Educators and parents alike are taking notice of the stress that surrounds our children on a daily basis. The stressors and demands of modern American society leaves students at a disadvantage that can only be remedied by a significant change in the way we structure and approach teaching and learning. However, while well intentioned, the current nationally imposed reform efforts have led to increased levels of anxiety, frustration and stress amongst educators. Moreover, contending with students’ increasing levels of anxiety, depression and stress to succeed in a competitive world have led to unprecedented educator absenteeism and burnout. Not surprisingly,...

As summer wanes and the days begin to shorten, thoughts turn from beach trips and family vacations to classrooms and textbooks. For children, it’s the beginning of another school year, with the associated mixed bag of emotions ranging from enthusiasm to dread. For parents, it’s renewed focus on keeping those kids healthy and doing the best possible to support their academic success. It is important to remember how closely overall health is related to doing well at school. Beyond just accumulating sick days, an unwell child will be more distracted, more fatigued, and less likely to be able to...

Adults frequently say, “Go play outside,” to their children without fully realizing the benefits that can come from outdoor play and getting dirty. Digging into dirt can have significant physical health benefits. Exposure to a range of bacteria is essential to human health and building up immunity, especially in children. Luckily there’s a fast-track solution for anyone seeking to get out of hyper-sanitized environments: soil! A single teaspoon of rich garden soil contains more than 1 billion bacteria. Let them dig. They might get messy and dirty, and the bathwater at the end of the day might turn brown....

Recent studies seem to indicate that ADHD is on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cases of ADHD are up 42 percent from the previous decade. Whether this rise is due to environmental factors, increased awareness, or over diagnosis, parents everywhere are wringing their hands. The lack of focus, impulsivity, and hyperactive behavior can have serious implications for kids’ academic performance, not to mention the many adults who find that the same symptoms are hindering their own success. Yet putting your child on ADHD medication (or going on it yourself) is a serious step...

“The purpose of treating hypothyroidism is to maintain normal metabolism by correcting a deficient output of thyroid hormone. Once replacement therapy begins, the thyroid will stop producing hormones all together, and replacement must be continued for life. Many patients…have reported benefits from practicing a yoga pose called the Shoulder Stand . . . which increases circulation to the thyroid….Hold as long as comfortable, slowly working up to 5 minutes a day. Don’t do this pose if you are pregnant or menstruating… if you have glaucoma, sinus problems or high blood pressure. The Shoulder Stand may be more effective if...

Millions of Americans suffer from fatigue, weight gain, depression, and cognitive impairment. Many believe that they have no choice but to accept these seemingly “age-related” declines in quality of life. Underachieve thyroid (hypothyroidism) is often overlooked or misdiagnosed and can be the underlying cause of these symptoms.    ~ Lifeextension.com Hypothyroidism is definitely a major stress. Subnormal body temperature and too little thyroid hormone can reduce the strength and resistance of every cell, including the billions involved in the immune system.    ~ Stephen Langer, MD, Solved: The Riddle      of Illness Do you feel like you’re completely falling apart? If so,...

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are safe and effective modalities to restore and maximize women’s health. Acupuncture can be used for girls and women through all phases of life. According to the theory of TCM, Qi (pronounced “chee”) is the vital energy that travels through the body to all cells and organs through pathways called meridians. When Qi and blood are of adequate quantity and are free flowing health is present. However, when Qi or blood are inadequate or channels become blocked disharmony and disease follow. If Qi and blood become stagnant dampness and heat can lead to...

Women do not come from Venus, or Men from Mars. That common, alienated perspective makes us feel like aliens to each other! No wonder our most loving relationships are often overwhelmed with strife. Intimate relationships encompass our sexual gender as men and women, but also at play are the larger archetypes of feminine and masculine. The complex interaction of these four isn’t easily grasped. For example, women might prefer men as their intimate partners, and vice versa. Why—because of the obviousness of our biological genders, intended to join in procreation. However, sometimes women most recognize the dynamic of feminine-masculine...

For thousands of years, Chinese medicine techniques have consisted of using ancient healing methods to maintain health, beauty, and longevity. Mei Zen Cosmetic acupuncture is a form of acupuncture that uses traditional needling techniques to help slow down the aging process and naturally rejuvenate the face. Mei Zen means “beautiful person” in Chinese. What is unique about the Mei Zen technique is that it not only treats the face, but also treats the whole body and constitution of an individual including the mind, body and spirit. This technique is a safe, natural and non-invasive way to achieve the greatest...

For many of us, the idea of reducing grain in our diet is not very exciting… what will we nosh on? There is something very nourishing about eating something spongy and soft and warm! The following recipe is one that I have ‘worked on’ for the last year. After MANY revisions, this recipe is pretty close to perfect—it definitely fills a void for me and my family!!! Paleo Banana Bread Ingredients: ½ cup cassava flour 1/3 cup tapioca starch 1/3 cup potato starch ½ cup flax meal (preferably freshly made) ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2...

This business spotlight is our fifth in a series recognizing local holistic practitioners and businesses that are celebrating 10 years in 2017. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jessica Pizano of Fit to You to discuss her inspiration and success. DH: Why did you want to start your own business vs working for someone else? JP: For me it was a matter of creating the proper environment for my clients. I had always worked out of other people’s offices including a personal training studio and a naturopathic office. I wanted to create an office space that was...

I have a love/hate relationship with meat. I love how it keeps me satisfied and sustains my husband, a competitive cyclist. To be honest, it has just been easier to eat animal protein because I grew up with it and was used to centering my meals around it. But the more I learn about current industrial animal farming in our society, the more concerned I become. I lament its effects on the environment and water supply, its lack of sustainability, and the cruel and unhealthful way our industrialized meat is raised and harvested. I’m even concerned about the potential...

It’s a common story: You wake up before dawn, rush to the airport and arrive with only a few minutes to spare before boarding. Glancing around, you realize many breakfast options aren’t available. You think to yourself, a bagel sounds really delicious right about now. After all, it is vacation! Unfortunately, the bagel leaves you feeling bloated, foggy and fatigued. You forgot to grab a snack, so you eat the free ones the flight attendant gives you. When you finally check into your hotel, you’re tired and starving and there’s no way you want to go to the gym....

One of the most common patient concerns voiced in the office is, “I want to lose weight.” Most patients have already tried a combination of various medications, crash diets, surgeries and exercise regimens with limited, if any, success. Success rates are so low because there are many complex pathways and chemical messengers mediating the body’s ability to optimize metabolic processes and body composition. The majority of weight loss resistance is centered in the regulation of hormones. The calorie-in/calorie-out theory has been widely disproven, yet remains a dominant misconception regarding diet and weight loss. Calories do matter, but the updated...

Tucked away in a cozy plaza in Newtown is an amazing farm-to-table restaurant that focuses on delivering fresh local food in a warm and welcoming setting. As soon as you walk into The Farmhouse Restaurant you are greeted like family. They have a gorgeous dining area with floor to ceiling windows where you can watch the sun go down, relax and enjoy a spectacular meal. Executive Chef and Owner Winnie Togonon joined with Michele Carrino-Hanson and Michael McGetrick to create a true farm-to-table dining experience for their community. Chef Winnie is no stranger to the culinary arts industry and...

Are you a spiritual being having a human being experience? If you are, then it would make sense that a success strategy provided by the Divine would apply to any endeavor in your life. For example, the Divine’s success strategy can be applied to developing happy relationships, designing a career strategy or a new business, creating a community event, or manifesting healing from illness or addiction. Here are the six stages of success from the view of the spiritual journey – because that is how I learned them. One day, I was driving in my car and I heard...

Taking care of your skin is so important – and so easy!, Once you start, it quickly becomes a daily routine, just like brushing your teeth. However, sometimes we need a little guidance in deciding what regimen is best for us. This is where your esthetician or skincare professional can be helpful. Time is sometimes an obstacle for people who can’t follow a daily skincare routine. If you really think about it, it only takes 3 to 4 minutes to properly do the minimum three steps; cleanse, tone and moisturize. It’s really not a lot of time to get...

Let’s face it, running has become a growing community over the past 10 years. New ways to get individuals up and active is key to why this sport is now so popular. For some people, running is an occasional activity that is completed to incorporate cardiovascular health into their lives; but for others running is much more than that, it’s a way of life. Being a marathoner is a strange addiction. The love of fatiguing your body to push yourself to new limits is what many enjoy about the “runner’s high” they receive when completing a race. So why...

Residents of Connecticut and beyond enjoyed some of the state’s best food and drink at the First Annual West Hartford Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, June 17th at Kingswood Oxford School. Attendees were treated to more than 30 wine tables featuring 250+ wines from local, national & world-renowned brands, food from 30+ top area restaurants, and live entertainment, that helped raise funds for select Independent Schools in West Hartford. It truly was a fantastic event and if you weren’t there…you definitely missed a great one. Eat IN Connecticut, who helped out with the festival planning and was tasked...

Anti-Aging Medicine attempts to improve health, not just treat illness. When you went for a check-up with your doctor were you told, “everything is fine”? What does that mean? What it means is that your doctor didn’t find a disease that you are suffering from now. The effects of aging aren’t seen as a medical problem, and therefore not in the realm of anything that your doctor will deal with other than prescribe medication for symptoms as they arise. With the application of Anti-Aging Medicine treatments some disease processes can be at least partially reversed. Maintaining Youthful Vitality 1....

We live in Connecticut which is home to Lyme and, ironically, Hadlyme. It seems there is not a person in the state who has not either had Lyme or at least known someone suffering from this brutal disease. It is an infection that brings with it a series of brutal symptoms that are both related to the actual Borrelia burgdorferi infection and secondary to our own immune response. There are so many schools of thought on this disease and how to both diagnose and treat it. Then there are the co-infections that must be contended with including Borrelia, Ehrlichia,...