond to situations, conflicts and happenstance. By reframing our lives as personal growth adventures, we can adapt to plot twists and view unexpected difficulties as opportunities for self-transformation. With gusto, we can reclaim and shape our personal narrative through choice and voice. Thinking of ourself as the main character in our story can help us shift to novel perspectives on situations we repeatedly face. Instead of staying stuck in the same old storyline, try asking: If I were a character in a novel or movie… n What would I hope the hero would do when faced with these circumstances? n What actions or outcomes would I prefer as the observer of this story? n What might this situation be teaching the star? n How might the protagonist maximize this situation, perhaps becoming a more compassionate, caring, creative or stronger person? n Why would a benevolent author place this character in a particular situation? With imagination and well-directed self-inquiry, we can step out of our story, check out the landscape and determine whether to stay on our current path or go in a different direction. We can then transform obstacles into opportunities to break bad habits and improve character to become the real hero of our own living, evolving story.
Death Café – 6-8pm. Green-Wood Cemetery crematory chapel now hosts monthly Death Cafes. As they share coffee and sweet treats, gathered fellow wayfaring strangers share their thoughts, feelings and outlook on death. Each meeting offers an opportunity for safe and open exchange without any agenda. Rather than grief support or counseling sessions, it is a discussion group. Started in 2011 by Jon Underwood, Mr. Underwood’s intention was to allow people to “increase awareness of death and to help them make the most of their finite lives.” Also April 4. 500 25th St, Brooklyn, NY. 718768-7300 or fittingtributefunerals.com.
Kim Schneiderman is a New York City psychotherapist and author of Step Out of Your Story: Writing Exercises to Reframe and Transform Your Life. Visit StepOutOfYourStory.com.
The New Life Expo – America’s longest-running event focused on holistic enlightenment and rejuvenation returns to a new location, the freshly-renovated New Yorker Hotel. Take a weekend out of your life to change it forever and meet thousands like yourself. People like Sean David Morton, Dannion Brinkley,
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MONDAY, MARCH 6 Teri Miller LIVE from AtoZ Healing Space8:30pm. Teri Miller, founder of TIME Heals angelic healing will be live online at AtoZ Healing Space for a 2 hour workshop. AtoZ is a new online healing center - the first month, March, is free. Details on how to register to follow when you sign up for your free gift! AtoZHealingSpace.com/free-gift/
TUESDAY, MARCH 7
SATURDAY, MARCH 11 Spirits in the Wind: Recognizing Our Kinship with Nature – 9:30-5pm. This class seeks to address our human responsibility to man-made ecological crisis and develop a response that recognizes our innate kinship with nature. Based on the millennia-old teachings of the three “Rs” (Respect, Relationship and Reciprocity), we will explore ways to communicate with the “other than human” realms and recognize our interdependence with the earth and cosmos. Shamanic Teacher, Rev Edward O’Malley. Available in-person, videoconference or recording. Public Price $95. One Spirit Learning Alliance, 247 W 36th St, 6th Floor, New York, NY. onespiritinterfaith.org.
FRI, MARCH 17-SUN, MARCH 19
Gail Thackray, Stacie Breeze, Dr Robert Sorge, and many others will open your mind to all possibilities in the fields of holistic health, metaphysics and anti-aging. Some favorite exhibitors like Crystal Tones, Vitamix, Momentum 98, Waterworks and 100 others are back to create the marketplace you always wait for. 481 8th Ave and W 34th St (across from Madison Square Garden), New York, NY. For more information, visit NewLifeExpo.com.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 Positively Priming the Mind Workshop – 10am1:30pm. Kim Serafini is the founder and CEO of MindPT and a leading authority on positive priming and how to accelerate learning and change. She will share with you more about the research and technology behind the accelerated learning tool called Mind Power Technology (MindPT) that serves businesses, nonprofits, organizations and entrepreneurs in creating positive results by priming the mind to start each day on a positive note. Coaches, practitioners, doctors, healers, educators, advocates, managers, trainers and others will leave with real tools to navigate life more easily and beautifully. $49 (includes lunch). For location and tickets, visit PositivePrimingForSuccess.com.
FRI, MARCH 24-SUN, MARCH 26 Your Divine Lens: Seeing Your Gifts & Tragedies from the Soul’s Wisdom – Let’s shift our view of this troubled world and together transform ourselves! Intuitive Sue Frederick will help you step into your soul’s wisdom, seeing your greatest pain as an enlightened soul to help you move forward with clarity and strength. Discover tools that reveal your unique soul mission—what you came here to do—as you learn to quiet the mind to hear inner wisdom, heal from great losses and return home with a clear mission and a new, illuminated point of view. Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, 57 Interlaken Rd, Stockbridge, MA. 413-448-3152, 866-200-5203 or kripalu.org.
SAT, MARCH 25-SUN, MARCH 26 WICCA: Rediscovering the Magic of Life on a Sacred Planet – 9:30am-5pm. Well-known Wiccan Priestess, activist, lawyer and author Phyllis Curott will lead this workshop on Shamanic Wicca, a deeply transformative spiritual practice that unlocks the divine magic residing in each one of us. The class will explore Wicca as sacred practice, the spirit realms of the Natural world, and tune into the natural wisdom and rhythms of Mother Earth, Moon and Universe. Learning preference: attending, videoconference or recording. Public Price: $190. One Spirit Learning Alliance, 247 W 36th, 6th Floor, New York, NY. onespiritinterfaith.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 26 Awaken Wellness Fair – 10am-5pm. The everpopular Awaken Wellness Fair, our area’s best loved body-mind-spirit-green expo, returns to Tarrytown. It’s not an expo—it’s a party, so come and awaken to your best self! Speakers, healers, vendors and readers, as well as over 100 exhibitors and 1,000 guests will be present. Exhibitor spots available. Grand Ballroom, Double Tree Hotel, 455 S Broadway, Tarrytown, NY. AwakenFairs.com.
FRI, MARCH 31-FRI, APRIL 7 Healing of the Heart Sheng Zhen QiGong Training – Master Junfeng Li dedicates his life to helping others, caring for the planet, and calls for the union of our hearts as one. He often says “I am only 78 years young.” This is a rare opportunity to be with him at Eastover. He has cultivated his spirit towards
higher consciousness, therefore has received gifts of teaching and transformation from Divinity itself and has been called upon to transmit this knowledge to enlighten others and help alleviate suffering. Eastover Estate and Retreat, 430 East St, Lenox, MA. 866-2645139 or eastover.com.
savethedate
deepen your existing practice? With 40 years as a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Dr Roger Jahnke, OMD, has discovered that any QiGong can be tailored to become Medical QiGong, and that you can learn the essence of Medical QiGong in a brief training. Once trained, you can use the principles with any form of QiGong for the rest of your life. Eastover Estate and Retreat, 430 East St, Lenox, MA. 866-264-5139 or eastover.com.
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SATURDAY, APRIL 8 Emotional Intelligence: The Soul’s Expression of Self – 9:30am-5pm. Rev Don Ajene Wilcoxson is an ordained interfaith and Progressive Christian Minister, a Full Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship and an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner andAssessor. Through contemplation, reflection and discussions, this class will help you gain a new perspective on emotions, one designed to help you foster personal and spiritual growth. Learning preference: attending, videoconference or recording. Public Price: $95. One Spirit Learning Alliance, 247 W 36th St, 6th Floor, New York, NY. onespiritinterfaith.org.
SAT, APRIL 8-SUN, APRIL 9 Intelligent Body Workshop – 10am-4pm.Psychologist Kyle Davies, creator of the Energy-Flow Coaching model designed to free people from chronic symptoms and help them achieve optimal health without expensive supplements or medication hosts this workshop. Learn principles and practices to regain harmony in your lives and bodies, whether you suffer from chronic fatigue, pain, fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome or any other chronic illness. He will explain how you can heal yourselves from the inside out, embracing the full importance of the mind-body connection and tapping natural self-healing abilities. Open Center, 22 E 30th St. To learn more and reserve a spot, visit KyleDavies.net.
SUNDAY, APRIL 9 Spiritual Practice by Way of Creative Expression – 9:30am-5pm. This class is designed to enable your spiritual practices to include creative expression, such as song, dance and artistic talent as divinely led. We will examine practices of the world’s faith traditions that have enhanced and deepened spiritual paths for thousands of years. Facilitator Rev. Lynette Turner is a Positivologist® who is committed to encouraging people to embrace the journey of life with a positive outlook. She is an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, singer, dancer and certified dream teacher. Learning preference: attending, videoconference or recording. Public Price: $95. One Spirit Learning Alliance, 247 W 36th St, 6th Floor, New York, NY. onespiritinterfaith.org.
THURSDAY, APRIL 20 Cremation: History and Modern Process – 5-7pm. What is cremation? How long have we been doing it, and how does it work? Amy leads this tour of cremation’s history (from its origins 32 thousand years ago in Australia!) and its impact on the present and future of funerals. This engaging and sometimes jolly journey will also explore how to choose an end-of-life mode of disposition that expresses your own beliefs and values. Afterward, you will have the opportunity to visit the crematory with Gema LaBoccetta, Green-Wood’s Crematory Manager, as well as enjoy discussion and questions at a short reception. GreenWood Cemetery Crematory Chapel, 500 25th St, Brooklyn, NY. 718-768-7300 or FittingTributeFunerals.com.
FRI, APRIL 21-THURS, APRIL 27 Medical QiGong: A Comprehensive and Accessible 3 Level Workshop and Training – Do you seek healing, want to maximize wellbeing or to widen and
OBX Spring Rejuvenating Raw Food Retreat –Are you ready to cleanse and learn the art of eating a clean diet? Experience a week of beach-front luxury and self-care beach fitness, Hatha yoga, massage, meditation, kayaking, crafts and raw food demonstrations and workshops. Enjoy daily delicious cuisine, green juices and fresh coconut water, all prepared for you in this all-inclusive retreat. You will experience fantastic taste sensations while cleansing your body. 11665 Ocean Hwy, Pawley’s Island, SC. 401-441-2199, motherswholefoodkitchen@gmail.com, OBXSpringRetreat.com or motherswholefoodkitchen.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 29 Open House – Free Facility for Teachers and Leaders – World Qigong Tai Chi Day Celebration with keynotes by Dr Roger Jahnke. Free Studio, first-come, first-served. Book now for studio space and set your own 15 minute to one hour presentation. Eastover Estate and Retreat, 430 East St, Lenox, MA. 866-264-5139, events@eastover.com or eastover.com.
MONDAY, MAY 1 Free Presentation on Teachings of Bruno Groening: “Divine Power Helps and Heals”- 7:00pm. Medical doctor and chronic pain specialist Dr. Wolfgang Vogelsberger will present a simple approach to spiritual healing based on the teachings of the late German mystic Bruno Groening. SUNY College of Optometry, Schwarz Theater, 33 West 42nd St, New York, NY. 212-714-5379 or www.bruno-groening.org/en.
FRI, MAY 26-MON, MAY 29 Flying Phoenix Qigong Part 1 (Part 2, July 2730; Part 3, August 29-September 3). This intensive Qigong workshop teaches participants the essential core practice of Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Chi Meditations (Fei Feng San Gung), a rare and extraordinarily powerful medical Qigong system created more than 400 years ago. Besides its splendid health benefits, Flying Phoenix Qigong training sublimely integrates mind and body to a higher level of structural sensitivity by bringing all the organ functions under theregulation of the subconscious mind. Terence Dunn, PhD. Eastover Estate and Retreat, 430 East St, Lenox, MA. 866-264- 5139 or Eastover.com.
ongoing Restoration & Renewal Weekly Relax and Rejuvenate Retreats – Where else can you go to both “get away from it all” and “find it all?” From the peace and solitude of 600 acres to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, from hiking trails and mountain streams, to the worldrenowned festivals, from invigorating yoga and qi gong classes to world-class theatre, there is something for everyone, all year ‘round! Spend all or part of your day on the beautiful grounds, with quiet moments in the Japanese and English gardens, enjoy delicious natural cuisine, or choose from a variety of daily movement classes and workshops. Eastover Estate and Retreat, 430 East St, Lenox, MA. 866-264-5139 or Eastover.com.
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communitydirectory CONSCIOUS CENTERS & SHOPS AUM SHANTI BOOKSHOP
226 E 14th St., New York, NY 10003 212-260-2866 • AumShantiBookshop.com Aum Namaste Book and Crystal Gallery is a community oriented spiritual gallery providing offerings that inspire clarity, guidance, and inspiration on one’s journey. They offers “HighVibration”, “Reiki-Charged” and “Spiritually Energized” items such as a semi-precious gems and tumbled stones, one of a kind rare crystal specimens and clusters, beautifully hand crafted jewelry made with Love and empowering energy.
EDGAR CAYCE CENTER
153 West 27th St., NYC 10001 212-691-7690 • EdgarCayceNYC.org Holistic health and personal growth resource in midtown Manhattan since 1997. This non-profit Center offers: NYC’s largest selection of Cayce remedies & books, with affordable instruction on using them to bring body, mind and spirit back to a natural state of health.
NAMASTE BOOKSHOP & HEALING CENTER
2 W 14th St., New York, NY 10011 212-645-0141 • NamasteBookshop.com Namaste Bookshop and Healing Center offers a unique and large selection of Eastern & Western philosophy books, tarot cards, crystals, pendulums, calendars, wind chimes, incense, greeting cards, yoga accessories, meditation cushions, instructional & music CD’S & DVD’s, salt lamps, and 20 sections of books- including Spanish.. The event space, in the same building above the bookshop, holds classes, workshops, and book signings as well as provides rooms for regular readers and practitioners.
NEW YORK OPEN CENTER
22 E. 30th St., New York, NY 10016 212-219-2527 • OpenCenter.org The Open Center presents programs of exceptional depth and integrity, concentrating in five major areas: Contemplative and Spiritual Traditions; Health and Wellness; Psychology; Society and Ecology; and Creativity and the Arts. Programs and teachers focused on understanding health and mind-body healing, depth psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions, compassionate dying, socially responsible investing, humanity's impact on the earth and renewable energy, untapped sources for creativity in the arts and what we can learn from world cultures.
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ONE SPIRIT LEARNING ALLIANCE
247 West 36th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10018 212-931-6840 • onespiritinterfaith.org/NA One Spirit Learning Alliance, a leader in Interfaith and Interspiritual education for over 15 years, upholds that all authentic spiritual paths, at their mystical core, are committed to the common values of peace, compassionate service, and love for creation. We offer experiential interfaith and Interspiritual programs and public classes which support personal transformation to prepare spiritual leaders.
REFLECTIONS CENTER FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING
227 E 24th Street, NYC 10010 212-974-2288 • ReflectionsYoga.com Reflections Center for Conscious Living and Yoga is an East Side urban oasis in Murray Hill/Gramercy, near Gramercy Park’s well-walked paths. We invite you to transcend the tensions of city life and join us for a “just right” yoga class with some of the best and most skilled teachers in NYC, an illuminating talk, or a super cool dance party. Come to Reflections and celebrate all of who you are! We are located steps from the 6 or N/R trains to 23rd St., at 227 E. 24th St. between 2nd & 3rd aves.
COUNSELING & MENTAL WELLNESS DR. MICHAEL MONGNO
Present Centered Therapies Upper West Side 212-799-0101 • PresentCenteredTherapies.com Dr. Mongno’s practice originates from his own work over the course of his life journey. The synthesis of this life work along with his extensive training in multiple therapeutic modalities allows him to create insightful and emotionally corrective experiences with his clients. This results in greater cognitive understanding and emotional self awareness. It profoundly develops an enhanced ability to live more freely out of a larger and more vital frame of existence—thus a greater quality of life.
GETAWAYS & RETREATS EASTOVER ESTATE AND RETREAT 430 East St, Box 2282, Lenox, MA 01240 866-264-5139 • Eastover.com
Eastover is a 600-Acre sanctuary and residential holistic retreat center in Berkshire Lenox, MA, A dedicated facilitator of Holistic events and retreats. Minutes to Stockbridge and Great Barrington, next to October Mountain with views of Mt. Greylock.
HEALING, FOCUS & WELLNESS ATOZ HEALING SPACE AtoZHealingSpace.com
CONSCIOUS FUNERAL AMY CUNNINGHAM FITTING TRIBUTE FUNERAL SERVICES, LLC 1283 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 718-338-8080 • FittingTributeFunerals.com FITTING TRIBUTE FUNERAL SERVICES, LLC, is a progressive, family-owned, eco-friendly funeral home helping New York City residents of all creeds and faiths plan green burials, cremation services at Green-Wood, home funerals, and other memorial events. Respectful, non-invasive care of the body is paramount. In-home arrangements, creativity and compassion are part of the formula too. Founder Amy Cunningham was profiled by The New York Times for generating greater interest in the back-to-basics New York funeral, and listed among the “Nine Most Innovative Funeral Professionals” in the country by FuneralOne, a leading voice for change in the funeral industry.
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AtoZ Healing Space features monthly online workshops with top-tier healers in a wide variety of ‘outside the box’ modalities, monthly circles, members’ forums, and more. Our first month (March) is free. Teri Miller, founder of TIME Heals angelic healing will be live online at AtoZ on Monday, March 6. Get details when you sign up for our gift at AtoZHealingSpace.com/free-gift/.
DAVID SCOTT BARTKY
Certified Law Of Attraction Life Coach Certified Consulting Hypnotist 973-444-7301 • LifeCoachDavid.com As an experienced and certified Law of Attraction life coach I can teach you how to use the Law of Attraction so you can start attracting what you want in all areas of your life! As a Consulting Hypnotist I can help you achieve the results you want when it comes to weight loss, reducing stress, sleep issues, etc. Feel free to contact me to discuss if coaching or hypnosis is right for you.
ATHENA S. HEINOLD
MAURICIO HAIR STUDIO
Your Highest Radiant Light-Filled Self is warmly invited to learn High Vibrational Healing Artsʼ Solutions and tools for your “highest path and healing.” I help clear obstacles for all aspects of life by opening stronger groundings to your Light. Letʼs transform life's stressors and trauma through wholistic subconscious healing with compassion. Simple self-empowerment techniques are taught, supporting your BEST BRIGHTEST WELLNESS. Mentoring opportunity to master communing with your innate light guidance for realization, purpose, and clarity. Wishing You A Happy & Healthy Life!
Mauricio is a hair artist who provides a holistic approach to the beauty industry—one that focuses not only on the physical but also on the overall well-being of his clients, through unique services, truly organic products, a tailored experience and Zen-like environment that all work together to support the mind, body and soul. Mauricio’s private hair studio mission is to be the first of its kind: an innovative ecofriendly hair studio and ‘inner beauty salon’ that seeks to unlock every guest’s beauty. Natural color services are available for both pregnant and everyday clients.
NYS • HI Licensed Healthcare Practitioner 808-264-5309 • HappyAndHealthyLife.ABMP.com
210 Fifth Ave. Suite 1102, New York, NY 10010 212-532-3030 • MauricioHair.com
NATURAL DENTISTRY
646-632-5181 • Think-AT.com Think AT is a new small Think AT business located in Battery Park city, dedicated to teaching Alexander Technique, mainly through individual lessons. The name is inspired by the focus of Alexander Technique on "thinking," which affects the way we live, including how we move whether with patterns of tension or ease. Teachers at Think AT have expertise with more than 12 years of training. Alexander Technique
NATURAL BEAUTY CATHERINE MANNING
Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic 908-400-8961 cathynyrorganics@gmail.com us.nyrorganic.com/shop/catherinemanning Catherine is an independent consultant for Neal’s Yard remedies. She believes that choosing organic is best for both people and our planet. When it comes to the ingredients in their products Neal’s Yard prides itself in honesty, integrity and transparency. They are committed to making products with the maximum organic, natural and wild ingredients. Neal’s Yard has over 30 years of being considered one of the top family owned, ethical, organic companies in the United Kingdom. Neal’s Yard organic essential oils are the fundamental ingredient in our products because of their therapeutic, calming, and revitalizing benefits. Catherine is on a mission to share these products to transform peoples lives by encouraging a more natural and holistic way of life.
DR. HOWARD ROBINS The Healing Center 200 W. 57th St., Suite 807, New York, NY 10019 212-581-0101 • DrHowardRobins@gmail.com If you have a disease or condition that you haven’t been able to get rid of, Ozone Therapy will most likely be the answer, even for people that have suffered for years and have lost all hope. If you are questioning if your condition can be treated, call or email Dr Robins contact information above.
PARENT & RESILIENCY COACH REBUILD LIFE NOW
DR. PETER SILVER THINK AT
OZONE THERAPY
919 2nd Ave, 2nd Flr 212-924-6890 • TheOzoneDentist.com Dr.PeterSilver@gmail.com Located in an easily accessible area by Union Square, Dr. Peter Silver practices Minimally Invasive Ozone Dentistry. Ozone is used to kill bacteria in cavities and gum disease, while speeding up the healing of your tissue. Dr. Silver also practices Guilt-Free dentistry, where you are never made to feel uncomfortable about the condition of your mouth. If you are anxious about visiting the dentist, Dr. Silver uses laughing gas and does sedation dentistry as well.
TRIBECA CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HOLISTIC DENTISTS
17 Park Place, NYC 10007 212 732 2200 • Holistic-dentists.com Dr. Lewis Gross has over 31 years’ experience providing holistic dentistry to adults and children with his staff of dental specialists and integrative practitioners. Offering less invasive and more natural solutions for patients with difficult dental issues and those who seek just a good family dentist. Our recently renovated, state-ofthe-art facility, offers among other things, Laser Dentistry, metal free implants, non-invasive oral cancer screening, ozone, and alternatives to surgery and root canal.
Harriet Cabelly, LCSW Upper West Side, NY Manhasset, Long Island 516-214-4778 • harriet@rebuildlifenow.com RebuildLifeNow.com Harriet Cabelly is a social worker and positive psychology coach. She specializes in working with people in critical life situations and counsels them through their grief and growth. Having worked in the New York City school system for many years, she continues with her love of working with parents to educate and improve the lives of parents and children.
PRODUCTS HERBASWAY
800-672-7322 • Herbasway.com Founded in 1996, HerbaSway Laboratories is located in Wallingford, CT. Our formulas are based on traditional herbal combinations that have been used for thousands of years. Using only the purest ingredients and wild-crafted herbs, in combination with the latest Western scientific research, HerbaSway’s formulas are synergistically blended to produce optimal balance in your body.
NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR DR. SUSAN CUCCHIARA
120 E. 56 street Suite 740, NY, NY 10022 212-652-2240 • www.NaturallySue.com office@naturallysue.com Dr. Susan Cucchiara is a Naturopathic Doctor whom is trained as a primary care physician and is an expert in natural and holistic health. Dr. Cucchiara sees everyone from pediatrics to geriatrics and treats everything from the common cold up and through chronic diseases. She develops a personalized treatment plan to address your health concerns utilizing single homeopathic remedies, biotherapeutic drainage remedies, herbs, supplementation, nutrition and athome remedies.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT SIERRA BENDER® 888-794-3330 • SierraBender.com Sierra Bender, a modern day Renaissance woman and leading pioneer in the Women’s Empowerment, leadership movement for over 25 years. She is the founder of the SBEM Core Institute, Sierra Bender Empowerment Method®(SBEM), Boot Camp for Goddesses® internationally renowned retreat, and author of Goddess to the Core. She’s been featured on Oprah Radio, CBS, Univision TV, USA Today, Yoga Journal, Fit Yoga and other media outlets in Australia, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, U.K., Germany and the U.S.
natural awakenings
March 2017
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FRESH IS BEST.
better than bottled or pills.
1WHEATGRASS SHOT = 2.5 LB OF GREEN VEGGIES SINCE 1982
Look for our organic wheatgrass at your local NYC juice bar; it’s the best in the city.
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800WHEATGRASS.COM | 1-800-WHEATGRASS na-newyorkcity.com
New York City Edition