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NOVEMBER 2026
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Publisher’s Letter
Friends, SOUTH JERSEY EDITION Owner/Publisher Shae Marcus Associate Publisher Monica DelliSanti Bookkeeper Karen Pabellano Editors Sara Gurgen Randy Kambic Nancy Smith Seigle Design & Production Suzzanne M. Siegel Marketing & Media Coordinator Len Camante
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November always brings conversations about gratitude. We gather around tables, count our blessings and remind ourselves of everything we have to be thankful for. Yet lately, I’ve been thinking about the gratitude that doesn’t come wrapped in a holiday or tied up with a pretty bow. Instead, my thoughts have been on the kind that shows up on an ordinary Tuesday, in an unexpected conversation, a small act of kindness or even a difficult moment that teaches us something we didn’t know we needed to learn. Sometimes, the things we end up being most grateful for aren’t what we would have chosen in the first place.
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As I get older, I’m learning that gratitude isn’t about pretending life is perfect. It’s more about appreciating the messy, beautiful, unpredictable life happening right in front of us—and perhaps most importantly, recognizing that some of our greatest gifts aren’t things at all.
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This thought is woven throughout this month’s issue.
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Our cover story, “Growing Our Capacity for Gratitude,” explores how thankfulness can become more than a passing feeling. With a little intention and practice, it can change how we experience everyday life, including the challenging parts. In my article, “The Gratitude We Carry Home,” I share something travel has taught me time and time again: The places we visit may take our breath away, but it’s often the people we meet that leave the deepest impression. Sometimes we travel halfway around the world only to discover what matters most was never very complicated to begin with. With Thanksgiving around the corner, we’re also sharing fresh ideas for healthier holiday favorites, along with thoughtful, sustainable gift-giving inspiration. You’ll find stories about building strength for the years ahead, understanding why we sometimes put everyone else’s needs before our own, and supporting the people and animals who depend on us. Different topics, perhaps, but all connected by a simple idea: Living well means caring for ourselves, one another and the world around us. Before the holiday rush begins, I also want to say thank you—to our readers that pick up this magazine month after month, our advertisers that believe in what we do, and the wellness community that makes South Jersey such a special place to call home. You are the reason these pages exist. My wish for you this Thanksgiving is that you find joy in the big celebrations, but even more gratitude in the little moments between them. Because sometimes the ordinary days turn out to be the extraordinary ones. With gratitude,
Natural Awakenings is printed on partially recycled and fully recyclable newsprint with black soy ink.
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Contents Departments 8 News Briefs 10 Health Briefs 12 Global Briefs 14 Inspiration 16 Feature Story 20 Conscious Eating 22 Fit Body 24 Healing Ways 26 Mindful Journeys 28 Wise Words 30 Healthy Kids 32 Green Living 34 Natural Pet 36 Calendar 36 Classifieds 37 Resource Guide
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13 Homeopathy Myths 14 108 Reasons to Be Grateful 16 Growing Our Capacity for Gratitude 20 Healthy Swaps for the Holiday Table 22 Building Strength for Life 24 The Prediabetes Wake-Up Call 26 The Gratitude We Carry Home 28 When People-Pleasing Is About Survival 30 Helping Children Navigate Loss 32 How Trees Make Rain 34 Safe Havens for Happy Dogs and Cats
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Passionate about Your Total Wellness
Prevention is the hallmark of good healthcare. As your proactive partner in health, I am devoted to helping you and your family stay healthy. At The Institute for Medical Wellness, we integrate traditional family care with holistic and complementary medicine to treat the whole person for a healthy heart, mind and body. Our balanced, caring approach empowers you to tap into your body’s natural ability to heal by addressing the root cause of illness – not just medicating symptoms.
Service and Testing: We offer: Advanced Wellness Testing Direct Primary Care Compassionate, supportive, nonLow Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for rushed Office Visits autoimmune disease and the prevention Nutrition and Supplement of recurring cancers Counseling Please visit our website to sign Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Counseling up for our free newsletter Functional genetic testing and evaluation
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News Briefs
Find Deeper Joy With The Art of a Centered Life Inner Peace Specialist Meryl Hayton explores how gratitude can nurture emotional balance, deeper connections and lasting fulfillment in The Art of a Centered Life, a new book and workbook she co-authored, available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. The work combines practical wisdom, somatic self-inquiry and daily reflective practices designed to help readers balance purpose, passion and play.
Meryl Hayton
For Meryl, gratitude is more than a daily exercise in thankfulness. It is a lived, somatic practice that can help regulate the nervous system, open the heart and encourage greater harmony in relationships. “When you tune your energy to gratitude, you naturally draw in authentic alignment, deeper bonds with loved ones, mutual respect and a grounded sense of joy,” says Meryl. Through reflection and intentional practice, gratitude becomes a way to move beyond everyday stress and reconnect with what matters most. “Whether you seek to mend strained interactions or cultivate meaningful joy, grounding yourself in gratitude offers a powerful path back home to yourself,” adds Meryl. For more information, visit www.MerylHayton.com or follow @Meryl Hayton on Instagram.
A Space For Us Seeks Wellness Practitioners A Space For Us Counseling Inc., in Gloucester City, is seeking a licensed nutrition professional, licensed acupuncturist and qualified herbalist to join its counseling team and support an integrated approach to mental health and wellness. “Our work brings mental health and wellness together, with cultural responsiveness and accessibility at the heart of how we care for our community,” says practice founder Dr. Keana Fairfax. “We want people to feel welcome and respected, and to receive support that takes their backgrounds, traditions and everyday lives into account.” The practice is looking for practitioners that take time to listen, welcome questions, and respect different beliefs about health and healing. Fairfax also emphasizes the importance of recognizing practical barriers to care, including cost, language and scheduling, and working collaboratively to address them. Location: 535 Monmouth St. Practitioners interested in exploring opportunities may call 609-920-3848. For more information, visit www.ASpaceForUsCounseling.com.
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Discover Why Neck and Shoulder Discomfort Keeps Coming Back South Jersey Physical Therapy and Functional Wellness (SJPT) will host a free 90-minute workshop, titled Why Neck and Shoulder Discomfort Keeps Returning, beginning at 10 a.m. on November 21 at its Marlton office. The event will explore how the neck, shoulders and upper back work together and how everyday habits, including screen time, driving carrying Dr. Ken Cheng and bags, can affect posture and contribute to tension. “Neck and shoulder discomfort doesn’t have to be accepted as an inevitable part of getting older,” says owner Dr. Ken Cheng. “Understanding how daily habits affect the body is an important step toward moving more comfortably.” Participants will leave with simple strategies to try at home to help improve mobility and manage discomfort. Time will also be available for questions. Location: 270 N. Elmwood Rd., Ste. H-100. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 609-845-3585 or visit www.SouthJerseyPT.com.
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Health Briefs
Anhedonia, the inability to feel joy or pleasure, is a common and dangerous symptom of depression that develops when the brain’s reward system (a network of neural structures) becomes less responsive to positive experiences. A recent study in JAMA Network Open reports that positive affect treatment (PAT), a 15-week psychotherapy targeting this reward system, effectively treats depression and anxiety. Training patients to find joy, connection and meaning significantly outperformed negative affect treatment (NAT), which focuses on reducing negative emotions.
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During the study, 98 patients with moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety, along with severe anhedonia, were randomly assigned to receive weekly sessions of either PAT or NAT. PAT patients were instructed to initiate and deeply savor pleasurable activities, while NAT patients focused on threat processing and reducing negative emotions. Participants provided weekly reports on behavioral, physiological, reward and threat measures. The results demonstrated that PAT’s reward-focused intervention led to greater reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms than NAT.
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Pleasant Experiences Relieve Depression
Why Women’s Pain Lasts Longer
Adult men and women experience pain for different durations, and research in Science Immunology reveals why women’s pain persists longer than men’s. The study analyzed data from 172 women and 73 men that had visited the emergency room for traumatic injuries, primarily from car accidents. Patients rated their pain at the time of injury and again at eight and 12 weeks post-injury. Blood samples were also examined. The researchers found that men reported faster pain relief compared to women, and that the men’s blood contained higher levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), a signaling protein that reduces swelling and tissue damage during an immune response. Lab experiments on mice by the same researchers indicated that higher levels of male sex hormones, specifically testosterone, directly boosted IL-10 production. When female mice had their ovaries replaced with dihydrotestosterone pellets, their IL-10 levels increased, and their pain recovery time significantly shortened. Using testosterone patches or other methods to enhance IL-10 production could potentially strengthen the body’s innate immune system to alleviate pain more quickly. Additional research and development are needed.
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Health Briefs
Yo-Yo Dieting and Health
Yo-yo dieting is a global phenomenon. About half of adults are trying to lose weight, but many regain substantial weight once they stop dieting, leading to repeated cycles of loss and gain. A comprehensive review published this May in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology analyzed decades of observational data, clinical trials and animal models. The findings showed no evidence that weight cycling permanently slows metabolism, causes disproportionate muscle loss or results in long-term harm to obese patients.
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The researchers noted that regaining weight typically returns health and metabolic markers to pre-dieting levels, causing dieters to lose the temporary health improvements they experienced when they were lighter. Professor Faidon Magkos, of the University of Copenhagen, a co-author of the study, stated that the benefits of attempting weight loss outweigh the theoretical risks of weight cycling.
November arrives with a grateful heart, harvest’s abundance, a season’s art.
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—Catherine Pulsifer
November 2026
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Global Briefs
Better Outlook for Organic Honey
A Cornell University study published in Science of the Total Environment established 72 organically managed bee colonies across six large organic farms in the Northeast. Each colony was surrounded by 56 to 93 percent natural or semi-natural spaces, including forests, wetlands and fallow fields within an approximate two-mile radius. The researchers found that the bees foraged a median distance of less than half a mile from their hives.
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After testing the nectar for 96 pesticide residues and comparing it to 20 store-bought brands, researchers determined that the pesticide content was low and comparable to the certified-organic honeys, while residue levels were much higher in the conventional products. The study demonstrated that it is possible to produce clean honey even in relatively small organic farms and that strict buffer mandates may be unnecessarily large.
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Stringent regulations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture dissuades many farmers from participating in the organic honey market, but new research may lead to an easing of these restrictions, paving the way for an influx of new organic-honey manufacturers. Currently, apiaries must provide a nearly four-mile buffer zone of organic-certified or natural, undeveloped and uncultivated land for bees to forage, which can be difficult to locate. However, new research suggests that bees need only a fraction of that buffer to produce honey with extremely low or undetectable pesticide residues.
Burying Underwear for Science
Soil supports food production; stores water, carbon and nutrients; and provides habitats for more than half the world’s biodiversity, which is precipitously declining. To raise awareness about the importance of soil health and its biological activity, Swiss scientists recruited 1,000 volunteers to bury more than 2,000 pairs of cotton underwear and 12,000 tea bags across Switzerland. After two months, the materials were dug up, photographed and sent for analysis. The findings, published in Plants, People, Planet, reported that the underwear decomposed faster in healthy, microbe-rich soils. Gardens with large amounts of organic matter showed the fastest breakdown and lawns the slowest, while farm fields and meadows were in the middle. Biological activity was affected by the soil’s nutrient levels, temperature and moisture levels. “Our results show that how soil is managed can significantly affect both soil life and soil quality,” said Marcel van der Heijden, a study leader and professor of agroecology.
Recycling PVC Into Motor Oil
A recent study published in Nature reports on the development of a mild chemical process to upcycle PVC waste into polyalphaolefin, an ingredient used in various lubricants. This approach offers two potential environmental benefits: reducing plastic waste and sustainably producing high-performance base oils for industrial lubricants and engine oils. 12
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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a durable and versatile plastic that can be rigid or flexible, is used in many products, including pipes, vinyl flooring, electrical wire insulation, synthetic leather and shrink-wrap. Sixty million tons of PVC are produced each year, and because it can take more than 450 years to biodegrade, it contaminates soil and groundwater for centuries.
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Homeopathy Myths Refuting the Most Common Misconceptions by Christina Donka, CCH Myth: Homeopathy is just another name for herbal medicine. Homeopathic remedies come from natural sources, including plants and minerals. While an herbal tincture relies on measurable amounts of a plant or plants, a homeopathy remedy follows homeopathic principles and is prepared through a specific process of dilution and vigorous shaking. Myth: The pellets are nothing but sugar. Most homeopathic remedies come in the form of a tiny sugar pellet that dissolves under the tongue; this is simply the carrier. During manufacturing, the pellet is infused with the prepared homeopathic remedy.
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Myth: Nobody regulates these products. Under U.S. federal law, homeopathic remedies are classified as drugs, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversees their manufacture, marketing and sale. Myth: More is better. The opposite is true. The “minimum dose” principle dictates taking only enough of a remedy to spark a healing response. If
symptoms return, then the dose can be repeated, although it is best to check with a homeopathic practitioner. Myth: Homeopathy is only good for the sniffles. Colds, flu, sore throats, earaches, bumps and bruises are where most families begin, and that’s where a homeopathy home kit really shines. But homeopathy goes well beyond first aid. Myth: There is no research behind homeopathy. Thousands of studies on homeopathy have been published in medical journals, including clinical trials and laboratory research into the biological activity of highly diluted substances. This article is based on information in HomeopathyCenter.org. Christina Donka is executive director of the National Center for Homeopathy, providing education, resources and advocacy since 1974. To read an expanded version, visit TinyURL.com/ HomeopathyMythsNA or scan the QR code. Underwritten by Grato Health, in operation since 1987, dedicated to advancing health and wellness through natural, holistic solutions that support the body's ability to heal.
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Inspiration
108 Reasons to Be Grateful The Ancient Tradition of Mala Beads and Their Modern Meaning
C
onsider how 108 tiny beads can teach us about slowing down. For many centuries, Buddhist monks and spiritual practitioners have passed these beads between their fingers, using repetition to steady the mind and deepen awareness. Known as malas, these seemingly simple strands hold centuries of spiritual tradition—and a surprisingly practical lesson for modern life.
The number 108 is considered sacred across several Eastern traditions. In some Buddhist teachings, it represents mental afflictions practitioners seek to overcome on the path toward enlightenment. Although malas have distinct roots in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, prayer beads are also found in Christianity and Islam, reflecting a shared human desire to bring rhythm and focus to spiritual practice. 14
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Begin by sitting comfortably and taking several slow breaths. Hold the mala gently, starting with the bead beside the guru bead. Choose a mantra, prayer or affirmation, moving one bead with each repetition.
When the mind wanders—and it inevitably will—the next count or bead becomes an invitation to begin again. The goal isn’t to stop thinking, but to practice returning.
A Bead of Gratitude
The word mala comes from Sanskrit, meaning “garland.” Originating in ancient Indian spiritual traditions, malas became important in Hindu and Buddhist practices, particularly for japa, the repetition of sacred mantras or prayers.
According to the Tibetan Nuns Project, traditional Tibetan Buddhist malas contain 108 counting beads and a larger guru bead, which holds spiritual significance and marks the completion of a cycle.
How to Use a Mala
Some meditation techniques involve silently counting from one to three before beginning again, while traditional mala practices may continue through all 108 beads. Upon reaching the guru bead, practitioners may reverse direction rather than crossing over it.
The History Behind the Beads
Buddhist monks and practitioners use malas to maintain concentration while reciting mantras, moving from bead to bead without the distraction of keeping count mentally.
While full malas commonly contain 108 beads, shorter versions with 54 or 27 beads are also used.
Beyond traditional mantra practice, mala beads can inspire a daily gratitude ritual.
More Than Beautiful Beads
With each bead, acknowledge something worthy of appreciation. A loved one. A beautiful sunrise. An unexpected kindness. Even life’s smallest moments can become reminders of everyday blessings.
Sandalwood: Valued for its gentle fragrance and association with calmness and spiritual practice.
Finding 108 reasons to be grateful may seem challenging, particularly during difficult times. Yet, gratitude isn’t about pretending life is perfect. It’s about recognizing that beauty and kindness can exist alongside life’s challenges.
Traditionally crafted from natural materials, malas carry symbolic meanings associated with their origins.
Rudraksha Seeds: Sacred in Hindu traditions, particularly those devoted to Shiva, symbolizing spiritual discipline and protection. Bodhi Seeds: Connected to the Buddha’s enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, representing awakening and wisdom.
Perhaps the wisdom of the mala isn’t found in completing 108 repetitions, but in what happens between the first bead and the last: a wandering mind returning, a breath becoming steadier, and an ordinary moment receiving our full attention—one bead, one breath, one moment of gratitude at a time.
Gemstones: Amethyst, rose quartz and other stones are popular in contemporary malas, often associated with tranquility, compassion and intention.
April Willard is the owner of Zen Den on Main, located at 25 E. Main St., in Marlton, NJ. For more information, visit www.ZenDenOnMain.com.
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Feature Story
Growing Our Capacity for Gratitude How to Practice Thankfulness Every Day by Megy Karydes
G
ratitude comes in various forms. It can be stealthy (that sense of warmth when the sun breaks through after a gray week) or hard won (appreciating a short-tempered teenager). But researchers and practitioners agree that gratitude must be cultivated to become part of our daily routine. “Gratitude as a passing feeling is spontaneous,” says Brendan Cournane, a certified professional development coach specializing in well-being and mindfulness, and author of Seeking Serenity: Finding Happiness by Embracing Your Present Attitude. “Anybody who practices mindfulness or meditation has moments of gratitude daily, even several times a day, but that’s not the same as developing a practice.”
Build New Pathways in the Brain According to David R. Hamilton, Ph.D., a bestselling author and speaker on the science
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The distinction matters most, he emphasizes, during times when gratitude doesn’t come
naturally, such as when we’re late for work, blindsided by an angry spouse or absorbing someone else’s bad day. “By developing gratitude as a practice and as a part of our lives, we allow ourselves to pause and acknowledge that no matter how challenging this moment is, there is something to be grateful for.”
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are key: “I see the sunset. I hear the wind and the waves along the shore. I feel her hand’s touch. I smell the air from the water or trees in the park.”
of kindness and well-being, whose newest book is The Joy of Actually Giving a F*ck: How Kindness Can Cure Stress and Make You Happy, the key to turning any practice into a consistent habit is neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself based on repetition. “Anything that is consistent can shape your brain networks and build a habit. That’s when a gratitude practice becomes a habit,” he explains, comparing the concept to cutting a new trail across a cornfield. “There’s already a path that’s been made. But suppose you decide to walk another path. Initially, that takes a little bit of work. But as you walk it daily, it becomes a habit. The old path begins to overgrow because the brain doesn’t want to waste energy.”
The participants also reported more positive moods, greater optimism and less worry. Additional research summarized by the American Brain Foundation indicates that practicing gratitude activates the brain’s reward system, reduces the amygdala’s stress reactivity and, with repeated practice, reorganizes neural pathways between neurons.
Be Specific, Not General
Both experts agree that gratitude must be specific to truly resonate. “‘I’m grateful for my wife’ is too generic,” says Cournane. “Instead, ‘I’m grateful for my wife because we walked along the lakefront holding hands and enjoying the sunset’ is specific and activates more brain receptors.” Sensory details
Another powerful shift suggested by Cournane is saying, “I’m grateful my sister called when I felt overwhelmed and she reminded me I wasn’t alone,” instead of “I’m grateful for my family.” This specificity enhances the gratitude practice and its benefits.
Gratitude Is Not Forced Positivity
Neither Hamilton nor Cournane suggests that gratitude replaces grief or hardship. “When challenging things have happened, it’s like, ‘I’ve made it through this day. I managed to get out of bed this morning,’” says Hamilton. After his father’s death, his gratitude practice shifted. “I could remember all these great things about him, and that became something I could hold onto. We tend to only turn inside when we’re faced with difficulties and challenges in our life because there’s nothing else in the outside world that’s giving us any happiness. So all you’re left with is: ‘I’m still here.’” Cournane offers a psychological perspective on why gratitude helps during conflict or stress. “The brain cannot hold two opposite
Cournane observes a similar transformation in his coaching work: “We know through neuroplasticity that our brain waves can change, and by forming a gratitude practice, we can transform all of our circumstances into something more positive.” Hamilton and Cournane’s experiences align with research findings. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the einstein (São Paulo) journal, which analyzed 64 randomized clinical trials, found that gratitude interventions were associated with greater life satisfaction and significantly reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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Feature Story
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and soon half an hour or an hour will feel manageable,” counsels Cournane, who begins his daily gratitude practice by drinking a glass of water. “I appreciate having clean, fresh water, which not only is healthy for me but also reinforces the positive benefits I’m experiencing.”
Turn Thankfulness Into Action
Gratitude does not have to remain private, according to both practitioners. Hamilton points to research showing that people consistently misjudge the impact of a compliment. “We underestimate how grateful people would be if we paid them a compliment,” he says. “At the same time, we overestimate how much we think it will annoy them.” Voicing appreciation, he notes, can even have a physical effect: Connection triggers a release of oxytocin—the kindness hormone—that helps regulate blood pressure.
For families looking to build this habit together, Hamilton recommends a gratitude jar. Everyone writes what they’re thankful for on slips of paper throughout the year, then opens the jar on a meaningful date. This can become a very emotional bonding experience that the family may want to repeat every year.
Start Small, Stay Committed
Growing our capacity for gratitude requires practice. “Begin with 30 seconds or a minute,
Cournane shares a smaller, more recent example. When ordering a sandwich, the woman behind the counter said, “It looks like you’ve been working hard today, so you deserve a nice sandwich.” He returned the compliment and saw her face light up. “There’s a mutual respect, a mutual giveand-take that stimulates gratitude and other positive emotions within us,” he says.
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Habits Can Lead to Real Change
• The One-Memory Journal: Write three sentences about a specific moment of support, kindness or relief. • The Specific Thank-You: Clearly tell someone what they did and why it
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feelings or thoughts or emotions simultaneously. I can’t be angry and grateful at the same time,” he remarks, adding that seeking gratitude in difficult moments isn’t about denying the challenge. It’s about avoiding taking it out on the nearest person.
Psychologist Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, has dedicated much of his career to this field. In Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity, he describes sustained practice as a journey toward emotional prosperity—not the absence of hardship, but an inner richness and resilience regardless of circumstances. When practiced consistently and with specificity, gratitude is more than a mood; it is an infrastructure built one small, repeatable moment at a time until it becomes a natural path, like a well-trodden trail across a field.
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mattered. We underestimate how much it will mean to them. • The Gratitude Reframe. When stressed, ask, “What is still here to support me?” • The Gratitude-to-Behavior Step. Choose one thing to be grateful for and let it guide an action. This could be a text, a call, a note or a moment of patience. • Start Small. A daily and consistent practice, even if imperfect, is more effective than sporadic efforts. Megy Karydes is a Chicago-based writer and author of 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress.
As you awaken to your divine nature, you’ll begin to appreciate beauty in everything you see, touch and experience. —Wayne Dyer
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Conscious Eating
Healthy Swaps for the Holiday Table Thanksgiving Never Tasted So Good by Marlaina Donato gut-brain connection and inflammation regulation. The American Heart Association recommends using olive oil instead of butter, even in mashed potatoes; herbs and spices like rosemary and cloves instead of butter and salt; and whole-grain bread and pasta instead of white flour.
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Improving a Good Thing
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aking the Thanksgiving meal healthier does not mean sacrificing the flavor and traditions families and friends look forward to all year. Swapping in nutritious ingredients is an act of love, a way to care for the people gathered around the table while still honoring the dishes and memories that make the holiday meaningful. With a little planning, delicious culinary adjustments are simple to execute. Ingredient replacements should be viewed as a celebration of abundance rather than deprivation, as they add colors, herbs, textures and more energy after the meal. Ideas include blending cauliflower into mashed potatoes, using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, brightening dishes with herbs and citrus zest instead of heavy gravies, adding crunchy greens and seasonal salads, and sweetening desserts with fruit, monk fruit, stevia or smaller amounts of honey or maple syrup.
Good Vibes and a Healthy Heart
A balanced holiday plate that combines lean protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates can support increased energy, mood, mental clarity and emotional regulation, especially during a time that can bring stress, along with joy. According to Harvard Health Publishing, diet directly impacts mood and brain function through the 20
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“Food and recipes are meant to be adapted, and just because grandma made it one way doesn’t mean you can’t give it your own spin,” says Kathryn Doherty, in Charlotte, North Carolina, a recipe creator, cookbook author and founder of FamilyFoodOnTheTable.com. “I happily put my lightened-up twist on old favorites and find ways to adapt classic recipes to work for my family.” Jesse Lane Lee, from Toronto, a holistic nutritionist, corporate wellness educator, cookbook author and founder of JesseLaneWellness.com, has the perfect healthy replacement for a dish most Americans wouldn’t dream of forgoing. “Mashed cauliflower is much faster and easier to make than traditional mashed potatoes,” she explains. “If you aren’t a big fan of cauliflower, try swapping the sour cream you add to your mashed potatoes with plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt adds a satisfying tang, as well as extra protein.” Sara Tercero, from Massachusetts, a plant-based chef, cookbook author and founder of BetterFoodGuru.com, welcomes the opportunity to surprise and delight guests with flavorful substitutions, noting, “These switches can shave off hundreds of calories and make meals more balanced, while barely changing a recipe’s taste or texture.” She relies on spices and vinegars to bring out the flavor of vegetables, helping them take center stage at the holiday table. Stuffing made with gluten-free grains and brown lentils can be surprisingly delicious without the carb crash of a traditional bread-based recipe. Instead of calorie-laden mac and cheese, add puréed butternut squash to high-protein or whole wheat pasta for a delightful, nutrient-rich twist. And a buttery, white flour-thickened gravy pales in comparison to a creamy sauce made with roasted carrots, parsnips, onions and celery blended in a low-sodium broth with sage, thyme and black pepper. Support the Small Businesses that Advertise in NASJ
Dessert Reimagined
Topping a sweet potato casserole with a nut streusel instead of marshmallows is one of Doherty’s holiday favorites. By combining chopped pecans with a touch of butter, modest amounts of brown sugar and cinnamon, she is able to replace the empty calories of the traditional topping with healthy fats and antioxidants while also adding satisfying texture and complexity to the dish. Doherty is also strategic about her homemade cranberry sauce. “Adding fresh orange juice and some honey helps add sweetness and flavor and allows you to use less granulated sugar. Start small, taste as you go and see how much sugar you really need,” she advises, adding that honey or naturally sweet fruit such as bananas or dates are healthier choices for desserts. Pure maple syrup is Tercero’s go-to sweetener. “I also like to add in something that will make the dessert moist, like apple sauce or tahini, because it gives more depth of flavor than oil and sugar,” she says, noting that chia or flax seeds with water (instead of eggs) and avocado (instead of butter or shortening) can also keep vegan baked goods moist and fluffy while adding nutrition. Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and composer. Connect at WildflowersAndWoodSmoke.com.
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets 2 cloves of garlic 2 Tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp sea salt black pepper to taste Steam the cauliflower and garlic for 8 to 10 minutes until soft. Transfer to a food processor with olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2 lbs Brussels sprouts, halved 2 honeynut squash peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup walnuts 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp garlic powder Preheat the oven to 400° F. To a large sheet pan add the Brussels sprouts and honeynut squash. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and garlic powder. Mix well by hand until all the veggies are coated, and spread them out into a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the sheet pan out of the oven, add the walnuts and baste the veggies and nuts with the balsamic vinegar and pure maple syrup. With a spatula, carefully mix until all the veggies are coated with the sweet maple and tangy vinegar. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Transfer the cooked veggies and nuts to a serving platter and enjoy within 2 to 3 days for the best quality.
Courtesy of Sara Tercero
Courtesy of Jesse Lane Lee
GARLIC CAULIFLOWER MASH
MAPLE BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH HONEYNUT SQUASH AND WALNUTS
Recipe courtesy of Sara Tercero and BetterFoodGuru.com.
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Fit Body
Building Strength for Life
Protect the Spine and Bones
Why Resistance Training Is a Key to Aging Well
Muscle and bone health are interconnected, so strength training must adapt to changes in bone density. Debra Atkinson, a fitness educator and founder of Flipping 50, states, “The exercises that seemed harmless in your 30s carry a higher risk profile in your 50s.” Because bone density loss often begins in the spine, she recommends replacing crunches and sit-ups with functional movements that are both safer and more effective at targeting core strength. These include engaging the core while lifting weights, and doing pull-ups, push-ups and balance poses. A simple exercise is to hold a light weight at chest height, slowly extend the arms forward and then bring the weight back to the chest. Keep the core muscles tightened to prevent the back from arching as the arms extend. The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation advises those with osteoporosis to maintain an upright posture, spinal extension and core stability during strength training, while avoiding repeated forward bending that can harm spinal integrity.
by Brian Stenzler, MSc., DC, FCCA, FICA
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Employ the Correct Movements
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trength training is essential for everyone, not just athletes and bodybuilders. Regardless of age—from 25 to 75—the body has a remarkable capacity to become stronger. Research confirms that resistance exercise reduces the risk of many chronic conditions and becomes more important with age as muscle mass naturally declines. In older adults, maintaining strength supports independence while minimizing the risk of falls and fractures. Resistance can come from bodyweight exercises, bands, free weights or machines, with adaptations for all ages and fitness levels. In addition to building muscle, regular strength training improves bone density, supports metabolic and cardiovascular health, enhances balance and mobility, and contributes to better cognitive function and emotional well-being. By promoting a stronger and more stable neuromusculoskeletal system, resistance training enables the body to better handle physical stressors, reducing excessive strain on the spine and joints, and supporting biomechanics and optimal nervous system function. 22
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Heavier weights do not always yield better results. Effective training prioritizes movement quality over load, focusing on neutral spinal alignment, controlled movement, proper breathing and core stability. Progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing resistance as the body adapts, enables muscles, bones and connective tissues to build strength and endurance without unnecessary strain. Dr. Peter A. Gratale, founder of Energy Chiropractic & Pilates, in New Jersey, and former co-host of ESPN’s BodyShaping, believes that one of the most valuable uses of chiropractic by athletes and workout enthusiasts is performance enhancement. He explains, “Chiropractic is the bullseye on the target of a well-conceived training program that includes core strengthening, strength training, high-intensity interval training and self-myofascial release [the use of gentle, sustained pressure to relieve tension in connective tissues].” Because efficient movement and function depend on coordinated communication between the nervous system and the body’s other systems, Gratale advocates for a whole-body training approach. Restrictions in spinal or joint motion, muscular imbalances and asymmetrical movement patterns can disrupt efficient movement and lead to compensation. Optimal performance requires more than just muscle strength; it involves mobility, breathing mechanics, core stability, coordinated muscle activation and cardiovascular function, all of which influence the body’s response to exercise.
Strategically Restart Exercise After Injury
Injuries can disrupt strength-training routines. While it is essential to allow the body to heal, returning to training after injury involves more than just waiting for pain to subside. Dr. Ronald Torrance II, a board-certified sports medicine physician at New Regeneration Orthopedics, in Florida, states, “Many patients stop exercising after an Support the Small Businesses that Advertise in NASJ
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favorable biologic environment so that progressive strength and movement training can resume productively,” explains Torrance.
injury because pain and protective movement patterns create a cycle of de-conditioning, compensation and fear of re-injury. Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization and progressive functional movement training interrupt that cycle by first rebuilding the nervous system’s control of posture and stability, then layering strength onto those corrected movement patterns.” Instead of resting until an injury feels better or diving back into unrestricted exercise, functional training progressively reinforces improved movement patterns with squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, carrying and rotating exercises. When conservative care has plateaued, but surgery is not yet necessary, regenerative and interventional orthopedics may offer additional options for suitable patients. “The goal is not simply pain reduction; it is creating a more
Image-guided orthobiologic procedures may use a patient’s own biologic agents, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or bone marrow concentrate (BMAC) to promote the healing of affected areas. Research is ongoing, with evidence supporting reduced pain and improved function for certain conditions, especially PRP for knee osteoarthritis, while evidence for BMAC and other applications is limited. For selected patients, these treatments may provide another option before surgery, reflecting a philosophy of using the least invasive approach to restore function and support a safe return to strength training
Get Started
Focus on proper form and gradual progression over lifting heavy weights too soon. Beginners and those returning after injury should allow adequate recovery, differentiate between normal muscle fatigue and pain indicating injury, and consult qualified professionals if health conditions or previous injuries exist. Whether starting with resistance bands at 70 or lifting a barbell for the first time at 35, building strength preserves mobility, independence and quality of life for years. Dr. Brian Stenzler is vice president of operations and chief health officer for KnoWEwell and the Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation.
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November 2026
23
Healing Ways
The Prediabetes Wake-Up Call Lifestyle Changes To Keep Diabetes at Bay by Leslie K. Hughes
Build a Balanced Plate
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For many, the journey to diabetes prevention begins with dietary adjustments, not by restriction, as commonly thought, but by the adoption of better food pairings. Hillary Wright, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition at the Wellness Center at Boston IVF, in Massachusetts, recommends a “balanced plate” of one quarter lean protein such as seafood, poultry or tofu; one quarter fiber-rich carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa or sweet potato; and the remaining half filled with colorful vegetables.
A
prediabetes diagnosis can feel daunting, but many health experts describe it as an opportunity for positive change. The diagnosis indicates blood sugar levels are higher than normal but have not yet reached the diabetes range, which means the body is still highly responsive to healthful modifications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two in five adult Americans are living with prediabetes, about 80 percent of whom are unaware of their condition. A landmark clinical trial showed that the Diabetes Prevention Program, involving lifestyle changes in diet and exercise, as well as modest weight loss, could effectively reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent, outperforming medication alone. 24
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“Pairing carbohydrate-containing foods like rice or pasta with a source of lean protein increases the feeling of fullness a meal or snack provides and complicates the absorption of glucose into the blood, resulting in gentler blood glucose swings after meals,” she explains. The order of food consumption also plays a role, although Wright emphasizes the importance of making mealtime enjoyable rather than mechanical. While there is evidence that eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates can be beneficial, the goal is to establish a sustainable habit rather than adhering to a rigid rule.
Read Food Labels Mindfully
Dr. Rebecca Hunton, medical director of Radiantly Healthy MD, a functional medicine clinic in Indialantic, Florida, developed a shortcut for evaluating packaged foods: subtract the grams of fiber, fat and protein from total carbohydrates. A result of 10 or less indicates a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin levels, while higher numbers tend to cause spikes in both. “What I am really asking is whether the carbohydrate is arriving mostly by itself, or arriving buffered, slowed down by fiber, protein and fat,” she remarks, adding that finely milled whole grains often digest almost like flour, making the fiber count alone potentially misleading. For protein quality, Hunton offers a second shortcut: multiply grams of protein by 10 and compare that number to total calories. If it matches or exceeds the calories, the food is relatively protein dense, a useful check when comparing yogurts, protein bars or prepared foods. Support the Small Businesses that Advertise in NASJ
Prediabetes serves as a signal from the entire body, not merely an isolated blood sugar anomaly, both experts agree. Hunton notes that insulin resistance often develops before lab values shift, and unexplained weight gain is frequently the first clue. Hormonal changes, including those associated with perimenopause, can accelerate this transition. “Women frequently blame menopause for how they feel without realizing that what is happening is a cardiovascular and blood sugar change,” she says. Muscle mass also plays a pivotal role. Resistance training and regular physical activity, ranging from brisk walks to yard work, help the body regulate blood sugar levels.
Use Data as a Learning Tool
Wright holds mixed feelings about the use of continuous glucose monitors before a diabetes diagnosis, as there is insufficient evidence to define a normal pattern in prediabetes, and watching the data closely can inadvertently induce stress. “If wearing a monitor feels like it’s creating too much anxiety around eating, it’s a good indication to stop,” she advises. A more effective approach, she suggests, is to wear a monitor for just two to four weeks, supervised by a physician or registered dietitian that can help interpret the results.
Build Momentum With Modest Adjustments
According to Hunton, change does not have to be instantaneous to be meaningful. The body’s patterns take time to rewrite, and consistency matters more than speed. Patience coupled with practical tools like balanced plates, label reading, shortcuts and a willingness to observe personal patterns without judgment, is what makes prediabetes reversible for so many. Anyone navigating a new prediabetes diagnosis is encouraged to work with a physician, registered dietitian or certified specialist in diabetes care and education because individual glucose responses vary. With the right support, prediabetes transforms from a cause for fear into a window to choose a different course of action. Leslie K. Hughes writes about physical and mental health issues. Learn more at HouseOfHughes.co and TheVisceralEdit.substack.com.
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Consider the Whole Body
Both experts raise a similar caution regarding food tracking, acknowledging that while it can build awareness, it should be approached with caution or avoided altogether by individuals with a history of disordered eating, which is defined by the National Eating Disorders Association as “a spectrum of problematic eating behaviors and distorted attitudes towards food, weight, shape and appearance.”
Hunton uses monitors earlier and more frequently, turning nutrition from guesswork into personal data, and comparing the impact of meals, sleep and physical activity on the glucose curve. Still, she agrees with the underlying philosophy: the goal is to understand, not surveil or judge.
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November 2026
25
Mindful Journeys
The Gratitude We Carry Home
difficult. For weeks, I found myself looking at our everyday comforts, overflowing closets and endless pursuit of more through an entirely different lens. We have so much. Yet, we may not truly appreciate it as much as we should.
Lessons in Appreciation from Around the World by Shae Marcus
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ometimes we travel halfway around the world expecting one experience to change us, only to discover that something entirely unexpected leaves the deepest impression.
I’ve been fortunate to visit some extraordinary places, each teaching me something about gratitude. Yet, one specific journey challenged everything I thought I understood about what it means to have enough.
Uganda: A Different Kind of Abundance
Uganda was my number-one bucket-list destination. With permits in hand and trackers leading the way, we hiked five miles into the forest in search of mountain gorillas. And then, there they were. A magnificent silverback and a gorilla family, including an adorable baby, living freely in their natural habitat. I sat and cried, completely overwhelmed by the privilege of witnessing something so extraordinary. I was certain this would be the moment of a lifetime. However, Africa had another lesson waiting for me. It was the people that ultimately left the deepest impression. We were welcomed into a village, invited into homes, offered food and greeted with singing. People shared their stories through laughter and tears. Children squealed with delight when we handed out candy—even the tiniest mints, the kind you might find rolling around in your grandmother’s purse alongside a little lint, brought enormous smiles. I was struck by the generosity and joy I encountered among people whose material circumstances were so different from my own. It wasn’t that their lives were without hardship. It was that I had witnessed a kind of abundance I hadn’t fully understood before. Returning to the States was surprisingly 26
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Bali: Gratitude as a Daily Ritual
This thought has followed me to other corners of the world, where gratitude takes wonderfully different forms. In Bali, small offerings called canang sari, made with colorful flowers and palm leaves, are placed at temples, homes and businesses as part of Balinese Hindu spiritual practice. They create a daily moment for devotion and thanks. Meanwhile, many of us wake up, grab our phones and immediately start tackling the 47 things on our to-do lists. Guilty. Bali reminded me that gratitude doesn’t need a special occasion. Sometimes it simply needs our attention.
Japan: Appreciating the Ordinary
Japan offers another perspective through the custom of saying itadakimasu before a meal and gochisosama afterward, expressing appreciation for the food and those who helped bring it to the table.
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exchanges, an easygoing reminder to welcome the moment. Amid the rainforest and remarkable wildlife, there’s plenty to marvel at, but the lesson I carry home is simpler: A day doesn’t need to go perfectly to hold something good. And if we’re waiting for everything to fall into place before feeling grateful, we might be waiting a very long time.
What We Carry Home
From the people of Uganda to the rituals of Bali, the mindful traditions of Japan and the spirit of Costa Rica, each journey has reshaped my understanding of gratitude.
Imagine that—actually pausing to appreciate lunch instead of eating it while answering emails.
As we enter this season of thankfulness, perhaps the lesson isn’t about having more, achieving more or even traveling more. Maybe it’s simply about noticing more.
It’s a reminder that mindfulness doesn’t always require an elaborate ritual. Sometimes it simply means being present for what’s right in front of us.
I’ve brought home photographs, stories and more than a few Christmas ornaments. But the most meaningful souvenirs have never needed space in my suitcase.
Costa Rica: The Beauty of Pura Vida
They’re the people, the connections and the
In Costa Rica, pura vida—literally “pure life”—is more than a phrase on a souvenir T-shirt. It’s heard in everyday greetings and
moments that changed how I see everything I already have. Shae Marcus, founder of The 11:11 Experience (www.1111Experience.com), believes travel’s greatest gifts are experiences, connections and gratitude—though she’s always on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree ornament abroad.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more
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—Melody Beattie
November 2026
27
Wise Words
When People-Pleasing Is About Survival Understanding Fawning and Overthinking by Aniyiah Wiggins
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ometimes, what looks like people-pleasing is actually an attempt to feel safe. We say yes when we mean no. We apologize before anyone has accused us of doing anything wrong. We replay conversations looking for signs that someone is upset. Over time, these patterns can fuel overthinking and keep the cycle going. Understanding where these responses come from allows us to stop asking “What is wrong with me?” and start asking “What happened to me that taught me to respond this way?”
Understanding What Happens to Us
Psychotherapist Pete Walker introduced the term “fawn response” in his writings on trauma and codependency. He described fawning as a protective response in which a person appeases, flatters or submits to others in an effort to create safety. It’s much more than being a people pleaser. In fact, Walker conceptualized fawning as the “Fourth F” alongside the trauma responses of fight, flight and freeze. Rather than expressing their own boundaries, or disagreement, someone that is fawning may automatically prioritize another person’s comfort to avoid conflict or rejection. In this way, fawning can become a learned survival strategy: If we learn, consciously or unconsciously, that saying “no” feels unsafe, saying “yes” can begin to feel like a safer choice. Fawning is not always harmful. In some situations, appeasing someone may help us navigate conflict or protect our safety. For example, someone facing an aggressive 28
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person may resort to appeasing them as a de-escalating tactic. The question is not whether we should ever appease others, but whether we recognize when we are doing it, and why.
The Fawning-Overthinking Cycle
Society often tells us that we should keep everyone happy, which can make it even harder to recognize when we are abandoning our own needs. Fawning can create constant monitoring of others as in if they are upset or if we did something wrong. Overthinking, or the rumination of past or future experiences, can keep the brain focused on perceived danger. The two can reinforce each other, creating an exhausting cycle of fawning, to monitoring, to overthinking and more attempts to appease. Instead of shaming ourselves for a response that once helped us feel safe, we can practice self-compassion. We can practice understanding where fawning came from and giving ourselves enough grace to pause, tolerate discomfort, and choose differently. Aniyiah Wiggins is with A Space For Us Counseling, Inc., located at 11 W. Ormond Ave., Ste. 100A, in Cherry Hill, NJ. For more information or to make an appointment, call 609-920-3848 or visit www.ASpaceForUsCounseling.com.
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November 2026
29
Healthy Kids
Helping Children Navigate Loss Gentle Grief Activities for Young Hearts by Christina Connors
I
t is said that grief is love with nowhere to go—a hard truth for adults to sit with and an even harder one for a child. While youngsters grieve the passing of a loved one, they also experience intense emotions if they change schools, move to another home, say goodbye to a best friend or even if they have to change a familiar routine. Parents often want to fix the sadness or rush kids past it, but a better choice is to give them the tools to hold both sadness and love.
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“Children grieve very differently than adults,” says Geralyn Cappabianca, a board-certified chaplain, teacher and author of Memoirs of a Hospital Chaplain. “Their emotional and cognitive development is not mature enough to process the intense feelings that grief brings. Many times, it is years later when they can emotionally grieve the loss.” At 14, Cappabianca lost her father, and her family sold their home and moved to another country, forcing her to leave her friends, extended family and school. “Whatever the type of loss, whether it’s the loss of a person, a move, loss of a pet or changing schools, the grief process is the same,” she believes. Child development experts have observed that youngsters process fear, loss and confusion far more naturally with play and hands-on activities than with conversation alone. Dr. Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early-childhood development expert and professor emerita at Lesley
University, has researched and written about how young children use creative play to make sense of potentially overwhelming events, reduce anxiety and cope with trauma. Activities like building a memory box, listening to a story or singing a song allows them to begin to experience grief or trauma even before they have the words to name it. Connection can come before conversation.
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The Gratitude Memory Box
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Creating a gratitude memory box is a simple, tangible way to honor a beloved person, pet, place or chapter of life. To make one, choose a container such as a shoebox, small wooden chest or tin container and invite the child to decorate it with paint, stickers or drawings. Gather meaningful items like photos, toys,
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that shared, side-by-side activity, something unexpected may happen. “While looking for birds, a child might begin talking about the person they miss,” Murphy notes, although she’s careful to add, “All of those responses can be okay,” including not talking about the loss at all.
ck rsto utte s/sh ic h p agra pict
leaves or dried flowers, a collar or pet tag, and handwritten recollections. For parents worried about pushing a child before they are ready, Cappabianca advises that they take cues from the child. A parent may want to build their own memory box first, and then invite the child to help. “Children learn how to grieve from watching those around them,” she notes. According to Cappabianca, a memory box allows children to begin grieving early and safely. It provides a creative outlet for kids to express their emotions, validating their grief, even if the loss feels small to an adult. It teaches the child that love and gratitude can coexist alongside sadness. The memory box provides the child with a private space to revisit memories whenever they want. The family may choose to gather together in
a shared ritual to add items to the box, sit quietly together or talk about memories associated with the contents of the box.
Music can play a similar role. Murphy points to David Friedman’s song It’s Not Bad to Be Sad as one that “gives sadness a place rather than treating it as something that needs to be immediately fixed or pushed away.” Another Friedman song, Help Is on the Way, is built around reassurance and hope. Together, Murphy says, the two songs offer a grieving child the message that “It is okay to be sad, and you don’t have to face that sadness alone.”
The Power of Song and Stories
Starting the Conversation
A trusted adult might invite the child outside to look for a real chickadee together, and in
Christina Connors is a professional singer, a burnout prevention specialist, and CEO and executive director of Soulful Forest, Inc. Learn more at SoulfulForestInc.org.
Sometimes, direct questions about the loss—such as “Are you sad?” or “Do you want to talk about it?”—are hard for a child to answer. That is the thinking behind The Healing Chickadee (HealingChickadee. com), a program built around a plush bird, music and story, co-founded by Terry Murphy. “The child doesn’t necessarily have to sit across from an adult and answer questions about grief,” she writes. “Instead, they can cuddle the chickadee, talk about the bird, tell a story about it or simply sit quietly with it.”
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Invite, rather than force, the conversation. Try open-ended questions like: What do you want to remember most? What would you like to say thank-you for? What do you think the bird in the story is feeling? Would you rather draw this memory or listen to a song about it instead of talking? A memory box, story or song will not take away a child’s grief, but each can give them somewhere to put it and something to hold onto while they carry it.
November 2026
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Green Living
How Trees Make Rain The Wonder of Forests and Weather by Sandi Schwartz
J
ust as Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees opened our eyes to how trees communicate beneath the soil, emerging science reveals an equally wondrous phenomenon above the canopy: trees help make their own rain. We often picture forests as passive entities waiting for the next storm. In reality, a forest acts like a living fountain. Trees pull water up through their roots and release it as vapor through tiny openings in their leaves in a process called transpiration. A single mature tree can release hundreds of liters of water into the air daily. When millions of trees transpire together, they do more than provide shade—they feed the clouds, cool the land and send rain across continents.
How Trees Feed the Clouds
Fu and her team observed atmospheric water vapor over the Amazon rainforest and discovered that oceanic vapor is lighter because heavy hydrogen isotopes (deuterium) stay behind during marine evaporation. The vapor hovering over the forest, however, contains high levels of deuterium, which indicates that it came directly from plant transpiration, not the ocean. “I am convinced that it’s the rainforest that initiates rainfall,” Fu explains. “The rain starts increasing before moisture transport coming from the ocean increases. In order to have moisture transport from the ocean, you have to have plants transpire first.” As plants grow, photosynthesis transpires more water vapor and then the air becomes moist, she notes. “Therefore, you have more clouds, and you get more rainfall.” A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reinforces this finding, showing that Amazon trees rapidly recycle rain from shallow soil during dry periods, pumping up to 70 percent of local rainfall back into the atmosphere when the ecosystem needs it most.
The Biotic Pump: A Natural Rainmaking Engine
This continuous moisture recycling connects directly to an intriguing concept known as the biotic pump theory. Proposed in 2007 in
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For decades, basic meteorology taught that ocean evaporation drives almost all rainfall over land. But UCLA atmospheric scientist Dr.
Rong Fu, recipient of the American Meteorological Society’s 2027 Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal, has proven that trees play a direct, active role in initiating rainy seasons. In fact, her work has fundamentally changed how we understand Earth’s climate system and the processes that influence water, weather and climate extremes.
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Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, by Russian atmospheric physicists Dr. Anastassia Makarieva and the late Dr. Victor Gorshkov, the theory suggests that forests do not merely catch rain through their leaves and the soil beneath, but they also create a physical engine that draws moist air inland from oceans thousands of miles away. As dense forest canopies release massive quantities of water vapor, the condensation of that moisture causes pressure to drop in the atmosphere. These pressure changes act as a giant vacuum, pulling moist ocean air across the land. While the theory remains an active topic of scientific study and debate regarding how it compares to the influence of large-scale winds on rainfall, it offers a compelling explanation for a long-standing mystery: Why forested continental interiors remain lush and wet while non-forested inland regions form arid deserts.
Cultivating a ‘Green Heart’ to Protect Forests
Forests provide so much more than scenery. They play an active role in the water cycle. Healthy forests help keep watersheds, soil and local climates more stable. Understanding forests as climate drivers highlights why protecting mature trees and restoring native woodlands is an investment in global water and food security. Disruption to rainforests threatens agriculture, altering weather patterns that farms and communities rely on.
more water than saplings do. • Support local conservancies. Volunteer at community tree planting events and park restoration programs. • Choose sustainable wood. Reduce demand for forest timber by buying certified wood or pre-owned furniture. By viewing trees as quiet partners in our survival, we can better appreciate how planting a tree today helps feed the clouds of tomorrow. Sandi Schwartz is a freelance journalist specializing in environmental and wellness topics, as well as author of Finding Ecohappiness. Learn more at SandiSchwartz.com.
Alan Watson Featherstone, ecologist, nature photographer, inspirational speaker and founder of the Scottish conservation charity Trees for Life, has spent more than three decades restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands. “Nature is the real home for me and for humanity,” says Featherstone. “I feel a sense of peace there and I feel a sense of joy when I encounter creatures or special trees or plants.” For Featherstone, restoring these living rain systems requires a shift in human perspective. “Having a green thumb is a misnomer, because it’s actually a green heart that we need,” he says. “We have to become the givers, where we give back more than we take from nature. That’s what rewilding is all about: giving back space, giving back life and giving back love.”
Ways to Support the Water Cycle
Every tree planted helps strengthen local climate resilience, notes Fu. “When you plant trees, you improve the microclimate. It’s cooler and more humid. And for the tropical rainforests, there are many things we can do to protect them,” she says. Here is how to support forests and the natural water cycle in local communities and beyond: • Plant native trees. Choose species suited to the local climate that support native birds, pollinators and soil health. • Protect mature canopies. Established large trees move much Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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Natural Pet
Safe Havens for Happy Dogs and Cats Designing a Stress-Free Space for Our Pets by Ruth Roberts, DVM, CVA, CVH, CVFT, NAN
I
magine the relief of stepping through the front door after a long day, taking a deep breath and feeling the weight of the world lift. For humans, home is a sanctuary, but for pets, it is their entire universe. The constant noise, unpredictable schedules and lack of control over daily routines can leave dogs and cats feeling overwhelmed. Because pets rely so completely on the humans around them, a household’s atmosphere tends to become their anchor. Therefore, pet wellness often begins by creating a calm, appreciative environment.
Emotional distress can also affect a pet’s appetite. For example, a senior, mixed-breed dog stopped eating from his bowl, even avoiding his favorite foods, months after his longtime canine companion passed away. Bloodwork indicated a physical issue requiring its own investigation, but the fear at the bowl was something tests alone could not explain. Offering food wherever he felt safe, before adding supplements, helped stabilize him within days.
Pets Absorb Their Caregivers’ Stress
Companion animals are highly sensitive to the emotional currents inside a home, often acting like mirrors, reflecting the vibe of their surroundings. A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports measured cortisol, a stress hormone, in the hair of 58 dog and owner pairs. The results show that long-term stress levels are synchronized in dogs and their owners. And a 2015 study in PLOS ONE involving 1,508 dog owners found that dogs of emotionally distant owners were more likely to exhibit separation-related disorder, showing severe distress when left alone.
A 2026 article in Biological Reviews notes that city dogs face chronic stress because their environments and routines are overwhelming. Living in busy urban areas can overstimulate a dog’s senses, and because they rely entirely on humans, they rarely get to make their own choices. This affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis—the body’s main stress alarm system. In normal settings, the alarm turns on during danger and turns off when the danger passes. But for these dogs, the alarm never shuts off, causing cumulative damage to their physical health and changes in behavior. 34
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Marlene Siegel, an integrative veterinarian and owner of Pasco Veterinary Medical Center, in Florida, views this mirroring as information rather than a reason to assign blame. On the Healing Tails podcast, she explained that pets are “showing us something that we need to learn,” and that it is up to us to pay attention, become aware of it and “shift the energy.”
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Creating a calm household does not require perfection every day. Noticing how an owner’s presence and emotional energy ripple outward to their animals is a meaningful start. Note also that emotional support is a two-way street. An analysis of 1,421 primary caregivers in the peer-reviewed journal Anthrozoös found that as family conflicts rose, so did people’s attachment to the family pet, suggesting that animals offer comfort to humans during hard times. The connection is mutual.
Practical Steps to Create a Calmer Home
A supportive home is built on appreciation, where caregivers strive to understand a pet’s instincts, rather than expecting the animal to navigate a human world unguided. A 2021 study from University of California, Davis, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, found that dogs displayed signs of fear in response to household sounds, especially high-pitched beeps like smoke-detector chirps, while owners responded with amusement in about 46 percent of the videos analyzed. A 2023 study in Applied Animal Behaviour Science found that cat owners with misconceptions about feline behavior were more likely to respond with yelling, hitting or water sprays.
Ruth Roberts is an integrative veterinarian and holistic pet health coach. Learn about The Original CrockPet Diet and her coach certification program at DrRuthRoberts.com.
Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life. —James Cromwell
Because the stress levels of pets and their caregivers tend to synchronize, quiet shared moments such as mindful petting offer a calmer counterpoint to a busy day. Siegel suggests a simple routine: “Put yourself in a state of gratitude every morning, midday and every night.” The moments do not need to be grand. “You open your eyes and you may see the sun coming through. You may hear birds chirping.” She believes the shift reaches pets too: “You’re going to reset them while you reset yourself.” Establishing a safe haven, such as a quiet corner away from foot traffic and appliances, provides a pet with a place to retreat. Small, safe choices—like choosing which bed to sleep on—can restore a sense of autonomy. Sniffing walks suit many dogs; vertical space and separate litter boxes suit many cats. A calm, appreciative home supports behavioral well-being, but does not replace veterinary care. Sudden behavior changes, such as a spike in aggression or a loss of appetite, can signal a physical issue that requires prompt veterinary evaluation. Siegel’s rule of thumb is “Test, don’t guess.” Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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Calendar of Events
Wednesday, November 4 Heart Health: Protective Heart Hacks – 6–8pm. Learn heart-health strategies and protective habits you can use every day. The Well, Medford. $33. Register at TheWellAtMedford.com.
Mindful Nature Hike – 11:11am. Join Veronica Carpenter for mindful walking, gentle movement, breathwork and meditation at Rancocas Nature Center, 794 Rancocas Mt. Holly Rd., Westampton. $22 adults; $12 ages 10–17; free under 10. Register at BlissfulButterflyYoga.com.
Sunday, November 8
Sunday, November 15
Descend Into the Divine Matrix – Noon– 4pm. Join Elsie at East Meets West in Mount Laurel to explore the universe, expanded awareness and connection with your Divine Self. $97. Register by emailing Elsie@WellnessWithElsie.com.
Fall Silks and Sounds – 7-8:10pm. Slow movement in vertical silks meets immersive sound for grounding, release and a nervous-system reset as the season turns inward. 156 W. Browning Rd., Bellmawr. JoelleGordonCoaching@gmail.com.
Wednesday, November 11 Monday, November 16 Fall Into Stillness – 7–8:30pm. Gong sounds and gentle Reiki combine for a restorative evening of relaxation and grounding. Living Ur Joy, 1220 Kings Hwy., Swedesboro. For details and registration, email JoelleGordonCoaching@gmail.com.
Thursday, November 12 Meet the Great Mother: An Evening With Via Sophia – 7–9:30pm. Join Kathy Milano on Zoom to experience the nourishing presence of the Great Mother through restoration, connection and experiential exploration. For women. $55. Register at KathyMilano.com.
Friday, November 13 Tea Leaf Reading & Dessert Par-Tea – 7–9pm. Enjoy desserts and discover tea leaf reading with psychic medium Beth O’Brien. Includes a private 10-minute reading. Limited to 10 adults. Jane’s Tea House, Haddon Heights. $50. Reserve your place at ExploreTock.com (search Jane’s Tea House).
Saturday, November 14
Breath & Sound Healing Journey – 8:15pm. Restore balance and release tension through guided breathwork followed by a deeply relaxing crystal singing bowl sound bath. Mats, blankets and bolsters provided. Remedy Body & Breath, 120 N. Haddon Ave., Haddonfield. $45. Register through the Mindbody app or RemedyBodyBreath.com.
Thursday, November 19 Vision Board Workshop With Angela Fields – 6pm Time not provided; two-hour workshop. Bring your dreams into focus with a creative vision board workshop featuring intention setting, inspiration and new possibilities. The Zen Den on Main, 25 E. Main St., Marlton. $35. Register at ZenDenOnMain.com.
Friday, November 20 Sounds and Stillness – 7:30pm. Relax with supported yin yoga postures led by Deb and live gong sounds from Joelle. Ohmgrown Yoga, 1030 Haddon Ave., Collingswood. Register or inquire at OhmGrownYoga.com.
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Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Bath – 2pm. Relax with Rebecca Zarnawski as crystal singing bowls and nature sounds encourage renewal and calm. Bring a mat, blanket and pillow. Mount Laurel Library, 100 Walt Whitman Ave. Free. Register at MountLaurel.LibraryCalendar.com. Handpoke Tattoos with Norali – Discover the art of intuitive handpoke tattoos featuring unique, symbolic designs inspired by nature, ancestral wisdom and spiritual intention. The Zen Den on Main, 25 E. Main St., Marlton. $100 per tattoo; $20 deposit. Appointments: 908-239-7406 or LyariTattoo@outlook.com.
Ongoing Events
Tuesday Indian Dance for Exercise: Bhangra & Bollywood With Arati – 6pm. Build confidence, move and have fun with alternating, beginner-friendly Bhangra and Bollywood dance classes. The Zen Den on Main, 25 E. Main St., Marlton. $15 per class. Register at ZenDenOnMain.com.
Wednesday Express Yoga – 7:15–8 a.m. Beginner-friendly, 45-minute yoga class offering movement, stretching, strength and mindful breathwork. Balanced Planet Yoga, Marlton All levels welcome. BalancedPlanetYoga.com.
Saturday Community Yoga at Zen Den on Main – 9am. Enjoy a donation-based, beginner-friendly Community Yoga class welcoming all experience levels. Cost: donation based. Zen Den on Main, 25 E. Main St., Marlton. www.ZenDenOnMain.com.
Bone by Bone: Myth and Movement Workshop – 10am–1pm. Explore myth, movement and art with Lunden Abelson in a workshop on soul and shadow work and reclaiming parts of yourself. Cinnaminson. $75. Register at SeedsOfPotential.com.
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Saturday, November 21
Classifieds
For Rent INTIMATE WORKSHOP & RETREAT SPACE – Soul Sanctuary is a welcoming space for workshops and retreats. Available to select facilitators whose work supports growth, healing, creativity, connection, and well-being. Moorestown, NJ. Inquiries: DocMilano@KathyMilano.com
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Community Resource Guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NASouthJersey to request our media kit.
Alternative and Complementary Medicine DR. SEAN C. INSELBERG, DAC, MSC, CNS Nutritional Wellness Center 1 Cinnaminson Ave, Ste 206 Palmyra, NJ 08065 856-499-2160 www.NutritionalWellnessNJ.com Offering simple, effective solutions for optimal health for the whole family. Includes: Functional Medicine testing, Othromolecular energy medicine, Neuro-Emotional Technique, Psycho neurobiology, autonomic response testing, Theta Healing.
Awareness Coaching MARYANN PINO MILLER, M.ED. Certified Heal Your Life® Teacher Emotion Code Practitioner 520 Stokes Road, Suite C-4 Medford, NJ 856-912-2087 MP.Miller1945@gmail.com www.MaryannPinoMiller.com Become aware of your true nature, meet your inner child waiting for your love, become aware of the and unload the baggage weighing you down, become aware of the depth of love that exists within you and gain the understanding of the importance of your relationship with yourself and how that can be fostered.
Bodywork TRUSTED HEALING HANDS 639 Stokes Rd., Ste.203, Medford 609-752-7675 www.TrustedHealingHands.com Trusted Healing Hands offers advanced massage therapies, Reiki, wellness events and skin therapy facials. Tiffany is a licensed massage therapist with 20 years of experience helping clients alleviate pain, recover from injuries and reduce stress. Her personalized approach blends therapeutic massage with intuitive techniques, heart coherence, vibrational therapy and energy balancing to support whole-body wellness.
Coaching
STEPHANE PONCELET 570-449-2219 calwl2022@gmail.com www.Create-A-LifeWorthLiving.com/ Clients learn to observe and respond to deep-seated emotions of conflict, emptiness, and loneliness that often arise from family dysfunction. Guided in mourning the unchangeable aspects of their past, helped to own their truths and grieve their losses, clients are encouraged to show themselves the love, patience, and respect they truly deserve. A transformative process which creates a life that is truly worth living.
Complementary/ Functional and Regenerative Medicine ALLAN MAGAZINER, DO Magaziner Center for Wellness 1907 Greentree Road Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08003 856-424-8222 MagazinerCenter@DrMagaziner.com www.DrMagaziner.com With nearly 40 years of excellence in patient care, the Magaziner Center for Wellness is the area’s premier center for integrative and function medicine. We solve complex medical problems naturally.
Energy Healer MERYL HAYTON Inner Peace Specialist, Advanced Certified EFT Practitioner, Energy Healer 973-879-9333 MerylHayton@gmail.com https://MerylHayton.com Meryl Hayton is a trauma-informed Inner Peace Specialist focused on nervous system regulation and removing stress-response patterns. Through EFT, somatic approaches and energy healing, she supports women in reducing chronic stress and cultivating lasting calm, clarity and emotional resilience. Free consultations.
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Energy Healing Arts SAGE & SAND MYSTIC Kristina@SageAndSandMystic.com Sage & Sand Mystic offers one-to-one intuitive energy healing rooted in grounded mysticism. Sessions support clarity, alignment, and deeper self-connection through personalized, responsive energetic work.
Functional Medicine CHARLOTTE NUSSBAUM, MD Medford Functional Medicine 103 Old Marlton Pike, Suite 203 Medford, NJ 08055 609-969-4844 www.MedfordFunctionalMedicine.com Board-certified pediatrician and internist Charlotte Nussbaum is a founder of Medford Functional Medicine where we partner with people of all ages to reclaim their health.
Functional Nutrition NICOLE L. KITZITAFF, RDN TriUnity Nutrition & Wellness 1060 Kings Highway N., Ste. 301 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 856-667-6805 Info@TriUnityNutrition.com www.TriUnityNutrition.com TriUnity Nutrition & Wellness, led by Nicole Kizitaff, RDN, uses functional nutrition, muscle testing, and holistic remedies to address root causes and optimize your health.
Health and Wellness Shop NATURAL LIFE WELLNESS STORE Dr. Abigail Arculeo, DCN, CNS Short Hills Town Center, 480 E Evesham Rd, Unit 103, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-560-0119 Facebook & Instagram @NaturalLifeCherryHill Family-owned natural health and wellness store with supplements, herbs, and holistic products. Dr. Abigail Arculeo provides personalized functional nutrition care through her practice, Root & Restore.
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Holistic Coaching
APRIL WILLARD The Zen Den on Main 25 East Main St, Marlton, NJ 08055 609-975-8379 www.TheCenterLifeInBalance.com Ordained Minister (all denominations), Art Therapy (all ages), Sound Healing, Reiki II, Guided Meditation and Letting Go Ceremonies. Supporting holistic and emotional coaching. Contact: YogiCaresNJ@gmail.com or 215-205-2786 for bookings and inquiries.
SUZY WEST HYPNOTHERAPY Suzy West, CMS-CHt, FIBH Board Certified Medical Support Clinical Hypnotherapist Fellow, International Board of Hypnotherapy 194 NJ-70, Suite 2, Medford 609-668-1217 Suzy@SuzyWestHypnotherapy.com www.SuzyWestHypnotherapy.com Suzy West Hypnotherapy offers compassionate, client-centered hypnotherapy to reduce anxiousness, transform limiting beliefs, break unwanted habits, improve sleep, and support personal healing for lasting, positive change in your daily life.
Hypnotherapy DR. JAIME FELDMAN, DCH Chairman, Medical & Dental Division, International Hypnosis Federation 214 W Main St, Ste L4 Moorestown, NJ 08057 856-231-0432 • DrJaimeF@aol.com www.PartsTherapy.com Dr. Jaime Feldman, one of the pioneers in an advanced technique called “Advanced Parts Therapy,” has been able to unlock the subconscious and remove unwanted behaviors: stop smoking (guaranteed), weight loss, stress, depression, pain and anger management, and more. Outstanding success in curing phobias and deep-seated trauma, and treating the immune system to put cancer into complete remission.
Integrative/Holistic Medicine DR. STEVEN HORVITZ Institute for Medical Wellness 110 Marter Ave, Ste 408, Moorestown, NJ 856-231-0590 www.DrHorvitz.com Board-Certified Family Medicine blending traditional family care with a holistic focus and preventive, nutritional and integrative approach. We look for causes and triggers for disease before reaching for the prescription pad. Same and next day appointments are available.
Integrative Medicine/ Holistic Pain Management POLINA KARMAZIN, MD Board certified in Integrative Medicine & Acupuncture 2301 E Evesham Rd, Bldg 800, Ste 219 Voorhees, NJ 08043 856-528-2258 www.SouthJerseyHolistic.com Our practice treats each person individually by addressing the root cause of the problem. Dr Karmazin employs holistic therapies, such as acupuncture, biopuncture, homeopathy and nutritional counselling for a variety of ailments. We also specialize in holistic pain management and do not use narcotics, NSAIDs or steroid injections.
Intuitive Healing SUSAN COSTANTINO DRUMMOND Reiki Master & Intuitive Medium Offices in Medford & Manahawkin 609-923-3154 Susan@NJBalance.com www.NJBalance.com Susan is an Intuitive Medium and Reiki Master. She specializes in intuitively enhancing the mind, soul and physical body with healing energy for your highest well-being. Susan can connect you to your loved ones in spirit for healing and peace.
IV Therapy PRIME IV HYDRATION & WELLNESS 900 Rte 73 N, Ste 890, Marlton 856-386-3251 www.PrimeIVHydration.com/locations/ new-jersey/marlton-08053
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Medical Skincare and Cosmetics DR. ANAMARIA NEWPORT, DMS, DMD, MHS, PAC 17 White Horse Pike, Ste 10B Haddon Heights, NJ 08035 856-323-8885 Dr. Newport is a discerning artist, highly experienced master cosmetic injector and renowned dermatology speaker with 10+ years of extensive medical training. Her continuous dedication for skincare, surgery, dentistry, and cosmetic procedures are enhanced by combining the use of the latest technology and her unique homeopathic style. As an artist, she is genuinely passionate about bringing out the unique beauty in each one of her patients. Look no further for your organic skincare specialist, offering the purest treatments achievable with our personalized natural products.
Mental Health A SPACE FOR US COUNSELING, INC. 535 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 609-920-3848 www.ASpaceForUsCounseling.com A Space For Us Counseling, INC. is a trauma-informed behavioral health and wellness center offering psychotherapy, psychiatry, nutrition, acupuncture, massage, yoga, Reiki, sound healing and services for individuals and families.
Natural Mattress KELLY WERNERSBACH Adjust Your Sleep Mattress Boutique LLC 888 NJ-73, Marlton, NJ Kelly@aysmattress.com Offering a personalized, educational approach to mattress selection, we focus on your comfort and health needs to ensure a perfect sleep system—because quality rest is essential for overall well-being and daily vitality.
Numerologist TRACI ROSENBERG, MA Numerologist & Empowerment Coach 609-417-4526 TraciRosenberg@gmail.com www.SoulTalkWithTraci.com Join the region’s leading numerologist as you discover your life’s purpose. Encoded in your name and birth date are your lessons, talents and desires. Traci will help you realize your full potential.
Psychoenergetic Therapy HEALERS UNIVERSE Andrea Regal | 856-904-5566 www.HealersUniverse.com Rediscover your True Nature through a unique psycho-energetic process that transmutes deeply rooted patterns, restoring your innate relationship with Soul, Earth, Nature and Self while shaping the New Earth.
THE1111EXPERIENCE.COM
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Reiki
DR. JOCELYN FLAY, DAC Nutritional Wellness Center 1 Cinnaminson Ave, Ste 206 Palmyra, NJ 08065 856-499-2160 www.NutritionalWellnessNJ.com Open to the flow of reiki that is before you and experience the divine life force energy that is innate to all of us. You can heal, grow, process trauma, change your beliefs, create new experiences, and shift into a life that you love, and reiki can guide you. Individual reiki sessions and reiki courses are provided at the Nutritional Wellness Center.
Spiritual Wellness BETH O’BRIEN Spiritual Healing Through Guidance The Center Life in Balance, 520 Stokes Rd., Building A Medford, NJ | BethOB67@yahoo.com Beth, a psychic/medium, can give you spiritual and intuitive guidance from your loved ones. Beth is also a Reiki Master and an ordained minister to officiate your wedding. She also is a paranormal investigator and does private and public homes. She also does house blessings and cleansing.
Yoga RISE AND THRIVE WELLNESS YOGA Terry Veit-Harmening 714 E Main St, Moorestown 609-923-5782 www.RiseAndThriveWellnessYoga.com Terry Veit-Harmening is a certified Yoga Therapist, a certified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Educator and a brain longevity specialist with the Alzheimer’s Research Association. Yoga Therapy is a holistic approach to health care using postures, movement, stretches, lifestyle choices, relaxation and breathing practices to address your specific issues.
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Nutritional Wellness Center Integrative & Holistic Medicine for Optimal Health 1 Cinnaminson Ave. Suite 206 Palmyra, NJ 08065
856-499-2160 Holistic Healing Body, Mind & Spirit Anti-Inflammatory Balance Hormones Boost Mood Healthy Skin Pain Relief Regulate Stress Sound Sleep Dr. Flay DAc, Ellen, Samantha, Dr. Sean DAc, MSc, CNS
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