natural awakenings fairfield county october 2014

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October 2014 | Fairfield County Edition | eNaturalAwakenings.com

SOLAR POWER BOOM

ANDREW WEIL

On the Evolution into Integrative Medicine

Sustainable Resilient

Communities

Section

2 Fairfield County Edition natural awakenings

The Natural Choice – The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center

Whole-Body Dentistry® provides comprehensive oral health care using traditional and holistic approaches. We understand the “mouth-body connection.”

Optimize Your Smile and Your Health!

Whole-Body Medicine, LLC – The Natural Approach for Optimal Health

The Natural Choice – The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center Caring Naturopathic Physicians Offering the Best in Holistic Healing

Our integrative approach treats a widerange of conditions including:

We can help you get your health back in balance naturally with

proven treatments and therapies:

From left to right: Dr. Adam Breiner, ND, Director Dr. Elena Sokolova, MD, ND &

Dr. David M. Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN

ADD/ADHD Allergies Anxiety & Depression Autism Brain Injuries Candidiasis Chronic Fatigue (or Fatigue Concerns) Difficulty Concentrating Female Concerns Fibromaylgia

Gastrointestinal Concerns Healthy Aging Hormonal Issues Immune Disorders Lyme Disease RSD Sports Injuries Stress-related Symptoms Thyroid & Adrenal Issues Toxicities Weight Gain

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) EEG Neurofeedback Acupuncture Chinese Medicine Homeopathy Energy Medicine Electrodermal Screening Metabolic Typing

Functional Medicine Colon Hydrotherapy Natural Hormone Therapy Herbal Medicine Nutritional Assessment Allergy Desensitization FDA-cleared Phototherapy Detoxification Abdominal Manual Therapy

WholeBodyMed.com203-371-8258

Office located on the Fairfield/Trumbull line

Learn more about our approach. Watch our new therapy videos – all on our website!

FREE CDs on our Whole-Body approach to Lyme Disease. Call now for details.

Mercury-free for over 30 years, Dr. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of biological and holistic dentistry.

Mark A. Breiner, DDSFellow of the Academy of General DentistryFellow of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and ToxicologySpeaker and best-selling author of Whole-Body Dentistry®

WholeBodyDentistry.com203-371-0300

5520 Park Ave., Trumbull / Fairfield town line at Exit 47 off Merritt Pkwy

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letterfrompublisher

“Real change will only happen when we fall in love with our planet. Only love can show us how to live in harmony with

nature and with each other and save us from the devastating effects of environmental destruction and climate change.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

I was fortunate to be included recently as a member of a panel discussion after screenings of a British documentary

called Project Wild Thing. The film – brought to the United States by Two Coyotes Wilderness School (TwoCoyotes.org)

– is a funny but sobering reminder of how distant the modern experience can be from nature and greenspaces. Most of the children and adults in the movie had little to no relationship with the outdoors. At a time when we are concerned with the “greening” of our cities in order to preserve them, the implications of this individual disconnect are enormous. A growing body of evidence suggests “Nature Deficit Disorder” is real; a multitude of ailments seem to be caused or worsened by lack of exposure to nature. Children - of all ages! - need to have the opportunity to develop the depth of love capable of overcoming the damage already done to our natural world. A sustainable community depends on strong urban planning and the “Ten Commandments of Resilient Communities” (see page 28), but should also offer support for increasingly disaffected children. Communities won’t be sustainable unless modern health care institutions evolve with the research to serve the chang-ing demand of their people. With the backdrop of an interview with a founder of integrative medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil (see page 32), we took an in-depth look at what the hospitals in our area are doing in this regard. What integrative services do they offer, to whom, and in what way? Four months ago, I introduced you to Food Editor Analiese Paik, who did a stellar job co-creating with me to launch the local and sustainable food section. Analiese has been called to explore new pursuits, so with utmost appreciation for all she has done, we announce she will no longer be our food editor after this issue. Natural Awakenings Fairfield County’s commitment to supporting local and sustainable food businesses and activities will not change. Check with us in No-vember to see the new look and flavor of the food section. We thank Analiese for everything she has done, wish her the best and look forward to seeing her at area events in the future! Speaking of events, Fairfield County always has lots to offer! Whether seek-ing fun, education or inspiration, we have news briefs, calendar listings and ads for upcoming activities that may appeal to you. When you visit, tell them you read about it in Natural Awakenings Fairfield County! We’re excited to announce that, beginning with the September issue, we expanded our distribution significantly in southern Litchfield County, specifi-cally New Milford. You can now find us at 15 different locations in New Milford, including a rack at the Northville Market. We look forward to reaching a new audience hungry for what our fantastic advertisers and writers can provide.


6 newsbriefs 14 ecotip 16 healthbriefs 18 communityspotlight 20 globalbriefs 40 fairfieldgreen foodguide 42 consciouseating 48 greenliving 52 naturallyhealthypet 58 communityspotlight 60 naturalpet 62 healthykids

64 healingways 67 calendar 72 classifieds 73 resourceguide 78 displayadindex

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eNaturalAwakenings.com

contentsNatural 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.

24 SUSTAINABLE CITYSCAPES Urban America is Going Green in a Big Way by Christine MacDonald

28 CONNECTICUT’S SUSTAINABILITY 10 Commandments for Resilient Communities by Nicole Miale

32 DR. ANDREW WEIL on America’s Evolution into Integrative Medicine by Andrea Schensky Williams

34 FFC HOSPITALS STRIVE FOR MORE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Options for Patients, Caregivers and Community by Beth Prins Leas

42 AN A FOR APPLES It’s a Top-Ranked Superstar Fruit by Tania Melkonian

48 THE SUN’S ELECTRIFYING FUTURE Solar Power is a Worldwide Eco-Goldmine by Linda Sechrist

50 PUREPOINT ENERGY Lowering Electric Bills, Courtesy of the Sun by Natasha Michaels

54 ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIOR PETS by Mary Oquendo

64 DYNAMIC DUO Combining Chiropractic and Acupuncture Energizes Health by Kathleen Barnes

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Lama Lobsang Palden Returns to CT

Over the centuries, Tibetans have perfected Tantric Bud-

dhist practices to purify karma, transform negativity, calm the mind, heal the body, and boost the spirit. One such practice is Vajrayogini. On November 15, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master will come to The Redding Center for Meditation to teach this ancient practice. Lama Lobsang Palden will return to West Redding to of-

fer his Tibetan healing energy massage sessions November 10-14 with a workshop on November 15 from 1 to 4pm. The workshop will include a Vajrayogini puja, Tibetan yantra yoga and the Tibetan breathing exercises of Tsa Lung. The fee for this workshop is $85 in advance and $95 at the door.

Location: The Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. For information and registration, visit LamaLobsang.com. For further information or to inquire about Tibetan healing energy massage appointments, contact Patricia Palden at [email protected] or 773-458-6354.

newsbriefs

Lama Lobsang Palden

Naturopathic Weight Management Workshop at New Morning

On October 11 from 10:30am to 12pm, Dr. Elena Sokolova

will host a discussion on how sleep, exercise, hydration, daily stress and toxins can affect weight loss. You will learn how your unique body’s me-tabolism requires an individualized food plan to stay lean. A naturopathic weight management approach can aid in weight loss and stabilization. Dr. Elena Sokolova, MD, ND, is a physician with over 25 years of experience as a practicing medical doctor. She has trained extensively in family medi-cine, botanical medicine, medical nutrition, homeopathy and oriental medicine. Sokolova practices naturopathic medicine at Whole-Body Medicine Trumbull.

Location: New Morning, 129 Main St N, Woodbury. To reserve a seat at this lecture, call New Morning at 203-263-4868. For more information on Dr. Elena Sokolova, visit WholeBodyMed.com or call 203-371-8258. See ad, page 2.

Dr. “Jenny” Federman

Children’s Dental CarePediatric Dental Care

for Infants Toddlers and Teens

• We help your child’s teeth stay HEALTHY

• We create a FRIENDLY environment

• We cater to ANXIOUS children and CONCERNED parents

60 Old New Milford Rd • Brookfield203.304.7571

Dr. Elena Sokolova

Associates in Family Chiropractic156 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851

www.ctChiropractic.com

Call 203-838-1555

Natural Family Based Chiropractic Care

Specializing In Infants, Children, and Pre and Postnatal Women

ChildrenEar Infections • Asthma & Allergies • Scoliosis • Colic

• Refl ux • ADHD • Sports Injuries • Torticollis •Lactation Issues /Tongue-Tie Complications

Pre and Postnatal WomenBack, Pelvic, Neck, Shoulder, and Arm Pain • Headaches •

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Improve spinal and pelvic alignment to help babies in the breech or occiput posterior "sunny side up"

presentations • Reduce The Incidence of C-Section

Dr. Risa M. SlovesDr. Sloves has 25 years of experience and is one of the only

Chiropractic Physicians in Connecticut with Board Certifi cation in Maternity and Pediatric Care.

Healthcare Alternatives


Free Open House at Wellness Institute

The Wellness Institute will hold a free open

house on October 26 from 2:30 to 5pm in Norwalk. The four healthcare prac-titioners offering their services at the center will each speak about their experience with various en-ergy healing and non-toxic modalities. The open house sched-ule (subject to change) will be the following:• 2:30pm: Dr. Marvin Schweitzer, ND, will discuss his 30-year path using healing therapies and the techniques of the ancients.• 2:45pm: Dr. Amy Wiesner, ND, LAc, will speak about acupuncture and other healing modalities used in her prac-tice, as well as the importance of addressing the mental and emotional component of healing.• 3pm: Niki Ralis, MA, will touch upon Ondamed therapy and BrainPaint EEG Neurofeedback.• 3:15pm: Dr. Francis X. Tortora, DC, will discuss his blend of psycho-cranial chiropractic and the spiritual dimensions of healing.• 3:30pm: Special guest appearances• 3:45pm: Q&A with all practitioners• 4pm: Demos of individual therapies with practitioners Location: The Wellness Institute, 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk. For more information, visit DrMarvinSchweitzer.com or call 203-847-2788. See ad, page 20.

Please visit our website for moreinformation about ARC and activities

458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe, CT | 203-268-1ARC (1272) | arcsacredcenter.org | [email protected]

An Oasis for Nurturing your Spirit, Mind and Body

ARC Sacred Center

THE ALLIANCE FOR RAISING CONSCIOUSNESS

Sharing a Vision of Love and Oneness

FROM THE ARC AFFIRMATION ...We believe that this life is a journey for growing and discovering deeper and deeper love for ourselves, one another, nature and the universe…

TEACHERS, PRACTITIONERS AND INTERFAITH MINISTERS OFFERING:Yoga – Mondays through ThursdayChanting and Sound Healing GatheringsPast Life Regression GatheringsChanneled Messages Circles(Office and Space Rental Available)

SUNDAY INTERFAITH SERVICE – 10 amCOFFEE & CONVERSATION – 11 amONGOING CLASSES, WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

Interfaith honors all people, religions and spiritual traditions. All are welcome!

Dr. Marvin Schweitzer

Upcoming Fall Events at Westbrook Nature School

Westbrook Nature School in West

Redding is holding sev-eral fall events open to the public. On October 4 from 9am to 1pm, a Mindful Discipline work-shop will touch upon using time in nature and the art of storytelling to create a sense of bal-ance, boundaries and resilience for your child. Babysitting is provided. Woodland Halloween will be offered as a free event on October 25 from 10am to 1pm. A Family Culture workshop will take place from 9am to 1pm on November 22. Attendees will learn about fermented foods and how to make yoghurt, kefir, cultured vegetables, sourdough, kombucha and beer. Babysitting will also be provided for this event. Westbrook Nature School provides an early childhood nature-based curriculum set on six acres with trails, streams, meadows, an organic garden and natural playscapes. Westbrook offers parent-child classes, mixed-age kin-dergarten, adult workshops, playdays and seasonal events. The child’s direct experience with nature, also known as the philosophy of phenomenology, is the starting place for all domains of learning in the Westbrook curriculum. Other recognizable educational streams weave through their cur-riculum, including Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Waldorf. Location: Westbrook Nature School, 7 Long Ridge Rd, West Redding. For more information, visit WestbrookNatureSchool.org, call 203-664-1554 or email Info@Westbrook NatureSchool.org. See ad, page 36.


newsbriefs

A Workshop For Parents: For Your Sake & For The Sake of Your Children

On October 11, Judith Barr will lead a workshop for parents in

Brookfield. For Your Sake & For The Sake of Your Children will help par-ents learn more about how their own unhealed childhood wounds and “stuck places” impact their children consciously and subconsciously. The workshop will help parents discover the depths of the healing they can go through to help their children. The event will be held on October 11 from 2 to 5pm at Judith Barr’s office in Brookfield. The registration fee for this workshop is $100, and registration and payment must be received by October 7.

To learn more or to register, call 203-775-5006 or email [email protected]. See ad, page 37.

203-438-7146452 Main Street, Ridgefi eld

touchofsedonaridgefield.com

203-438-7146

Touch of Sedona

A unique boutique with a heartfelt purpose

~ equestrian gifts~ pottery ~ buddas~ crystals of all sizes~ books ~ angels~ crystals of all sizes

OpenEvery DayUntil 5:30

Treatments include herbal medicine, functi onal medicine,biotherapeuti c drainage, homeopathy, low-level laser therapy,

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Are You Looking For A Doctor Who Will Address More Than Just Your Symptoms?

• Women’s Health• Ferti lity • Hormonal Imbalance• Anxiety and Depression • Weight Loss

• Pediatrics• ADD/ADHD• Diabetes• Food Sensiti viti es • Eczema

• Asthma• Allergies• Insomnia• Abnormal Paps• Thyroid Disorders

Shalva Clinic, LLCThe Center for Natural Medicine

260 Riverside Avenue Westport, CT 06880

p 203.916.4600 f 203.916.4601

[email protected]

Dr. Ellen LewisNaturopathic Physician

Judith Barr

TLC Healing and Psychic Sunday

Total Life Care Center in Norwalk will offer its TLC

Healing and Psychic Sunday event on October 5 from 11am to 4pm. Attendees can choose from a variety of mini-workshops and readings. Free mini-workshops

include Awaken Your Inner Healer Charge, Meditation Made Fun, Tarot Teaser and Charge Up Your Chakras. Readings and healing sessions being offered include Reiki, crystal heal-ings, tarot, intuitive readings, channeling, aura photography, EFT, chakra readings, chakra clearings and balancing, Jin Shin Jyutsu, pendulum answers, body composition analysis, tongue diagnosis and acupuncture. A raffle will also take place at the event. Admission to the event is free. All healing sessions and readings are $20 for 20 minutes while aura photography ranges from $25 to $65 a session. Plenty of parking is avail-able and the center is walking distance from East Norwalk’s train station.

Location: Total Life Care Center, at 152 East Ave, Norwalk. To schedule mini-workshops, healing sessions and readings, call 203-856-9566 or email [email protected]. To schedule aura photography, call 203-266-0317 or email [email protected]. See ad, page 19.


TEDx Speaker Jack Petrash

On October 17, Jack Petrash will discuss how a Waldorf

education prepares children to meet world challenges with confi-dence and resilience. The Housa-tonic Valley Waldorf School at 1 Jacklin Road in Newtown will host Jack Petrash for an Education from the Inside Out lecture on October 17 from 7 to 9pm. In addition, a Saturday morning discussion for fathers only will take place on October 18 from 9am to 12pm. Petrash has been a class teacher at the Washington Waldorf School for over 30 years. He is also

the founder and director of the Nova Institute, an organiza-tion that works to build a bridge between mainstream educa-tion and Waldorf Education. In addition, Petrash works with fathers to discuss parenting and their relationships with their children. He is the author of Understanding Waldorf Educa-tion: Teaching from the Inside Out, Covering Home: Lessons on Fathering from the Game of Baseball and other books. He recently presented the TEDx talk, Preparing Children for the Journey.

For more information, call 203-364-1113 or email [email protected]. See ad, page 32.

Destination Wellness Health Expo in Ridgefield

On October 25 from 12:30 to 4:30 pm, the Ridgefield

Chamber of Commerce Health and Wellness Council, the Ridgefield Pre-vention Council and the Ridgefield Parks and Recreation Department will present Destination Wellness: A Celebration of Healthy Living. An educational and fun event for all ages, this free expo will showcase activities and community resources which support health and wellness. Held at the Ridgefield Parks and Recreation Center, Destination Wellness is an inaugural event featuring up to 30 exhibitors, demonstrations and lectures throughout the day, and activities meant to inform and inspire parents and chil-dren about healthy lifestyle options. There will be some focus on addiction and overall risk prevention.

Location: The Ridgefield Parks & Recreation Center is at 195 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield. For more information, visit RidgefieldChamber.org/Events. See ad, page 36.

Jack Petrash

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newsbriefs

Flint Knapping Workshop SeriesTwo Coyotes Wilderness School

(TwoCoyotes.org) is offering a new adult and older teen program on flint knapping in October. This 3-day class in Newtown guides beginner and advanced students on techniques in stone tool production including bipolar percussion, block on block percussion, percussion flak-ing, pressure flaking and finish work.

Held at Sticks & Stones Farm in Newtown, this pro-gram is a window into the past as attendees learn how early humans discovered and created stone tools using a variety of techniques. The detailed instruction during the weekend of October 11 and 12 will be followed up by an October 26 class offering further guidance in this intricate process of stone tools crafting. The workshop, taking place from 10am to 4pm, is $225 per person with a $40 tool kit fee. A $100 deposit is due by September 26 (deposit is non-refundable within 2 weeks of program). Attendees are asked to bring thin leather gloves, lunch, water and clothing for the outdoors. Location: Sticks & Stones Farm, 201 Huntingtown Rd, Newtown. To register, visit TwoCoyotes.org/Programs.

Learn About Avoiding Back Surgery

As part of a community lecture series, a presentation entitled

Avoiding Low Back Surgery will be held October 25 at 12pm in Nor-walk. This free presentation will intro-duce a new, non-invasive treatment for those suffering from herniated or bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, failed low back sur-gery, spinal stenosis and other serious disc conditions. “Every day we treat people who are suffering with low back pain and leg pain caused from disc damage who do not want to take the chances or risks involved with surgery along with facing the possibility of experiencing a failed surgery or even feeling worse,” says Mark Joachim, DC “This revolutionary technol-ogy which has been developed, and we now offer, is con-sidered to be the most advanced and successful non surgical treatment of serious low back with or without leg pain/numb-ness available. The treatment is gentle and relaxing and has been proven to be effective and shown dramatic results.” Location: Associates in Family Chiropractic, 156 East Ave, Norwalk. For reservations, call 203-838-1555 or visit CTSpinalPainCenter.com.

Dr. Mark Joachim


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Natural Living Experts Gather at Annual Ho-listic Moms Conference

The Holistic Moms Network’s

annual Natural Liv-ing Conference will be held on October 25 at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. The event

will explore some of the top concerns of the natural living community, including chemical exposure in our environment and our households, contemporary home-steading, and do-it-yourself healing tinc-tures and infusions, among other topics. “There has always been a green and holistic community, but the exponential increase in the past few years speaks to a larger cultural and economic trend,” says Holistic Moms Network Founder Nancy Peplinsky, Ph.D. The slow economy, combined with distrust of commercial agriculture, has been fueling the local food movement, including home gardens and homesteading, according to Peplin-sky. The distrust, however, flows beyond the food supply and into the prevalence of toxins in our environment, household products, cleaners and lawn care. Parents are driven to spearhead many facets of the natural living movement on behalf of their children with concerns for their well-being and the sustainability of their future. The event will also feature a key-note address by Laura Markham, Ph.D., (AhaParenting.com) on positive parenting, workshops on yoga and living with food allergies, and a holistic exhibit hall with vendors from the holistic wellness and natural foods industries. The conference is open to the general public in addition to Holistic Moms Network members. The Holistic Moms Network is a na-tional, membership-based and managed, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with more than 100 chapters. The purpose of the Holistic Moms Network is to provide awareness, education and support for holistic parenting.

For general information and registration for both exhibitors and attendees, visit AnnualConference.HolisticMoms.org.


newsbriefsThe Clean Bedroom to Host Green Living Discussion

On October 23 from 5:30 to 7:30pm, The Clean Bed-

room’s Greenwich showroom will host a free panel-style dis-cussion featuring some green living experts who will take questions from the public. The panel members will include Chris Chamberlin (co-owner of The Clean Bedroom), Trudy Du-

jardin, Interior Designer and Author (her book Comfort Zone will be on sale at the event) and Mckee Patterson, partner, Austin Patterson Disston. Light refreshments will be served and attendees will receive goodie bags with giveaway items. The Clean Bedroom is an organic and all-natural mat-tress and bedding resource with seven showrooms across the country. Through its showrooms and website, the company provides eco-minded shoppers with insights and information needed to create a healthier sleep environment.

Location: The Clean Bedroom Greenwich showroom, 79 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich. For more information, visit TheCleanBedroom.com or call the showroom at 203-292-9275. See ad, page 23.

Living Pain Free Series

Dr. Linda Randazzo and Kristen Rzasa are teaming up

to present natural solutions for some of the most common and challenging pain problems. The series will take place on Tuesdays evenings from 7 to 8:30pm in Norwalk, beginning on October 7. In this informational and experiential series, you will learn about the anatomy and cause behind the issue. Each session will include information on acupuncture treatment for pain relief. You will also experience The MELT Method, a simple self-treatment to get out and stay out of pain using soft balls and foam rollers. Due to the specialized and individual nature of this workshop, space is limited and registration is required. Attendees can attend all five for $100 or purchase classes individually for $25 per class. The following common issues will be covered over the course of the series:• October 7: Low Back Pain• October 14: Plantar Fasciitis• October 21: Shoulder Pain• October 28: Carpel Tunnel• November 4: Natural rejuvenation & anti-aging solutions Location: The workshop will take place at 149 East Ave, Ste 5, Norwalk. For more information and online registration, visit InterplayHealth.com, email [email protected] or call 203-554-5924 or 212-397-3588.


Body-Mind-Spirit Expo Returns

The Awaken Wellness Fair comes back to New Jersey on October

5 from 10 am to 5 pm. Now in its thirteenth year, the body-mind-spirit-green expo has attracted over

100 exhibitors each spring and fall. The wellness-focused, educational and experiential event has grown from 42 people at the first event in 2002 to 1,000 people in recent years. The event showcases ancient holistic practices as well as cutting-edge, healing and wellness methods. The expo will include two speaker areas with continu-ous programs throughout the day for no additional charge with both scientific and metaphysical-leaning talks. Intuitive readers and healers practicing a variety of modalities will be available by advance appointment after purchasing a ticket online. The main ballroom holds a variety of vendors offering the latest products and services to support a healthy lifestyle. There are vendor, speaker, reader and healer opportuni-ties still available for wellness practitioners and companies.

Location: The Awaken Fair, Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, 2117 NJ Rte 4, Fort Lee, NJ. For more information on being an exhibitor or to purchase an online ticket at a discount price, visit AwakenFair.com and click on Fort Lee. See ad, page 14.

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Meditation Sampler: An Experiential Half-Day Retreat

On October 19 from 1 to 5pm, Medita-tion Sampler: An Experiential Half-

Day Retreat will be led by Deanne Mincer and Beth Prins Leas in West Redding. The workshop is an exploration of meditation that will provide you with tools to make positive changes in your meditation prac-tice and your life. This half-day retreat at the The Red-ding Center for Meditation is designed for everyone from the avid meditator to the novice and anyone in between. Mincer and Leas will combine their more than 70 years of meditation experience to lead a day filled with meditation in many forms, including mindfulness, chanting, walking, laughing, mantra meditation, whirling, sleeping meditation (yoga nidra), and even a chocolate meditation. The workshop is $75 per person. Deanne Mincer, a teacher, author, energy healer, medi-tator and mystic, will soon release her CD, “Divine Love: A Unique Yoga Nidra Experience,” and her book, The 52. Beth Prins Leas, the founder and director of the Total Life Care Center in Norwalk, has been a healer, teacher, meditator, tarot reader and writer for over 2 decades.

Location: The Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. For more information, email [email protected] or call 203-856-9566. To register, visit BethLeas.com/Retreats.html. See ad, page 19 and CommunityResource Guide listing, page 75.

Beth Prins Leas

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Make MulchEnrich Garden Soil Naturally

Homeowners with gardens have many natural, organic and sustainable options for mulching, which enriches soils with nutrients, helps retain moisture and controls weeds. In most regions, many types of trees can provide ingredients. In northern areas, ridding the yard of fall leaves yields a natural mulch. Apply ground-up leaves, especially from mineral-rich oak and hickory trees, so they biodegrade by growing sea-son. OrganicLandCare.net suggests choosing from double-ground and composted brush and yard trimmings; hemlock, pine, fir and Canadian cedar; and ground recycled wood. Using a lawnmower with a high blade height or switch-ing to a serrated-edged mulching blade can chop leaves into tiny fragments caught in an attached bag. The National Turfgrass Federation notes, “A regular mower may not shred and recirculate leaves as well as a mulching blade.” Shred-ded leaves also can filter through grass and stifle springtime dandelions and crabgrass, according to Michigan State Uni-versity research studies. Ground-up parts of many other plants can also provide natural mulch in their native regions. AudubonMagazine.org cites cottonseed hulls and peanut shells in the Deep South, cranberry vines on Cape Cod and in Wisconsin bogs, Mid-west corncobs, and pecan shells in South Carolina.

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coverartist

Green CommunitySandra Glover

Cover artist Sandra Glover’s artwork, Green Community, celebrates sustain-able communities, this month’s theme. Her watercolor portrays a healthy, happy town where neighbors garden together, the wind powers homes and businesses and streets are bike-friendly. A self-taught painter, illustrator and sculptor, Glover lives in Malibu, California, yet the piece was inspired in part by the row houses of Baltimore, where she lived for 10 years. “Living there, I always dreamed of rooftop gardening,” says Glover. “I have always wanted to live in a friendly community like this, where people are out in the streets talking to each other.” Her love of nature and work as a naturalist and animal shelter volun-teer informs and inspires her paint-ings, which are created at home at her outdoor “studio” or on location in the Santa Monica Mountains that surround her home. Glover has illustrated numerous books and publications and exhibited at several galleries in the Los Angeles area. Her work also includes natural history exhibits and murals on display in parks in Baltimore and Malibu. Glover is an active member of the Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore.

View the artist’s portfolio at SandyGloverArt.com.

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healthbriefs

Energy Efficiency Improves Family Health

Research from Columbia, Maryland’s National Center for Healthy Housing

suggests that adding insulation and more efficient heating systems can significantly increase the health of household residents. The researchers studied 248 households in New York City, Boston and Chicago that un-derwent energy conservation improvements

by trained energy efficiency professionals, including installing insulation and heating equipment and improving ventilation. After the improvements, subjects reported reductions in sinusitis (5 percent), hypertension (14 percent) and obesity (11 percent). Although a 20 percent reduction in asthma medication use was reported, two measures of asthma severity worsened; the scientists called for further study of the asthma-related outcomes. A similar study from New Zealand’s University of Otago examined 409 households that installed energy-efficient heating systems. Children in these homes experienced fewer illnesses, better sleep, better allergy and wheezing symptoms and fewer overall sick days. In examining 1,350 older homes where insulation was installed, the research also found improvements in health among family residents.

WATER FLUORIDATION GETS ANOTHER THUMBS-DOWNAn extensive review of

research from the UK’s University of Kent has concluded that fluorida-tion of municipal wa-ter supplies may be more harmful than helpful, because the reduction in dental cavities from fluo-ride is due primarily from its topical ap-plication instead of ingestion. Published in the Scientific World Journal earlier this year, the review, which covered 92 studies and scientific papers, concludes that early research showing a reduction of children’s tooth decay from munici-pal water fluoridation may have been flawed and hadn’t adequately measured the potential harm from higher fluoride consumption. The researchers note that total fluoride intake from most municipali-ties can significantly exceed the daily recommended intake of four milligrams per day, and that overconsumption is associated with cognitive impairment, thyroid issues, higher fracture risk, den-tal fluorosis (mottling of enamel) and enzyme disruption. The researchers also found clear evidence for increased risk of uterine and bladder cancers in areas where municipal water was fluoridated.

ACUPUNCTURE LOWERS METH WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Research from China published earlier this year in the journal Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion suggests that

electro-acupuncture and auricular acupuncture—also called ear acupuncture—can alleviate symptoms of withdrawal from methamphetamine addiction. For four weeks, 90 patients attempting to withdraw from methamphetamine use received either electro-acupuncture, ear acupuncture or no treat-ment. Compared with the no-treatment group, those given electro-acupuncture and ear acupuncture treatments showed significant reductions in anxiety, depression and withdrawal

symptoms. Between the two acupuncture treatments, the electro-acupuncture group did better during withdrawals than the auricular group.

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Healthy Choice Organic Mattress141 Post Rd East, Westport 203-557-3900 Ryan@ HealthyChoiceMattress.com HCMattress.com

Business summary:Made in Connecticut using only natural and organic mate-rials like wool, cotton and natural latex, our products are biodegradable and chemical-free. They are made without polyurethane or chemical flame retardants.

Number of stores/showrooms and products/ services offered: We have 4 stores: one in Connecticut, one in New York (Mount Kisco), and two in New Jersey. We offer organic mattresses, adjustable beds, organic sheets, pillows, toppers and comforters, and wood bed frames made from reclaimed barn wood.

When/how did business begin?Healthy Choice Mattress began in 2008 with the idea of of-fering locally made, long-lasting and comfortable mattresses using only natural/organic materials. We are the only such company in the northeast. We have always been a leader and strive to be the most environmentally-friendly mattress company in the country.

Areas of product specialty, and/or any special certifications: Everything we sell is made in the USA and made with certi-fied organic and/or natural materials.

What new will be offered or is planned heading into 2015? We continue to expand our product offerings. We have had a great response to our line of reclaimed wood bed frames and our organic pillows and accessories so we plan to add more of these.

What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about your business and products? As a business we live the change we seek. Social responsibil-ity is a top priority and considered with every decision we make. Besides being healthy and environmentally-friendly, our mattresses are the most comfortable and long-lasting to be found anywhere.

organicmattressprofile

Chemical-Free Ingredients Equal Great Sleep

During the past

decade, there has been a significant amount of greenwash-ing of mat-tresses, as companies rushed to take advan-tage of the

new niche they represent. The labels organic, eco-friendly and the very vague natural have been co-opted by some companies to misrepresent unhealthy products as more clean and healthful. It is important for consumers to do their homework. If you are looking for a healthy mattress option, it is vital to look for products made with organic, chemical-free cotton, latex (rubber) and wool. These materials are dust mite-resistant and anti-microbial. Wool is also naturally flame retardant, resistant to mold and has an ability to repel water. The components are often cultivated using no pes-ticides and manufactured using chemical-free processes. As a result, the mattresses are hypoallergenic, durable and biodegradable. Not all organic/natural mattresses are created equal, and some can have the same issues as conventional stan-dard mattresses. Look for products with trusted third-party certifications, such as GreenGuard, Oeko-Tex and GOTS. These certifications mean some ingredients in the mattress have been vetted by non-profit organizations committed to improving air quality, with no financial gain from their certi-fications. Some organic mattresses are competitively priced to their non-organic alternatives. Manufacturers are incorporat-ing a natural latex, which comprises 90 percent of the or-ganic mattress. The natural latex is more durable and dense and lasts longer than polyurethane cushioning materials and the wire springs found in conventional mattresses. In addi-tion to seeping toxic flame retardants into the environment, many of the 20-40 million mattresses thrown away each year in the U.S. are hard to recycle and remain in landfills so extending the life of a healthier mattress is valuable in more ways than one.

healthbriefs


Dr. Jenny Federman knew from a very young age that her calling was pediatric dentistry. “Ever since I

was 4 or 5 years old, when people would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was always, ‘I want to be a dentist for children’, ” she says. Feder-man’s love of the niche profession began with her own very bad teeth and excellent experience with her pediatric dentist in Manhattan, where she grew up. “I enjoyed going because she gave out amazing sugar-free lollipops,” she recalls with a laugh. “I don’t remember any pain.” That positive childhood experience set the standard for Federman’s own prac-tice in Brookfield since 1996. Focused on providing children with good dental experiences and helping them establish good dental hygiene habits, Federman’s mission is to make sure every child grows up happy to go to the dentist. “Children have to eat their entire lives. If they’re traumatized as children and don’t take care of their teeth, it will

communityspotlight

“Dr. Jenny“Teaching Kids to Brush, Floss and Love the Dentist

by Natasha Michaels

have a lifelong impact not only on their dental health, but their overall health and wellbeing,” she explains. Federman and her dental hygienist run a low-key office where the emphasis is on tak-ing the time needed for each child to be completely comfortable with the procedures being performed. Feder-man has strong feelings about sedation for children. “Putting a child to sleep should always be the last resort, not the first,” she says. So that sedation is not necessary, she employs relaxation techniques such as aromatherapy and music, as well as an anesthetic warmer so when she does need to use novocaine, the substance is felt less since it’s already body tem-perature. “I have a way of doing things so they never see the needle and barely feel anything,” she says. “I also don’t rush. Whether it’s one tooth or more, I take all the time the child needs. That can mean the difference between a good or scary trip to the dentist for a child.”

On the controversial subject of fluoride, Federman says, “Fluoride is an incredible element that is very danger-ous when it’s overdosed. Swallowing it in any quantity is a problem. We do use fluoride treatments but we take great care to ensure that kids don’t swallow any of it.” Federman works on infants as young as a week old as well as young adults heading off to college. She says one of the fun parts of her job is watch-ing her young patients grow. “Some of the kids started with me when they were three years old and now they’re leaving for college!” Her goal is to ensure they have learned from her how to care for their teeth as they head off for their new start. “If they have a strong basis and develop good habits as young children, then they’ll go off to college with less chance of coming home with a mouthful of cavities,” she says. Oral hygiene instruction – including brush-ing and flossing practice – is a large part of each hour-long visit. Federman works with most insur-ance companies as an out-of-network provider. She says most companies pay 100 percent or just under for cleanings, so the out-of-pocket cost to her patients for routine care is low.

Dr. Jenny Federman is director of Chil-dren’s Dental Care, located at 60 Old New Milford Rd, Ste 1D in Brookfield. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 203-745-2489 or visit ChildrensDentalCareCT.com. See ad, page 6.

Natasha Michaels is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings Fairfield County.

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Doable RenewablesEngineers Detail a Clean Energy FutureStanford University researchers, led by civil engineer Mark Jacobson, have developed detailed plans for each U.S. state to attain 100 percent wind, water and solar power by 2050 using currently available technology. The plan, presented at the 2014 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in Chicago, also forms the basis for the Solutions Project nonprofit. “The greatest barriers to a conversion are neither technical nor economic. They are social and political,” the AAAS paper concludes. The proposal is to eliminate dirty and inefficient fossil fuel combustion as an energy source. All vehicles would be powered by electric batteries or by hydro-gen produced by electrolysis, rather than natural gas. High-temperature industrial processes would also use electricity or hydrogen combustion. Transmission lines carrying energy between states or countries will prove one of the greatest challenges. With natural energy sources, electricity needs to be more mobile, so that when there’s no sun or wind, a city or country can import the energy it needs. The biggest problem is which companies should pay to build and maintain the lines.

Source: SingularityHub.com

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

Fracking FlubMethane Dangers May Be Three Times the EstimateResults of a meta-analysis of 20 years worth of scientific studies published in Science magazine conclude that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has underestimated the natural gas industry’s climate impact by 25 to 75 percent by not including methane leakage from fracking, gas drilling operations and pipelines. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researcher Gabrielle Petron voices concern with the discrep-ancies because, “Emission estimates, or ‘inventories’, are the primary tool that policy makers and regulators use to eval-uate air quality and climate impacts.” For a paper published in the Jour-nal of Geophysical Research: Atmo-spheres, researchers flew aircraft over a heavily fracked region in northeastern Colorado and concluded that emissions from drilling operations were nearly three times higher than an hourly emis-sion estimate published by the EPA.

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Clever CollaborationsRenewables Gain Ground Worldwide

Excess heat from London subway tunnels and an electric substation will soon be funneled into British homes, slashing energy costs and lowering pollution, according to the Islington Council. Germany’s renewable energy industry has broken a solar power record, prompting utility company RWE to close fossil fuel power

plants that are no longer competitive. RWE says 3.1 gigawatts of generating capacity, or 6 percent of its total capacity, will be taken offline as it shuts down some of its gas- and coal-fired power stations. In China, wind power is leaving nuclear behind. Elec-tricity output from China’s wind farms exceeded that from its nuclear plants for the first time in 2012 and out-produced it again last year, generating 135 terawatt-hours (1 million megawatts)—nearly enough to power New York state. While it takes about six years to build a nuclear plant, a wind farm can be completed in a matter of months. China also employs a recycling-for-payment program in Beijing subway stations that accept plastic bottles as payment. Passengers receive credit ranging from the equiva-lent of five to 15 cents per bottle, which is applied toward rechargeable subway cards. In the U.S., a newly installed working prototype of a pioneering Solar Road project has raised more than than double its $1 million crowd-funding goal to seed the manu-facturing process (Indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways). Watch a video at Tinyurl.com/NewSolarRoadways.

Primary Source: Earth Policy Institute

Conservation CovenantA Greener Future for National Parks

National parks have an undeniable environmental impact on the very lands they seek to preserve. Yellowstone’s managers have been working on ambi-tious management goals to elevate it to be a world leader in environmental stewardship and become one of the greenest parks in the world by 2016. The Yellowstone Environmental Stewardship Initiative goals (against a

2003 baseline) are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent (50 percent by 2025); reduce both electricity and water consumption by 15 percent; reduce fossil fuel consump-tion by 18 percent; and divert all municipal solid waste from landfills.

Source: Environmental News Network


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Coastal CaretakingZoning Tropical Waters Like Land Resources

In the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, 24 scientists from Canada, the U.S., the UK, China, Australia, New Caledonia, Sweden and Kenya affirm that one-fifth of humanity lives within 60 miles of a tropical coastline, primarily in developing countries. They warn that growing populations and the increas-ing impact of climate change ensure that pressures on these coastal waters will only grow. Most locations are lacking in ho-listic, regional management approach-es to balance the growing demands from fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, oil, gas and mineral extraction, energy production, residential development, tourism and conservation. Lead author Peter Sale, of the United Nations University’s Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health, states, “We zone land for devel-opment, farms, parks, industry and other human needs. We need a comparable degree of care and planning for coastal ocean waters. We subject [the sea], par-ticularly along tropical shores, to levels of human activity as intense as those on land. The result is widespread overfish-ing, pollution and habitat degradation.” According to the paper, solutions must address a larger geographic scale over a longer period of time; focus on multiple issues (conservation, fisher-ies enhancement and land-based pollution); and originate from a local jurisdiction to gain traction with each community.

View the paper at Tinyurl.com/ OceanZoning.

globalbriefs

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

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

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Today, buzzwords like “sustainabil-ity” and “green building” dominate discussions on how to overcome

the unhealthful effects of climate change, extreme local weather events and pervasive pollution. Now, a growing body of research indicates an unexpect-ed upside of living greener; it not only makes us healthier, but happier, too. It’s all helping to spread the “green neighborhood” idea across the U.S., from pioneering metropolises like New York, San Francisco and Portland, Or-egon, to urban centers like Cincinnati, Detroit and Oakland, California.

Rethinking RedevelopmentA sustainable, or “eco”-city, generally runs on clean and renewable energy, reducing pollution and other eco-logical footprints, rather than on fossil fuels. Along with building entire eco-cities, developers also are striving to replace hard-luck industrial pasts and turn problems such as depopulated urban cores into opportunities for fresh approaches. “We are having a major rethink about urban development,” says Rob Bennett, founding CEO of EcoDistricts (EcoDistricts.org), a Portland-based nonprofit skilled in developing proto-

cols for establishing modern and sus-tainable city neighborhoods. The group has recently extended help to seven other cities, including Boston, Denver and Los Angeles, applying innova-tions to everything from streetscapes to stormwater infrastructure. “The failures of the old, decay-ing urban and suburban models are evident,” says Bennett. “We’re now learning how to do it well and create environmentally sustainable, people-centered districts.”

Healthy HousingThe concept of home is undergoing a radical makeover. From villages of “smallest houses” (usually no bigger than 350 square feet), to low-income urban housing complexes, people interested in smaller, more self-suffi-cient homes represent a fast-growing, increasingly influential segment of to-day’s housing market, according to ex-perts such as Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big House. Google reports that Internet searches for information on “tiny houses” has spiked recently. Economic freedom is one factor mo-tivating many to radically downsize, according to Bloomberg News (Tinyurl.com/TinyHouseDemand).

Cities nationwide have overhauled their building codes. Cincinnati, for example, has moved to the forefront of the eco-redevelopment trend with its emphasis on revamping instead of demolishing existing buildings. Private sector leaders are on board as well; a transition to buildings as sustain-able ecosystems keeps gaining ground through certification programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design (LEED), and the “living building” movement begun by Seattle’s Cascadia Green Building Council has gone international.

Friendly NeighborhoodsWalkability is “in” these days, along with bike paths, locavore shopping and dining and expansion of public destina-tions, all of which draw residents out to meet their neighbors. This “new urban-ism” is evident in places like Albuquer-que’s emerging Mesa del Sol commu-nity and Florida’s proposed Babcock Ranch solar-powered city. While public and private sectors are involved, residents are the catalysts for much of the current metamorpho-ses. Whether it’s a guerrilla gardener movement—volunteers turning vacant lots and other eyesores into flowering oases—creative bartering services or nanny shares, people-helping-people approaches are gaining momentum. The Public School, an adult educa-tion exchange that began in Los Ange-les in 2007 and has since spread to a dozen cities worldwide, the Seattle Free School, the Free University of New York City, and Washington, D.C.’s Knowl-edge Commons all have taken the do-it-yourself movement into the realm of adult education. The latter offers more than 180 courses a year, most as free classes offered by and for local resi-dents encompassing all neighborhoods, with topics ranging from urban foraging and vegan cooking to the workings of the criminal justice system.

Upgraded TransportationWith America’s roads increasingly clogged with pollution-spewing ve-hicles, urban planners in most larger U.S. cities are overseeing the expan-sion of subway and light rail systems,

SUSTAINABLE CITYSCAPES

Urban America is Going Green in a Big Way

by Christine MacDonald


revamped street car systems and even ferry and water taxi services in some places. Mean-while, electric vehicles (EV) got a boost from four New England states, plus Maryland, New York, Texas and Oregon, which have joined California in building networks of EV charging stations, funding fleets of no- or low-emission government cars and making green options clearer for consumers. If all goes as planned, the nine states estimate that 3.3 mil-lion plug-in automobiles could hit the streets by 2025. Mass transit, biking and walking are often quicker and cheaper ways to get around in densely populated urban centers. Car sharing, bike taxis and on-line app-centric taxi services are popular with increasingly car-free urban youth. Boston’s Hubway bike-sharing program addresses affordability with a $5 annual membership for low-income residents. One common denominator of the new urbanism is an amplification of

what’s considered to be in the public welfare. Through partnerships among public and private sectors and community groups, orga-nizations like EcoDistricts are developing ways to help communities in the after-math of natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, seasonal flooding and water shortages. Coastal cities, for example, are grappling with ways to safeguard public

transit and other vulnerable infrastructure. Designing for better public health is a central tenet of sustainability, as well. Active Design Guidelines for promoting physical activity, which first gained traction in New York City before becoming a national trend, intend to get us moving. Banishing the core bank of elevators from central locations, archi-tects substitute invitingly light and airy stairwells. Evolving cityscapes make it easier for commuters to walk and bike. Tyson’s Corner, outside of Wash-ington, D.C., has made sidewalk construction integral to the overhaul of its automobile-centric downtown area.

New York City residents taking an urban walking

tour rated the experience better and more exciting when it included an urban garden.

~ Charles Montgomery, Happy City

Memphis recently added two lanes for bikes and pedestrians along Riverside Drive overlooking the Mississippi River, while Detroit’s HealthPark initiative has many of the city’s public parks serving as sites for farm stands, mobile health clinics and free exercise classes.

Clean EnergyThe ways we make and use energy are currently being re-envisioned on both large and small scales. Solar coopera-tives have neighbors banding together to purchase solar panels at wholesale prices. Startup companies using com-puter algorithms map the solar produc-tion potential of virtually every rooftop in the country. However, while solar panels and wind turbines are rapidly becoming part of the new normal, they are only part of the energy revolution just getting started. In the past several years, microgrids have proliferated at hospitals, military bases and universities from Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, to the University of California at San Diego. These electri-cal systems can operate in tandem with utility companies or as self-sufficient

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electrical islands that protect against power outages and increase energy effi-ciency, sometimes even generating rev-enue by selling unused electricity to the grid. While still costly and complicated to install, “Those barriers are likely to fall as more companies, communities and institutions adopt microgrids,” says Ryan Franks, technical program manager with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Local FoodWhat started with a few farmers’ mar-kets feeding urban foodies has given way to a growing local food movement that’s beginning to also reach into low-income neighborhoods through mobile markets, a kind of farmers’ market on wheels, and an explosion of urban gardens and city farms. Ohio City Farm (OhioCity.org) grows food for in-need residents on six acres overlooking the Cleveland skyline. In Greenville, South Carolina, the Judson Community Gar-den is one of more than 100 gardens in the downtown area, notes Andrew Ratchford, who helped establish it in a neighborhood four miles from the near-est supermarket. Giving residents an alternative to unhealthy convenience store fare is just one of the garden’s benefits, Ratchford says. “We’re seeing neigh-bors reestablish that relationship just by gardening together.”

Waste ReductionWhile cities nationwide have long been working to augment their recycling and find more markets for residents’ castoffs, many are becoming more sophisticated in repurposing what was formerly con-sidered trash. Reclaimed wood flooring in new homes and urban compost-sharing services are just two examples characterizing the evolution in how we dispose of and even think about waste. We may still be far from a world in which waste equals food, as de-scribed by environmental innovators William McDonough and Michael

Braungart in their groundbreaking book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. Nevertheless, projects certified as cradle-to-cradle are cutting manufacturing costs and reducing pollution. For example, carpet maker Shaw Industries Group, in Dalton, Georgia, reports savings of $2.5 million in water and energy costs since 2012, when it improved energy efficiency and began using more renewable material in its carpet tiles. Shaw is spending $17 million this year to expand its recy-cling program. Stormwater runoff is a pervasive issue facing older cities. Many are now taking a green approach to supplement-ing—if not totally supplanting —old-fashioned underground sewage systems. Along with creating new parks and public spaces, current public spaces are often reconfigured and required to do more. Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Portland, among others, are institut-ing carefully planned and built green spaces to soak up rainwater and cut down on runoff into sewer drains—tak-ing motor oil and other pollutants with it. Using revamped sidewalk, parking lot and roof designs, plus rain gardens designed to filter rainwater back into the ground, municipalities are even suc-cessfully reducing the need for costly underground sewer system overhauls. The proliferation of rooftop gardens in places including Chicago, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C., and new green roof incentives in many cities nation-wide further exemplify how what’s considered livable space is expand-ing. Altogether, eco-cities’ new green infrastructure is saving cities billions of dollars and improving the quality of life for residents by adding and enhancing public parklands and open spaces, a happy benefit for everyone.

Christine MacDonald is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C., whose specialties include health and science. Visit ChristineMacDonald.info.

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Time and again, fresh displays of houseplants and flowerpots lure grocery shoppers with the prospect of bringing nature indoors. Moved by tender green leaves

or the sweet, soft color of the African violet, houseplants are purchased with good intentions, their new owners eager to help them thrive. Life gets busy, however, and soon the new housemate is forgotten. It often becomes clear that helping the plant grow takes a commitment to regular watering and finding the perfect location with the proper amount of sun. It takes a certain amount of time and attention to sustain any living organism, no matter how small. Well-intentioned attempts to foster nature in the home are a cautionary tale when reflecting on the latest trend toward teaching resiliency in children. Programs that teach parents about what makes a resilient child seem to be the latest remedy for addressing the surge in diagnoses of depres-sion and behavioral problems, alcohol and drug abuse in our youth. Presentations and workshops that focus on the quali-ties that fortify children to overcome hardship and validate the importance of building loving, trusting relationships are valuable, but lectures and lessons alone are not enough. In

order to thrive, environment matters. When reinforcing the fundamentals of resiliency through programs that encourage healthy behaviors and positive par-enting, it is important take into consideration how resilient behavior is supported in the greater community. Social and community environments clearly impact the success or fail-ure of a child’s ability to bounce back in the face of adversity or keep their head high when disappointment strikes. Talking about resilience with parents without fortifying the commu-nity to uphold standards of behavior and the fundamentals of trust, love, and compassion in connecting with others, is like thinking one will have a green thumb just because they buy a new houseplant. The messages a child receives in the home to fortify resilience must be upheld by the greater community in order to be sustained. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that sustainability “is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either di-rectly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainabil-ity creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.” This definition also applies to what one might call social sustainability. A program or town can secure funding for an initiative to teach character building or resiliency-focused parenting workshops. Can the community sustain it? Will the community commit to main-taining that project? The community culture must support the concepts inherent in the program, with wrap-around initia-tives to fortify the message. Is a child supported when they are on the losing team or don’t make the honor roll? How does it feel for the student who has to face rejection from the college of their choice or one who doesn’t make the varsity team? Do the parents, friends, teachers and neighbors around the child positively, or proactively, support their experience? Learning resilience requires a caring community. Sustaining a culture of healthy, resilient youth requires a commitment to developing and maintaining an environment of support around adversity. Nature is the ultimate teacher of resilience and sustain-ability. We have all seen the miracle of a sapling making its way through a crack in the mighty walls of Yosemite, or the return of the brilliantly colored crocus at the end of a long, dreary winter. When the proper balance of the elements exists, even to the smallest degree, growth is a by-product. When interpersonal relationships are positive and respectful, supportive and caring in the home and in the community at large, resiliency and health are the result. More importantly, when a community is caring and connected, these outcomes are sustainable.

Susan Ahlstrom is a member of the Ridgefield Prevention Council and the executive director of the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, sponsors of the upcoming expo, Destination Wellness; A Celebration of Healthy Living. Held on October 25, the expo will take place at the Ridgefield Parks & Rec-reation Center located at 195 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield. For more information, visit RidgefieldChamber.org/Events.

FOSTER RESILIENCE

by Susan Ahlstrom

CARING COMMUNITIES


The initial impetus for what became modern-era suburban sprawl was a desire for home

ownership and an escape from the ur-ban environment. Floyd Lapp, outgoing executive director of the South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) in Fairfield County, a Columbia University professor, and urban planner for more than 50 years, entered the field in the 1960s. He describes the migration to the suburbs this way, “We were having a love affair with cars and highways and there was an incredible marriage between cars and suburbia. We put all our chips on the car and we’re paying for that now. If you’re serious about ur-

ban planning, you have to turn around the mistakes made during the past 50 years.” Turning things around in Fairfield County will be the task of the newly created Western Connecticut Council of Governments, with a state-approved merger of the SWRPA (swrpa.org) and the Housatonic Valley Council of Elect-ed Officials (hvceo.org). The new orga-nization will serve 18 municipalities in Fairfield County, which is no easy task given the towns’ geographic diversity, population density variation and other factors. The mission is to preserve and improve the quality of life and eco-nomic vitality of the region by focus-

ing on inter-municipal issues. Funding comes from the federal government and the state, with some contributions from municipal dues. The municipalities included in the new council are Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Sher-man, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton. Lapp says 80 percent of the popu-lation growth in southwestern Con-necticut has occurred in Stamford and Norwalk in the past 15 years, reversing what he calls “a bad trend” of grow-ing “leafy green” suburbs. Since the 1990s, the share of auto miles driven by 20-year-olds has dropped from 21 percent to 14 percent, which he hails as a sign that the younger generation already understands what’s at stake. According to Lapp, this generation uses transit more, has rejected the detached single-family house in the suburbs and prefers urban living. “We need an emphasis on con-nectivity and walkability,” Lapp says, citing Stamford and Norwalk as Fair-field county standouts in their efforts to build sustainability elements in their master plans. “Those two cities, more than others, are thinking about this and trying to plan ahead in a way some of the smaller leafy towns aren’t yet taking seriously.”

Creating a Network of Smart TownsIn June of 2013, Lapp participated as a presenter and panelist in a Resilient CT! workshop at Yale University in New Haven. Now renamed the Smart Town Network, the 2013 Resilient CT! Work-shop & Toolkit was part of an education program developed and managed by Conscious Decisions, the brainchild of Fairfield’s Daphne Dixon. The Smart Town Network work-shops are one-day events where com-munity, business and municipal leaders are invited to hear presentations about local projects that are raising the stan-dard for environmental protection while also providing economic payback. “It is essential for our country to move forward and stay a world leader,” Dixon states. “To do that, we must have all

Connecticut’s Sustainability: 10 Commandments for Resilient Communities

by Nicole Miale


three groups involved in sustainability projects that matter.” “Leadership and towns have to make it easier for people to do the right thing,” she explains. “Systems need to support and make it easier for people by setting the example in a way that doesn’t create hardship. Single-stream recycling is a great example. People are happy to recycle if you don’t make it too complicated.” Although Dixon’s business is based in Fairfield, she has strong ties to many Connecticut towns from her years orga-nizing community events and working with business and municipal leader-ship. “Knowing and supporting the businesses, working with the munici-palities, and educating the consumers are the key elements to making a real impact,” she says. “You can’t cut out one part of that equation and have a sustainable positive result.”

Ten Commandments of Resilient CommunitiesWhen Lapp presented at the Resilient CT! workshop, he included as part of his address what he calls the “10 Com-mandments of Resilient Communities.”

#1 Promote energy- efficient transit.

This is, Lapp admits, primarily a plea for more government funding for transit. “On the one hand, we have grand plans for transit such as a national plan for high speed rail and the Northeast Corridor (Boston to Washington DC),” he explains. “But guess what? Without funding, we can’t do much to actually create sustainable change.”

#2 Move the lowly bus more rapidly.

Exclusive bus lanes, also known as Bus Rapid Transit, would speed up the ride, Lapp says. However, to grow bus rider-ship requires smart technology, such as preferential green lights for buses to make bus trips more enjoyable and convenient.

#3 Bike and hike for healthier life.

There is federal and state support for “multi-modal street” access where motorists, bicyclists and walkers can

share road-space wide enough for all of them. There is some innovative fund-ing in this area, Lapp says and many of Connecticut’s towns are actively developing bike and/or walking trails to encourage this use. The movement to encourage multi-modal mobility is called “complete streets.”

#4 Build Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).

The exact opposite of the suburban sprawl movement, the intent of this is to create more compact development within a 5-10-minute walk of transit. There is currently a TOD pilot along the New Canaan branch of Metro-North Railroad, and Stamford and Norwalk are both including TOD in their long-term plans, Lapp says. TOD includes not only housing, but also local conve-nience retail so residents can do their shopping within an easy commute of their home and transit stations.

#5 Promote greater connectivity between

bus and rail. This has not historically been an issue for this area, Lapp says, because the Norwalk Transit District currently man-ages the bus service for seven of the eight municipalities in the Southwest-ern region (Weston does not currently have rail service).

#6 Congestion pricing or special-use lanes

on major highways. According to Lapp, this is highly con-troversial though it has precedence for success. The concept is that people pay a fee to drive on an interstate – such as I-95 or I-84 – during busier commut-ing times. It is akin to paying “peak” or “off-peak” train ticket prices on Metro-North Railroad. The more people who ride in a car together, the less the driver has to pay. The effort is to reduce congestion on the packed roadways and, secondarily, to increase funding for highway maintenance. Lapp says New York officials have tested this on the notoriously busy Long Island Ex-pressway and have found that the high occupancy vehicle lanes typically have 2.5 people per car, while the general lanes have only 1.1 persons per car.

However, “congestion pricing” has yet to take effect there.

#7 Get the parking ratios right; less is more.

While anyone who has ever searched for parking at a crowded mall during holiday season might quibble, Lapp says in general far too much real estate in Connecticut municipalities is wasted by parking lots. TODs are experiment-ing with less parking and Lapp says younger generations seem tolerant of this because many of them are delaying getting drivers’ licenses or not getting them at all.

#8 Plant trees and green urban areas.

Achieving more thermostatic control of a town by maintaining a healthy bal-ance of greenery is critical to the town’s ability to remain cool in summer and warmer in winter. Lapp says Stamford has done a good job in recent years of adding significant green space to the downtown area.

#9Protect the pedestrian.Streets are a place for peo-

ple, not just cars. While this concept is commonplace in Europe where some cities have designated lanes for cars, people and bikes, it remains a harder sell in car-obsessed American towns and cities.

#10Design for climate change/prepare for

future catastrophic events. With some towns still recovering from the battering of Mother Nature in recent years, attention of area planners to true disaster planning is a necessity rather than a luxury. “Climate change is here and it’s real and we need to prepare for future catastrophic weath-er events,” Lapp says. “Some towns see this more than others. The resil-iency along the coast is still an issue of concern.”

Nicole Miale is Managing Editor/Pub-lisher of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. She loves hearing from read-ers and can be reached at [email protected] or 203-885-4674.


Cohousing, a trend historically seen more in Europe than the United States, is defined as inten-

tionally building collaborative hous-ing and personal interactions into the design and operations of a community, according to the Cohousing Associa-tion of the United States (Cohousing.org). Creating a sustainable, intercon-nected community was the impetus behind the first cohousing community in Connecticut. Actively seeking fami-

several loans and grants. The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund committed a $263,000 loan that was used to help make the purchase. Site work in preparation for the construction is being made possible by a $250,000 short-term loan from Massachusetts’ Equity Trust nonprofit. In addition, the group has received confirmation of a $281,000 loan for pre-development work from Connecticut Department of Housing. This will pay for the remain-der of design work beyond the engi-neering and design work already done, so the community will then be able to approach banks for building loans. Working with Centerbrook Ar-chitects and Planners in Centerbrook, the focus of Rocky Corner’s founding group members is on fostering human interaction by design. Parking for cars is situated on the periphery while modest-sized homes face inward with pedes-trian-friendly pathways and plenty of safe play areas. Rocky Corner’s website expands on this concept; “Balancing private space and public shared re-sources means we’ll each have our own self-sufficient home while having the opportunity to share meals, activities, and resources on our common land and in common buildings.” Residents need less personal home space be-cause the community’s common spaces will fill various purposes, such as a woodworking shop, library, arts/crafts room, an exercise room, office space, a kids’ play room, a teen lounge or a game room. The purposes of specific common spaces will be decided upon by the community as a whole. Private and community garden space will be available to residents in addition to a separate organic farm entity.

COHOUSING IN ROCKY CORNER

Creating Sustainability and Community by Ariana Rawls Fine

lies, singles and couples of all ages as new members, Rocky Corner will be built on a 33-acre former dairy farm in rural Bethany, about 20 minutes from downtown New Haven. Plans include a pedestrian-centered, multi-generational neighborhood of 30 private homes, a common house for shared facilities, and land for playing, gardening and farming. The group closed on the land at the end of September with the help of

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Rocky Corner’s design is centered on sustainable, energy efficient living spaces. In the beginning, passive solar with buildings facing south and air-sourced heat pumps will be used, with additional solar options to be discussed at a later time by the community. The homes will be heavily insulated with raft slab foundations and no basements for better energy efficiency. Rocky Corner’s Dick Margulis explains that 50 percent of their carbon footprint will be reduced by car and common space sharing and interactions within the commu-nity. He continues to add that attractive home and communal space design is also part of what will make the community sustainable. As Centerbrook partner Jim Childress jokes, being aesthetically pleasing contributes to sustainability be-cause ugly buildings are the first ones to be torn down. With regard to food sustainability, Margulis says, “We will do a lot better in Rocky Corner because we are focus-ing on it from the beginning. We will be able to grow a substantial amount of food on the farm. Farm buildings and farm will be separate entities with long-term land leases for those that are interested in organic farming. Members can buy a share in the farm but the community does not need to finance it as a whole.” The master farm plan was developed by AppleSeed Permaculture, (AppleSeedPermaculture.com) an edible design and regenerative landscaping company headquartered in Stone Ridge, New York. The community plans on utilizing their landscape to provide herbs, veg-etables, flowers, tree fruits, berries and nuts while chickens, ducks and larger animals will be integrated into the organic farm. Space at Rocky Corner will include habitats for wild-life and nature-based recreation, including hiking and cross-country skiing. Low-impact water management practices will also be implemented to protect the land’s watershed. As a cohousing community, Rocky Corner’s leadership style stands out with its dynamic governance model. “Dy-namic governance is a sustainable way of living because everyone has access to power. There is an equivalence of voice and an interaction with the community. Decisions are made by consent, not by consensus,” Margulis explains. In addition, the governance model enables any member to pro-pose a use of land or space to the whole community with the appropriate financing provided by the individual or group. As a community, all members decide if proposals are good enough for now, safe enough to try, and the timeline and criteria for evaluating the proposed project depending on the amount of risk involved. By creating an interactive, sustainable community from the beginning, Rocky Corner’s founders hope to follow through with their mission to minimize consumption of natu-ral resources and balance farming and community life with wildlife habitat preservation.

For more information or to find out how to get involved, attend one of Rocky Corner’s public information sessions. Visit RockyCorner.org or email [email protected].

Ariana Rawls Fine is Assistant Editor of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. She currently lives in Stratford with her family but she’d like to move to Rocky Corner.

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Natural Awakenings had the op-portunity to pose progressive healthcare-related questions

to Dr. Andrew Weil, world-renowned author, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medi-cine and clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona, on the eve of the sixth biennial Sym-posium of Integrative Medicine Profes-sionals, to be held October 13 to 15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He will be the keynote speaker.

Dr. Andrew Weil on America’s Evolution

into Integrative Medicineby Andrea Schensky Williams

You frequently speak to the topic of integrative health and happiness. How does your book, Spontaneous Happiness, reflect that?For a long time, I’ve wanted to see an integrative movement start in psychol-ogy and psychiatry. It’s another field that has become dependent on drugs and is not functioning all that well to help people. There are so many more things that people need to know about maintaining emotional wellness, I think the wisdom of taking an integra-tive approach here is obvious.

Your presentation will take place soon after the recent passing of actor and comedian Robin Williams, which may bring about a more informed awareness of mental health. Why do you think there is such an increase in the incidence of depression? There are many reasons for it, includ-ing changes in diet and a breakdown in communities that has greatly increased social isolation and disconnection from nature. Another factor is the rise in infor-mation technology, all the new media. Plus, pharmaceutical companies have been highly successful in convincing people that ordinary states of sadness are matters of unbalanced brain chemistry that need to be treated with medication.


With diet being such a major component in affecting our emotional state of mind, what role does an anti-inflammatory diet play?There is a new body of research linking inflammation with depression that I find fascinating. The fact that the main-stream diet promotes inflammation is why I believe there may be a dietary correlation with the rise of depression in our population.

If someone suffers from depression, would you say the steps recommended in Spontaneous Happiness are a proactive approach or an addition to management through medication?I share information about how to wean off of medication. I’d say the book is pri-mary; for people with mild-to-moderate depression, I would follow the informa-tion there first. For people with severe depression, it may be necessary to give antidepressant drugs, but I think that they should be used for a limited period, a maximum of one year. You should then be working to find other ways to manage the depression. There is specific information about what to do if you are on medication and how to wean off of it carefully and start these other methods.

Do you feel that the increase in diabetes in the U.S., particularly its onset in early childhood, is another major problem? Yes, it’s a big concern. I think this is mostly due to the way we’ve changed the food we eat; diet is a hugely in-fluencing factor, especially the greatly increased consumption of sugar, sweet-ened beverages and products made with flour and refined carbohydrates.

How can integrative medicine lower Americans’ healthcare costs?Integrative medicine can help reduce costs in two ways. First, by shifting the focus of health care onto health promo-tion and prevention, rather than disease management. Most of the diseases we

are trying to manage today are lifestyle related. This is where integrative medi-cine shines. Second, by bringing into the mainstream treatments that are not dependent on expensive technology, and I include pharmaceutical drugs in this category. I think we’re going to be forced to change our dysfunctional approach by economic necessity, because the cur-rent healthcare system is not sustain-able. Integrative medicine is in a perfect position to do that because of its em-phasis on lifestyle medicine. Integrative medicine is also teaching healthcare practitioners to use inexpensive, low-tech methods of managing common diseases. Both economic drivers will help reshape mainstream medicine.

What influence can the public have in supporting such a shift?Our dysfunctional healthcare system is generating rivers of money flowing into very few pockets. Those are the pock-ets of big pharmaceutical companies, medical devices manufacturers and big insurers; interests that control legisla-tors. So, I don’t think any real change is going to come from the government. The only real change will come from a grassroots movement to change the politics of all of this. Demand that insurers cover the treatments you want. Seek out integra-tive practitioners. Tell health practi-tioners you work with that integrative education is available and urge them to get up to speed in those areas. Raise your own awareness of the extent that the powerful lobbies now influence the system and why we need to see a sweeping political change.

You offer several programs through the University of Arizona such as a four-year degree, a two-year fellowship for medical doctors and pro-grams for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. What are the benefits of adding integrative medicine to one’s practice?I think it’s what patients want and it makes the practice of medicine much more enjoyable. Many practitioners

realize that they don’t have the knowl-edge their patients want; for instance, informed counsel about diet or uses of alternative medicine. This is a way they can gain knowledge they didn’t get in their conventional medical train-ing. We’ve graduated more than 1,000 physicians over 10 years, supporting a robust and growing community of like-minded practitioners that stay in touch and support each other. We’re eventually hoping that we can get integrative training into all residencies. Whether you go to a dermatologist, pediatrician, gastroen-terologist or psychiatrist, that doctor will have had basic training in nutri-tion, mind/body interactions, herbal medicine and all the rest that is now left out. We’ve also begun a program in lifestyle medicine that’s open to all kinds of practitioners, from registered dietitians to psychologists.

What reforms would you like to see in the current U.S. healthcare system? We need to change priorities for reimbursement that favor integrative medicine. At the moment, we happily pay for drugs and tests. We don’t pay for a doctor to sit with and counsel a person about diet or teach them breath-ing exercises. I would like to see a new kind of institution come into being that I call a healing center, where people could go for lifestyle education and management of common illnesses—somewhere between a spa and a clinic. Stays in these would be reimbursed by insurance, similar to how it’s done in Europe. Beyond that, I think it’s un-conscionable that the richest nation on Earth can’t provide basic coverage to all of its citizens.

Dr. Andrew Weil will be spearheading the 12th annual Nutrition & Health Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 4 through 6, 2015. Learn more about integrative medicine at IntegrativeMedicine.Arizona.edu and DrWeil.com.

Andrea Schensky Williams is the publisher of Natural Awakenings of Northern New Mexico.


The mere mention of the word “hospital” may conjure images of surgical suites, sterile hallways,

and rooms filled with patients receiv-ing prescription drugs for their pain. However, many hospitals have been adding programs to their conventional offerings to allow patients to choose complementary paths of healing, such as acupuncture, energy work and massage. These integrative medicine

programs contain valuable resources for patients, their caregivers and the sur-rounding community. The offerings at each hospital vary widely, so individu-als may need to search for the hidden treasures at institutions near them. According to a 2013 nationwide government survey, 36 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over use some form of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM). CAM services and

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products include hundreds of old and new practices that are generally closer to nature, cheaper and less invasive than conventional protocols emphasiz-ing the use of drugs and surgery. A 2007 National Health Inter-view Survey found that 65 percent of respondents who had been diagnosed with cancer had used complementary approaches, compared to 53 percent of other respondents. Most of these patients used conventional medical approaches as well and their use of ad-ditional therapies did not necessarily in-dicate dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. Research indicates therapies such as acupuncture, reflexology, Reiki and others are effective supportive care to conventional methods, decreasing uncomfortable symptoms such as pain, fatigue and nausea. As defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National In-stitutes of Health, integrative medicine “combines mainstream medical thera-pies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.” Integrative medicine is healing-oriented medicine that takes into account the whole per-son (body, mind and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the partnership between patient and practi-tioner in the healing process and makes use of all appropriate therapies – both conventional and alternative – to facili-tate the body’s innate healing response. Integrative medicine’s popular-ity is booming due to general lifestyle trends and a response to the changing landscape of the healthcare industry. A soft economy and anxiety over new healthcare laws seem to be causing individuals to seek a healthier lifestyle which includes disease prevention and health promotion. Integrative medicine is lifestyle medicine, strongly based on avoiding illness through exercise, nutri-tion and mental well-being. The majority of hospital systems and cancer centers in major U.S. mar-kets now offer an integrative medicine program. Some of these are in the research and development stage while others are well developed, fully func-tioning and featured in the hospitals’ marketing. NCCAM was founded in

2005 to advise hospitals and universi-ties about which therapies might be best for patients, to gather data on how CAM was affecting patient care, and to assess how hospitals were using CAM with their patients. The work has shown effect; In 2012, NCCAM found that 52 percent of hospitals offered CAM to their patients, up sharply from 8 percent in 1998. High patient demand is driv-ing hospitals to embrace integrative medicine; hospitals not keeping up with the trend risk being marginalized. The American Hospital Association (AHA) has surveyed its members several times in recent years on the use of CAM therapies. An AHA press release from its 2011 study noted: “According to the survey, 85 percent of respond-ing hospitals indicated patient demand as the primary rationale in offering CAM services and 70 percent of survey respondents stated clinical effectiveness as their top reason.” Since the services offered tend to be high touch, low tech and low margin, they do not contribute heavily to an institution’s bottom line. Beyond the emphasis on disease prevention, integrative medicine is traditionally more economical than conventional medicine - and many modalities can be taught to the patient to be used at home, such as yoga and meditation. Health consumers are also becom-ing savvier; the population increasingly understands they have more choices and they are voting with selection of medical practitioners, hospitals and centers. These educated patients and caregivers are demanding the whole person care that is the root of integra-

tive medicine and are hungry for this care-plus-education that will arm them for successful management of their own health status. Most Fairfield County hospitals now have complementary or integrative medicine departments which provide these modalities either complimentary or as a fee-for-service. Many also offer these services for the community at large, but may not market this widely. Below is a summary of the integrative medicine programs currently avail-able through Fairfield County medical institutions. Of note is that even though some of these institutions are affili-ated – for example, Danbury Hospital, Norwalk and New Milford Hospitals are affiliated and members of the West-ern Connecticut Health Network – their model for providing integrative medical care and the services they offer are in fact quite different. DANBURY HOSPITALDanbury Hospital’s complementary medicine program was first introduced in 1998 and is run by a registered nurse with over 35 years of experi-ence in Western medicine. She has been actively practicing and studying “non-traditional” therapies for over 30 years. She offers patients information on coping with their illness and how to implement various therapies as comple-ments to their medical care plan. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the complementary medicine coordina-tor offers a service that benefits both patients and healthcare professionals. Offerings include volunteer in-struction on various relaxation tech-niques for stress reduction and pain


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management, including Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, reflexology and massage therapy. Music therapy is pro-vided at the bedside to create a healing environment. In addition, Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment chan-nels are available on every patient’s television; these have been proven effective for both stress reduction and pain management. Danbury Hospital is one of three hospitals in the area which comprise the Western Connecticut Health Network. New Milford Hospital and Norwalk Hospital are the other affiliate regional hospitals.

GREENWICH HOSPITALOriginally launched in 2007, Green-wich Hospital’s integrative medicine program now offers complimentary Healing Touch sessions to patients. “Presently, we have a large Healing Touch volunteer program with approxi-mately 85 volunteers offering compli-mentary sessions to patients on most hospital units,” explains Integrative Medicine Program Coordinator Ro-berta Brown Brugo, RN, LMT, CHTP/I. “We provide approximately 250-400 Healing Touch treatments each month, depending on census, patients requests and volunteer availability. In 2014, we will have given over 4,000 treatments throughout the year.” Fee-for-service choices include massage therapy for any hospital inpa-tient and a Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster consultation with a certified RN to learn mind/body techniques for re-laxation before surgery and to visualize recovery. Music & Meditation is a free weekly offering by Music Therapist Amy Zabin in the hospital chapel to patients and community members. The music therapist also provides music as a free service to patients during their hospi-tal stay or chemotherapy treatment. In addition, medical oncology in-patients receive a free half-hour massage. Brugo also offers educational talks on the benefits of yoga and meditation and presents at various community events and support groups. Greenwich Hospital is a major academic affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine and a member of the Yale New Haven Health System.

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NEW MILFORD HOSPITALNew Milford Hospital offers one complimentary integra-tive session during a patient’s stay: hypnotherapy (prior to surgery), acupuncture, reflexology, massage or Therapeutic Touch. “In addition, these services are offered to the com-munity via our fee-by-appointment integrative medicine community services at very reasonable rates,” explains Susan Twombly, community outreach and integrative medicine coordinator at New Milford Hospital. “This allows patients to continue with the therapy they experienced during their stay and offers the health benefits of these services as well.” Health and wellness classes are also offered, such as Gentle Yoga, Strong Women/Strong Bones and Stress Reduc-tion and Relaxation Training. Twombly also has organized the “Care for the Care Giver” Integrative Medicine Retreat being held this October at no cost for New Milford Hospital employees. This is the fourth year the retreat will be offered and Twombly is expecting more nurses and physicians to attend than in years past. This is important for the continued growth of the integrative medicine service area – established in 2010 - since the services at the hospital are often driven by referrals from medical professionals. New Milford Hospital is one of three hospitals in the area which comprise the Western Connecticut Health Net-work. Danbury Hospital and Norwalk Hospital are the other affiliate regional hospitals.

NORWALK HOSPITALEven though Norwalk Hospital’s integrative medicine pro-gram only launched three years ago, it already has a satellite program in New Canaan. Overseen by a steering committee of physicians, nurses and administrators, the program pro-vides “proven, scientifically-based, holistic therapies to help support conventional medical treatments and to promote healing, relaxation, and overall well-being.” The services are available to patients in the hospital as well as outpatient community members. Offering Reiki, massage and acupuncture, Norwalk Hospital has three licensed acupuncturists, eight licensed massage therapists and three Reiki masters on staff. Patients at the Whittingham Cancer Center have a choice of a compli-mentary 30-minute massage, private acupuncture treatment or three Reiki sessions. Norwalk Hospital inpatients can re-quest to receive integrative medicine therapies or counseling at bedside. Outpatient sessions are held in a quiet, comfort-able treatment room located within the hospital’s Integrative Medicine Center, off the main lobby. “In addition,” says Michaela Motta, integrative medicine program coordinator at Norwalk Hospital, “cancer patients receive a complimentary herbal supplement consultation and a nutritional consultation.” All these services can also be enjoyed fee-for-service at both locations, Monday through Saturday. Norwalk Hospital also offers classes in tai chi, chi gong, yoga and meditation. Norwalk Hospital is one of three hospitals in the area which comprise the Western Connecticut Health Network. Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital are the other affiliate regional hospitals.

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STAMFORD HOSPITALIn October 2008, Stamford Hospital was one of the first in the area to open a dedicated center for the delivery and coordination of integrative services. The Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness, located at the Tully Center, places an emphasis on patients as people, how they live and what their personal goals may be, as well as on how their lifestyle impact illnesses, injury and chronic medical conditions. The Stamford Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness is an insurance-based consultative outpatient service, where integrative physicians such as Dr. Joseph Feuerstein work in collaboration with referring physicians and integrative services are treated as a medical spe-cialty. The center’s practitioners work with patients and their physicians to de-velop a coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment plan. Treatment methods may include physician-administered acupuncture, nutritional counseling, trigger point injections, botanical and supplement consulting and mind-body therapies. Conditions treated include: anxi-ety/depression, attention deficit/hyper-activity disorder, autoimmune disease, irritable bowel syndrome, menopause/PMS/menstrual issues, metabolic syn-drome and weight loss and overweight issues and obesity. Pain management: issues such as headaches, neck and low back pain, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, pelvic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, stress management and urinary incontinence are also treated. Services offered by the center are covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare. In addition to the Tully Center, Stamford Hospital also offers an inte-grative medicine program at Bennett Cancer Center (BCC). This program of-fers complimentary programs to cancer patients during treatment and through their transitions. One of these programs is Choice in Recovery Program, a post-treatment survivorship program for pa-tients and families led by Fran Becker, LCSW, at BCC. “Among the choices of comple-mentary therapies available at BCC are massage, reflexology, Reiki and cra-niosacral therapy,” says Vivian Howell,


Integrative Medicine ResourcesDanbury Hospital Complementary Medicine Program 24 Hospital Ave, Danbury 203-739-7073 DanburyHospital.org

Greenwich Hospital Integrative Medicine Program Roberta Brown Brugo, RN, LMT, CHTP/I, Integrative Medicine Program Coordinator 5 Perryridge Rd, Greenwich 203-863-3000 GreenwichHospital.org

New Milford Hospital Integrative Medicine Program Susan Twombly, Community Outreach and Integrative Medicine Coordinator 21 Elm St, New Milford 860-210-5000 NewMilfordHospital.org

Norwalk Hospital Integrative Medicine Program Michaela Motta, Integrative Medicine Program Coordinator 34 Maple St, Norwalk 203-852-2256 NorwalkHospital.org

Stamford Hospital Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness Tully Health Center 32 Strawberry Hill Ct, Stamford StamfordHospital.org/Services/Specialty-Centers/ Center-for-Integrative-Medicine-Wellness 203-276-4777

Stamford Hospital Integrative Medicine Program at Bennett Cancer Center Fran Becker, LCSW, Manager, Cancer Support Services 30 Shelburne Rd, Stamford 203-276-1000 StamfordHospital.org

LMT, who has worked at BCC for more than 10 years. “Each patient receives three free sessions of each and caregivers receive one of each.” Art therapy and music therapy, along with restorative yoga and tai chi are ongoing programs. As needed, patients receive personal training for three months at the Tully Health & Fitness Institute. BCC also offers monthly programs such as Mind Over Matters (moving meditation), Ask the Nutritionist, Art and Imagery and Music Therapy. Stamford Hospital is affiliated with New York Presbyte-rian Health System.

Beth Leas is founding director of Total Life Center at 152 East Ave, Norwalk and a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings. She can be reached at 203-856-9566 or BethLeas.com.

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Local Roaster Expands Organic Coffee Offerings

One year after introducing his Shear-water Organic Coffee varietals to

the market, Ed Freedman’s roasts are now served in more than 50 food ser-vice establishments throughout the state. Most recently, Shearwater Coffee Roast-er’s small-batch roasts have been picked up by Mrs. Green’s Natural Market and Café in New Canaan and Wilton and have been added to the menu at Artisan Restaurant in Southport and Barteca Restaurants’ bartaco restaurant locations. Shearwater Organic Coffee’s newest product is the 100 percent certified organic Running Rapids Cold Brew Concentrate with Grolsch-style swing caps. It is available exclusively at Shearwater Organic Coffee’s roastery store in Trumbull. Visit Shearwater at the Black Rock Farmers’ Market each Saturday during October to sample their cold brew and other products.

For more information, call 203-292-0848 or visit ShearwaterCoffeeRoasters.com. The Shearwater Roastery Store is located at 100 Corporate Dr, B106, Trumbull. It is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10am to 2pm and Saturday from 2 to 5pm.

New Day for Stamford Museum & Nature Center’s Farm Market

The Stamford Mu-seum & Nature Center

(SM&NC) has announced that its Farm Market, formerly held on Fridays, will move to Sundays in October. The market will be held at the Meadow on October 5, 12 and 19 from 10am to 2pm.

Local farms and specialty food producers will offer a wider variety of fresh, local foods, including organic beef, pork and eggs (October 5 only, produce, fruit, maple syrup, cider, jam, breads, cheese, pesto, herbs, garden plants, clams and chowder. SM&NC will be selling their own products from Heckscher Farm, such as fresh eggs, maple syrup and yarn. They will be joined by Aradia Farm, Beldotti Bakery, Conant Valley Jam, Goatboy Soaps, Moorefield Herb Farm, Pepe’s Cream of the Crop, Smith Acres and Woodland Farm. The market will also feature a different food truck each week so shoppers can enjoy an outdoor lunch at the picnic tables by Bendel Pond. Each Sunday, activi-ties for families will be led by one of SM&NC’s environmental educators. Admis-sion to the Sunday Farm Market only is free. General admission includes entrance to the galleries and farm.

For more information, visit StamfordMuseum.org or call 203-322-1646. For cancel-lation information, call 203-977-6599. The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Rd, Stamford.


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Izzi B’s is an allergen-free bakery in Norwalk that prepares cookies, cup-

cakes, pies and seasonal treats free of all major food allergens. Their new fall line features seasonal fruits and vegetables, including apple caramel cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, maple-frosted cakes, apple crumble pies and pumpkin pies. Izzi B’s bakes everything from scratch using quality ingredients free from gluten, soy, eggs, dairy, peanuts or tree nuts. Organic sweet potatoes and butternut squash are used in place of eggs, house-made flour blends include sorghum, quinoa, brown rice and rice bran, and sweeteners range from organic agave nectar and organic evaporated cane juice to organic brown sugar, beet sugar and a local organic maple syrup. Izzi’s B’s certified kosher (parve) and certified vegan baked goods are sold at Palmer’s Market, Walter Stewart’s Market, Caraluzzi’s, The Pantry, Rowayton Market, Ridgefield Organic Market, Wilton Village Market, Mrs. Green’s, Whole Foods Market, Fratelli Market and The Organic Market. Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Bakery is a vendor at the Westport Farmer’s Market on Thursdays and New Canaan Farmers’ Market on Saturdays.

For more information, visit IBCakes.com for a product menu, ingredients, and complete list of retail outlets. The bakery is located at 22 Knight St, Norwalk and is a wholesale location only. To place a catering, wholesale or special order, email [email protected] or call 203-810-4378. See ad page 40.

The Nook Opens in Black Rock

The Nook is a new bou-tique-style dining room

and party space located at 2984-86 Fairfield Avenue in the historic Black Rock section of Bridgeport. After 27 years of catering in homes, Along Came Carol

Creative Foods and Catering chef/owner Carol Lentini and her husband, Mark Mojcher, decided it was time to offer the community a place to enjoy a quick bite or settle in to dine. The adjoining Kitchen offers grab-n-go prepared meals, healthy foods and specialty-baked goods to enjoy in the din-ing room. The Nook offers BYOB family-style dinners, theme dining events, farm-to-table and wine tasting dinners. It is also available for private functions, special events, corporate meetings and interactive dinner parties, along with a variety of cooking classes featuring local chefs.

To book The Nook, call 203-345-8811 or 203-583-7684. The Kitchen is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 6:30pm and The Nook is open from 6:30pm to 10:30pm with extended hours available.


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Nutrient density—an acknowl-edged characteristic of apples—is considered the most signifi-

cant qualification for a superfood. “It’s one of the healthiest foods,” advises Case Adams, from Morro Bay, Califor-nia, a naturopathic doctor with a Ph.D. in natural health sciences. Apples’ antioxidant power alone could elevate it to status as a superior superfood. Eating apples could help ward off America’s most pressing yet prevent-able, chronic illnesses, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cites as heart disease, diabe-tes and cancer.

Strategic EatingMorwenna Given, a medical herbalist and Canadian member of the American Herbalists Guild, from Toronto, explains why and shares an analogy, “The nor-mal metabolic processes of oxidation produce reactive oxygen species (free radicals) with unpaired electrons that hunt and steal partner electrons from the body’s cells. Imagine an electrical plug wherein the grounding wire has been eliminated or compromised. There is nothing to prevent a surge or fire.” This is comparable to what happens to a body impacted by a poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and illness; its healthy grounding is compromised. When the overall damage to cell structure overwhelms the body’s innate antioxidation defenses, conditions are ripe for disease and accelerated aging. Foods high in antioxidants, like the

An A for APPLESIt’s a Top-Ranked Superstar Fruitby Tania Melkonian

apple, help to neutralize the damage and heal bodily tissues. Flavonoids—like the quercetin just beneath the peel—are another of the apple’s powerful nutrient partners, notes Adams in his book, The Ancestors Diet. So, even when making apple-sauce, including the peel is vital. With the exception of vitamin C, all other nutrient compounds remain intact when the fruit is cooked. Subtle differences in polyphenol lev-els exist among apple varieties, according to Linus Pauling Institute testing. Polyphe-nol compounds ultimately activate the fruit’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Northern spy, Fuji and espe-cially red delicious varieties are the rich-est in antioxidants; empire and golden delicious harbor relatively low levels. “Some older varieties that had lost popularity with large-scale commercial farmers are now being grafted again, thanks to a return to organic practices,” remarks Meredith Hayes, schools and student nutrition senior manager at FoodShare, a leading North American food security organization.

Note that conventionally grown apples top the Environmental Working Group’s list of 48 fruits and vegetables tested for pesticide residue (ewg.org/foodnews/list.php). That’s yet another sound reason, along with better taste and nutrition, to go organic.

Good Genes“The purpose of any seed is to replicate the species,” explains Given. “The pulp around the seed protects and feeds the seed until it’s burrowed into the soil and germinates. Older species evolved to be protective of their seeds to survive against pests and other insults. Com-mercially grown produce, however, has generally bred out the secondary metabolites that house so many of a plant’s nutrients.” It helps to know that imperfect-looking food has potentially synthesized more sugars and nutrients in response to stress in order to survive, making blem-ishes or irregular shapes more appealing as consumers discover the core value of non-homogenized fruit. In 2012, Hayes worked with Tom O’Neill, general manager of Canada’s Norfolk Fruit Growers Association, to repackage smaller “unacceptable” apples into an ideal bag weight and size for a second-grader to carry and share in school meal and snack programs. Previously, these “too-small” apples were being tilled back into soil or sold in Europe because there was no market for them here,” says Hayes. “So, we looked for ways to honor imperfect fruit.” Other beneficial movements against food waste that are also making produce more affordable include France’s Inter-marché supermarket’s popular inglorious fruits and vegetables campaign, with the tagline, “As good, but 30 percent cheaper,” and Portugal’s ugly fruit pro-gram. Such initiatives are raising happy awareness of so-called imperfect, and often organically grown, food. By recognizing and appreciating the apple during this season’s harvest, we honor its versatility, affordability, broad availability and culinary flexibility.

Tania Melkonian is a certified nutrition-ist and healthy culinary arts educator in Southwest Florida. Connect at EATomology.com.


Brisk, sunny days and colorful leaves mean fall festivities. Lots of families enjoy picking their own

fruit at nearby farms. Fortunately for Connecticut residents, there are plenty in our area to choose from. Accord-ing to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, the state is home to 87 farms with pick-your-own acres. Eight of them are in Fairfield County, ten are in Litchfield County, and nine are in New Haven County. Of those 27 pick-your-own (PYO) farms, about half of them offer such fall favorites as apples and pears. Many of these are not just family-owned but multigenerational farms. Averill Farm (AverillFarm.com) in Wash-ington Depot has its tenth generation working the orchards. Lyman Orchards (LymanOrchards.com) in Middlefield has been family owned and operated since 1741 while Shelton’s Beardsley Cider Mill & Orchards (Beardsleys CiderMill.com) has been in the same family since 1849.

Where to Pick Local, Sustainably Grown Fruits

by Eileen Weber

Drazen Orchards (Drazen Orchards.com) in Cheshire is also try-ing to keep that tradition going. Lisa Drazen is the property manager and her brother Eli is the “orchardist,” as she terms it. Although her father, David, bought the farm in 1951, it has been a working farm since the 1800s. They now grow apples, pears, nectarines, peaches and plums. They even have quince, which not many farms grow. The pears are good for picking in Sep-tember, but the apple season will go through October. “My family lives on the orchard,” said Lisa Drazen. “It’s my backyard. It’s where I play. We would never do anything detrimental to it. We love the land.” Loving the land means caring for it responsibly and planting the fruit trees was only a part of the overall farm plan. David Drazen was an early pro-moter of integrated pest management (IPM) and he convinced surrounding farms to join him in his efforts. What this means is that, while

they may spray for insects, they do so only as necessary. Conventional farms spray on a regular basis with a seasonal schedule in mind. With IPM, the farm will spray based solely on what “bad bugs” they find. IPM accepts the fact that we live on the same planet with millions of insects. Every bug has its purpose. The concept of good bugs versus bad bugs is relative. IPM’s goal is essentially positive reinforcement. If you create an environment that is conducive to bugs that are beneficial to your crops like honeybees or butterflies, then those bugs will frequent your farm. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have to spray pesticides occasionally. Farms that use IPM are not necessarily organic. Organ-ic farms that utilize IPM do everything the other farms do, they just don’t spray synthetic chemicals. IPM, along with sustainable grow-ing practices, is how Lyman Orchards cultivates fruit for their Eco-Apple and Eco-Peach programs. Their distribution through Red Tomato (RedTomato.org), a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable farming practices and fair trade, is hyper-local to area stores so that the vine-to-consumer ratio is as tight as possible by not shipping long distances and increasing their carbon footprint. With their IPM practices, John Ly-man III, executive vice president at Ly-man Orchards, said that part of the pro-tocol involves restricted materials to use and a rating process from a third-party organization that gives them a seal of approval. “There is a ‘Do Not Use’ list of pesticides,” he said. “We don’t use any organophosphates.” Organophos-phates are the basis for many pesticides. The Environmental Protection Agency lists this agent as “toxic to bees, wildlife and humans.” Wayne Young of High Hill Orchards (HighHillOrchard.info) in Meriden also uses IPM for his orchard. He says using that method plus organic fertilizing and other ecological practices make for a healthy plant so the trees can withstand disease. However, sometimes pesticides are a necessary evil. “I use organic pesti-cides,” Young said. “If they don’t work, then I’ll resort to conventional pesti-


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cides. Some of the organic materials just don’t work for some diseases.” Susan Averill at Averill Farm agrees. She said they use IPM but sometimes the organic methods aren’t effective. “Here on the east coast, there are certain pests that are not well-controlled using only organic methods,” she explained. “We only spray the main orchard when it is necessary, so every apple isn’t perfect!” Last year, Averill Farm had a bumper crop of apples along with the pears they have for picking. But this year, with the late bloom after a never-ending winter, the farm’s yield is smaller. It is best to call ahead to your farm of choice for picking availability. There are a few farms that have actually cancelled their apple picking this year. “The crop is quite light this year,” said Averill. “Probably a combination of having had a bumper crop last season along with cold and very windy conditions over the winter caused many of the buds to dry up and not turn into flowers.” Keith Bishop, co-CEO, treasurer and winemaker at Bish-op Orchards, echoed Averill’s point. Raspberries, blueberries and peaches did very well this summer. But the fall crop for apples is a little shy this season. “Our crop this year is slightly smaller because of two very good crop years the preceding two years,” he reported. “That said, we do have a very good supply for pick your own apples.” While visiting a PYO farm is a fun activity, the benefits of these farms are more than recreational. According to a 2010 study conducted by the The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, PYO farms bring jobs, producing approximately 20,000 posi-tions statewide. The bucolic scenery of Connecticut’s farms boosts annual tourism. From a land stewardship perspective, these farms are an entire eco-system that “acts as a natural filter” for surface and subsurface water through cropland, woodlands and wetlands. They also provide natural habitats for other wildlife beyond what may or may not be raised on the land. When planning a pick-your-own excursion, there are a couple expectations. Parents should closely watch their children, especially when they are small. While the outdoors is a lovely place to walk the family pet, they are not allowed on a majority of the state’s farms. Considered a health risk, the Department of Agriculture mandates that pets not enter the orchard area.

To find a PYO farm near you, there are several comprehen-sive websites that list farms by county. Visit Pick Your Own at PickYourOwn.org or Local Harvest at LocalHarvest.com.

Eileen Weber is a Fairfield-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings Fairfield County.


FAIRFIELD COUNTY Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard 278 Leavensworth Rd (Rt 110), Shelton 203-926-1098 • BeardsleysCiderMill.com Sustainable farming methods. PYO apples. Open 10am-5pm, weekends only. Store open until 5:30pm daily offering bakery items, maple syrup, local honey and cider.

Blue Jay Orchards 125 Plumtrees Rd, Bethel 203-748-0119 • BlueJayOrchardsCT.com PYO apples and pumpkins. Farm stand open daily 9am-5pm offering bakery items, jams and jellies, cider and cider donuts.

LITCHFIELD COUNTY Averill Farm 250 Calhoun St, Washington Depot 860-868-2777 • AverillFarm.com Tenth generation farm using solar power as energy source. Organic practices and IPM. PYO apples and pears. Open daily 9:30am-5:30pm.

Ellsworth Hill Orchard and Berry Farm 461 Cornwall Bridge Rd (Route 4), Sharon 860-364-0025 • EllsworthFarm.com Picking season runs from June through November, starting with berries. Fall crops include apples, pears and pumpkins. Open Sunday through Friday 9am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm.

March Farm 160 Munger Ln, Bethlehem 203-266-7721 • MarchFarm.com PYO fruits with apples in fall. CSA programs available. Open daily 10am-6pm.

Starberry Farm 81 Kielwasser Rd, Washington Depot • 860-868-2863 PYO runs from June through September, with apples as their fall crop. Also have apricots, plums, pears, and nectarines. Open weekdays 10am-12pm, 1-4pm in the fall.

Tonn’s Orchard 270 Preston Rd, Terryville • 860-585-1372 PYO season runs August through October, weekends only 10am-5pm. Peaches and plums with apples as their fall crop.

NEW HAVEN COUNTY Bishop’s Orchards 1355 Boston Post Rd, Guilford 203-453-2338 • BishopsOrchards.com Sustainable farming practices and IPM. Six generations have farmed since its small beginnings in 1871. Farm market, win-

ery and online ordering available. Over 100 acres devoted just to apples. Picking based on weather; call their picking hotline at 203-458-7425.

Drazen Orchards 251 Wallingford Rd, Cheshire 203-272-7985 • DrazenOrchards.com Sustainable farming practices and IPM. PYO apples, peaches, plums and pears. Open daily 9am–6pm. Picnic tables avail-able near the picking area.

Hickory Hill Orchards 351 South Meriden Rd, Cheshire 203-272-3824 • HickoryHillOrchards.com Open daily August through November. Picking hours are 9:30am-5pm. Apples, pears, peaches and nectarines are available. Country store has fruit, baked goods, cheese, honey, chocolates, maple syrup, jams and jellies. School groups can arrange picking tours.

Norton Brothers Fruit Farm 466 Academy Rd, Cheshire 203-272-8418 • NortonBrothersFruitFarm.com Seventh generation family farm since the mid-1700s. June through November picking season . Picking season starts with blueberries and raspberries in the summer with apples and pears in the fall. Open Monday through Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY Gotta’s Farm 661 Glastonbury Tpke (Rt 17), Portland 860-342-1844 • GottasFarm.com Fourth generation farm since 1898. Also have a farm market on Route 66. Open Monday through Friday 8am – 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am – 6pm.

Lyman Orchards 32 Reeds Gap Rd, Middlefield 860-349-1793 • LymanOrchards.com Eighth generation farm since 1741. Sustainable farming prac-tices and IPM. June through October picking season. Berries in the summer and apples, peaches, nectarines, pears and pumpkins in the fall. Huge farm market. Hosts golf outings and wedding events. Eco-apples and Eco-peaches. For pick-ing availability, call their hotline at 860-349-6015.

Scott’s Connecticut Valley Orchards 274 Kelsey Hill Rd, Deep River 860-526-9633 • ScottsFarms.com Over 25 varieties of apples to pick starting in late August until mid-October. Call ahead for picking availability.

CT Guide to Picking Your OwnHere is a list by county of some of the pick-your-own (PYO) farms in Connecticut with fall crops. It may be best to call ahead due to weather or seasonal crop yield. Some of the farms offer wagon and hay rides while others also have cut-your-own Christmas trees. Check websites for details.


Apples in the KitchenApple Pie Smoothie(Empire, Golden Delicious)

Yields 2 large smoothies

1 cup unsweetened almond milk1 cup unsweet ened applesauce or stewed apples½ cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in water for 1 hour2 tsp vanilla extract½ tsp ground cinnamon2 chopped, pitted dates, soaked in water for ½ hour or 2 Tbsp maple syrup (use dates if using a high-speed blender, otherwise use maple syrup)1 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds.

Courtesy of Elise Bauer, SimplyRecipes.com

Creamy Curried Apple Soup(Gala, Jonagold)

Yields 6 large servings

2 Tbsp mild curry spice mix1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil1 medium onion, diced1 head broccoli, stems peeled and separated from florets, all chopped roughly2 medium apples, cored and chopped*3 cups vegetable or chicken stock3/4 cup unfiltered apple juice¼ cup apple cider vinegar1 sprig Thai basil for garnish

*During preparation, keep apples in a large bowl of ice water with one Tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to prevent browning.

Heat a large pot on medium heat. When pot is warm, add spice mix until aroma is released. Add oil and stir for a minute.

Add onions and half of the apples, stir-ring the mixture until onions and apples soften. Add broccoli, stock and juice. Stir and reduce heat. Cover and cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and use a blender to purée the soup in batches. Return to pot; add vinegar and the rest of apples. Stir and heat gently before serving.

This soup can be kept in the refrigera-tor for up to seven days or the puréed soup can be frozen for several months. Defrost and add diced, raw apples before heating and serving.

Courtesy of Tania Melkonian, EATomology.com

recipe photos by Stephen Blancett

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Energy EngineHumankind has sought for centuries to harness the sun because the cumulative energy of 15 minutes of its rays shin-ing on Earth could power the world for a year. Following the invention of the solar collector in 1767, a slow, yet steady evolution of other breakthroughs in the quest have included the photo-voltaic (PV) effect, observed in 1839, invention of the first solar cell in 1954 and a solar-powered communications satellite in 1958. Solar summits in 1973 and 1977 led to the inception of the Solar Energy Research Institute (now the National Renewable Energy Labora-tory), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act signed by then-President Jimmy Carter. Making the most of the “alchemy of sunlight” that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin writes about in The Quest: Energy, Security, and the

Remaking of the Modern World, has required a global village of inventors, visionaries, scientists and engineers. Pioneering companies have produced technological advancements and re-duced manufacturing costs that expand the sun’s services to the world. Today, thanks to solar power, many of the re-motest villages in developing countries have electricity. “Without solar photovoltaics on satellites and those powering the uplink transmitters, downlink receivers and associated equipment on the ground, the isolated residents of developing countries can’t join the modern world,” explains Neville Williams, author of the recently released book, Sun Power: How the Energy from the Sun is Chang-ing Lives Around the World, Empower-ing America, and Saving the Planet. As founder of the guerilla nonprofit Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF.org),

The Sun’s Electrifying Future

Solar Power is a Worldwide Eco-Goldmine

by Linda Sechrist

Williams led the charge for electrifying households in 12 developing countries for 17 years, beginning in 1990, using solar panels and systems funded by grants. “While we were cost-effective and decisive, the results were due to the honest, hardworking and dedicated people we found there,” he advises. Williams initiated his pioneering advocacy of solar energy as a media specialist with the DOE during the Carter administration and served as the national media director for Green-peace, in Washington, D.C. In 1997, he co-founded the solar installation company SELCO-India, which has sup-plied solar home systems to more than 150,000 families in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam and South Africa. In 2005, he founded the solar solutions supplier Standard Solar Inc., of Rock-ville, Maryland.

Economic EngineThe U.S. currently has an operating capacity of 13,000-plus megawatts of cumulative solar electricity—enough to power more than 2.2 million aver-age American homes. As the industry grows, so does its impact. The Solar Foundation’s Solar Job Census 2013 reported nearly 143,000 solar workers in the U.S.—a 20 percent increase over 2012—at 6,100 businesses in 7,800 locations encompassing every state. According to Yergin and Williams, the increasing value of nationwide solar installations has “electrified” the U.S. economy. In 2013, domestic solar elec-tric installations were valued at $13.7 billion, compared to $11.5 billion in 2012 and $8.6 billion in 2011. The top 10 states for annual additions of photovoltaic capacity in residential and commercial applications are California, Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina, Nevada, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Colo-rado, New York and New Mexico. Currently, there are more than 550 major solar projects underway national-ly. Under the Obama administration, 16 of these have been permitted on federal lands and will provide 6,058 megawatts of generating capacity. The two experts expect solar energy to be a major catalyst of global political and economic change. Williams con-

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~ Thomas Alva Edison in 1931


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tends that now is the time to fully access this cheapest form of unlimited energy. “If millions of poor families in developing countries can get their elec-tricity from the sun, why can’t Ameri-cans do the same?” he queries. In a 2002 National Public Radio Planet Money podcast, Yergin, president of Cambridge Energy Research Associ-ates, in Massachusetts, addressed the concerns of everyone that sees the com-mon sense of relying on solar energy. “Technology will be central to solutions for our energy challenges,” he says. “What needs to be done is very, very large, as are the risks and challenges. What we have going for us is the greatest resource of all—human creativity—and for the first time in history, we are going to see it employed on a global scale.”

To learn more, visit SunPowerBook.com and DanielYergin.com.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Visit ItsAllAbout We.com for Neville Williams’ recorded interview.

Economics, rather than techno-logical concerns, are now driving the adoption of clean, safe, solar

electricity to preserve the environment. During this transition to a new energy paradigm, we can choose to embrace the solar imperative now, rather than later, and prepare for a post-carbon lifestyle without sacrificing our present quality of life. Many hurdles have been overcome in the shift away from fossil fuels during the past two decades. Challenges still exist, but the hope is that we are on our way toward a brighter future with solar electricity made universally available.

n The cost of solar photovoltaics has dropped 75 percent in the past four years, thanks to China.

n Solar electricity is now the least ex-pensive energy source in many markets,

overcoming for the first time the eco-nomic argument that it’s too expensive.

n Innovative partnerships like that formed by green energy provider Viridian with large, full-service solar provider SolarCity lease solar panels to homeowners and businesses that sig-nificantly reduce upfront costs. Installa-tion costs, which once averaged more than $20,000, can now amount to just hundreds of dollars.

n Solar is disrupting the century-old central power generation model, and the challenge is to get the utility in-dustry to change and adopt distributed solar. Utility companies that previously ignored solar energy now fear it might threaten their bottom line if they don’t get with the program.

n While the next big obstacle is energy

storage, which allows the use of sun power at night, well-financed new “smart grid” technologies are rapidly emerging.

n The impending showdown will be between corporate power and people power, comprised of homeowners and businesses producing their own elec-tricity. The politics of energy is central to our national future. The question is, Can we change?

Learn more at NevilleWilliams.com.

Solar Blocksby Neville Williams


At first it seems incon-

gruous that Norwalk-based solar energy com-pany founder Tom Wemyss moved from sunny Florida to the more volatile climate of the Northeast when he started PurePoint Energy in 2007. But, as he explains, “Connecticut has the second highest energy costs in the United States, second only to Hawaii. If I was looking for a place to come help people save money with solar energy, this was a good place to come.” Time has proven his strategy correct. Though PurePoint was launched during an economic downturn, the company has flourished since with a diverse mix of residential, commercial and agricultural clients in Connecticut and New York. Overall, solar energy is attracting increased attention from residents in both states who are fed up with their high (and rising) electricity bills. “CL&P rates go up by double-digits each year,” Wemyss says. “That’s bad news for con-sumers, but good news for solar options because in contrast the cost of solar has come down more than half from when I started. The cost of panels themselves is down 80 percent. I look forward to the day when cost is not an issue and solar becomes a no-brainer for every

communityspotlight

PUREPOINT ENERGY

Lowering Electric Bills, Courtesy

of the Sunby Natasha Michaels

consumer to consider. The incentives to convert to solar energy follow the expense trend, so they will start to fade away as the cost continues to go down.”

Connecticut has a lot of political support and funding behind renewable energy, including solar installation. A visit to the website EnergizeCT.com bears this out with an overwhelming array of financing and grant options available to consumers. PurePoint works with consumers to sort through the various options, including deter-mining whether ownership or leasing of solar panels is optimal and whether to finance the whole project or put money down and pay a fixed monthly cost. PurePoint typically recommends owning the panels, however - as with every big home improvement decision - there are pros and cons attached to every option. Wemyss says his team has a pre-qualification process where they work with clients to assess their goals and match them to the best funding programs. PurePoint’s team will spend 3-4 hours of work before meeting with a new client, creating a 3D rendering of the house and site, analyzing the direc-tion of the house, the tilt of the roof,

the amount of sunlight the panels will get and assessing other considerations. This preparation is critical to a success-ful installation process, Wemyss says. “It’s really important that we are setting reasonable expectations for the cli-ent and understanding what they want compared to what is possible. Some-times it’s not possible for solar to offset someone’s entire electric bill. It’s much better to know that and communicate it up front.” While 75 percent of PurePoint’s business is in residential installations, the firm also does a good deal of agri-cultural work. Innovative installations were done at The Hickories in Ridge-field and at Averill Farm in Washington Depot. “Dairy farms use a huge amount of electricity,” Wemyss explains. “Solar is a huge blessing for them, because they are just harnessing the power of the earth.” At Averill, PurePoint re-placed a tent that kept blowing away with a permanent solar farmstand. PurePoint’s initial residential custom-ers were baby boomers, but newer financing options have made solar energy more appealing to new types of customers, including couples, young families, and retirees on a fixed income. “Solar is a green alternative with very little impact on the environ-ment,” Wemyss explains. “If you can go solar with little or no money down, save money on your electricity, and do something good for the environment, why wouldn’t you do it?” Solar panels can be installed all year, except in extreme temperatures at either end of the spectrum. Many cli-ents are surprised to discover their solar panels still produce electricity even when it’s raining, Wemyss says.

For unbiased and comprehensive infor-mation about solar energy financing and funding options available to Connecticut homeowners, visit EnergizeCT.com.

Location: PurePoint Energy, 28 Knight St, Norwalk. For more information, call 203-642-4105 or visit PurePointEnergy.com. See ad, page 25.

Natasha Michaels is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings Fairfield County.


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News, articles,

resources, events…

all dedicated exclusively

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healthy living for our

furred, feathered

and scaled animal

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The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!

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petbriefs

Ridgefield Paws for the Cause

On Sunday, October 5 from 12-4:30pm, Blue Buffalo and

Ridgefield Operation Animal Rescue (ROAR), along with other sponsors, have teamed up to create the Blue Buffalo/ROAR Paws for the Cause,

to be held at Ballard Park in Ridgefield. Registered participants are invited to walk lucky dogs down Main Street in Ridgefield in support of less fortunate dogs and cats and the work being done by ROAR. After the walk, participants are invited to return to Ballard Park for an afternoon of scheduled activities for both canines and humans. Registration begins at 12pm and is followed by a doggie talent show at 1pm. At 2pm, the talent show winners will be announced and the walk line-up will begin; The walk will start at 2:15pm. The food tent opens at 3pm, and other ven-dors and activities will be available in the park from 12 until 4:30pm. Last year’s Doggie Fun Zone will return and this year also includes a cat tent for the first time, showcasing some of ROAR’s cats available for adoption. Online registration is $40 for the first person in a group. Additional people will cost $5 per person. First person fees include meal ticket, T-shirt and goody bag; ad-ditional person fee includes meal ticket. To register in person the day of the event costs $45 for the first person. Location: Ballard Park, Main St, Ridgefield. To register, visit ROAR-Ridgefield.org/ See ad, page 55.

STARS’ 9th Annual Fall Festival

On October 11 from 11am - 5pm, downtown Stratford will be the site of the Stratford Animal

Rescue Society’s (STARS) 9th Annual Fall Festival to Benefit Animals, featuing a one mile dog walk down Main Street, a silent auction, music, entertainment, and more than 90 people/pet related vendors and services. Lure coursing is a new canine activity added to the event this year, offered by Lucky Dog Fun Run. Great for canine physical conditioning, attendees can watch the dogs have fun chasing an artificial bait on a retractable line. The festival is STARS’ largest fundraiser and all proceeds sustain their mission of rescuing and rehoming homeless animals. Pets from Stratford Animal Con-trol will be available for viewing at the event on a mobile adoption unit provided by the North Shore Animal League. Local celebrities support the cause: Lauren Collier, meteorologist and host of Furry Friends Forecast and Pet Talk with News 12 Connecticut, will lead the one-mile dog walk, while pioneering environmentalist Scott Ian Barry will have a booth at the festival and give a lecture behind the gaze-bo every hour on the hour from 11am - 4pm. Autographed books will be available for purchase. Barry is one of a handful of people who helped create the concept of presenting live wolves to educate the United States population about the species. Dog walk pre-registration is $10 for up to 2 dogs and $20 for up to 2 dogs on the day of the event. Location: Stratford Town Green, Main St, Stratford. To pre-register for the dog walk, visit Starsfest.org/dog-walk.html. For more information about the festival, visit Starsfest.org. The event will take place on the Stratford Town Green on Main St in Stratford. See ad, page 58.


NFSAW Sponsoring 2015 Calendar Contest

The New Fairfield/Sher-man Animal Welfare

(NFSAW) is sponsoring a pet-themed 2015 calendar contest. The proceeds from entering a pet, the nominal voting fee, and sales from the calendars will help support the agency’s rescue efforts - as well as celebrate contestants’ dogs and cats. The contest is open to everyone; the photo entry does not have to be of a pet adopted from NFSAW. Voting will end on October 23 at 9pm. Photos must be up-loaded to the website, where electronic votes will deter-mine if a pet’s photo will

be featured in the calendar. The top-vote recipient will win placement as the calendar’s ‘cover’ photo – as well as a free copy of the calendar. The 12 top vote gatherers, in descend-ing order, will be featured as a full-page pet of the month and receive a free copy of the calendar as well. The key to having a pet featured is to share an entry with friends, family, and contacts and encourage everyone to vote. The mission of the New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Wel-fare Society, Inc. is to offer refuge, medical care, and the op-portunity for a second chance for life to needy dogs and cats; to protect animals from cruelty or neglect; to foster a public sentiment of humanity and gentleness toward all living crea-tures; to encourage and promote responsible pet ownership; and to reduce companion animal overpopulation through humane education and spay/neuter advocacy. Location: NFSAW, 223 State Rt 37, New Fairfield. For more information or to enter your pet’s photo in the contest, visit nfsaw.org/

kudosPAWS Accepted as Pets for Patriots ShelterNorwalk’s Pet Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has been ac-cepted as a partner shelter for the Pets for Patriots program, created to transform the lives of U.S. veterans by helping them save an at-risk shelter dog or cat. Pets for Patriots is working to end animal homelessness as well as enrich the lives of men and women who serve or have served the na-tion. Pets for Patriots’ mission is to give the gifts of fidelity, joy and companionship to both pet and person through honor-able companion pet adoption. Pets for Patriots dedicates itself to increasing the adoption of the most at-risk shelter pets and, in so doing, demonstrat-ing gratitude to members of the military community. The program supports opportunities for member Patriots to adopt an adult dog or cat, large dog or special needs dog or cat - those most in need of a loving, forever home - and give them resources to ensure many years of friendship, companionship and joy with their honorably adopted dog or cat. Eligible military members receive additional benefits such as discounted veterinary services at a partner vet, dis-counts on pet items, “day-one essentials”, pet training help or reduced adoption fees. Pets eligible for this program include:• Dog or cat, two years or older• Large dog (40+ pounds), regardless of age• Special needs dog or cat, e.g., birth defect, disability, chronic medical condition, elderly, etc. PAWS offers dog and cat adoptions to Pets for Patriots members and will help them find their new best friend. Founded in 1962, the organization believes every cat and dog deserves a permanent home regardless of age, handicaps or other issues, including neglect and abuse. In keeping with its adherence to no-kill philosophy, PAWS provides shelter, medical care and affection for homeless animals until they are adopted.

Location: PAWS, 504 Main Ave, Norwalk. 203-750-9572 or PAWSCT.org. For more information about the Pets for Patriots program, please visit Petsforpatriots.org/

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All of us age. However, our pet companions age much faster than we do. It almost seems like

they were a puppy or kitten one day and a senior pet the next. By instituting some basic changes, we can help them age gracefully rather than struggling.

Dietary ChangesSince most senior pets are not as active, they require fewer calories. The primary reason many senior pets are overweight

is because the owner has not accounted for this change. Your pet should be fed a premium, high-quality food which is easier on their digestive system than food with fillers and extra sugars. However, a senior pet may become underweight if their teeth are in poor shape because it becomes painful to eat. Fillers and sugars found in cheaper pet foods are harmful to their teeth. Talk to your veterinarian if you suspect this has become an issue for your pet.

As your senior pet ages, his body may not be as efficient at absorbing nutrients, even if fed high-quality food. Your pet may need additional supple-ments. Look for the NASC seal on the label. The National Animal Supplement Council seal assures that the labeling is accurate. A senior pet may have chronic medical conditions which require a specific diet. Before changing your pet’s diet, discuss their needs with a veteri-narian who has training in nutrition.

Mental StimulationSince your senior pet is not as active, provide mental stimulation for them in the form of toys. Ones that require them to think for the treat are especially beneficial. Loud noises and chaotic environ-ments may stress your pet even if the same situations did not bother him in the past. Your senior pet may enjoy soothing music played throughout the day. Take a day trip with your dog. Go to a park and enjoy the day at his pace. Even though senior dogs may not be able to romp and jump, they still enjoy recreation time with you.

ExerciseSenior pets may not have the stamina that their younger self possessed. Walks and other forms of outdoor activity should be shorter, as well as take place in early morning or evening during warmer weather. Elderly or immune-compromised pets are more susceptible to heat stroke. A substitute for outdoor activity can be found in the form of exercise equipment. DogTread makes indoor equipment to strengthen muscle and stamina.

MobilityOlder pets may have a tough time get-ting around. There are ramps designed to help pets onto the bed or into a car.Place rug runners on wood floors. Wood floors are slippery and can injure an arthritic pet while trying to walk or stand up on them. Use orthopedic beds. There is a difference in beds priced at $30 com-pared to those at $75. Generally, the

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more expensive beds use higher quality materials and last longer. There are carts and strollers de-signed for any size pet. Grooming needs will change. For some pets, it will become more frequent while other pets will need less. Your personal professional pet groomer is the best person to discuss their changing needs with. Regardless, all nails should be trimmed. Long nails may throw off their spinal alignment causing discom-fort and exacerbate arthritis. The hair on the bottom of their pads should be trimmed. If not, it can make it difficult for an arthritic pet to stand up.

HealthMedical conditions can seemingly occur overnight. The sooner a health concern is addressed is directly propor-tionate to the rate of possible recovery. Your veterinarian can recommend an interval for wellness checks based on your pet’s needs. Older pets may lose use of their senses such as hearing and sight. For dogs on electronic fences that really rely on visual boundaries, losing their sight may be especially problem-atic. If the pet cannot see the end of the property, they may inadvertently run into a busy street. Supplement modern veterinary care with energy work such as Reiki or crystal therapy, which are both gentle and non-invasive. With a little bit of love and some adjustments to your household, an older pet can truly enjoy the golden years.

Mary Oquendo is a Reiki master, ad-vanced crystal master and certified mas-ter pet tech pet first aid instructor. She is the co-owner of Hands and Paws-Reiki for All in New Milford. She can be reached at HandsAndPawsReiki.com.


The Unique Joy of Adopting

Senior Animalsby Donna Gleason

Sweet Pea was an elderly dog who came to the New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society (NFSAWS) with medical issues. Her owner had her since she was

a puppy, but decided he could no longer care for her and dropped her off at the shelter. Sweet Pea greeted the staff with big sloppy kisses and they immediately fell in love with her. It was decided - whether she was adoptable or not - ev-eryone would come together and personally take care of this dog if that was needed. Their intention was for Sweet Pea to live out the rest of her days happy. Shortly after arriving at the shelter she made a visit to the veterinarian. She had a very hard time walking and had no motor function in her hind legs. The vet identified that she had spinal degeneration, a urinary tract infection and thyroid

issues. She was given the necessary medication and medical equipment. Everyone noticed with each day that passed she was becoming stronger and happier. Sweet Pea became the official greeter at the NFSAWS. She learned if she flashed her big brown eyes at a visitor or shelter volunteer, a treat or new toy would miraculously appear. At night, Sweet Pea would either go home with a volunteer or sleep quietly in the shelter’s foyer on her new memory foam bed. Sadly Sweet Pea passed away due to health issues two months after coming to the shelter. Meghan Rhodes, NFSAWS Shelter Manager, sums it up, “I would give anything to have another two months with Sweet Pea. She changed all of us. My advice for those looking to adopt - don’t forget our senior pets. You will be glad you did.”

Why do many senior dogs and cats end up in shelters?Family relocation: Sometimes a family moves to a new home and that new location cannot accommodate the family pet(s), according to the Grey Muzzle Organization. This can also in-clude owners moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home where pets may not be allowed. Pet medical issues: Sometimes owners do not want to address some of the medical issues that their senior pet may be facing and give their pet to a shelter as opposed to help-ing them transition through their senior years. Caregiver health issues: Sometimes a medical situation arises for the caregiver and they are in a position where they become unable to care for their pet. Financial hardship: Some owners have financial con-straints in which they simply do not have the funds to pay for the medical care their senior pet may need. For some people caring for their senior pet with medical issues means they will not be able provide for themselves. Other: This includes those senior dogs and cats who enter the shelter as strays.

What can you do to help? Consider adopting a senior shelter dog or cat. Carol Van-Derese, a shelter volunteer, has been adopting senior pets for over 20 years. According to VanDerese, the dogs in this age group are loving, loyal, easy to train and have lower energy levels, which may be desirable for some adopters. The truth about adopting a senior pet: No surprises: There are few surprises in terms of size or temperament… “what you see is what you get.” Easy to train: Old dogs and cats can be taught new tricks. Both tend to be calmer and less distracted, putting more focused control on the owner. Calmer: If you are more of a couch potato than a jogger, a senior pet may be for you. Saving a life: According to National Geographic maga-zine, senior pets and black dogs are the hardest pets to adopt. Typically they are the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized. When you adopt a senior pet, you are truly saving a life.


Recognizing that the unique quali-ties of senior pets make them a good potential match for older people who would like to have a companion animal but don’t want to take on an energetic young animal, Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue (ROAR) in Ridgefield has instituted a “Seniors for Seniors” program. ROAR Shelter Director Ally-son Dotson says the program allows ap-proved senior humans to adopt a senior pet without paying an adoption fee. The program has been successful so far and she would like to see it grow, believing it serves an important function for both the animals and people.

Donate equipment or set-up a senior pet medical fund at your favorite shelter or rescue organizationThe annual cost of raising a pet aver-ages well over $1,000, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Senior pets tend to cost more due to increased medi-cal bills and equipment that might be needed to maintain their quality of

life. By donating and/or setting up a medical fund with your favorite shelter/rescue organization, you are assuring that funds will be available to help their senior animals live with dignity for the rest of their life.

Support a shelter or rescue group that has a foster program for senior petsThere are special rewards one gets from living with a senior dog. Volunteers from Havanese Rescue offer these testi-monials from their experiences: “I have a senior foster here – she is going on 15. Having her has taught me to slow down and take each day as it comes. Taking naps each day is completely acceptable and, according to her, a necessity. She has taught me to take time to ‘stop & smell the roses’ and to enjoy each day as if it was your last. I feel everyone should at some point foster a senior dog – the rewards far out-weigh the problems you might encoun-ter,” says Pat Potter from Sherman. Amy Blankenship, another volun-teer who lives in New Milford, says, “My foster came to me at 14 years old!

He was a diamond in the rough. It has been thrilling to watch his recovery over this past year. He has given me more blessings than I could have ever imagined. He is a dear little old man and I can’t imagine my life without him. I highly recommend the seniors. They are special treasures.” “Rescues and shelters are always in need of foster and adoptive homes, especially for our senior pups,” says Sally Cotumaccio, another volunteer in northern Fairfield County. Senior pets living in shelters can use assistance to help them live the days they have left stress-free, with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Donna Gleason, owner of TLC Dog Trainer, resides in Sherman. She is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and IAABC certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC) with a master’s degree in behavior modification. She offers professional in-home dog train-ing and group puppy/basic obedience classes. For more information, call 203-241-4449 or visit TLCDogTrainer.com. See ad, page 53.

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communityspotlight

WHOLISTIC PET SERVICES:Holistic Boarding School for Dogs

by Nicole Miale

Like many of the stray, rescue and shelter animals she has rehabilitated over the years, Loukia Tsapari has learned to surf life’s ups and downs. “When one manages to

successfully deal with life’s constant changes and tribula-tions, one develops a solid inner core of quiet strength and assertiveness,” she says. “The dogs in my care pick it up right away which makes it easier to establish a strong connection.”

Loukia’s animal rescue work began in earnest in the 2000s, when she and her children were living in Athens, Greece, which hosts a large and miserable stray dog popula-tion. “The kids and I were always stumbling on abandoned puppies and injured dogs,” she says. “I would take them in, nurse them back to health with the help of my vet and then get them adopted.” This was the precursor to what has become her life work here in Fairfield County: the rehabilita-tion, holistic caretaking and training of dogs in her home. Her early dog rehabilitation and boarding business with a former partner centered on shelter and rescue animals with aggression, anxiety and health issues. It became evident that serious rehab could not be combined successfully with “normal” dog boarding, which requires a much larger farm type environment and secure separations. Loukia transformed the original business model into Wholistic Pet Services, a Norwalk-based dog-care spa focusing on more gentle care-taking. “This is now more a boarding school for dogs than a reform school,” she says. “I insist on impeccable manners from all my dogs. They respond totally – as at the same time, I watch over them like mother hen, feed them yummy food, tend to any discomfort present and respect their emotional needs. Once we establish a bond of trust and mutual respect, obedience follows naturally.” Wholistic Pet Services’ approach combines elements of conventional dog training with common sense psychology, nutritional evaluation, and close, constant observation of each individual dog in a variety of daily activities and trigger situations. The goal is to create a synchronized, close-knit bond between Loukia and her guest dogs. “Hiking for at least 3 or 4 hours a day in the forests and large parks is of para-mount importance in our bonding,” she explains. “Walking in pack formation in nature is the most appropriate way to stimulate a dogs’ brain and exercise their body.” Loukia says her long history with spiritual and medita-tive work has enhanced her ability to truly see and hear

FALL FESTIVAL to Benefit Animals

Saturday, October 11th 11:00am – 5:00pm

Paradise Green in Stratford

music lectures microchip clinic games food

silent auction lure course try-its demos

pet adoption bus celebrities contests

people/pet vendors & crafters and much more

9TH Annual

www.STARSFEST.org


the energy of each animal. This is key to her success with blending diverse animals into a synchronized pack in a short period of time. “I focus intensely on each individual dog’s energy – and they do convey messages,” she says. “Pain, intestinal discomfort, anxiety, fear ….there is always a sign if one observes quietly and respectfully.” While in her care, visiting dogs have the run of the house and sleep together with Loukia in a proverbial “puppy pile,” further cementing the bond of the synchronized pack. “There is a lot of cuddling and tenderness go-ing on but safety and discipline are also of paramount importance. All doggie guests have to abide by the rules: no barking, no jumping, no counter surf-ing, waiting patiently to be served their food and so on,” says Loukia. “We have the quietest house in the neighborhood even though we might have 10 or 12 dogs present at any one time.”

Loukia also tends to the physical health of the animals in her care, with particular attention to nutrition. Her personal experience with severe and untreatable food allergies led her to study herbal medicine, natural heal-ing, massage, myofascial release and other natural healing modalities over the years. Her canine charges benefit: “I now apply to the dogs everything I’ve observed and experienced on myself over 30 years when it comes to healthy living,” she says. Her emphasis is on what she calls “pure, clean, healthy food.” Loukia even offers instruction to her human clients about how to cook for their animals. She cooks daily for her own three large dogs, two Cane Corsos and a recently rescued Neopoli-tan Mastiff who was so weak she could barely stand when Loukia rescued her from Brooklyn Animal Control. Wholistic Pet Services is a family-run boutique business. Loukia empha-

sizes building relationships with not only the canines, but also their human families. Prospective visitors must do a meet-and-greet involving both dog and owner, as not every dog is a good fit for this type of pack environment. “We pick up and deliver our guests with the ‘doggie school bus’ both for the daily hikes and boarding as most of our clients come from Greenwich and Stamford,” she says.

Wholistic Pet Services is located in Norwalk. For more information, email [email protected], call 203-542-0910 or visit WholisticPetService.com.

Nicole Miale is the managing editor/publisher of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. She can be reached at [email protected] or 203-885-4674 and loves to hear from readers.


Pet owners often ask if there’s an accurate, inexpensive way to test dogs for cancer before they develop clinical signs of it. A diagnosis early in the course of the disease

is crucial for beginning effective treatment and better out-comes. Until recently, the answer to their question was no. As a result, most owners have remained unaware of the problem until the cancer was well advanced and had spread throughout the pet’s body. While chemotherapy can help some pets, the treatment is unable to heal most of them due to the advanced stage of most diagnosed cancers, which typi-cally already have been active for six to 12 months or longer. Early diagnosis would allow both traditional and natural therapies to be more effective. In some cases, chemotherapy might not even be needed, because natural medicines such as astragalus, essential fatty acids, mushroom extracts, gin-seng and green tea may be able to reverse the cancer at its earliest stages. Fortunately, dog owners can now secure an accurate early diagnosis using a new blood panel costing less than $200, including lab processing, that enables veterinarians to detect cancer and other inflammatory diseases before a pet becomes ill. The tests provide valuable information about the dog’s health before overt signs of disease are observed, damage occurs and treatment options become more limited

New Cancer Test for DogsDetects Illness in Time for

Effective Treatmentby Shawn Messonnier

naturalpet and expensive. Early detection tests for cancer in cats will be available soon. The tests measure several aspects of cell irregularity, including abnormal cell division and systemic inflamma-tory activity, by detecting any increased levels of thymidine kinase and C-reactive protein in the pet’s body. A study by California’s Veterinary Diagnostics Institute’s VDI Laboratory applying the new blood panel tests to 360 dogs followed their incidences of cancer and other serious diseases for up to a year. The researchers found that nearly all of the cancers that occurred were detected four to six months prior to the pet showing outward signs. Because the cancers were detected early and treated before the pet became overtly ill, costs to the pet owner were greatly re-duced and the effectiveness of cancer treatment improved. The new cancer screening tests, which are designed to be part of a routine wellness plan, constitute the most comprehensive single blood diagnosis available in monitor-ing overall canine health. It’s just as important to check the vitamin D status of canine patients. Low levels contribute to increased inci-dence of cancer and infectious diseases, according to a study published in the journal Veterinary and Comparative Oncology. Supplementing vitamin D levels is easy and inexpensive and may help reduce the incidence of serious disease later in life. While the new blood panel tests have been shown to be highly accurate in early cancer detection, any test can miss it if the number of cancer cells is too small. Therefore, pets with negative test results should be retested every six months, while positive results prompt further diagnostic tests and initial treatment. Pets with cancer also benefit from these tests because they allow the vet to fine-tune a treatment plan and determine when a cancer may be com-ing out of remission. The screening is recommended for all dogs 5 years of age and older. Only a small amount of blood is needed and results are available within a few weeks.

Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. For more information, visit PetCareNaturally.com.


petresourceguideADOPTION/RESCUE

ANIMALS IN DISTRESS INC. 238 Danbury Rd, Wilton 203-762-2006 Animals-In-Distress.com

BRIDGEPORT ANIMAL CONTROL 236 Evergreen St, Bridgeport 203-576-7727

BULLY BREED RESCUE PO Box 953, New Canaan [email protected] BullyBreedRescueInc.org

COMMUNITY CATSPO Box 4380, [email protected]

DANBURY ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY (DAWS) 147 Grassy Plain St, Bethel 203-744-3297

FRIENDS OF FELINES, INC. PO Box 8147, Stamford 203-363-0220 [email protected] • AdoptAPet.org

NFSAW223 State Rt 37, New Fairfield203-746-2925 • Nfsaw.org

PET ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY INC. (PAWS) 504 Main Ave, Norwalk 203-750-9572 • PawsCT.org

PET PROTECTORS 2490 Black Rock Tpke, #453, Fairfield203-330-0255PetProtectorsRescue.org

RIDGEFIELD OPERATION FOR ANIMAL RESCUE (ROAR) 45 South St, Ridgefield 203-438-0158 • Roar-Ridgefield.org

STRAYS AND OTHERS PO Box 473, New Canaan 203-966-6556 [email protected]

TAILS OF COURAGE1 Pembroke Rd, Danbury877-63-TAILS TailsOfCourage.org

WESTPORT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVOCATES (WASA) 1 Tower Ridge, Westport 203-557-0361 WestportWASA.org

DOGGIE DAY CAMP, DAY CARE, TRAINING &

BOARDING

DOG GONE SMART 15 Cross St, Norwalk 203-838-7729 DogGoneSmart.com

Fairfield County’s TOP canine center! We have been serving pet lovers in our area for more than 20 years. Our staff consists of dog trainers and animal

behavorists who work together to make Dog Gone Smart a loving, safe, fun and happy home away from home for your dog. See ad, page 56.

PASSAGE EAST BOARDING KENNELS 499 Danbury Rd, [email protected] PassageEastKennels.com

Passage East has been dedicated to caring for pets for more than 40 years

and makes your dog feel like it never left home. Passage East is a full-service dog boarding ken-nel. We offer daycare services, overnight boarding and full-service grooming. See ad, page 57.

PET FOOD & HEALTH SUPPLIES

THE HONEST KITCHEN 145 14th St, San Diego, CA 866-437-9729 • TheHonestKitchen.com

The Honest Kitchen provides natural, human-grade pet food products for dogs and cats. Our gourmet recipes are 100% natural and gently dehydrated. See ad, page 55.

VETERINARY SERVICES

NUTMEG SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC 25 Charles St, Stratford 203-690-1550 • NutmegClinic.org

The Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic is a low-cost, high-volume facility for cats and dogs, the first such professional clinic in Fairfield County. The clinic offers other low-cost services only during the spay/neuter

appointment. Nutmeg honors state spay/neuter vouchers at face value from adopted shelter pets and qualified low-income families and offers further low-cost incentives to nonprofit rescue groups. Pit bulls and mixes are welcome at an an even more reduced rate, and the clinic offers spay/neuter and vaccine discounts for feral cats. See ad, page 59.

REIKI HEALING AND EDUCATION CENTERPain and Stress Relief * Sleep Disturbances Headaches * Behavior Problems * Arthritis

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Pam Pollard, Reiki Master * Mary Oquendo, Reiki Master, Certifed Crystal Healer401 Danbury Road, New Milford, CT 06776 * 203-994-5308 * 203-994-1815

HandsandPawsReiki.com * [email protected]

Reiki Certification Classes & Health and Wellness Workshops

The Last Resort is a 501(c) non-profi t, volunteer-run organization.

We are a foster-based, no-kill rescue dedicated to saving the lives of homeless, neglected, and abused animals by providing

a safe refuge, rehabilitation, and permanent homes.

The Last Resort is a 501(c) non-profi t, volunteer-run organization.

www.TheLastResortRescue.com • [email protected] • FOSTER • DONATE • VOLUNTEERPlease

Since 2008, we have rescued more th an 1000pure and mixed breed dogs and cats from death row and placed them in foster and forever homes!


Neat Costumes Hooray! Princesses and superheroes are more popular than witches and devils these days. With encouragement from parents, kids can enjoy a greener Hal-loween with tiaras, wands and capes made from recycled cardboard and hobby shop items. Thrift stores offer up hats and jewelry for added bling. The Internet overflows with inspiration. Also, many public libraries host costume swaps this month; find other swap loca-tions at Tinyurl.com/CostumeSwaps.

Colorful Disguises Consider inexpensive temporary hair coloring instead of wigs. Mix three packets of sugar-free drink mix or one box of sugar-free gelatin dessert mix (because sugar makes hair sticky), a few drops of both water and a condi-tioner into a paste. Apply cocoa butter at the hairline to prevent color from running down the face. Use a paint-brush to apply it to the hair, topped by a shower cap for a steeping period of as long as youthful patience allows before shampooing. Homemade face paint is a fun and healthy alternative to sweaty masks. (Commercial face paint can contain

TRICK & TREATHost a Halloween that’s Natural,

Healthy and Cost-Consciousby Avery Mack

healthykids

lead and other undesirables.) A moistur-izer with sunscreen, unscented lotion or cocoa butter acts as the base. “UVA/UVB rays are present year-round,” says Dermatologist Michael Taylor, in Port-land, Maine. “Use zinc- or titanium-based products, free from fragrance, para-aminobenzoic acid, parabens, bisphenol A, phthalates and other harmful ingredients.” Natural food coloring, spices or other pantry items provide colorants. Turmeric makes a bright yellow; rasp-berry, blackberry or beet juice yields pink or red; mashed avocado and spi-rulina show up green; blueberry juice is naturally purple; and cocoa powder makes a great brown, according to Greenne.com.

Age-Perfect PartiesFor the youngest treaters, hold an after-noon party with games and an outdoor wildlife/leaf hunt. “Plan a scavenger hunt or arrange stuffed toys to be knocked over with balls,” suggests Pamela Layton McMurtry, author of A Harvest and Hal-loween Handbook, and mother of seven in Kaysville, Utah. “Older kids will love a block party. Solar twinkle lights can mark the perimeters. Plan for a potluck

Slipping masks, sagging costumes and sugar hits can all contribute to

cranky kids at Halloween. Healthier, greener and safer options will up

the ongoing fun factor.

and emphasize healthy choices. Games with prizes like wooden toys, juices, raisins or gluten-free crispy rice cakes take the focus off of candy. Tweens like progressive parties: appetizers at one house, dessert at another and music or scary movies at a third.” “Disguise healthy snacks as scary, gross foods,” suggests Rosie Pope, a parenting style leader and former reality TV personality in Ridgewood, New Jer-sey. “Homemade grape or orange juice popsicles with a small gummy worm inside are popular.” Pope likes to decorate cucumber and apple slices with raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries and pretzels adhered with organic peanut butter to mimic crawly creatures. Black spaghetti colored with squid ink can simulate boiled witch’s hair. Spinach linguini masquerades as swamp grass. Look for gluten-free varieties. Prepare peeled grapes for green eyeballs. “Cover party tables with a patch-work of fabric remnants,” advises McMurtry. She also suggests a DIY taco area or cat-and-scarecrow-shaped piz-zas. Use sliced olive or cherry tomato eyes, shredded cheese hair and a red pepper smile. Prepare a cheesy fondue with whole-grain bread. Individually wrapped popcorn balls studded with bits of fruit can be great take-home des-serts for guests.

Harvest Décor In addition to the usual farmers’ market gourds, Indian corn and pumpkins, “Oranges, tangerines and apples cov-ered with cloth and tied with orange or black yarn or ribbon hung as miniature ghosts in the kitchen and doorways add a spooky touch,” adds Pope. “After the holiday, the fruit returns to the table as a snack.” Pope’s children also like to draw Halloween murals on windows using water-based markers. Traditional tricks and treats are easily improved upon with mindful shopping and imagination. The calorie counts are lower, environmental im-pacts are lighter and the feel-good fun factor soars.

Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via [email protected].


BRINGING MORE THAN HOMEWORK HOMEBy Ryan Hogan

It’s that time of year when we’re sending our kids back to school. Unfortunately, while schools are good places to learn they are great places to catch a disease. In fact, children’s Up-per respiratory illnesses (URI’s) cause more doctor visits and missed school days than any other illness in the US. Luckily, there are a few things you can do at home to help reduce the chances of your child getting sick at school this year.

HOW?

Before we talk prevention, we need to know how infection spreads. Many childhood illnesses are caused by viruses and bacteria that are transferred from person to person. URI’s increase in fall and winter as we spend more time crowded indoors. All it takes is one sick child, going to school for the spread to begin. Small droplets from a child’s cough or sneeze travel through the air and land on surfaces like desks, doorknobs and people. These germs are easily spread when someone touches the contaminated object and then pro-ceeds to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Children’s immune systems are less mature than those of adults, so they’re more vulnerable to these germs. Washing your hands and your nasal passages and also keeping their hands away from their nose, eyes and mouth are the most preventative habits to form at a young age.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Our best defense is to stop cold germs where they breed. Good hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent bac-teria and viruses from spreading. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, handling trash and prior to touching food to help eliminate germs. Soap and water should be used for 20 seconds (about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Using alcohol-based hand cleaners is also effective. Remind your child to use the

sanitizer before eating snacks, lunch and after using a shared computer mouse, pencil sharpener, water fountain or other community objects.

Now, most people know we need to wash our hands, but one thing most people don’t really relate their health to is nasal hygiene. Using a saline spray with xylitol, such as Xlear Nasal Spray, is safe for all ages. Research has shown this natural sweetener is useful in preventing bacterial otitis media (ear infections), among other upper respiratory problems that are most likely to occur in fall and winter months. Additional xylitol studies have also shown a significant reduction in asth-ma attacks when a xylitol nasal spray is used on a daily basis. Xylitol affects nose and throat bacteria in two ways:

• Decreases the adherence of harmful bacteria on their surface cells.

• Stimulates the body’s own natural defense system

Since the average American child has six to ten colds a year, using a xylitol nasal spray is a safe and effective way to pro-mote better upper respiratory health, year round.

FINAL HEALTHY TIPS

In addition to frequent hand-washing, teach your child some other school health basics:

• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

• Give your child a package of tissues to keep in his or her desk.

• Encourage your child not to share water bottles, food or other personal items.

• Ask your child’s teacher to include hand-washing time before lunch or snacks.

• Have your whole family practice nasal hygiene and the use of xylitol saline spray like Xlear.

Even with all of these tips, your kids are bound to come down with something over the course of the school year. We all get sick at some point or another, forming healthier habits and maintaining a positive attitude is all we can do as parents.

For more information, please visit www.xlear.com.

ADVERTORIAL


Chiropractic manipulation of the spine has long been a remedy for structural malfunctions such as

aching backs and recurring headaches. Today, chiropractors are also treating neck pain from stress, plus tight shoulders and numb fingers from long hours of comput-er use. An increasing number of them are now incorporating acupuncture into their arsenal against disorders once treated by chiropractic alone, with great success. “What if you had a nail in your foot? You can do anything to try to heal it, but until you pull the nail out of your foot, you’ll still have a recurring problem,” explains Dr. James Campbell, owner of Campbell Chiropractic Center, in East Brunswick, New Jersey, a certi-fied diplomate and incoming president of the American Board of Chiropractic Acupuncture (ABCA). “Like removing the nail, chiropractic removes the me-chanical problem and opens the way for acupuncture to stimulate healing,” Similarly, a chiropractic adjustment removes obstructions and opens acu-puncture meridians to facilitate quick healing, “sometimes even immediately,” says Campbell. “Instead of having the needles in for 20 to 30 minutes, I can actually use a microcurrent device to access the meridians in the ears or on the hands and get the same results in

healingways

five to 10 seconds.” He notes that relief can be both fast and permanent because the healing energy currents are able to circulate freely throughout the body.

Growing MovementCombining the two modalities has been practiced for more than 40 years, although awareness of the enhanced ef-fectiveness of doing so has been primar-ily realized in the eastern half of the U.S. The dual therapy is the brainchild of the late Dr. Richard Yennie, who initially became a Kansas City chiropractor after acupuncture healed a back injury shortly after World War II. An acupunc-turist smuggled prohibited needles into Yennie’s Japanese hospital room in the sleeve of his kimono for treatments that ended with Yennie’s hospital discharge marked, “GOK,” meaning in the doctor’s opinion, “God only knows” how the intense back pain was healed. While Yennie went on to teach judo and establish five judo-karate schools, his greatest achievement was bringing the two sciences together in the U.S. He founded both the Acupunc-ture Society of America and the ABCA, affiliated with the American Chiroprac-tic Association. Certification as a diplo-mate requires 2,300 hours of training in the combined modalities.

DYNAMIC DUOCombining Chiropractic and

Acupuncture Energizes Healthby Kathleen Barnes

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Proven PracticeDoctor of Chiropractic Michael Kleker, of Aspen Wellness Center, in Fort Col-lins, Colorado, is also a state-licensed acupuncturist. “I can tailor treatments to whatever the individual needs,” he says. For patients experiencing pain after spinal fusion surgery, with no possibility of any movement in their spine, Kleker finds that acupuncture helps manage the pain. “We can commonly get the person out of the chronic pain loop,” he says. He also finds the combination help-ful in treating chronic migraines, tennis elbow and other chronic pain conditions. “When I started my practice in 1981, few chiropractors knew anything about acu-puncture, let alone used it. Now there are more and more of us,” observes Kleker. Both Kleker and Campbell are see-ing increasing numbers of patients with problems related to high use of technol-ogy, facilitating greater challenges for chiropractors and new ways that adding acupuncture can be valuable. Notebook computers and iPads

have both upsides and downsides, Campbell remarks. Users can find relief from repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome by utilizing portable devices. However, he is treating more patients for vertigo due to looking down at screens or neck pain from lying in bed looking up while using the devices. “Blackberry thumb”, which refers to pain caused by texting, responds especially well to a combination of chiropractic manipulation of the thumb to free up the joint and microcurrent or acupuncture needles to enhance energy flow in the area,” advises Campbell. Prevention is the best cure for these problems, says Kleker. He routinely informs patients about proper ergonomic positions for using traditional computers and mobile devices. He also suggests exer-cises to minimize or eliminate the struc-tural challenges that accompany actively leveraging today’s technological world. In addition to chiropractors that are increasingly adding acupuncture to their own credentials, an increasing

number of chiropractors have added acupuncturists to their practices. Therapy combining chiropractic and acupuncture has yet to be widely researched, but one study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2012 reports the results of two acu-puncture treatments followed by three chiropractic/acupuncture treatments for a women suffering from long-term migraine headaches. The migraines dis-appeared and had not returned a year later. Other studies show the combina-tion therapy offers significant improve-ments in neck pain and tennis elbow. Campbell relates a story of the power of chiropractic combined with acupuncture, when his young son that was able to walk only with great dif-ficulty received a two-minute treatment from Yennie. Afterward, “My son got up and ran down the hall,” he recalls.

Locate a certified practitioner at American BoardOfChiropracticAcupuncture.org/about-us/find-a-diplomate. Kathleen Barnes is the author of numer-ous natural health books. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

October is National Chiropractic Health MonthAcupuncture and Oriental Medicine Day is October 24

Listening and CaringWouldn’t you prefer a doctor who makes time for both?

Naturopathic MedicineServices Offered:General Family MedicineAcupunctureFacial Rejuvenation– “The Natural Facelift”PediatricsDiet & Nutritional CounselingBotanical Medicine

Conditions Treated:AllergiesArthritisDiabetesHeart DiseasePMSChronic PainAny many others…

Dr. Susan Rzucidlo, ND

Anthem, BC/BS, Oxford, Aetna insurance accepted

The Center for Naturopathic Medicine, Inc.3335 Main Street, Stratford • (203) 377-1525


Magazine calendar events must be received by October 12th (for November issue) and adhere to our guidelines. All calendar submissions must be entered online at eNaturalAwakenings.com - click on “submit calendar” at the very top of the page.

calendarofevents markyourcalendarFor Your Sake & For The Sake of Your Children... A Unique Workshop For Parents

Saturday, October 11 Brookfield • 2 – 5 pm

To learn more or to register, call Judith’s office at 203-775-5006 or email Judith at

[email protected] FEE: $100

Registration and payment must be received by October 7

markyourcalendarAwaken Wellness Fair …Awaken to Your Best Self…

Sunday, October 5 10am to 5pm

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel2117 NJ Rte. 4, Fort Lee NJ 07024

Speakers, Healers, Vendors and Readers Over 100 exhibitors, 1000 guests!

AwakenFair.com click on “Fort Lee”

Exhibitor spots available

markyourcalendar11th Annual Naturopathic Gathering:

Sowing Seeds, Remaining Rooted

Celebrating Naturopathic Medicine!October 10 – 12

University of Bridgeport’s John J. Cox Student Center

244 University Ave, Bridgeport, CT A conference for medical students, naturopaths,

and interested members of the community. UB is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this event

NaturopathicGathering.org

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1Introduction to Reiki – 7-8:30pm. Place to start if you’re curious about Reiki or interested in learn-ing more about how to heal yourself and others. Beth Leas will share wisdom from her 20-years experience using Reiki in this fun, explorative and interesting evening. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.Yoga – 7:30-8:45pm. Wednesday evening yoga class will combine movement, breath work, meditation and restorative yoga poses to create a deep connec-tion between body, mind and spirit. Dress in layers, bring your mat, a towel or blanket and water. $13.50/evening for 10 weeks. Trumbull High School, 72 Strobel Rd, Trumbull. [email protected]. MyOmWellness.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2The Graduate Institute Information Session – 5pm. Learn more about exciting learning oppor-tunities at The Graduate Institute, master’s degrees and certificate programs. Free. 203-874-4242. 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. [email protected]. Learn.edu/events.Community Plates Food for All 2014 – 6:30-8:30pm. Annual fundraiser showcasing over 20 of Fairfield County’s newest restaurants and top bartenders presenting signature dishes and craft cocktails. VIP cocktail hour (6-7pm), followed by main event. $50/general admission tickets. $100/VIP tickets. Darien Community Association, 247 Middlesex Rd, Darien. 203-323-4185. [email protected]. CommunityPlates.org/FFA14.TLC Healing Circle Open to All – 7-9pm. Fun, experiential evening for the curious, first timers and practitioners of all modalities and levels. Heal-ing circle meditation led by Beth Leas and then

everyone will have the opportunity to receive/give mini-sessions. Open to all. $20 donation. TLC Cen-ter, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3Reiki Level 1 Workshop – 10am-5:15pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher. Learn Western style from an experienced Reiki master (19 years). Includes latest info. Learn Reiki for self-healing and healing others. 4 powerful energy connections, from short (Japanese/Usa) linage, 2 manuals and certificate. $115 + $10/materials. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (enter office downstairs in back), Norwalk. 203-852-1150. [email protected]. AngelHealReiki.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4Is Sugar Sabotaging Your Diet? – 10:30am-12pm. With Tracy Pardo, Certified health coach. Learn to control sugar cravings, choose healthy sugar alterna-tives, and learn where sugar could be hiding in your diet. Raffle, 15-minute chair massage with Shannon D. Reynolds, LMT. Registration is required. $10. Shalva Clinic, 260 Riverside Ave, 2nd flr, Westport. 203-916-4600. [email protected]. ShalvaClinic.org.Spiritual Psychic Fair – 12-5pm. Join us to experience a session with one of our gifted and caring intuitive readers. Many types of readings available including mediumship, tarot, angel cards, pendulum. Readings are approx. 25 mins. Reiki healing sessions ($20) for both people and animals. Appointments available, walk-ins welcome. $40+. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. [email protected]. AlbertsonChurch.org.Salsa Intensive with Deb Linley – Workshops-1:30-8:30pm. Dance party-8:30-11pm. A percentage of proceeds to benefit The Women’s Center of Greater Danbury. Early bird pricing through 9/30 ranging from $10 for party to $78 for the entire day. Held at Vitti’s Dance Studio, 10 Precision Rd, Danbury. 203-770-7664. [email protected]. Dancin4Joy.com.Shifting into Neutral: Act, Don’t React – 4-6pm. Kundalini Yoga workshop offers a combination of kriyas, breath, mantra and meditation to activate the neutral mind. Leave with a new set of tools so you can live right, act right and “be” right. $35/by 9/27, $45/thereafter. Yoga for Everybody, 27 Unquowa Rd, Fairfield. 203-254-9642. [email protected]. Yoga4Everybody.net.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5TLC Healing and Psychic Sunday – 11am-4pm. This popular and fun event features a day of insight, clarity and healing brought to you by the profes-sionals at TLC Center in Norwalk. A wide variety

of healings and readings. Free admission and mini-workshops. Readings and healing 20 minutes/$20. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.Spirit of Homeschooling Workshop – 6-8:30pm. Discuss the notion that producing life-long pas-sionate learners should be the highest goal of any educational program, and is most easily accessible through homeschooling as well as discuss several other benefits, diverse methods available, and the social life of homeschoolers. $25. SOUND Center for Creative Arts and Mindfulness, 31 Hawleyville Rd, Newtown. 203-270-1119. [email protected]. SoundCenterArts.com.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6Intentional Living Interest Group – 7-9pm. An opportunity to come together, engage in meaningful conversation, and explore topics that heighten our sense of awareness and satisfaction in life. Free. 203-874-4242. 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. [email protected]. Learn.edu/events.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7The Graduate Institute Information Session – 5pm. Learn more about exciting learning oppor-tunities at The Graduate Institute, Master’s degrees and certificate programs. Free. 203-874-4242. 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. [email protected]. Learn.edu/events.


markyourcalendarNewlife Expo-NYC

October 17-19America’s Largest Mind, Body,

Spirit, Health & Enlightenment expo returns to the Hotel Pennsylvania

Join Dan Millman, Lynn Andrews, Judy Satori, Sean Morton, Kat James and 150

other exhibitors and speakers.

For info, Pre-registration or Volunteering, visit NewLifeExpo.com • 516-897-0900

markyourcalendarSalsa Intensive

with Deb LinleyDancing For Mind, Body & Spirit! Saturday, October 4 • 1:30-11pm

Come have fun, relieve stress, and meet new people! Free Door Prizes Every Hour! 1:30-8:30pm • Workshops in Salsa, Merengue & Bachata 8:30-11pm • Dance Party with D.J. Raymond McCarthy

Held at: Vitti’s Dance Studio, 10 Precision Rd, Danbury Visit website for class schedule and pricing info.

A portion of the proceeds to benefit The Women’s Center of greater Danbury. More info or to register: Dancin4joy.

com, [email protected] or 203-770-7664

The Secrets of Your Destiny – 7-9pm: Who are you? Discover the divine design of your life. See how your life unfolds numerologically and the new paths that await you. Learn to identify your personal-ized tarot cards and how to apply their wisdom to life lessons and challenges. $50. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203.856.9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8Chakra Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Explore your chakras through meditation as we recharge, renew and rejuvenate your energy centers. Beth Leas will lead us in a guided meditation designed to help you discover peace, harmony and balance while con-necting to the rhythm of the Universe. Generously sponsored by ProMindful.org. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9Is Sugar Sabotaging Your Diet? – 6:30-8pm. With Tracy Pardo, certified health coach. Learn to control sugar cravings, choose healthy sugar alternatives, and learn where sugar could be hiding in your diet. Raffle, 15-minute chair massage with Shannon D. Reynolds, LMT. Registration is required. $10. Shalva Clinic, 260 Riverside Ave, 2nd Flr, Westport. 203-916-4600. [email protected]. ShalvaClinic.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TLC Tarot Fun & Fabulous Friday – 7-9pm. What’s in the cards for you? Find out during this playful event designed for everyone from novices to longtime tarot friends. Explore the tarot or develop a deeper relationship with our cards. Everyone will receive a reading from Beth Leas. $40. TLC Cen-ter, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected] BethLeas.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11Pendulum Workshop: Dowsing for Health, Healing and Divination by Elyse Sgandurra – 1:30-3:30pm. Learning the basics of spiritual dowsing along with some of its many uses. Locat-ing lost objects, animal communication, self- and long-distance healing and working with charts will all be explored. All are welcome. $35. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. [email protected]. AlbertsonChurch.org.The Breath of Life: An Exploration of Prana and Pranayama – 3-6pm. Learn breathing techniques to help you breathe more fully and deeply and thus reduce the negative emotions and reactions in your life. Includes techniques of Pranayama, yoga breath-ing, designed to calm the body and the mind, as well as stimulate and increase awareness. $40/by 10/4, $50/thereafter. Yoga for Everybody, 27 Unquowa Rd, Fairfield. 203-254-9642. [email protected]. Yoga4Everybody.net.Family Meditation Made FUN – 4-5:30pm. Us-ing the kids as an excuse why you can’t meditate? Bring them with you! Learn how just 10 minutes a day meditating together can improve your family life. Meditation and relaxation techniques taught by Beth Leas that appeal to kids of all ages – 6 to 96. $45/family. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. BethLeas.com.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15TLC Networking Brown Bag Lunch – 12-2pm. Are you a healthy living professional looking to connect with others for support and networking? Join us for a fun gathering to network and learn more about this beautiful Meditation Center. If you are interested in hosting a TLC Networking event at your office, please contact Beth. Free. Redding Meditation Center. 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding.203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.

Reiki Review and Refresher – 7-9pm. Ready to reconnect to Reiki? This evening is designed to provide support for those still new to Reiki or a jump-start for those who have been away for a while. Everyone will receive a re-attunement and enjoy giv-ing/receiving Reiki healings. $40. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. BethLeas.com.Albertson Church Healing Service – 7:30-8:30pm. Guided meditation followed by an opportunity to sit in one of our healing chairs to receive ‘hands on shoulders’ healing from a church designated healer. Or sit in the peace, tranquility and loving energy of our sanctuary to help calm the soul and promote divine connection. All are welcome. Free. Albertson Memorial Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. [email protected]. AlbertsonChurch.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16Reiki Questions & Answer Session – 7-9:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher (19 year). Includes latest information in Western-style Reiki. 7-8:30pm: Talk about Reiki. Reiki-certified practi-tioners may ask about advanced training. $5. 8:15-9:30pm: Mini-Reiki sessions. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. [email protected]. AngelHealReiki.com.Mediumship Circle – 7:30-9:30pm. Experience a connection with a loved one who has crossed over to the other side. Experience the healing and comfort from communication with souls we know

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

Ongoing Events

Celebration ServiceSundays at 10:30 am

Celebration Service, Sun at 10:30 amThought Exchange, Mon at 7 pm The Pathwork Lectures, Wed (10/1, 15, 22 & 29) at 7 pm

Rev. Shawn Moninger, Minister3 Main St, 2nd Floor, Norwalk, CT 06851(203) 855-7922, www.unitycenterps.org

Aramaic Healing Service - An Ancient Christian Healing Service

Reiki Healing Circle, 1st Thu at 7 pmPurls of Wisdom, 2nd Sat at 6:30 pmOpen Mic Night, 3rd Sat at 7 pm

Sunday, October 19, 12:30-2:30 pm - Suggested Love Offering $20

Special Events


markyourcalendarAwaken Wellness Fair …Awaken to Your Best Self…

Sunday, November 23 10am to 5pm

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel 2455 South Broadway (Rte. 9),

Tarrytown NY 10591Speakers, Healers, Vendors and Readers

Over 100 exhibitors, 1000 guests!AwakenFair.com

click on “Fort Lee” Exhibitor spots available

and love who now exist on the Other Side of the veil. $40. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-429-4735. [email protected]. VeillaHolistics.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18Detoxification and Weight Loss Information Session – 11am-12:30pm. with Dr. Ellen Lewis, naturopathic physician and Tracy Pardo, certi-fied health coach. A detoxification program helps decrease the burden of toxins from our bodies and assists with weight loss. Learn which detoxification program is right for you. Registration required. $10. Shalva Clinic, 260 Riverside Ave, 2nd Fl, Westport. 203-916-4600. [email protected]. ShalvaClinic.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19Chantsformations-A Chant & Meditation Experience – 9-9:45am. With Andrea Rudolph, Jewish interfaith minister. Gather to contemplate and nurture the spirit within through the practice of chant and meditation. No prior Hebrew knowl-edge required. All faiths. Suggested donation: $10. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-257-1009. [email protected]. InTheSpiritofLifecom.The Blessing of the Animals – 11am-12:30pm. A special service devoted entirely to our animal brethren. All are welcome; animals must be on a leash or in a carrier. Free. 914-305-5324. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave,

Old Greenwich. [email protected]. AlbertsonChurch.org.Aramaic Healing Service – 12:30-2:30pm. With Wyming P. Sun. The presentation will be full of telling phrases that will linger in the memory and rise to aid you in your daily living. Ritual will be performed as follows: The Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, singing of hymns, laying on of hands. $20/Sug-gested love offering. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. [email protected]. UnityCenterPS.org.Sunday Afternoon Tea with Your Angels – 2pm. With Carol Joyce. Discover how your Angels com-municate with you on a daily basis. Learn about the different types of angels and why we have them in our lives. Everyone will receive a 10-minute read-ing. Pre-registration required, space is limited. $35. SOUND Center for Creative Arts and Mindfulness, 31 Hawleyville Rd, Newtown. 203-270-1119. [email protected]. SoundCenterArts.com.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20Detoxification and Weight Loss Information Ses-sion – 6:30-8pm. with Dr. Ellen Lewis, naturopathic physician and Tracy Pardo, certified health coach. A detoxification program helps decrease the burden of toxins from our bodies and assists with weight loss. Learn which detoxification program is right for you. Registration required. $10. Shalva Clinic, 260 Riverside Ave, 2nd Fl, Westport. 203-916-4600. [email protected]. ShalvaClinic.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25Harvest Howl-O-Ween Spooktacular – 9am. Black Cat Antiques, gifts and collectibles. Free. 143 Bennett St, Bridgeport. 203-414-9786. Johnny [email protected]. AHFAP.org.Reiki Second Degree Workshop – 9:30am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher (19 years). Learn Reiki 2rd Degree in the Western style. Learn to send distance Reiki healing, deepen use of Reiki for others and yourself. 2 powerful energy connec-tions from my short Japanese/Usa Linage. 2 manu-als and certificate. $215. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, (enter office downstairs in back), Norwalk. 203-852-1150. [email protected]. AngelHealReiki.com.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26Falling Into Dreams: Dream Workshop – 4pm. with Tzvia Gover, certified dream therapist. Simple, fun ways to discover the meaning of one’s dreams, learn about dreams from psychological, scientific, and mystical perspectives, acquire tools to help improve dream recall and invite guidance from their dreams. ThirdHouseMoon.com. $35. SOUND Center for Creative Arts and Mindfulness, 31 Hawleyville Rd, Newtown. 203-270-1119. [email protected]. SoundCenterArts.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8Healing Vibrations: A Journey Inward – 7-8:30pm. Workshop offers an experiential journey inward to lift your spirit and ease your soul bringing the peace, healing, and joy you’ve been waiting for. Experience a combination of Reiki and sound healing to enhance emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and balance. $30. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. [email protected]. ArcSacredCenter.org.

markyourcalendarThe 8th Annual Healers

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Angelic Reiki Meditation with Essential Oils – 8-9am. Receive short, hands-on Angelic Reiki, ex-perience powerful techniques to reduce stress and relax. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

CHANTSFORMATIONS-A Chant & Meditation Experience – 9-9:45am. With Andrea Rudolph, Jewish Interfaith Minister. Gather to contemplate and nurture the spirit within through the practice of chant and meditation. No prior Hebrew knowl-edge required. All Faiths. Suggested donation: $10. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-257-1009. [email protected]. InTheSpiritofLifecom.

Spiritual Sunday Services – 10-11am. A one-hour service followed by community hour from 11am- 12pm. The Arc Sacred Center is a non-profit spiritual community center created for the purpose of offering a gathering place for spiritual exploration and teach-ing, freedom of spiritual expression and healing for the body, mind and soul. Free. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-268-1272.

Mahasati or Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. Visit ReddingMeditation.org or call 203-244-3130.

Reiki Volunteers – 10am-12pm. Pledge time to vol-unteer Sundays at various homes for the elderly and nursing homes in Fairfield and Southbury. Receive credits towards Reiki training. Reiki Overtones, 95 Harris St, Fairfield. Reservations, Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958.

Celebration Service – 10:30am-12pm. With Rev. Shawn Moninger. Inspiring message supports one’s spiritual unfoldment. Great music by award-winning singers. Childcare provided. Fellowship hour after the service. All are welcome. Love offering. Unity Center, 3 Main St (above Ford dealership), Norwalk. 203-855-7922.

Albertson Church Service – 11am-12:30pm. In-cludes an inspirational talk from caring ministers, guided meditation, time to receive healing energy and spirit messages from those we continue to love. Free. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. 203-637-4615.

sunday monday

ongoingevents

Intuitive Readings By Caroline – 1-4pm. Come play in the psychic realm! Past Lives & Spirit Mes-sages. Find out how your past lives reflect in your current life. Mondays. In Stamford. $35/30 minute reading. Call for location/RSVP: 914-318-4845.

Gentle Flow Yoga Candle Lit – 6:15-7:15pm. With Aga. Beginner’s welcome. Bring water bottle and Yoga Mat if you have one. First class free for new students! $15/drop-in. $10/class pass. $100/10 classes. More information: 203-559-9656. Sticks and Stones Farm Retreat, 201 Huntingtown Rd, New-town. 203-270-8220. SticksAndStonesFarm.com.

Women’s Meditation Circle – 6:45-8:30pm. Of-fering three 6-week sessions, with three themes: Acceptance, Essence, and Awareness. At Session 1, we will: cultivate a sacred space for mutual support; practice compassion for self and others; develop mindfulness; rekindle a fuller engagement with life; discover the peace that is our core. $50. Westport. 203-293-7759. [email protected].

Yoga – 7-8:15pm. With Charles Sikorski, RYT. Weekly. Charles encourages one to find one’s true self: physically, mentally and spiritually. $13/per session or 5/$60, 10/$110, 20/$200. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-414-6790.

Mahasati or Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. Visit ReddingMeditation.org or call 203-244-3130.

The Thought Exchange – 7-9pm. Simple yet pro-found way of looking at the world, that allows us to understand and experience the truth about who we really are, where we really live, what we really want, and how to have that all the time. At least 10 people needed for the class. $80/4-week class. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. [email protected]. UnityCenterPS.org.

Transformation and Healing – 7:30-8:15pm. Rev. Ed O’Malley uses a Shamanic Illumination Process which removes heavy energies from luminous en-ergy fields, returning the body and soul to its initial state of wellness. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-268-1272.

Guided Meditat ion at Sabita Hol is t ic Center –7:30-8:30pm. Give yourself the gift of meditation at Sabita Holistic Center. Internation-ally known Dr. Levy has worked for over the past 35 years in stress reduction, deep relaxation and meditation. Free. Sabita Holistic Center, 3519 Post Rd, Southport. 203-254-2633.

tuesday

Monday Meditation for Everyone – 7:30-9pm. This is Meditation Guided imagery for relaxation and stress reduction. It also helps you move forward on your Spiritual path. No experience necessary. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

Reiki Share – 7:30-9:30pm. Last Monday. With JoAnn Duncan. Practice Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help each other develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experience. $20. Registration required. The Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-438-3050 or TurningPointReiki.com.

The Graduate Institute: Fall Accelerated Admis-sions – Every Tuesday is accelerated admissions day. Receive your admission decision on the spot. Schedule an appointment with an admissions coun-selor today! 203-874-4252. [email protected]. Learn.edu.

TLC Monthly Networking Breakfast – 8:30am. First Tuesday of the month. Looking for a community of healthy living professionals? At TLC Center we understand the power of networking. Relaxed, sup-portive group of professionals. Grab a friend, your biz cards and join us for a fun morning of connecting. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. [email protected]. TLCcenter.com.

Pilates – 9:15-10am. Wth Laura Lehrhaupt, Certi-fied Holistic Health Counselor. Laura is also a cer-tified Spinning, Kickboxing, Balletone and Pilates Instructor. $13/class. $15/drop-in. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. [email protected]. BeWellLaural.com.

Tots Yoga for Crawler-17months – 10:15-11am. Partner with your little one for animated yoga poses, games, music and breathing exercises to strengthen coordination and build body awareness. Please pre-register for your free trial class. First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bedford St, Stamford. 203-253-0764. [email protected]. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Mommy & Me Yoga for Babies 6 weeks old - pre-crawling – 11:15am-12pm. Moms will restore and rejuvenate through stretching and strengthen-ing poses. Babies will enjoy yoga poses to aid in digestion and sleep. Great opportunity to bond with your baby and connect with other moms. Please pre-register for free trial at FamilyTreeYoga.net. First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bedford St, Stamford. 203-253-0764. [email protected].

Lunchtime Yoga in Downtown Stamford – 12-1pm. Take a wellness break during your day. Release stress, re-energize, find balance with vin-yasa flow yoga. $20/drop-in, 4/$68 or 8/$120. Call 914-393-9221. Limitless-Potential.net.


Mahasati or Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. Visit ReddingMeditation.org or call 203-244-3130.

Psychic Development Class – 7-8:30pm. Every other Wednesday, begins March 12 for March series of 6 classes. Please bring journal and pen. Reserve a spot at Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868. Soul-Focus.me.

Journey Within: Do You Feel Stuck? – 7-9pm. 1st Wednesday. Need support trying to begin something new? Support, intuitive insight, wisdom. Facilitator: Cindy Miller, intuitive. $20. Newtown Congrega-tional Church, 14 West St, Newtown. Call: 203-426-9448. SacredGrounds.bz. TrinityProduction.org.

Holistic Moms Network Fairfield County, CT Chapter – 7:30pm. 2nd Wednesday. Associates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care, 156 East Ave, Norwalk. Home.Homewebs.com/HmnFairfieldCtyCT.

Turning Point S.H.A.R.E. Divorce Group – 7:30-9:30pm. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Offering support, healing, advocacy, resources and education for women in the process of, or recently divorced.Themes and speakers cover the legal, financial and emotional issues encountered during or in the af-termath of divorce. Redding Center for Meditation, $20, $150/10-session card. Registration required. 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, Redding. 203-438-3050 or TurningPointShare.com.

Thursday Morning Meditation for Moms – 9:30-11am. Come and unwind with a Guided Meditative Journey geared to release stress and a healthful more positive understanding of self. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

Wellness Seminars – 5:30pm. Ask question about your health and hear how naturopathic medicine can help. Brief video is shown highlighting tests not generally done in conventional medicine and their usefullness in detecting conditions in the body that would not otherwise be noticed with regular lab work. Sessions may include chair massage, fitness testing, BMI and light refreshment. Pre-registration necessary. Free. 239 Plattsville Rd, Trumbull. 203-374-5309. [email protected]. Drs2Health.com.

Yoga Tea Potluck – 6:30-8pm. Do your own practice, no instruction. 8-10pm. Potluck in barn. Practice together with other yogis. Also open for meditation if this is your main practice. Please prepare food to share. Bring plate, cup and utensils. Tea provided. Information: [email protected]. Sticks and Stones Farm Retreat. 201 Huntingtown Rd, Newtown. 203-270-8220. SticksAndStonesFarm.com.

wednesdaythursday

Mahasati or Insight Meditation – 12:30-2pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. Visit ReddingMeditation.org or call 203-244-3130.

BodySmart – 6:15-7:30pm. Semi-private sessions for 2-4 participants. Complete core/body condition-ing exercises and stretching utilizing a 9-foot floor to ceiling X-Pole. $45/class-discount with 6+ classes (pre-reg required). BodySmart, 115 Main St, Unit 11, Monroe. Call Lisa for details, additional schedule information and to register: 203-209-7359.

The Pathwork Lectures - 4-Week Class – 7-8:30pm. No Class 10/8. With Maria Corsaro. Specific, practical tools for dissolving misconcep-tions, for making the unconscious conscious, and for activating the greater consciousness dwelling within every human soul. 50-50work.com. Pathwork.org. Love Offering. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. [email protected]. UnityCenterPS.org.

Angelic Healing Group—7-9pm, 1st Tuesday. Experi-ence the healing energy of the Angelic Realm. Your energy body will be infused with the love and light of the Divine through meditation and hands-on touch. $20. Stevens Memorial Church, 8 Shady Ln, South Salem, NY. 203-438-4893.

Reiki Shares – 7:30-10:15pm. 1st and 3rd Tues-days. Gigi Benanti Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/Teacher. For Reiki practitioners only. Exchange ongoing since 1996. Instructions included. $20. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

Candlelit Yoga Flow – 6:30-7:30pm. With Aga. Be-ginners welcome. Bring water bottle and Yoga Mat if you have one. First class free for new students! $15/drop-in. $10/class pass. $100/10 classes. More information: 203-559-9656. Sticks and Stones Farm Retreat, 201 Huntingtown Rd, Newtown. 203-270-8220. SticksAndStonesFarm.com.

Albertson Church Healing Service – 7-8pm. 3rd Wednesday. Guided meditation, receive healing en-ergy from church-sanctioned healers and the gift of saging. All are welcome. Free. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. 203-637-4615.

Journaling with Spirit – 7-8pm. By Rev. Shawn Moninger. Journaling is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get in touch with the highest voice within ourselves. First-time attendees receive a new journal. Love offering. Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, Norwalk. 203-855-7922.

EFT Tapping Circle Meetup – 7-8:30pm. Come join us to learn and practice a powerful self-help tool using tapping on meridian acupressure points. No experience necessary. $10. Location given with RSVP, near Merritt, Weston. 203-247-1318. [email protected]. EnergyToolsFor DailyLiving.com.

Energy Tools Study Group MeetUp – 7-8:30pm. Come learn about your energy body - every month will be a different topic or exercise. No experience needed, all are welcome. $15. Location given with RSVP, near Merritt, Weston. 203-247-1318. [email protected]. Meetup.com/Energy-Tools-Study-Group.

Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. 1st Thursday. All welcome. Non-Reiki & Reiki practitioners share and experience Reiki. See details on Unity website. Hosted by Gigi Benanti Reiki master/teacher. $20. Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. [email protected]. AngelHealReiki.com, UnityCenterPS.org.

Pre-Natal Yoga – 7:30-8:45pm. For all stages of pregnancy. This class will combine yoga postures, breath work and relaxation techniques to help release tension and fatigue and prepare for labor, delivery and the post-partum period. Please pre-register for your free trial class. The United Church of Roway-ton, 210 Rowayton Ave, Norwalk. 203-253-0764. [email protected]. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Channeled Messages and Meditations – 7:30-9:30pm, 4th Thursday. Through meditation and channeling receive information, energetic atone-ments and initiations from Spirit. This group is for those who want to develop and expand their energetic vibration. $20. Ridgefield. Call 203-438-4893, space is limited.

The future will either be green

or not at all.~Bob Brown


BEAUTIFUL PEACEFUL RENTAL SPACE available in small established wellness center. Per-fect for holistic health practitioner. Weekdays and weekends available. Greenwich. Call 203-531-4784

SPACE AVAILABLE IN SMALL WELLNESS CENTER 2-3 days/week in Bethel location in time slots of 4-hr minimum. Open area perfect for Yoga, Pilates, Offices for Reiki, Massage, Counseling and Readings, etc. 203-570-3868.

WOODED 6 ACRE PRIME BUILDING LOT IN GATED LAKE COMMUNITY. Woods at Duck Harbor in Equinunk, PA, near NY state border and Honesdale, PA. Lot borders protected PA game land, gorgeous mountain views in fall and winter, walk to lake. Low taxes and maintenance fees. If interested, call 914-763-0464.

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED for monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay-at-home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors - if you don’t have it in spades, please do not apply! [email protected].

SYNERGY SALON LOOKING FOR HAIR-STYLISTS with an interest in working with or-ganic salon products in an eco-friendly environment. Please call 203-966-5655.

DO YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE YOU ARE ON VACATION EVERY DAY? House share on beautiful 9 acre property in Monroe. Large bed-room with walk in closet and private bath. $1,500/monthly includes utilities and biweekly housekeep-ing. MUST LIKE CATS! [email protected] or 203-650-1968

To place a Classified Listing: $1 per word. $25 minimum. Magazine deadline: 12th of month prior to publication. Email copy to NicoleM @NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

FOR SALE

saturdayPsychic Tarot Readings – Sunshine Estar Intui-tive, Psychic Tarot, Medium Pranic Healer, Reiki II Healer. Free. Black Cat Mystic Shoppe, 143 Bennett St, Bridgeport. 203-414-9786. [email protected]. BlackCatShopInBlackRock.com.

A Course in Miracles Study Group – 9:15am. Meets bi-weekly in Westport. Facilitator: Henry Grayson, PhD. Free. To reserve seat and for dates/location: 203-454-1745.

Reiki Share – 9:30-11:30am. First Friday. With JoAnn Duncan. Reiki shares for those interested in practicing Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help others develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experi-ence. $20. Registration required. The Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-438-3050 or TurningPointReiki.com.

Student Massage Clinic – 11am-1pm. Relax and enjoy a full-body massage at the Danbury Campus public’s Student Massage Therapy Clinic. Wednesday evenings or Friday mornings available. $30/50 minutes. Ridley-Lowell Business & Technical Institute, 24 Shelter Rock Rd, Danbury. Call for appt: 203-748-0052.

Mommy & Me Yoga for Babies 6-weeks Old-Pre-crawling – 11:15am-12pm. Mom and baby will prac-tice yoga together! This class is a great opportunity to bond with your baby and to connect with other moms. Pre-register for free trial class. First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bedford St, Stamford. 203-253-0764. [email protected]. FamilyTreeYoga.net.

Teen Meditation – 5-6pm. This is an enjoyable approach to the understanding of self and how you fit into the world in which you can grow with confidence. Come and explore a guided meditative journey that helps to melt away stress and anxiety. For teens and up. $15. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plains St, Bethel. 203-570-3868.

TLC Tarot Fun & Fabulous Tarot Friday – 7-9pm. Have fun with Beth with this self-help tool for novices to longtime tarot friends to explore the Tarot or develop a deeper relationship with your cards. $40. TLC Center Norwalk, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566.

Discussion with Spirit – 7:30pm. Last Friday. Bring questions, receive channeled information to help understand who you are, why you’ve come to the earth plane and empower yourself with messages from Spirit and loved ones. $35. Private residence, Monroe. Information/RSVP: 203-268-3262.

Circle of Life – 7:30-9:30pm. Third Friday. Explore topics such as love, trust, permission and forgiveness as tools in navigating through life’s opportunities, losses and changes. Learn how to bring love, life and happiness. Notetaking welcome and encouraged. $40. Bridgeport location given with registration: 203-268-3262. TrinityProduction.org.

ongoingevents classifiedsfriday

FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

Angelic Reiki Meditation with Essential Oils – 8-9am. Receive short, hands-on Angelic Reiki, ex-perience powerful techniques to reduce stress and relax. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.

Mahasati or Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. Visit ReddingMeditation.org or call 203-244-3130.

The Universal Reiki Plan – 11am-1pm. 3rd Sat-urday. Reiki Practitioners. Register for a free Reiki session. Free. Love offerings appreciated. Bloodroot Vegetarian Restaurant, 85 Ferris St, Bridgeport. Reservations, Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958, [email protected]. ReikiOvertones.com.

The Universal Reiki Plan – 1:30-4:30pm. 3rd Sat-urday. Reiki practitioners only. Workshop and Reiki Share. Free. Love offerings appreciated. Bloodroot Vegetarian Restaurant, 85 Ferris St, Bridgeport. Reservations, Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958, [email protected]. ReikiOvertones.com.

Reiki Session – 5-6pm. Offering free Reiki ses-sions during classes. Students participate as part of class syllabus. 1st reserved. ReikiOvertones, 95 Harris St, Fairfield. Reservations, Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958, [email protected]. ReikiOvertones.com.

Planetary Peace Meditation – 7-8pm. With Mini-Pranic Healing every Saturday. Please call to reserve a space. Free. Black Cat Mystic Shoppe, 143 Bennett St, Bridgeport. 203-414-9786. [email protected]. BlackCatShopInBlackRock.com.

Kirtan with the Bindu Band – 7-9pm. Come join The Bindu Band on their vibrational journey back to the heart. Bring some snacks and beverages to share. Love offerings accepted. ARC Sacred Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. Register: 203-268-1272.

Open Mic Night – 7-9pm. 3rd Saturday. Bring music printed out in your key and Kenneth Gartman will accompany on the piano. Comedians, poets and writers welcomed as well. $10. Unity Center, 3 Main St (above the Ford dealership), Norwalk. 203-855-7922.

HOUSE SHARE

ACUPUNCTURE

INGRI BOE-WIEGAARD, LAc Fairfield, Wilton, Bethel203-259-1660 • CTAcupuncture.com25-year full-time practice

Ingri treatments help alleviate Pain, Depression, Neck & Back, Anxiety, Headaches, Stress, Allergies, Asthma, Arthritis, Digestive, Menstrual, Infertility and Smoking & Weight Loss Issues. See ad page 22.

JODY EISEMANN, LAc Offices in Norwalk and Fairfield203-216-2548 • AcupunctureHealingCT.com

High-quality acupuncture at the most affordable prices in Fairfield County. 20+ years experience, specializing in treating all kinds of pain and general health issues. See ad page 19.

BREAST THERMOGRAPHY

SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER31 Old Rt 7, Brookfield203-740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com

A s t h e h o r m o n e experts, we specialize in women’s health, natural hormone balancing, breast cancer prevention

and thermography utilizing the highest definition camera in the area with interpretations from MD specialists in the field.

X TO RAYS.COMDigital Infrared Thermal ImagingSuzanne Pyle, MS, CCT866-XtoRAYS • [email protected]

Get peace of mind with safe (no radiation), FDA-approved breast cancer screening. 8 years earlier detection vs. mammography. Certified DITI thermographer. Conveniently located throughout Fairfield. See ad page 49.

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 (CRG) in print and online email FFCadvertising@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com to request our advertising rates.

CANCER TREATMENT

ADVANCED MEDICINE OF MT. KISCO, PCNeil Raff MD CNS37 Moore Ave, Mt. Kisco, NY914-241-7030 • NeilRaffMD.com

The most advanced natural nutritional treatment and support for all stages of cancer – high-dose vitamin C, European herbals, Iscador (mistletoe), ozone, immune boosters. Specializing in removal of cancer causing toxins. Call for free consultation.

COACHING

ALZBETA PESKOVANorwalk 203-326-0405 [email protected] Yoga2LifeCoaching.com

I am a life/mentor coach and yoga instructor. My mission is to help people to clarify their dreams, goals, and real potential. Making meaningful changes in our lives can be tough when we try to do it all by ourselves. The professional support, insight, and

accountability of coaching can help you make lasting breakthroughs. See ad page 21.

NINA ANTOLINO, RYT, RMT, MBACertified Empowerment Life Coach, Reiki Master Certified Interdisciplinary Yoga Instructor Founder & Executive Director, Limitless Potential Norwalk • 914-393-9221 [email protected] • Limitless-Potential.net

A unique, integrative approach which empowers and guides you to create the life you want. You gain the practical tools, motivation and commitment necessary to achieve your goals. I specialize in women’s empowerment and wellness. I

blend my business background, holistic training and empowerment coaching to guide women to reach for more than they ever believed possible.

communityresourceguide CHIROPRACTIC

BLACK ROCK HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTERKristine DeMarco, DC, MS, FIAMA 825 Kings Hwy East, Fairfield 203-333-6544 • DeMarcoChiropractic.com

Kristine M. DeMarco, Doctorate of Chiropractic and founder of the Black Rock Holistic Health Center, has been successfully specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal problems for

over 12 years. She is certified in “Cox Flexion Distraction Technique,” Graston Technique, Applied Kinesiology and Acupuncture. Specializes in disc problems, LBP, neck pain and musculoskeletal pain. See ad page 22.

RISA SLOVES, DCAssociates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care 156 East Ave, Norwalk 203-838-1555 • CtChiropractic.com

Dr. Risa Sloves is 1 of 10 Chiropract ic Physicians in C o n n e c t i c u t w i t h B o a r d Certification in Maternity and Pediatric Care including Webster and Bagnell Turning Techniques. Also provided: acupuncture,

BioSET Allergy Elimination Technique and the DRX9000 Spinal Decompression. See ad page 6.

COLONICS

COLONICS914-921-LIFE (5433) LifelineHygienics.com

Experience and personalized service you can trust. The finest in colonic irrigation and personal care. Serving the tri-state area since 1993.

WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC Fairfield/Trumbull town line 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com

Ready to s tar t feel ing healthier? Take your first step with this gentle cleansing procedure. Watch our colonic and detoxification videos on our new video website

located at WholeBodyMed.com. Call for Free CD on detoxification. See ad page 2.


DETOXIFICATION

ADVANCED MEDICINE OF MT. KISCO, PCNeil Raff MD CNS37 Moore Ave, Mt. Kisco, NY914-241-7030 • NeilRaffMD.com

Westchester’s most experienced office for the detection and treatment of toxic metals (lead, mercury, aluminum, etc), the underlying cause of many inflammatory, immune and digestive conditions. Years of experience with chelation, IV or oral. Call for free consultation.

EDUCATION

HOUSATONIC VALLEY WALDORF SCHOOL40 Dodgingtown Rd, Newtown 203-364-1113 • WaldorfCT.org

We develop each child’s unique capacity to engage meaningfully in the world by integrating experiential and artistic learning, academic excellence, respect for

diversity and reverence for nature. See ad page 32.

WESTBROOK NATURE SCHOOL7 Long Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-664-1554 [email protected] WestbrookNatureSchool.org

A n a t u r e - b a s e d education on six acres of trails, streams, and meadows, with an organic garden and

natural playscapes. Our curriculum builds physical and emotional resilience, moral awareness and the foundation required for intellectual growth. See ad page 36.

GREEN LIVING

PUT IT TOGETHER, LLC INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIOJudie Ricciardi, Interior Designer & OwnerMiddle Quarter Mall, 714 Main St S, Woodbury203-263-7836 • [email protected] PutItTogetherLLC.com

Create the healthy home of your dreams with beautiful environ-mentally friendly furniture, fab-rics, rugs, interior finishes and paints. Environmental Consulting, “Green” Interior Design and Feng Shui – the perfect balance.

HOLISTIC DENTIST

MARK A. BREINER, DDS, FIAOMT5520 Park Ave, Ste 301, Ffld Town LineMerritt Pkwy, Exit 47203-371-0300 • WholeBodyDentistry.com

Dr. Mark A. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. With over 30 years of experience, he is a sought after speaker and lecturer. His popular consumer book, Whole-Body Dentistry, has

been sold world-wide. See ad page 2.

HYPNOSIS

MIND BODY TRANSFORMATION HYPNOSISDiane Bahr-Groth, CHy, TFTdx 1177 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-595-0110 • MindBodyTransformation.com

Fast, effective methods for weight, stress, fear, pain, smok-ing, etc. Certified Hypnotherapist, Thought Field Therapy™, Time Line Therapy™, NLP and Comple-mentary Medical Hypnosis, since 1989. See ad page 18.

INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

BLISS NUTRITION & WELLNESS, LLCGail Perrella, MS, CNS 2103 Main St, Stratford 203-710-3925 • BlissNutritionCT.com

BioEnergetic Assessment (BEA) is a cutting-edge, non-invasive tool to measure pathways of energy flowing in the body. Natural healing is increasing harmony between one’s body and the natural environment. BEA

provides information which makes it possible to achieve greater health and well-being, naturally.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

RIVERSIDE OB/GYNRussell Turk, MD 1200 East Putnam Ave, Riverside 203-637-3337

Rivers ide Obstetr ics & Gynecology in Greenwich, C T, p a r t o f S t a m f o r d Health Integrated Practices, an affiliate of Stamford

Hospital, is a full-service medical practice incorporating traditional and holistic approaches to women’s health. The practice includes one OB/GYN and a naturopathic physician. See ad page 10.

HEALING CENTER

ARC SACRED CENTER458 Monroe Turnpike, Monroee203-268-1272 • ARCSacredCenter.org

ARC Sacred Center is home to Teachers, Prac-titioners and Interfaith Ministers who provide a variety of services for the Spirit, Mind and Body. Rev. Christine Guerrera, LMFT,

Licensed Psychotherapist, Spiritual Counselor; Andrea “Andie” Rudolph, LCSW, MSW, MPH, OUnl; Rev. Lynette Turner, Positivoligist™; Carol Takacs, Coach & Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant®;

Rev. Wendy Ann Hrynewski, Reiki Master, Founder of Living Enlightened; Tamara Coyle, Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Lisa Krauss, MA, LPC, NCC, CMC, Founder of Growing Options, Inc.; Maia Lynd, Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master/Teacher, Shamanic Practitioner, Energy Intuitive; Rev. Ed O’Malley PhD, Minister, Shaman; Charles Sikorksi, Certified Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master. For a complete listing of practitioners and their contact info please visit ArcSacredCenter.org. See ad page 7.

HEALING COACH

MARY GILBERTSON MS, BSN,CHHCLicensed RN,Nutritionist & Certified Health Coach500 Monroe Tpke, Monroe • 203-521-4733 [email protected] Prescription4Wellness.com

Working 1:1, in groups and cor-porations to develop custom-ized healthy lifestyle plans. You receive tools to optimize your health through nutrition, disease management, exercise, weight loss & stress reduction. 28 years

of experience supporting teens & adults in healthy lifestyle. Available for speaking engagements and health events. See ad page 21.

THRIVE RESULTS COACHINGKristina Hess, CHHC, SNS, FDN, CHT30 Old Kings Hwy S, Ste 223, Darien203-984-7989 Kristina@ThriveResultsCoaching.comThriveResultsCoaching.comFacebook.com/ThriveRCPinterest.com/KristinaHessTwitter.com/ThriveRC

Being mindful about eating helps you break free from routine habits by examining the thoughts, feeling, and internal pressures affecting how and why you overeat (or restrict). Holistic Health Coach & Sports Nutrition Specialist Kristina

Hess, teaches that learning to eat mindfully will bring you more self awareness, and help you naturally release unwanted behaviors and lbs. See ad page 19.


INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN

STAMFORD INTEGRATIVE MEDICINEMichael E. Doyle, MD Conventional & Alternative Medicine22 5th St, Ste 201, Stamford 203-324-4747 StamfordIntegrativeMedicine.com

Specializing in Natural and Alternative approaches to restoring health. Focusing on underlying causes of illness. Hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalances, nutrition and much more. See ad page 12.

INTEGRATIVE OPTOMETRY

EYECARE ASSOCIATES, PC Drs. Randy Schulman, Steve Carr, Narvan Bakhtiari, Carl Gruning and C. Lee Mellinger Locations: 6515 Main St, Trumbull • 203-374-2020 139 Main St, Norwalk • 203-840-1991 2600 Post Rd, Southport • 203-255-4005 CTEyeCareAssociates.com

We offer behavioral optometry, comprehensive vision exams, contact lenses and vision therapy. See ad page 35.

INTUITIVE CONSULTANT

JOAN CARRA, PSYCHIC MEDIUM 203-531-6387PsychicJoanCarra.com Facebook.com/PsychicJoan.Carra

Joan is recommended by six books and has 20 years experience. Find solutions, comfort and closure. Specializing in contacting passed loved ones. Available for private sessions, parties and corporate events.

MASSAGE & BODYWORK

iFLOAT163 Main St, Westport 203-226-7378 • iFloatSpa.net

Experience this superior form of body/mind relaxation as you float effortlessly in warm water with high concentrations of

Epsom salt. Relieve stress, chronic pain and more. See ad page 19.

LAURA CARLSON, LMTRedding/Monroe/Easton 203-885-7353 (SELF) Facebook.com/LauraCarlsonMassageLLC

You deserve to be nurtured and time to be still, to breathe and to restore balance.

Relaxing and nourishing massage will encourage positive changes in your mind and body. Individual sessions and massage parties available.

ROBIN ORDAN, LMT, LCSW, CICMILicensed Massage Therapist & Reiki PractitionerOld Greenwich/Stamford203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLMT.com

Robin has been providing massage and Reiki for over 15 years . Special izing in Swedish, Pregnancy, Trigger Point, Injuries and Infant/ C h i l d M a s s a g e I n s t -

ruction. Sessions are individualized to meet your needs. See ad page 21.

ZAK WALKER, LMTWellness Institute One Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-443-6679 • [email protected]

I combine elements of Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, Acupressure and Myofascial Release, according to the goals and preferences of each client. I’m here to help you feel your best!

MASSAGE SCHOOL

FINGER LAKES SCHOOL OF MASSAGE272 N. Bedford Rd, Mount Kisco, NY 914-241-7363 • FLSM.com

Join us for a t ransformative experience as you develop your intuitive and scientific abilities to heal through therapeutic touch. Classes taught to auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. Financial aid available for full and part-time

programs. See ad page 26.

MEDITATION

REDDING CENTER FOR MEDITATION9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-244-3130 ReddingMeditation.org

We teach and practice Mahasati meditation. Mahasati meditation cultivates self-awareness through attention to the movement of the body and, at more advanced levels, to the movement of the mind. No prior meditating experience is necessary. Ongoing weekly

meditation classes, retreats and events. Please check monthly event calendar or visit ReddingMeditation.org for updated information.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN

DEBRA GIBSON, ND100 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield203-431-4443

Natural family healthcare using nutrition and biochemistry; herbal, homeopathic and energetic medicine; lifestyle transformation and detoxification, to promote well-being of body, mind and spirit. See ad page 32.

Our all natural personal skin care product brings comforting relief to sufferers of many skin irritations. 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 inflam-mation. The proprietory blend of homeopathics go even deeper, address the root causes and assist to bring even deeper toxins to the surface.

DermaClear has proven to be effective against:• Shingles • Psoriasis • Eczema• Burns • Allergic Rash • Jock Itch • Stings • Insect Bites • and more

Have a Stubborn Skin Disorder and Tried Everything Else?Finally there is a solution, try Natural Awakenings DermaClear,

a natural, affordable skin repair salve.

Order Online Today atNAWebstore.com or call 888-822-0246

Wholesale Pricing Available to Stores and Practitioners

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SHALVA CLINIC, LLCEllen M. Lewis, ND, Director 260 Riverside Ave, Westport 203-916-4600 • ShalvaClinic.org

Dr. Lewis offers comprehensive holistic care for women including well-women exams, fertility, thyroid and menopause support. She also has a special interest in pediatrics and utilizes a variety of natural modalities when working

with patients with ADD/ADHD, autism, allergies, eczema and asthma. Treatments include herbal medicine, functional medicine, biotherapeutic drainage, homeopathy and more. See ad page 8.

WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLCAdam Breiner, ND, Director Elena Sokolova, MD, ND David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN Fairfield/Trumbull town line 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com

Using state-of-the-art science combined with centuries-old healing modalities, our caring naturopathic doctors correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself. Treatment protocols or therapies include: Abdominal Manual Therapy, Acupuncture, Allergy Desensitization, Chinese Medicine, Colonics and other Detoxification Pro toco l s , E lec t ro -Dermal Screening, Energy Medicine, FDA-cleared Phototherapy, Functional Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hormonal Balancing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Metabolic Typing, Nutritional Assessment, Real-Time EEG Neurofeedback and other therapies. See ad page 2.


NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER Lisa Singley, ND, MS 2103 Main St, Ste #2, Stratford 203-874-4333 [email protected] • NHAWC.com

We use advanced diagnostic testing with safe, effective, all-natural healing modalities and treatment options to treat acute and chronic conditions, restore balance and treat the mind, body and spirit. Specialists in endocrine

disorders, digestive issues, pain management and chronic fatigue. We offer comprehensive solutions to prevent illness and maintain optimal health for body, mind and spirit.

DR. MARINA YANOVER, ND, LAC 1300 Post Rd East, Westport 203-255-5005 • BigAppleHealth.com

N a t u r o p a t h i c M e d i c i n e , Acupuncture , Craniosacral Therapy, Natural Face Lift using microcurrent therapy. Specialties inc lude Fami ly Medic ine , Women’s Health, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pain Man-

agement, Skin Care. Insurance accepted.

NORTHEAST NATURAL MEDICINE, LLCShawn M. Carney, ND19 Church Hill Rd, Ste 1, Newtown800-723-2962 • NortheastNatMed.com

Integrative naturopathic medicine clinic and therapeutic massage center for the whole family. Services inc lude advanced diagnostic testing, detoxification programs, personalized nutrition and botanicals. Insurance accepted.

MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, NDWellness Institute1 Westport Ave, Norwalk203-847-2788 • DrMarvinSchweitzer.com

Family Health Care using all natural therapies for 25 years. Acupuncture , Bio-Ident ical Hormones, Homeopathy, Chinese/Western Herbs, Allergy/Toxin Testing, Oxygen Therapy, Meridian Stress Assessment, Nutrition/Enzyme Therapies. See ad page 20.

ORGANIC MATTRESSES & BEDDING

ORGANIC SLEEP BY SLEEP ETC.508 Main Ave, Norwalk • 203-846-223355 High Ridge Rd, Stamford • 203-323-1509

Founded in 1947, Sleep Etc now offers a new line of

socially responsible bedding products, including higher quality, more comfortable and, longer-lasting mattresses. See ad page 9.

THE CLEAN BEDROOM79 West Putnam Ave, Greenwich203-292-9275 | 866-380-5892TheCleanBedroom.com

T h e C l e a n Bedroom is

an organic and all-natural mattress and bedding resource with seven showrooms, including its new location in Greenwich. Through its showrooms and web site, eco-minded shoppers gain insight to create a healthier sleep environment. See ad page 23.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

PHYSICAL THERAPY OF SOUTHERN CT Linda Maude, PT 917 Bridgeport Ave, Shelton203-926-6997 • PhysicalTherapySoCT.com

Specializing in evaluation & treatment of musculoskeletal imbalance & injuries. Results achieved that traditional physical therapy may not. Therapeutic approaches such as manual therapy, cranialsacral, visceral

manipulation and vestibular rehab. State of the art facility for strengthening & overall rehabilitation.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

DENI WEBER, MA, LPC, D-CEP Holistic Psychotherapist Comprehensive Energy Psychology Fairfield County 203-544-6094 • DeniWeber.com

Within a supportive, empathic r e l a t i o n s h i p D e n i g u i d e s individuals on their journey of self-discovery integrating psychology, Eastern medicine and spirituality to heal suffering from traumatic stress related to chronic

illness, disabilities, abuse & PTSD.


PSYCHOTHERAPY

JUDITH BARR, LPC, CCMHCBrookfield 203-775-5006 • JudithBarr.com PowerAbusedPowerHealed.com

At its heart, psychotherapy is soul-work, which helps you reconnect with wounded, buried parts of yourself, finally healing, becoming your true Self – heartful, matured, full. This is not quick-fix, band-aid work. Do yourself justice – mind,

body, heart, soul. Journey safely to your Self with Judith. See ad page 37.

MARIA C. CASTILLO, MSW, LCSW238 Monroe Tpke, Ste B, Monroe203-445-8966 • [email protected] LifeBetweenLivesTherapy.com

Past Life Regression, trained by Brian Weiss, MD. Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy, trained by TNI and Michael Newton, PhD. Traditional psychotherapy with a spiritual approach; Reiki. Connect with your soul self and let your

inner wisdom guide you.

ROBIN ORDAN, LCSWFamily, Child, Individual & Couples TherapyOld Greenwich/Stamford203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLCSW.com

Robin has more than 18 years of experience working with families and children. Specializing in Divorce, Parent/Child Conflict, Grief, Attachment/Bonding, Child

Development and Parenting. See ad page 30.

VICTORIA SHAW, PHDIntuitive Psychotherapist 3 Hollyhock Ln, Wilton • 203-210-5700 VictoriaShawPsychotherapy.com VictoriaShawintuitive.com

I combine the best of traditional psychotherapy with intuitive guid-ance in my work with children, teens and adults. My goal is to connect clients with their own in-ner source of strength, wisdom and healing. See ad page 19.

REIKI

EMBODY THE SACRED®

Deana Paqua, MA, LMT 203-994-5045 EmbodyTheSacred.net

Turn your deepest pain or trauma into your greatest strength. Shamanic Reiki, Usui/Karuna® Reiki, Shamanic Healing and Bodywork. Offerings in Ridgefield, Danbury and NY areas.

GIGI BENANTI, USUI REIKI MASTERAngelic Healing Center7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk203-852-1150 • AngelHealReiki.com

Gigi is an experienced Reiki Master/Teacher. She offers all levels of Reiki training monthly. All classes and Reiki sessions include the latest techniques including Karuna®, Angelic and Jikiden Reiki.

THE LIGHT OF HAPPINESS REIKI AND WELLNESSDeborah Arconti, LPN, RMT, IARP Reiki Master/Teacher Advance Practice IET™ Danbury • 203-470-0635 TheLightOfHappiness.com

Specializing in Reiki and IET™ sessions for mind, body and spirit connections. IET™ “Integrated Energy Therapy” uses angelic connections for soothing results. Teaching all levels of small Usui Reiki classes, experienced in

training healthcare professionals.

TURNING POINT REIKI, LLC JoAnn Duncan, MS, RMT Reiki Master Ridgefield • 203-438-3050TurningPointReiki.com TurningPointShare.com

JoAnn uses intuition, experience and a deep spiritual connection in her Reiki, IET and Reconnective Healing sessions. Specializing in care for individuals with Cancer, Lyme disease and Back Pain. All Reiki levels taught.

VIRGINIA TRINQUE, USUI REIKI MASTER844-733-1330, Danbury [email protected] VirginiasHealthyLiving.com

Virginia is a Reiki Master/Teacher with years of experience healing children and adults. Specializing in physical and spiritual pain relief and “body and soul integration” for easier living in this world. Usui Reiki classes offered for Master

level, Levels I and II and Teacher Training. Sessions and classes held in a private, serene setting.

RESULTS COACHING

JEFF FORTEPEAK RESULTS COACHING2389 Main St, Glastonbury860-633-8555 • PeakResultsCoaching.com

Want to quickly improve your marriage or personal happiness? Hope is not a strategy for success. Call to learn proven strategies to overcome your life challenges. See ad page 14.

SOLAR ENERGY

PUREPOINT ENERGY28 Knight St, Norwalk 203-642-4105 • PurePointEnergy.com

PurePoint Energy is dedicated to providing quality solar electric projects that make our

clients’ lives, our communities and our planet a better place. See ad, page 25.

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING

BETH PRINS LEASTransformative Healing • Tarot Offices in Norwalk & Ridgefield 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com • TLCTarot.com

If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels - greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 20 years intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot.

See ad page 19.

HEART’S DESIRE [email protected] TheHDMethod.com

The Heart’s Desire Method – 7 Steps to making your dreams come true. Bring high- definition focus on what you want in all areas – work, family, relationships and money. By

energizing the healing power of the authentic self, you will lead a happier, more peaceful and fulfilling life.



displayadvertiserindexAcupuncture Center/Ingri Boe-Wiegaard 22

Acupuncture Healing CT/Jody Eisemann 19

ARC Sacred Center 7

Associates in Family Chiropractic and Natural Health Care 6

Awaken Wellness Fair 14

Judith Barr 37

Beyond Touch/Roberta Russell 22

Bistro Seven Extra Virgin Olive Oil 47

Black Rock Holistic Health Center 22

The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Medical 2

The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Dental 2

The Center for Naturopathic Medicine/Susan Rzucidlo, ND 65

Chamomille Natural Foods 46

Children’s Dental Care 6

The Clean Bedroom 23

CLH Counseling/Cynthia Haupt 15

Coaching Excellence Institute 36

The Computer Fairy 13

DermaClear 75

Destination Wellness Health Expo 36

Dog Gone Smart 56

Michael E. Doyle, MD/ Stamford Integrative Medicine 12

Eyecare Associates 35

Farm2Jars 47

Final Journey LLC 53

Fine-Light/Westport Chiropractic 11

Finger Lakes School of Massage 26

Debra Gibson, ND 32

The Graduate Institute 80

Green Powder 39

Growing Solutions 38

Eliana Grubel 41

Hands & Paws Reiki for All 61

Holistic Holiday at Sea 79

The Honest Kitchen 55

Housatonic Valley Waldorf School 32

Hunter Healing Hands 13

Ifloat 19

Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Bakery 40

Kempo Karate 49

Kindred Spirits 38

The Last Resort 61

Beth Prins Leas 19

Lipo-Light/Westport Chiropractic 15

Liver Medic 39

Mind-Body Transformation 18

Mrs. Greens Natural Markets 44

Nature’s Temptations Healthy Food Market 41

Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic 59

Olivette 47

Robin Ordan, LMT 21

Robin Ordan, LCSW 30

Organic Sleep at Sleep Etc 9

Pangaea Massage 13

Passage East Boarding Kennels 57

Peak Results Coaching/Jeff Forte 14

Personal Wellness Center/ Sage Osa 30

Charles Possick 51

Prescription4Wellness/Mary Gilbertson 21

PurePoint Energy 25

Riverside Obstetrics & Gynecology 10

ROAR Paws for the Cause 55

Salon Aponte 11

Saltana Cave 11

SAVOR Healthy Pizza 3

Shalva Clinic/Ellen Lewis, ND 8

Simple Scallion 41

Victoria Shaw, PhD 19

Soul Focus/Mela Rispoli 21

SOUND Center 34

STARS Fall Festival 58

Sticks & Stones Farm 44

Synergy Salon 13

Thrive Results Coaching/Kristina Hess 19

TLC Dog Trainer 53

Total Life Care Center 19

Touch of Sedona 8

Unity Center for Practical Spirituality 68

University of Bridgeport Clinics 37

Valley Vet Hospital 54

Wellness Institute/Marvin Schweitzer, ND 20

Westbrook Nature School 36

Westport Farmers’ Market 41

Whole Foods 31

Winding Drive 47

Worden Wellness Center 16

Xlear 66

X to Rays 49

Yoga2LifeCoaching/Alzbeta Peskova 21

Young Living Essential Oils 39

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[email protected] (US): 1-800-496-0989

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Join our 12th annual Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise for 7 nights on the beautiful, new MSC Divina, one of the most elegant & ecologically-friendly cruise liners on the seas. Bask in gracious Italian hospitality & service all while enjoying inspiring lectures &

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Islands; Cozumel, Mexico & sunny Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Learn more about the classes, cuisine & itinerary at holisticholidayatsea.com.

Best-selling author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease; starred in the film Forks Over Knives; featured on CNN special “The Last Heart Attack”

Co-author of The China Study and author of Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition; featured in the film Forks Over Knives

Food options for everyone -vegan, gluten-free,oil-free, and ship’s menu

Dancing, socials & singles eventsVegan pizza & ice cream partiesCancer support group & recovery panel

Award-winningenvironmentally-friendly ship

Swim, snorkel & kayak in thecrystal waters of the Caribbean

Daily yoga, meditation, Pilates,Qi Gong, Do-In, running, fitness& body building classes

Private consultations& treatments available

Continuing Education Credits(CMEs & CEUs) will be available

35 teachers135 lectures & workshops9 cooking classes, 4 intensives

Physician, author, & internationally-recognized speaker on nutrition; founded NutritionFacts.org; spoke at Congress, on Dr. Oz, & the Colbert Report

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Join 1700 Like-Minded Vegans


The Graduate Institute Offers Unique Masters and Certifi cate Programs in Emerging Fields of InquiryFinding your community is the fi rst step in the journey. Experience supportive, collaborative learning at TGI.

Looking To Transform Your Interest In Health And Wellness Into A Meaningful Career?

Call 203-874-4252 today to make an appointment with an admissions counselor, or email [email protected],or attend an upcoming Information Session at our campus

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