Natural Awakenings of Rochester Dec 2014

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Special Edition

Awakening Humanity

HEALING RITUALS

Ancient Wisdom from Around the World

LOVE IN ACTION

Brings Peace and Joy to the World

P L A N E T

FREE

MAKING MIRACLES Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating Happiness

December November2014 2014 | |Rochester, Location-Edition NY Edition | NaturalAwakeningsMag.com | RochesterAwakenings.com natural awakenings

December 2014

1

Turn Your Passion Into a Business

Become a Natural Awakenings Publisher!

• Meaningful Career • Comprehensive Training • Ongoing Support • Marketing Tools • Low Investment • Work from Home

As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you’ll have the opportunity to inspire and support your community by providing the tools and resources the readers need to live a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.

No publishing experience is necessary. You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. We offer a complete training and support system that allows you to successfully publish your own magazine.

Be part of a dynamic franchised publishing network that is helping to transform the way we live and care for ourselves. Now available in Spanish as well.

For more information, visit our website NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

Bring a Natural Awakenings Magazine to Your Community or Select One of Our Existing Markets!

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico • Birmingham, AL

• Monmouth/Ocean, NJ

• Huntsville, AL

• North NJ*

• Mobile/Baldwin, AL*

• North Central NJ

• Little Rock/Hot Spg., AR* • South NJ* • Phoenix, AZ

• Santa Fe/Abq., NM

• Tucson, AZ

• Las Vegas, NV

• East Bay Area, CA

• Albany, NY

• San Diego, CA

• Central NY

• Denver/Boulder, CO

• Long Island, NY

• Fairfield County, CT

• Manhattan, NY

• Hartford, CT

• Queens, NY

• New Haven/ Middlesex, CT

• Rochester, NY

• Washington, D.C.

• Syracuse, NY

• Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL • NW FL Emerald Coast • Ft. Lauderdale, FL

• Rockland/Orange, NY • Westchester/ Putnam, NY • Central OH

• Cincinnati, OH • Jacksonville/St. Aug., FL • Toledo, OH • Melbourne/Vero, FL • Oklahoma City, OK • Miami & Florida Keys* • Portland, OR* • Naples/Fort Myers, FL • North Central FL*

• Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA

• Orlando, FL*

• Harrisburg/York, PA

• Palm Beach, FL

• Lancaster, PA

• Peace River, FL

• Lehigh Valley, PA

• Sarasota, FL

• Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ

• Tampa/St. Pete., FL • FL’s Treasure Coast • Atlanta, GA • Hawaiian Islands • Chicago, IL • Indianapolis, IN • Baton Rouge, LA • Lafayette, LA • New Orleans, LA* • Boston, MA • Portland, ME • Ann Arbor, MI • East Michigan • Wayne County, MI

• Rhode Island • Charleston, SC • Columbia, SC • Grand Strand, SC* • Greenville, SC • Chattanooga, TN • Knoxville, TN • Memphis, TN • Austin, TX • Dallas Metroplex, TX • Dallas/FW Metro N • Galveston, TX • Houston, TX

• Western MI

• San Antonio, TX

• Charlotte, NC

• Seattle, WA

• Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN • Richmond, VA • VA’s Blue Ridge • Asheville, NC* • Lake Norman, NC • Triangle NC

2

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

• Madison, WI • Milwaukee, WI

• Central NJ

• Puerto Rico

• Hudson County, NJ*

*Existing magazines for sale

• Mercer County, NJ

contents 8

9

15

5 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 19 20 26 27 28 30

newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbrief community spotlight inspiration consciouseating business spotlight therapyspotlight wisewords healingways naturalpet nutrition spotlight calendar resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 585-298-9294 or email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

1 1 BE HAPPY RIGHT NOW

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

by Bronnie Ware

12 HAPPY FEASTING TO ALL

Tasty Rituals that Deepen the Holiday Spirit

by Lane Vail

15 FIND YOUR

FITNESS STYLE

by Wendy Worrall Redal

16 SACRED ACTIVISM Love in Action Can Change the World

by Judith Fertig

19 OPENING UP

TO MIRACLES

24

Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness

by April Thompson

20 HEALING RITUALS

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month.

22 TOXIN-FREE

RochesterAwakenings.com

22

Workouts that Suit Your Personality

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

16

AROUND THE WORLD

by Debra Bokur

BEAUTY SALONS

Pure Pampering Feels Natural and Safe

26

by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist

24 SWEET SLUMBER

Co-Sleeping in the Family Bed

by Mark Sisson

26 PET FIRST-AID KITS

All-Natural Home Health Care

by Sandra Murphy

natural awakenings

December 2014

3

letterfrompublisher

W

contact us Publisher Kelly H. Klein Editors S. Alison Chabonais Lauressa Nelson Linda Sechrist Contributing Writer Michelle Bense Jim Occhiogrosso Patricia Staino Sandra Yeyati Design & Production C. Michele Rose Chelsea Rose Printer Trumbull Printing Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales 239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings of Rochester, NY P.O. Box 201, Penfield, NY 14526 Phone: 585-298-9294 Fax: 585-672-9115 RochesterAwakenings.com ©2014 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

e are here to live joyfully and with love in our hearts—this I know for sure. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we are far more than our physical bodies attest. I believe these truths based on firsthand experience.

How wonderful that we always have a choice in how we respond to each situation life sends our way.

In everyday living as well as challenging times, I have learned that how we perceive and address anything that crosses our path affects how we proceed, and sometimes can even determine our path going forward.

Perhaps, like me, you’re on the path of learning that we can let life happen to us or we can take responsibility and be accountable for every aspect and outcome of our experience. As awake beings, we come to see and know how our own thoughts literally shape our days, because everything results from a thought.

I find that when some situation is not to my liking, I can blame this person and that circumstance for how the experience plays out or I can shift my viewpoint and ask: “What can I learn from this; how can this help me to grow as a person and spiritual being?” My happiness depends on that shift. I believe that we are here to follow our bliss, spread love, help others and grow and grow and then grow some more. I hope I am never done learning or growing.

About a year ago, I was dealing with the outcome of certain personal choices and trying to figure out how to move forward in a way that would allow for growth and healing within. As part of this journey, I began seriously pursuing the idea of bringing Natural Awakenings to our community. It started with a thought—“Hey, is this possible?” From there, I followed up with phone call inquiries, research, interviews and ultimately the purchase of the Rochester magazine franchise.

I envisioned all the good this could do for our community and chose to go for it. When I returned from attending a new publishers’ training program led by the company headquarter’s support team, I put vision into action and the result has been a palpable happiness and excited response from our local community. I rejoice that when I visualized what I wanted for our community, that I allowed it to unfold inside me and went to work with unwavering faith. The universe rose to meet me to make it possible with the supportive help of you all.

I am continuously meeting inspiring people in our natural health and sustainable living communities that are likewise following their bliss, and each month I reach out to invite you to listen to your heart, act on your passionate interests, throw off limitations and most of all, believe in yourself. I wish you all a blissful holiday season surrounded by the embrace of loved ones.

With much gratitude,

Kelly H. Klein, Publisher

SUBSCRIPTIONS To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

4

Rochester, NY

There is only one success, to be able to spend your life in your own way. ~ Christopher Morley

RochesterAwakenings.com

newsbriefs East Rochester Organization Supports Student Athletes

C

ertified Personal Trainer Colleen Flaherty recently opened Awakened Athlete, an organization that encourages athletes to be their best on the field and off by offering supportive and educational services, at 349 West Commercial Street, in East Rochester.

Featuring more than psychological support, Awakened Athlete assists young athletes ages 9 through 21 with services that include their unique Empowerment Circles, Teen Meditation and Stretching classes and parent/player seminars.

Flaherty aims to empower youth to use their voices to make choices that allow them to lead the life they want. She reminds parents that kids will one day be adults that need to learn to work with others, tap into their strengths, properly deal with stress and live a life they love, all while positively contributing to society.

Flaherty’s experiences and lack of support when she tore both anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) one year apart compelled her to create the Awakened Athlete ACL Power Process, which helps athletes that have undergone ACL reconstruction surgery to return to play as confident, positive, trusting in their body, mentally and physically strong and stress-free.

please recycle

For more information, call 585-261-3743 or visit AwakenedAthlete.co. See ad, page 23.

Organic Salon and Wellness Center Opening in Rochester

L

A Shear Designs, an organic salon, spa and wellness center, will open at 1726 Long Pond Road, Suite 1, in Rochester, on January 2. The salon will host an open house event from 6 to 9 p.m., January 9.

A full-service salon, LA Shear Designs features beauty, health and fitness services, including massage, Reiki, wellness consultations, health coaching, nutrition, personal training and education events. Visitors to the open house can see the space, meet the professionals and enjoy food and drinks. Drawings will also take place at the event. “I am taking my passion for overall health and creating a place for clients to come for their beauty and health needs,�

Linda Allen says owner Linda Allen. She is excited to offer a place incorporating beauty and health for the overall well-being of her clients under one roof.

For more information, call 585-426-5944, email Linda@LAShearDesigns.com or visit LAShearDesigns.com.

News to share?

Submit information online at RochesterAwakenings.com Submittal deadline is the 5th of the month. natural awakenings

December 2014

5

newsbriefs Woman-Owned Essential Oils Business Now Open

L

inda Andreano, a founding distributor for Améo Essential Oils, has opened Planet Botanica at 52 Labrador Drive, in Rochester.

The store’s products are 100 percent clinical-grade essential oils with 31 singles, 10 blends and two encapsulated products to date, and plans to launch new products every few months for the next 12 to 18 months.

“If you’re looking for essential oils that have patented medical research behind them, then Planet Botanica’s Améo Essential Oils line is for you,” says Andreano, who earned the 2014 Up & Coming Business Woman Award from the Rochester Women’s Network and nominated for the Greece Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Small Business of the Year Award.

For more information, call 585-530-9589, email Linda@ PlanetBotanica.com or visit PlanetBotanica.com.

6

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

Prevent and Treat Colds and Flu with Homeopathy

A

mity Engleson, a classical homeopath, will lead a class on how to prevent colds and the flu and treat them naturally when they occur, at 10 a.m., December 8, at East Side Wellness Center, in Fairport.

In the midst of the winter illness time, this class will educate participants about a natural approach to protecting and treating themselves and others using homeopathic Amity Engleson remedies to stay healthy. Engleson‘s training in classical homeopathy means that she only dispenses one remedy at a time. She meets clients at the Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays and makes house calls on other days.

Cost: $5. Location: 625 Ayrault Rd., Fairport. For more information or to register, call 585-388-8961, email Homeopathy@ live.com or visit HomeopathyRochester.com.

Rochester Organization Delivers Food Baskets to Families in Need

T

his Thanksgiving season, the Small Business Council (SBC) of Rochester will deliver more than 3,000 food baskets to nonprofit organizations to distribute to deserving families. Donating companies will deliver their baskets to University Park on November 21, where SBC volunteers will gather and deliver the baskets to beneficiary organizations the following day.

In 2013, the SBC collected and donated a total of 2,144 food baskets and $19,738 in cash from more than 200 participating member and non-member companies.

Each food basket contains many items, from apple sauce to canned vegetables and dessert mix, along with a $25 gift card to a local grocery store.

“While the Rochester business climate continues to improve, there are thousands of families in our community that continue to face considerable challenges,” says Tim Mason, past president of the SBC and chair of SBC Cares 3000. “This year, as we have over the past 18 years, the SBC is giving back to the community that has provided so much to us by helping to ensure that a great many people will have a happier, healthier Thanksgiving dinner.”

For more information, contact Mason at 585-259-0241, email Tim@MasonMarketing or visit RochesterSBC.com/SBC-Cares. natural awakenings

December 2014

7

healthbriefs

Hip Fractures Decrease on Weekends and Holy Days

A

new study published in the Israel Medical Association Journal found that older adults are more likely to have hip fractures in the wintertime, except during weekends and on religious holidays.

The study’s authors checked the records of 2,050 patients that were at least 65 years old and had suffered a hip fracture.

Analyzing the dates of each fracture revealed that significantly more of them occurred during the wintertime; the injuries corresponded directly with lower temperatures and greater rainfall.

Fewer fractures took place on the Sabbath and during weekends in general, as well as on Yom Kippur and other holy days, with the exception of Passover.

Knotweed and Hawthorn Outperform Lovastatin in Trial

Hospice Care Adds Months for Cancer Patients

R

esearchers from Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center determined that hospice care significantly increases survival rates among patients with metastatic (stage IV) melanoma, a difficult-to-treat form of cancer that occurs when melanoma cells have spread through the lymph nodes to other parts of the body.

The study’s authors followed 862 metastatic melanoma cancer patients. Of these, 523 patients received one to three days of hospice care, 114 patients received four or more days and 225 people received no hospice care through their survival period. Those that received four or more days had an average survival period, which typically dates from the original diagnosis, of 10.2 months, while those that received none averaged 6.1 months. In addition, the end-of-life hospital costs for those receiving the most hospice visits were nearly half of what was incurred by patients not receiving hospice attention.

Have a Stubborn Skin Disorder and Tried Everything Else?

Finally there is a solution, try Natural Awakenings DermaClear, a natural, affordable skin repair salve.

Our all natural personal skin care product brings comforting relief to sufferers of many skin irritations. DermaClear has proven to be effective against: • Shingles • Psoriasis • Eczema • Burns • Allergic Rash • Jock Itch • Stings • & more DermaClear will simply feel good putting it on.

Cooling and soothing, the Calcium Montmorillonite/ Calcium Bentonite clay penetrates pores and open areas of the skin and pulls out toxins and inflammation.

The proprietory blend of homeopathics go even deeper, address the root causes and assist to bring even deeper toxins to the surface.

29.99+ $5 shipping-up to 5 jars

4-oz jar-$

Order Online Today at

NAWebstore.com or call 888-822-0246 Wholesale Pricing Available to Stores and Practitioners

8

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

C

hinese researchers recently discovered that two herbal extracts may treat atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, as well as or more effectively than the pharmaceutical drug Lovastatin.

Sixty-four patients with atherosclerosis of the carotid artery were studied. For six months, half the patients received 20 milligrams of Lovastatin per day, while the other half took an herbal extract combination of Japanese knotweed and hawthorn.

After six months, tests showed artery plaque thickness and inflammation were significantly lessened among both groups. However, the herbal extract-treated group showed a greater reduction of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, a marker of risk for cardiovascular disease.

Relatively high levels of hsCRP in otherwise healthy individuals are predictive of heart health crises even when cholesterol levels are within an acceptable range. People with lower values have less of a risk.

globalbrief News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Youth Activists

World Peace Caravan to Travel in the Middle East in 2015 The World Peace Caravan, founded by the nonprofit D. Gary Young Foundation, is a global peace movement scheduled to conduct a 12day camel caravan from Petra, Jordan, to Jerusalem, Israel, from December 15 to 26, 2015. It will be spearheaded by a delegation of 12 youth ambassadors, ages 16 to 24, selected from a worldwide pool of candidates.

Their goal is to foster an online youth community to provide young people everywhere a platform to share ideas, voice opinions and educate and learn from their peers.

The youths intend to collaborate on solutions-centered projects to help eradicate poverty and hunger, ensure environmental sustainability and attain healthy lives for all.

Inspired by a recurring vision, D. Gary Young, CEO of Young Living Essential Oils, chose the ancient Frankincense Trail upon which the Queen of Sheba once journeyed to bring peace offerings to King Solomon. This modern-day journey for peace invites people of all cultures, faiths and backgrounds to retrace the steps of that pioneering peace movement, culminating in a blockbuster World Peace Caravan Concert for Peace in Jerusalem.

For more information, visit WorldPeace Caravan.org. natural awakenings

December 2014

9

communityspotlight

Wellness Inspired by Arduous Personal Journey

by Sandra Yeyati

W

hen Carol She went to pain clinics, Scheg-Moristook muscle relaxants sette, the owner and Valium for the pain of Healthy Alternatives and discomfort, used Wellness Center, in inhalers to help her Rochester, was in her 30s breathe and tried physiand a mother of four small cal therapy and chirochildren, she endured a practic to strengthen and brutal domestic violence relax injured muscle attack that injured her tissues and nerves. neck, back and brain, setBecause her injuting off a series of compliries interrupted norcations and ailments that mal blood flow to the Carol Scheg-Morissette depreciated her quality brain, Morissette sufof life and almost killed fered from poor equilibrium, vertigo her. For eight years, she struggled to heal and balance problems, as well as both physically and emotionally from the short-term memory issues and severe shattering consequences. “I am a survipain in her head and neck. Many vor, not a victim,” she affirms in retelling times she ended up in the hospital her journey from devastation to wellness. with transient ischemic attacks, also For several years, Morissette tried known as mini-strokes. to heal using conventional medicine.

About three years after the initial

Natural Awakenings Green PowderTM Paleo profile dietary supplement, made with certified organic non-GMO ingredients, supplies your body with essential vitamins and minerals you might ordinarily be missing from your regular diet.

9.5 oz jar $54.99 (30-day supply) Shipping - $5 for up to 3 jars!

Order Online Today at

NAWebstore.com Or Call: 888-822-0246

10

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

injury, Morissette’s esophagus constricted, making breathing and swallowing difficult. She could only sip clear liquids for nourishment and slept in an elevated position, often awakened by fits of choking. She developed acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, hypoglycemia, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivities.

Through it all, Morissette was raising her four children and continued to cook family dinners every night.

“Even though I wasn’t eating, I would sit with my family so that I didn’t lose my spot at the table,” she recalls. For three years, Morissette visited a surgery center every four weeks to reopen her esophagus. Doctors couldn’t stop it from closing again, and they warned her that as time went on, there was a danger the esophagus would tear and she could die.

Facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties, Morissette did not give up.

Instead, she looked for alternatives, talking with people, reading books and trying new options. Many of the things she tried did not work, but she stuck with the few that did.

Among the helpful alternatives was Raindrop Therapy, a combination of massage and acupressure on her feet, and the application of Young Living essential oils on her back. Weekly treatments helped to reduce the swelling and pain, encourage detoxification and improve her circulation and immune system function.

To facilitate more healing, Morissette began to consume Young Living’s NingXia Red, an antioxidant drink. She also underwent allergy-clearing treatments, which combine homeopathic principles and intention healing with acupressure and breathing techniques. These helped to eliminate the food and environmental sensitivities she had developed.

“I also had many integrated energy therapy sessions to release the emotional trauma and energy blocks from the cellular memory caused by the domestic violence,” she says. “It’s similar to Reiki, working with the angels and certain acupressure points on the head, shoulders and neck.”

By 2007, Morissette felt healthy and whole and was ready to help others. She studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and became a certified

aromatherapist, certified herbalist and licensed massage therapist. In 2010, she opened Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center, offering Raindrop Therapy, Reiki, integrated energy therapy, BioMat treatments, massage and sound healing meditations.

A BioMat lies on the massage table and is filled with amethyst crystals and tourmaline. Morissette says that amethyst is a very healing stone.

The mat hooks up to a machine that heats it up. “You know when you have a fever and the fever pushes out the toxins or inflammation that’s in your body? That’s similar to what the BioMat does,” she explains.

Morissette learned many lessons during her journey. “I would never take a diagnosis of somebody saying you’re going to die, because there’s always hope. I would never give up,” she says.

“We’re moving through life so fast.

Sometimes something tragic happens to slow you down and make you look at life more clearly. I’ve learned to appreciate things a lot more. Now that I can eat, just the taste of a carrot is so amazing. You really learn to be more mindful of your environment. You learn to be more mindful of your food.”

Remarried to a wonderful man and feeling healthy, Morissette is now able to help other people in the community take back their health naturally. Having gone through the process herself, she feels uniquely able to empathize with people that are suffering and looking for answers.

“A lot of it has to do with your intention, your belief in yourself and your willingness to heal,” Morissette asserts.

Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center will hold an open house celebration from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., December 12, with a drawing for a free massage, discounts on gift certificates and free BioMat treatments. There will also be a sound healing meditation at the end of the day.

inspiration

Be Happy Right Now The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

by Bronnie Ware

P

eople grow a lot when faced with their own mortality. As a palliative caregiver for many years, I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for personal growth. After wrestling with a variety of intense emotions, every patient I saw found their peace before they departed.

When questioned about regrets or what they would have done differently, five themes emerged.

I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled.

Most people had not honored even half of their dreams and died knowing that it was due to choices they had made or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realize until they no longer have it.

Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center is located at 458 Stone Rd., in Rochester.

For more information, call 585-7876954, email anglehd1@hotmail.com or visit Antioxidant1.com. See ad, page 28.

I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. Every male patient that I nursed felt they had missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. They deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

Women also spoke of this regret, but because most were from an older generation, many had not been breadwinners.

Sandra Yeyati is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings Rochester. Connect at SandraYeyati.com.

I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace

with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. As a result, many developed illnesses apparently related to the bitterness and resentment they carried.

I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Many were disappointed they had not truly realized the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks, and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip away.

Many deeply regretted not giving important friendships the time and effort that they deserved.

I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Many did not understand until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits.

The so-called comfort of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others and to themselves that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh with gusto and cultivate some silliness in their life.

Bronnie Ware is the author of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, a memoir of how people she cared for changed the way she lives. She blogs at InspirationAndChai.com.

natural awakenings

December 2014

11

GIVE YOUR BUSINESS AN ENERGY BOOST

consciouseating conscious

HAPPY FEASTING TO ALL

Tasty Rituals that Deepen the Holiday Spirit

by Lane Vail

T by advertising in

Natural Awakenings’ January Health & Wellness Issue

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

585-298-9294 12

Rochester, NY

he holiday season is ripe with an array of spiritual, cultural and family rituals. We celebrate, reflect, give gifts and, of course, feast.

Fortunately, the media also teems with tips on how to avoid high-calorie holiday goodies, says Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. For our diet-driven culture to resolve its struggle with food, she says we must learn to honor its intrinsic value. Ritualized eating can help; a recent study published in the journal Psychological Science found that engaging in food rituals evokes mindfulness that enhances the enjoyment of eating.

Pause

Hunger, the body’s fuel gauge, manifests in physical symptoms like a growling stomach or low blood sugar, says May, citing a useful analogy. “You wouldn’t drive around and pull into every gas station you see; you’d check your fuel gauge first. Before filling up with food, pause and check your fuel gauge. Am I actually hungry, or is this desire coming from something else?”

May suggests practicing FEASTing: First, focus on physical sensations, thoughts and emotions; perhaps we’re thirsty, rather than hungry, rationalizing that holiday foods are special, or feeling stressed or lonely. Next, explore why the feelings or thoughts are present, and

RochesterAwakenings.com

then accept them without judgment.

Strategize ways of satisfying the need and take a small step toward change.

Savor

Complex preparations for a major holiday can provoke anxiety and impatience, and likewise, feelings of longing or disappointment when it’s over. Sarah Ban Breathnach, bestselling author of Simple Abundance and Peace and Plenty, recommends allowing Christmastide to unfold at its own pace and celebrating all of December with a homemade Advent calendar.

Craft a tree-shaped tower of tiny boxes or a garland of burlap mini-bags clipped with clothespins. Place an almond covered in organic dark chocolate in each container and use the treat as a daily mini-meditation.

“Drop into the present moment, fully savor the luxurious, small bite and experience the pleasure of eating,” suggests May. Consider it symbolic of the season’s sweetness.

Connect

“Food connects us with one another, our heritage and our culture,” says May. Heather Evans, Ph.D., a Queen’s

University professor and a holiday culinary history expert in Ontario, Canada, suggests creating a food diary of traditions to reinforce a connection with the past and support a holiday food legacy for the future. Ask grandparents about their childhood culinary memories, peruse family recipe books or discover new dishes that honor everyone’s ethnic heritage. Then create an heirloom holiday cookbook with handwritten recipes arranged alongside favorite photos and stories.

Sync

According to pagan philosophy, sharing seasonal food with loved ones during the winter solstice on December 21 symbolizes the shared trust that warmth and sunlight will return. Eating warm foods provides physical comfort and eating seasonally and locally connects us to the Earth, observes May.

Sync body and spirit with the

season by stewing root vegetables, baking breads, sipping hot cider and tea, and nibbling on nuts and dried fruits.

“The repetition of predictable foods is reassuring,” remarks Evans, and it celebrates nature’s transitions.

Play

Stir-Up Sunday is a Victorian amusement filled with fun, mystery and mindfulness, says Ban Breathnach. Some December Sunday, have each family member help stir the batter of a special Christmas cake while stating a personal new year’s intention. Drop a clean coin, bean or trinket into the mix and bake. Serve it with a sprig of holly on Christmas Day, and the person with the piece containing the lucky charm will be rewarded with a prosperous, wholesome and positive new year, according to tradition. Evans remarks, “This is a wonderful ritual for nurturing the health and spirit of the family.”

Give

Boxing Day offers something far more meaningful to celebrate than postholiday sales. Originating as a tradition that thrived during the 19th century, “December 26 was a chance for landowners and homeowners to give back to household staff and local tradespeople,” says Evans. “It’s a tradition worth reviving to pause, reflect on our own good fortune and contribute to others’ comfort.”

Consider serving a meal at a local soup kitchen, collecting items for a food drive or offering a box of healthy culinary treats to community stewards at a fire station, post office or library.

On Christmas Day, says Ban Breathnach, “Our kids have the world lying at their feet.” Boxing Day, she says, provides a natural transition to reach out in charity.

Lane Vail is a freelance writer and blogger at DiscoveringHomemaking.com.

Courtesy of Teresa Cutter, TheHealthyChef.com

HEALTHY HOLIDAY TOPPERS C

reating a repertoire of delicious wintery foods can help evoke health, mindfulness and delight during the holiday season. Dr. Michelle May advises approaching the entire process of eating, including the menu planning, shopping and food preparation, with a spirit of mindfulness, which adds a deeper dimension of pleasure to the experience. “Cake becomes more than just cake,” she says. “It becomes something the family creates and enjoys together.” Savor these rituals and recipes with loved ones.

Memory-Making Christmas Cake This nontraditional, healthy Christmas cake is alcohol-, sugar- and gluten-free.

It relies on fruit for sweetness, almond meal for moistness and vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange essences for a perfect mingling of flavors. Prepare the cake with the whole family as a Stir-Up Sunday ritual, and keep it tightly sealed in the refrigerator until Christmas Day. Serve in small portions at room temperature or warmed in the oven and alongside vanilla bean custard or plain yogurt swirled with orange blossom honey.

Yields 20 servings

2½ cups (600 grams) mixed and chopped dried fruit (raisins, prunes, figs, apricots, currants, sultanas and/ or dates) 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla bean extract Zest and juice from 1 organic orange 3 Tbsp olive oil 3 organic free-range eggs 2 cups (200 gm) ground almonds (almond flour) ¼ cup (50 gm) walnuts Preheat the oven to 300° F. Line the sides and base of a 7-inch round cake tin with parchment paper.

Combine the dried fruit, spices, vanilla,

orange zest and juice, olive oil and eggs. Mix in the almond flour and walnuts, then spoon the batter into the baking tin.

Bake for an hour-and-a-half. Insert a skewer or toothpick to see if it comes out moist, but clean; if not, bake for up to 30 minutes more. (Cover the top if necessary to prevent over-browning.)

After cooling, remove from the tin and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.

Courtesy of Teresa Cutter, author of The 80/20 Diet and founder of TheHealthyChef.com.

natural awakenings

December 2014

13

businessspotlight

Smallprint Rochester Precious Moments Captured in Pure Silver

by James Occhiogrosso

T

“

his is not just a business to sell jewelry; it’s a business with a heart,” says Alicia Thompson, the owner of Smallprint Rochester and Silver Pet Prints Rochester. Her connection to the franchise began with her own heartfelt experience. In 2011, while Alicia was teaching English as a second language in Vietnam, she first learned about Smallprint, a company that produces a range of silver jewelry and keepsakes imprinted with the fingerprint of a loved one. She fondly recalls her 18 months there, a time during which she met her husband, Mike.

When Alicia returned to the United States in 2013, her husband was unable to join her for about six months due to snags with his U.S. visa. While they were apart, she realized how much the silver pendant she wore embossed with Mike’s fingerprint helped her feel close to him.

After starting her own Smallprint franchise in Rochester, Alicia realized she had truly found her calling when a mother who had lost her son commissioned her to produce a piece with cherished words he had written in his own handwriting prior to his death.

Alicia recalls, “I felt honored to create such an amazing keepsake for her that brought much comfort in such a difficult time.”

Alicia handcrafts each piece of jewelry and offers a wide range of pendants, charms, cufflinks, key rings and more. Each item is custom made from .999 pure silver, which can be kept looking shiny and new with little care.

The pieces can capture fingerprints, handprints or footprints, handwriting and drawings. Of their offerings, fingerprints are the most popular.

Alicia notes, “We are unique in that we capture the fingerprint directly into the silver—without using a cast or mold—thus the piece can be created directly from the touch of the loved

one.” The couple recently expanded their business with the purchase of another franchise, Silver Pet Prints Rochester; now, they can capture a beloved pet’s paw print and imprint it onto piece of pure silver jewelry.

Helping people and giving back to the community has always been a passion for Thompson, who gives 15 percent of the proceeds of her sales to local charities including CURE Childhood Cancer Association; Mended Little Hearts of Greater Rochester; Melissa’s Living Legacy Teen Cancer Foundation (Teens Living with Cancer); and Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester. With her business growing, approximately $2,000 has been donated to the nonprofits to date.

For more information, call 585-4029028, email Alicia.Thompson@Small Print.com or visit SmallPrint.com.

James Occhiogrosso is a staff writer for Natural Awakenings magazine, a natural health practitioner and author of several books. Connect with him at 239-6520421 or vitist HealthNaturallyToday.com.

Love and

compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. ~Dalai Lama 14

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

fitbody

Find Your Fitness Style Workouts that Suit Your Personality

by Wendy Worrall Redal

W

hile some people find repetitious workouts boring, others like doing predictable routines at regular locations. Ensuring that our fitness regimen jives with our “fitness personality” is integral to making exercise a consistent part of our lifestyle, a concept that has traction among exercise experts.

Jonathan Niednagel, founder and director of The Brain Type Institute, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, and an athletic consultant for professional teams, explains in his book, Your Key to Sports Success, that understanding our inborn brain type can help us to determine which sport is best suited to motivate us. In Suzanne Brue’s book, The 8 Colors of Fitness, she applies principles from the Myers-Briggs personality inventory to help readers develop a personalized exercise program. Susan Davis-Ali, Ph.D., in St. Paul, Minnesota, a professional coach for working women, created a Fitness Interest Profile survey for the Life Time Fitness health club chain. She points to research that suggests people that engage in activities appropriate for their personalities enjoy their workouts more and are likely to stay with them longer.

Identifying our fitness personality can help us find a program that suits our rhythms and interests. Based on composites from growing research, here are six categories that assess and capture the way we may feel about exercise; more than one

can apply to any individual.

Disciplined and driven. This is an image to which many of us may aspire, even though not everyone fits the mold.

These exercisers are self-motivated and goal-oriented. Commitment and consistency go hand-in-hand. They like to use devices to track progress, maintain a training log and/or work with a personal trainer in systematic workouts geared to measure improvement. Disciplined types are often early risers; starting the day with regular exercise is second nature.

Compatible fitness regimens include cardio workouts, interval and weight training, running, swimming and martial arts.

Relishes routine. While these folks are disciplined and driven in some ways, they tend to be more relaxed about regimens. The key to success here is consistency. They like order and familiarity in exercise settings and practice and may enjoy reading or watching a screen during workouts. Whatever the preferred approach, whether it’s a favorite training video, Wii Fit video game, favorite teacher or memorized Pilates moves, these exercisers like to stick with it, even working out at the same time every day—often first thing in the morning or after work—finding that regularity can be habit-forming.

Conscious contemplative. Reflective individuals enjoy quiet, solo activities like long-distance running, biking, hiking and swimming, that allow opportunities to look inward, often without thinking too much

about the physical details. Exercise offers a chance to clear the mind and renew the spirit while strengthening the body. These types naturally gravitate to outdoor pursuits, but some indoor practices may also suit them, like yoga, Pilates, tai chi or even karate, which incorporate a strong mind-body component. Workouts are often soothing, rather than intense.

Plays well with others. For many people, exercise is best enjoyed with others, combining the social and fitness benefits of both. Connections and camaraderie get them off the couch, revved up and ready to go. Whether it’s a committed group of friends chatting during water aerobics or a highpowered cardio class that compares notes, motivation comes primarily from the presence—and accountability factor—of others. A lunch-hour class at a nearby studio or gym may be a fun break in the workday. On weekends, consider golf, tennis, dance or a local recreation team.

Compulsive competitor. While the communal aspect is appealing, the greater gratification for this type comes through the thrill and challenge of competition. Trying to win is the great motivator, unlike driven and disciplined types that are happy to push through to their personal best. Team sports are a natural outlet, including soccer, rugby, lacrosse, basketball or swimming, plus disc golf, tennis or racquetball matches and running events.

Avid for adventure. It’s tough for any formal exercise program to keep the attention of adventurers. They crave freshness and spontaneity in fitness venues, activities that engage their interest and animate enthusiasm. It’s crucial for adventurous types to mix things up and not rely on any one exercise practice.

Outdoor endeavors such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, inline skating or mountain biking have appeal. They may gravitate to the variables of Nia, Zumba’s high-energy Latin dance groove, kickboxing, exercise balls or hot yoga. A midday exercise escape can break the work routine. Their key to keeping active is to keep things stimulating.

Wendy Worrall Redal blogs at Gaiam Life (Life.Gaiam.com), from which this was adapted.

natural awakenings

December 2014

15

Sacred Activism Love in Action Can Change the World

by Judith Fertig

Fe, New Mexico, that’s also reflected in his book, The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism. Born in India, educated at England’s Oxford University and in the religious traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, he now resides in Melbourne, Arkansas, where he’s founder and director of the Institute for Sacred Activism. The goal of his international travel is to bring concerned people together to proactively face global crises.

Says Harvey, “Sacred activism is a fusion of two of the most powerful fires of the human psyche—the mystic’s passion for God and the activist’s passion for justice.”

Hallmarks of Spiritual Intent

“Sacred activism is the fusion of the mystic’s passion for God with the activist’s passion for justice, creating the burning sacred heart that longs to help, preserve and nurture every living thing.” ~ Andrew Harvey

T

he butterfly, a universal symbol of transformation, reminds us that becoming our best selves is an ongoing process. Yet these delicate, fluttering creatures are suffering a decline, especially the vivid orange and black monarch butterflies that depend on milkweed flowers for sustenance during their migration to and from Mexico and Canada.

“When I heard about the monarch butterfly crisis, I also noticed that I had milkweed vines all along my back fence,” says Karen Adler, a Kansas City, Missouri, gardener. “In years past, I would have pulled them out because 16

Rochester, NY

they can strangle other plants. But I talked it over with my neighbor and we agreed to let them grow. This year, we had more monarchs than ever.”

These two women might not realize it, but they had engaged in spiritual activism. They became aware of a problem, approached it with compassion, learned about the issue, realized life’s interdependence and committed themselves to positive action for a result that is good for all.

It’s a process that Andrew Harvey first described in a 2005 talk he gave at the Santuario de Guadalupe, in Santa

RochesterAwakenings.com

The Awakening – Progressing from concerned citizen to spiritual activist is a gradual process. It may begin with an issue to which one feels called. “Our life in the world is a continual call and response,” observes Kabir Helminski, of Santa Cruz, California. He authors and translates books on the Muslim Sufi tradition, which tends to have an open relationship with other religions, and is a core faculty member of the Spiritual Paths Institute, which encourages seekers to find the sacred traditions that speak to them.

“Sometimes events are a waking dream calling for interpretation, and sometimes the heart is directly addressed from within,” says Helminski.

Compassion – Once an event moves us, prayer can be a pathway that opens our hearts to compassion, according to Jagadish Dass, of Granada Hills, California. The healer and teacher wrote The Prayer Project: The 3-Minute, 3 Times a Day Solution for World Change, which encourages involvement with something bigger than ourselves.

Dass maintains that praying for three minutes, three times a day, will help us transmute into expressing a quiet power. “As we take responsibility for our lives, a transformation occurs within,” he says. We begin to inspire others to also take up the cause of working for change and bringing more peace, joy and love to the world.

Likewise, Harvey urges each of us to make a real commitment to daily spiritual practice on the road to

“When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.” ~ Carla Goldstein spiritual activism. He suggests, “Start with a short prayer that aligns you with the pure deep love that is longing to use you as its instrument in the world.”

Options include prayers from many of the world’s spiritual traditions shared in Dass’ book; a free download is provided at StewardshipOfTheSoul.com.

Interconnectedness – Just as everything in the universe is connected by the simple act of being, like-minded people can connect to do good in the world. Sacred activists pursuing their own spiritual paths need to work with others, according to Harvey. “They form empowering and encouraging networks of grace—beings of like heart, brought together by passion, skill and serendipity to pool energies, triumphs, griefs, hopes and resources of all kinds. When people of like mind and heart gather together, sometimes miraculously powerful synergy can result.”

Harvey has found that groups of six to 12 people become the most efficient and productive, whether joined together through a profession (such as physicians on medical missions), a passion for animal rights or the environment, or a strong sense of social justice.

Knowledge – Knowledge, both inward- and outward-seeking, is another key to doing good for all. Carla Goldstein, JD, chief external affairs officer at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, in Rhinebeck, New York, and cofounder of its Women’s Leadership

Center, used her interest in women’s empowerment issues as a springboard to spiritual activism.

“For the first 20 years of my professional life, I focused on public policy and politics,” she says. “But something was missing in the rhetoric of taking care of each other.” Practicing yoga and meditation and receiving support during a personal health crisis prompted what she terms “an awakening understanding of a gap between personal change and systems change.” Goldstein came to question her own “rugged individualism” versus the interconnectedness she felt when people took care of her. “Can we actually move towards integrating these two ideals?” she asked herself. Knowledge about issues is readily available from experts and organizations that experts recommend; she observes, “The big question is: What is needed for us to be of help?”

Sometimes listening and understanding can be powerful. Under the auspices of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center, Goldstein invited women on both sides of the reproductive rights issue to meet in 2005. They had been part of the Public Conversations Project in the Boston suburb of Watertown, Massachusetts, begun after medical staff members were killed and wounded at an area women’s health clinic providing abortions in 1994.

“Women from the divided community initially came together to tell their

stories,” Goldstein relates. “Over time, they developed a deep love for each other. Nobody changed their positions, but they did change how they interacted with one another.” They experienced a shift from emotional and verbal turbulence to, if not agreement, feelings of peace and understanding. Since then, the project has grown to facilitate such conversations in 38 states and 15 countries (PublicConversations.org).

Positive Action – While many thorny issues take long-term, dedicated efforts to be resolved, others only need smaller individual or collaborative actions for positive outcomes. For Mark Nepo, a New York City poet, philosopher and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Book of Awakening, kindness is the force behind positive action, no matter how modest at first.

“Kindness reveals kinship. It gives us connection to everything greater than us and everything else that is kind in the universe,” he says. “I think it’s powerfully effective, yet it’s such a small thing.”

Nepo is active in Bread for the Journey, an international nonprofit that encourages community grassroots philanthropic projects that generate microgrants. One involved a small town in northern New Mexico that sought to improve the lives of local teenagers when the town’s elders wanted to open a youth center as a positive alternative to the drug scene. Just before the center was scheduled to open, the project ran out of money for required floodlights, so Bread for the Journey funded them and the center opened. “Within a few years, the whole culture shifted,” reports Nepo. This small contribution made a big difference to the whole community.

Once awakened and nurtured, spiritual activism can become an omnipresent part of our lives. Says Goldstein, “When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.”

Judith Fertig is a freelance writer from Overland Park, KS.

natural awakenings

December 2014

17

therapyspotlight

Floating the Stress Away

by Sandra Yeyati

A

merica is the land of sensory overload. Always on the go, our schedules overflowing with activity, we rely on devices and screens to keep us connected 24/7. Many of us feel we barely have time to think, much less relax, and associated sleep difficulties only compound our troubles.

In 2012, David Brickman tried a session in an isolation flotation tank in Portland, Oregon, and was astonished at how he felt afterward. “I came out of that float tank profoundly relaxed and with a very quiet mind,” he says. “It was the quiet mind that really blew me away.”

The experience inspired Brickman to open the Bodymind Float Center, in Rochester, with his wife, Patricia Sunwoo. “We are helping people, and that’s a big part of why we wanted to open this business,” he affirms. “Floating can be quite marvelous at helping people regulate sleep, recover from addiction, experience hormonal benefits and relieve stress. We’ve even had several sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder benefit from floating.”

Neuroscientist John Lilly invented the first floatation tank in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation, and tanks became commercially available to the public in the 1970s. Floatation therapy arose from Lilly’s work, with later research from Ohio State University, Goteborg University and Karlstad University, both in Sweden, among others, finding evidence that floating can improve sleep and reduce the experience of nervousness, stress, tension and pain. The popularity of floating has recently resurged. “It’s all over the country now, and has even found its way into popular culture,” Brickman notes.

In the tank, a warm solution of water and Epsom salt enables the participant to float effortlessly. One aspect of the session is the sensory deprivation.

“There’s not much stimulation coming

18

Rochester, NY

Floating can be quite marvelous at helping people regulate sleep, recover from addiction, experience hormonal benefits and relieve stress. ~ David Brickman to your five senses,” explains Brickman. “Your brain is not processing this stimulation, which otherwise would be bombarding you. Floating represents a very unusual circumstance for most people who are used to always knowing what time it is and always being connected to the outside world.”

Another facet of floating is the zero-gravity experience. “Your brain

RochesterAwakenings.com

contends with gravity your whole life, and in a float tank, the water solution supports the body perfectly, so you don’t feel gravity,” Brickman advises. “It’s this unprecedented opportunity that your brain has to rest and reboot, and that is where the power of floating stems from.”

He cites the three main benefits as stress management, pain relief and achieving a meditative state of mind.

“In this meditative mind state, the brain will start producing theta brain waves—the same brain waves that an experienced yogi or meditator might produce—and it’s also the kind of brain wave that each of us passes through on the way to sleep each night,” explains Brickman. “This theta state lasts just moments when you’re falling asleep, but in a float tank, you can be in that state for big chunks of time. People find this to be quite blissful, and they also find that it can be quite fruitful in terms of sorting through a problem at work or an emotional issue or a relationship problem.”

Floats cost $65 for 90 minutes.

Bodymind Float Center also offers a salt room, which is used for sinus problems, cough, asthma, allergies and even cystic fibrosis. Monthly discounts and sales, as well as package deals, gift certificates and memberships are available.

The center will host a holiday open house from 5 to 9 p.m., December 4, with tours of the tanks and salt room, a raffle for free services and discounted gift certificates, which are quite popular for the holidays.

Bodymind Float Center is located at 622 Park Ave., in Rochester. For more information, call 585-413-0616 or visit BodymindFloatCenter.com or Bodymind SaltRoom.com. See ad, page 7.

Sandra Yeyati is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings. Connect at SandraYeyati.com.

wisewords

Opening Up to Miracles Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness

by April Thompson

M

otivational speaker and bestselling author Gabrielle Bernstein knows the gravitational pull of addiction firsthand. Although introduced to spiritual practices from an early age, she turned away from that upbringing in her 20s, pulled instead into a vortex of drugs, alcohol and unhealthy relationships while running a public relations firm promoting Manhattan nightclubs. After hitting rock bottom at age 25, Bernstein made the unwavering decision to seek spiritual help and change her life.

The entrepreneurial young woman found her groove as a spiritual teacher, introducing millions to new ways of thinking and living through her books, lectures, blogs and videos. Her nononsense approach to spirituality and knack for making practices like meditation and prayer accessible to beginners and cynics have attracted a new generation of seekers. Bernstein’s latest book, Miracles Now:108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose, offers simple, yet powerful tips to short-circuit unhealthy thought patterns and take a shortcut to transformational change.

Why do you reframe a miracle as simply a shift in perception?

Shifting your perception and choosing again is a core principle from A Course in Miracles, a metaphysical text that I study and teach from. When you choose

to reorganize your belief system and align it with a loving, forgiving perspective, rather than a fear-based reality, that’s when miracles can happen.

Some people shift away from a harmful relationship with addictive drugs and alcohol like you did, while others take such unhealthy behaviors to the grave; what makes the difference?

Often when we get caught in unhealthy behavior, we aren’t willing to ask for help. I think the reason I was able to leave those behaviors behind and create a new path was my willingness to live a different way. I was able to witness my life and see that it wasn’t working. It’s an ongoing process; I’ve been on my current path of turning to spiritual principles for many years, but I’m still constantly working to apply them throughout my moment-tomoment experiences.

How does meditation help create radical change?

I think meditation is a key tool for health, happiness and well-being. It can help reorganize the nervous system, lower stress levels, calm the mind and recalibrate energy. It can help us experience more synchronicity in our lives and a greater sense of interconnectedness, as well.

What do you struggle with the most and what personal miracle are you still trying to realize?

I’m in constant conversation with myself over my thoughts and beliefs about judgment and separation. People are programmed by society to believe we are separate and to judge ourselves and others. My practice suggests a reinterpretation of that general belief system in order to perceive things differently. I also try to forgive limiting thoughts I was holding onto; for example, judging myself for not performing well at a lecture.

Talking too much in conversations is a big challenge for me. A practice in my Miracles Now book called WAIT, for “Why am I talking?” reminds me to notice when I’m saying too much, commenting unnecessarily or not supporting the greater good.

How do you think about money, and has that proven helpful in broader terms?

I believe that we have the power to attract healthier relationships in our financial circumstances in the same way that we have the power to attract healthier relationships with people in our lives. Some people think that you can’t both be spiritual and secure financial abundance; I think that’s nonsense. When you start to reorganize your beliefs around your self-worth and capacity to earn, and open up to your intuitive voice and the creative possibilities for earning, then your financial situation can change dramatically. I have lived that principle fully. I was brought up in a poverty mindset, but with a shift in perception, I was able to release my fears of financial insecurity.

Do you have a go-to practice that you reach for first when faced with a difficult situation?

When I’m faced with a complicated situation or feeling powerless, I say a prayer in stillness. Such a practice asks through prayer and listens through meditation.

It’s in that stillness that I can hear the voice of intuition and the voice of forgiveness, and love can come forward.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

natural awakenings

December 2014

19

healingways

HEALING RITUALS AROUND THE WORLD Many of today’s healing rituals draw from the tried-and-true wisdom of our ancestors.

by Debra Bokur

F

rom acupressure massage, Ayurvedic facials and Shiatsu to hot stone massage, seaweed treatments and the use of herbs and botanical oils, many of today’s healing rituals share a vital component. Each has a firm foundation in an ancient, respected healing modality that’s recently made its way back into our collective awareness. Thanks to migrating populations and the efforts of world explorers, a glorious overlapping of regions and practices has occurred.

Along the way, these traditions have gained renewed respect in today’s forward-thinking wellness communities.

Native American Wisdom As recently as the mid-1800s, nearly 80 percent of all medicine in Europe and the United States was derived from native plants. Native American populations have a long history of tapping into the healing world of botanicals, awarding great respect to plants and recognizing the life force within them as integral to healing.

Cleansing sweat lodge ceremonies, for example, as well as the use of such natural elements as sage, clay, willow, agave cactus and honey, have become staples in spas throughout Mexico and the West. Recently, another tradition has been rediscovered: burden baskets.

These small, woven baskets are used in an adaptation of an Apache custom, in which they provide a physical receptacle for worries, concerns and mental burdens. Today, guests symbolically place their cares and burdens in the basket. The therapist then removes it from the room and empties it, leaving each guest free to garner the maximum healing benefit from their therapy.

Caribbean, Coastal Mexico, West Indies and South America Healing traditions within every part of the world share common elements. In tropical locations, local fruit crops of papaya, mango and coconut provide an abundance of natural, antioxidantrich ingredients for facials and body treatments. On islands throughout the Caribbean and other coastal areas, seaweed, sea water, volcanic mud, sea 20

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

salt and marine algae provide the same detoxifying and exfoliating benefits today as they did centuries ago.

Mayan-themed rituals available along Mexico’s east coast include meditation in the shadows of area ruins and seaside purification rituals. During one intense ritual, guests are blindfolded and guided through a series of experiences that involve and awaken every sense.

Further south, in the Amazon region of Venezuela, shamanism revolves around the practice of calling upon the spirits of native plants during healing rituals—a respected method that has helped to maintain and restore human health for centuries. Indigenous peoples in this rainforest environment believe that demonstrating proper respect for each plant is essential to the healing process. This respect ranges from asking the plant’s permission before removing it from its source and thanking it for bestowing its healing powers, to guarding against overharvesting and acknowledging that the plant’s spirit is every bit as important as its chemical components.

Hawaii In Hawai’i (native spelling), kahunas— traditional healers and holy men—have provided a solid basis for modern island spa treatments. Centuries-old lomilomi massage, with its long, stroking movements, helps stimulate and drain lymphatic glands, while easing the sore muscles of countless visitors.

Honey, popular in facials and moisturizing body treatments, has long been recognized for its topical healing properties. It was used in numerous healing rituals throughout ancient Greece and Rome; Cleopatra was said to use honey in her royal bath water.

India Today, increasing numbers of people are accessing India’s 5,000-year-old medical system of Ayurveda and the centuries-old practice of yoga. Modern studies of the healing qualities of harmonic sound also have resulted in the production of soothing Eastern and other soundtracks for various traditions of massage as well as the

use of Tibetan singing bowls during massage and energy treatments.

The use of gemstones to balance emotions and realign energy patterns, too, has gained popularity. Gemstone therapy has roots in many cultures, including Greek, Egyptian and Judaic societies. It was in India, however, that their spiritual and healing powers were most recognized, with mentions in the Vedic scriptures. Gemstones have been shown to emit specific vibrational frequencies that many believe capable of affecting the body’s own frequencies, functions and well-being.

Africa and Australia From Africa, the practice of rhythmic drumming to induce a meditative state is still used by shamans as a way to enter the spirit world, where questions may be answered and individuals can progress along their healing journey.

Aboriginal medicine men in Australia also use drumming, repetitive percussive music and crystals to gain insight into dreams, which they believe are mediums for important messages— including messages of healing.

Asia Asian cultures understand the health benefits of meditation practice. Today’s moving meditative methods include Tai chi and qigong, as well as the tradition of Japanese flower arrangement known as ikebana.

Once restricted to Japanese male nobility, today, the inspiring and calming ritual of ikebana can be practiced by everyone. The practice makes use of found objects, such as rocks, branches, feathers and other offerings from nature, often with the addition of fresh flowers or greenery. Through contemplation and meditation, the practitioner seeks

Tips for Holiday and Year-Round Wellness

by Yasellyn Diaz-Vega

T

he holiday season can bring stress for a variety of reasons: traveling, preparing for the traditional gatherings, shopping and more.

Many chemical, physical and emotional factors may take us out of balance and negatively affect the nervous system’s communication between the brain and body. The body provides signs when it is out of balance, telling us that we need to reevaluate stressors and take action to correct the imbalances. These signs include trouble concentrating, with or without agitation or anxiety; slow recovery from minor illnesses such as colds or allergies; difficulty sleeping; poor balance and coordination; fatigue when waking or feeling generally sluggish.

The human body has the remarkable capacity to heal and regenerate itself when it is functioning properly.

Here are some tips that will put us back on the track toward health.

Eat well. Buy high-quality organic

fruits and vegetables.

Pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals used in conventional agricultural methods have been linked to abnormalities in behavior, perception and motor ability, especially during early childhood, according to studies published in Pediatrics and the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Take probiotics. Consuming quality probiotics colonizes the gut with bacteria needed for proper digestive health, which impacts overall health, as well as the body’s ability to produce certain vitamins and hormones. According to a study published in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, the probiotic known as Bifidobacterium longum has been shown to help normalize anxious behavior in mice with infectious colitis.

Separate research also found the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus had a marked effect on an important neurotransmitter, resulting in a reduction of behaviors char-

to create a harmonious arrangement of the gathered components.

Japanese tea ceremonies are another time-honored ritual with multiple health benefits. Today, the antioxidant properties found in tea are well known.

The practice of slowing down and taking time for introspection at a regular interval each day also works to reduce stress and create an oasis in the midst of a busy schedule.

Participating in healing rituals and therapies from around the world provides ways for us to reconnect with our past. They remind us of what our ancestors knew so well—that body, mind and spirit cannot be separated. True health embodies the whole person.

Debra Bokur is the travel and wellness editor at HealingLifestyles.com and a regular contributor to Fit Yoga and Global Traveler. Connect at NextPlaneMedia.com.

acteristic of anxiety and depression.

Visit an allied health practitioner.

Chiropractic adjustments enable the body to function at its fullest potential by removing nerve interferences and improving the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine and homeopathy can also assist with health challenges.

Get plenty of sleep. The body will not function or heal properly without adequate rest. Among other problems, sleep deficiency may weaken the immune system, advises the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Exercise. Simply walking, cycling or playing in the garden is beneficial.

According to the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association, regular exercise improves mood, motor ability and heart and lung function, and supports weight control.

A 2011 study published in the International Journal of Impotence Resources also found that regular exercise could improve a couple’s intimacy.

Chiropractic physician Yasellyn DiazVega practices with her husband at 1732 E. Ridge Rd., in Irondequoit, NY. For more information, call 585-2662782. See ad, page 14.

natural awakenings

December 2014

21

greenliving

Toxin-Free

BEAUTY SALONS Pure Pampering Feels Natural and Safe

by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist

W

hen clients walk into New York City’s Swing Salon, they may be surprised by what they don’t smell—the range of chemicals usually wafting around hair salons. That’s because the owners have decided to use only natural and organic products.

While many people may assume that all salon hair and body treatments are regulated and safe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no authority to require companies to test cosmetic products for safety, due to loopholes in the Toxic Substances Control Act. So, people are being exposed to dangerous toxins through salon products like nail polish, hair color processors and hair straighteners.

Be aware that while labels of overthe-counter body care products are required by law to list ingredients, with the exception of the chemical soup often hidden under the term “fragrance”, the loophole for salon products is large.

Jamie Silberberger, with the Women’s Voices for the Earth’s National Healthy Nail & Beauty Salon Alliance, reports, “Products sold for professional use in spas and salons are not required to be labeled with ingredients.”

Fortunately, healthy alternatives are available, either by patronizing a green salon or using natural beauty treatments at home.

22

Rochester, NY

Hair Straighteners One salon treatment—Brazilian Blowout hair straightening—can continue to expose customers and salon workers to toxic fumes even months after application. It’s among the conventional straightening products that contain formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen.

“Exposure to formaldehyde doesn’t end with the treatment—the fumes are reactivated every time heat is applied to the hair,” says Jennifer Arce, a San Diego, California, salon worker who became sick after applying a single Brazilian Blowout treatment. “So, when a client who’s had a Brazilian Blowout done elsewhere comes into the salon to get a haircut or color and has her hair blow-dried, flat-ironed, curled or processed under the hood dryer, the fumes that come out of her hair make me and several of my coworkers sick all over again.”

Solution: Avoid chemical hairstraightening treatments. Sign on to the Women’s Voice for the Earth letter campaign petitioning the FDA to remove Brazilian Blowout from U.S. shelves by visiting Tinyurl.com/ BanBrazilianBlowout.

Hair Dyes and Extensions About two-thirds of conventional hair dyes in the U.S. contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical banned

RochesterAwakenings.com

for use in such products in Germany, France and Sweden. Exposure to PPD can cause allergic reactions ranging from skin irritation to death by anaphylactic shock, which happened to a teenager in 2010.

When Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela researchers conducted a metastudy examining the risk of cancer among hairdressers and related workers, all reported that employees had a higher risk of cancer than the general population.

Hair extensions also warrant attention. Many adhesives used on extensions may contain 1,4 dioxane, listed as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and styrene, a neurotoxin and suspected endocrine disruptor.

Solution: Look for a clean, green salon that uses natural hair color treatments free from synthetic chemicals, ammonia or PPD. Individuals can also order nontoxic organic color kits direct from EcoColors.net.

Nail Polish When getting a manicure or pedicure, beware of the toxic trio of dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.

Used to help nail products hold color, they’re linked to reproductive and development problems, plus dizziness and eye and lung irritation, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Facing pressure from consumer groups and salon workers, some polish companies are now producing so-called “nontoxic” nail polish, although their labels aren’t verifiable. California’s Department of Toxic Substances

Control recently tested 25 nail polishes sold to salons, 12 of which claimed to be toluene-free, including seven said to be free of the toxic trio. The researchers found toluene in 10 of those, and one or more of the three ingredients in five out of the seven.

Solution: Customers should bring their own safe nail polish and only patronize well-ventilated salons.

Find a Green Salon Many conventional body products like shampoos and massage oils contain a litany of ingredients that add to our chemical exposure. Ask questions to ensure all of a salon’s products are nontoxic or as low in toxicity as possible.

For example, a large network of independently owned “concept salons” across America are connected with the Aveda Corporation (Aveda.com), a national leader in developing hair and body products that are free from the most dangerous ingredients. More than 90 percent of Aveda’s essential oils and 89 percent of its raw herbal ingredients are certified organic.

Also look for members of the Green Spa Network, a nationwide coalition of spas that pledge to be energy efficient and sustainable in all of their practices (GreenSpaNetwork.org).

If a green salon hasn’t yet arrived locally, bring nontoxic products for appointments and ask the stylist to use them. Visit the Skin Deep Database at ewg.org/skindeep to find the least-toxic products for at-home use.

Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist is a freelance writer in Tucson, Arizona.

More Naturally Safe Sources Bloom Organics BloomOrganics.com Eve’s Organics EveOrganicsBeauty.com Max Green Alchemy MaxGreenAlchemy.com ToeShades ToeShades.com natural awakenings

December 2014

23

healthykids

Sweet Slumber Co-Sleeping in the Family Bed

by Mark Sisson

E

very young mammal on Earth sleeps in close contact with its mother and other family members. They’ve been co-sleeping for security, warmth, comfort and protection for millions of years of evolution.

Although it is generally frowned upon in the United States, many human cultures, including most in East Asia, the Pacific islands, South America, Africa and much of southern Europe, have a rich tradition of co-sleeping. In At Home: A Short History of Private Life, Bill Bryson relates that until very recently, most domiciles centered around a central room, or hall, where everyone slept together. Even today, adults and children almost always sleep together in the same beds in non-industrialized, traditional societies worldwide.

The modern practice of placing babies in separate rooms at night, often to cry themselves to sleep, appears to be a historical aberration. Co-sleeping, conversely, is the age-old norm because it offers so many benefits to both parents and children.

Co-sleeping makes breastfeeding easier.

Studies published by the Acta Paediatrica, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics confirm a consistent link between co-sleeping and breastfeeding in countries as disparate as Brazil, Britain, Malaysia and Sweden. Breast milk provides immunological benefits, transfers symbiotic gut bacteria 24

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

and promotes bonding between mother and child. It’s especially nutritious if the mother’s diet is healthy, and breast milk is the only food experts agree the human body is unquestionably designed to consume.

Co-sleeping improves sleep.

Safe Co-Sleeping Habits

by Mark Sisson

DON’T:

4 Don’t drink alcohol or take drugs that affect awareness and judgment, especially before bed.

A mother that can breastfeed without leaving the bed will get more sleep.

Also, more research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome when breastfeeding is practiced.

In the clinical experience of James McKenna, Ph.D., a University of Notre Dame professor and leading anthropologist in the field, “Breastfeeding mothers typically keep their babies away from pillows, positioning their infants on their backs, while placing them below the parents’ shoulders and raising their arms above them.” Plus, the adults “lay on their sides in ways that can prevent accidental overlays.”

4 Don’t smoke tobacco. The tars and toxins cling to an adult’s body, hair and clothes, exposing the baby to dangerous chemicals that increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Co-sleeping builds parent-child bonds.

4 Eliminate all crevices that a baby might be able to fall into; push the mattress snug against one or more walls.

Research published by the Sleep Research Society shows that mothers that co-sleep with their babies are more attuned to their sleep/wake habits and can respond quicker to their needs.

According to the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, skinto-skin touch increases the secretion of oxytocin, a bond-building hormone.

4 Don’t co-sleep if the parent is sleep-deprived, a heavy sleeper, has sleep apnea or is obese.

4 Don’t allow pets or other children to sleep next to babies.

4 Don’t co-sleep on a sofa, loveseat or reclining chair. The cushions create crevices for infant heads to slip into and the elevation creates a fall risk.

4 Don’t use overly soft mattresses that babies can sink into. Think firm.

4 Don’t use thick bedding, which can cause rapid overheating or lead to smothering.

4 Don’t co-sleep unless everyone is on board. If a spouse isn’t agreeable, try a room share instead.

DO:

4 Provide a big enough bed to afford ample space for all co-sleepers.

4 Keep the mattress low or place it on the floor.

4 Use a firm mattress, a tight-fitting sheet and light bedding.

4 Place the baby on its back to sleep.

Co-sleeping fosters maturation.

Studies in the Infant and Child Development journal show that kids that share a bed or sleep in the same room with their parents grow up to be more self-reliant and socially independent, better behaved, less anxious about intimacy as adults and more likely to be happy.

Parents that are nervous about sharing beds can try room sharing, where the baby sleeps in an adjoining crib or cot; family members will experience many of the same benefits.

Mark Sisson is a former marathon runner and triathlete. He is the author of the bestselling health and fitness book, The Primal Blueprint, and publisher of the health blog, MarksDailyApple.com. natural awakenings

December 2014

25

naturalpet

Pet First-Aid Kits All-Natural Home Health Care

by Sandra Murphy

F

“

irst-aid is the first thing you can do to help an injured animal if you are prepared,” says Dr. Jason Nicholas, owner of The Preventive Vet, in Portland, Oregon. Attention in cases of injury or sudden illness can help a dog or cat stay more comfortable, stop bleeding and provide temporary relief.

A pet first-aid kit can resemble a pantry more than a medicine cabinet.

Natural components include:

Cool water. Purified water kept in a spray bottle can cool overheated pets.

For the fastest results, spray near the pulse points, the “armpits” and where fur is the thinnest. Further, a vet will assess if clinical hydration is needed beyond the water bowl.

Saline solution. Versatile saline is available at the vet’s office or any pharmacy, and also easy and inexpensive to make at home. Use it to flush debris from eyes, clean wounds and promote healing from incisions.

Two teaspoons of non-iodized salt in four cups of boiled water mimics body fluids. The Ohio State University Medical Center website provides a recipe for normal saline solution at Tinyurl.com/SalineRecipe.

Vinegar. It acts as a drying agent, especially for floppyeared dogs taking a dip in a pool or natural waterway, which can leave the inner ear moist. “Don’t use vinegar if the skin is red or broken because it will be painful,” says Dr. Jules Benson, vice president of veterinary services

26

Rochester, NY

at Petplan Pet Insurance, in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Never use it more than twice a week.

Honey. Apply this sweet unguent to gums to help counteract low blood sugar and shock, particularly when a diabetic pet’s insulin levels are off.

Maple syrup is a good substitute.

Sugar. Although not recommended in a regular pet diet, sugar can be a topical antibacterial for the short term.

Sugar draws water from the wound and dehydrates bacteria, supporting growth of new tissue.

Plain yogurt. Adding this healthy refrigerated topping to dry food will activate a sluggish appetite and supply needed cultures to help balance the digestive system.

Cornstarch. This non-toxic remedy helps stop minor bleeding from cuts, scrapes and pedicure accidents.

Calendula. Also known as pot marigold, calendula cream may be used as an anti-inflammatory. Bug bites, scrapes, sunburn and itching from allergies also benefit from its application.

Aloe. Easily grown in a garden or pot and available in gel form, aloe sooths burns, prevents blisters and speeds healing. It also serves as canine Chapstick. “Older dogs often have cracked skin on their noses,” notes Benson. “Aloe helps to heal the skin and keeps the dog comfortable.”

Rescue Remedy.

Illness or injury brings stress, and one common solution is Rescue Remedy. To relieve fear or anxiety, rub it onto a paw, nose or ears or add the recommended number of drops to water, a treat

RochesterAwakenings.com

or food. It helps dogs, cats, horses, birds, fish and even iguanas. Dosage relies on the extent of stress rather than weight or species.

Clean cloths. For bee stings or insect bites on the body, cool compresses can reduce swelling and itching. Wet a washcloth with cold water or for larger welts, wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply for a few minutes at a time. For stings on the face or mouth, it’s best to go to the vet’s office immediately, so that airways don’t swell up and hinder breathing.

Miscellaneous supplies. Keep on hand gauze, tape, small scissors, tweezers (for removing objects from the roof of the mouth or splinters), a small flashlight, clean socks to cover a bandage and disposable gloves to keep human germs out of open wounds. A dog in pain may bite without realizing it.

Nicholas recommends a basket muzzle, so the dog can easily breathe and pant.

When a pet eats or drinks non-food items or foods they shouldn’t, such as chocolate, grapes or onions, head to the local vet. Veterinarian Jeff Levy, in New York City, who is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist, counsels, “Always keep contact information for your vet, an emergency hospital and animal poison control center handy.” Also, find out where emergency services are located when traveling.

Pets can go into shock just like humans. To prevent or reduce the impact, keep the animal warm and provide a deep massage of the ears, at the base, where ears meet the head. A couple of drops of lavender oil on a collar or bandana will help everyone relax. Do not put essential oils directly on the pet, especially cats, as it can be toxic.

Just like children, pets may have accidents or get sick after office hours.

Stay calm, head for the natural pet pantry and then call the family’s holistic veterinarian.

Sandra Murphy is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect at StLSandyM@ yahoo.com.

nutritionspotlight

Peace and Pear Has Fun With Food

by Patricia Staino

C

hristine Porter isn’t trying to take away anyone’s food, she promises. “I think that’s one of the biggest worries people have when they hear the term ‘wellness coach’; that I’m going to put them on a very restrictive diet and stop them from eating and having fun with their food,” she acknowledges.

As a certified health and wellness coach, Porter, who is a self-proclaimed dark chocolate lover and real-food expert, is committed to teaching people about the hazards of the standard American diet to help them lose weight, improve their energy, balance hormones and live healthier.

Through her business, Peace and Pear, Porter offers one-on-one coaching, group sessions, workshops and retreats that celebrate what she calls “bio-individuality”; that is, the concept that “one person’s fuel is another person’s toxin.”

Porter, a dedicated dog mom and yogi, began her own journey to health and wellness when she turned 40. She was overweight, achy and lethargic, and was burnt out with work and life.

“After a few doctor visits and many tests and discussions, I was given a pile of prescriptions to mask the symptoms and ushered out without even a conversation about how to change my lifestyle,” she recalls. “I left the doctor’s office feeling sad and afraid.”

After 30 years in the graphic arts business, Porter decided to become a holistic health and wellness coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She founded Peace and Pear in 2013 to meet a need in the community for more awareness and education about how bodies respond to nutrition, stress, exercise and other outside forces.

She tailors a program specifically for

each client and offers support and encouragement throughout the week with her newsletter, emails, reading material and personalized gifts.

Even though she believes in evaluating each individual’s health and circumstances, Porter shares some quick tips that focus on digestive health, because up to 80 percent of the immune system is located in the digestive track. n Take a quality probiotic daily, but be careful when choosing, because the quality level varies significantly. n Add more fiber to our diet. Porter’s

Christine Porter and Chris Berg

website, PeaceAndPear.com, offers recipes for high-fiber smoothies; she also recommends adding chia and flax seeds to increase the fiber content. n Eat fermented veggies—like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha—which promote digestive health by introducing probiotics naturally. n Drink a couple of tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar, diluted in water or juice, before each meal. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower blood glucose levels, including a 2004 study from the Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University, which found that taking vinegar before meals increased insulin sensitivity and reduced the insulin and glucose spikes that occur after meals. n Chew food slowly and thoroughly.

Saliva contains digestive enzymes that begin the process of breaking down food, making digestion easier on your stomach and small intestine. When we rush through a meal and fail to chew properly, we will experience distress in the digestive track. n Drink plenty of water. First thing in the morning, drink a glass of lukewarm or tap water with a squeeze of lemon; and at the very least, drink a glass of water 10 to 15 minutes before each meal. n Explore cutting out gluten. Many people feel better after eliminating it, even though they never thought they had problems processing grains. n Try an elimination diet to discover personal food sensitivities.

Porter believes these tips and a little coaching can put the health back in a person’s diet without eliminating the fun. “I don’t like to take food away from people and just say, ‘Oh well, suck it up,’” she explains. “That’s too difficult, and it feels too much like deprivation.

I start introducing healthy things first, a little at a time, so they learn to like some new foods; eventually, they want the other stuff less often.”

Peace and Pear is located at 5607 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd., Ste. 1023, in Pittsford. For more information, call 585-598-6616 or visit PeaceAndPear. com. See ad, page 25.

natural awakenings

December 2014

27

calendarofevents

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 Healthy Alternatives Open House – 11am-7pm.

Visit the Open house and experience Biomat therapy, which detoxifies, relieves pain and balances hormones. Sign up to win a free massage or purchase gift certificates. Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center, 458 Stone Rd, Rochester. 585-787-6954.

Antioxidant1.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1 Sound Healing Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Sound energy healing focuses on creating vibrations, which affect overall health. Sound can be a powerful tool in the healing process. It can reduce stress, anxiety, sinuses and lower blood pressure. $8. Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center, 458 Stone Rd, Rochester.

585-787-6954. AngelHD1@hotmail.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Wellness Night: Food as Medicine – 7:15-8:30pm.

Discover how positive diet and lifestyle choices can supercharge the immune system and increase vitality at any age. $10. Real Life Food and Fitness, 1290 University Ave, Ste C, Rochester. 585-441-9441.

RealLifeFoodAndFitness.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 Bodymind Float Center Open House – 5-9pm.

Tours, raffle for free floats, hot tea, giveaways and more. Includes a huge sale on gift certificates and bookings, the perfect gift for the one who has it all.

Bodymind Float Center, 622 Park Ave, Rochester.

585-413-0616. BodymindFloatCenter.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 Iroquois White Corn Project – 11am-3pm. Enjoy a holiday open house featuring delicious Iroquois White Corn recipe samplings and an opportunity to purchase meaningful and unique gifts. Iroquois

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 White Corn Project Farmhouse, 7191 County Rd 41, Victor. 585-742-1361. Ganondagan.org.

5th Annual Christmas Tea – 12-4pm. Open house for Inspire Yoga and the final book donation opportunity for School #5. Treats will be served. Inspire Yoga, 1802 Penfield Rd, Penfield. 585-249-9642.

InspirePenfield.com.

Holiday Wreath Workshop – 2-3pm. Make a beautiful 14-inch wreath that will last all winter.

Have a choice to use dried flowers, yew, boxwood, cedar rosehips, red chili peppers and more. $15.

Pittsford Community Library, 24 State St, Pittsford.

585-248-6200. TownOfPittsford.org.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 Holistic Moms Network Meeting – 6:30-8:30pm.

Relax, rejuvenate and share some holiday treats.

Enjoy this yoga/meditation fusion night with Catina Richardson. Bring a favorite holiday treat to share and enjoy meditation and yoga. Christ Episcopal Church, 36 S Main St, Pittsford. Facebook.com/ RochesterNYChapter.

Gifts Galore DIY Holiday Workshop – 11:30am2:30pm. Give loved ones bath and body products that will improve their overall health and wellness this year. Leave with shave cream, bath salts, lotion bars and lip balm. $15/person, $25/ pair. Rochester Holistic Center, 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester. 585-690-3782. Rochester HolisticCenter.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 Winter Solstice Candle Light Practice – 7:309pm. This practice is a blend of meditation, vinyasa and restorative yoga with a touch a self-excavation, a beautiful way to welcome back the light. $20.

Inspire Yoga, 1802 Penfield Rd, Penfield. 585-2499642. InspirePenfield.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 Restorative & Essential Oil Workshop – 2-4:30pm.

Join Molly and Noreen for a Restorative & Essential Oil Workshop. Enjoy a restorative practice, taking time to release and let go. Space is limited. $30/ prepaid, $40/at the door. Molly’s Yoga, 585-2021347. MollysYoga.com.

This Way to Pain Relief All natural Natural Awakenings STOPS PAIN PLUS TM can quickly relieve: • Arthritis • Hand Pain • Carpal Tunnel • Headaches

• Neuropathy • Knee Pain • Fibromyalgia • Cramps

• Back Pain • Neck Pain • Foot Pain • Stings • Sciatica • Tendonitis • Sports Injuries & much more

STOPS PAIN PLUS TM also helps to:

• Stimulate Energy • Detoxify & Revitalize Sore Joints,Muscles & Tendons • Increase Circulation • Promote a Healthier Quality of Life

19.99 – 8-oz spray $34.99 – shipping $5/up to 8 bottles

egan

FORMULA

4-oz spray $

Wholesale pricing available for stores and practitioners

Shop online today at NAWebstore.com or call: 888-822-0246 28

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

NOW WITH Hemp & Sea Buckthorn Oils

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit RochesterAwakenings.com to submit online.

sunday Couple’s Floatation Therapy – 9:30am-7:30pm.

Discover the healing power of zero-G in the only couple’s float tank in New York. Available every day of the week; closed Mondays. Bodymind Float Center, 622 Park Ave, Rochester. 585-413-0616.

BodymindFloatCenter.com.

Tea-Licious Trendz – 3-7pm. Tea-rific Thursdays.

Participate in weekly events and informational sessions. Topics include essential oils, rain drop therapy, massage, reflexology and more. Learn while enjoying organic loose-leaf teas. 489 Plank Rd, Webster. Cynthia Evans, HealthyTeaz@gmail.com.

Long Seasons Winter Farmers’ Market – 1-4pm.

Brookside Community Center. 220 Idlewood Dr, Brighton. 585-269-8918. BrightonFarmersMarket.org.

Fluid Motion Exercise Class – 6-7pm. A movement class designed for people returning to exercise after surgery, cancer treatment or who just want to get moving. Taught and created by physical therapists, the class includes warm-up, breathing, balance, range of motion and stretching, all set to upbeat music. $60/six classes. 585-482-5060. chptusa.com.

Rochester Home Birth Circle – 2:30-4:30pm.

Learn about and support home birth. Fourth Sun of the month. Locations vary; contact for meeting location. RochesterHomeBirthCircle.com/meetings.

monday Holistic Moms Network – 6:30-8:30pm. Second Mon of the month. Christ Episcopal Church, 36 S Main St, Pittsford. HolisticMomsRochester. blogspot.com.

Rochester Public Market – 6am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-0907.

Face 2 Face – 6pm. A peer-to-peer friendship group, supporting each other when having faced a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. Second and fourth Tues of the month. The Legacy, 40 Willow Pond Way, Penfield. 585-454-9299. F2FRochester@gmail.com.

Rochester Public Market – 6am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-0907.

Cesarean Birth Support Group – 11am-12pm.

Open to all women and their families, to give support, share stories and encourage growth. Led by birth doula Kim Guck. First Thurs of the month.

Eastside Wellness Center, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport.

585-729-2278.

Penfield Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm. 1801 Fairport Nine Mile Point Rd, Penfield. Rebecca@ Grossmans.com.

tuesday

thursday

wednesday Fluid Motion Exercise Class – 10-11am. A movement class designed for people returning to exercise after surgery, cancer treatment or who just want to get moving. Taught and created by physical therapists, the class includes warm-up, breathing, balance, range of motion and stretching, all set to upbeat music. $60/six classes. 585-482-5060. chptusa.com.

University of Rochester Farmers’ Market – 3-6pm. Medical Center, Flaum Atrium, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester. Gary Jones, 585-273-3786.

Intro to Gluten-Free Baking – 6:30-7:30pm. This intro class demonstrates the basic principles of gluten-free baking. Instructors Blossom Fox and Calvin Eaton make gluten-free baking easy and fun.

Ages 10 and up. $15. Pieters Family Life Center, 1025 Commons Way, Henrietta. 585-487-3500.

TheGlutenFreeChefBakery.com.

The Rochester Doula Cooperative – 7-9pm. Offers information and support in order to make informed decisions and have the best birth experience possible. Second Thursof the month. Luvaboos, 683 N Winton Rd, Rochester. DoulaCooperative.org.

saturday Rochester Public Market – 5am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-6907.

Real happiness doesn’t come from getting, but from giving. ~Gabrielle Bernstein only from 60 capsules: $34.99 shipping: $5 (up to 8 bottles)

ORDER TODAY!

NAWebstore.com

or call 1-888-822-0246

Pleasant Dreams™ contains a blend of safe, natural sleepinducing ingredients including chamomile, valerian root and melatonin which may help to: • Maintain sleep all night • Reduce anxiety symptoms • Facilitate relaxation without • Improve pain tolerance morning drowsiness

Consult a healthcare professional before taking this product.

Pleasant Dreams is not intended to cure, treat, diagnose or mitigate any disease or other medical condition.

These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

natural awakenings

December 2014

29

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE PERINTON FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE Renee Nearpass, LAC Cedarwood Office Park 6800 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd, Ste 350, Fairport • 585-598-3866 Renee@PerintonFamilyAcupuncture.com PerintonFamilyAcupuncture.com

As a licensed acupuncturist, expertise includes Chinese Herbal medicine, tui na (Chinese medical massage), qigong and Eastern dieter therapy. Other services are pain management, women’s and pediatric health care and much more.

See ad, page 24.

AROMATHERAPY SWEET & WOODSY AROMATHERAPY Mindy MacLaren, Certified Aromatherapist 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport SweetAndWoodsy.com Info@SweetAndWoodsy.com

Offering a line of natural essential oil-based products for home and family as well as consultations to address a wide range of health issues through aromatherapy, with a focus on pregnancy and children.

Classes also offered. See ad, page 5.

ATHLETICS AWAKENED ATHLETE

Colleen Flaherty 585-261-3743 • AwakenedAthlete@gmail.com AwakenedAthlete.com Injury prevention and support is on the mind of every parent and coach.

Busy lives means you can’t do everything. Let Colleen empower you and your athletes. See ad, page 23.

BIRTH EDUCATION ROCHESTER AREA BIRTH NETWORK Amy Haas and Dianne Cassidy Ahaas@RABN.com DianneCassidy@Rochester.rr.com • RABN.org

The purpose of Rochester Area Birth Network is a resource that advocates health, safety and informed options in childbearing.

Rochester Area Birth Network supports the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, a wellness model of maternity care issued by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), a group of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and wellbeing of mothers, babies, and families.

30

Rochester, NY

CHIROPRACTIC DERLETH CHIROPRACTIC

East Side Wellness Center Dr Paula and Dr Phil Derleth 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport 585-598-3535 DerlethChiropractic@gmail.com DerlethChiropractic.com Chiropractic services that focus on pregnancy, pediatrics and athletes, as well as many other ailments. The goal is to assist patients in achieving optimal health and wellness through the use of chiropractics.

See ad, page 9.

DR EDWIN VEGA JR, DC & DR YASELLYN DIAZ-VEGA, DC

1732 E Ridge Rd, Irondequoit 585-266-2782 Info@VegaChiropracticWellness.com VegaChiropracticWellness.com Dedicated to analyzing, correcting and improving the nervous system health and committed to educating and providing quality chiropractic care to families so as to achieve optimal wellness. See ad, page 14.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ROCHESTER GREENOVATION

1199 E Main St, Rochester, NY 14609 585-288-7564 Info@RochesterGreen.org RochesterGreen.org Services include, deconstruction (disassembling and collecting material for reuse), green clean out (reusing and recycling items left behind after a move), event hosting (rent affordable space for an event) and recycling (keeping items out of the landfills).

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER Kimberly Kavanagh 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 RochesterHolisticCenter.com

Wi t h o v e r 2 0 y e a r s experience, Kim helps patients by identifying & correcting nutrition deficiencies that have resulted in chronic health maladies. Specialties include depression, anxiety, arthritis, Autoimmune conditions, and many more. See ad on back cover.

RochesterAwakenings.com

GLUTEN-FREE THE GLUTEN FREE CHEF Calvin Eaton 181 Monroe Ave, Rochester 585-369-6321 TheGlutenFreeChefBlog.com

The Gluten Free Chef is a glutenand dairy-free bakery and a gluten-free general store. Custom wedding cakes, pastries, cookies, muffins and much more. Open Tues-Fri; 11am-7pm (closed Sun & Mon). See ad, page 28.

HOLISTIC CENTER ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER

Anu Chaudhri, President 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 AnuChaudhri@RochesterHolisticCenter.com Info@RochesterHolisticCenter.com RochesterHolisticCenter.com Offering health and wellness services, such as nutritional counseling, Zumba, therapeutic yoga, massage therapy and a weight-loss program. See ad on back cover.

HOLISTIC HEALTH PEACE AND PEAR

Christine Porter, CHHP, AADP 585-598-6616 Christine@PeaceAndPear.com PeaceandPear.com Creates customized plans for clients to assist them in losing weight, improve their energy, balance hormones and live healthier lives. See ad, page 25.

HYPNOSIS MONROE HYPNOSIS

Samuel Sanfratello, MS 3380 Monroe Ave, Ste 208, Pittsford 585-678-1741 Sam@MonroeHypnosis.com MonroeHypnosis.com Offering a variety of services designed to help our clients lead happy and healthy lives.

All hypnotic techniques empower you to reach your goals, overcome fears, and live the life you want to live. See ad, page 6.

INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRY ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER Mahipal Chaudhri, MD 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 RochesterHolistic Center.com

Dr Chaudhri is an integrative psychiatrist offering alternative treatments for mental health, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. She uses supplements, nutrition and metabolic workups in addition to a traditional medicinal approach. See ad on back cover.

INTERNAL MEDICINE ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER Shivender Thakur, MD 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 RochesterHolisticCenter.com

With over 30 years experience in treating patients, using a combination of Western methods that include progressive and holistic protocols. He treats both acute and chronic conditions. See ad on back cover.

JEWELRY SMALL PRINT ROCHESTER

Alicia Thompson, owner 585-402-9028 Alicia.Thompson@SmallPrint.com SmallPrint.com Capture your loved ones fingerprint, hand/footprint, drawings, writings and your pets paw prints, as well, in pure silver. Choice of charms, pendants and more.

MINDBODY BODYMIND FLOAT CENTER 622 Park Ave, Rochester 585-413-0616 Info@BodymindFloatCenter.com BodymindFloatCenter.com

Floating offers various ways to relieve many conditions, such as joint and muscle pain, reduces stress, soothes pregnancy discomfort, depression and sleep disorders, enhances creativity & much more. See ad, page 7.

DOTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS

TEA

Michele Reukwald 585-202-6358 CommonScentsBlessings@gmail.com

TEA LICIOUS TRENDZ

As a wellness advocate, Michele educates on the uses of essential oils. See ad, page 9.

FINGER LAKES YOGASCAPES

Jennifer Hess & Leslee Schenk Trzcinski 585-746-2674, 585-362-6715 FingerLakesYogascapes.com Seasonal mind and body adventure retreats for women, featuring yoga, physical activites, journaling, meditating, farm-to-table food, local wines and more. Located in the beautiful NY Finger Lakes region.

NATUROPATHIC LAURA SLEGGS, ND

2425 Clover St, Rochester 10773 Poags Hole Rd, Dansville 607-661-5497 DrLauracs@gmail.com DrLauraND.com Dr Sleggs is a NYS licensed naturopathic doctor. She uses applied kinesiology and provides nutrition counseling and supplements to help individuals improve health in a natural way.

See ad, page 9.

SURVIVING NATURALLY

Sandra Miceli, RN, FNP 75 W Main St, Webster 1-800-664-0613 Thriving@SurvivingNaturally.com Surviving Naturally provides services in the areas of integrative family health, natural skin, nail and hair care, counseling services for individuals and families. See ad, page 24.

Cynthia Evans 489 Plank Rd, Webster 585-727-1457 HealthyTeaz@gmail.com HealthyTeaz.com

Offering premium organic loose-leaf tea and herbals. Custom blends are made in small batches to ensure ultimate freshness and taste.

They also offer wellness products, such as natural skincare and makeup.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE ONONDAGA SCHOOL OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

Tom Gallagher, Director of Admissions 302 N Goodman St, Ste 200, Rochester 585-241-0070 RocAdmissions@OSTM.edu • OSTM.edu Committed to provide students with training in the science of massage. OSTM has helped hundreds of individuals get training, qualifications and professional support. See ad, page 7.

THERMAL IMAGING DYNAMIC THERMAL IMAGING Carol Knapp, CCT, Ofc Mgr 550 Latona Rd, Bldg D, Greece 585-734-6083 • NYDTI.com

Provides radiation-free, noninvasive body scanning for monitoring overall health & wellness. This 100% safe & FDA approved system is available to men, women & children. With the use of infrared imaging technology minute changes in the skin due to cancer can be found years in advance. See ad, page 9.

YOGA

PARENTING

MOLLY’S YOGA CORNER

HOLISTIC MOMS NETWORK

HolisticMoms.org Facebook.com/RochesterNYChapter The mission of HMN is to generate national awareness, education, and support for holistic parenting and green living by providing nurturing, open-minded, and respectful local community networks that encourage families to share these ideals and learn from each other.

Molly Huff 585-202-1347 Information@MollysYoga.com MollysYoga.com

With 2 locations in Fairport and on Monroe Avenue, Molly and her staff teach an array of yoga styles in a fun, relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere.

See ad, page 5.

natural awakenings

December 2014

31

32

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com