Natural Nutmeg December 2015

December 2015

Natural Nutmeg Connecticut's Resource For Essential Living

Infertility: The Holiday Season’s Biggest Grinch Spencer Richlin, MD The Ins and Outs of Winter Sickness Tonya Pasternak, ND

Depression is Not a Chemical Imbalance Debra Gibson, ND

Can Our Lifestyle Affect Our Risk of Depression?

Jessica Pizano Classic Western Elegance at the Snow King Resort Diane Hayden, PhD

The Advantages of Amnesia Bernie Siegel, MD

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

1

The desire to be happy and unstressed? Check.

The need to give your body the right nutrients? Check.

The power to change your life for the better? Check. ...Not there yet? Check.

TAKE MY HAND. The solution is here.

Juliette's LifesPath™ philosophy stands on the notion that everyone deserves luxury - body, mind, and soul.

Get to the bottom of your limiting beliefs, confusion about your next steps, and the reason you haven't gotten to your pinnacle yet. Become who you know you already are - fully aligned and happy.

Book an overnight Busy Lifestyle Intensive Retreat with spa treatment at a 5-star resort valued at $10,200

Live your passion, power, and purpose.

Juliette is a Certified Life Coach, motivational speaker, published author and the creator of the LifesPath™ system to finding health, happiness, and love. She has guided her clients to breakthrough their blocks, dispel limiting beliefs, and find their core to live lives they love absolutely.

Juliette believes that you don't need to wait until you (retire, get kids into college, get the kids out of college, receive your bonus, find the time to...) to start living a life you love. Take the jump TODAY!

2

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Special New Year’s Price $7200 Contact Juliette at 203.305.8091 or juliette@juliettetaylor.com

Don’t Miss Our Upcoming Issues We’re Ready for 2016!

Natural Nutmeg is on Facebook!

January Hormonal Weight Loss February The Right Diet for You March Probiotics & Immune Health April Environmental Allergies & Food Sensitivities May Mindfulness for Busy Moms June Stress Reduction for Men July Overvacation Syndrome August Metabolic Exercise September Childhood Vaccinations October Overtreatment of Breast Cancer

Like our Facebook page to connect with other Natural Nutmeg readers, and find exclusive content from your favorite local resource.

November Holiday Eating Strategies December Sleep Hygiene

For More Healthy Tips and Info Visit facebook.com/ naturalnutmegmagazine

Natural Nutmeg is Seeking Full-Time Publisher

We are seeking a positive, enthusiastic, highly professional, goal-oriented Publisher or Publishing Assistant to manage our magazine publications and assist with our book collaborations.

Responsibilities include: editorial calendar and article submission coordination, editing articles, editing and proofing final layout of magazine, brainstorming ideas for graphics for articles and cover; working with marketing rep on sales promotions, assisting current advertisers to update ads, brainstorming ideas for refreshing ads, working with graphic designers to create artwork; manage and create email blasts with content and education for new advertisers and readers; research and cultivate relationships with potential corporate sponsors; develop campaign for reader membership program; and manage publishing and social media interns.

Candidate should be able to work both independently and on a collaborative team, and be self-motivated.

Competitive compensation package with bonus plan.

If you have a willingness to actively contribute to a team environment and a passion for publishing, please send your cover letter and resume to

Dr. Diane Hayden at diane@naturalnutmeg.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

3

In This Issue 10 11

30

Go Nuts for the Holidays!

Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMT, C

Kohlrabi…What Exactly is this Vegetable?

31

Is It Possible to Find the Joy Again?

The Ins and Outs of Winter Sickness

32 34

Game of Bacteria: Killing Them Before They Kill You Kareen Wilson, RDH

16

Ask Dr. Jeff!

Your Veterinary Homeopath Jeff Feinman, VMD, CVH

18

Depression is a Wake-Up Call from your Soul Classic Western Elegance at the Snow King Resort

42 RESOURCES

36

Escape to a Mountainside Retreat in Missoula at Blue Mountain B&B Diane Hayden, PhD

38

The Meritage Resort – the Perfect Blend Diane Hayden, PhD

39

Urban Oasis and Beervana in Portland, Oregon Diane Hayden, PhD

The Gift That Keeps On Giving Infertility: The Holiday Season’s Biggest Grinch Depression is Not a Chemical Imbalance Debra Gibson, ND

24

Can Our Lifestyle Affect Our Risk of Depression?

Jessica Pizano

28

4

Why Music Therapy Makes Sense

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

NUGGETS

40 HAPPENINGS

Spencer Richlin, MD

22

8 NUTMEG

Enrico Cheli

Lisa Zaccheo, MA

20

7 The BUZZ

Diane Hayden, PhD

Tonya Pasternak, ND

14

Still Single? Don’t Be the Elf on the Shelf!

Ronnie Ann Ryan

Louise Sanchione, CCH, ND

13

In Every Issue

Stacey Munro, ND

Julie Wern

12

Healthy Holiday Eating: Sticking To Your Goals

24

46 BERNIE

Partner with

After working with hundreds of practitioners and entrepreneurs, we’ve discovered 6 easy steps to build your image and attract new clients.

Find out what they are when you work with the Natural Nutmeg team of marketing experts.

7-Day Live Immersion Detox Retreats Do you want to love your body more and enhance your well-being and energy? At our Immersion Retreats, participants detoxify, energize and rejuvenate mind, body and spirit while getting world-class raw food training — and many experience dramatic health improvements. Are YOU ready to live your best life?

Magazine ad

Book a partnership package by December 31st with Natural Nutmeg and receive: •Full day image consulting/business building retreat with Dr. Diane and the NN team of image/practice building consultants •Initial practice/business assessment •Two 60-minute sessions of monthly support (practice development, marketing, social media, writing, and coaching,)

Next retreat dates: August 3-9th and January 4-10th

Register Today!

 (888) 799-9147

www.therawfoodinstitute.com Are you SICK from feeling SICK TIRED of being TIRED Do you go from Doctor to Doctor with NO Results at all?

IMAGINE the possibilities of a machine that provides detailed information on your Cellular Health

IMAGINE instant answers to years of Health Issues This is possible with the Bio-Tracker system which Bear Walker Holistic Practitioner helped develop in a project at NASA! No Blood Work Necessary ~ Immediate Results

The Bio-Tracker checks the following...

Adrenal Glands Thyroid Glands Pituitary Gland Throat Ears Small Intestines Large Intestines Ileocecal Valve Lungs Ess. Fatty Acids Skin

Endocrine System Sinus Circulatory System Stomach Body Organs Fibrous Tissue Inhale Allergies Joints Spleen Carbohydrate Metabolism ....and more if needed!

Nervous System Lymph System Liver Heart Gallbladder Urinary Bladder Pancreas Kidney Food Allergies Reproductive System

Metals ~ Chemicals ~ Bacteria ~ Viruses ~ Hormones ~ Neurotransmitters Mold ~ Vitamins ~ Minerals ~ Candida ~ ATP ~ GeoPathic Stress etc.

Contact Dr. Diane Hayden Publisher@naturalnutmeg.com

7 N. Washington St. Suite 103 Plainville, CT 06062

~ Holistic Bear Practitioner Walker ~

Office visits by appointment only

860-384-1527

www.circleofhealthonline.com www.facebook.com/bearwalkerholisticpractitioner.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

5

PUBLISHER'SLETTER Some men see things as they are and say, “Why?” I dream of things that never were and say, “Why not?”

– George Bernard Shaw

I

O

f I only had one piece of advice that I could give to anyone it would be to never stop dreaming. And I don’t mean night dreams, I mean our biggest desires, goals and aspirations. Dreams are the lifeblood of our being. They are what keep us going during the worst of times and what inspire us to accomplish incredible things during the best of times. Without dreams, where would we be? Can you imagine the kind of world we would have if everyone stopped dreaming? It would be a stark and desolate place full of people who were numb and dead inside.

ur mission is to provide valuable insight, information and resources that will allow our readers to maintain a healthy, active, sustainable lifestyle. Natural Nutmeg contains timely information on natural health, complementary and alternative medicine, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

If you’ve lost your ability to dream, think back to when you were a child and even into your young adulthood years. For the most part, as children, all we did was dream. We envisioned what kind of career we would have, who we would marry, how many children we’d have, where we would live and the list goes on and on. Why was it so easy back then? One reason is that we had a lot more time to spend thinking and dreaming. And we had a lot less responsibility and therefore less things to worry about. Now, as adults, we barely have time to think, let alone pass the day away dreaming about how we would like our life to be. But I say we need to do exactly that to keep the dreamer in us alive and kicking!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Deb Percival Deb@naturalnutmeg.com

We need to cultivate that part of us that we may have lost a long time ago.

While it would be easy for me to recommend that you spend entire days coaxing the dreamer out of you, I do understand that most of us truly don’t have that kind of time. But what I do suggest is that you try and spend 5 minutes a day every day, just daydreaming. Think of it as your visualization time where you plant the seeds of what you would like to manifest over the next year or years of your life.

Now comes the hard part – I want you to take out your calendars and schedule one evening a week and one half day a month to be your sacred date times.

This will be time spent in solitude, just dreaming or visualizing. You don’t have to journal or create a vision board or even write your thoughts down, unless of course you feel strongly compelled to do so. It actually would be better if you did not and you just relaxed and let yourself drift into daydream land. This is how you bring the dreamer back into your life. Trust me, you will be so glad you’ve done this, especially if you’ve lost your dreamer, as once you get it back, you will see worlds of opportunities where before there were none.

In Health and Happiness,

PUBLISHER Dr. Diane Hayden Publisher@naturalnutmeg.com

ADVERTISING advertising@naturalnutmeg.com DIR. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Christopher Urso Curso@naturalnutmeg.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ashley Frament layout@naturalnutmeg.com ADVISORY BOARD Ann Aresco, N.D. Deanna M. Cherrone, MD Erika Dworkin, Dip. C.N. (Pend.)

Debra Gibson, ND Lauren Young, ND Kenneth Hoffman, LAc, CCH Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, CD-N Paul Tortland, DO DISTRIBUTION Greater Hartford and surrounding counties, please contact Natural Nutmeg.

FFC - Tom Cossuto, Man In Motion, LLC

Natural Nutmeg Magazine

A big Thank You to our wonderful writers and advertisers who make this free resource possible!

Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw them in

P.O. Box 447, Avon, CT 06001 Phone (860)508-0894

In keeping with our concern for the environment, Natural Nutmeg is proudly printed on recycled paper with soy based inks.

Natural Nutmeg is a free publication supported solely by our advertisers and distributed throughout Connecticut. Please call for a location near you. (860) 508-0894 or email to publisher@naturalnutmeg.com. © 2007-15 by Natural Nutmeg, LLC. All rights reserved.

Parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that permission be obtained in writing. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the ar ticles and adver tisements, nor are we responsible for the products and ser vices adver tised. We welcome your feedback.

6

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

THE BUZZ Introducing a NEW 300 Hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) Yoga Alliance Program at Sacred Rivers Yoga

Toys for Tots Drop Off at The Coffee Trade of Avon

D

o you have a new, unwrapped toy that you can donate to brighten the holidays for a child or teen in need? If so, you can drop off the toys at The Coffee Trade, located at 21 W. Main St. in Avon. The Coffee Trade is accepting donations until December 19th. This is a wonderful way to give back during the holidays.

A

re you ready to practice what you preach? Walk your talk?

To infuse your teaching through your own discoveries on your mat? To be of service? Off the mat, and into the world?

Would you like to learn new tools, skills, and techniques? Advanced work , recognizing more than our physical body, through the vehicle of the physical, to Pranamaya Kosha. Interested?

18 month program. One weekend per month. Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm. Begins January 23, 2016. Filling up fast through word of mouth, so submit your application ASAP if interested. This will be a closed group. Limited. First come, first serve. Pre-registration is required! Or, request a packet of information via phone — (860) 657-9545 or email info@sacredriversyoga.com.

For more information visit SacredRiversYoga.com or call (860) 657-9545, or fax (860) 657-3161. Sacred Rivers Yoga is owned and directed by Paula Scopino LMT, E-RYT 500, IAYT. It is located on 28 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06118. See ad on page 45.

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. Please remember that there are many older children (ages 10-13) in need as well when thinking of gifts to donate.

The Coffee Trade is located at 21 W. Main St. in Avon. To locate other Toys for Tots drop off locations in Connecticut, visit http://www. plainville-ct.toysfortots.org. See ad below.

OPEN SUNDAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS Avon’s Oldest Coffee House! Over a 1/4 century old

Toy sf Dr or To End op-off ts s 12 /19

80 Fresh Roasted Coffees Harney & Sons Teas Make Great Gifts for the Holidays!

201

3/ 2

014

Did you know that we roast and flavor our coffee daily right in our store!

www.coffeetradeavon.com 21 W. Main Street, Rt. 44, Avon • 860-676-2661 Mon-Fri 7:30-6, Sat 8:30-5, Sun 9:30-5

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

7

Nutmeg “Nuggets” Natural Health Associates

Health Made for You

he Natural Health Associates is a group of physicians specializing in natural medicines. With their office located in Hamden, CT, the physicians work to provide men, women, and children with healthcare through non-toxic therapies and natural medicines that maximize your health without the use of surgeries or causing damage to the body.

atural Health and Healing, located in West Hartford, focuses on self-care and making you, as an individual, the healthiest you will ever be. Using functional medicine, you will receive care that is long-lasting and helps all aspects of your life.

T

The Natural Health Associates provide professional recommendations about natural medicine using their broad knowledge of medical sciences. Unlike other doctors’ offices, the Associates work to treat your body as a whole, focusing on what would make your entire body healthy, rather than just how to treat only what is bothering you. In addition, they do not require you to stop seeing your regular doctor. They are open to receiving patients, and take the time to figure out what medicine, herbs, or non-toxic therapy will work best for them to increase their overall health in the future.

Dr. James S. Sensenig is one particular independent naturopathic physician that is well known for helping his patients regain their health through the practice of these natural procedures.

Graduating from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, Sensenig has been practicing natural medicine for over thirty years. Along with this experience, Sensenig is both the founding president of the American Associations of Natural Physicians, and the founding Dean of the College of Naturopathic Medicine at the University of Bridgeport.

Over the years, Dr. Sensenig has received many patients with different varieties of illnesses. Sensenig pays close attention to treating the common, every day complaints that we may have, including headaches, migraines, digestive diseases, bodyaches, and fatigue.

From these common symptoms, to children with asthma, to everything in between, Sensenig takes the time to examine the patient, listen to their story, and decide what treatment would work best to help them regain their health.

Dr. James Sensenig is just one of the members of the hardworking team of the Natural Health Associates. For more information about natural medicines, the therapies used, and the Natural Health Associates office itself, visit www.naturalhealthct.com or call 203-2302200. Start treating your body the right way and plan for the future.

See ads on page 33.

N

Dr. Deanna Cherrone, founder of Natural Health and Healing, is a certified Internal Medicine physician. However, she changed her practice from focusing on internal medicine to functional medicine.

Graduating from the Institute of Functional Medicine, Cherrone uses her knowledge to help patients receive care that will assist them on being the healthiest they have ever been.

With an emphasis on self-care, functional medicine looks at patients as a whole, examining their body’s systems as being interconnected and functioning at their best when they are in balance.

Therefore, Dr. Cherrone focuses on the prevention of disease to promote health and treat chronic illness. Dr. Cherrone lives by the practice that “true health is not just the absence of disease.” Therefore, using preventative care, Cherrone assesses her patients and examines their biochemical uniqueness and the social skills of each individual.

One of Cherrone’s main aspects of practice is to examine the patient’s body mass and discuss the patient’s life expectancy (considering that body mass is a major predictor of this). Cherrone then looks at the food you eat, the toxins you are exposed to every day, and other lifestyle choices. These specific choices are related directly to what your genes may be, and also affect chronic disease.

A visit with Dr. Cherrone means that you will be listened to, carefully examined, and thoughtfully considered. You will receive recommendations from the doctor that help you reach your specific healthcare goals. You may also purchase nutrition and herbal supplements that will help increase your overall health.

For more information about Dr. Cherrone and Natural Health and Healing, you can call 860-677-4660 or visiting www.naturalhealthandhealing.net. Create the right journey to receive health meant for you by contacting Dr. Deanna Cherrone today.

See ads on back cover.

CITRUS ORGANICS & ESSENTIAL OILS Like our Facebook page to connect with other Natural Nutmeg readers, and find exclusive content from your favorite local resource.

Visit facebook.com/naturalnutmegmagazine 8

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Featuring Organic Way and Shear Miracle Organics Products

Contact Suzanne Pantano mydoterra.com/suzannepantano stpantano@icloud.com • 860-693-4133 Free Your Head and the Beauty Products You Choose from Toxic Components

Anew You’s mission is to provide extraordinary services that produce amazing results. The spa is an oasis, offering a healing respite that helps each client look – and feel – rejuvenated. Many of the spa’s services and products are usually only found in cosmopolitan areas.

Every service is custom designed to strengthen skin health and overall well-being. Many services accelerate cellular metabolism and collagen production, and also repair skin damage. In addition, the spa uses and offers exceptional products, backed by science.

Products include organic OSEA products, and SkinCeuticals formulations, which are used and recommended by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and medical spas.

Numerous specialized services include the non-surgical facelift, which is a viable alternative to surgery and injections, and a variety of full-body treatments, including a salt glow treatment, an organic sugar scrub, and an organic seaweed body wrap.

In addition, Anew You offers cellulite and body sculpting, reflexology, detox footbaths, eyelash and eyebrow tinting, and hair removal.

Massage services include cupping, which is a wonderful way to eliminate toxins, alleviate muscle tension, open lymphatic pathways, and reduce blood pressure. The spa also offers deep tissue, Swedish, salt stone, Thai, and pre-natal massage options.

Unlike expensive surgical treatments, the treatments provided at Anew You Skincare are all-natural and effective. The results are noticeable and long lasting.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the spa’s office at 860-284-9730, email melissa@anewyouskincare.net, stop in to 16 Ensign Drive for a brochure, or visit anewyouskincare. net. Create a healthier, younger-looking you, beginning with skin care today. See ad on page 21.

T

he Connecticut Natural Health Specialists, located in Manchester, Connecticut provides patients with a unique health plan based on functional medicine. In other words, they focus on treating the underlying cause of the patient’s problem, helping them achieve a long lasting, healthy lifestyle.

In order to provide their patients with this type of care, the Connecticut Natural Health Specialists focus on the use of lab testing.

Through this testing, physicians can examine how the body metabolizes, detoxifies, and absorbs nutrients. Labs can also test hormones, as well as food sensitivity. Knowing this information can help with problems such as elevated cholesterol and hypertension.

Physicians at this clinic create a natural treatment plan to help with these types of imbalances. These physicians come from highend schools with degrees in naturopathic medicine. With these degrees, they provide services to their patients such as women’s health, men’s health, pediatrics, IBS and IBD treatment, and body composition.

The Connecticut Natural Health Specialists Clinic also has a dispensary, containing necessary information about health, and vitamins to help keep your heart healthy.

If you are looking for a type of care that is specific to you, treating the cause rather than just the symptoms, CT Natural Health Specialists is right for you. Come today and receive care from what other physicians describe to “compliment, if not enhance, patient care.”

For more information, visit the CT Natural Health website at http:// ctnaturalhealth.com or call the office at 860-533-0179. Transform your health today. 60-533-0179 See ad on page 21.

Chef-Prepared Gluten-Free Cuisine Delivered To Your Door!

!

Order from our Dinner At Your Door seasonal and holiday menus at: www.HeirloomKitchenCatering.com Hearty Casseroles, Pastas, Sides, Salads Organic & Grass-Fed Meats Seasonal Soups Bone Broths Pies, Cakes, Breads, Muffins Hummus, Spreads, Sauces

farm -> chef -> your table

an

C

!

m .co ng

Our delicious food is prepared in a dedicated gluten-free scratch kitchen using locally sourced and organic ingredients

!

mKitchenCat loo er i eir

to n

19

L

ooking younger and healthier begins with feeling great inside and out. Anew You Skincare & Wellness Center, a restful and inviting spa tucked away on Ensign Drive in Avon, has been helping clients look and feel young, refreshed, and rejuvenated for eight years.

Connecticut Natural Health Specialists

ww w.H

Get Your Glow at Anew You Skincare & Wellness Center in Avon

, Co

n n e c ti c u

t0

60

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

9

Go Nuts for the Holidays!

By Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMT, C s we know, the holidays are a gift-giving season. What better way to show someone that you care than by giving them a homemade gift for the holidays? But making homemade gifts can be time consuming… especially when baking individual batches. This recipe is a great way to create a bulk gift that can easily be packaged in smaller quantities.

A

A dear friend of mine modified this recipe for me. It is very forgiving as you can substitute individual ingredients easily. The original recipe called for peanuts. Unfortunately, in addition to many people suffering from anaphylactic allergies to peanuts in our country, they can also be inflammatory. This means that eating peanuts causes more inflammation in our body, which is at the root of most illnesses today. Due to the over-farming and processing that has occurred in peanut farming over the past several decades, peanuts are not the healthiest snack to eat. But fortunately, there are so many fantastic, healthy nuts to choose from.

Once the final batch is cooled, you can package it up in individual small bags and tie them off with a ribbon. Also, check out www.Pinterest.com for fun ideas on how to package homemade holiday gifts.

Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMT, C is the President and Owner of Integrative Wellness and Physical Therapy in Bloomfield, CT. This wellness center specializes in holistic physical therapy, integrative manual therapy (IMT), and nutritional wellness. Dr. Connell-Giammatteo is a physical therapist and certified integrative manual therapist. She has been practicing in the field of IMT for over 15 years and has taught courses both nationally and abroad.

Dr. Connell-Giammatteo received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from The University of Hartford, in Connecticut. She received her doctoral degree from Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio, focusing in neuropediatrics, with a concentration in autism. Some of her doctoral research involved a unique charter elementary school called Soaring Heights, located in Jersey City, New Jersey. During this research, she investigated the efficacy of integrative manual therapy on young children that presented challenges in learning, socialization, and behavior. In addition to her IMT expertise, she is a graduate of the Institute of Functional Medicine’s program “Applying Functional Medicine into Clinical Practice,” which focuses on nutritional wellness. She has written many articles about IMT, healthy living, natural parenting, and nutritional wellness.

Dr. Connell-Giammatteo was Dean of the Connecticut School of Integrative Manual Therapy (CSIMT) for several years. She is also a local of this community and has been living in the Greater Hartford area for many years, where she integrates a healthy lifestyle at home with her wonderful family. See ads on page 17 and 27.

10

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Holiday Gift Roasted Nut Mix Ingredients: • 2 cups raw cashews • 2 Tbs honey • 2 Tbs water • 2 Tsp grape seed oil or olive oil (note: when increasing the recipe, do not increase oil to more than 4 Tsp) • ¼ cup maple sugar or palm/coconut sugar • ½ Tsp sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Mix sugar and salt together and set aside 3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper 4. Spread cashews on cookie sheet in single layer 5. Roast cashews at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes 6. In a skillet, heat honey, water, and oil to a boil 7. Add nuts and cook, stirring until syrup is gone and nuts are well coated 8. Pour sugar and salt mixture over nuts, stirring until completely coated 9. Return nuts to cookie sheet, let cool and dry 10. Break nuts apart 11. Enjoy!!! (Note: You can store nuts in covered container for up to one month)

Visit Natural Nutmeg’s Facebook page for tips on healthy holiday eating.

Single & Not Meeting The Right Men Online?

Profile Writing Just $99!

Give the Gift of Love for the Holidays

Call Dating Coach Ronnie Ann Ryan 203-877-3777 www.NeverTooLate.biz

Kohlrabi…What Exactly is this Vegetable?

By Julie Wern es, it’s true. Kohlrabi looks like a species from Mars with its green (or even purple) bulb and thin stems and leaves that shoot out from all sides of it like creepy feelers. But folks this is no vegetable from a Hollywood movie set, this is a truly delicious earth grown gem. Its name is German for “cabbage turnip” and while it is a member of the cabbage family, it is not exactly a cabbage or a turnip. Many say the flavor of the bulb is similar to broccoli stem. I think of raw kohlrabi as a cross between broccoli stem and jicama with respect to both taste and texture.

Y

While you don’t often see the whole form of the vegetable in stores, both kohlrabi bulbs and greens are edible, the flat greens being similar to collards in taste and texture. If you do see it with its greens attached, it means the kohlrabi is fairly fresh (especially if the greens appear healthy).

Kohlrabi bulbs become more fibrous as they grow in size, but smaller bulbs are wonderful raw. They can be used as a crudité with dip, shaved or chopped and added to salads, or grated and used in coleslaw (squeeze out excess water). Smaller bulbs do not need to be peeled. A very versatile vegetable, the bulbs are great sautéed, fried, boiled and pureed, cooked into soups and stews, and roasted.

They are similar to turnips but give off more water when cooked.

The bulb peels easily after being cooked.

Kohlrabi leaves are great cooked like any other leafy green. Try them sautéed with olive oil and garlic, or tossed into sauces and soups. You can also steam or saute the greens as you would any other green (add a bit of liquid), or you can add them to soups/stews at the end of cooking. They would also be good raw, slivered and added to grain salads.

Kohlrabi is high in vitamin C (100g yields 102% RDA) and fiber, and also contains significant amounts of folic acid, potassium and magnesium. It is a very low calorie food, with only 27 calories per 100g. It also contains phytonutrients like isothiocyanates and sulforaphane that protect against certain cancers.

Choose small bulbs (1-3 inches) with green, lively leaves. To store, trim leaves from bulbs and store both separately in plastic or reusable produce bags. Greens will only last a couple of days but the bulbs will keep a couple of weeks. If you are peeling your kohlrabi it helps to smooth out its surface with a knife before trying to use a vegetable peeler on the knobby, uneven skin or you can find yourself cutting up your hands.

This recipe was highly adapted from a broccoli recipe in the November 2015 issue of Cooking Light. I added curry powder to get more healing turmeric into my diet and because curry pairs so well with raisins. I also added pomegranate for its lovely color and juicy pop. This would make a great dish for a holiday table.

Curry Roasted Kohlrabi with Pomegranate & Pickled Golden Raisins Serves 4 Ingredients: • 6 cups Kohlrabi, peeled, 1/2” dice (about 2 med/lg) • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted • 2 teaspoons curry powder, or more to desired taste • 1/4 heaping teaspoon sea salt • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 cup cider vinegar • 1/4 cup water • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds • 1/3 cup golden raisins • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced • 3 tablespoons toasted pistachio nuts • 3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate arils 1. Preheat oven to 400. Place kohlrabi cubes in a large bowl.

Toss with coconut oil, sea salt, pepper and curry powder.

Taste and add additional seasoning if desired. Place evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet sprayed with coconut oil spray. Cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil, turn kohlrabi pieces and continue to bake, uncovered. Turn once or twice more, until kohlrabi is tender and nicely caramelized.

2. While kohlrabi is roasting, place cider vinegar, water, mustard seeds, golden raisins, and shallot in a small saute pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn out into a sieve placed over a bowl or in the sink. Drain off and discard vinegar broth.

3. Once kohlrabi is done cooking transfer it to a large serving bowl. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Toss in pickled raisins and shallots, and then sprinkle with pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately. (If you wish to make this dish ahead, refrigerate without the pistachios and pomegranate. Reheat and then add them to the dish before serving).

Julie Wern is a psychologist turned stay-at-home-mom turned caterer. She is currently in training at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to become a Nutrition and Wellness coach. She is the author of Holcomb Farm CSA’s Simply Fresh blog (http://holcombfarm.org/ blog)and currently teaches cooking and cookie decorating classes.

Contact Julie at jwern@comcast.net for comments and inquiries. www.NaturalNutmeg.com

11

Is It Possible to Find the Again?

By Louise Sanchione , CCH, ND

R

eading or hearing about the side effects of prescription medication for depression is enough to make anyone depressed and anxious! And then there’s the second prescription for the side effects of the first prescription and so on and so on. Additionally, the evidence continues almost daily that pharmaceutical companies have not been transparent regarding the negative results of research conducted on drugs to treat mild and moderate depression.

For example, as I was writing this I read an article in the New York Times that reported a new analysis of research regarding the safe use of Paxil for teenagers concluded that in fact the opposite was true (NYTimes, 9/17/2015 Antidepressant Paxil Is Unsafe for Teenagers, New Analysis Says).

If you are suffering from depression, a well-chosen homeopathic remedy can help you find emotional balance again and bring joy back into your life. A homeopathic remedy can prevent the need for a prescription medication for mild or moderate depression.

Homeopathy honors the uniqueness of each individual’s response to the stress, the grief, the disappointment, the loneliness…whatever is causing you to be depressed. A homeopath makes the selection of a homeopathic remedy based on the constellation of emotional, mental and even physical symptoms that you are experiencing, not your diagnosis.

A Case of Depression and Severe PMS Kathryn (not her real name) is a 43-year-old woman who had been on the SSRI, Celexa, for over four years. She wanted to reduce her need for the antidepressant because she was experiencing uncomfortable side effects. She had tried before with the supervision of her psychiatrist to wean off the medication but the depression always returned. She would then have to take Zanax for the anxiety that going off the initial medication created. She had a passionate desire to get relief from her depression and also her hormonal symptoms. She was extremely concerned about her attitude toward her husband and children, which was becoming filled with resentment and angry outbursts. She was stuck between these responsibilities and her desire to become a full-time musician. She had suffered from depression for years and was concerned about the negative effect her issues were having on the family dynamics.

Both her psychiatrist and PCP were in support of her decision to try homeopathy. Her psychiatrist designed a protocol to start reducing the dosage of Celexa when Kathryn started to improve after starting the homeopathic remedy. Kathryn reported feeling better just two weeks after taking the remedy.

12

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

After two months of treatment Kathryn reported that she felt the calmest she had ever been in her life and her response to stress in stressful situations was reduced. She felt she could take a breath and relax. Her husband also commented that she seemed much calmer and happier. Kathryn also experienced improvement in her menstrual cycle with no PMS or other physical complaints she had been experiencing. At this time she felt it was time to talk to her psychiatrist about reducing the medication. Kathryn continued to improve on all levels, made some positive lifestyle changes, and was able to reduce the need for Celexa completely after several months.

This case demonstrates that you do have a choice in the way you treat your depression and the anxiety that usually accompanies it. Prescription medications just suppress your symptoms. As we saw in KL’s case, her depression came back each time she tried to get off Celexa. However, with a remedy chosen for her particular constellation of symptoms she was able to regain her emotional and hormonal balance. Homeopathy is a safe, non-toxic, well researched and highly effective alternative treatment for depression.

There are no side effects and homeopathic remedies can be taken even if you are already on prescription medication.

In Connecticut, almost all naturopathic medical doctors (NDs) use homeopathy and some specialize in it (look for a DHANP or CCH) after their name. Medical doctors who are licensed homeopathic doctors (DHt) also practice homeopathy but there are only several of them in the state. Highly trained, nationally Certified Classical Homeopaths (CCH) can practice homeopathy in MA, RI and NY but not in CT. If you would like to see more access to highly trained homeopaths in CT, please let your State Senator and Representative and members of the Public Health Committee know.

Louise Sanchione is a CCH and holds a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. She is the Director of the CT Alliance to Advance Homeopathy in Hamden. The mission is to raise the public’s understanding and use of homeopathy through public awareness activities, legislative support, education opportunities and consultations. Please contact her if you think that homeopathy might help you with your depression and find the joy again - naturally. connecticuthomeopathy@gmail.com, 413-320-9158

The Ins and Outs of Winter Sickness

By Tonya Pasternak , ND

I

t’s the time of year for snow days, apple pie, and family gatherings, which inevitably means it is also the time of year for sniffles, coughs, and fevers. While people often chalk being sick up to having a common cold, there are other causes that need to be considered. The flu and strep throat are two additional illnesses that can strike those old and young. Knowing the difference is important because there are risks of potential long-term consequences that can be avoided with proper diagnosis and treatment.

The Common Cold As the name implies, the common cold is, well, common.

Also known as acute nasopharyngitis, this viral infection includes symptoms of a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and sneezing. Rarely does it include a fever, fatigue, or muscle aches. In terms of winter illnesses, acute nasopharyngitis alone doesn’t have long-term consequences and normally subsides in a matter of days to weeks.

Because it is a viral infection, antibiotics will not be helpful, however are sometimes still prescribed. Luckily, it will pass on its own without treatment. With that said, symptoms can be irritating and interfere with daily obligations such as school and work, so symptomatic treatments are often welcomed. While there are plenty of over-the-counters, not everyone wants to take medications. In these situations, naturopathic treatments are a great option. At our clinic, we use a variety of vitamins and herbal medicines to help people bounce back quicker. We sometimes also use hydrotherapy, the use of water treatments, as a means to boost the immune system. Additionally, we have tons of great home remedy suggestions that can be used on the whole family.

Influenza, AKA The Flu Ah the flu, a sickness dreaded much more so then the common cold. The severities of flu symptoms are more dangerous and debilitating than they are with acute nasopharyngitis. In addition to a cough, congestion, and sore throat, there are also symptoms of headache, muscle aches, weakness, fatigue, and a fever. The flu is harder for people to push through than the common cold. It is in this situation that it’s more crucial to have a doctor on board, not just for symptomatic treatment but also for preventative measures so it doesn’t worsen. People with the flu are at risk for further infections, including viral and/or bacterial pneumonia, sinusitis, and a worsening of chronic conditions like asthma and COPD. Complications of influenza and potential secondary infections can be fatal. This is most concerning in children, the elderly, and those with any type of immunodeficiency. Although this is the very worst case scenario, it is a reality that needs to be taken seriously.

Strep Throat Often times, the term strep throat is used as a self-diagnosis for a sore throat. However, the symptom of a sore throat does not necessarily mean it is strep. Strep throat is a diagnosis for a sickness caused by the group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus bacterium.

Symptoms most commonly include fever, enlargement of the tonsils and lymph nodes, sore throat, and absence of a cough. Clinical picture along with an in office strep test or culture are used for diagnosis.

While strep throat often resolves within a few days, it does have the potential for further complications if not treated properly, particularly in children. Although rare, untreated cases of strep can turn into acute rheumatic fever, a condition involving the skin, joints, central nervous system and heart. Again, although rare, heart complications can become chronic, leading to permanent damage.

Although this sounds scary, it is rare and can be avoided with proper and timely treatment, but does go to show that not all sicknesses should be taken lightly.

Staying Healthy During Winter As can now be seen, not all winter illnesses are created equal.

While none are fun, certain conditions carry different risks and complications, both acute and chronic. It is best to be properly evaluated to determine the most appropriate type of treatment. Also remember that you don’t have to wait to seek attention until you get sick. You can take preventative measures to keep your immune system nice and strong. Optimizing Vitamin D levels, eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated and keeping well rested are all simple ways to stay ahead of the game.

Dr. Pasternak received her bachelor degree in cellular and molecular biology and her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University. She has helped numerous women regain their vitality through addressing hormonal imbalances contributing to infertility, menopausal symptoms, PMS, PCOS, and endometriosis. When working with patients, Dr. Pasternak always seeks to find the root cause of disease and values taking time to educate her patients.

She creates customized treatment plans for each person, utilizing a blend of nutrition, botanical medicine, and craniosacral therapy. Dr. Pasternak has a family practice in Manchester, CT at Connecticut Natural Health Specialists. All of the physicians at the clinic are in network providers for most insurance companies and are accepting new patients. For more information or questions, please call (860)533-0179 or visit ctnaturalhealth.com. See ad on page 21.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

13

Game of Bacteria: Killing Them Before They Kill You

By Kareen Wilson, RDH

B

acteria are everywhere. It’s a symbiotic relationship; we need them and they need us. Sometimes that relationship is a battle.

When it comes to oral health, battling bacteria is a fight that we cannot afford to lose. Studies show that the bacterial infection periodontal disease can affect blood pressure, cause pneumonia, and lead to heart disease and even stroke. Bacteria causes tooth decay, a chronic infection. Tooth decay is the number one reason for children to miss school. How do you control a monster that can multiply faster than the blink of an eye?

First, we need to understand how bacteria works within the mouth. The mouth is bacteria-free at birth. Kisses from loved ones, favorite blankets, toys, and the pacifier introduce bacteria to a moist and stagnant environment. The introduction of sugar and carbohydrates provide food for bacteria to grow and thrive, thus creating a biofilm of debris. Bacteria and sludge slowly cause infection of the gums and decay on teeth. This is how bacteria gets out of control.

Now you have a battle on your hands, trying to keep bacteria levels from causing disease.

What if you can control (kill) the bacteria that cause disease?

Oral health, as with all health should start with prevention. If you can get to the cause of the problem, time and money can be saved. Kill the bacteria before they kill you.

Teeth Brushing/Tongue Scraping Brushing your teeth and scraping your tongue is the most natural way to kill the biofilm and bacteria in your mouth. Manually removing bacteria from the tooth requires no chemicals and is perfectly safe. Studies show that flossing alone can add 6.4 years to your life.

Flossing daily removes hard-to-see plaque and bacteria from inbetween the teeth. Because flossing hits those areas in your mouth that never see the light of day, neglecting to do so can lead to the start of gum disease and cavities. Bacteria loves dark, moist places and will grow exponentially. It is amazing that people will never forget to brush, but will go days without flossing. Brushing the surface of your teeth twice a day with a manual brush can reduce cavities and gum disease by 75 percent! Have you seen the latest in electric and power brushes?

If you think brushing properly with a manual brush is effective, you should see the statistics on the new Oral-B Pro 5000. Studies show that 9 out of 10 power brush users will not go back to an ordinary manual toothbrush. Oral-B has come out with a revolutionary new toothbrush that puts the “smart” in smart brush. The Oral-B power brush with Bluetooth technology links to an App on your smartphone, which tracks the time spent brushing. The power brush has a pressure sensor that communicates with the App, informing 14

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

you if you are brushing too hard. This can damage your gums and the enamel of your teeth. This App also has the ability to record if you have flossed and brushed your tongue. Remember when you had to guess when the last time you changed your brush was? The Oral-B App alerts you when it’s time to replace the brush head. It also keeps track of daily brushing achievements and reviews your routine with a weekly and monthly summary, storing up to six months of data. You can even earn “Trophies” for following and sticking with your oral hygiene program. It’s similar to using a Fitbit, but for oral hygiene.

Using a tongue scraper removes the debris and biofilm that is stuck to the papilla on your tongue. Most of the bad breath you experience can be the result of not focusing on removing plaque from your tongue. The color of your tongue can actually tell you a lot about the overall health of your mouth. If the area looks discolored, or if you see a buildup of white material at the back, it means that there’s a lot of bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to bad breath. If you don’t have a mirror, you may want to try licking the back of your hand and then smelling the area. If the area smells foul, chances are there is some oral odor that you may need to resolve.

Diet You are what you eat. Eating to protect your teeth is very important. We all know that sugar is poison to both teeth and the body. However, have you heard of the sweetener called Xylitol? This sweetener is made from the bark of birch trees, has a low glycemic index, and is perfectly safe for diabetics. Xylitol cannot be digested by bacteria in the mouth, helping to stop cavities from forming. After being exposed to Xylitol, bad bacteria has a hard time sticking to the surface of teeth. As a result, the amount of plaque decreases and bacteria cannot thrive in the oral cavity.

To strengthen teeth, be sure to eat foods that are rich in calcium and take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months. Rich, colorful fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals that are needed to have great oral health. Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and broccoli are high in vitamin A, which is essential for strong tooth enamel and promotes healing in the gum tissue. Green tea is rich in catechins that kill the bacteria leading to plaque formation while preventing gum disease and cavities. Water hydrates the gums and stimulates saliva. Every sip of water bathes the teeth and rinses away bacteria before it can stick to teeth and cause issues.

Mouthwashes and Toothpastes Toothpaste and mouthwash are not needed to have oral health.

In fact, it is a misconception that rinsing and foaming at the mouth kills the bugs. Brushing and flossing are what’s really doing the job.

But if you must use mouthwashes, be sure to stay away from those with alcohol. Use rinses with ingredients that can promote healing of the tissue and that help to keep bacteria from sticking to the surface of the teeth. Tooth and Gums Tonic has a balance of herbs and essential oils that kill bacteria and ensure that the gums are strong and healthy. It also does a great job of killing bacteria on the tongue and throat, fighting bad breath. Many toothpastes have heavy abrasives and chemicals that have no business being present in your mouth.

Periobiotic Toothpaste by Designs for Health features lactobacillus, which is not found in any other toothpaste. Research shows that this specific strain of lactobacillus competes with unhealthy strains of oral bacteria, aiding the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. It does not contain fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate, or artificial sweeteners.

Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you. Daily oral care is required for playing the game of health.

Set up a regimen that requires you to be accountable for practicing daily brushing and flossing. Examine your diet and add foods rich in vitamins and minerals to promote healthy gums and teeth. With the right ammunition you can win the battle!

Kareen Wilson, RDH, practices dental hygiene with Dr. Bryan Wilson in our Contemporary General Dentistry office in West Hartford, CT. We specialize in dental excellence in a caring environment. For more information on dental health or to make an appointment, please call (860)-236-8000.

See ad on this page.

BRIGHTER, BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL SMILES  First appointment is FREE  Listen to music or watch your favorite shows during your treatment.  Enjoy our warm neck and eye pillows help relieve tension.  The pleasant and soothing scents of carefully placed candles and aromatherapy oil helps to make your visit more relaxing.

Contact Us Today!

860-236-8000 836 Farmington Avenue, Suite 215 West Hartford, CT 06119 Contemporary General Dentistry, LLC.

We accept all major dental insurance and offer Complimentary Consultations for new patients

Mon-Tues 8am – 5pm • Wed - 1pm – 8pm Thurs - 8am – 2pm • Fri - By Appointment

hartford-dentistry.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

15

Ask Dr. Jeff!

Your Veterinary Homeopath

By Jeff Feinman, VMD, CVH

W

hat’s the best food to feed your dog? Does your cat need to be vaccinated? Can anything be done to help your itchy pup other than steroids and anti-histamines? Is a cat that vomits weekly “normal” (or is this common but abnormal?)??

I’m excited to be here to answer all of your natural and holistic veterinary care questions! Many of the readers of this magazine have probably already adopted a holistic lifestyle for themselves. There’s not much question anymore in the general medical community that doing so helps us live longer and healthier lives. Thirty years ago when I graduated from veterinary school, there were no readily available commercial raw foods. Vaccinations were given annually (or more often). Reliable natural, holistic veterinary care was been hard to find.

Not anymore.

Sue from Westport asks: “My husband’s family is staying at our house over the holidays. His brother is very allergic to animals but we have a cat and dog. What can I do?”

Thanks for asking Sue. This is a common problem that many of us share. As long as his allergy isn’t life-threatening, there are a few ways to prevent his having problems with your pets (if his allergies are severe however, I’d advise putting them up at a local pet-free hotel). A few days before they arrive, start to deep clean your home.

By that I mean to thoroughly vacuum, mop, and dust. Concentrate on the room in which they are sleeping. Start by cleaning any visible pet dander and hair. Also, you should try to reduce dust mite allergens which are frequently a big contributor to almost all allergies.

Thoroughly clean between the bed and the wall. Put a dust mite cover over your brother in-law’s pillow and on the mattress. If you can get a hold of one, start running a HEPA air filter in the room 36-48 hours prior to the visit. Unfortunately, you will need to keep your pets out of the rooms where your visitors will be. Lastly, there is some anecdotal evidence that feeding your pets a raw diet for at least a few weeks prior to the visit will reduce their allergenicity.

16

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Alice from Bethany asks: “We like to take our dog when we drive to visit friends and family but she doesn’t settle down in the car and sometimes vomits. Is there any way to make the drives easier (for all of us)? She is fine once we stop the car. I’ve taken her to my vet for an exam and lots of testing, and he says that she is fine.”

There definitely are things you can do Alice! I’m so glad that you had her checked out by your vet to rule out any organic problems. This is a great first step for most pet problems. It sounds like your dog may be suffering from some car-induced nausea. Make sure that you don’t feed her for at least 4 hours before the car ride.

You should also get a bottle of Rescue Remedy. It is readily available in most health food stores. Give her 2 drops, right in her mouth, about 15 minutes prior to the trip. Repeat as needed if she has any signs of nausea such as restlessness, excess salivation, gulping, or retching. Cracking the window to allow some fresh air to blow upon her can also help. Same is true for letting cool air blow from the vents right in her face. One other quick tip to try is a bit of ginger 30 minutes prior to the car ride. Ginger capsules, candied ginger, even ginger ale (but not if it is artificially sweetened). I also strongly advise not allowing her to move around in the car. Doing so can pose a big safety risk both to you and her. Use a pet seat belt or crate in which she can ride.

Toni from New Haven asks: “Dr. Jeff, my dog had to go to the local emergency vet on Sunday. We heard that table food is OK for him so we gave him some of our Thanksgiving turkey. Right away he started vomiting and having diarrhea. The ER vet aid said that he had gastroenteritis and that he should never get table food. We don’t know what to do.”

Toni-Wow, I’m sorry to hear about your pup’s problems from the turkey! While I disagree that human (unprocessed) food should not be fed to dogs, I agree wholeheartedly that feeding from the table is not a good idea for several reasons. First, it’s a bad habit for your dog to learn. Second, and most important is that some of our foods, especially cooked meats, can cause gastrointestinal problems, especially in dogs that are not used to eating fresh foods. In general, avoid any cooked meats, especially red meat. Cooked poultry is usually OK to feed as long as you stick with white meat and no skin. The reason being, in my experience, is that many dogs cannot tolerate cooked animal fats. Raw fats are handled differently and usually tolerated well. Exceptions include certain dogs who are predisposed to high fat levels in the blood or pancreatitis like Miniature Schnauzers. Your best bet is to talk with your nutritionally-oriented holistic vet regarding the best way to feed. This link should also help: http://bit.ly/1hf1W4b

Jon from Middleton wonders: “My 4-yearold male cat has not been eating well for a few days. He has also started vomiting a few times a day. Just today I saw him go to the litter box 3 times in just 2 hours. It looks like he is straining to pass stool. Do you think he’s constipated? What should I do?”

Get him to your vet right away Jon! Actually, I hope you did this right after you wrote your question last week. Your cat’s clinical signs sound suspiciously like a urinary obstruction (UO) which is a life-threatening disorder of male cats. Male cats are predisposed to this condition if they eat dry food, are overweight, and when they live a sedentary lifestyle. UO is one of the common Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTDs). These can affect both male and female cats although females have a much lower chance of UO due to their wider and shorter urethra (which is the tube through which urine passes out of the bladder). You can read more about FLUTD and holistic preventative measures here: http://bit.ly/1utF7yk and http://bit.ly/1I5sNZA

Please send your questions to Dr. Jeff at drjeff@certifiedvethomeopath.com Dr. Jeff is a 1985 University of Pennsylvania school of vet med graduate. As an undergraduate at Penn studying molecular biology he was chosen for the elite University Scholar program. It allowed him to choose any of the university’s graduate or medical schools.

Being a lifelong animal lover, he chose to become the first veterinary University Scholar.

His research in Penn’s medical school and Department of Medical Genetics led to a varied interest in aging, endocrinological and other metabolic diseases. From academia he interned at Boston’s Angell Memorial Animal hospital. His clinical experience there led to a desire to integrate high tech medicine with a more holistic approach to the individual. After 1 year working as an emergency clinician he started Fairfield county’s first holistic housecall practice. In the mid-nineties, his continued clinical research in holistic medicine led him to study homeopathy. By 2000 he became the first certified veterinary homeopath (CVH) in Connecticut. Dr Jeff’s clinical practice currently focuses on both prevention and treatment of serious diseases in dogs and cats. Dr. Jeff can be reached at: drjeff@certifiedvethomeopath.com. See ad on page 15.

34 Jerome Avenue, Suite 305, Bloomfield CT 06002 / (860)519-1916 www.IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com / Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com

Could One Conversation Change Your Life?

Nutrition & Personal Training Genetics/Nutrigenomics Autoimmune Disease Food Allergies/Sensitivities Elimination Diets/Leaky Gut Syndrome Depression/Anxiety Digestive Disorders Detoxification Programs Back/Neck Pain Musculoskeletal Injuries Thyroid Disorders Weight Loss

Call (860) 321-7234 for a free initial consultation.

25 Bailey Road, Suite 5 Avon, CT 06001

www.fittoyouct.com www.NaturalNutmeg.com

17

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

By Lisa Zaccheo, MA

I

t’s that time of year when many of us start making our list of who’s been naughty and nice. Then we wrack our brains as to what to get them for the holiday. This list can be both fun and stressful but it should be put aside for now. Focus on a gift that you can give yourself; not just some trinket that you pick up while shopping for others, but one that will last for many holidays to come.

How about the gift of confidence? Or the gift of releasing grief, or healing an old emotional wound that’s been festering for too long?

What about getting rid of your IBS so you can live a full, free life without having to worry about where the nearest bathroom is? Or having a lot of money in the bank? How about a hand to hold by clearing your blocks to abundance? Or true love? Perhaps bringing your performance to the next level? Getting rid of the fear of public speaking that’s been holding back your advancement at work? What would be the most meaningful gift you could give yourself this holiday season? What’s the thing that’s most in the way of your happiness and well-being? Is it constant worry? Being overwhelmed? Feeling like you’ve lost your love for life or having a short fuse?

Put the magazine down and give this a moment of thought – this could be the moment that creates significant positive change in your life, because you’ve taken the time to identify a limitation and set the intention to clear it. You’ve put a healthier destination into your mental GPS. Right in this moment, because your subconscious mind is action-oriented, you are already starting to head in that more positive direction. The first step can sometimes be as simple as identifying what’s in your way, envisioning how great life would be in its absence, and deciding to take one positive step in that direction.

Some of you are probably wondering, “What could possibly help with all of those issues?” While others are thinking, “There’s nothing that can help with all of those issues. Whatever ‘this’ is, it’s too good to be true.” I understand because I used to think the exact same thing. I was a huge skeptic. If I hadn’t experienced more positive shifts in myself and in my life, I wouldn’t believe it either. Let me count the ways. I’ve given myself the gift of being smoke-free for the past 13 years, I’ve shed 35 lbs and have kept them off, gotten over my fear of succeeding and of public speaking, said goodbye to my GERD, IBS, migraines, hot flashes, healed a tough break-up or two, and countless others that have made my life far better than it would have been otherwise. I’ve also been privileged to witness the transformation of thousands of people, which has brought a tremendous sense of fulfillment to my life. If I hadn’t experienced it for myself and witnessed it in so many others, I wouldn’t believe it either, but I have and I do. I not only believe, but know with 100% certainty that, if you allow it, your subconscious can create incredible positive shifts in your life.

18

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

So what is this thing called the subconscious and how can it help? The subconscious mind lives behind our conscious mind and is referred to as “the brains behind the operation.” It’s the part of the mind that takes all of our conscious mind’s decisions and forms them into habits or mental programming. For example, the conscious mind decides to have a glass of wine with dinner, try a cigarette, hit the snooze button, blow off a workout, doubt your decision, or opt, “I don’t know.” Once the conscious mind makes that decision a handful of times over the course of a week or two, the subconscious mind says, “Let me help, I’ll make it easy for you by making that into a mental habit so you don’t have to expend the energy to decide.”

Then you find yourself in the habit of having wine every night, smoking, getting to work late, and packing on the pounds. Because energy gains momentum, those habits will expand so that you’re having wine before and maybe even after dinner, smoking a pack instead of half of a pack, struggling to get out of bed, letting dust collect on the workout equipment, becoming riddled with self-doubt, and unable to make a decision. Not pretty.

Literally everything is habituated programming to the subconscious mind. Whether it’s repetitive thoughts like, “I can’t” and “I don’t know,” or the beliefs, “I’m not good enough,” and “I’m not lovable, worthy or deserving.” There’re also the feelings of doubt, fear, and sadness, as well as a decision to do or not do. It’s all habit. The conscious mind makes a decision and the subconscious starts running it in a loop, never assessing whether the decision is constructive or destructive. The conscious mind is the boss and the subconscious mind doesn’t question, it just does. Once the habit is formed, because the subconscious mind processes information a million times faster than the conscious mind, it becomes difficult for the conscious mind to intercept or change.

We become stuck in the same groove. Sometimes we’re aware that our habit loops are unhealthy, and sometimes it takes someone else to point it out. It can be so subconscious or “below consciousness” that we’re not aware of unhealthy habits.

Hypnosis can help because it allows direct access to the subconscious mind. Trance state moves the conscious mind aside and enables you to understand all the programming that’s running below your surface. Better yet, it enables you to change the programing to something that’s healthier and more constructive to your life. Hypnosis literally re-writes your software. Some of you are probably thinking, “Well that sounds great but I don’t think I can be hypnotized because I’m in the mental habit loop,” or “I can’t do it.” But rest assured you can and you have a thousand times already. Go take the “Can I be Hypnotized?” quiz. You may be concerned that the new programming will come from your hypnotist and that you’ll be under

Signature:_____________________________ their control. This is not true. Any hypnotist Date:_____________ worth their salt will thoroughly review your goals and work with you to develop the suggestions your subconscious mind needs to receive, or better yet, work directly with the subconscious to allow the suggestions to come up from your core of truth.

The bottom line is that you have a choice. Leave things exactly the way they are (you’re welcome to project forward to see what life would look and feel like if you do), or create one positive change after another. You can put yourself on a whole new path that will lead to a much better place. Give yourself the meaningful gift of positive change. It really is a gift that keeps on giving.

Lisa Zaccheo, MA, BCH, BC is the owner, lead hypnotist, and hypnosis instructor at Mind Matters Hypnosis Centers in Avon, Rocky Hill, Guilford, and North Branford, Connecticut. She is Board Certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists and has numerous additional certifications in all aspects of hypnosis and the subconscious.

In addition, she’s a sought-after lecturer and high-level Executive Hypno-Coach. For more information or to schedule a lecture, workshop, or appointment, call Mind Matters Hypnosis Center at (860)-693-6448 or visit MindMattersHypnosis.com. See ad on page 27.

New Beginnings Massage & Holistic Care Granby Village Shops, 10 Hartford Avenue, Granby, CT

Welcome! It is our honor to share with you our talents and love of life.

Massage Therapy • Energy Work • Foot Reflexology Natural Skin Care • Couples Specials • Acupuncture Women’s Empowerment Groups Open 7 days by appointment. Our hours are flexible to suit your schedule Annie Chamberland, Owner

860.653.0196 • newbeginnings126@aol.com www.newbeginningsholisticcare.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

19

Infertility: The Holiday Season’s Biggest Grinch

By Spencer Richlin, MD he holidays can be the happiest time of year… or the saddest.

According to the National Institutes of Health, there is a high incidence of depression during December’s holiday season.

Hospitals report an increase in the number of suicides or attempted suicides during this time of year. Mental health professionals report a significant increase in their patients’ symptoms of depression and anxiety.

T

Infertility patients often face added sadness during the holiday season. Lisa Schuman, LCSW, the Director of Mental Health Services at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, witnesses patients struggle each year. They are faced with both the pain of infertility and a myriad of hurtful experiences that arise when interacting with family and friends over the holidays.

Schuman has worked with infertility patients for almost two decades. She is also the Chair of the Oocyte Cryopreservation Task Force for the Mental Health Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Schuman has received several awards for research at the ASRM and the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society’s annual meetings.

What Makes the Holidays More Difficult Than Other Times of the Year?

Interactions with friends and family during a time of year that is supposed to be joyous can be difficult for several reasons. First, families and friends are often together during the holidays, making it a common time for announcements, such as “We’re pregnant!” Even if the infertility patient feels happy for a relative or friend who makes such an announcement, it is only natural that she would feel badly about her own misfortune. Further, family members can be intrusive by asking too many questions, giving unsolicited advice, or criticizing. Finally, the holidays can mark the end of another year without a baby. The resulting pain can be enormous.

What Can Infertility Patients Do to Help Themselves Get Through This Tough Season?

Patients would be wise to appreciate how upsetting these interactions can be. They can preserve their relationships and take care of themselves by considering that this time in their life is extremely stressful, but it won’t last forever.

It is commonly known that infertility can be a clinically depressing experience. We know that infertility patients who are unsuccess20

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

ful at obtaining a pregnancy can experience levels of depression that are similar to chemotherapy patients. Patients who are having trouble getting pregnant may truly have the same level of depression as patients fighting for their lives. Friends and family rarely understand this, and therefore cannot be expected to say or do “the right thing.”

It’s unlikely that baby announcements will be postponed, that sweet aunt Ethel will refrain herself from asking, “So when will you two have children?” or that a sister-in-law will hold back from boasting about how easy it was to get pregnant.

So how does someone struggling with infertility deal with the emotions triggered during the holidays and possibly enflamed by the reactions of others? The answer is in the planning. Understanding that the holidays may bring added stress can help patients either minimize their interactions with friends and family or be prepared to be direct with them about their feelings. A friend or family member may not understand if their beloved relative doesn’t attend every family event, but missing a few events can usually be tolerated.

If being direct is an option, friends and family often respond well to that approach. While infertility makes attending a particular event painful, and missing the event will be upsetting, attending future events will be a pleasure once your feelings are made known to family members.

The importance of taking time to nurture a partnership as well as the body and spirit cannot be overestimated. It may not be possible to control the medical treatment, but it is possible to take control over one’s health and well-being. Acupuncture, psychotherapy, massage, yoga, or just taking some time off can be rejuvenating. It can also be helpful to feel balanced by having more control over other aspects of one’s life. For example, taking a cooking class or learning how to knit can feel incredibly stabilizing because effort is put into something and there is an immediate benefit. Activities such as these can actually counteract some of the “out of control” feelings of infertility treatment.

What Can Family Members Say or Do? Friends and family need to understand that infertility is a medical condition and the pain of infertility can lead to depression, self-blame, and diminished self-esteem. Phrases such as “just relax” and “look on the bright side” can leave one feeling criticized and uncared for.

My advice to friends and family is to take your cues from the patient. If it is unclear what the patient wants, ask them. It can be helpful to start the conversation with a statement such as, “I know you are going through a rough time. I’m not sure how to respond, but I want you to know I care and I am here any time you want to lean on me. I won’t be intrusive and ask you questions but understand that I always want to know how you are doing.”

What Can Patients Do to Help Their Relationship With Their Partner?

To help maintain a good relationship and give patients something positive to look forward to, I encourage them to plan time together. The holidays can be a good time for a trip to an adult-only resort. For patients who plan to stay in town, I encourage them to find something that they enjoy doing together, such as going to a movie or show.

Thoughts about the treatment may persist but if the patient focuses on the show even 50 percent, that’s 50 percent not focused on treatment. It’s also good to get out of the house, even if we are not always up to it.

There may be a lot to discuss, but it is important not to allow infertility treatment to consume every discussion. I suggest patients limit their infertility discussions to 20 minutes per day, and then put it to rest.

If anything else comes up, write it down for later. Tomorrow will come.

It may be hard to imagine that one day all the pain of infertility will diminish and eventually fade, but it will. If patients can take the time to care for themselves and plan for their interactions with others, the holiday season will be the best it can be under the circumstances. Most importantly, emotional well-being and relationships will be kept intact so that future holidays can be truly wonderful...

Dr. Spencer Richlin, is the Surgical Director and a Fertility Specialist in reproductive endocrinology at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMACT). Richlin also holds the title, Chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI), in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Norwalk Hospital. He is Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility as well as Obstetrics and Gynecology.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

21

Depression is Not a Chemical Imbalance

By Debra Gibson, ND

D

epression has become an epidemic in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) in 2013, 9.2 percent of adults in the U.S. reported either chronic, low-grade depression, or having had a major depressive episode. Depressive episodes are periods of two weeks or longer experiencing low mood, coupled with other symptoms such as poor self-image, sleep difficulty, loss of appetite, poor concentration, and low energy. Among U.S. adolescents, a disturbingly high rate of 11.2 percent reported having experienced either major depression or low-grade depression lasting two years or more during their lives.

Depression has severely impaired the ability of 1.9 million (7.7 percent) to function. According to the World Health Organization, about five percent of the world’s population is depressed.

These statistics do not distinguish between depression that arises for no obvious reason, and what may be referred to as “situational” depression, which occurs in the face of a significant loss or life event, such as the death of a loved one, chronic illness, or divorce. To an extent, depression is a normal and necessary adaptive response to the inevitable changes and phases of life. As diagnoses of depression have steadily increased over the past decades, some question whether this increase (and the ever-expanding range of conditions considered treatable by antidepressants) has been strategically fostered by “Big Pharma” to justify escalating antidepressant prescriptions. Simply spend an evening watching network or cable television, and this theory won’t seem so far-fetched.

However, in recent decades many of the nutritional, lifestyle, social, and environmental factors that strongly influence our ability to maintain a healthy “brain ecology” and adapt to the stress of loss and life changes have become increasingly disturbed. These disturbances contribute to a pervasive decline in mood.

For those who seek treatment, common strategies increasingly include pharmaceuticals, often more than one prescribed in combination. Pharmaceutical antidepressants work by indirect methods to improve the balance of stress hormones such as norepinephrine (a form of adrenaline) and neurotransmitters (brain messengers such as serotonin and dopamine that influence mood, energy, focus, and motivation).

Psychotherapy is another common treatment avenue for depression. The benefits of appropriate psychotherapy can be profoundly and positively transformative and are, without question, a part of any committed approach to the treatment of significant depression.

22

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Depression is Not a Chemical Imbalance The idea that “depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain” has come to be generally accepted as fact, a medical explanation for depression’s varied symptoms. If this statement is true, then it seems reasonable to apply a chemical (pharmaceutical) solution to the problem of chemical imbalance. However, this statement is inaccurate in that it sidesteps the more precise and clinically important distinction that we humans are biochemical, not chemical beings. Moreover, the misperception that chemistry provides the best answer to biochemical imbalance denies the powerful therapeutic potential of non-drug approaches that have the ability to promote true healing of the mind’s biochemical imbalances. If this were merely a semantic distinction, the extensive field of biochemistry, distinct from that of chemistry, would not have come to exist as it does today.

There is certainly a place for pharmacologic treatment for mood disorders, including depression. However, it is important to note that while pharmaceutical antidepressants have the ability to modulate levels of neurotransmitters and stress hormones, they do not support the brain’s innate ability to attain and maintain balance in this system. Even when pharmaceutical treatment is indicated, and in view of its associated risks and side effects, doesn’t it make sense to also address existing biochemical dysfunction?

Biochemical Treatment of Depression Given the proper support, the body and mind have an incredible recuperative ability. Humans do not have deficiencies of the chemical antidepressants Zoloft, Wellbutrin, or Elavil. However, we may have imbalances of biochemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, cortisol, and the underlying mechanisms that naturally support healthy levels and interaction among them.

Elements of a biochemical, “functional” approach to depression may include: • Nutritional evaluation and optimization, particularly focused on vitamin D, the Omega-3 fatty acids, the family of B-vitamins, amino acids as the raw materials for neurotransmitters, and other vitamin and mineral co-factors for healthy brain balance.

• Functional laboratory evaluation of sex hormones, stress hormones, and neurotransmitters to identify and address imbalances.

• Attention to lifestyle: improving eating habits to stabilize blood sugar, identifying and minimizing exposure to food intolerances, exercising, integrating mind and body through practices such as mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, or spending time in contact with nature and the earth.

• Detoxification: improving digestive tract function and microbe ecology, cleaning up one’s personal environment, obtaining guidance and support for identification and detoxification of internal and external toxicants.

• Support for impaired methylation cycles.

factors are trimethylglycine (also called betaine) and the minerals selenium and magnesium. For optimal bioavailability, particularly for those with genetic vulnerability to poor methylation, these nutrients must be provided in ready-to-go, partially metabolized forms, as noted above.

What is Methylation?

Methylation is an essential biochemical process that occurs in every cell of the body, billions of times per second. The common currency of methylation is the “methyl group,” a biochemical “widget” that contains one carbon and three hydrogen atoms. These methyl group widgets are used to drive many different biochemical processes through revolving “cycles” of methylation. This is like a biochemical game of poker, during which methyl groups are exchanged and passed around to perform necessary functions.

Because of the complex interrelationships between these enzyme processes and the nutrient co-factors that support them, it is recommended that nutritional intervention be taken under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner with a background in functional medicine and biochemistry as it relates to methylation and mood.

In the brain, the importance of methylation to healthy mood cannot be overstated. Methylation is involved in making hormones and neurotransmitters (such as melatonin, serotonin, cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine) that interact to promote a mind-state of serene, alert well-being and tolerance for stress. Methylation is also essential to the necessary metabolism, or the breaking down of hormones and neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, cortisol, histamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and glutamate) for elimination. If methylation is impaired, the balance between production and elimination of stress hormones and neurotransmitters is skewed. Mental function and mood are negatively affected by the impairment.

Supporting MTHFR, MTRR and COMT Enzymes Methylene tetra-hydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) are enzyme systems that act synergistically as brain methylation pathways to promote balanced brain biochemistry. Reduced activity of these enzymes can occur because of inadequate nutritional cofactors required for their function. This can be due to poor diet, nutrient depletion from stress, inflammation or toxicity, or genetic influences. Impairment of these enzymes increases vulnerability to depression (and other disorders such as anxiety, attention problems, and bipolar illness).

With the relatively recent identification of gene SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms, or mutations) involving these and other enzyme systems, genetic influences on depression have become more clear. Fortunately, it’s possible to reduce the impact of genetic vulnerability by providing specific nutrient support, targeting the genetic vulnerability associated with the SNP. In this way, the symptomatic expression of depression (and other mood disorders) may be “epigenetically” modified in a positive direction through nutrition and lifestyle. For example, through testing, a person may learn that they received a SNP from both parents for the MTHFR mutation. He/ she is significantly more vulnerable (36% according to one study) to depression because this interferes with folate metabolism. The good news is that this genetic vulnerability may be significantly neutralized by an adequate nutritional intake of appropriate nutrients, including folate. It’s like taking a detour around a roadblock.

Nutritional “Antidepressant” Support for Methylation The amino acid nutrients S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) and methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) provide raw material for and broad general support for methylation. Essential co-factors used in these pathways include the B-vitamin folate in the form of 5-MTHF (5-methyl tetrahydrofolate), vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin), and activated or phosphorylated forms of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and riboflavin (vitamin B-2). Additional nutritional methylation co-

How’s Your Methylation?

How can you find out if you have a problem with these naturally mood-stabilizing pathways? One of the most obvious indications of methylation impairment is a serum test for the blood protein homocysteine, available from any clinical laboratory. A serum homocysteine level above 8.0 indicates that methylation is not proceeding smoothly. Another indicator is an elevated mean cell volume (MCV) on a complete blood count (CBC). That said, a normal MCV can coexist in someone with an elevated homocysteine level, and not all methylation impairment can be identified through homocysteine.

However, with the advent of relatively inexpensive genetic testing, it’s easy to find out if you have SNPs in methylation-relevant enzyme systems (including MTHFR, COMT, and MTRR). Armed with that information, you and your healthcare provider can create a personalized plan for better methylation and mood.

Debra Gibson, N.D. practices naturopathic family medicine in her Ridgefield, CT office. Functional support for depression and anxiety is an area of focus of her practice. She can be reached at (203)-4314443 or at drgibsonsoffice@sbcglobal.net. Visit her blog at www. debragibsonnd.com. See ad on page 44.

Let’s take your Photo Memories... from Chaos to Order!

Did you know... ...that color photos degrade in about 25 years and black and white in about 75 years? ...that slides will fade or discolor and their mounts will deteriorate in about 40 years? ...that magnetic tapes begin to degrade in about 12 years? ...that transferring memories to DVD is not the best form of preserving your memories?

Let’s preserve, protect, and “Tell Your Stories!” I have the solutions to your photo needs. Schedule your appointment TODAY!

860 874 8515 www.ReginaSanchez.com info@ReginaSanchez.com Serving CT & The Greater Springfield Area

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

23

Can Our Lifestyle Affect Our Risk of Depression?

By Jessica Pizano

A

ccording to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 7.6% of Americans aged 12 and up are depressed. This number was much higher for females and those between the ages of 40 and 59 years of age. In fact, 12.3% of females between the ages of 40 and 59 are depressed. Of course, this is likely to be smaller than the actual number as this only reflects those who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2009 – 2012.

An earlier study from the CDC showed us that of all prescription medications, antidepressants were the third most commonly used

by Americans. Even more astonishing is that the rate of antidepressant use in the United States has increased 400% from 1988 – 1994 through the 2005 – 2008 period. Interestingly, a whopping 11 percent of Americans above the age of 12 are taking antidepressants.

Curiously, this is more than the number of individuals considered to be depressed. More than half of these individuals (60%) will take antidepressants for more than two years and 14% will have taken it for more than 10 years. Even more concerning is that the rate of depression appears to be on the rise. In fact, depression rates increased from 3.33% from 1991 – 1992 to 7.06% in 2001 – 2002.

The Change to Modern Life So what has changed? Several studies point to the fact that depression rates have increased because we no longer live as huntergathers. This is evidenced by the fact that those who live in modern cities are more likely to be depressed than those living in more rural areas. While we are unlikely to all be able to move to rural areas and become hunter-gathers again, there are many lessons that we can learn from this.

A very important change that has occurred in modern times is the increased rate of obesity. We know that those who are obese are far more likely to be depressed than those who are of normal weight. Diet too, has suffered with the convenience of modern life.

The Standard American Diet (SAD diet) is laden with sugar, saturated and trans fats, excessive calories, inadequate vitamins and minerals, too much sodium, and too little fiber. Add in the questionable effects of genetically modified foods (GMOs), herbicides, and pesticides and you cannot help but wonder how this could not affect the rate of depression. Decreased folate content in greens alone could account for depression. The vitamin is essential for the formation of serotonin, a brain chemical that is decreased in those who are depressed.

24

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

Another change in modern life has been severely decreased physical activity. We were designed to be active. Life until the modern era was quite strenuous. Walking, running, hunting, gathering, farming, building, and many other activities would have filled our days. There was no need for exercise in the modern sense because life would keep us fit. Now, the vast majority of us get up, drive to work, sit at a desk for eight or more hours, drive home, and sit on the couch until bedtime. No wonder why we are so out of shape as a nation! Research has shown that regular aerobic exercise is a treatment as effective as antidepressants. Just 20 minutes of regular activity on most days of the week can improve mood and decrease anxiety.

Pronounced changes to our wake-sleep patterns have also occurred over time. Since we spend so much time inside as opposed to outside, we have decreased exposure to the sun, particularly in the winter months. This can substantially decrease our vitamin D levels. Exposure of the skin to the UV radiation of the sun generates the synthesis of this essential vitamin. Deficiency of vitamin D is well documented. More often than not, when I see tests for clients not currently taking supplemental vitamin D, their levels are lab low. Even for some taking a multivitamin containing the RDA for vitamin D (400 IUs), the levels are still low. Decreased vitamin D is associated with cancer, autoimmune disease, chronic diseases (i.e. metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes), and depression. The winter months can also lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression often benefited by light therapy. This form of therapy appears to increase the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, reversing the depression. Sleep has suffered in modern times as well. A third of the population in the United States has at least one symptom of insomnia. Less sleep, or even decreased quality of sleep can lead to depression or be considered a symptom of depression.

Antidepressants are considered the main medical intervention for depression. Despite the fact that the numbers clearly indicate that depression is a substantial issue in this country, many experience only temporary or no relief from prescription antidepressants.

Most of the antidepressants commonly used are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications do not actually increase serotonin levels, but simply hold the serotonin on the nerve cell longer. So for individuals who have very low brain levels of serotonin, these medications can be ineffective. Unfortunately, they also come with various side effects including constipation, decreased libido, weight gain, diarrhea, dry mouth, ejaculation delay,

gas, heartburn, the inability to have or keep an erection, drowsiness, and trouble sleeping. From a more natural perspective, the herb St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), has a similar mechanism to SSRIs. Again, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.

In my experience, I have found that lifestyle interventions are often sufficient for many individuals to recover from mild to moderate depression. While programs are customized to meet the needs of clients, there are certainly some common core suggestions that I give to most.

First Intervention: Exercise My first suggestion is to begin an exercise program. This must absolutely include aerobic exercise at a moderate level for at least 20 minutes, three to five days per week.

The idea is to do a large repetitive motion frequently. The type you choose is not all that important. You can try walking, jogging, hiking, biking, swimming, roller blading, elliptical, or aerobics. The exercise does not have to be incredibly intense to have mood lifting benefits. It simply needs to get your heart rate up enough to be slightly out of breath.

For many, adding in some mind-body exercise such as Pilates, yoga, Tai Chi, or Chi Gong can also be extraordinarily beneficial.

The meditative nature of these types of exercises can be quite stress relieving. Doing this two to three times per week can be excellent for decreasing stress levels and improving mood. If you are not interested in trying any of these types of mind-body programs, consider implementing a meditation program (see below).

While I absolutely love weight training for improving health overall, it is less effective for improving mood. This certainly can be included in your overall exercise program, but it is better to concentrate on aerobic and mind-body exercise to lift your mood.

Second Intervention: Diet My second suggestion for enhancing mood is to eat a healthy diet. This includes adding in a lot of fruits and vegetables. I generally recommend 7-11 servings per day with just 1-3 servings of fruit. Emphasize on the dark, leafy greens, which are very high in folate. Folate is essential for proper serotonin and dopamine production. This will do wonders for increasing your vitamin and mineral levels, helping to support countless metabolic functions including the synthesis of mood boosting neurotransmitters.

Eliminate or significantly decrease the amount of processed foods in your diet. Not only do these foods lack fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but they contain chemicals, sugars, artificial sweeteners, sodium, trans fats, and other harmful ingredients. They also crowd out healthier foods and change the way we think about healthy foods, which cannot keep up with the intense sweetness or saltiness provided in processed foods.

Adding in sources of omega-3 fatty acids can also be helpful. Consuming fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds are all good ways to increase your omega-3 intake.

Choose oily, wild-caught fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel for more omega-3 content. Limit or avoid larger fish such as swordfish and tuna, which contain more mercury. It is also helpful to choose freerange poultry, free-range/cage-free eggs, and grass-fed meats. Conventional animal products contain minimal omega-3 fatty acids and plenty of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. By choosing the free-range/grassfed versions, you allow the animal to eat its natural diet and it therefore produces more omega-3s. While it will still contain some omega-6 fatty acids, it is more about having an appropriate balance of these two essential fatty acids than trying to eliminate omega-6s. If you are not consuming sufficient amounts of these omega-3 foods, consider adding in two to four grams of fish oil per day. Decreased levels of omega-3 fatty acids can not only increase your risk for depression, but can also cause inflammation.

Make sure that you are also eating a reasonable amount of healthy, complex carbohydrates including whole grains, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, fruits, and other vegetables. While carbs have gotten a bad reputation in the last few years, they promote serotonin production in the brain.

smaller lamp is helpful. Additionally, turning off electronic devices including cell phones, tablets, computers, video games, and television is also important. You may think that they are relaxing you, but often they are over stimulating you. Try listening to relaxing music, taking a bath, or even reading a novel to help de-stress at the end of your day.

Fourth Intervention: Meditation Not only helpful for decreasing stress, meditation is great for alleviating both depression and anxiety. We rarely get an opportunity to just breathe and be quiet in our hectic lives. Finding some space to meditate for even five minutes can be so revitalizing.

If you are not comfortable with the idea of actually meditating, try simply doing a breathing exercise. Try taking a slow breath in for a count of four and then exhaling over a count of seven. Some also find that alternative activities like coloring or knitting work well. Regardless of your chosen activity, try to find a bit of time each day to spend doing a quiet, relaxing activity.

Interventions for More Severe Depression For more severe depression, a successful intervention in my practice has been the use of 5-HTP, a metabolized version of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is the

Centers For Dental Medicine Saving Lives One Smile at a Time :

Why Dr Steven Hinchey?

Both he and his staff

Third Intervention: Better Sleep Hygiene Many people underestimate their need for sleep. I have heard frequently from individuals that they only need around six to seven hours per night. While we can function this way, it is not optimal. Getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night is essential for health. Unfortunately, we are so scheduled that many of us are working right up until bedtime. Creating some space in your schedule for a relaxing bedtime routine can be quite beneficial. About an hour before, it is best to be in a dimly lit environment. To produce melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate our circadian rhythm, the pineal gland needs a dark environment.

So turning off overhead lights in favor of a

Listen to YOU - Non judgmental assessments - Respect for you and your time Are concerned about YOU - Mercury free dental treatment - Mercury safe dental conditions - Mercury removal and detoxification - Biocompatible dental materials - Minimally invasive procedures - Implant tooth replacement - Same day non-metal crowns We want to help YOU get healthy - Financial Flexibility Steven F Hinchey, DMD

860-633-6518 www.dochincheydmd.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

25

amino acid precursor to serotonin. Supplementation with adequate vitamin B6 is also helpful as this important vitamin is required as a cofactor to synthesize serotonin. Supplementation with niacin is often suggested as well. If one’s diet does not provide sufficient niacin, then the majority of dietary tryptophan will be used to synthesize niacin rather than serotonin.

Remember, if you or someone you know is severely depressed, it is essential to seek help. In addition to working with a psychiatrist and/or a functional practitioner, it may be very helpful to work with a licensed therapist. We often bottle up our emotions. Having someone to talk with about thoughts and feelings is truly helpful.

Jessica Pizano is the owner of Fit to You, LLC, which offers personalized training programs and nutrition/health counseling. Her concentrations include genetics and nutrigenomics, general health and fitness, weight loss, food allergies/sensitivities, autoimmune disease, post-rehabilitative work, training/nutrition for medical conditions, obesity intervention, pre- and post-natal exercise and nutrition, and Pilates. She earned a master’s degree in human nutrition, emphasizing functional medicine at the University of Bridgeport. Currently, she is completing a doctorate of clinical nutrition at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is also a certified personal trainer and a corrective exercise specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and certified in mat Pilates through PHI Pilates. Pizano has earned her Clinical Exercise Specialist and Longevity Wellness Specialist through the American Council on Exercise. She completed her training to practice Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is certified as a holistic health practitioner through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

Currently, Jessica practices personal training, nutrition counseling, and nutrigenomics in her studio in Avon. She may be contacted at (860)321-7234 or online at www.fittoyouct.com.

See ad on page 17.

Log onto Natural Nutmeg’s Facebook page for tips on the effects of lifestyle on Depression.

On...Nutrition & Reflux in Children...

“No infant or child need suffer with painful reflux.

Safe and natural options exist.”

HolcareNutrition Vicki Kobliner, MS RD | vicki@holcarenutrition.com

3 Hollyhock Rd. • Wilton, CT • 06897 • 203-834-9949 • holcarenutrition.com

“ Who Else Wants a Painless Dental Experience for Their Entire Family?”

My Personal Promise to My Patients:

Dr. Thomas Livingstone has been serving the Southern Berkshires area since 1975.

See What My Patients Say:

Offering:

• Mercury Filling Removal • Bio-Compatibility Testing • Mercury Detoxification • Cosmetic Dentistry • Teeth Whitening • Non-toxic Fillings / Crowns • Dental Implants • Porcelain Veneers • Dentures & Partials • Invisible or Regular Braces • Smile Makeovers • Non-Surgical Gum Care • Easy Payment Plans Scan with your smartphone to learn more.

OFFICE HOURS: MON 10-6, TUES 9-7, WED 9-6, THURS 7-2 FRI 8-12 26

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

“ I personally promise that you will receive a pain-free and stress-free dental appointment, or your money will be cheerfully refunded. Livingstone Dental Excellence is one of only 1500 holistic dental offices out of 150,000 dental practices in the U.S. You will receive prompt, professional service and will be treated like our own friends and family. Livingstone Dental Excellence even offers its’ own in-house dental benefits plan for about $25 per month, per person. I personally promise you will be thrilled with your results, or I will keep working until you are.” -Thomas Livingstone, DMD

“Dr. Livingstone is a gem of a dentist!”

- Catherine W., MA “Highly recommended...Dr. Livingstone is friendly, compassionate, professional. I drive an hour to see him and it’s well worth the trip!” - Brian S., CT

Livingstone Dental Excellence

3 Railroad Street, Canaan, CT 06018 www.LivingstoneDentalExcellence.com www.DrTLivingstone.com

New Patient Offer:

Call Us Now to Receive a $100 Gift Card!!

Just mention this ad Call Dr. Thomas Livingstone At (888)888-SMILE Or (860)824-0751 Free, Friendly Phone Advice

Mercy By The Sea welcomes your group or business to enjoy our newly renovated campus!

Specializing in Women’s Health Wellness • Gynecology • Obstetrics

Our holistic approach to women’s health is designed to appeal to each patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual balance.

We invite you to visit our uniquely designed and operated medical practice because we’re confident that upon arrival and throughout your treatment, you will find our facility soothing, comfortable and technologically advanced.

Our skilled team of professionals can respond to whatever you need to help you feel better, look good and live to your fullest potential.

www.ctwomenobgyn.com

Meeting Rooms, Corporate Conferences or Events and Overnight Accommodations on 33 acres of peaceful Connecticut Shoreline.

Ideal location 3 minutes off I-95

Meeting rooms for groups of 10 to 350

Discount pricing for nonprofits

Private rooms with full bath, water views and balcony Contact Laura Schroeder: lschroeder@mercybythesea.org 203-245-0401 (ask for Laura) 167 Neck Road Madison, CT 06443 mercybythesea.org

Angry?

Office Locations:

South Windsor (860)648-2748 ~ West Hartford (860)231-1644 Enfield (860)231-1644

Call for help!

Let us Help You Get Back on track!

Get help

Hypnosis. with

(Yes, Hypnosis)

34 Jerome Avenue, Suite 305, Bloomfield CT 06002 / (860)519-1916 www.IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com / Info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com

www.mindmattershypnosis.com 860-693-6448 www.NaturalNutmeg.com

27

Why Music Therapy Makes Sense

Submitted by Vivian Hong

W

hen even our own vocal chords and bodies can become instruments, music is an almost universal experience to man that communicates and touches a deeper part of us than words can express. With its incredible appeal, moving power, and emotional and chemical effects on the human brain, it is not surprising that scientists have heavily studied the healing power of music and found some conclusive evidence of its aptitude. However, even before formal scientific study began, music was prevalent in human communities as entertainment, and utilized in treatment of disease.

The question has been perfectly phrased by Josie Glausiusz in an article she wrote for Discover regarding the genetic mystery of music. “If the ability to appreciate music is ingrained in the human brain, could music making have evolved to help us survive and reproduce? Is it akin to language and the ability to solve complicated problems, attributes that have enhanced human survival? ...

Why? Why has music spread to every country and every people in the world? Why is music used to rouse armies, praise God, and bury the dead?” She discusses studies that could point to even the most rudimentary bits of music that could benefit humans, for example, a mother’s lullaby increasing infants’ survival rate and ability. There is also an incredible amount of evidence pointing to a correlation between music listening/making and alleviating stress by signaling a decreased production of cortisol, a stress hormone. This decrease in cortisol is also linked to a heightened immune response.

tions from fourth millennium B.C. Egypt to Shamans in Peru to the Ashanti people of Ghana. An article in the Scientific American Mind listed helpful attributes of music as follows: physical, emotional, engaging, permits synchronization, social, persuasive, and personal. Music can improve a large range of issues including memory, speech skills, and motor functions. Because music can help the brain discover alternate pathways around the damaged areas of the brain, it is incredibly helpful in assisting treatment of autism where there is a range of complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Everything from physical coordination to verbal speech to emotional and mental well-being can be helped by music therapy.

Music Therapy in Treating Autism In people diagnosed with autism, there are marked issues with the frontal lobe and absence of certain mirror neurons causing a decrease in ability to interact socially and communicate effectively.

The frontal lobe (emotional center) can be imprinted upon more with music than with thinking because of the inherent emotional, cognitive, and sensory nature of music. Music can be used as a vehicle to get to an inner unconscious place that words cannot reach and create a bond that words cannot form. Melody, harmony, tone, vibration and rhythm circumvent the issues that autistic people have with perceiving meaning from facial and verbal cues and act together as a different, more emotional language that increases access to true feelings, reactions, and communication potential.

Music has been documented as assisting greatly in drawing people out of comas and catatonic states as well as aiding them in performing other seemingly impossible feats such as non-speaking stroke patients who become able to sing and thus communicate again. MRI’s show that healthy areas of the brain compensate for injured parts and music is the facilitating conduit that helps the brain find this path. Undamaged areas of the brain, such as the regions that moderate the rhythmic and tonal aspects of language, can be accessed through music to reach communication, and bypass damaged speech pathways. This same method can be tailored to different disorders and different damaged areas of the brain as the effect of music on cognitive and motor functions and mental states is further studied.

Additionally, there is an overdevelopment of short-range brain connections present in those diagnosed with autism that often causes autistic children to focus with extreme detail on sensory experiences. This particularity might be the cause of why many autistic children enjoy making and learning music and have incredible abilities relating to music, such as absolute pitch. This positive response to music can be capitalized on to open children with autism up to treatments that assist in engagement in social activities, helping them to acquire social, language, and motor skills. Music has also been found to activate areas of the brain relating to social ways of thinking. This helps those diagnosed with autism to imagine the emotions of the musician playing the music and then in turn imagine how others might feel as well. These music treatments help counteract any dysfunction by inducing changes in neural circuitry.

People in different cultures and in different time periods have used music making and music listening to treat mental and physical disorders. Everything from the melody and rhythm of music to its emotional and social impact have been used medicinally in civiliza-

Music also helps to strengthen connections between the two hemispheres of the brain, especially in children as shown in multiple studies. Additional to the physical stimulation of the sensory and emotional systems, music is processed by both brain hemispheres. A

28

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

2013 study found that Albert Einstein’s brilliance may be attributed to the extremely well-connected nature of his brain hemispheres.

The ability to use both left brain logic and right brain creativity is extremely important in normal functioning. Einstein was also a master violinist and the findings of numerous studies linking musical training and improved cognitive function are extremely intuitive. A strong connection between hemispheres helps foster communication between them, increasing many emotional, physical and mental functions of the brain.

Aside from these neurological benefits, music therapy can also cause benefits in regulating emotion, increasing confidence, engaging in a social activity, increasing memory, and boosting concentration. In terms of the social aspect of music aside from its effect on neurons, it helps foster inclusion and can increase self-confidence and willingness to engage. Additionally, when non-verbal children are able to create music with their voices, the feedback they receive gives them insight into communicating with language, in this case, the language of music. Music helps to express feelings in a way that involves various parts of the brain that circumvent the normal verbal paths and allow autistic children to communicate their emotions in a way others can understand. Music is a space of creativity and expression that also allows for discovery of personality and sense of self in a way that might be previously foreign to those diagnosed with autism. Self-awareness is an extremely important step forward for those diagnosed with autism. There is also a certain comfort to music because it is consistently at the level of the musician so there is no fear or anxiety in this form of therapy. Both the new patterns of learning and neurological processes introduced by music therapy and the social and self-confidence benefits of music therapy help stimulate sensory, cognitive and emotional development.

Where Can I Find Music Therapy?

For CT residents, a great resource is Arts for Healing located in New Canaan. On their website: http://www.artsforhealing.org/, there is further information on music therapy and its benefits. This organization focuses on integrated art and music therapy and is run by certified therapists who have helped many reach their therapeutic goals using music throughout the years. Another great resource is the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy, an organization affiliated with NYU that serves as a treatment, training, and research facility specializing in music therapy. Their website: http://steinhardt. nyu.edu/music/nordoff, is another great resource for information. If neither of these facilities are easily accessible, the American Music Therapy Association offers both additional information and a way to find music therapists in your local area if you are located in the US through this link: http://www.musictherapy.org/about/find/.

Music Jewelry Hazelden Books Angels & Fairies Books & Cards Teas & Herbs Journals Meditation CD’s Recovery Tokens & Gifts Aromatherapy Essential Oils

DON’T LET FEAR KEEP YOU FROM BETTER HEALTH...

Experience Anxiety-free Sedation Dentistry.

Oral health is directly related to your overall body health. However, many people avoid dental visits due to fear.

NEW PATIENT VISIT

$79.00 (reg. $246) Full mouth x-rays, oral, head and neck exam

South Windsor Smiles offers worry-free Oral Sedation Dentistry that helps eliminate anxiety, increase comfort, for improved dental and overall health.

Make an appointment

Call (860)640-4465

112 Deming St., South Windsor, CT www.southwindsorsmiles.com

South Windsor Smiles Kevin H. Norige, D.M.D. Matthew McCabe, D.M.D.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

29

Healthy Holiday Eating: Sticking To Your Goals

By Stacey Munro, ND ost people overestimate the amount of weight gained during the holidays. According to The New York Times, the average weight gain for a U.S. adult between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is only a pound. Individuals who are overweight or obese, however, may gain five pounds or more. It is important to consider that weight gained during the 5-6 week holiday period is not typically lost and contributes to an overall increase in body weight from year to year.

M

In order to be successful in sticking to your goals during the holidays, you need to have a plan, be prepared, and stay committed. As I say, “If you fall off the horse, get right back on.” This “Holiday Plan” includes regular exercise that you can do regardless of the weather and a balanced diet that you can stick to, such as the Mediterranean Diet. Of course you can have a treat here and there, but the trick is to limit these to once or twice a week.

8. Make a bargain with yourself: Indulge at a party if you are good during the week.

9. Limit alcohol: Only a small percentage of calories from alcohol become body fat. Alcohol affects the metabolism by stimulating appetite and blocking fat-burning. When you drink alcohol, calories from food are stored instead of being used for energy. Added calories come from mixers, soda, and creamy drinks, which can contain over 800 calories. If you are trying to limit extra calories, a single shot of distilled spirits in seltzer provides nearly 100 calories, which is comparable with a light beer.

10. Forget the after dinner nibbles: Eating after dinner contributes to weight gain. If you really need a snack, try something with protein and a small amount of complex carbohydrates, such as peanut butter or piece of turkey with rye crisp.

Steps that you can take to reduce holiday weight gain: 1. Know your triggers: Trigger foods are different for everyone, but they include sweet treats, savory or salty snacks, and comfort foods. It is best to identify and avoid personal trigger foods as they commonly lead to overeating.

11. Get enough sleep: Chronic sleep loss disturbs the hormones, which regulate weight and appetite. Studies have shown that there may be an optimal amount of sleep for maintaining a healthy weight. Individuals who slept 5-6 hours per night tended to have more body fat than those who slept 7-8 hours per night.

2. Mental rehearsing: If there are situations that you know are difficult for you, such as resisting treats at the office, try picturing yourself successfully handling the situation. For example, walking by the candy dish at work without taking something.

12. Schedule time for exercise: Make exercise a priority. An effective way of preventing holiday weight gain is by burning calories, suppressing appetite and reducing stress.

3. Write down everything you eat: This helps make you more aware and accountable to your choices.

4. Fill up before you go out: Skipping meals before a holiday celebration can set you up for overeating. It is best to have a light meal or healthy snack such as a yogurt, raw veggies and hummus, or a handful of raw trail mix. It will stabilize your blood sugar and allow you to be more careful about food choices and portion sizes.

5. Choose quality, not quantity: At a buffet, sample only two or three things that you really want, rather than trying everything.

Another trick is to forgo the everyday foods and only eat the special dishes. A rule of thumb is to fill your plate with ¾ full of healthy items and ¼ full of indulgent items.

6. Don’t hang out at the appetizer table: Focus your attention on having conversations with other people.

7. Wait 20 minutes before going back for more: It takes this long for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full.

30

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

13. Plan holiday celebrations around activities: Do something active with friends and family like ice skating, skiing, or sledding.

Park and walk to view holiday lights instead of driving.

14. Rethink the food gifts that you give: Does your family really need five kinds of cookies to sample? Fruits and raw nuts make healthier gifts than chocolates and candies. Non-food options for neighbors and friends include crafts and IOU’s.

Holiday weight gain is cumulative from year to year. Overweight and obese people gain the most. Doing a little planning and prioritizing healthy choices during the holidays will help you stay on target. Remember to exercise regularly and even increase the frequency or intensity if you can. Making a healthy choice or handling a situation successfully will lead to more healthy choices.

Dr. Stacey Munro is a naturopathic physician based in Windsor, Connecticut. Her specialties include chronic health issues such as diabetes, allergies, cardiovascular disease, digestive disease, and hormonal imbalance. She offers safe and successful weight loss programs and healthy eating plans. Dr. Munro can be reached at Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic at (860)-688-2275. She can also be reached at www. natureshelpermedical.com or info@natureshelpermedical.com.

Still Single? Don’t Be the Elf on the Shelf!

By Ronnie Ann Ryan o you have children? If you do, then you know about the elf on the shelf. This charming new tradition has momma move the elf around every night while the kiddies are sleeping to give the impression Santa is checking out your household to determine if the children are naughty or nice.

D

In truth, the elf just sits around until you move him, probably like how you are acting about finding love this holiday season. Are you sitting around wondering why you’re still single and avoiding doing anything to meet Mr. Right? In the past, this lack of action was referred to as “being on the shelf” which is like some special clothing item tucked away on a shelf waiting for that special occasion to be worn. If you are on the shelf, you’re hiding out from meeting men and dating.

During the holiday season, my dating coaching clients tell me how everything slows down even on dating sites. OK, December is a slower month with online dating. But that is not the only way to meet men, especially at holiday time.

How Can You Meet Singles During the Holidays?

This is the time to P-A-R-T-Y and take advantage of every social opportunity. For example: • RSVP yes to every invitation • Gather with gal pals on a Thursday night for happy hour at an upscale restaurant bar • Have your own party and ask each girlfriend to bring one single guy • Attend charity events to meet altruistic people • Go to your town’s tree lighting or other local festivities • Look for holiday gatherings on Meetup.com • Attend networking or company holiday parties These are wonderful opportunities to flirt and improve your mingling skills. What? You don’t flirt or have forgotten how? That’s one reason you’re not meeting men.

1. Smile! You’ve probably spent good money on whitening products, so show off your beautiful smile. Flashing a smile makes you look your most attractive and can give a man the confidence to walk over and say hello.

2. Quick Eye Contact. When you catch a man’s eye and smile, make sure you maintain eye contact for 2-3 seconds. This is brief, but so important. However, don’t linger because you don’t want him to think you are stareing. This is a demure approach, so gently turn away that quick look.

3. Be Friendly. I’m amazed at how unfriendly people have gotten.

It’s related to being engrossed in your own smart phone world and bad news in the media which causes people to isolate for safety.

When out in public, put your phone away, look up, smile and be friendly! You never know who you’ll meet.

4. Have Fun! Even if you have to fake it, act like you’re having a good time. A happy face is inviting and attractive. Make the most of any event and find a way to enjoy yourself – even if it’s thinking of stories you’ll tell friends about the night.

Every one of these tips makes you approachable to single men.

Not the charming player types who ooze confidence, but quality guys who are the true gems wanting a relationship. Many have been brow-beaten by unkind women who callously turned them down. At this point, many quality men are a bit shy. So anything you to do be friendly improves your chances of meeting men and finding the one.

Stop hiding out and make the effort to be friendly, make new friends, meet men and socialize during the holidays. Say yes to invitations and go out to encounter exciting new possibilities. Everyone you meet knows approximately 250 people, so the bigger your social network, the better your chances to find love. Give up the elf on a shelf act and take advantage of being an attractive woman this holiday season.

By Dating Coach Ronnie Ann Ryan www.NeverTooLate.biz. If you need help with dating confidence or ideas on where to meet quality men, give me a call at 203-877-3777 and let’s see what I can do to help. See ad on page

The good news about flirting is that it’s surprisingly easy and super effective. I’ll give you my four basic flirting tips that have worked for thousands of women just like you. Many clients rave about the great results these flirting tips produce First let me explain what I mean by flirting. Flirting is not suggestive, nor does it offer any promise beyond a playful and lighthearted interaction. The point of flirting is to make it easy for single men to approach you. Men don’t enjoy being rejected, so your flirtatious signals let men know you are friendly and willing to engage. www.NaturalNutmeg.com

31

Depression is a Wake-Up Call from your Soul

By Enrico Cheli

D

epression is one of the most common psychopathological disorders of our time. Like many other mental disorders, the most widely used form of therapy is pharmacological.

Approximately one in every ten Americans takes an antidepressant.

This ratio is more than double among women, especially those in their 40s and 50s. Although the most widespread, this treatment is not the best. Patients are forced to become drug dependent for years and sometimes life due to side effects. Antidepressants act only on curing the symptoms, not solving the causes. Counseling and psychotherapy can lead to the identification and resolution of the triggers of depression. However, there are limitations as well, including a higher initial cost than drugs and a level of effectiveness that is not always optimal. The higher cost is not an issue if the treatment is effective. Effectiveness is a real problem since most traditional psychological treatments are only decisive in 20-40% of cases (significantly increasing if integrated/holistic approaches are applied).

The Evolutionary Significance of Depression From a holistic point of view, every disease (especially if chronic) is a message whose purpose is to inform our consciousness that something in our life is not going in the right direction. Depending on the type of disease, this “something” can relate to diet, lifestyle, relationships, work, identity, etc. Depression is an emotional disease; it is not about feeding the body, but rather, the soul. In fact, depression can be considered a form of chronic sorrow, informing us that something in our lives makes us sad. Some examples could be: unsatisfactory work, an excess of duties, lack of a life purpose, loneliness, poor relationship with one’s partner or with oneself, etc.

In a painful way, depression exists to encourage our evolution, making us become aware of what should be changed in our lives, and pushing us to do so.

Although not all depressions are so simple, helping the patient understand what makes them sad is one of the main objectives of holistic psychotherapy. Why do so many people have to wait to get sick from depression to understand that something is wrong in their lives? Why do they not listen to the initial signs of sadness and wait until it becomes chronic? And further, why once they receive the message, do they fail to grasp its meaning? Some socio-cultural and other psychological characteristics are at fault.

The Socio-Cultural Causes of Sadness/Depression As mentioned above, depression is a chronic sadness. This emotion is connected to frustration, the inability to meet one’s own 32

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

needs, especially relational. Why is it so widespread, especially in countries where most of the population has money, freedom, and opportunity in abundance? The answer is simple: these resources are used in the wrong way, pursuing false needs and goals that, once achieved, give no real gratification. This illusion depends mainly on the excessive importance given by society to the materialistic values of having money, power, social success, and consumerism.

These values come at the expense of having love, friendship, good relationships, personal development, and spirituality. This excessive importance leads many individuals to invest all of their resources and expectations, leaving them disappointed, sad, and hopeless.

This is depression.

Another question arises: After the first disappointment, why do people continue on the same road? It depends mainly on insufficient emotional self-awareness. Individuals can prevent, perceive, and interpret the messages their soul sends to consciousness through sadness and other emotions. The fact that neither schools nor the universities are involved in the cultivation and development of awareness shows how much it is neglected in our society. The majority of depressed people are not aware that they are lacking important nutrients. Some of the people, activities, and rewards they consider to be desirable and beneficial in reality, are not.

The Intrapsychic Factors Related to Depression Depression does not depend only on sociocultural causes. The illusion of misleading goals and intrapsychic factors come into play as: defense/self-deception mechanisms (as explained by psychoanalysis); erroneous beliefs (as evidenced by cognitive therapy); dysfunctional scripts inherited from one’s own family or self-made (as remarked by transactional analysis); the tendency to frequently think of sad memories in the past or of future negative scenarios (as outlined by ancient eastern psychologies). In these cases and many others, the goal of psychological treatment is not only to help the individual to become aware of his false goals. Psychological treatment also helps identify and change intrapsychic factors that make individuals dependent, preventing them from breaking free of the illusion.

The holistic perspective considers socio-cultural and intrapsychic factors as interconnected. Unfortunately, most psychotherapists and counselors do not know this perspective (or do not agree with it), tending to focus only on the intrapsychic factors. Rather than the whole range being managed, only those that are recognized by

the psychological current are addressed. The factors involved vary from person to person. In some cases the psychoanalytic approach may be valid, while in another, the cognitive one. In others still, the transactional approach may be appropriate, or rather the humanistic, bioenergetics, transpersonal, and so on. This is the main reason that led me toward integrative psychotherapy (using concepts and tools belonging to several approaches). Later, I moved move on to creating a holistic integrative psychotherapy model, which not only integrates different approaches, but also changes the worldview in which this integration is done.

This model includes contributions from other disciplines (sociology, medicine, biology) and even from the ancient psychologies of the east (yoga, tantra, Vedanta, Zen, etc.). Unfortunately, there are not many health care professionals who know the great opportunities offered by this kind of approach. Most universities continue to train medical doctors, psychologists, and other health professionals by means that are far from holistic. Only a few small, innovative universities are inspired by the new paradigm. Most of these universities are located in California, with a few exceptions including The Graduate Institute of Connecticut. This university offers interesting and innovative certificate and master’s programs in Integrative Health and Healing and Integrative Mental Health. The basic feature of these programs is to consider the human being as such, not as a machine. To do this, one must consider not only the body or the rational mind, but other interrelated dimensions as well, including: emotional, affective, intuitive, interpersonal, transpersonal and spiritual. In addition to internal dimensions, there are holistically relevant external ones. Relations between the individual and his environment extend the concept of mental health to also including the health of society and the ecosystem (well outlined by a course of The Graduate Institute titled Ecotherapy & Cultural Sustainability).

To conclude, we can say that depression is normally considered an individual and private pathology. From a holistic point of view, it should be considered a collective disease. Therefore, treatment requires changes not only in individual mental dysfunctions but also in society and ecosystem dysfunctions..

Enrico Cheli, a psychotherapist and sociologist, is professor at the University of Siena (Tuscany), one of the oldest and most qualified Italian universities. Here, he has created and directed several holistic master’s degrees and Ph.D. programs on relational counseling, emotional well-being, interpersonal relationship, and conflicts resolution.

He is now the academic director of a new certificate program on Integrative Mental Health at The Graduate Institute of Connecticut.

He has authored 27 books and more than one hundred articles. For more information visit: www.learn.edu/enricocheli.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

33

Classic Western Elegance at the Snow King Resort

W

yoming and Montana are two places that have been on my list for years to visit. The drive into Jackson takes you along the pristine Snake River and we saw many rafters and kayakers enjoying the rapids. The community, the valley and the lake were all named after mountain man, trapper and trader, David Jackson. After hearing people refer to this area as both Jackson and Jackson Hole, I finally figured out which was which. Jackson Hole refers to the entire valley which is approximately 60 miles long.

Jackson refers to the Town of Jackson which sits on the southern end of the Jackson Hole valley. As the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, the home of three major ski areas and the National Elk Refuge, you will never run out of activities in Jackson Hole.

I immediately fell in love with Jackson after walking around the town which is lined with historic boardwalks, and anchored by the famous Town Square and elk antler arches. There are beautiful art galleries ranging from classic, western landscapes to stunning wildlife photography. The shopping here is endless and very exclusive with boutique shops for jewelry, furniture, and fine western clothing. We happened upon the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar which is no ordinary bar. It is famous for its western cowboy flare motif, complete with a large collection of western memorabilia, unique knobbled pine architecture, cowboy murals, animal mounts, and genuine saddle barstools. A little further exploration took us past the Jackson Hole Playhouse, which you can’t help but notice the cool architecture. Originally constructed in 1916; the playhouse is the oldest framed building in Jackson Hole and is a family run professional dinner theater.

After spending a little time downtown, it was time to head to our resort for the night. Nestled against pine forests, the Snow King Resort Hotel and Grand View Lodge is walking distance from town which is a great perk. As you walk into the lobby, the first thing you see is a beautiful mural of wild horses, a true icon of the west. The resort offers hotel rooms, condos and the new Grand View Lodge, which are luxurious accommodations for the whole family. Log frame beds, desks and bureaus and an exposed brick wall in the rooms give you the feel of being in a rustic cabin. Fully renovated in 2013, the resort is one of the nicest that Jackson Hole has to offer.

Even with all of the outdoor activities waiting, it was hard to get out of the crisp bedding with luxurious mattresses and New Generation pillows.

34

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

There are a wide array of activities to choose from at the Snow King including a guided sunrise wildlife expedition in Grand Teton National Park which offers uninterrupted views of the Teton glaciers and sightings of elk, bear, marmot and moose. You can hike along the Snow King trails, horseback ride; take a dip in the pool, or a thrill-ride down the mountain on the Alpine Slide. The Snow King is also an Orvis endorsed fly-fishing lodge. And of course in the winter, skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing abound. With more annual snowfall than other resorts in the lower-48 Rocky Mountain region, these winter playgrounds offer lifts, gondolas, an aerial tram, and miles upon miles upon miles of ski trails to meet any ability.

We had dinner at the cozy Hayden’s Post, which offers cuisine in the spirit of mountain camping with a focus on local ingredients.

We tried the Braised Bison Short Rib with melting leeks and stone ground polenta served in a cast iron skillet. The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. The Whiskey BBG Mahogany chicken with mashed potatoes and broccolini was delicious. Don’t leave without trying the signature S’mores dessert served in a skillet with homemade marshmallows lightly toasted, and you don’t even have to find a stick or a fire!

Also don’t miss a visit to the Snake River Brewery while in Jackson. In a twenty year history, the brewery has amassed dozens of Great American Beer Fest and World Beer Cup Awards and it’s easy to see why. We stopped for lunch here to try some of their fantastic beers brewed on premises. We had a great tour with Krissy, their marketing director, and learned about their brewing process. We

noticed that all of their beer is canned, so I had to ask about that as most people have a negative impression of canned beer.

When you stack up aluminum cans versus glass bottles, the environmental benefits are clear. Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely, and doing so takes 95 percent less energy than creating new aluminum cans from raw materials. That makes used aluminum a valuable commodity, especially here in Teton County, where the county recycling program generates good revenue from recycled aluminum. By contrast, Teton County’s recycling program loses money each year on glass, for which there is little market.

Aluminum’s light weight is also a net win for the environment— an empty standard glass beer bottle weighs seven ounces whereas an empty aluminum can tips the scales at a mere half ounce. That savings quickly multiplies to a five-pound difference per 12-pack. A single semi-trailer can hold three times as many cans as glass bottles.

Inbound truck trips are cut by two thirds! When they distribute their beer in Teton County and beyond, everyone benefits from that lighter carbon footprint. In addition, the beer is actually kept fresher in cans as there is no light or air that gets in that is found in a bottling process.

My favorites were the Zonker Stout, creamy with hints of chocolate and the Nice Finnish…Sahti – a rustic farmhouse ale filtered on a bed of local juniper boughs and run-off through an aspen log trough – who would’ve thought! If you’re there, definitely grab a cup of the bison chili made with their stout.

Snake River brews their beers to style, seeking out authentic ingredients from all around the globe. Each of the brewers is tasked with concocting one or more “signature series” recipes. In 2006 they received USDA Organic Certification for their Organic Beer #1 (“OB-1” for short). This Organic English Style Brown Ale helps them encourage sustainable farming practices for barley and hops.

Great beer and ecofriendly brewing practices – who could ask for more! Visit www.snakeriverbrewing.com for more information.

Don’t miss the amazing hiking in the Grand Teton area. The Jenny Lake loop, Inspiration Point and the Hidden Lake hike were three of my favorites. If you travel to Jackson in the winter, you will find amazing skiing and winter sport opportunities. Experience unsurpassed levels of service and outstanding amenities in a majestic alpine setting at the Snow King Resort Hotel. For more information, visit www.snowkingjacksonhole.com.

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hayden

Unique, Accredited Masters and Certificate Programs in Emerging Fields of Inquiry

Master of Arts Degrees:     

Integrative Health and Healing Organizational Leadership Learning and Thinking Writing and the Oral Tradition Consciousness Studies

Certiicate Programs:    

Ecotherapy Positive Psychology Integrative Health and Healing Applied Storytelling

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

35

Escape to a Mountainside Retreat in Missoula at Blue Mountain B&B

A

fter a relaxing two days in Whitefish, we headed back to Missoula for a few days at the Blue Mountain Bed and Breakfast.

You literally feel like you are heading into the woods as you travel up their mile long drive. Nestled on the mountainside among majestic ponderosa pines and meditative water gardens, Brady and Elaine Anderson-Wood have created a tranquil romantic getaway just minutes away from downtown Missoula. The Inn and gardens offer a breathtaking, birds-eye view of the Bitterroot River, surrounding mountains and valley below, including part of the historic Lewis and Clark Trail.

We stayed in the Rose Room, which had a queen-sized sleigh bed with pillow-top mattress, private bath with jetted tub/shower combination and a peaceful outdoor deck. The Rose Room overlooks the entryway garden, which from spring to fall is in bloom with lovely shrub and wild roses, iris, honeysuckle and other flowers. The deck is adjoined by the hillside and is particularly beautiful during spring when the fragrant syringa bushes bloom and wild flowers blanket the ground. If you love Victorian style, you will be right at home in the Rose Room with rosy-granite tile, rich area rugs and antiques, books, and decor that include family heirlooms as well as European travel memories. They are also implementing many ecofriendly initiatives such as shampoo, body wash and lotion dispensers in the rooms; using organic cleaners and have switched over to all LED lighting. The B&B was built from reclaimed wood from the hill it stands on to preserve the natural surroundings.

That night we ventured into downtown Missoula and had dinner at the Red Bird Restaurant. When you check in to the Red Bird in the Florence Building, you step back in time. The 1930s/40s opulence abounds here. You are taken back behind the curtain to a hidden dining room that is very small and intimate. There is gold and blue wallpaper and a large retro chandelier in the center of the room.

Every table or booth has large pillows adding to the luxury. There is a French feel to the service - in that you aren’t rushed in eating. You are encouraged to enjoy the food. The Red Bird believes in serving sustainably grown fresh foods & the menu changes frequently to reflect the wide variety of seasonal foods available regionally.

We tried the poached pear and roquefurt salad with mixed greens, cucumber and roasted pistachio and toasted fennel seed vinaigrette which was a perfect blend of sweet and savory. The grilled octopus was tender and flavorful served with cucumber, green onion, tomato, radish, red fresno chilis, herbs, greens, and lemon-ginger vinaigrette.

For entrees we had the oven braised halibut with asparagus, risotto, spring vegetables: cauliflower, tomato, squash, and zucchini. The veggies were so fresh and crisp, you know they were just picked and paired perfectly with the fish. The pan seared pork loin, served with 36

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

sunchoke-yukon gold potato gratin, madeira mushroom jus, and spring veggies was a delicious blend of flavors. The dining experience here was fantastic and we will definitely be back. Visit http:// redbirdrestaurant.com.

The next morning Brady made us a wonderful breakfast of asparagus gratin and blueberry scones, which was just what we needed before our 2 hour hike out to Bass Creek. Although many of the trails around Missoula can be crowded with college students as the campus is so centrally located to the mountains, we found Bass Creek to be very secluded and only passed one other couple. The trail follows a beautiful, bubbling creek up into the mountain and is very peaceful.

Back in town after our hike we found a great little spot for lunch called Café Dolce. A beautiful and elegant neighborhood restaurant, the building was built to spec and the owners left no detail untouched. The mural on the ceiling was designed and painted by an Italian artist who came from Italy just to do the project. The food was as fantastic as the décor with a seasonal menu based on a Mediterranean theme. Their iron grilled sandwiches were fantastic and we tried the Grilled Veg with red peppers, spinach, portabella mushrooms, roasted garlic puree, olive tapenade & roasted tomato aioli on house made focaccia and the Roasted Turkey Provolone with natural turkey breast with tomato & greens, finished with dijon & mayo on whole grain. They pride themselves on having an intimate relationship with the neighborhood and Kirsi Marcus the GM told me that some patrons come in 4-5 times per week. That’s a great testimony to the quality of the food and service. There are also some great Old World wines on the menu and they offer a weekly wine class for the staff and public. Visit http://caffedolce.com.

I certainly did not expect Missoula to have the foodie scene that it does, but we kept finding one great restaurant after another.

Our last night we ate at one of the most unique places I’ve been to in a long time – The Silk Road. With a tagline of “A global tasting experience” – I knew we were in for a treat! The menu offers delicacies from all over the world including Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

We tried the Fattoush with grilled zucchini & scallions tossed with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, crispy chickpeas, Dukkah & sumacyogurt vinaigrette over Za’atar-grilled pita (EGYPT); the Seasonal Mushroom Saute in garlic, sherry, butter & fresh herbs with crispy leeks served on grilled bread (FRANCE); the Mchuzi Wa Samaki an African fish stew in coconut broth with pomegranate syrup, caramelized onions & sun blushed tomatoes (EAST AFRICA); and

the Ethiopian Bbq Wrap with smoked country-style pork on a flour tortilla with melted gouda, topped with fresh coleslaw drizzled in Berbere-yogurt dressing (ETHIOPIA). The melding of flavors of all of these dishes was very Ayurvedic inspired and even though it seemed like a lot of food, you left feeling satiated but not stuffed. We even had room for dessert and be sure not to miss the Mexican Chocolate Torte with cinnamon & almond infused flourless dark chocolate cake with a hint of red chile, topped with coffee liquer-whipped cream (MEXICO). Visit http://www.silkroadcatering.com/ We left Missoula wondering if it just might be the best kept secret and will surely be back! Visit http://bluemountainbb.com.

Find more articles and search our web archive at naturalnutmeg.com

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hayden

Be Better...

BEFORE

www.Posture6.com

AFTER

Energize Your Life!

Cornerstone Integrative Care A Foundational Healing Practice

Specializing in Autism • Allergies • PANS/PANDAS Autoimmune Disfunction • ADHD • Lyme A Gentle and Totally Non-Invasive Approach to Healing

BioSET • Homotoxicology • ZYTO • Homeopathy LED • Quantum Reflex Analysis Lauren Lee Stone, Ph.D, M.S., HHP, BCIH 3 Hollyhock Lane, 2nd floor W ilton, CT 06897 203-563-6168

cornerstoneicare@gmail.com • www.cornerstoneintegrativeCare.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

37

The Meritage Resort – the Perfect Blend

L

eaving Lake Tahoe, we traveled west to Napa on I-50 and happened to be driving near an area where they were having many uncontrolled wildfires. In fact, we were so close at one point that we could see the flames from the top of a ridge. We learned that they actually closed the road we were on the next day! Even when we arrived in Napa, there was still a haze on the horizon from all of the smoke blowing miles away.

Our first stop was at The Meritage Resort & Spa. Just like the wine that inspired its name, The Meritage Resort and Spa is the perfect blend of wine tasting, dining, spa, and indulgence. You immediately feel like you’ve just walked into a beautiful Tuscan hotel upon entering the lobby and this Italian-inspired décor spills over into your guest room and all the areas on property. High ceilings, spacious bathrooms, luxurious beds and many rooms with private balconies or patios with vineyard views await. Relax with two swimming pools, three whirlpools, several outdoor fire places, bocce ball court and hiking trails through the nine acres of hillside vineyards. There is even a tasting room onsite – with a magnificent Estate Cave featuring the Trinitas Cellars’ award-winning wines. Even cooler if you brought the kids is Crush Ultra Lounge, the sports-themed lounge with six luxury bowling lanes and a pool table. You won’t want to leave without experiencing the full-service spa, which features steam grottos, soaking pools, waterfalls, revitalizing treatments and therapies.

And what’s even better is all of their green practices including: • An on-site herb garden to supply herbs for the restaurants • On-site lemon and olive trees which help lower the insect problems naturally • Fryer oil is donated for biodiesel/biofuel • All coffee and tea at Blend™ Café is organic and fair trade • Lunch bags for groups are reusable • Clear cups and to-go boxes are made of biodegradable corn • Low flow plumbing fixtures • EV Charging Stations for electric cars • Programmable thermostats used in common areas • Certain Guest Room keys save energy as the lights and air/heat turn on when the key is inserted and off when the key is removed If you like the feel of a large, sprawling resort with all these amenities on-site, you’ll love the Meritage Resort. Visit http://meritageresort.com.

38

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

The next day we headed out for some classic Napa Valley wine tasting. I’ve often said you need weeks to really explore Napa because you can really only visit about 3-4 wineries in a day (even if you have a limo driver). Plus, depending on what region you want to visit (southern, central or nothern Napa), and if you are visiting more than one in a single day, you’ll have to account for traffic and driving time. We were able to hit about 10 or so in the 3 days we were there, and the ones that really stood out to me were: Whitehall Lane, Miner Family, Del Dotto and Castello di Amorosa. While the wines were fantastic at each of them – some other notables were: the tasting experience at Whitehall Lane (amazing charcuterie paired with each wine by their chef); the cave tour at Del Dotto (a chance to try wines by the barrel not yet released); the friendliness and lively tasting room at Miner Family; and exploring a castle at Castello di Amorosa.

It’s a good thing most tasting rooms close at 5pm because you don’t want to miss out on the amazing food scene in Napa. Places not to be missed are: Mustards Grill, R&D Kitchen, TORC, Grace’s Table, Farm, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen and if you really want to break the bank, French Laundry.

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hayden

Urban Oasis and Beervana in Portland, Oregon

I

f you don’t get enough amazing food and drink in Seattle, then Portland, Oregon is just a short drive away. Our first stop was the Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel which is right on the banks of the river. Having only been to Portland once and staying in the heart of the city, I wasn’t sure what to expect about this part of the city, but I wasn’t disappointed to find a mile long walkway by the river just out the door of the hotel that took you past restaurants, shops and beautiful views of boats, bridges and water.

Picture an upscale Kripalu – dormitory style rooms with queen platform beds and a clawfoot tub with organic toiletries in dispensers. The place screams ecofriendly. We even had a student style desk in our room and leopard print robes. Someone has a sense of humor here. They have a great coffee shop, Stumptown coffee right off one side of the lobby, and on the other side is Clyde Common restaurant which is known for amazing craft cocktails and tapas.

WiFI is free, and you can rent bikes, which just about everyone in Portland uses for the mode of transportation.

Kimpton is one of my favorite group of hotels simply because of their ecofriendly practices, appealing dining options, and lovely décor. Our room had a luxurious king bed with a rich brown leather headboard, convenient nightstands for both, and a spacious bathroom. The theme of the décor was Oregon forests with many woodsy and stick motifs and there was even a river rock bar in their signature restaurant, 3 Degrees. They even provide a yoga mat in your room for personal use. Visit http://www. riverplacehotel.com.

Cozy and lively sitting areas abound in the lobby around a giant coffee table, and on the mezzanine level that has a huge conference desk with Mac laptops for use. I also discovered a big bureau/ apothecary with all these drawers that of course I opened and found hundreds of handwritten messages in them. You’ll also find inspirational messages painted on your hotel room walls, ours had a picture on the wall of two hands clasped and the word “together.”

Visit http://www.acehotel.com/portland.

The next day we headed out to explore some of the local breweries that Portland is so well known for that it’s been given the name, “Beervana.” Our first stop was Henry’s, which has over 100 beers on tap so you really can’t go wrong. While I wanted to try a local Oregon beer, I couldn’t get past the Elysian Night Owl pumpkin beer made in Washington state. Nutmeg, cinnamon, spice and a hint of pumpkin, it’s absolutely delicious.

From there, because Portland takes public transportation pretty seriously, you can hop a train or a bus and get across the river in no time at all. This will take you to an area that’s got a bunch of new breweries popping up. The coolest one being Base Camp, named after the owner’s love of climbing, which has a nice outdoor seating area with picnic tables and chairs and we easily could have spent the whole afternoon there. Also check out Green Dragon which has great beers and funky décor.

We finished the night at Andina – a spirited little Peruvian tapas joint that served delicious classic cocktails with a twist and yummy tapas. Of course the trip wasn’t complete without a stop at Rogue Brewing company – a little hole in the wall, but as expected offered great beers, some of which you can only get in Portland. Visit http:// www.andinarestaurant.com.

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hayden

The next day we checked into the Ace Hotel smack in the center of the city in short walking distance to the hip Pearl street district. Now this is the Portland, Oregon I know. Ace is a cool, funky, ecofriendly hotel that will make you feel like you are in a swanky European city. Even the porter was dressed in a crisp white shirt and pencil-thin jeans rolled just above the ankle.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

39

HAPPENINGS

December 2015

Tuesday, December 1st

Tuesday, December 8th

Saturday, December 12th

Numerology: Your Core Numbers with Diane Bellfy. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Building upon the foundation learned in Introduction to Numerology, we will calculate your core numbers, discuss the meaning of the numbers and how they influence your life. You will walk away from the workshop with a better understanding of yourself as well as how others perceive you. Prerequisite – Introduction to Numerology or previous experience with Numerology. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury.

To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

The Nuts and Bolts of Spirituality: A monthly group for Men with Ken Freschi. 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $15.00. Join Ken Freschi each month in this spirituality group just for men. Meet with like-minded individuals to discuss a variety of life and spiritual topics. Ken’s book, Our Walk to Eternity, will be used as a guideline for the group and aid in exploring the human journey and the lessons we are here to learn. Open for all levels of spiritual seekers. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www. healinginharmonycenter.com.

Psychic Saturday. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. $25.00 for a 20-minute reading. Receive a private reading to connect you to guidance from your angels, spirit guides and loved ones. Check the web site for Readers. Pre-scheduling is highly recommended. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To pre-schedule an appointment, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Wednesday, December 2nd Student Reader’s Night. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

FREE. Have a reading from one of our gifted student readers. Don’t let the word student confuse you as they are well versed in the art of message delivery. These nights allow them to practice their mediumship, tarot or angel reading skills and for you to receive guidance. Sessions are 15-minutes each. No appointments. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury.

For more information, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Sunday, December 6th Healing Angels of the Energy Field with Jo Homar. 10:00am – 1:00pm. $100. This class is for anyone who loves angels and/or healing practitioners who would like to connect with the Healing Angels of IET. We will call upon each of the nine Integrated Energy Therapy® Healing Angels through a prayer of invitation and then you will heartlink to each of them individually to receive their messages for you. Learn what these angels can help you release and their healing gift for you. You will receive a Healing Angels of the Energy Field Class Workbook and an Angel of the Energy Field Certificate of Completion. The workbook contains a beautiful image of each of the nine Healing Angels, a complete description of how each Angel is able to support you with your self-healing work for others, along with a special invocation prayer for each Healing Angel. Held at Bountiful Blessings, LLC, 1177 Silas Deane Highway, 3rd Floor, Wethersfield. To register call 860.202.8269 or visit www.bountifulblessingsct. com.

40 Natural NaturalNutmeg Nutmeg December - December2015 2015

Feng Shui Fit: The Bedroom with Pat McGrath.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $35.00. Learn feng shui principles to: position your bed properly, boost energy around relationships, select artwork that promotes restfulness, help children feel safe in their own room, pick paint color to create a calming effect; choose lighting and window treatments that promote sleep; and discuss the energetic effects in the bedroom of ceiling fans, electronic devices and work out equipment. Bring photos of your bedroom. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www. healinginharmonycenter.com.

Wednesday, December 9th Healing in Harmony Night. 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. FREE. Stop by the center for a FREE healing service. Participants will sit individually with a healer and receive an 8 – 10 minute healing. No reservation required. You will be served in the order in which you enter the center. The healing services are offered one night each month. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. For more information, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Friday, December 11th So you want to be a Medium? with Priscilla Bengtson. 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $50.00. Are you ready to take your intuitive skills to the next step by connecting with angels, guides and loved ones in the spirit world? Participants will learn the differences between mediumship and psychic ability, how to receive messages clearly and how to know who you are working with in the spirit world. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury.

To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Holiday Open House and Crafter’s Fair.

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. FREE. It’s our annual Holiday Open House and Crafter’s Fair. Complete your holiday gift shopping with items from our talented vendors. Find jewelry, household gifts, crystals and even get a Henna Tattoo for your holiday party. See what the Center has to offer. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. For information please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Reiki II Certification with Jo Homar.

10:00am – 2:00pm. $160. Receive attunements to higher frequencies of universal energy and additional symbols to enhance your healing work. Learn how to do distance healing, as well as heal mental, emotional and past life issues.

Manual and certificate provided.Held at Bountiful Blessings, LLC, 1177 Silas Deane Highway, 3rd Floor, Wethersfield. To register call 860.202.8269 or visit www.bountifulblessingsct.com.

Sunday, December 13th Women’s Empowerment Meditation.

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. $25.00. This guided meditation is specifically designed to the energy of the group. We invite in our angels and guides to help us release those things that keep us stuck.

The energy of the group helps us to release those things that no longer serve our highest good and allow us to live an empowered life. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Prayer Service. 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. FREE. Join us for our community Prayer Service as we remember those impacted by the Newtown shootings as well as all in the world who need prayers. We gather for a message of hope and inspiration and then join together in silent prayer.

Priscilla will also offer personal prayers for all who attend as each attendee is invited to the altar to receive a blessing. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury.

For information, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Tuesday, December 15th

Sunday, December 20th

Thursdays

Introduction to Mandalas with Priscilla Bengtson. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Explore and experience the dynamics and power of the mandala. A mandala is simply art in a circle. Create a mandala and then learn the symbolism that is encoded within on the intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual levels. Gain an understanding of the meanings of the colors, shapes and placement of objects you use to create your mandala. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Integrated Energy Therapy (IET®) Intermediate Level Certification with Jo Homar.

10:00am – 2:00pm. $215 The Intermediate training includes attunement to the intermediate IET energy ray that will activate the 3rd and 4th DNA pairs and will empower you to pull energy imprints out of the human energy field; learning to clear energy imprints resulting form past life karma; methods to “esoterically dowse” and interpret the blockages in the human energy field.

Fully illustrated training guide and certificate provided. Held at Bountiful Blessings, LLC, 1177 Silas Deane Highway, 3rd Floor, Wethersfield.

To register call 860.202.8269 or visit www.bountifulblessingsct.com..

A Course in Waking. 7:00 – 8:30pm. For the majority of us, thinking about following our passions and dreams, doing something we love, and being true to ourselves, is a luxury we don’t think we have. Larry Ford, (A.K.A. The Shaman of Wall Street, and nationally recognized spiritual advisor, and facilitator) is on a mission to help people wake up and live life on purpose. You’re here for a Reason! And this course is designed from ancient wisdom technologies to help you wake up to that reality and begin to live your life on purpose.This is a six-week course/$275.00 - Starts 2/12/15 thru 3/19/15. The Gulf Stream Center for Health and Wealth, 381 Hubbard St, Glastonbury, CT. www. larryford.org. To register please call 860-659-8299

Wednesday, December 16th Healing with the Masters with Dan Lupacchino.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $35.00. Join Dan and the Ascended Masters, for an evening of guidance, energetic tune ups and light-body upgrades.

During these times of personal and global transformation the Masters wish to share important information about how to work and utilize light and consciousness to help ease, the mind, body, and spirit. Come for a fun and exciting guided meditation and light-body activation. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Friday, December 18th Gallery Night with Priscilla Bengtson.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Join us for an intimate evening of experiencing intuitive readings with medium Priscilla Bengtson. Priscilla is a certified Angel Therapy Practitioner®, Medium and Psychic Intuitive who connects with angels, spirit guides and those who have crossed over.

Readings will be done gallery-style with Priscilla providing messages to the audience as they come through to her. The group is kept small so that everyone receives guidance. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Saturday, December 19th Integrated Energy Therapy (IET), Advanced Level with Dan Lupacchino and Christine Cartwright.

9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. $215.00. The Advanced training includes attunement to the Advanced IET® energy ray which unlocks the 5th DNA pair and activates the energy of your soul’s purpose; the ability to do a “Soul Star” clearing to activate your soul’s purpose; use of the Heartnet process to manifest your dreams; use of the powerful energy wave technique to clear resistance; how to build Heartbeams to anchor angelic energy into the Earth. Fully illustrated training guide and certificate provided. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www. healinginharmonycenter.com.

Wednesday, December 30th Home Message Circle. 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $20.00. The session is open to anyone who wishes to practice their mediumship message delivery in a group. Your ability doesn’t matter as we are all here to get some practice and learn from each other. A group facilitator will help you stay on track with your message if needed. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.430.9801 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

ONGOING Tuesdays Mindful Self-Compassion groups starting in mid September. These 8 week groups (Tuesday from 12:30 to 2 PM, Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 AM), including a half day Saturday retreat, will help participants learn a variety of formal and informal mindful self-compassion practices. These practices will help to lessen the critical voice inside, to learn to deal with emotions with more ease and to learn to deal with relationships more effectively.

Farmington. Contact leaders for more info; Angela Mazur, LCSW, LLC at 860-676-1193 or Theresa Nygren, LCSW at 860-409-0549

Wednesdays The Feldenkrais Method ®Awareness Through Movement® Classes with Karen Emerick, A powerful way to eliminate stress and pain while dramatically increasing flexibility. Through stress and injury we develop habitually chronic tight muscles and stiff joints leaving us feeling older than we are. Through slow, deceptively simple and ingeniously designed movements done on the floor, these chronic old patterns ingrained in our body melt away, leaving relaxed muscles, improved coordination and balance and an effortless sense of movement. Glastonbury, 10:15am – 11:30am, $15, drop-ins $20. Register: 860-633-7667.

Angel and Medium readings with Andrew Oxman.

Hosted by Meg’s. Available by appointment Thurs.

11 to 4:30. Sat. after 2:30.An Angel Reading is an opportunity to receive direct guidance, encouragement and support from the angels.A Medium reading is an opportunity to communicate with departed loved ones. Call or email to make your appointment todayMeg’s. 38 Main St., Manchester CT, 06042. 860-649-9941, megsinspirations@att.net

Saturdays All Levels Yoga. 8-9:15am. A flowing practice to move energy and create alignment in the body.

Come start your weekend with a class on the farm and enjoy a respite from the pace of life. You will leave ready to enjoy your weekend feeling renewed and at ease. $15 drop in. Hidden Acres Yoga, 114 East Street North Granby, CT (860) 371-5881, www.hiddenacresyoga.com.

Community Acupuncture with Dr. Kara Burkhart.

September 12th and 26th, 1 - 2:30 pm $30.

Drop In Only. We provide effective, affordable, and high quality acupuncture care in a peaceful, warm, comfortable environment. Points will be individually chosen based on your main health issue, tongue and pulse diagnosis. Treatments take place in a group setting and last an average of 40 minutes.

West Hartford Yoga, 23 Brook Street, W Hartford CT 06110. 860-953-9642. www.westhartfordyoga. com Jen@westhartfordyoga.com Get Your Toes Wet! 11- 3pm second Saturday’s every month $50 In a beautiful, accepting studio environment , express yourself visually using paint, collage and drawing materials. A spirit of playful abandon and exploration is invited. Mindfulness meditation, guided visualization, and breath awareness provide relaxation and present moment awareness, prior to creating. Letting go of the outcome, enjoy the journey of creating & build trust in your own unique intuitive voice. Discover the power of your innate visual language, and find nourishment for your soul. Facilitated by Elisabeth Moss BFA Certified Expressive Art Facilitator.

To register Call 860-550-0882 12 Old Farms Rd. Avon, CT 06001 www.elisabethmoss.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

41

HAPPENINGS Homeopathic Study Group. 1:00 - 2:30PM. Third Saturdays. Come and learn the principles of homeopathy and how to use the homeopathic remedies for different acute conditions so you can treat yourself, family and friends. Small fee TBD for photocopying etc. Group Leader: Louise Sanchione, ND, CCH, MA, MS. Held at: CT Alliance to Advance Homeopathy, 299 Washington Ave. Suite 18S, Hamden, CT. Please RSVP your interest at connecuticuthomeopathy@gmail.com Mindful Self-Compassion groups starting in mid September. These 8 week groups (Tuesday from 12:30 to 2 PM, Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30 AM), including a half day Saturday retreat, will help participants learn a variety of formal and informal mindful self-compassion practices. These practices will help to lessen the critical voice inside, to learn to deal with emotions with more ease and to learn to deal with relationships more effectively. Farmington. Contact leaders for more info; Angela Mazur, LCSW, LLC at 860-676-1193 or Theresa Nygren, LCSW at 860-409-0549 Yoga & Pranayama with Rena Geoghegan, M.A., RYT, RM, 9:30 a.m. 1 hour. $10 per person. Energy exists in all things. It is an invisible force and in yoga this force is called Prana. The practice that moves Prana through the body is called Pranayama.

Prana is absorbed primarily through the breathing process, when you breathe in air you are absorbing the Prana energy into your body. The art of breathing more deeply and effectively allows higher levels of Prana to circulate in your body. Gentle Yoga, Centering, Pranayama-breath work, Pratapana-warmup, Asana-postures, Savasana-relaxation.

For more information and to register contact Meg’s Inspirations, 860-649-9941, MegsInspirations@att. net. 38 Main Street, Manchester, CT. 06040.

RESOURCES ACUPUNCTURE Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. Dipl. NCCAOM 355 New Britain Road, Kensington, CT 06037 860) 829-0707 • www.ProNaturalPhysicians.com.

See ad on page 44.

Mayflower Acupuncture, LLC Chinese Medicine services and herbs Steve Paine, OMD, L.Ac., Ginger Harris, L.Ac. 536 Hopmeadow Street. Simsbury, CT 06070 860-413-2118 • www.mayfloweracupuncture.com Community Acupuncture at St. Francis Hospital Sliding Scale $20 - $40 (One time intake fee $10) Mon - Fri by Appt. Christopher Gaunya M.Ac., L.Ac. Center for Integrative Medicine 114 Woodland St. Hartford CT.860-714-4450 www.stfranciscare.org/ integrative.

42 Natural NaturalNutmeg Nutmeg December - December2015 2015

ALLERGY TREATMENT

HOMEOPATHY

Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND 355 New Britain Road, Kensington, CT 06037 860) 829-0707 www.ProNaturalPhysicians.com See ad on page 44.

CT Alliance to Advance Homeopathy Awareness - Education - Consultations 299 Washington Ave., Suite 18S, Hamden, CT Contact: Louise Sanchione, CCH, ND, MA, MS Email: connecticuthomeopathy@gmail.com VM: 413-320-9158 (CT Based)

COLON HYDROTHERAPY Constance Jones - Colon Hydrotherapy Center for Progressive Therapies 192 Hartford Road, Manchester, CT 06040 860.287.4558. www.cleanmycolon.com

CRANIAL OSTEOPATHY Holistic Family Medicine, Domenick J Masiello, DO Board Certified in Homeopathy, Osteopathic Manipulation and Family Practice.

Midtown Manhattan and Ridgefield, CT 212-688-4818, 203-826-3582. www.drmasiello.com See ad on page 45.

DENTISTRY Livingstone Dental Excellence Dr. Thomas Livingstone 3 Railroad St. North Canaan, CT 888-888-SMILE www.livingstonedentalexcellence.com See ad on page 26.

Dr. Steven Hinchey 2249 New London Turnpike South Glastonbury, CT. (860) 633-6518 www.dentistryfordiabetics.com/drhinchey See ad on page 25.

FINANCIAL PLANNING Conscious Capital Wealth Management, LLC Lawrence Ford 381 Hubbard St. ste. 300, Glastonbury, CT 06033 (860) 6598299 • Lford@consciouscapitalwm.com www.consciouscapitalwm.com See ad on page 45.

HEALTH FOOD STORES Parkade Health Shoppe Manchester Parkade, 378 West Middle Tpke, Manchester, CT • 860.646.8178 M-Sat 8am-9pm • Sun 9am-6pm See ad on page 5.

HOLISTIC CENTERS Integrative Wellness and Physical Therapy 35 Jerome Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (860) 519-1916 info@IntegrativeWellnessAndPT.com See ad on page 5 and 27.

Holistic Family Medicine, Domenick J Masiello, DO Board Certified in Homeopathy, Osteopathic Manipulation and Family Practice.

Midtown Manhattan and Ridgefield, CT 212-688-4818, 203-826-3582. www.drmasiello.com See ad on page 45.

HYPNOSIS Diane Bahr-Groth, C. Hy., TFT, Dir. 1177 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT. (203)595-0110 • mindbodytransformation.com See ad on page 15.

Mind Matters Hypnosis Center Lisa Zaccheo, MA, BCH, BCI Board Certified Hypnotist & Instructor 12 Waterside Court, Avon, CT 06001 (860)693-6448 • MindMatters@comcast.net www.mindmattershypnosis.com See ad on page 27.

Michele P. Rousseau, MA, CH 267 William Street, Middletown, CT 06457 860-704-9054 • mprousseau@sbcglobal.net www.micheleprousseau.com

PSYCHIATRY David London, MD 567 Vauxhall St. Ext. #218, Waterford, CT (860) 443-5822 - davidlondonmd.com

LIFE COACH Balanced Living Now Kristen Werblow, M.A., CPC 36 Chamberlain Highway, Berlin, CT 06037 (860)707-0908 • kristen@balancedlivingnow.com www.balancedlivingnow.com See ad on page 45.

MASSAGE Elisabeth Moss 12 Old Farms Rd, Avon, CT 06001 860.550.0882 www.elisabethmoss.com elisabethmossart@gmail.com

MEDITATION Odiyana Buddhist Center Meditation Classes For Everyone E.Hartford, Avon, Branford, E.Longmeadow info@odiyana.org - 860-266-6041 meditationinconnecticut.org

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

NUTRITION

CT Natural Health Specialists Dr. Lauren Young, Dr. Ashley Burkman, Dr. Tonya Pasternak and Dr Craig Fasullo 315 E. Center St., Manchester, CT 06040 (860) 533-0179 • www.ctnaturalhhealth.com See ad on page 21.

Holcare Nutrition Vicki Kobliner MS RD 3 Hollyhock Lane, Suite 2A, Wilton, CT 06897 203-834-9949 • www.holcarenutrition.com See ads on page 26.

Debra Gibson, ND 100 Danbury Road, Ste. 102 Ridgefield, CT 06877 • (203)431-4443 See ad on page 44.

Kensington Naturopathic Medical Center Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Rd, Kensington, CT (860) 829-0707 • drannaresco@comcast.net kensingtonnaturopathic.com See ad on page 44.

Naturopathic & Acupuncture Health Center Dr. Marie Mammone, Dr. Renee Mammone, NDs John Mammone, Licensed Acupuncturist 274 Silas Deane Hwy., Wethersfield, CT 06109 (860)529-1200 • www.NAHcenter.com Stacey Munro, N.D. Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic 340 Broad Street Ste.300, Windsor, CT 06095 info@natureshelpermedical.com www.natureshelpermedical.com 860-688-2275 The Wellness Institute Marvin Schweitzer, ND 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT (203) 847-2788 West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine Frank Aieta, ND 301 N. Main St., West Hartford, CT (860) 232-9662 • www.DRAIETA.com See ad on this page.

PHYSICIANS, M.D. Natural Health & Healing, LLC Deanna M. Cherrone, MD 61 S. Main St, Ste 210, West Hartford, CT (860) 677-4600 • naturalhealthandhealing.net See ad on back cover.

Optimal Health Medical, LLC Henry C. Sobo, M.D. 111 High Ridge Rd. ,Stamford, CT 06905 203-348-8805 • www.drsobo.com

PSYCHOTHERAPY Inner Change Holistic Counseling Deni Weber, MA, LPC, DCEP Weston, CT. • 203-544-6094 DeniWeber.com

SCHOOLS Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies LauraMignosa, NCCH 912 Corbin Ave, New Britain, CT 06052 (860) TCM-2705 • www.ctherbschool.com.

See ad on page 45.

The Graduate Institute Mike Hayes, Director of Admissions & Recruitment.

(203) 874-4252 • www.learn.edu See ad on page 35.

RESOURCES SKINCARE Anew You Skincare & Wellness Center Melissa Martin, 16A Ensign Drive, Avon.

(860)284-9730 • www.anewyouskincare.net Melissa@anewyouskincare.net See ad on page 21.

THERMOGRAPHY Sophia Natural Health Center 31 Old Route 7, Brookfield, CT 06804.

(203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com

WEIGHTLOSS HCG Weight Loss Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. 355 New Britain Road, Kensington, CT 06037 860) 829-0707 • www.pronaturalphysicians.com See ad on page 44.

YOGA / PILATES CENTERS Sacred Movement Yoga 10 Sims Road (Bishop’s Corner) West Hartford, Connecticut 06117 860.990.2555 • www.mysacredmovement.com.

Visit our Facebook page!

West Hartford Yoga 23 Brook Street, West Hartford, CT 06110 PH: 860.953.9642 • www.westhartfordyoga.com info@westhartfordyoga.com www.westhartfordyoga.com Offering 70 weekly classes.

ProNatural Physicians Group LLC 355 New Britain Road Kensington, CT 06037 • 860-505-0702 www.ProNaturalPhysicians.com See ad on page 44.

ProNatural Members Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Road, Kensington, CT 06037 P: 860-829-0707 • F: 860-829-0606 E: draresco@comcast.net • See ad on page 44.

Dr. Ginger Nash 260 Amity Rd. Woodbridge, CT 06525 203.777.7911 • Fax: 203.777.7796 drgingernash@gmail.com Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. Dipl. NCCAOM 355 New Britain Road, Kensington, Ct. 06037.

860) 829-0707 www.ProNaturalPhysicians.com See ad on page 44.

www.NaturalNutmeg.com 43 NaturalNutmeg.com 43

A Nutrition Center Vitamins • Herbs • Sports Nutrition • Natural Body Care • Allergen-Free Food

Since 1956

ORDER ONLINE FROM THE DOCTORS WHO KNOW SUPPLEMENTS

Shop here. Feel better. ...For Less!

20 Off %

These Vitamins Every Day

Parkade Health Brand Enzymatic Therapy Solgar •TwinLab Nature’s Way Nature’s Plus Country Life Solaray Kyolic

Our New Loyalty Card Get It FREE With This Ad!

20% Off* All Non-Sale Vitamins 10% Off* All Non-Sale Body Care 5% Off* All Non-Sale Food Rewards Points* On All Purchases * Visit store for details & purchase. One-time $5 purchase without Sept 2014 ad.

No annual renewal fee. Card does not expire. Discounts may not be combined with any other offer or every-day discounts. Points not redeemable for cash and accrue after purchaser is entered in system. We reserve the right to change this program at any time.

Visit ProNaturalPhysicians.com

We Know Supplements

Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe

378 West Middle Tpke, Manchester, CT Mon - Sat 8am - 9pm / Sun 9am - 6pm 860.646.8178 • www.cthealthshop.com Michael Dworkin, PD, CCN Available for Consultation Registered Pharmacist CT Certified Clinical Nutritionist

Natural Nutmeg Wants You! We are seeking a positive, enthusiastic, highly professional, goal-oriented marketing representative in Fairfield County, CT. The candidate will be responsible for networking, generating leads and consultative sales in the healthcare, hospitality, restaurant and retail industries.

Candidate should be able to work both independently and on a collaborative team, and be self-motivated.

Opportunities to develop marketing strategies and promotions.

If you have a willingness to actively contribute to a team environment and a passion for marketing, please send your cover letter and resume to

Dr. Diane Hayden at diane@naturalnutmeg.com 44

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

**We Accept Most Major Insurances** 355 New Britain Road • Kensington, CT 06037 • (860) 829-0707 • ProNaturalPhysicians.com

Shoreline Physical Therapy ~ Since 1985 ~

Providing evidence basedMEDICINE physical and HOLISTIC FAMILY occupational therapy for all ages.

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE

Orthopedics • Pediatrics • Hands • Sports • Balance

Neurologic • Urinary incontinence/pelvic pain Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO 141 East 55th Street New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-688-4818 B oar d (860) Cer ti fi739-4497 c ati on s: Fax: 855-798-2816 O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on 131 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme Cl assi c al Hom e opathy in Ridgefield, CT Www.ShorelinePT.com F am i l y Pr ac ti c e 203-826-3582 contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO 141 East 55th Street  angel therapy®  medical intuition  reiki Newintuitive York, readings NY 10022 development circles  certificate programs Phone:workshops 212-688-4818 B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: Fax: 855-798-2816 O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Priscilla Bengtson Cl assi c al Hom e opathy Scan with in Ridgefield, CT 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury your smart F am i l y Pr ac ti c e phone to 203-826-3582 learn more

www.healinginharmonycenter.com860.430.9801

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE 141 East 55th Street New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-688-4818 Fax: 855-798-2816

Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO

in Ridgefield, CT 203-826-3582

B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Cl assi c al Hom e opathy F am i l y Pr ac ti c e

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE 141 East 55th Street New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-688-4818 Fax: 855-798-2816

Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO

in Ridgefield, CT 203-826-3582

B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Cl assi c al Hom e opathy F am i l y Pr ac ti c e

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE

Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO

141 East 55th Street New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-688-4818 Fax: 855-798-2816 in Ridgefield, CT 203-826-3582

B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Cl assi c al Hom e opathy F am i l y Pr ac ti c e

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE Dome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO

141 East 55th Street New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-688-4818 Fax: 855-798-2816 in Ridgefield, CT 203-826-3582

B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Cl assi c al Hom e opathy F am i l y Pr ac ti c e

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE Sacred Rivers Yoga Center 28 Main StreetDome n ick J M as ie l lo , DO 141 East 55th Street Hartford, CT 06118 New York,East NY 10022 Phone: 860.657.9545 Fax: 860.657.3161 Phone: 212-688-4818 www.sacredriversyoga.com B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: Fax: 855-798-2816 Paula Scopino ~ Owner/Director O steopa thi c Mani pul ati on Cl assi c al Hom e opathy in Alliance Ridgefield,200 CT & 500 Hour Teacher Yoga F am i lTraining y Pr ac ti c e 203-826-3582 Yoga Therapy Workshops

contact@drmasiello.com

w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om

HOLISTICHunter FAMILY MEDICINE Healing Hands For Body, Mind, & Soul

141 East 55th Street

JessicaDome C. Hunter n ick J M as ie l lo , DO

New York, NY 10022Shamanic Practitioner & OM Classes Phone: 212-688-4818 Workshops Certified Reiki Master Teacher B oar d Cer ti fi c ati on s: 855-798-2816 Drum Fax: Circles Certified CrystalO Therapy steopa thiPractitioner c Mani pul ati on Reiki Shares Empath Intuitive, Shamanic Medium Cl assi c al Hom e opathy in Ridgefield, CT F am i l y Pr ac ti c e Spiritual Teacher 203-826-3582 Private Healing 203-916-8381 w w w . dr m asi el l o. c om contact@drmasiello.com Sessions by www.hunterhealinghands.com Appointment hunterhealinghands@hotmail.com

www.NaturalNutmeg.com

HOLISTIC FAMILY MEDICINE

45

BERNIE

By Bernie Siegel, MD

The Advantages of Amnesia

I

n this issue I would like to reveal to you the advantages of footsteps and amnesia. Let me begin with footsteps. I am sure most of you are aware of the story about the man who walked with God and there were, therefore, always two sets of footprints. At a time of great difficulty the man noticed only one set of footprints and complained to God that He was not there when he needed Him most, God replied, “I was carrying you during the difficult times and that is why there was only one set of footprints.”

On a personal level I have learned much from footprints. One of my stranger habits is to enjoy jogging through cemeteries. I like to read the wisdom of the words on some stones and also notice the egotistical craziness of some people’s last words. What would you share with the world with your last breath and what words do you want on your headstone?

Well to get back to the point. One day after a big snowstorm I was jogging through the deep snow and really struggling to make my way. I realized how much of a struggle it was to have to make your own way with no plowed path or footsteps to follow. The next day it was much easier. The snow was still soft and my footprints were easy to follow. Five days later the snow had frozen and the rigid ice made it dangerous for me to try and fit into the old footprints. I had to create a new path or risk breaking my ankles.

For many, Dr. Bernard Siegel-or Bernie, as he prefers to becalledneeds no introduction. He has touched many lives all overthe Planet. In 1978, he reached a national and then international audience when he began talking about patient empowerment and the choice to live fully and die in peace. As a physician who has cared for and counseled innumerable people whose mortality has been threatened by illness, Bernie embraces a philosophy of living and dying that stands at the forefront of the medical ethics and spiritual issues our Society grapples with today. Read Bernie’s regular blog posts on his website where you will also find his books, articles, and CDs: http://www.berniesiegelmd.com.

Bernie currently holds a cancer support group the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of the month 6:30 to 8:30PM at Coachman’s Square at 21 Bradley Road, Woodbridge. If interested contact Lucille Ranciato: lranciato2@yahoo.com 203 288 2839; or Bernie: bugsyssiegel@sbcglobal.net.

You can find Bernie’s books ad CDs at Wisdom of the Ages in Simsbury, Ct. See ad on this page.

What I learned from all this is that at different times in my life I must make different choices. At times it is all right to be carried, at other times following in the footsteps of others is appropriate, at others to make your own way and at times it is proper to leave the old ways and start a fresh path. Your way is found by what feels right for you and not by looking for the easy way.

You must remember that if you constantly follow in the steps of others you will lose your way and life. Remember their way can at times endanger you and be the wrong way. So find your way and let them go theirs. True natives can be your guide when they have shared the same experience but be wise in choosing your guides and do not follow those who are not true guides and teachers but dictate their way to you. Follow their way and you will be lost forever..

46

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015

1414

Tues., Wed., Fri. 10-6, Thurs. 10-7, and Sat. 10-5

WHY AN ORGANIC MATTRESS IS RIGHT FOR YOU

While we sleep, our immune system recovers and prepares for the day ahead. If your mattress is filled with airborne allergens and chemical toxins, your immune system will battle these rather than

repair itself. Regular bedding & mattresses are laden with polyurethane foam, toxic flame retardants, and water or stain resistant chemicals.

When we found out what was in our mattress, my husband said, ‘Every mother in the world should know what they are putting their child on at night.’ That was 2004, and the Clean Bedroom was born.

—Chris Chamberlin, Co-founder

FIND A HUGE SELECTION OF THE BEST ORGANIC MATTRESSES IN THE WORLD OMI

Savvy Rest

Oyasumi

WHY YOU SHOULD PURCHASE YOUR ORGANIC MATTRESS FROM THE CLEAN BEDROOM We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We research every brand we carry, testing the mattresses and bedding to be sure they meet our rigorous standards for purity and construction. Our extensive product knowledge helps you select the mattress and bedding that is right for you. Our prices are fair. We listen. We recommend. You decide.

Royal-Pedic

Green Sleep

TheCleanBedroom The Finest Organic Mattresses & Bedding in TM

the World, all in one place

Manhattan at 230 5th Ave | 212.889.1091 Brooklyn at 145 Montague St | 718.237.1092 Greenwich at 79 East Putnam Ave | 203.292.9275 www.thecleanbedroom.com www.NaturalNutmeg.com

47

Deanna Cherrone, M.D.

Internal Medicine Functional Medicine practitioner

“Do you believe you should feel better than you do?”

I help restore balance so that you can look, feel and function your best.

Areas of Focus: • Adrenal Fatigue • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy • Bone Loss • Detoxification • Food Sensitivities • Heavy Metal Testing & Oral Chelation • Leaky gut • Menopause & Andropause • Mind Body Medicine

Many of my patients are simply looking for someone who will listen.

Functional Medicine explores the root cause symptoms: Fatigue • Brain Fog • Sugar Cravings • Headaches • Depression • Stress & Anxiety • Decreased Libido • Aches & Pains • Decreased Stamina • Constipation • Allergies • Inability to Lose Weight • Insomnia Dr. Cherrone, founder of Natural Health & Healing, provides Functional Medicine with emphasis on patient education and self care for optimal health.

CALL DR. CHERRONE TODAY AT (860) 677-4600

• Neurotransmitter Testing • Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling • Thyroid • Weight Loss

61 S. Main St., West Hartford, CT • www.naturalhealthandhealing.net

48

Natural Nutmeg - December 2015