Natural Nutmeg July 2011

Natural Nutmeg Connecticut's Resource For Living Naturally

July 2011

Everybody Needs a Body Sometime Bernie Siegel, MD

Autoimmune Disease and Naturopathic Treatment Ann Aresco, ND

Giving the Gift of Story: Spoken Treasures for the Family Robin Moore

Can Love Survive Commitment?

Lori Carpenos, M.Ed., LMFT

Eco-Luxury Travel in Napa Valley: The Inn on First Diane Hindman, PhD

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Glastonbury 140 Glastonbury Blvd The Shoppes at Somerset Square (860) 633-1111

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South Windsor 90 Buckland Rd Evergreen Run by Verizon (860) 644-5800

West Hartford 333 North Main Street (Bishops Corner next to Marshalls) (860)233-8890

Save the Date!

Natural Nutmeg Magazine’s

“Empowering Me...Naturally” Wellness Conference November 11th & 12th, 2011

Connecticut Convention Center • Hartford, CT Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Joan Borysenko

Presented by

Natural Nutmeg Magazine Sponsored by

• A distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine and world renowed expert in mind/body connection •New York Times best seller, Minding the Body, Mending the Mind •Coauthor of the Public Television special Inner Peace for Busy People

Workshops on Natural Medicine, Spirituality, Green Living and Personal Development Exhibit Hall • Fitness and Cooking Demos For more information go to www.naturalnutmeg.com

Call Today for information regarding sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, (860) 206-9500 or visit www.naturalnutmeg.com NaturalNutmeg.com

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In this Issue

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Autoimmune Disease and Naturopathic Treatment Ann Aresco, ND 11

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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 good health.

Can Love Survive Commitment?

Lori Carpenos, M.Ed., LMFT 14 Your Behavior Can Affect Your Body Erika Cappelluti, M.D., Ph.D. 20

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

Eco-Luxury Travel in Napa Valley: The Inn on First Dr. Diane Hindman, PhD. 32

ADVERTISING SALES Dr. Diane Hindman advertising@naturalnutmeg.com

Giving the Gift of Story: Spoken Treasures for the Family Robin Moore 38

Aimee Chandler aimee@naturalnutmeg.com

ADVISORY BOARD

Departments

Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. • Desmond Ebanks, M.D. Henry Sobo, MD • Ann Aresco, N.D. • Debra Gibson, ND Richard Duenas, D.C. • C. Evers Whyte, DC, DACBN David Johnston, DO • Tom Moorcroft, D.O. Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, LAc, CCH

News&Notes 8 Prescription for Living 10 Supplements 101 24 Healthy Self 27 Doctor’s Notes 28 Healthy Cooking 29 Calendar 40 Resources 42

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PUBLISHERS Dr. Diane Hindman Chris Hindman Publisher@naturalnutmeg.com

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P.O. Box 447, Avon, CT 06001 Ph. (860)206-9500 • Fax (860)263-8505 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. If you would like to receive Natural Nutmeg at your place of business please call (860) 206-9500 or email to publisher@naturalnutmeg.com. © 2007-11 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 articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your feedback.

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The Nutrition Experts Vitamins • Herbs • Sports Nutrition • Natural Body Care • Allergen-Free Foods

Guiding You Since 1956

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end many of my articles with the saying, “Isn’t it all about what we learn on the journey than what’s at the end of the road? But many of us are so busy frantically trying to get to the end of the road or “there”, that we totally miss the journey. What I’ve come to realize, and then sometimes forget, is that there is no “there”. It doesn’t exist. Because when you finally get “there” in one area of your life, you’ll just create a new “there” that is farther out of reach then the original “there”. It’s what we do.

Enjoying the journey is a hard thing to do for many people. We’re so consumed with figuring out how we’re going to get there, what is it going to take, how much is it going to cost, how much money we’ll make, when is it going to happen?

How can you possibly enjoy the process with all of these things to think and worry about? The key is allowing stillness and meditation into your life. When you quiet the mind, you are able to see the beauty in the process of where you have been, where you are now and where you are going. You may even be able to see that you have made tremendous progress towards a goal or a dream that previously was hidden to you because you were so caught up in the day to day minutia of getting there. This is when it becomes critical for you to stop and smell the flowers, so to speak. If you are not able to see the progress, you will become frustrated and critical of yourself for not accomplishing your goal fast enough. Taking the time to meditate and be quiet will allow you to see the bigger picture and feel good about how far you have come.

For me, a great experience was taking a three day silent retreat.

Not only did it help to ground me and open me up to new possibilities and visions for my life, but it created the space for me to really examine how far I had come in the last few years. I was able to acknowledge my accomplishments and I felt really good about where I was on the journey. The clarity and insight that I received after all the distractions fell away was priceless. Don’t wait until most of your life has passed by to start enjoying the journey. It’s all part of the grand scheme of why we each are here in this lifetime.

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news & notes Author To Teach Conscious Communication, & The Secrets Of Happiness, In Ellington

C

ary Bayer, a New York- and south Florida-based life coach who’s worked with Oscar winner Alan Arkin, David Steinberg, and Quality Inns, will come to Ellington to help people communicate more consciously and effectively, and to offer a 40-day program for finding happiness.

The workshop leader will offer his “Conscious Communication” class on Saturday July 23rd from 11 AM—1 PM, at Spirit Matters, at 19 Pinney St., and follow that with “40 Days to a Happy Life,” the title of his most recent book, from 2—4:30 PM, at the holistic center.

The cost for each class is $20, when paid by July 16, and $30 after.

A nationally known seminar leader, Bayer will draw from his books, Relationships 101 and Communications Breakthroughs, to teach vital techniques that show how to speak and listen effectively.

He shows how to safely tell the truth quickly and kindly, and to stop withholding communications that we really need to make. The workshop also offers regular exercises that enable you to get closer to the important people in your personal life, as well as to colleagues at work.

For more information go to www.spiritmattersct.com.

Bee Well Therapy, Inc. Alan Lorenzo Traveling Bee Venom Therapist AAS Member/CMAC – Educated S E RV I N G N O RT H A M E R I C A

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Still Waters Offers Open House to Group Leaders

S

till Waters, an emerging retreat center, is hosting an open house on Saturday, July 9 at 11:30 am to conduct tours and discuss opportunities for group leaders who may want to rent the facilities for their own workshops and retreats. Lunch will be served and RSVP is required.

Still Waters is an emerging retreat center nestled among 100 acres of pine forest and a private-10-acre pond. Comfortable, rustic lodging includes a two-bedroom, furnished cottage with full kitchen (sleeps four), Guest House (sleeps 10) and 1200-sq.ft. Art & Yoga Studio. Still Waters is smoke-free, alcohol-free and media free, providing a comfortable and local escape from hectic, modern living for leaders, groups and families.

Originally founded in 1968 by the LaBossiere family, Still Waters began its new chapter in 2010 with Tao LaBossiere and Amy Mielke as the visionaries for this conscious retreat center. Cottage One was restored last year, and the Guest House and Art & Yoga Studio were restored this Spring. This summer, three cottages and a sauna are under renovation. Every dollar earned goes back into the property for continued restoration initiatives.

“We are so excited to present this beautiful space for experienced professionals,” Mielke said, “and to foster the evolution of humanity by holding space for retreats that promote healing and creativity.”

Tao LaBossiere is a multi-disciplined, award-winning artist, specializing in murals, custom wall finishes, illustration and sculpture.

Tao was educated at Hartford Art School and is the owner of Fine Art Painting, LLC, a greater Hartford company since 1992. He has been the volunteer director of the Hartford ArtSpace Gallery since 1998.

Tao grew up at Still Waters where his family hosted guests from Boston and New York City.

Amy Mielke is an award-winning outsider artist and strategic marketing consultant. She holds a BFA in Communication Arts with a specialization in public relations and a Master of Arts in Conscious Evolution. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Holistic Health Coaching.

For more information about Still Waters, visit stillwaterspond.com.

To RSVP for the Open House or to arrange a private tour, please call Amy at 860-543-3244, or email info@stillwaterspond.com. See ad on page 18.

Unity Center For Pracitical Spirituality

Our mission is to continually discover, demonstrate, and educate that our source of Good is God within.

Our Ongoing Events Thought Exchange, Mon at 7 pm-July 11th A Course in Miracles, Mon & Wed at 10 am A Course in Miracles, Tues at 7 pm

Celebration Service Sundays at 10:30 am Childcare Provided

Monthly Events Reiki Healing Circle, last Thu at 7 pm Metaphysical Movie Night, 2nd Fri at 7 pm Music, Meditation & (possibly) Mayhem, Fri, July 15th at 7 pm

Morning Meditation Sundays at 10:00 am

For more information and Special Events at Unity, please visit us on the web!

Rev. Shawn Moninger

3 Main St, Norwalk, CT 06851 (over the Ford dealership) unitycenterps.org (203) 855-7922

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prescription for living

by Bernie Siegel, MD

Everybody Needs A Body Sometime

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id you ever stop to ask why we are given bodies in the first place? They don’t last forever, tire easily, need sleep, cause much grief and pain, malfunction, never look good enough, cost a lot to keep in shape, clothe, and treat its diseases, need to be fed constantly and emptied periodically. Oh yes, I know they provide work for massage therapists and other professions and moments of physical and psychological highs but is it really all worth it?

I was listening to a tape which referred to the body as a lunch box for the mind. Maybe that’s where the answer is. Perhaps we were given bodies to carry our consciousness and since technology improves with time we receive models that need replacing just as we do our cars and other appliances. Some of us restore and maintain our bodies and keep them for longer times and others go through a rapid turnover rate. That’s an individual decision. I personally like working with the same model for the long haul. I know where all the controls are and how to steer it in the right direction. I also have a chance to retain what I learn and move up in the grades of consciousness if I stick with one body for a longer time. I can work towards maturity and when I turn it in, be a great deal wiser about my next model choice.

My sense is that the body is temporary in order to give us the opportunity to be reborn. Rebirth presents one with a new life and a wide open road that one can choose to travel. If you are wise and choose the correct path then you will very likely maintain the vehicle you are traveling in and enjoy the open highway of life laid out before you. If on the other hand you have not learned the purpose of life and find no sense of meaning you can leave and give it another try.

I listen, every day, to people who are bitter, miserable, complaining and blaming others for the problems they are experiencing.

I am amazed at the number of people who keep failing in order to prove their parents did a poor job raising them. I’ve given up blaming and accept responsibility for my life and feelings. I don’t give away my power to others.

Use your body and accept that things will occur but they don’t have to control your thoughts and create disorder in your life. You

Train your mind.

Open your heart.

Change the world.

All faith traditions welcomed meditation study yoga daeyensa.blogspot.com 860-459-6255 10

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can give up control, which you never had anyway, and still maintain order. So let your body be your teacher and just as a newborn child comes into the world an empty vessel so let each day begin anew with you an empty vessel ready to receive the gift of life and serve to be a creator.

I am reminded of a story which relates to the afflictions we experience. Suppose you are an empty vessel which is used every day, during a time of drought, to carry water from the well to your home.

In this case there are two vessels used every morning. The problem is one has a crack in it which leaks water on the way back from the well so it is not full by the time you get home. You are constantly complaining about the crack and the leak.

One day in the midst of your whining a family member takes you outside and says, “Look at the path. One side is covered with flowers and the other is bare. If the vessel hadn’t leaked water we would never have had those beautiful flowers to look at every day.”

So let it be in your life. Some of us need the darkness to appreciate the light. I find just being aware of the darkness in the lives of others helps me to find the light. Always remember you are a work in progress and keep being reborn. So keep restoring and rebirthing your body. Think of the wisdom of the body, despite all its problems.

I love asking medical students how a wound heals and continually focusing on what intelligence starts the process going. How does a body know what to do? I keep probing until the students say, “I don’t know.” Then we really begin to discuss the wisdom of nature and the inherent ability of this lunch box we are given. Open the lid and you’ll find an incredible selection of items to choose from that will nourish you for a lifetime and work at the repair process as long as you care for it and give it live messages.

I might add that consciousness affects machines too. To quote a quantum physicist. Desire alters the physical world. Thus causing things to occur which would not normally occur if they were not desired. So don’t get into your car in a negative, destructive mood wishing you had a new car or it will teach you to be grateful the hard way.

Bernie holds a support group in Simsbury at Wisdom of the Ages the first Wednesday of each month from 7-9pm. Wisdom of the Ages, a special place to nurture your spiritual side. It's filled with items to calm the mind, heal the body & empower your spirit. They also provide massages & monthly meditation classes. Wisdom of the Ages is owned by Bernie's son & daughter- in-law, Keith & Jane Siegel. Located at 1408 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury.

Please call for info or to register for Bernie's group. (860) 651-1172, www. wisdomoftheages.biz, berniesiegelmd.com. See ad on 28.

Bernie also runs a Woodbridge Support Group which meets the Second and Fourth Tuesday evenings of each month at Coachman's Square, Bradley Road, Woodbridge, CT. Contact: Lucille Ranciato at 203-288-2839 or email her at lranciato@yahoo.com.

Autoimmune Disease and Naturopathic Treatment

By Ann Aresco, ND

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t was not very long ago that I became interested in Naturopathic Medicine. I always thought if I was ever to become a Naturopathic Physician I would strive to have a specialty in autoimmune disease and allergies. Autoimmune diseases were interesting to me particularly because my sister-in-law was suffering from Scleroderma and her health began to improve greatly after seeking Naturopathic Medicine in California, where she was living. She had been diagnosed when she was in her early twenties and told by MD’s, that she only had a few years to live before this disease would inevitably lead to her demise. The drug treatments began immediately, but she reacted negatively to everything she was given.

She tossed all the pharmaceutical meds into the trash and sought help from a Naturopathic Physician, who began by placing her on a restricted diet. Although I didn’t know her at that time, I’m sure she thought she could NEVER eat the way he was telling her to. It was a radical diet stripped of all dairy, wheat, and sugar; while avoiding all nightshade vegetables (potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes). As her skin continued to show signs of advancing disease she gave up all these foods, exercised as often as she could, and vowed to use only the remedies the ND suggested unless she had a dire need for standard medicine assistance.

Her friends and family were nervous that she was seeking treatment from some natural doctor and not getting all her medicine from the socially respected MDs. They must not have known very much about natural medicine and been under the assumption that she was taking a big risk with her disease management. She had her ups and downs, but taking care of her own health was a constant job she never gave up on, and more importantly never stopped learning about. Once I was in medical school she began calling me for my advice, as well as checking with her own ND. Between the two of us she would decide what was going to work best for her and followed through with it, acting as the manager of her own healthcare.

Because of our advice, she lived for more than twenty years beyond the prediction of the MDs. She learned how to handle the ups and downs with mostly natural remedies until she ran into a situation in which she needed standard medical help. After a year of having to rely on the medicine she had shunned more than twenty years previous, she passed. I have held the same opinion all these years that she made the right choice in dealing with natural medicine. Although she did need the standard medicine at one time or another, the MDs working with her were not open to discussing options that might have been best for her healthcare. In the end it was the NDs who had preventatively helped keep her healthy for so many years.

Had she been able to discuss alternative methods earlier, I believe she would still be with us. Hopefully the day of compromise between these two medicines is now closer than ever to becoming a reality for other patients who suffer from autoimmune conditions. MDs are becoming increasingly aware that the Naturopathic Physicians practice traditional medicine with a number of modalities and philosophies that are different than their own pharmaceutically based training. NDs recognize the need for pharmaceuticals, but only use them as a last resort, followed by the goal to determine when the drugs are no longer needed. This, of course, requires the commitment and cooperation of all involved.

The lessons from this case that helped drive me into naturopathic medicine, I now see repeated over and over when treating autoimmune conditions. It isn’t necessarily which medicine the patient takes for the condition, but more importantly, it is what they do or don’t do with their lifestyle changes and managing their own health care choices. Patients should always try to make their own decisions and seek treatments that work for them. If they don’t find the answers they desire with a practitioner, they should keep looking. There is an old saying that I have heard, possibly of Buddhist origin, which states something to the effect of “no one person, doctrine or religion has the monopoly on knowledge.” Patients with autoimmune conditions should keep this in mind as they begin the search and education for wellness.

Diet No matter what anyone else has told autoimmune patients they should know that the food they ingest has a huge effect on their condition. It is logical sense that the human body requires the ability to assimilate all the nutrients possible to function. A frequent response I hear when I explain this to a patient is, ‘I have been eating this way all my life so how could food be the issue?’ Think about this statement. If food is even part of the issue and the patient has been eating the same way their entire life then couldn’t this have been causing the damage that has lead to a bigger health problem? The human body is amazing in what it can do given the correct tools to heal. It is also unbelievable just how much abuse it will take before breaking down and creating a condition that is going to be more difficult to repair. With any chronic condition the patient will improve by eating naturally and eliminating foods that do not help and can even be causing more issues. The first two foods to be eliminated are inevitably dairy and wheat. In case you haven’t read any labels on food items, just about every processed food has wheat in it. To help NaturalNutmeg.com

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you avoid having to go through the process of reading tons of labels, the easiest way to know which foods to eat is to stay with plant based foods. No label, no guessing, only eat whole foods. Some may be concerned that elimination of dairy will cause a calcium deficiency. Look at all the whole foods that contain calcium and take into account all the cultures around the world that don’t consume nearly the amount of dairy Americans consume. Then think about how much dairy probably has to do with healthy bones and teeth. If there is still worry about calcium requirements, take a supplement.

Other foods that should be excluded are sugar and red meat. There is also a group of vegetables called the nightshades, which are considered highly inflammatory, and should be avoided. These include peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Arthritis patients seem to have the most problems with the nightshades.

Food Sensitivity Test Food sensitivity tests are available to help patients determine which other foods might be creating issues. These differ from food allergy tests, which are used to determine anaphylactic type reactions, because these sensitivity tests are used to show what are called ‘delayed reactions’. Delayed reactions to foods are difficult to track, because eating some kind of food one day, without reaction for several days afterward, creates an obscure correlation. It doesn’t make sense for these two to be related, but they can be.

The only way to truly determine if it is a certain food causing the problem is to eliminate that food for at least two weeks or prefer-

ably longer. A long term condition will not clear in two weeks of avoiding the possibly offensive food, but the patient will likely feel much better. That result is better than any test result.

The reason I stress the importance of food is mainly due to the fact that anyone can get started today to make significant changes in their health without going to the doctor, looking up the research, waiting for test results, or waiting for further research.

Having a completely healthy diet will make all the difference in how the patient feels as well as how the body handles the condition.

If a patient can’t handle the diet changes on their own, they need to seek someone who can guide them responsibly. This is a very important part of anyone’s healthcare regardless of what other treatment options they choose.

Supplements and Other Treatments When working with autoimmune patients it is important to remember that supplements, botanicals, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, and the physical medicine selected for treatment of each patient are each dependent on the patient and their symptoms. The modalities used by each practitioner can be very different as well.

What this means is that there are many options to look into when treating these conditions. Recent research on Vitamin D, DHEA, Omega fatty acids, and many others are available for treatment protocols. Again, the individual is the key component in which treatment protocol should be used.

Part of the plan needs to include what the individual is able or not able to do. For

example, if a patient is not able to make dietary changes to help with control of the condition, then there is likely a need for more nutritional supplements and protein fortified drinks. This will differ from a patient who can handle a nutrient rich diet, likes to juice their own fruits and vegetables, and eats only organic foods without exception. Using other remedies usually requires professional direction. There are so many options for patients that they should work with someone who can narrow it down to what works best for the individual. Otherwise, gaining their health could end up costing much more money and time for the patient, if they were to actually try each thing they read about to see if it works.

After all, research can determine if a treatment or therapy will work for some patients but it won’t be universal for all patients, even with the same condition.

Research also does not include the individual factor. DHEA may show promise for treatment but what about the patient whose DHEA is already too high? There is also the risk of having interactions with pharmaceuticals. Even when patients are working with both MDs and NDs they should be aware of which drugs could interact negatively with other remedies they are taking. Doctors see many patients every day and will not remember everything each individual patient is on. It is important for the patient to pay attention to what they are putting in their body. Many patients come into my office on pharmaceuticals and I always ask if they know why they are taking each prescription.

Many times, they don’t know what all the prescriptions are for.

Treat the causes not just the symptoms.

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Digestion is almost always an issue with autoimmune patients and needs to be addressed right away. If the patient can’t process and assimilate nutrients from food or supplements then getting any remedies into the system is going to take much longer. Systemic treatment takes a systemic approach.

Making the system work in the patients favor instead of against them is one key to the success of treating autoimmune patients.

Ruling out other conditions such as Lyme disease is also important. This has become a fairly consistent test for autoimmune patients recently. When I first began my practice I was ordering Lyme tests for these patients.

Now, more often than not, the patient comes in with Lyme test results that were done early on, usually before the diagnosis of an autoimmune condition was made.

Always considering the mind-body connection, NDs will want to know about the patient’s emotional well-being and stress levels, past and present. Often a trigger can be found in these areas. Helping the patient to understand the significance of these types of triggers and determining how to resolve them is another step in the direction of better health.

The complex nature of the autoimmune conditions usually requires more than one practitioner to assist these patients in being well. Working with doctors who appreciate the needs of patients who are seeking more than one modality at a time can be an essential part of treatment. I advise patients to tell their MDs that they are seeking other treatment options that the MD may not be familiar with. Hopefully, we can all work together to get a protocol that works for the patient. The patient, who is discouraged by the MD when told that there are other specialists involved in treatments, is the patient who will not share essential information with that doctor. This is not the best scenario for the patients or doctors. Appreciating the needs of the patient and what each practitioner brings to the case is the optimal plan that will benefit the patient.

If you are interested in finding a Naturopathic Physician to help you with any health issues you can contact ProNatural Physicians Group LLC at 860-505-0702 or email us at drannaresco@comcast.net. Also if you are interested in locating an MD who will work with you and your Naturopathic Physician call us.

Dr. Ann Aresco is a Naturopathic Physician practicing at Kensington Naturopathic Medical Center, 355 New Britain Rd., Kensington, CT 06037. She can be reached at 860-8290707 or email drannaresco@comcast.net.

See ad on page 26.

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Can Love Survive Commitment?

By Lori Carpenos, M.Ed., LMFT

Y

es, love CAN survive commitment and in the right environment continue to grow and flourish throughout our life span. Isn’t that just such good news, especially right now when the divorce rate continues to skyrocket in spite of the fact that many who divorce actually remarry one another again?

Just as plants, vegetables, and fruit, flower, blossom and bloom in fertile ground, human relationships can do the same, when the environment is healthy. Gardens can act as a wonderful metaphor, to convey what I have learned about relating to others. Once I understood how to work with my internal garden of thought, I found my life becoming progressively better and better. All around us, we observe the natural world and its many amazing mysteries. As children, we are shown that seeds grow to maturity and become the nourishment that we put on our plates. This can astonish both children and adults. Why some relationships work out, and others do not, may also pique our curiosity.

The tiny acorn becomes a huge oak tree. How is that possible? We can’t see the principles behind this, yet we know they ex-

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ist because we bear witness to the process: plant a seed, water it, and watch it grow. We also bear witness to the outcome: our seed becomes a daffodil, an eggplant, a redwood tree. Through observation over time, people learned to work in harmony with these invisible principles of nature. We came to understand that seeds wither and die if they do not receive water. We became aware that if we don’t protect this magnificent growth, it could be eaten, trampled upon or dehydrate from neglect. So we water and pay attention to how much water is the right amount. Too much will drown it and not enough will dry it out. We learned from our elders, passed our knowledge to the next generation, and thus over the years, the cultivation of crops and plants developed into the sciences of agriculture and horticulture.

There are principles behind how we live our lives, as well. Gaining a deeper understanding of three simple principles can open new vistas of harmony for your relationships.

The principles of which I speak, have been referred to as Divine Mind, Thought, and Consciousness, because they are spiritual principles that point us back inside ourselves, to a place before thought is even

formed. I know that sounds like a conundrum because we have to use our ability to think in order to contemplate that. Yet we recognize that there is something before thought, because we know that the majestic mountain we just saw existed before we were even born and it will continue to exist even when we’ve stopped thinking about it.

We know there is more to life than our personal experience of it. We can observe this phenomenon in young children who seem closer to the spiritual aspect of life because they are not burdened by the accumulation of ideas that adults believe to be true.

We watch children have their differences with one another and then suddenly drop them and move on quickly. We see their resilience, their ability to be happy and laugh again for no apparent reason and without holding a grudge.

So what happens to us as we grow up? Just as the garden may be mistreated, we too can get trampled, hurt, neglected, even abandoned, and ultimately perhaps, take on the message that we’re not good enough. The result is that we retract, we become suspicious of others’ intentions, and we may even learn to fight back in order to defend and protect ourselves. The principles show us that all of these events can only be experienced when they are on our mind. Recognizing the temporary nature of thought allows us to feel some relief as we come to know that we won’t be plagued by it forever. We also have access to a healthy thought process and common sense when we’re calm and clear-headed. If we are simply willing to take a moment or two, that sense will tell us how to handle a situation if someone tries to hurt us. Though we cannot always get someone to do something differently, we might begin to see it differently and then the way we respond to it can change.

This then leads to a shift in our experience of it.

Children have more direct access to these capacities because they have not learned how to live in the world of thought yet. We adults have learned all too well.

We’ve learned to think our way into or out of anything and everything. Some of that has served us and some has not. When we use our ability to think in matters of the heart, we are going in the wrong direction, where dissatisfaction and problems inevitably occur. Our personal thoughts come from ego and intellect, where we compare, contrast, analyze, and judge. None of these skill sets is useful for relationships.

They are useful in calculating our taxes, deciding what to wear, and figuring out the quickest way to the airport. The very same skills will create resentment, anger, and hurt when it comes to relating to one another.

Going to our essence; a place that is closer to pure consciousness, before the formation of thought, feels wonderful. In that space it is easy to feel love and from that feeling pours loving-kindness, understanding, compassion, good will and discernment; the characteristics everyone wants and everyone deserves, rather than judgment, which everyone shrinks from and would prefer to avoid.

When people take the time to understand the principles powering the human experience, exceptional things begin to happen. Life experiences become less mysterious, yet more magnificent. Through an investigation of how mind, thought and consciousness play out, we realize that we can bring out the best or the worst in one another and ourselves. We have the choice.

I just heard from a couple who selfreported that they went from overreacting about 50 percent of the time to just 10 percent of the time. As they look further within, that 10 percent will decrease. They did not use a technique to modify their behavior. It was simply the natural outcome of understanding how mind, thought and consciousness work in tandem to make thoughts appear to be absolute truth. Thoughts are not truth, they are personal illusions. When we don’t take our experiences so seriously as though we have no choice, we tend to lighten up and wait for a nicer, kinder, feeling to come forth. Then we know we can trust what we’re thinking (even though that’s also an illusion, it’s one that won’t cause unnecessary pain!)

I CAN HELP YOU HEAL SPECIAL ATTENTION to chronic and difficult cases including those with “PESS” (physio-emotional spiritual stress)* *See article in November 2010 issue at naturalnutmeg.com Dr. Francis X. Tortora Chiropractor, Board Certified Craniopath 22 Fifth St., Ste. 208, Stamford, Ct. 06905 (203) 348-0678 • www.chirodirectory.com

Lori Carpenos, M.Ed., LMFT. Edited by Jyll Kashmann. Further information can now be heard from people around the globe who have found out for themselves: www.threeprinciplesmovies.com. For more information on local dissemination of the principles, go to www.3principlestherapy.com. See ad on page 25.

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15

Walking - It’s Not Only For Exercise

By Francis Tortora, DC

T

he benefits of walking are well known by most people as a first rate exercise, but walking is also especially good for the little known and understood involuntary movement of the craniosacral mechanism with which we all are endowed with as human beings. Specifically, this involves the two ends of the spine to which are attached at the top end, the base bone of the skull, called the occiput. The other at the bottom end, commonly known as the tail bone area or to be more exact, the sacrum and coccyx bones.

In order to understand the significance of this mechanism, one must grasp the idea that everything in our bodies has motion.

We move and it (our cells, tissues and organs from the least to the greatest of parts) move or has motion. We can’t always see it, because it is a small or micro movement (called motility), but it is taking place all the time and it is an involuntary action. The skull and sacral movement is quite unique, in that it is found to be reciprocal in action, i.e., one bone moving before or after the other.

Now, you may ask, if it is involuntary, why even be concerned? Even this involuntary micro movement can get stalled or interfered with. Let’s look at how this is suggested to occur.

Firstly, the skull and spine (include sacrum and coccyx) are linked, not only bone to bone but by a dura - outer most layer of the meninges. This is the covering of your spinal cord. Your spinal cord which is an extension of your brain and which passes through each spinal bone down to about the

level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra (upper lumbar spine or upper part of the lower back) is covered by the dura. The spinal cord as it sits in your spine is loosely attached in the back and strongly attached in the front as well as being firmly attached to the skull base bone (occiput) and the sacrum. Again, let’s make it more interesting. Keeping in mind the aforementioned, add some fluid that is going to circulate through your brain and spinal cord, namely, cerebrospinal fluid.

This is a fluctuating fluid which is produced in the brain and distributed throughout your brain and spinal cord moving up and down in your brain and spinal cord. It provides mechanical support of the brain and protects it by its abundancy. It also controls your brains excitability, so you may say it has some “power”. Research confirms walking

increases the connectivity between your brain circuits, and as we age, it becomes ever so more important in our activities of daily living.

Remembering that this cerebrospinal fluid is a fluctuating fluid moving up and down, rocking each spinal vertebra ever so slightly, and also rocking the sacrum and base-bone of the skull, but in a reciprocal fashion. What is important for you to consider, is that the movement of the spinal cord and this fluctuation of cerebrospinal fluid is said to be restricted when there is physical/mechanical loss or structural stress and even emotional or chemical stress to your nervous system. Obviously, this micro movement or motility cannot be seen unless in a clinical lab setting, but it can be felt by persons trained to evaluate the function of the cranio-sacral mechanism. If nothing is done to normalize the function of this mechanism, when there is interference to its function, your brain and spinal cord circulation is suggested to be affected at some level.

Spasm of your neck and spine musculature, some limited mobility, pain and temperature changes may be the first indication. Sinus and lymphatic drainage in parts of the head, face and spinal system may be affected as well. So, any interference with the normal function of the craniosacral spinal system is also an interference with your nervous system function.

Walking, which promotes the torsional movement of the body and spine well, will most certainly affect the general circulation, drainage, and motility of your craniosacral spinal system which affects most importantly, normal nervous system function. Craniosacral therapy today is used to enhance nervous system function in the very young up through and including old age, because of its very gentle, tactile therapeutic nature.

It is an effective release therapy of neuromuscular tension, vertebral spinal subluxation/fixations, and lymphatic blockages in the head, face and spinal systems, thereby, affecting other body systems qualitatively.

Something to think about!

Submitted by Francis X. Tortora, D.C., D.I.C.S. See ad on page 15.

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17

Break Through to the Next Level with EMDR

By Michael Westfall, LCSW

E

motional baggage: we all carry it around with us. We think of it as our negative, neurotic thoughts that rear up and try to block our way or swipe at our feet to trip us up. Truth is, this baggage is the sum of our experiences. As we go through our lives we collect attitudes and beliefs about ourselves and the world. Some people are better at sorting out hot buttons and trigger points. Many manage very well going through the day with little interference from their baggage. Sometimes we are confronted with something that just rubs us the wrong way. Those times may be easy to avoid or smile our way through, or they can be painful and leave us unable to handle the situation. Thankfully, we live most of our lives someplace in between these two extremes. We may turn to therapy when we don’t know what is pushing our hot buttons or don’t have the necessary skills to manage them being pushed. We may be wary of counseling because we fear it would reflect poorly to be soliciting input on our everyday challenges. The very thought of finding a therapist can be intimidating, with the different approaches and credentials of the therapists.

However, approaches that are geared toward short-term solutions can be very effective in

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helping us push beyond the challenges to find ourselves in a fresher and more productive place.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an exciting form of treatment being applied to an increasingly broad range of complaints. The name itself sounds complicated and perhaps a bit off-putting. But in practice, EMDR is a direct, effective way to tap into the brain’s natural tendency for healing. Since its development in the early 1980s by Francine Shapiro, it has been studied extensively. EMDR has proven effective for post-traumatic stress disorder, where it was originally employed, and is used to treat an ever-expanding list of challenges, notably anxiety and depression. Initially, EMDR skeptics dismissed its techniques as little more than exposure to a person’s stressors. Some place it in the same category as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with its emphasis on rationality and the aim to systematically change our thinking. EMDR does change our thinking but this misses the realm of cognitions that are preverbal, meaning the thoughts we have that exist from before we were able to give words to what was happening around us. EMDR’s effectiveness with these preverbal experiences makes it quite remarkable.

Underpinning this approach is the belief that information has been dysfunctionally stored in the brain and thus needs to be reprocessed so it can be integrated with the existing information. For example, one person might hold onto a heightened sense of responsibility for others’ wellbeing and not recognize that might be a result of his parents divorcing when he was only eight years old.

Another might feel a nagging sense of uneasiness and be struggling with a disappointment from a month ago. Often, the difficulty experienced in the present is not summed up in a single incident but is a composite of many years of messages from others. These events, while not necessarily traumatic in the clinical sense, were experienced in the past, recent or distant, and continue to assert themselves in dysfunctional ways in the present. In this way, the person’s brain continues to experience the event on some level and is unable to resolve it. The dysfunctionally stored elements of the past can show up as bodily sensations or

negative beliefs about the self. At times it may be difficult to put these feelings into words, hence the need to get the thoughts ‘unstuck.’

A skilled therapist facilitates the client’s ability to move towards the much-desired stability.

A degree of controversy persists over how it works. EMDR employs a technique called Bilateral Stimulation (BLS). In practice, this may look vaguely like hypnosis as the client watches the therapist’s hand move back and forth. It can also be done with alternately tapping on the client’s hands or knees or with audible sounds on either side of the head. Some claim that this movement back and forth generates a type of processing believed to occur in REM sleep (hence the early emphasis on Eye Movement in EMDR). Over time, there has been more focus on Dual Attention Stimulation (DAS). In essence, the client is paying attention to movements in the present with the therapist while also reprocessing the past.

This is the mechanism believed to allow for the brain to integrate old experiences while adding new information, because it is forced to straddle between the past and the present.

Working with a qualified therapist whom you can place a degree of trust in can help to illuminate the places that cause us such dissatisfaction. A therapist, while needing to be competent and capable, helps the client to navigate the healing and push it along if the reprocessing should get ‘stuck.’ The refreshing aspect of EMDR is that the client is the one in the driver’s seat, which makes it appealing to people who may be wary of psychotherapy.

Quite pointedly, your brain makes the connections to have a more fully formed image, rather than relying on the incomplete picture formed earlier.

One of the newer areas is in treating sports-related performance anxieties. Athletes strive to unlock all their potential to perform their best. A kernel of self-doubt can fester and block us from our goals. There may not be any major trauma, but just a lurking negative belief about the self that is unrelated to the ability to excel and reach the goals set.

Nevertheless, these beliefs can present themselves in ways that undermine our best efforts to succeed in our sports endeavors. Performance can benefit from anxiety to spur us on to our greatest achievements, but if anxiety gets the better of us, we are left with our feelings of self-doubt.

Sports psychologists offer many helpful tools to overcome anxiety. Visualization

helps us imagine what the event will be like and manage the difficulties that are most likely to arise. Seeing ourselves at the finish line motivates us to reach it by knowing how good it will feel to have finished. Creating mantras powerfully taps into hidden strengths greater than ourselves by evoking a loved one or a belief we want to have about ourselves.

Breaking a task into smaller manageable parts can also be effective. Self-care factors into this as well; we must recognize that proper nutrition and sleeping habits are vital to our success. Common techniques that are readily available work well for many. For others, struggling with troubling self-doubts, EMDR can provide relief and take you to the next level.

Elite athletes often discuss the mental aspect of competing. With hours and hours of training, we can develop a degree of confidence in what our bodies can do. The hours of training lay the foundation for performance on race day but the mental strength to execute to the fullest of our ability can be overlooked.

This sense of mastery derived from the continued practice motivates us to do better and to feel okay with ourselves even when the going gets tough. The human body is capable of wondrous feats, but the human spirit is what allows us to really soar.

Michael Westfall is a licensed clinical social worker (and a 3:22 Marathoner) with a practice in Manchester, CT. He has extensive experience with children and teens but works with many adults and couples as well. In-network with most state and commercial insurances, he is accepting new clients at this time. Please visit his website: michaelwestfall.com or call him at (860) 212-8923. See ad on page 27.

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Your Behavior Can Affect Your Body

By Erika Cappelluti, M.D., Ph.D., F.C.C.P.

H

ave you ever wondered why you’re more prone to infection when sleepdeprived and sleepier when you have an infection? Do you know why people feel depressed during an acute illness? How is it possible that low socioeconomic status can heighten a person’s susceptibility to infection? Did you know that your memory could be impaired by infection?

The once anecdotal evidence to support these claims has been substantiated in recent years by rigorous scientific data. We have finally begun to recognize and understand the complex interplay between the endocrine, immune and nervous systems within the human body. This field of study, known as Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), has emerged as a result of a change in the way that the scientific and medical communities view the human being: as a complex whole, rather than a conglomerate of unrelated parts. As it turns out, these systems can influence one another in multidirectional fashion. Very simply put - your behavior can affect your body and your body can affect your behavior.

Psychoneuroimmunology is a scientific demonstration of the unity of the organism but chiefly involves the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. This integrative discipline was first described in 1980 by Robert Ader (Ader, 1981). It is “the study of behaviorally associated immunologic changes and immunologically associated behavioral changes that result from reciprocal interactions among the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.” It is a novel field of scientific inquiry for which supporting evidence has exploded in the past 2 decades. Since J. Edwin Blalock proposed a theory in 1985 about shared mediators and shared receptors in the immune and neuroendocrine systems, the field of PNI has made significant progress (Blalock et al., 1985). There are now volumes of information available, some of which will be surveyed here.

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The PNI Players: Immune System The immune system is comprised of many different cell types and large molecules whose function is to maintain the integrity of the organism and fight pathogens. It is the interface between the organism and microscopic adversaries. The skin is the most obvious component, but the liver, thymus, spleen, lymph tissue, and bone marrow play substantial roles as well. At the cellular level, immunoglobulins, granulocytes, T-cells, B-cells, natural killer cells, and chemicals called cytokines and chemokines, keep infection at bay. However, the immune system does not function autonomously.

There are hormones and peptides released by the endocrine glands that impact the immune system. This is one of the foundational principles of PNI.

Endocrine System The endocrine system is essential for maintaining life and consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands, reproductive organs, pancreas, pineal gland, and the thymus (also considered part of the immune system). The hormones and factors produced and secreted by these organs are numerous and involved in virtually every aspect of the organism. A partial list includes the following: oxytocin, dopamine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, prolactin, estrogen, thyroid hormones, insulin-like growth factor, epinephrine, and beta endorphin. The release of hormones by the endocrine glands is largely under neural control, is subject to negative feedback, and is influenced by other hormones. We now know that substances first discovered in the immune cells (e.g., cytokines) can alter endocrine activity

and are now known to be released by pituitary cells, endothelial cells, and cells of the nervous system (neurons and glial cells). Furthermore, leukocytes (a type of white blood cell that is crucial to fighting infection) have been shown to produce pituitary hormones and various other peptides that may influence neuroendocrine activity.

The complexity and multitude of reciprocal influences between the endocrine and immune systems help explain the abundance of pathways for neuroimmune communication. However, they also reinforce the notion that a simple model of hormonal immune effects does not exist.

Nervous System The nervous system is composed of two major parts: the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (all neural elements outside of the brain and spinal cord). The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of sensory and motor pathways carrying information to and from the tissues of the body. The sensory pathways transmit signals FROM visceral organs, muscles, tendons, and skin. The motor pathways carry signals TO the muscles and the visceral organs.

The visceral neural outflow is also known as the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. Another major component of the ANS is the enteric nervous system (ENS), which is contained within the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

Simply put, the components of the ANS are not under voluntary control. The ANS controls things like sweating, constriction/dilation of blood vessels, and how quickly food moves through the gut. This is in contrast to the somatic nervous system which is under voluntary control and aids us in the use of our muscles.

The Game Plan The interplay of these systems is exceedingly complex. It is also incompletely elucidated. The following points illustrate a sample of the known interactions.

Evidence that the Nervous and Immune Systems Communicate • Ader and Cohen showed the effect of taste-aversion conditioning on antibody immune response, which indicated that behavior influenced immunity and immunity influenced behavior (Ader and Cohen, 1975).

• Besedovsky and Del Rey (Besedovsly et al., 1977; Besedovsky et al., 1983) showed that the activated immune system was able to release a substance that caused a change in the firing rate of neurons within the brain (hypothalamus). The significance was that the hypothalamus is the brain region that controls activation of organ system pathways that allow for the brain to communicate with the periphery. The organ system pathways include the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which releases the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, from nerve terminals and epinephrine from the adrenal glands (immune-nervous-endocrine interaction); the other pathway is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which releases a number of different hormones including corticosteroids.

• Besedovsky and Del Rey also demonstrated that the SNS was able to regulate the magnitude of an antibody response by stimulating a receptor that could bind norepinephrine.

Evidence that the Endocrine and Immune Systems Communicate • The specificity of the hormonal influences on thymic function is supported by the discovery that thymic epithelial cells and thymocytes contain receptors for many hormones and peptides.

• Production of cytokines and thymic peptides is influenced by the hormonal milieu of the micro environment, which is a reflection of both blood levels and local release of hormones in the tissues.

• Hormonal influences coordinate the distribution of metabolic resources between the immune system and other life-sustaining tissues; they modify immune activity and responsiveness during perceived periods of threat to the organism.

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The Role of Psychoneuroimmunology in Disease In effect, PNI supports early ideas about the fundamental unity of the organism and the notion that health rests on proper balance.

To disrupt that balance in any way imposes a stress on the organism that creates disequilibrium within the bodily systems that sustain life.

It is during such times that the organism may demonstrate vulnerability to disease or effective response to the challenge.

Psychosocial stress has neuroendocrine and immune effects in humans. The effects start in the CNS and are transmitted to the PNS and endocrine system. Peripheral neuroendocrine activity that results from the stress will feed back to modulate CNS activity. This helps impact future psychosocial inputs to which the individual may be exposed.

Disease is a form of stress that starts within microenvironments.

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Microenvironments may refer to DNA segments of a gene, the region around a single cell, or a small amount of tissue with a few interacting cells. This is particularly true of cancer, but also with allergic and infectious agents as well as autoimmune responses. At the level of the microenvironment, a complex interplay takes place between environmental irritants and gene expression in the cells in that area.

The nutritional state of the organism influences the microenvironment as do signals from the endocrine system and local innervations by the PNS. Psychosocial factors, in turn, modulate neural and endocrine signals in the area. The cascade of events increases the likelihood that pathologic change will ensue with clinically significant symptoms.

Essentially, an individual’s state of health is a function of genetic characteristics, age, and specific organ function as a response to the challenges posed by the environment. In this way, PNI underscores

the need for an integrative approach to health care. It is paramount that patients understand the natural healing process and be educated in a way that is aligned with their individual beliefs about the situation. How patients think about disease must be discussed in the therapeutic effort. Communication sets expectations in motion, and nocebo effects are just as powerful as placebos. Expectation of negative outcomes can facilitate such outcomes, so messages to patients must be carefully constructed.

Psychoneuroimmunology demonstrates the interconnectivity of bodily systems and the need for an integrative view of the individual.

The pathways that interconnect the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems are complex and multidirectional. Attempts to understand disease by seeking isolated causes in a reductionistic way ignore the intricacies at all levels as well as the dynamic response to any intervention. There is still a great deal to be learned about Homo sapiens,

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providing support, guidance and inspiration for families challenged by illness, injury and dementia.

but this will need to happen by implementing research in two ways: (1) the traditional reductionistic approach to identify the details and mechanisms of disease and (2) the integrative approach that views individuals in their natural environment in a longitudinal manner.

Erika Cappelluti, M.D., Ph.D., F.C.C.P., is board-certified in Integrative/Holistic Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, and Internal Medicine. She also holds a M.A. in Experiential Health & Healing. She is the Medical Director of the Respiratory Care Department at Hartford Hospital and the Respiratory Therapy Program at Goodwin College. She joined Connecticut Multispecialty Group (CMG) in 2004 and recently founded The Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing, which houses the new Integrative Medicine Department of CMG. For more information, contact the Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing, 533 Cottage Grove Rd, Bloomfield, CT, 860-243-2224 or visit www.cmgmds.com/cihh.html. See ad on page 3.

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23

Supplements 101

Debra Gibson, ND

Soothing Support for Reflux

H

eartburn: those who have experienced the extreme discomfort that can occur when acidic stomach contents move upward into the esophagus know how well that word describes their misery. As heartburn is usually worse when lying down, it is a powerful antidote to a good night’s sleep. But the chronic form of heartburn, known as reflux or GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) not only causes significant distress, it can inflame and erode the lining of the esophagus, cause narrowing of the esophagus (stricture), cause changes in the cells that line the esophagus (Barrett’s esophagus), and in time, if not addressed, it can increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Conventional approaches to GERD, such as antacids, proton pump inhibitors and H2 antagonists, are directed toward neutralizing or reducing stomach acid, so there is less irritating acid to cause pain and inflammation. As with all pharmaceutical approaches, however, there are potential problems associated with their long-term use: malabsorption of nutrients (such as Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin B12); pneumonia; bacterial infections such as H. pylori (which is associated with stomach cancer) and Clostridium difficile (a common cause of antibiotic-resistant diarrhea); and interference with the effectiveness of some medications. Despite these issues, however, if you have severe GERD (particularly with Barrett’s esophagus cellular changes); pharmaceutical inhibitors of gastric acid have at least a short-term place in your care, because it is essential to put the brakes on runaway inflammation. For people who have milder symptoms, for those who have GERD without cellular changes in the esophagus, and for the more than half of GERD sufferers who have reflux symptoms without inflammation; in these cases, reflux may be effectively addressed using solely natural approaches.

Natural Medicine Strategies for Reflux As ever, the natural medical approach to reflux, gastritis, and everyday heartburn is to correct underlying digestive tract imbalances while treating symptoms in ways which do not interfere with

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the body’s healthy functioning. For many naturopathic physicians, reflux is thought to be less an issue of excessive gastric acid production than the result of an unhealthy stomach environment which is acutely sensitive and made even more irritated by the addition of any amount of acid, even abnormally low amounts. While medications commonly prescribed for reflux might help you feel better in the short term, they actually may be worsening the digestive imbalances that help create reflux.

There is an old naturopathic saying, “Health begins with digestion.” It is important to take reflux seriously, as a yellow flag of warning for the health of your entire digestive tract - so we are fortunate that Nature has gifted us with a number of effective agents for healing reflux:

DGL If you like the taste of licorice, you may want to try DGL to tone down heartburn. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, is licorice root extract from which glycyrrhizin, which can cause high blood pressure, has been removed. It has a long history of use for digestive issues including stomach ulcers and reflux; the form usually prescribed is a chewable tablet as saliva increases DGL’s effectiveness.

DGL is thought to promote healing of the lining of the stomach and esophagus. One or two tablets (chewed before meals) of a highly concentrated 10:1 formulation will provide 400-800 mg. of DGL.

Aloe Vera The Aloe Vera plant, as a purified juice or added to combination formulas in powdered form, has a long tradition in natural and folk medicine as one of Nature’s most powerful healers for the digestive tract. It is thought to promote healing of the mucus membranes which line the entire length of the GI tract, and while it can take a month or more to help shift the balance toward healing on the cellular level, many a heartburn, gastritis or ulcer sufferer can vouch

for Aloe’s ability to almost immediately provide relief from the raging turmoil within. Its potent soothing effect has been compared to applying balm to sunburn (an appropriate comparison- even some hospital emergency departments keep a live plant on hand for that very purpose!). When taking aloe internally, it’s a good idea to find a product from which the bitter anthraquinones and aloins have been removed, as they will cause a diarrheic effect when more than a couple of tablespoons are ingested – the juice will also taste much better.

The product label should note that it is for internal use, and is free of preservatives. I recommend a product which uses fractionated distillation to permit better assimilation both to the bloodstream, and to the cells lining the digestive tract. One to two ounces twice daily (but up to three or four ounces 3-4X daily in instances of severe distress) is the usual dosage, but be sure it is the version for internal use!

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Limonene D-limonene, a compound extracted from the oil of citrus fruits, has been found to be an effective treatment for heartburn and GERD. In each of two phased studies, more than 85% of participants taking 1000 mg. of limonene every day or every other day had complete resolution of reflux symptoms, and in some, the effect lasted up to six months. The greatest improvement occurs after a 10-capsule regimen, and after that only 1 capsule is needed as symptoms recur.

Limonene is thought to increase stomach secretion of protective mucus, and may also increase muscle tone to remove stomach contents more quickly and reduce regurgitation into the esophagus. Look for a product which provides 1000 mg. citrus oil extract per capsule, standardized to contain 98.5% d-limonene.

New Discovery: relief from chroNic paiN is iN your BraiN

Slippery Elm An old folk and natural medicine favorite for its demulcent (soothing and protective) properties, slippery elm can be taken alone, in capsule or lozenge form or made into a tea, or it may be an ingredient in combination formulations designed to reduce GI tract inflammation and resultant discomfort. It provides a mucus-like layer over compromised mucus membranes, lessening the irritating effects of acid or food contents; it also contains antioxidants to reduce inflammation and fibrous substances to attract and absorb toxins.

Capsules which contain 400-500 mg. of the bark may be taken 3-4X daily (apart from meals by an hour or more) with a glass of water to “activate” the protective mucilage; a tea from the powdered bark may be made by pouring two cups not-quite-boiling water over two tablespoons of the powdered bark, steeping for 5 minutes and taking this 3-4X daily. In thanks to our healing friend, the Slippery Elm tree, look for products which are harvested in such a way as to permit continued healthy growth for the tree.

introducing, medicalm pain relief Therapy

Tm

This new safe, non-invasive, FDA approved treatment is only offered in CT by Dr. C. Evers Whyte, MS, DC, DACBN

medicalmTm pain relief Therapy provides safe, effective, non-invasive pain relief by creating new paincanceling neurons in “Before MediCalm the brain, helping Therapy I suffered those with chronic, everyday. Taking 16 oncologic and different pills left me with severe stomach Neuropathic pain, problems. Now I have even patients who a quality of life I are resistant to haven’t enjoyed narcotics and other for years.” — Ray pain medications.

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The Center for Health Renewal Locations in Stamford, CT & Stockbridge, MA

www.thecenterforhealthrenewal.com www.MediCalmPainReliefTherapy.com NaturalNutmeg.com

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Combination Formulas Iberogast (also called STW5) is a blend of eight different herbal extracts, primary among them Iberisamara (Clown’s mustard), which has shown research-documented effectiveness for “functional dyspepsia” (heartburn and stomach discomfort). The therapeutic dosage for adults is 20 drops 3X daily with meals.

There are also several excellent formulations which are designed with broader intent to soothe and heal the digestive tract lining as a whole. These formulas combine various nutrients and herbs, including some of these mentioned, to obtain multiple benefits from one supplement.

Give your Digestive Tract a Tune-up When your car’s dashboard warning light tells you something is in need of attention, do you just pull over, unscrew the little light-bulb behind the dash, and drive on, blissfully unaware of the real problem?

Treating any symptom without investigating the underlying issues is a lot like just getting

rid of that annoying dashboard light and stubbornly ignoring what it is trying to tell you. Regardless of the physiologic set-up for reflux (such as relaxation of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach, or hiatal hernia) reflux is a wake-up call from your digestive system that it needs support you can give it. So take the hint and look at your diet (food sensitivity reactions are a very common trigger for heartburn and reflux), lifestyle (Are you eating in a calm setting? Or are you eating in your car, or “on the run”? Do you chew your food well?), and toxin ingestion (alcohol, cigarettes, processed foods all negatively impact digestive function), and make the necessary adjustments. You may also wish to consider getting a digestive “tune-up” with the help of a naturopathic physician or other healthcare practitioner who can perform functional digestive tract testing and/or food sensitivity testing to identify underlying issues which may be lighting the fuse of your reflux.

Debra Gibson, N.D. practices naturopathic family medicine in her Ridgefield, CT office.

She can be reached at 203-431-4443 or at drgibsonsoffice@sbcglobal.net. See ad on page 12.

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Healthy Self

Dr. Lauren Gouin, ND

Migraines Aren’t Just in Your Head

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ymptoms of a migraine are hard to ignore. Migraine headaches have an onset of significant pain that can last hours, even days. Typically these one-sided, pulsing headaches are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia (light makes the headache worse) and phonophobia (sounds make the headache worse). Some migraines have sensory warning symptoms, or auras, which precede the migraine, though about eighty percent do not. Auras can manifest as flashes of light, or other changes to vision as well as tingling in an arm or leg or even neurological or mental symptoms like confusion. Migraines are very unique, each with their own manifestations, auras, characteristics and causes. Each individual who has migraines needs to be treated uniquely and looked at as a whole person, because hormones, diet, sleep and even stress management may all be part of treating them.

Many people suffer from migraine headaches, however, migraine symptoms can occur in other places in the body.

Migraine variants are manifestations of a migraine without head pain, though there could be a history of migraine headaches.

Ocular migraines can occur with head pain, but unlike visual disturbances of a normal migraine, bouts of blindness occur in one eye. Abdominal migraines are another manifestation of migraines, where stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and cramping occur. These are more common in children and often have many of the same triggers that migraine headaches have.

One of the main focuses of anyone suffering from migraines is their triggers.

As there are many factors that contribute to migraines, understanding the causes and triggers can be difficult.

Serotonin A neurotransmitter that is responsible for a sense of well being in the body, serotonin has been implicated in the biochemistry behind migraines. In fact, some of the medications used to treat migraines work on the serotonin pathway. Some of these medications work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. A large amount of serotonin in our body is outside of the brain, and is also responsible for our perception of pain.

Research suggests supporting this pathway helps many individuals prevent headaches

and migraines. Melatonin, the hormone that helps promote sleep, and 5 HTP, a precursor to serotonin, are sometimes helpful in increasing serotonin levels, however, production of serotonin can be diminished for several reasons. Addressing the cause of imbalance is just as important as restoring it.

Stress Cortisol is the major hormone produced when our bodies are under stress. Chronic stress, inflammation or infection may alter cortisol levels in the body. When these levels are increased, the production of serotonin is decreased. From our ancestors’ perspective, this made sense. If you were in “fight or flight” mode, your cortisol increased so you could either fight a bear or run away from it. This was not the time to help promote a sense of well being or restful sleep, our ancestors needed the extra nutrients to cope with the immediate stressor. However, chronic stress can leave this pathway depleted.

Often times with stress, poor dietary choices, less exercise and other less healthy lifestyle choices may creep into our lives, which may also promote migraines. Stress management should always be a consideration in migraine management.

Hormone Balance At some point in our lives, fifteen to twenty percent of us will experience migraine symptoms. Interestingly, women are more likely to experience migraines than men. Of the women who get migraines, sixty to seventy percent experience them around their menstrual cycle. Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy have been shown to increase incidences and risk of migraines. On the other hand, the shift in hormones during pregnancy frequently makes migraines disappear. Balancing estrogen and progesterone levels in the body may help other monthly symptoms as well as prevent migraines.

promote hormone detoxification as well as serotonin production. Magnesium is another nutrient associated with migraine prevention, perhaps by relaxing smooth muscle as well as promoting serotonin production.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are healthy fats that our body cannot make, but can help in reducing inflammation and pain as well as promote hormone and neurotransmitter balance. Spikes and dips in blood sugar may also be a trigger, along with dehydration.

Food allergies and sensitivities have been implicated with migraines as a trigger. Some foods have been identified as more common potential triggers than others.

Dairy, peanuts, chocolate, caffeine, wheat and egg are some of the top offenders, but everything from rice to carrots can be a culprit. An elimination diet and migraine diary can help sort out trigger foods, otherwise food allergy and sensitivity testing may be helpful as well.

Migraines, like most pain, do not let you ignore your body. They make you stop whatever you are doing, and focus on yourself.

Taking the time to listen to them and learn how to keep your body more balanced will help prevent them and keep you healthier as well.

Dr. Lauren Gouin is a board certified naturopathic physician, accepting new patients for her family practice in Manchester, CT. Dr. Gouin is in network with most insurance companies. For an appointment or more information, please call (860)533-0179 or visit www.ctnaturalhealth.com. See ad on page 21.

Proper Nutrition There are numerous nutrients that have been shown to help prevent migraines. B vitamins, particularly riboflavin and B6, have been studied potentially because they NaturalNutmeg.com

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Doctor’s Note

Patrick J. Defrancesco, DC

Fibromyalgia: Fact or Fiction

I

t seems that now more than ever we hear about diseases that baffle the medical community. One of the more common ones today is Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a condition described by stiffness, fatigue, insomnia, and painful muscles. The condition was first thought to be a mental disorder in the 1800’s. In the early 1820’s, a doctor from Scotland first described the tender points of this elusive condition. Eighty years later the term fibrositis was used because inflammation was thought to be the primary cause of the pain. In 1976 the name of the condition was changed to Fibromyalgia which is derived from Latin and Greek words. Fibra (Latin) means fibrous tissue and has to do with painful tendons and ligaments. Myos (Greek) means muscles and algos (Greek) means pain. Combined these Greek and Latin words translate into painful muscles and connective tissue. The latest count shows

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that more than 5 million Americans have been given this diagnosis. Primarily women of childbearing age are most commonly diagnosed with this debilitating disease.

However, it can also affect men, children, and the elderly.

Why are so many patients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia? Is the diagnosis accurate? Is another disease process present that has been overlooked? Perhaps Fibromyalgia is merely a group of symptoms surfacing from another disease and not a disease itself.

Patients that suffer from Fibromyalgia will describe the symptoms vividly. Researchers have determined that many factors may trigger and contribute to Fibromyalgia. For instance, infections that may be linked to Fibromyalgia include Lyme Disease, Hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr virus, and Parvovirus.

Autoimmune disorders may also contribute to the signs and symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia. These disorders occur when the body’s immune system sees its own tissues as foreign and attacks, which slowly damages that tissue over time. Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of autoimmune disorders. Perhaps autoimmune diseases are somehow interconnected and instigate each other. This possibility shows us that diagnosing autoimmune disorders is difficult and giving a patient the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia may be the path of least resistance.

Other possible causes include heredity.

Research shows that many conditions like Fibromyalgia are believed to run in families.

So it is likely that some people are born with genes that increase their risk of getting it. Accidents and injuries may also be a potential link. Two of the most common causes linked to Fibromyalgia are; trauma occurring from automobile accidents and the traumatic experience of military personnel suffered during combat. Research shows that certain types of psychological and emotional stressors are also a possible link. The list of potential triggers is a lengthy one and demonstrates the inability to pinpoint the actual cause. It seems that almost anything can cause the body to react with “Fibro”like symptoms. Maybe that’s why Fibromyalgia has been given the title, “The garbage disposal.”

If you are one of the millions afflicted

with this condition there are ways you can actively work to reduce your symptoms.

Life with Fibromyalgia can be a challenge and being proactive will empower you to properly manage your symptoms in hopes of totally eradicating the disease. You have options such as lifestyle changes, support groups, natural and pharmaceutical medications and various types of body work (massage and spinal adjustments), that may help you manage your exacerbations and or “flare-ups”. I find that lifestyle changes are of utmost importance when battling this beast.

Changes like increased gradual aerobic activity like swimming and walking for 20 minutes three times per week will strengthen your muscles, and decrease muscle weakness and stiffness. Exercise will also improve sleep patterns. Most importantly exercise can reduce your pain by allowing the body to release endorphins, a natural pain killer. A whole food organic diet with plenty of water needs to be maintained. Sugar and caffeine must be eliminated to assure healing.

Stress must be lowered to elevate immune response. Forms of stress relief include meditation, gentle yoga and deep breathing with visualization.

The Fibromyalgia patient can defeat this disease with positive energy, planning and persistence. At times it may seem impossible to conquer, but perseverance will bring the greatest results. Fibromyalgia is not a life sentence, rather, just a group of Latin and Greek words. One aspect to remember is that Fibromyalgia’s symptoms mimic many other conditions. Hence, it is imperative to seek the help of one or many health specialists to assure proper diagnosis. We can’t help but realize that this group of symptoms we call Fibromyalgia may be just the tip of the iceberg, but doesn’t have to be the end of you.

Dr. Patrick J. DeFrancesco has been in practice for over 20 years and his patients include people of all ages and from all walks of life. Dr. DeFrancesco takes a comprehensive look at the “whole” person, not just his or her aches and pains. He helps his patients understand how their bodies work and shows them how to establish pain free existence. For more information, visit www. glastonburychiro.com or call 860-657-8800.

Healthy Healthy Cooking Cooking

By Chef David Pianka

Roasted Vegetable and Hummus “Burger”

I

love July, the warm weather, the beach, the patio at Papacelle, basically just everyone is relaxed and outside having a good time. The recipe I am showing you today is perfect for the easy going hot summer day. It is one of the easier recipes I will show you, perfect for those warm summer days where you just want to be outside and bask in the sun. The key to this recipe (besides the freshness of course) is how you cook your vegetables. It is important to caramelize the vegetables correctly in order to bring out the natural sugars and create wonderful depth of flavor. As with all of our recipes you will notice that the recipe will be simple and will have very few ingredients. Because of this simplicity, the freshness and quality of each ingredient will be extremely important.

Dish: Roasted Vegetable and Hummus “Burger” Category: Entree Serves: 2 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

Preparation: 1. I love making my own hummus, it is simple, requires little time and is fresher and tastes better than the store variety. Below is the list of ingredients you need for homemade hummus, it will make about a cup or so.

All you need to do is put all the ingredients in a food processor except the olive oil and blend until creamy, then drizzle in the olive oil slowly, when finished add salt and pepper to taste.

Panzanella Item ½ red pepper 2 slices of red onion ½ zucchini sliced lengthwise ½ yellow squash sliced into rounds Hummus 1(see recipe) Sliced hearty Italian bread 1 stem thyme

Suggested Substitutions Any vegetable Any vegetable Any vegetable Any vegetable Your favorite sandwich spread Any bread you like rosemary

• 1 clove garlic • 1 8 ounce can chick peas w/ juice • 1T lemon juice • 1T + 1t tahini • 2T tablespoon olive oil - Cut your vegetables and keep them to the side while you heat up a large pan on med-high heat.

2. Saute your vegetables for 3-5 minutes until golden in color on one side, flip and do the same for the other side.

3. Spread your hummus on your bread and assemble sprinkling thyme leaves on the hummus before finishing.

I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, ideas or would just like to talk food join me at our blog www.papacelle.com. Join us on Facebook or email me dave@papacelle.com anytime! See ad on page 24.

NaturalNutmeg.com

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Multiple Sclerosis

By Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N

M

ultiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease which affects the Central Nervous System. In particular, it attacks the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord.

As a result, messages from the brain may be interrupted and not communicated well.

Myelin is slow to regenerate, so lesions form in areas of reduced myelin which cause permanent interference in the communication process. MS is more prevalent in developed, Western countries, and those farthest from the equator, more common in women than men, and often appears between the ages of 29-33. The cause of the disease is currently unknown, but a number of theories exist.

Environment Evidence exists that a virus, or other microbe or toxin may be a factor in the onset of MS in genetically susceptible individuals.

Toxins can include environmental chemicals and pesticides or X-rays and some research supports an association between mercury containing dental amalgams and MS. One study reported that people with MS who had their mercury containing amalgams removed experienced fewer relapses than those who retained their fillings, while another study showed an increased risk for MS in people with a greater number of fillings that had been in place for a long time.

Diet and Nutrition EPA and DHA are the essential fatty acids known as omega-3’s. They are found in highest quantities in fish and fish oils and they exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, DHA is found in very high concentrations in the brain, but markedly less so in the brains of people with MS. Omega-6 oils such as vegetable oils should ideally be consumed in a 1:1 ratio to omega3s from fish. In this country we consume 6-15 times the amount of omega-6s than omega-3s which can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases.

Over 60 years ago, Dr. Roy Swank discovered that modulating the fat in the diet of MS patients, both in terms of quantity and type of fat could reduce disease progression, and alleviate symptoms. Based on these find-

ings he developed a dietary protocol which includes a daily dose of 5 grams of Cod Liver oil, inclusion of controlled amounts of vegetable based oils like sunflower, and the avoidance of hydrogenated oils and saturated fats. The choice of fats is important since some lipids promote inflammation while others reduce it. Of note, Swank’s diet prohibits coconut oil-a saturated fat- yet coconut is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and may be the exception to the “no saturated fat” rule.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are produced in the body as a normal result of human biochemistry and are a key component in inflammation and damage to neurons.

They are often elevated in MS. Antioxidant rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and wine contain polyphenols and carotenoids which reduce inflammation and manage these dangerous free radicals. Some of the most active compounds are catechins (green tea), quercetin (apples, wine, onion, citrus), resveratrol (red wine, peanuts, dark grapes, chocolate, berries), curcumin (curry), and lycopene (tomato, watermelon, pink grapefruit). All these foods and food compounds have a place in a diet for MS. Foods such as gluten and dairy are known to increase inflammation in susceptible individuals. MS patients show increased markers for gluten sensitivity and a higher incidence of dairy intolerance than the general population. It is prudent for MS sufferers to remove these foods from their diet, and replace them with safer but nutritious alternatives. Each person may be reactive to a variety of foods in addition to gluten and casein, so a food sensitivity test should be a part of any MS work-up.

Vitamin D is produced naturally by the body with adequate exposure to UVB rays, which are harder to get the farther one lives from the tropics. Geographical patterns of MS incidence conform to that of regions with less sunlight exposure and Vitamin D availability to the population. In fact, MS is 8 times more prevalent in Northern climates than in those living close to the equator. Not only does epidemiological data support a relationship between MS and Vitamin D, but research bears this out as well. In one study, patients given high dose Vitamin D3 supplements suffered fewer relapses than those taking only 1000IU daily.

L-carnitine is a protein related nutrient that helps cells produce energy. It is depleted by some MS medications, which are known to induce fatigue, further exacerbating a common symptom. Supplementing with L-carnitine can decrease the intensity of this fatigue.

Multiple Sclerosis Mimicry The symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, including fatigue, pins and needles in the extremities, and balance and gait issues are similar to those of MS, while there is an increased risk of B12 deficiency in people with MS. The addition of B12 to the treatment plan can relieve some symptoms and may promote the regeneration of myelin, so a B12 deficiency should be explored in any individual with a diagnosis of MS. Another confounding factor in the treatment of MS is the possibility that Lyme disease may be the underlying problem.

There is controversy in the scientific community as to whether Lyme disease and MS are actually manifestations of the same disorder.

Both diseases involve the central nervous system, and attack the brain and spinal cord, resulting in similar symptoms. A symptomatic person may be unaware he was ever bitten by a tick, therefore anyone diagnosed with MS, should investigate the possibility that Lyme disease is actually the underlying problem.

While Multiple Sclerosis can be a debilitating problem, early intervention designed to remove possible environmental and microbial causes, while reducing inflammation through diet and nutrition can positively effect progression and relapse rates of this disease.

Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www.holcarenutrition.com). Vicki works with infants, children and adults with digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD, autism and other chronic illness, and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. Vicki has extensive experience in using dietary modification, appropriate supplementation and functional lab testing to achieve optimal wellness. She can be reached at 203.834.9949 or vicki@holcarenutrition. com. See ad page 16.

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Eco-travel

Eco-luxury travel in Napa Valley at

The Inn on First

W

hen you think of Napa Valley, what comes to mind? Images of picturesque rolling hills with miles of vineyards, world class restaurants with food and wine to die for, pampering at exquisite spas, luxurious resorts and quaint bed and breakfasts, right? Well, I bet your first thought isn’t that you would find ecofriendly lodging there, or if you did that you would actually want to stay there with all of the tempting alternatives. Think again…

In May of 2007 Jim Gunther and Jamie Cherry of San Francisco, CA, took the reins as the new innkeepers of The Inn on First, a contemporary bed and breakfast located in the heart of Napa. Jim and Jamie brought a fresh look and a fervor to excel in service to their guests. What distinguishes their deluxe bed and breakfast from any other in Napa Valley is not only the touch of San Francisco style they have added to the decor, and their focus on hospitality as a personalized gift to their guests, but their commitment to contribute to an improved way of living and environmental consciousness. The Inn on First is certified by the California green lodging association, and has won awards for service to the community for their outstanding recycling efforts.

From the moment you step through the doors of The Inn on First, you are greeted with a feeling of coming home. Jim and Jamie help orchestrate your memorable stay in the wine country, and it’s their combined talents that shape your experience. Situated 32

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on a quiet street in downtown Napa, this American craftsman style B&B offers luxury, pampering, and peaceful surroundings, plus you can feel good that you’re staying at a property that is environmentally conscious.

The Inn on First consists of 5 Mansion Rooms located in the original estate and 5 Garden Suites built in 2003. As we entered our Garden suite entitled “Vintage Reserve,” the relevance of the name was immediately apparent. Rich, cherry wood and burgundycolored furnishings contrasted with the Jacuzzi tub, porcelain sinks and huge walk-in shower. The room was breathtaking, yet maintained a cozy, intimate feel to it.

Stepping out onto the balcony nestled under a 150-year-old oak tree; you overlook the beautiful lush garden where rosemary grows like a weed. The king-size bed was incredibly luxurious and comfortable; I think I slept better in it than my own. And if you think it was hard to get out of the bed, you’ll have a harder time getting out of the shower…I almost couldn’t believe they used low-flow fixtures.

If the suite and its amenities weren’t enough, wait until you hear about the breakfast. As a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Chef Jim prepares mouth-watering, gastronomic adventures for his guests each day. This is just one part of what makes The Inn on First experience so unique. Almost everything is homemade with fresh, inseason, locally grown ingredients and most recipes can be made gluten-free as well.

So, with all this luxury, you’re thinking…is this really an eco-friendly property? It absolutely is and the innkeepers provide guests with the following in-room green solutions to maintain their commitment to an eco-friendly lifestyle.

• Low-flow water sources and tank-less water heaters.

• Kitchen composting.

• Re-usable glassware instead of paper or plastic, as well as stainless-steel water bottles replacing plastic water bottles.

• In-room recycle bins.

• Energy-saving light bulbs.

• In-room climate control. Each room has a personal air-conditioning/cooling unit, heat source and ceiling fan.

• Luxury toiletries from Gilchrist & Soames.

The BeeKind® Collection features formulations which contain no parabens, phthalates, petrol-derived ingredients, mineral oil, urea, DEA, TEA or propylene glycol, use recyclable packaging and are free of any artificial colors or dyes. A portion of the proceeds (paid by the Innkeepers) are donated to support honey bee and sustainable pollination research.

• Household natural cleaning products

that protect both the environment and the housekeepers who use them.

• Sheet and towel replacement by request only, saving both energy and water.

• House-made snacks. This reduces unnecessary packaging/shipping, which reduces pollution that is derived from automobile based distribution & paper waste.

• Food storage bags that are composed of clear 100% Home-Compostable cellulose product made from wood fiber that causes nearly zero environmental impact.

• Pens that are made from recycled wood, tires and plastic.

• Natural gardening products are used to keep the grounds in pristine condition.

• High-quality 100% recycled tissue.

• Organic and shade-grown coffee options in each room.

• Ceramic cups instead of Styrofoam.

• Loose-leaf teas in the dining room, which means no tea bags to dispose of.

One day it could be the chocolate pasta with tofu-walnut sauce and a poached egg, the next…sushi omelets filled with salted zucchini and green onion served with hot mustard and wasabi cream. The chocolate pasta, made with cocoa powder and not sweet chocolate, presents just a hint of cocoa in the back of your throat and pairs nicely with the walnuts. The tofu is a low-fat version of ricotta cheese and allows dairyfree guests to enjoy the meal. The sushi omelets are great for gluten-free and/or dairy-free guests. The dish looks cold when it arrives, but as you take a bite you realize that it is hot, with a crusty, crunchy exterior and a soft and sticky interior. Definitely to die for!

If all this isn’t enough, Jim and Jamie also coordinate excursions including private wine tours and hot air ballooning and make recommendations for dining at local, organic restaurants. One of their suggestions for us was Ubuntu, a unique restaurant that offers diners a bounty of local, biodynamically gardened produce, handled with care and skill by talented artisans and chefs providing an unparallel experience connecting diners to the bounty of the earth. Some of the menu items include: beets, roasted potatoes, borscht sauce, and greens; the Snake Salad with beautiful micro-greens and a light dusting of “dirt” (dehydrated mushrooms and walnuts); potato and mushroom “pillows” in a lovely mushroom reduction sauce; and warm focaccia with truffled pecorino from Florence and apricot/almond agrodolce. This

was definitely a unique and memorable dining experience!

So, when you’re booking your next trip to wine country, don’t miss including The Inn on First as part of your stay. Jim and Jamie will take excellent care of you and you can do your part in supporting a truly eco-friendly bed and breakfast resort.

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hindman. For more information on the Inn on First, visit www.theinnonfirst.com.

A universe of heAling

is wAiting for You.

Offering...

Reconnective HealingTM and The ReconnectionTM A more comprehensive spectrum of healing that includes and expands beyond any and all known forms of energy healing, comprised of energy, light and information.

Reconnective Healing Practitioners of CT For more information or to book a session, call or email: Wendy Tanzer Gelven, 860-989-1997, wendytg123@gmail.com | Jennifer Jensen, 860-297-1543 JenJensen10@gmail.com Kevin Jensen, 860-297-1543 KevinBJensen@gmail.com | Janet Miller, 860-985-7260 jmjuly@cox.net Ken Lara, 914-255-8804 kenreconnects@gmail.com | Annette Moreland, 860-818-1897 www.cosmosis.ca NaturalNutmeg.com

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Harp:

“The Ultimate Musical Massage”

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any people may be unaware of a unique and deeply therapeutic musical intervention, Therapeutic Harp Music.

Imagine yourself lying on a massage table, being soothed and healed by the ancient and therapeutic sound and vibrations of the Celtic harp. Whether pain, stress, insomnia, depression or illness is your concern, or if you simply need a special musical sanctuary to soothe each molecule of your being with comfort and bliss, harp therapy has been shown to be the ultimate musical massage. Some practitioners combine relaxation therapy, guided imagery, and meditation along with the gift of healing harp music.

Studies show that harp therapy can equalize and slow down brain waves; affect respiration, heartbeat, and pulse; reduce muscle tension; and improve body movement. Premature babies who have received harp therapy are able to drink more of their mother’s milk and gain weight more rapidly, resulting in earlier departure times from the hospital. Harp therapy increases endorphin levels, regulates stress-related hormones, boosts the immune system, and stimulates digestion and the overall feeling of well-being. Therapeutic musicians help to create a relaxed, healing environment through live music, which studies find to be even more effective than recorded music.

Professional journals now provide ample research regarding the many uses of harp therapy. In “The Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine,” researchers Aragon, Farris and Byers found that harp music in vascular and thoracic surgical patients was highly effective. (2002). It can decrease salivary cortisol levels in convalescent premature infants, as noted in “Pediatric Research” by authors Block, Jennings and David. (2003). Even the pain from lupus has been eased by harp therapy, according to K.A. Bock in “The Harp Therapy Journal.” (1999). Surprisingly, harp therapists have worked in the operating rooms, and helped to ease blood pressure and maintain heart rate, according to research by L. Buchanana in “The Harp Therapy Journal.” (1996).

There is a cutting edge intervention used by the music thanatolgoists, which uses prescriptive harp music as palliative care for

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the dying patient. The “American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care” documents this with research by Caserta, Freeman and Lund.

(2005) Harp therapy can aid even the professionals who work with the dying, as noted by “The Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. “ (2002) Researchers found that oncology nurses were greatly restored and nurtured by harp therapy after working intensely with their dying patients.

Children are also helped by harp therapy. Researcher Marie Sumner, writing in “Pediatric Research” in 2005 found that therapeu-

tic harp can be very effective in easing the issues of neurologically challenged children.

There are numerous other effective harp interventions with the pediatric population documented in “The Harp Therapy Journal. “ (1998-1999.)

Remarkably, harp therapy can touch the patient’s entire universe: families, friends and staff reported increased relaxation and lower blood pressure and respiration rates in studies conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Cancer Center, as reported in “The Harp Therapy Journal,” by Sarah McKee. Harp therapy and meditation can be used with children, adolescents, and adults quite effectively. One client had ADHD, was highly anxious and his parents complained that he never rested and never slept.

Unusually receptive to music, they asked if harp therapy might be helpful. We started to discuss special images like lying on the beach at his grandmother’s house in Florida, and petting Oscar, the Labrador retriever. I was able to tuck in some mildly hypnotic suggestions along with soothing images, accompanied by specifically designed harp melody and rhythm, and was able to induce complete relaxation and restfulness. He actually fell asleep the first time we did this.

He came back for several sessions, and then I designed a special CD for him alone. He used the images and music before sleep and rehearsed them in his mind when he began to feel anxious and restless at school. His parents reported a dramatic change not only in his ability to sleep, but in his focus and ability to hold still and attend, both at home and at school. This is a child who was not responsive to medications and had a poor outcome with traditional psychotherapy. His parents became more positive and continued working with me on parenting issues, and the tension and despair in the home dramatically lessened.

Another client was a woman in her twenties with anxiety and eating disorders.

A ballerina, she was driven to perfection by

parents who were loving but anxious and demanding themselves. Both were highly successful in their own careers and held great expectations for their only child. But as the pressures of school and ballet studies mounted and decisions about college vs. ballet companies loomed ahead, her perfectionism and stress mounted. I worked with her around issues of self-image and expectations, and intervened with the parents, too. But her sessions were also coupled with intense relaxation and harp therapy, with music designed to bring deep comfort and healing.

Another client was a man in his thirties who decided to attend dental school. He had been a successful student in high school and undergraduate work, but the increased demands for performance and long hours of schooling and homework at the graduate level left him frantic. He found himself freezing before taking exams, his mind going blank. By the time he called me, he had repeated two years of dental school and was close to being dismissed from the program.

We began by desensitizing him to test-taking with a wide range of creative visualizations, meditations, and relaxation therapy, interspersed with soothing, flowing harp therapy.

He was highly responsive after the very first session and stated that he was able to take control back of his studies with this help.

Another recent client was a sixty-two year old woman whose husband was seriously ill with cancer and requiring considerable care at home. She had stopped doing the normal activities that usually calmed and nourished her, such as working out at the gym and having lunch with friends. She had lost weight and was having trouble sleeping. Her daughter bought her a session of harp therapy for Christmas, so that she might find a private space to relax and refuel.

At the end of the session she commented, “Oh, I didn’t think I could relax like that ever again, I feel so blissful and soothed and comforted…I just didn’t want you to ever

stop playing for me! I am coming back next week. This is too important.”

I was trained through the Music for Healing and Transition Program, where I learned to improvise on modes, scales and chord progressions, according to patient needs. I often extend or adapt musical pieces to differing rhythm, meter and tempo, depending upon the patient’s condition. Each patient presents the opportunity to create a musical collage completely spontaneously, making the work even more interesting. After being trained as a psychologist in a traditional program and practicing psychotherapy for thirty years, I was not yet totally convinced of its effectiveness. During my internship at a local hospital, I conducted research with hip replacement patients, immediately following surgery. Before playing my harp, patients reported stress and pain levels of 9 and 10, on a scale of 1 to 10. Following ten minutes of harp therapy, all patients reported stress and pain levels down to 0, 1 and 2. I knew then that I was on the right track.

Marcie Gueret Swift, M.Ed. NCSP CMP has been a Nationally Certified School Psychologist for over 30 years, specializing in the evaluation and therapy of children, adolescents and adults with learning and emotional issues. Marcie earned her certification as a Music Practitioner at the Music for Healing and Transition Program nearly a decade ago and is Board Certified and a Diplomate in Behavioral Health, through the American Association for Integrative Medicine. Marcie is available for individual therapy to address anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain and inattentiveness in both Suffield and Simsbury, and may be contacted at 860-668-7472. To read more about harp therapy or to buy her recently released CD, Thread of Life, combining her harp music with guided imagery and meditation, visit her website at marcieswift. com. or email her at marcieswift@msn.com.

• Personology • Science of the 52 cards • Numerology • Astrology Personalized Reports & Readings for Individuals, Couples and Businesses.

Mary Anne Costerella, MA, LADC, is a licensed psychotherapist offering clinical and metaphysical therapies to provide an integrative approach to the art of transformation.

377 Hubbard St., Glastonbury, CT • (860) 657-1131 MALC7119@aol.com • www.psychospiritualtherapies.com NaturalNutmeg.com

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Optimizing Athletic Performance Identifying and correcting shortcomings for tennis players and golfers

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very sport creates areas of strength and areas of imbalance and weakness for the athlete. This is mainly due to a select group of muscles working repetitively, depending on the sport or activity.

Many times, these imbalances impede the athlete’s performance and can also cause injury. While many people are committed to their gym and training routines, most are not exactly sure what will benefit them the most. In the June issue of Natural Nutmeg, we identified syndromes for runners and cyclists. In this article, we identify specific syndromes for tennis players and golfers. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a tennis and golf guru, understanding and correcting these issues will help you have your best season yet!

the serve and the forehand. This repetitive motion causes the internal rotators to become chronically tight which not only leads to rotator cuff tendonitis, but can also hamper power and velocity.

Tennis

4WHAT TO DO NEXT?

1. Tight groin and hamstrings

Strengthen the infraspinatous: In a standing position, step on an exercise band with your right foot and hold with your right hand.

Starting position is with your right shoulder and elbow bent at 90 degrees, and your palm is facing behind you. While holding on to the exercise band, rotate your arm from the shoulder so your palm is now facing forward. Your arm should now be in a “sworn in” or “hands up, don’t shoot” position. Strengthen the teres minor: Lying on your left side, hold a dumbbell in your right hand, with your arm and elbow against your right side. Your palm is facing towards your body. Rotate your right arm from the shoulder until your palm is facing away from you, making sure to keep your elbow against your side throughout the movement. Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions for both exercises. See Figure 2.

Tennis is a game of quick reflexes and explosive movements on the court. Charging the net, getting back quickly for a lobbed ball or moving quickly laterally all depend on muscles that are strong and loose. Tight muscles not only increase the chance of injury, but also compromise strength and dexterity, and a pulled groin or hamstring is all too common for tennis players.

4WHAT TO STRETCH? (Do These First) Hamstrings: Lie on your back with a resistance band looped under the ball of your left foot. With your leg extended and knee slightly bent, pull the resistance band ends backward to bring your leg over your body until you feel tightness in the hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds. See Figure 1.

Hip adductors: Sit on the floor with legs spread as far apart as possible, without bending knees. Keep the back straight and lean forward. Hold for 30 seconds.

4WHAT TO DO NEXT? Tight adductors and hamstrings often compensate for weak gluteals and a weak psoas (hip flexor). For the gluteal muscle, kneel on the floor and place hands or elbows/forearms on the floor. Extend the right leg out so the knee is straight and the leg is parallel with the floor. Rotate the leg outward from the hip. Contract the glute and raise the leg up higher without hyper extending your low back.

Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions. For the psoas, lay on the floor on your back with the left knee bent. Rotate the bent leg outward to a 45 degree angle. Slowly raise the leg off the ground until the knee is directly above and in line with the hip. Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions. An advanced progression of these exercises is to add a 5 lb. ankle weight.

2. Shoulder imbalances Tennis involves a lot of internal rotation of the shoulder between

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4WHAT TO STRETCH? (Do This First) Stretch the subscapularis by standing in a doorway with one leg forward and your knees slightly bent, raise your right hand and place your forearm against the door frame. Then lean through the doorway, bending forward at the hip. Continue leaning until you feel a decent stretch in your shoulder, and then hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

3. Core strengthening A strong core is essential for fast, explosive movements on the court, and is where the power of the stroke and serve come from.

4WHAT TO DO? Prone plank with alternating arm and leg raise: Begin in plank position, and slowly raise your right arm to shoulder height and your left leg to hip height. Hold for 2 counts, reaching forward with your fingers and back with your heel. Return to the starting plank position and alternate, now raising the left arm and right leg. Do 6 sets of 6 reps per side.

Side lying plank with rotation: Begin in a side lying plank position on your right side, with your head looking straight ahead. Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, raise your left arm and back, rotating from the shoulder. Do 6 sets of 6 reps per side.

Golfers 1. Stuck in the middle A strong, accurate swing with proper follow through relies on a strong but flexible abdomen. Many golfers lose accuracy and power

Figure 1.

because of a restricted diaphragm. When the diaphragm is restricted, it causes the mid-thoracic area of the back to lock up, thus greatly reducing rotation in the torso, and compromising accuracy and distance of the ball.

4WHAT TO STRETCH? (Do This First) Release the diaphragm: Lay on your back with a pillow under your knees for comfort.

Fill a hot water bottle with hot water and place on the abdomen, just under the rib cage. Perform deep, continuous belly breathing for about 20 minutes.

Figure 2.

4WHAT TO DO NEXT? Standing trunk rotation: Standing with your knees slightly bent, arms straight out in front of you, hold on to a resistance band with your hands chest height. Stand sideways to the point the resistance band is secured.

Rotate your upper body 90 degrees away from the resistance band, and come back to center. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps, alternating sides between sets. See Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Supine trunk rotation: Lie on a physioball so that your shoulder blades and back are being supported. Hold a dumbbell with your arms straight out in front of you. Slowly rotate your upper body to each side. When you get to the end range of each side, you should be facing sideways with only one shoulder in contact with the ball. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps. See Figure 4.

Lower trunk rotation: Lie on your back with your arms out to each side in a “T” posture.

With your knees and hips bent at 90 degrees, slowly rotate your legs to each side so that you touch the floor with your knees at each side, making sure your legs are together throughout the entire movement. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Core Strengthening

Figure 4.

A strong core is important to maximize your distance and accuracy of the drive.

4WHAT TO DO? Perform the core exercises as previously described under tennis.

David Priest, LMT and Nancy Sinchak, LMT are licensed massage therapists and co-owners of West Hartford Massage Clinic located at 45 South Main Street in West Hartford.

For more information, call (860) 756-5560 or visit www.westhartfordmassage.com. See ad page 39.

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Giving the Gift of Story: Spoken Treasures for the Family

By Robin Moore

W

hen I was a boy growing up in Central Pennsylvania, every summer my mother would pack up the station wagon and drive all five of us kids 100 miles south, far out into the country, where my grandparents had a cottage on the shores of Silver Lake. The summer months were an unending stream of swimming and canoeing and bare-foot lightning bug-catching, way past dark.

There were also endless days and nights of storytelling. When you live on a lake, you get lots of relatives visiting, and a boy could learn a lot about the family by hanging around and listening—especially when the adults thought you weren’t.

Because the cottage was small, we kids slept in sleeping bags on army cots set up on the screened-in porch by the lake. Night after night I feel asleep to the sound of my relatives’ voices, rising and falling on the summer air, their laughter drifting like mist across the lake.

In my mind, family vacations and the telling of family stories are intertwined so closely that you can’t have one without the other. If you feel the same way, or if this sounds good to you and you would like to start a family storytelling tradition, here are some ideas to prime the pump and get the ball rolling.

Start at the Beginning

One of the best ways to get started in family tales is by telling birth stories. We kids never tired of hearing my mother tell each of us about the day we were born. My own kids loved hearing over and over about the harried trips to the hospital and the rush of relief when the new arrival came slipping and sliding out into the world.

I feel that one of our jobs as parents is to keep our children’s stories for them until they are old enough to carry them on their own. And one of the most important stories you can know is the story of your own birth.

An added bonus: if you would like to publish your birth stories on the web or read those of others, visit www.birthstories.com.

You can enter your stories there and read the birth stories of others, recorded by category (longest labor, shortest labor, funniest, etc.)

Before you know it, everyone will start chiming in with interesting versions of the big event, demonstrating once again that there is always another side of the story!

The Time of Your Life Time is a tricky thing. Geniuses from Plato to Einstein to Miss Piggy have tried to figure it out and all come away scratching their heads. A wise person once said: “Time is just nature’s way of making sure everything doesn’t happen at once.” One way to get a handle on time is to look at the events of your life using a LifeRope. This is nothing more than a length of rope with colored pieces of ribbon or yarn marking the important events of your life.

The idea itself is pretty simple: Beginning with your Birth Story, make a timeline on paper of the important events of your life. Lay these out on a length of rope with colored ribbons marking each event. As each person makes a LifeRope, stories will naturally come up. When you have them completed you can spread them out on the floor so that your child’s birth date falls on the spot on your rope where you marked the event of their birth. What you will end up with is a fascinating (and very tactile) representation of your family’s life through time. For complete instructions, see my book “Creating a Family Storytelling Tradition.”

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You can follow up the LifeRope project with a board game called Life Stories (available at www.talicor.com). This game uses decks of cards with story prompts such as, “Describe one of your best or worst teachers,” or “Tell about one of your first experiences of living away from home.” This is a great way to pass a summer night around the campfire —and hear some great family stories to boot!

Culture, Culture Once you have explored your birth, life and family stories, you are ready to delve more deeply into your own ethnic and religious traditions. Paradoxically, the more grounded we are in the stories of our own culture, the greater our ability to live in a multicultural world and honor the stories of traditions other than our own. For a great essay on this process, try “Claiming my Heritage” by Doug Lipman at www.storydynamics.com.

Make a trip to the local library or book store and search out some read-aloud stories from the traditions you wish to explore.

Reading aloud and storytelling are close cousins. Both activities can bring us closer to one another and to our ancestors.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Perhaps the greatest benefit of family stories lies in the simple and powerful act of listening. When we feel deeply listened to, it is possible to heal old wounds, build bridges, and re-affirm our connections to our family. True listening begins with the willingness to see the world through the eyes of another.

I believe that most family problems can be compassionately addressed, if not eliminated entirely, by effective listening. Perhaps that is the greatest gift we can give each other in these summer weeks of vacation and family reunions.

Enjoy your stories, my friends…

A professional performer, author, and workshop leader, Robin Moore was voted “Storyteller of the Year” by Storytelling Magazine and has shared his stories with more than one million people. Author of several award winning books, Robin is best known for The Bread Sister of Sinking Creek, the first in a series of historical fiction novels about women on the PA frontier. Robin serves as Program Coordinator for The Graduate Institute’s M.A. in Oral Traditions. A new session begins October 2011, visit www.learn.edu or call (203) 874-4252 for more information. See ad on page 22.

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Calendar Friday, July 1st Reiki 1st Degree Workshop with Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher.10am5pm. Also July 2nd. Fee $115. Learn self-healing or healing for others, receive 4 meditations, manual and certificate included. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Pre-Registration required at 203-852-1150 or angelhealreikigigib@snet.net.

Tuesday, July 5th First Tuesday Meditation and Oneness Blessing. 7:00- 8:00pm. $10. Led by Wendy Kolanz. Anyone can meditate and experience the benefits. Deeksha energy transfers are offered. No previous experience required. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 860.657.9545.

Friday, July 8th Metaphysical movie night. Life After Life.

7pm. In Life After Life Raymond Moody investigates case studies of people who experienced “clinical death” and were subsequently revived. This classic exploration of life after death started a revolution in popular attitudes about the afterlife and established Dr. Moody as the world’s leading authority in the field of near-death experience. These moving and inspiring accounts give us a glimpse of the peace and unconditional love that await us all.

Unity Center, 3 Main St., Norwalk. For more information call 203-855-7922 or www.unitycenterps.org.

Dreamtime Concert with John Dumas, shamanic musician, astrologer, sound healer: 7pm. $25. His utilization of didgeridoo, flutes, rattles, drum and chanting moves the Soul into a divine bliss. Pvt appts available. Contact Barbara at Liphe Balance Center for reservation. Space limited. 203 912 2791 or liphebalance@ gmail.com.

The Alchemy of Self-Mastery. A Journey into Transformation and Empowerment.

Through July 10th. Weekend workshop includes concert and weekend day/evening workshops, alkaline meals, use of chemical-free pool and saunas. $275. Pvt appts available for shamanic astrology and sound healing. Contact Barbara at Liphe Balance Center for reservation. 203 912 2791 or liphebalance@gmail.com.

Is Everything You Know About Ghosts Dead Wrong? 7-9 pm. $25 (2 for $40) David Franklin Farkas, a professional house healer and ghost rescuer, facilitates. Ghost phenomena make sense when you understand who/what ghosts are and what they are experiencing. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington. Register at www.

HouseHealing.com, or 866.4.Farkas.

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Saturday, July 9th Reiki For Kids. 10am - 3pm. $50. Children have a natural awareness of their energetic being. A Reiki class is a way for them to experience and express this through art, movement and sound in a safe, nurturing environment. For ages 6 - 10. All supplies are included. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Lauren Mas, RMT at 860-202-9981, www.morningsunreiki.com by July 18.

Psychic Saturday. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. $20.00 for a 20-minute reading. Intuitive Priscilla Bengtson will connect with her guides and angels to provide you with the information you need. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To preschedule, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Learn to Meditate. 10am -12pm. Café will be open at 9:15am. $15. Learn about the benefits of meditation and how to begin and maintain your own practice. Classes include guided meditations, practical advice and time for questions. Pre registration appreciated. Odiyana Meditation Center, 297 Oakland Rd. South Windsor, CT 860-268-7251/ info@odiyana.org www.meditationinconnecticut.org

Sunday, July 10th Shamanic Journeying Beginner’s Intensive. 1-5 pm. $40. An introduction to shamanic journeying, to help you connect to spiritual wisdom for your own transformational growth and health. Bring a drum or rattle, eye cover, and notebook. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Marian at 860-918-8703. www. wholelifewellnessshaman.com.

Monday, July 11th Yoga Nidra. Free. 1:15-1:45pm Instructor: Julie McNeal. Yoga Nidra or the yoga psychic sleep is a guided meditation practice of deep relaxation that has been found to reduce tension and anxiety. The Institute of Integrative Manual Therapy, 800 Cottage Grove Road, Building 2, Bloomfield, CT 06002. Contact Amanda Albrecht at AmandaAlbrecht@centerimt.com or call 860 243 5220.

Tuesday, July 12th Third Eye Enhancement Meditation.

6:30pm-8:30pm $20 Meditating on the third eye is believed to be helpful in developing intuitive power. These meditations help in opening, activating and balancing the mysterious Ajna Chakra. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-265-2927, email sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or visit www.return2love.net Meet your Angels and Spirit Guides.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Receiving spiritual guidance is easier when you understand who you are connecting with.

During this workshop you will learn about your primary spiritual guides and guardian

angels. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Wednesday, July 13th Janet Hulme – Improving Bladder/Bowel Strength. Free. 1:15pm-1:45pm. Instructor: Marilyn Gross, PT, IMTC. This one hour class is structured to provide individuals, suffering from any type of pelvic pain, with easy sets of functional exercises to improve strength and mobility. The Institute of Integrative Manual Therapy, 800 Cottage Grove Road, Building 2, Bloomfield, CT 06002. Contact Amanda Albrecht at AmandaAlbrecht@centerimt. com or call 860 243 5220.

Healing in Harmony Night. 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. FREE. This is a drop-in healing service. Participants will sit individually with Priscilla Bengtson and receive a healing. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. For more information, please contact 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Thursday, July 14th Information Session on The Graduate Institute’s Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. 6-7:30 pm. Free.

Learn about a dynamic Masters degree program in Integrative Medicine. Incite Wellness Center, 208 Otrobando Ave, Norwich, CT. Visit www.learn.edu/events to sign up, or call (203) 874-4252 or write to info@learn.edu for more information.

Saturday, July 16th Learn to Meditate. 10am -12pm. $15.

Learn about the benefits of meditation and how to begin and maintain your own practice. Classes include guided meditations, practical advice and time for questions. Pre registration appreciated.

Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 860-2687251/ info@odiyana.org www.meditationinconnecticut.org.

A Journey into Yoga for Self Healing and Discovery. 1-3:30 pm. $35. Sue Rubinstein, RYT and psychologist Kim Andrews, PhD, RYT facilitate. Reduce stress through the practice of pranayama, yoga poses and meditation. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney St/Rt 286, Ellington, www.spiritmattersct. com. Register with Susan, 860-205-9992

by July 13.

Usui Reiki One Certification. 9:30 am - 3:30 pm. $150. includes materials for follow-up practice. Learn an introduction to the history, theory and practice of Reiki and receive your attunement as a Level I Practitioner, allowing you to give healing to yourself and others. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, www. spiritmattersct.com. Register with Lauren Mas, RMT: 860-202-9981; www.morningsunreiki.com by July 9.

Human Relations Training Program – Intro. 9am-12pm. Free. Whether you are seeking growth within yourself, in your

professional life, or in your relationships, this program can provide you with an unparalleled understanding of human dynamics. Hartford Family Institute, 17 S Highland St. West Hartford. 860.258.4113 www.hartfordfamilyinstitute.com Reiki II. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $150.00.

Receive attunements to higher frequencies of universal energy and enhance your healing work. Learn how to do distance healing, as well as heal mental, emotional and past life issues. Held at simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury.

To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Sunday, July 17th Women’s Empowerment Meditation.

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. $25.00. 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 simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please contact 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Lunar Flow Yoga. 6 – 8:00 pm. $20 or $25 at the door. Celebrate the full moon with a candle-lit, restorative practice that includes gentle backbends and hip-opening, forward bends and twists, inversions and special lunar meditation and ritual offering. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Pre-register at Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, 860.657.9545.

Monday, July 18th Information Session on The Graduate Institute’s Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. 5 pm. Free. Learn about a dynamic Masters degree program in Integrative Medicine. Stamford Hospital’s Tully Health Center, Conference Room C. 32 Strawberry Hill Court, Stamford, CT. Visit www.learn.edu/events to sign up, or call (203) 874-4252 or write to info@learn.edu for more information.

Wednesday, July 20th Introduction to Medical Intuition. 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $90.00. This two-part program helps you gain a better understanding of Medical Intuition and what energetic imbalances are creating physical issues in the body. Also Wednesday, July 27. Held at simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please contact 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Welcome Summer & Renewed Health.

4-7 PM. Open House – Free Event. Come and meet a group of uniquely talented, eclectic and professionally trained practitioners. We feature two Psychotherapists, a Naturopathic Doctor, a Medical Intuitive, a Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist and a team of Energy Healers/Channels.

Crossroads Wellness Center – 10 Crossroads Plaza. West Hartford, CT. 860-2362166.

Thursday, July 21st Information Session on The Graduate Institute’s Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. 4 pm. Free. Learn about a dynamic Masters degree program in Integrative Medicine. Hartford Hospital, Special Dining Room. 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT. Visit www.learn.edu/events to sign up, or call (203) 874-4252 or write to info@learn.edu for more information.

Naturally Beautiful. 7pm. Free lecture wth Dr. Debra Anastasio at Thyme and Season Natural market in Hamden. For more information go to www.drdebraanastasio.com.

Friday, July 22nd Gallery Night. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Enjoy an intimate evening of learning about angels and guides and experiencing intuitive readings with medium and certified Angel Therapy Practitioner®, Priscilla Bengtson. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www. simplyfitnessonline.com.

Saturday, July 23rd The Benefits of Yoga in Addressing PTSD. 2:00 – 5:00pm. With Allison Sullivan. $100. This workshop will be a review of the “Five Domains” of a trauma sensitive yoga class. This is part of an ongoing Yoga Therapy Teacher Training. Open to all Health Care Professionals. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Private Appointments with Pat Caffrey, Master Channel. 9-5pm. $125 for 1 hr / $85 for ½ hr. The Healers of Light (channeled through Pat) are able to clear blocks and assist with healing in many ways.

Come discover the energy healing of the future being presented to us today. Crossroads Wellness Center – 10 Crossroads Plaza. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or www.epllc.org.

Group Healing Session with Pat Caffrey, Master Channel. 7:00pm. Donations Only.

Come and join us for a very unique evening of healing. Pat - The Angelic Council & Healers of LIGHT invite you to meet us for our new healing format. We are adding a unique experience of healing as we do the touch phase of the session. West Hartford Senior Center – 15 Starkel Rd. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or www.epllc.org.

Tuesday, July 26th Open House at The Graduate Institute.

5:30 pm. Free. Learn about TGI’s groundbreaking degree programs for adult learners. 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT. Visit www.learn.edu/events to sign up, or call (203) 874-4252 or write to info@learn.edu for more information.

Third Eye Enhancement Meditation 6:30pm-8:30pm $20 Meditating on the third eye is believed to be helpful in developing intuitive power. These meditations help in opening, activating and balancing

the mysterious Ajna Chakra. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-265-2927, email sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or visit www.return2love.net.

one has ever had about anything. Hilton Garden Inn, 85 Glastonbury Boulevard, Glastonbury, CT. $200. To register contact Gene Ang at gene.ang@gmail.com or (805) 410-0756.

Wednesday, July 27th

Sunday, July 31st

Energy Make Over For Women. 6:30 8:30 pm. $15. This make-over is from the inside out! We will deep-clean your energetic system, and begin changing old thought patterns that may be limiting you.

Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com.

Register with Lauren Mas, RMT: 860-2029981, www.morningsunreiki.com by Friday, July 22.

Presence Healing Sessions with Gene Ang, Ph.D. 8-6pm. Also Mon. 8/1. Sessions are held at The Center for Integrative Health and Healing at 533 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, CT. $200 - Access Bars, Vortex, Pranic, Reconnective, Shamanic Healing, or Shamanic Counseling (1 hour). $333 - The Reconnection (includes two 1-hour sessions, on separate days). Please contact Gene Ang at gene. ang@gmail.com or (805) 410-0756 (www. geneang.com).

Information Session on The Graduate Institute’s Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. 7 to 9 pm. Free.

Learn about a dynamic Masters degree program in Integrative Medicine. Total Life Care Center, 152 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Visit www.learn.edu/events to sign up, or call (203) 874-4252 or write to info@ learn.edu for more information.

ONGOING EVENTS

Thursday, July 28th

SUNDAYS

Core Stabilization & Strengthening Class.

No Cost. 1:15pm-1:45pm. This one hour class offers the student basic core stabilization and strengthening techniques that can be performed easily at home or hotel room. The Institute of Integrative Manual Therapy, 800 Cottage Grove Road, Building 2, Bloomfield, CT 06002. Contact Amanda Albrecht at AmandaAlbrecht@ centerimt.com or call 860 243 5220.

15 Minutes in the Silence. Align with your Higher Self before the Celebration Service. 10am. Celebration Service with Rev. Shawn Moninger. 10:30 am. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Information, call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

Friday, July 29th Reiki 2nd Degree Workshop with Gigi Benanti, Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/ Teacher - 10am to 5pm – Also Jul. 30th.

Includes review to Reiki 1, learn distance healing, techniques for hands-on protection. Essential oils and crystals. Manual and certificate included. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Avenue, Norwalk. PreRegistration required at 203-852-1150 or angelhealreikigigib@snet.net. Fee $215225. www.angelhealreiki.com FREE healing lecture and demonstration with Louise Mita, internationally known healer residing in Honolulu. 7:30pm.

Space limited. Contact Barbara at Liphe Balance Center 203.912.2791. liphebalance@gmail.com

Spiritual Cinema Circle. 7 pm. Independent, spiritual filmmakers are creating inspirational movies with heart and soul. First Sunday of every month, movie followed by discussion of the film. No charge. Bring popcorn and an open mind.

Move2Wellness located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www.move2wellness.com.

Meditation Sunday Evenings. 7pm. The 3rd, 4th, 5th Sunday every month. Meditation led by a different practitioner every week. Experience different techniques and styles for your own practice. Free.

Move2Wellness is located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www.move2wellness.com.

MONDAYS

Integrative Quantum Medicine at The Liphe Balance Center. Louise Mita, internationally known healer residing in Honolulu, is bringing her seminar on Integrative Quantum Medicine . Through Sun. Jul. 31st. IQM teaches you how to quickly alleviate pain and suffering, addictions, traumas, emotional suffering and more.

203. 921.2791. liphebalance@gmail.com.

Intro to Yoga. 6 Week Session Mondays July 11th - Aug. 15th 7:30pm. $89. This class is for students who are absolutely new to yoga. You will learn the names and proper alignment of the basic postures used in your weekly yoga classes. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www. fulleryoga.com.

Saturday, July 30th

Yoga Power. - Mondays and Wednesdays 6:00-7:15pm, Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. Find more Energy, Strength and Power in your life with the healing detoxifying benefits of Yoga Power. With focused breathing and intense holding of postures you will break

Learn “Access Bars”. 10-6pm. Learn about the 32 bars of energy that run through and around the head which store the electromagnetic component of all the thoughts, ideas, attitudes, decisions and beliefs that

through the resistance that keeps you from achieving success. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www.fulleryoga.com.

Athlete Yoga. 7 – 8 pm. With Pamela Besteman. $16 drop-in, class cards available.

By giving your body a chance to slow the breath down, to stretch out, you can minimize the negative affects of training and help your body perform more efficiently and recover faster. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Morning Yoga. 9:30am. Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. Class will begin with a warm up that utilizes variations of Sun Salutation. Then we will cultivate strength and awareness in the core, and later apply that awareness to standing postures and balancing. Cool down will consist of twists and forward folds. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www.fulleryoga.com.

Tai Chi Class. 6-7pm. Instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine who studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung.

He teaching Tai Chi in US for over twenty years. Mention this ad for first month free Tai Chi class on Monday ($60) or Saturday ($80) Exp. Oct 1, 2011. Wu Healing Center, 45 South Main Street, Suite #100, West Hartford, CT. 800-990-9332. www. wuhealing.com.

The Workbook Lessons from A Course in Miracles with Rev. Shawn Moninger.

10am. Love Offering. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. For information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

Belly Dance Fusion with Naima Provo.

7-8:30pm $20/ class, 10 classes for $170.

No experience necessary! Learn movements focusing on muscle isolation, core strength, and correct posture. Practice movements with drills & stretches to all types of music. Come wiggle & giggle with us! Move2Wellness is located at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-403-2522 or www. move2wellness.com.

The Thought Exchange, A Workshop with David Friedman. 7pm. A spiritual support group based in the results of a realization of having a new thought. “What if what you see in your life is just a mirror of your thoughts?” The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. Call (203)855-7922. email office@unitycenterps.org.

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Calendar TUESDAYS Intro to Pilates. 6 Week Session. 7/128/16. 7:30pm. $89. This class will ensure you execute the pilates exercises correctly to get the benefits of a strong core and reduced back pain. You will learn the pilates principles of Breathing, Pelvic Placement, Rib Cage Placement, Scapular Movement and Stabilization and Head and Cervical Placement. Please wear form fitting exercise clothing preferably black. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www.fulleryoga. com.

A Course in Miracles facilitated by Joan Goss. 7pm. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. For more information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@ unitycenterps.org.

Kids Yoga (girls/boys ages 4-7). 4:30pm5:30pm. Enlightened Way Wellness Center.

2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www. enlightenedway.com. Taught by Next Generation Yoga Instructor Jill Hebert.

All Levels Vinyasa. 5:45-6:45pm. $16 drop in, class cards available. Maeve Ryan combines the stretching and relaxation of gentle yoga with the heat-building core and balance work of vinyasa flow yoga.

All are welcome. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT. 06033. 860.657.9545.

WEDNESDAYS Yoga for Runners. 7 – 8pm. With Paula Scopino. $10 per person. Join the Glastonbury River Runners in a weekly yoga class designed specifically to stretch and strengthen the areas of the body that are affected by running. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Morning Yoga. 9:30am. Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply.

Class will begin with a warm up utilizing variations of Sun Salutation. Then strength and awareness in the core, and later apply that awareness to standing postures and balancing. Cool down with twists and forward folds. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT. 860-4309642. www.fulleryoga.com Deep Restorative Yoga. 7:30pm and Fridays at 6:00pm, Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. This therapeutic style of yoga is often called “Active Relaxation” which uses props to support the body while keeping it active with minimal movement in a relaxed, meditative state. The postures are specifically designed for when you are feeling fatigued, weak, stressed from daily life or when you just want to experience stillness. They can also help alleviate depression, reduce chronic pain, migraines and the symptoms of insomnia, asthma and to help recover from childbirth. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642. www.fulleryoga.com.

Yoga Power. 6-7:15pm, Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. Find more Energy, Strength and Power in your

life with the healing detoxifying benefits of Yoga Power. With focused breathing and intense holding of postures you will break through the resistance that keeps you from achieving success. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www.fulleryoga.com A Course in Miracles facilitated by Rev. Shawn. 10am. The Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St., (above Ford Dealership), Norwalk, CT 06851. Cost: Love Offering. For more information, please call (203) 855-7922or email us at office@unitycenterps.org.

Kids Yoga (girls/boys ages 7-12). 4:305:30pm. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340.www.enlightenedway.com. Taught by Yoga Kids Instructor Julie Erasmus.

THURSDAYS Meditation Sessions. 5:30pm-6pm. FREE. 30-min. group meditation. Great for beginners or those just wanting a tranquil place to meditate. “Chopra Center Certified” Instructors. Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury). (860) 217-0340. www.Enlightenedway.com.

Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Cost $25. Kundalini Yoga is a sacred technology that awakens the spirit, energizes the body & relaxes the mind. Everybody can do this regardless of age, size and fitness level. It’s “90 minutes that can change your life.” Call or email to reserve.

Move2Wellness at Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road, Ridgefield. 203-4032522 or www.move2wellness.com.

FRIDAYS Yoga for Girls (ages 11-15). 3rd Friday each month! 5pm-6:30pm. Taught Youth Yoga instructor Julie Erasmus. Celebrate being a girl with this fun-filled yoga class!

Become inspired and learn to listen to your body and explore yoga and other healthy acitivites! Enlightened Way Wellness Center. 2 Tunxis Road, Suite #208, Tariffville (Simsbury), CT 06081. (860) 217-0340. www.enlightenedway.com.

Morning Yoga. 9:30am. Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. See full description under Wednesday class Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9642, www. fulleryoga.com Deep Restorative Yoga. 6:00pm, Class Cards, Drop Ins and Monthly Memberships apply. See full description under Tuesday class. Fuller Yoga Pilates & Massage, 2450 Main St. Glastonbury, CT. 860-430-9642. www.fulleryoga.com

SATURDAYS Tai Chi Class. 9-11am. Instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine who studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung.

He teaching Tai Chi in US for over twenty years. Mention this ad for first month free Tai Chi class on Monday ($60) or Saturday ($80) Exp Oct 1, 2011. Wu Healing Center,45 South Main Street, Suite #100, West Hartford, CT. 800-990-9332. www. wuhealing.com.

Community Resources ACUPUNCTURE

ACUPUNCTURE

ALLERGY TREATMENT CHIROPRACTIC

Stan Baker, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac.

Sophia Natural Health Center

Advanced Allergy Relief CT

35 Nod Road, Suite 106, Menla Holistic Health, Avon, CT. • (860) 836-1068 Stan Baker is a fully licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine practitioner with offices in Avon, CT and Springfield, MA. He has been a practitioner in the Oriental healing arts for 25 years. He specializes in difficult cases including back pain/sciatica, headache/migraine, allergies, and arthritis. He is also a teacher of advanced Chen Tai Chi, Aikido and Sun Do Mt. Yoga. See ad on pg 14.

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center Dr.Helene Pulnik, ND LAc. 18 School St., Glastonbury,Ct 6033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Dr. Pulnik is a licensed, board certified Acupuncturist and Naturopathic Physician with over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional. She specializes in acupuncture for infertility, womens' health, migraines, anxiety/stress/ insomnia, arthritis, back & neck pain, sciatica, allergies, chronic sinusitis, and more. See our ad on page 46.

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Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, L.Ac. 499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com

Anne Mitchell, ND (203) 239-3400 • www.aarct.com North Haven & W. Hartford

Combining Chinese Medicine with modern science, we restore health by identifying imbalances that cause illness. Acupuncture, Allergy Elimination, Chronic Pain Relief, Hormone Balancing, Thermography, Detoxification. See ad on page 15

Eliminate your allergic reactions using a technologically advanced treatment that corrects the body’s response to the offending food, pollen, mold, perfume, pets, etc. No medications. Non-invasive. Childfriendly. See ad on page 19.

BEE VENOM THERAPY

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center

Bee Well Therapy, Inc.

Alan Lorenzo, Stamford , CT (203) 322-7872 • BeeWellTherapy.com

Bee venom therapy can offer significant relief from the symptoms of spinal, neural, or muscular-skeletal ailments. The antibacterial, anti-viral, and cancer fighting properties of bee venom make it a unique weapon in controlling many diseases.

Please call for a free phone consultation. House calls only, by appointment. See ad on page 8.

18 School St., Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND is a certified Advanced Allergy Therapeutics Practitioner. Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT) is a clinically proven treatment that is highly effective in relieving the many symptoms associated with allergies, food sensitivities, environmental sensitivies, IBS, headaches, skin problems and more. The AAT treatment does not rely on the use of medications, herbal remedies or supplements. The treatment is safe, painless and available to all ages including infants. See ad on page 46.

Chiropractic Health Ctr. of Glastonbury

2934 Main St.,Glastonbury, Ct 860-657-8800 • www.glastonburychiro.com Dr. Patrick DeFranceso, founder, is a board certified chiropractor with more than 20 years experience assisting patients. To deliver the highest standard of care Dr. DeFrancesco utilizes the state-of-the-art digital x-ray, the latest chiropractic tables and equipment. The office also offers therapeutic massage, nutrition counseling and monthly workshops. Our family of patients range in ages from newborns to senior citizens. The team at the office creates a comfortable and fun loving environment where individuals and families can reach and maintain optimal health and wellness with safe, natural and effective chiropractic care. Feeling good has never been so simple!

CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Charles B. Lerner, DC, LAc. Glastonbury Naturopathic & Acupuncture Center 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com

Dr. Charles Lerner offers expert Chiropractic and Acupuncture care for acute and chronic problems, both internal medical concerns and pain management. He's gentle, compassionate and treats his patients as whole beings, not symptoms or diseases. Dr. Lerner's approach to health and wellness is simple: he offers a complete method of care specifically designed around the patient’s needs and requirements. In addition to the variety of Chiropractic adjustment techniques, Dr. Lerner offers a wide variety of modalities including hot packs, electrical muscle stimulation, ultra sound therapy, low dose ultra sound therapy and vibration therapy. See ad on page 46.

DENTISTRY The Canaan Gentle Dentle & Implant Center Dr. Thomas Livingstone 3-5 Railroad St. North Canaan, CT (860) 824-0751 livingstonedentalexcellence.com See ad on page 13.

Dr. Steven Hinchey

2249 New London Turnpike South Glastonbury, CT. (860) 633-6518 www.dentistryfordiabetics.com/drhinchey See ad on page 37.

Francis X. Tortora

Westside Chiropractic

Dr. Kevin Norige has been in practice for almost 30 years in South Windsor, CT. His services include Invisalign, Perio Protect, Lumineers, Snapon Smiles and Snap-it, Global Mini Implants, and non-surgical periodontal treatments. He is a member of the ADA, CSDA, and the Hartford Dental Society. He is a clinician with the CT Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic and also serves as a facilitator to dental students at the Univ. of CT. See ad on page 9.

557 Prospect Avenue, West Hartford,CT (860) 523-5833 • westsidechiropractors.com Our mission is to provide chiropractic care, naturally based generalist, primary or specialty health care, for persons of all ages. We are committed to educating our patients about their health and wellness and providing them with tools for self improvement. We seek to work in partnership with you to achieve good health and well being in a way consistent with your way of life. Visit our location in West Hartford See ad on page 35.

18 School St., Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Constance Jones is New England’s senior Colon Hydrotherapist. During her 30 years of practice, she has performed nearly 50,000 colonics. Connie is certified through both the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapists (I-ACT) and The National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy. She creates a nurturing, serene, and safe environment, and maintains your utmost privacy and comfort. www.cleanmycolon.com. See our ad on page 46.

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

Bryce Rx Laboratories, Inc.

30 Buxton Farms Road, Stamford, CT 06905 800-798-7279 • www.brycerx.com Bryce Rx Laboratories is a full service Compounding Pharmacy specializing in the formulation of drugs that are not commercially available. From impotence injections, bio-identical hormones, pain management, and veterinary (this list is not inclusive). Please note, all compounded medications require a prescription from a physician. See ad on page 5.

2 Tunxis Road Suite 208, Tarrifville, CT 06081 860.217.0340 • wisdom@enlightenedway.com www.enlightenedway.com Enlightened Way is a tranquil wellness center dedicated to inspiring transformation, providing knowledge, restoring balance, and creating joy and fulfillment in peoples’ lives. We’ve developed an array of programs and services designed to foster and support a life of vitality and balance for everyone. Our services include daily yoga classes, therapeutic and Ayurvedic massages, free group meditations, and Kids’ yoga. We also offer programs such as Children’s Relaxation, Perfect Health/Ayurvedic Lifestyle and Primordial Sound Meditation. See ad on page 26.

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

Mind Body Transformation Hypnosis is a Certified Hypnotist specializing in fast and effective methods for weightloss, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc. Hypnosis, Thought Field Therapy™, Time Line Therapy™ & NLP. Call for a free consultation. See ad on page 19.

HYPNOTHERAPY/NLP Nishanto Kane...MindDesigning Hypnosis, Master NLP Practitioner Aura,Chakra Analysis, Meditation Simsbury, CT. (860) 658-9678 www.minddesigning.net

COLON HYDROTHERAPY FITNESS/NUTRITION Glastonbury Naturopathic Center

Enlightened Way Wellness Center

Dr. Kevin Norige, D.M.D.

112 Deming St., South Windsor, CT. (860) 644-0113

Chiropractor, Board Certified Craniopath 22 Fifth, St., Ste. 208, Stamford, CT (203) 348-0678 See ad on page 15.

HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTERS

Cassandra Forsythe, PhD, RD 860-933-8255 www.cassandraforsythe.com

Cassandra Forsythe is a certified Registered Dietitian and holds her PhD in exercise science and nutrition from the University of Connecticut.

She specializes in weight loss, heart health, high blood pressure, sports nutrition, low carb diets, detox and healthy eating. Contact her today to get your nutrition and health on track.

All that is, was first created in the mind.

Nishanto Kane is a certified Eriksonian Hypnotist, Master NLP practitioner, Reconnection practitioner, Aura/Chakra Analyst.

She has over 25 years experience in assisting many to stop smoking, release self-sabotaging habits, develop beliefs to attract abundance and well being, eliminate per allergies, anxieties, phobias, weight gain, stress, alcohol abuse, insomnia, improve school grades and more. Offering Chakra analysis - this amazing scientific state of the art technology allows you and the practitioner to view your aura.

Through interpretation you can learn to bring yourself into physical, mental and emotional balance.

HEALTH FOOD STORES Parkade Health Shoppe

Manchester Parkade, 378 West Middle Tpke, Manchester, CT • 860.646.8178 M-Sat 8am-9pm • Sun 9am-6pm The Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe is an information and service-oriented health food store that has served its community since 1956. Owner, Michael Dworkin, P.D., M.S., a Registered Pharmacist and State Certified Clinical Nutritionist, is available for consultation by appointment. Our other staff nutrition consultants provide customers with instore guidance in choosing vitamins, herbs, sports nutrition products, natural body care, natural and allergen-free foods, and life style changes. Many of our products are discounted every day. Ask us about our gym and other special discounts. See ad on page 7.

IN-HOME CARE New England Nightingales, LLC Assisted Living in the Home 406 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06032 PH. 860-676-7786, Fax 860-676-7704

New England Nightingales, LLC was founded

by Cynthia Ebanks, a registered nurse with more than twenty-five years experience in patient care. We make living at home the right choice for you and your loved ones by helping with the activities of daily living. From our coaching and mentoring services for family caregivers to hourly assistance or 24/7 care, we provide the services you need to manage the various stages of illness, trauma, or dementia. Whatever you need . . .whenever you need it. . we’ll be there.

See ad on page 23.

INSPIRATION Robin Clare

Inner Wisdom Guide 10 Crossroads Plaza, West Hartford, CT. 860-232-3331 • info@clare-ity.com The Clare-ity Method is a comprehensive tool for discovering what’s next in your personal and business life. An Akashic Record reading provides your soul’s perspective on all aspects of your life. Combine this with Robin’s 30 + years in business and you have an evolutionary business service!

MARTIAL ARTS Copper Mountain Aikido

21 Copper Hill Road, Granby, CT 06035 (860)986-3617, cpprmtnaikido@gmail.com Copper Mountain Aikido is a member of Birankai International (North America) under the direction of T. K. Chiba, Shihan. Birankai International is recognized by the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Japan.

Copper Mountain Aikido is a traditional Japanese “country-style” dojo offering Aikido, Aikido Weapons, Internal Aiki Training, Iaido (Japanese Sword Art), and Zazen (Zen Meditation). All instruction is conducted by the Certified Chief Instructor licensed under Birankai International (North America). All are welcome!

MASSAGE Wholistic Spa

18 School Street, Glastonbury 06033.

(860) 657-4105, www.wholisticspa.com.

Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc, Med. Director Wholistic Spa™ is a haven of total wellness.

From the moment you step into our quiet space, we are focused on your complete wellness. Our treatments at Wholistic Spa™ use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients. We offer organic facials, hand & foot treatments and signature massage services for women, men and couples, featuring EMINENCE Organic Skin Care from Hungary. Inner Health. Outer Beauty™.

See ad on page 46.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE CT Natural Health Specialists

Lauren Gouin, ND 135 Center St., Manchester, CT (860) 533-0179 • www.ctnaturalhhealth.com Dr. Lauren Gouin is a naturopathic physician with a family practice in Manchester and South Windsor. Dr. Gouin is accepting new patients and is in network with most insurance companies. For more information, contact her at (860)644-2437 or visit www.ctnhs.com. See ad on page 21.

Debra Gibson, ND

158 Danbury Road, Suite 8, Ridgefield, CT 06877 • (203)431-4443 Natural family healthcare using nutrition and biochemistry; herbal, homeopathic, and energetic medicine; lifestyle transformation and detoxification, to promote well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

See ad on page 30.

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Resources NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE Glastonbury Naturopathic Ctr. 18 School Street, Glastonbury Dr. Helene Pulnik. (860) 657-4105 www.naturopathicwellness.com

Glastonbury Naturopathic Ctr. is a multidisciplinary healthcare center focusing on natural alternatives for individuals to achieve and maintain optimal health. Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. is a board-certified licensed Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional. Offering Naturopathic Medicine, Colon Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture, Cleansing & Detoxification Programs, Weight Management Programs. See ad on page 46.

Kensington Naturopathic Medical Ctr.

Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Rd, Kensington, CT (860) 829-0707 • drannaresco@comcast.net kensingtonnaturopathic.com Centrally located in Connecticut, Kensington Naturopathic Medical Center p r ov i d e s c o m p r e h e n s ive family healthcare. Our team of specialized health professionals is dedicated to facilitating our patients’ optimal health, and offers a wide range of services, including supplementation, homeopathy, acupuncture and Chinese herbs as well as nutrition, holistic health counseling and weight loss/life style changes. See ad on page 26.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine 301 N. Main St., West Hartford, CT (860) 232-9662 • www.DRAIETA.com

Dr. Frank Aieta, founder of West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine, is a board certified licensed Naturopathic Physician who specializes in the treatment of both acute and chronic disease utilizing the most advanced natural therapeutics. He offers a wide range of natural, non-toxic treatments which include: Acupuncture, Spinal Manipulation, Clinical Nutrition, Detoxification, Pain Management, Herbal Medicine and Natural Hormone Balancing. See ad on page 15.

NUTRITION Holcare Nutrition Vicki Kobliner MS RD 3 Hollyhock Lane, Suite 2A, Wilton, CT 06897 203-834-9949 • www.holcarenutrition.com Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition.

Vicki works with infants, through adults with chronic illnesses, digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD and autism and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. She is a contributing author to A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in Americas Children. See ad on page 16.

PHYSICIANS, M.D.

PHYSICIANS, M.D. Natural Health & Healing, LLC

Deanna M. Cherrone, MD 60 East Main Street, Avon, CT. (860) 677-4600 • naturalhealthandhealing.net Dr. Deanna Cherrone, founder of Natural Health & Healing, is a board certified Internal Medicine physician who has changed the focus of her practice from traditional Internal Medicine to Functional Medicine. Functional Medicine is a science based approach to health care that involves looking at each patient as a whole being with interconnected systems that function best when they are all in balance.

See ad on back cover.

Optimal Health Medical, LLC Henry C. Sobo, MD • (203) 348-8805 www.DrSobo.com

Medical doctor practicing holistic/alternative medicine and weight reduction in Stamford, CT. Nutrition, Allergy Desensitization, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for men and women. See ad page 39.

11 Mountain Ave., Ste. 201, Bloomfield, CT • (860) 242-8200 William Nager is a 1985 Graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, in Portland Oregon. He also earned a second degree in chiropratic medicine from Western State Chiropractic College. For the past 25 years Dr. Nager has practiced family medicine using non-toxic therapies for digestive disorders, anxiety, and depression, fatigue, back pain, eczema, allergies, hypertension, high cholesterol and pain management as well as other conditions within the scope of a general family medicine practice.

See ad on page 8.

The Wellness Institute Marvin Schweitzer, ND 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT (203) 847-2788

Dr. Schweitzer treats all ages with natural therapies including homeopathy, herbal medicine, enzymes, nutritional supplements and more. His advanced cutting-edge technologies evaluate underlying causes and create individualized treatment plans. ASYRA, Ondamed, BrainPaint, footbaths, acupuncture and oxygen therapies are used to achieve optimal health. Allergy desensitization, detoxification programs, immune system support, Lyme disease issues and other wellness protocols are included in his personalized care.

See ad on page 17.

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(formerly Avon Therapeutic Center) Eileen C. Comia, M.D. 701 Cottage Grove Road Ste., C-10 Bloomfield, CT 06002 Tel. 860.242.2200 • Fax 860.242.2212 www.AdvBioMedTx.com Dr. Eileen Comia is a board certified Internal Medicine specialist with16 yrs of experience in private practice.

In 2002, she founded Avon Therapeutic Center (now Advance Biomedical Treatment Center) specializing in Integrative Medicine. She offers a unique practice using Functional Medicine in the treatment of chronic illnesses. She is a seasoned Defeat Autism Now! Practitioner of 10 years and a member of ACAM (American College for Advancement in Medicine). See ad on page 13.

Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing 533 Cottage Grove Rd, Bloomfield, CT (860) 243-2224 • www.cmgmds.com/cihh.html The first of its kind in the country, Connecticut Multispecialty Group (CMG) is a large multispecialty group with its own Integrative Medicine Department. The physician-directed model uniquely blends conventional medicine with complementary therapies. Over 70 physicians work collaboratively with licensed massage therapists, licensed acupuncturists, certified energy workers, and registered dieticians. The end result is comprehensive model of healthcare delivery that focuses on whole person wellness and optimal health. CMG also features an electronic health record that interconnects all providers and offers portable flash drives with personal health information to all its clients. See ad on page 3.

Lori Carpenos & Associates

566 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105 www.3PrinciplesTherapy.com • 860-561-1919 We provide retreats, seminars, and trainings for Executives, Leaders, Couples, and Individuals who are interested in moving beyond their current level of consciousness in work and life, with less stress, and more enjoyment. If you would like to enjoy more creativity, productivity, satisfaction and less stress in life, whether alone or with others, please call to discuss a program that will meet your needs. See ad on page 25.

Soul Support Counseling Nancy M Brockett, PhD, LPC West Hartford, CT 860.223.2232 soul-support.org

Feeling stressed, confused, anxious or depressed? Imagine yourself breaking free from worries and fear and then confidently doing what you haven't been able to before! We work together from the perspective of the whole self to get to the heart of what’s troubling you. Using painless, drug-free treatments, Dr Brockett helps you uncover and build on your own inner strengths so you can free yourself from negativity and live with more joy in your life. See ad on page 34.

Tamara Sachs, MD

Functional Medicine & Integrative Care 15 Bennitt St., New Milford, CT (860) 354-3304 • www.tsachsmd.intranets.com See ad on page 38.

Advance Biomedical Treatment Center, LLC William Nager, ND, DC

PSYCHOTHERAPIST

RELATIONSHIP COACH Candace Brindley

(203) 247-4613 • Rich-Relationships.com.

OSTEOPATHIC PHYS. Origins Of Health, LLC

Jill Moorcroft, DO, Tom Moorcroft, DO 844 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9790 • www.OriginsOfHealth.com Origins Of Health is a holistic medical center that specializes in Osteo pathicManipulation,inclu ding Cranial Osteopathy, Integrative Medicine and Nutrition. Founders Drs. Tom and Jill Moorcroft integrate their personal passion and extensive training as Family Medicine Physicians while working with you to develop a personalized approach to health that stimulates the self-healing forces within. Our goal is to assist you in realizing optimum health while being free to enjoy life and all it has to offer. See ad on page 10.

Osteopathic Wellness Center, LLC

David L. Johnston, DO • Lisa Preston, DO 158 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 (203) 438-9915 • www.osteopathicwellness.net Gentle, natural, hands-on, osteopathic medical care for infants, children and adults. Childrens’ health and development, birth trauma, musculoskeletal pain and injuries, nutrition and wellness counseling, stress reduction, immune support, allergies. Most major insurances accepted. See ad on page 25.

Certified Master Relationship Coach Candace Brindley coaches singles and couples to find and create the relationships of their dreams. Motivated by her desire to reverse the trend toward relationship failure and family break-up, Candace coaches using current research and skills, giving clients a fresh and intelligent approach to partnering.

RETREAT CENTERS

Still Waters Pond, LLC

280 Shetucket Turnpike Voluntown, CT 06384 860-543-3244 • stillwaterspond.com Group leaders interested in workshop/retreat space: Still Waters is nestled among 100 acres of pine forest and a private-10-acre pond. Comfortable, rustic lodging includes a two-bedroom, furnished cottage with full kitchen (sleeps four), Guest House (sleeps 11) and 1200-sq.ft. Art & Yoga Studio. Contact us to arrange a tour. See ad on page 18.

SCHOOLS Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies

LauraMignosa, NCCH 900 Wells Road (RT. 175) Wethersfield, (860)666-5064 www.ctherbschool.com.

Founded in 1992, the CT Institute of Herbal Studies focuses on Traditional Chinese Medicine and offers a Certified Herbology Program with a foundation in both theory and clinical diagnosis as practiced in China today.

The Graduate Institute

Leslie Cahill, Director of Admissions, Recruitment (203) 874-4252 • www.learn.edu.

The Graduate Institute is an accredited institution of higher education that offers Master of Arts degrees in emerging fields of inquiry. Degree programs include: Experiential Health and Healing, Peace Studies, Oral Traditions, Holistic Thinking, and Conscious Evolution. Classes meet one weekend per month and programs are offered in Hartford, Bethany, New Milford, and Stamford, CT. For more information or to find an Information Session near you, call (203) 8744252 or visit www.learn.edu. See ad on page 22.

SKINCARE Anew You Skincare & Wellness Center

Melissa Martin, 16A Ensign Drive, Avon.

(860)284-9730, www.anewyouskincare.net Melissa@anewyouskincare.net We are committed to strengthening your overall well-being and skin health through the use of excellent quality products and extraordinary services that produce amazing results. Only natural ingredients are used, including plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential oils! We want you to be "WOWED"! See ad on page 21.

SOCIAL WORK Michael Westfall, LCSW

243 East Center Street Manchester, CT 06040 • (860) 212-8923.

Michael Westfall is a licensed clinical social worker with a practice in Manchester, CT. He has extensive experience with children and teens but works with many adults and couples as well.

In network with most state and commercial insurances, he is accepting new clients at this time.

Please visit the website: michaelwestfall.com or call him at (860) 212-8923. See ad on page 27.

SPAS / DAY SPAS Wholistic Spa

18 School St., Glastonbury, CT • (860) 657-4105 www.wholisticspa.com. • Dr. Helene Pulnik, Med. Director Wholistic Spa™ is a haven of total wellness.

From the moment you step into our quiet space, we are focused on your complete wellness. Our treatments use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients.

We offer organic facials, hand & foot treatments and signature massage services for women, men and couples, featuring EMINENCE Organic Skin Care from Hungary. We also offer an array of deeply therapeutic and purifying services to help you achieve optimal health from the inside out!

Inner Health. Outer Beauty™. See ad on page 46.

TAI CHI Wu Healing Center

45 South Main Street, Suite #100 West Hartford, CT • 800-990-9332 978-790-8888 (Cell) • www.wuhealing.com Ming Wu, Ph.D., Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Herbalist, Tui Na Therapy, Tai Chi Master Tai Chi Class on Mondays 6-7pm and Saturdays 9-11am, the instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine who studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung. He teaching Tai Chi in US for over twenty years. Mention this ad for first month free Tai Chi class on Monday ($60) or Saturday ($80) Exp Oct 1, 2011.

VIBRATIONAL/ ENERGY HEALING Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. Level II Usui Reiki Practitioner

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com Reiki Energy Medicine is a soft and gentle handson technique supports and connects all the major and minor Energy Chakra Centers of the body, leaving you feeling relaxed, balanced and refreshed! Reiki Energy Medicine works to assist in relieving or reducing pain and discomfort by balancing the body’s energy system. When the energy flow in your body is restored and/or balanced, you are more likely to feel relaxed and your body’s natural healing abilities are utilized.

Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc. is a Certified Level II Usui Reiki Practitioner. See ad on page 46.

VETERINARY CARE Mobile Pet Vet

Kim Rio, DVM (203)584-1210 • www.mobile-pet-vet.com Mobile Pet Vet is a veterinary housecall practice providing wellness care for dogs and cats. By treating pets at home we reduce their stress and their exposure to infection.

Pets with chronic health problems such as diabetes, kidney disease and other endocrine disorders often benefit from home-based care.

We spend time developing an individualized treatment plan for each animal and we offer a full range of laboratory services. Our flexible scheduling accommodates busy pet owners.

See ad on page 26.

WELLNESS CENTERS The Center for Health Renewal C. Evers Whyte, MS, DC, DACBN 30 Myano Lane, Suite 26, Stamford, CT 06902 • (203) 708-9299

THERMOGRAPHY Sophia Natural Health Center

499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com As the hormone experts, we specialize in women’s health, natural hormone balancing, breast cancer prevention and thermography utilizing the highest definition camera in the area with interpretations from MD specialists in the field.

Thermogram results include a free 15-minute phone consultation. See ad on page 15.

X to Rays, LLC

Suzanne Pyle, MS, CCT 35 Boston Street, Guilford, CT 866.986.7297 or 203 331-2878 www.xtorays.com Suzanne is a board certified clinical thermographer. She offers totally safe (no radiation), painless (no compression), 97% accurate FDA approved breast cancer screening. With a masters in Nutrition, Suzanne also advises on breast and body health. Scans for thyroid, lung, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and ovaries are also available. Call for locations throughout CT.

Reconnection Practitioners of CT Wendy Tanzer Gelven • 860-989-1997 Ken Lara, 914-255-8804 Jennifer Jensen, 860-297-1543 Kevin Jensen, 860-297-1543 Janet Miller • 860-985-7260 Annette Moreland • 860-818-1897

Wendy, Kevin and Jennifer are all trained facilitators of Reconnective Healing and The Reconnection. Reconnective Healing connects us to the fullness of the universe as it reconnects us to the fullness of our beings and who we really are. Reconnecting us to the universe and to our very essence through an entirely new bandwidth healing frequencies. Call today and experience this new hands-off healing for yourself. See ad on page 33.

Gayle Franceschetti Med,CHt. 36 Cheshire Rd., Wallingford,CT 203-265-2927 • www.return2love.net

Gayle Franceschetti is the founder of the L.O.V.E. Institute and is an acclaimed intuitive counselor and healer, Reiki Master, certified Hypnotherapist and past life regressionist. As an open channel for Divine Energy, Gayle integrates the power of universal love, compassion and understanding in all her workshops and healing sessions.

Gayle conducts healing and mentoring sessions in person, by phone and hosts a variety of workshops and power journeys throughout the U.S. and around the world. See ad on page 19.

Move 2 Wellness

Stonehouse Commons, 635 Danbury Road Ridgefield, CT • 203-403-2522 www.move2wellness.com Massage Therapy • Acupuncture • Yoga Relax & discover the direction of your unique inner compass. Take a much deserved break from “doing” & practice “being.” Come visit our beautiful studio &healing arts center located in the newly restored Stonehouse Commons.

See ad on page 37.

YOGA / PILATES CENTERS

VIBRATIONAL/ ENERGY HEALING Lightworker of Vibrational Energy LLC, L.O.V.E.

Providing holistic integrative medicine and MediCalm Pain Relief Therapy to patients of all ages. Specialist in treating chronic pain, and also a “medical detective,” helping patients heal other chronic conditions that have not responded to traditional drug therapy or surgery. For more information, please see: www.thecenterforhealthrenewal.com & www.MediCalmPainReliefTherapy.com. See ad on page 25.

Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage 860-951-9642 • info@fulleryoga.com www.fulleryoga.com

Simply Fitness for the spirit, mind and body

Priscilla Bengtson, ATP®, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Ste 210, Glastonbury, CT • (860)632-8434) simplyfitnessonline.com Simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body offers programs and services that help spiritual beings get unstuck in their human experience. Owner Priscilla Bengtson is dedicated to helping people live a joyous and fulfilled life and offers classes and workshops that help people achieve this. Private sessions are offered for intuitive and angel readings, hypnosis, reiki, mandala healing, and health coaching. Psychic parties are also offered in your home or at the center. See ad on page 25.

Hartford’s largest yoga/pilates/ massage studio provides a serene and vibrant space to experience personal growth and awareness. We promote a non-competitive, friendly environment for every individual to journey physically and mentally towards their true self. Give yourself the gift of complete presence. We have classes for everyone at all levels. All modalities of massage available. Private yoga/pilates sessions are also available. See ad on page 33.

Sacred Rivers Yoga

Paula Scopino LMT, E-RYT 500 IAYT, Owner / Director 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033 PH. 860.657.9545 • FAX. 860.657.3161 www.sacredriversyoga.com. See ad on page 34.

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A Guided ApproAch to optimAl heAlth

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Anti-Aging (Optimal Aging) • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy • Detoxification Food Sensitivities • Heavy Metal Testing & Oral Chelation • Menopause & Andropause Mind Body Medicine • Weight Loss • Neurotransmitter Testing • Quantum Biofeedback Thyroid, Adrenal Testing & Treatment • Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling

Are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired?

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