2012 January/February Newsletter
Welcome!
Happy New Year to all our readers! We are kicking off the 2012 newsletters with some fantastic articles from our neighbors in Dover — the Journey to Wellness! In addition, we offer an update about the Herbal Path’s giving programs and a fun article from Sam Stock (a college student’s perspective on supplements). Plus, the always enjoyable Herbal Path Q & A!
As you take your own “journey to wellness” this year, we hope this newsletter offers some valuable information.
Click titles to jump to individual articles, or just scroll down.
Giving Back: The Herbal Path’s Donation Programs
Sam Stock On Supplements
JTW Spotlight: Get Your Numbers Straight
JTW Spotlight: Intuitive Readings
JTW Spotlight: Therapeutic Essential Oils
JTW Spotlight: Awakening in 2012
Herbal Path Q & A: What do you do to beat the winter blues?
You can sign up to receive newsletter announcements via email at herbalpath.com.
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Giving Back: The Herbal Path’s Donation Programs
by May Grose and Pat Wilson
December Sock Line
Our December donation program at the Dover Herbal Path was the “Sock Line” (an alternative to the classic “Mitten Tree). We are happy to report that our “Sock Line” was a success with over 3 dozen pairs of socks donated! A generous Thank you goes out to Carol Hutchins for her additions. Thank you Carol for helping us support the children!
All of the socks were donated to the Strafford County Head Start program. Susan Wydra (our Head Start contact) was grateful for all the support — some of the 290 head start kids will have warm feet throughout the season!
If any of our readers still want to donate, Susan can be reached at Strafford County Head Start, either in Rochester (ph:603-335-3611) or Dover (ph: 603-742-1732) locations. Thank you all again! For more information on the Head Start local and national program(s), go to www.scheadstart.com.
Token Donation Program
If you are not familiar with The Token Donation Project, it is meant to not only make our customers feel great, but also to help the local food pantries, pet shelters, children’s homes, shelters, local fundraisers and more to keep their projects and ideas alive and in progress during these difficult times.
Anytime a customer does not take a paper or plastic bag OR decides to pay with cash versus a credit card, we offer them a spectacular, reusable and eco-friendly wooden token. All the customer has to do is ‘cast their vote’ and place the token in the appropriate bin for the organization they would like to support. Then they can walk away with a greater feeling of helpfulness and pride in the community they live in.
As an update to our customers who so wonderfully keep asking for their tokens to donate at the register, here is some information about the recipients of the Token Donation Program:
We’ve Given $2600 since March of 2010! (That’s an average of $118 a month!)
Past Recipients:
Dover Day Care and Learning Center, Dover NH
The Center for Wildlife, York ME
New Generation, Greenland NH
The Community Food Pantry, Somersworth NH
Rainforest Action Network, San Fracisco CA
United Plant Savers, East Barre VT
City of Dover Pool Fund, Dover NH
Another Chance Animal Rescue, North Berwick ME
Strafford County Animal Protection Society, Dover NH
Strafford County Community Action Committee, Dover NH
Tri State Bird Rescue and Research, Newark DE
Dover Food Pantry, Dover NH
Pets to Vets, Darnestown, MD
Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Long Beach CA
My Friend’s Place, Dover NH
Our House for Girls, Dover NH
Cocheco Valley Humane Society, Dover NH
Current Token Donation Options:
The Dover Herbal Path:
-Liberty House, Manchester NH
(A nonprofit organization to help homeless veterans and those returning from war.)
-Animal Rescue League, Bedford NH
(A nonprofit, no kill shelter for animals.)
-The Cornucopia Project, Hancock NH
(A nonprofit dedicated to teaching youths sustaining and nourishing life skills that are learned through organic gardening.)
-End 68 Hours of Hunger, Dover NH
(A nonprofit organization helping children get nourishing meals all weekend who typically go home and stay hungry until Monday back at school.)
The Portsmouth Herbal Path:
-Crossroads House, Portsmouth NH
(A local shelter open 24/7 helping those in need.)
-NH SPCA, Stratham NH
(Helping unwanted animals find loving homes for over 135 years.)
-Arts in Reach (AIR), New Castle NH
(Provides mentoring through the arts to teenage girls.)
-Seacoast Eat Local, Seacoast NH
(Connecting people to sources of locally grown foods.)
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Sam Stock On Supplements
by Sam Stock
This summer while working at the Herbal Path, making some extra money before going off to college, I learned a lot about different supplements, what I should take, and how they were good for me. I started off with just fish oil. After a week of taking it I already noticed a difference. My face, which is usually very dry started to become normal and my memory improved. My memory was already really good but the fish oil allowed me to remember even more details. Soon I moved onto taking a multivitamin. Because the multivitamin had only 1000 IU of vitamin D and 2000 IU is the recommended daily dose I also started to take another vitamin D. I started seeing even more improvements in my health. I then moved on to a probiotic as anyone who has ever taken an antibiotic in their life is advised to take some kind of probiotic.
Soon I would be heading to college so I searched the shelves for something else I might need. I found Stress Advantage and Zyflamend, both by New Chapter, one of the store’s top selling companies. The Stress Advantage really helped me with the stress of college work. In college I joined the marching band and being a college marching band they pushed you harder than a high school marching band with practices during band camp going from 8 am to 11 pm with an hour and a half for lunch and an hour and a half for dinner. The Zyflamend came in handy with the pain. Zyflammend deals with inflammation and if I hadn’t taken it I would be sore for at least a week after band camp was over but I was fine after resting for two days.
My dad, the founder and owner of the Herbal Path, said that I would forget to take my vitamins and stop taking them in college. He was comparing me to my high school aged brother who started to take vitamins for a few months because I convinced him it will help him but he stopped. Upon returning from college for winter break I was still taking my vitamins on a daily basis. Due to it being flu season when I returned I got another product from New Chapter called Immunity Take Care and I wasn’t taking any chances even though I had already gotten the flu shot. It is a lozenge that you let dissolve on your tongue.
The vitamins I take are whole food vitamins, which means that they aren’t synthetically formulated in a lab. They are also organic and are only made from food and plants in the natural environment. Being whole food vitamins a person’s body will absorb 90-95 percent of it whereas a person’s body will only absorb 5-10 percent of a synthetic vitamin. Also you can take whole food vitamins on an empty stomach. Vitamins have definitely helped me out. You don’t have to take everything I take and there may be things in the store that aren’t right for me but may be perfect for you. I advise you to come in and look at the products and talk to one of the friendly staff who are always eager to help you find what you need.
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JTW Spotlight: Get Your Numbers Straight
by Cristyn Peters, BS, CPT
BMI, or body mass index, refers to the ratio of your body weight to your height. It is weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in meters). The range is from nineteen (underweight) to forty plus (extremely obese). But it does not tell the whole story. For example, Tom Brady, (NE patriots) is fat according to this scale! Of course he’s not fat. But his BMI is 27.4, putting him solidly in the overweight category of 25 – 29.9.
That, in a nutshell, is why BMI is a flawed way to judge an individual. All it takes into account is height and weight, nothing else.
So, I could have 2 people standing here. Each one is 5’11’’ tall, and they both weigh 220 lbs. According to the BMI scale, they are both obese at a BMI of 30.7. One of them is — considering his waist is 44” and he’s carrying around 73 lbs of bodyfat, with a body fat percentage of 33%.
The other guy is a major league athlete whose bodyfat is around 10%.
Now, BMI is helpful in predicting general trends across a population. Those in the overweight or obese ranges tend to have a higher incidence of certain medical conditions. But, when looking at an individual, BMI tells an incomplete story at best. Doctors like it because it is quick and easy, and can be presented easily on a chart hanging on an exam room wall.
If you want a real measure of your health and fitness, one that is better than weight or BMI alone, then get your bodyfat measured. As we can see with the example above, 220 lbs on one person can be made up of something completely different than 220 lbs on another person.
There are several methods of testing bodyfat/ body composition, which are easily accessed and inexpensive. Caliper method (skinfolds) is one such example. It takes only a few minutes, is painless, and fairly accurate compared to underwater weighing (which is very involved and costly).
Cristyn Peters, BS, CPT, has helped hundreds of people develop lean, toned, healthy bodies. She is a professionally certified personal trainer and nutrition educator and has openings for a limited number of new clients. She can be reached at cristynpeters@gmail.com or www.cristynpeters.com.
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JTW Spotlight: Intuitive Readings
by Carol J Hutchins ACAR, CHC, RM, IET
Once again we have entered a new year filled with many new opportunities. Perhaps you have wondered if an intuitive card reading can help you gain clarity or what it entails?
How can I have a good reading? What can I expect? Through the use of cards or other divination tools an intuitive reading can help you learn if you are on the right path or need to make minor or major changes that will help you live a happier life.
From that special knowing an intuitive understands that they are simply the messenger and the final decision always rests with you as to how you would like to use the information provided. Come with a clear agenda of what you would like to know,not frivolous questions such as what are the winning lottery numbers. Be open to the experience. Give honest feedback if we are heading in the right direction or if we’re not.
Ask us to explain if some thing is not clear. We shouldn’t mind. Keep an open mind about the information you receive. Remember readings should be “What you need to hear,not what you want to hear!”
The end results should be you feeling better even if some of the messages where not what you wanted to hear. A sense of “Yes I can !” Please keep an open mind and remember that nothing is set in stone. A change in your thoughts and attitude can change the outcome of an event for you.
“Knowing that you choose your destiny allows you to fulfill your dreams and move into your personal power.”
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JTW Spotlight: Therapeutic Essential Oils
by Amy Bregy
Did you know that there is a shortage of pharmaceutical medications? The medications include chemotherapy drugs, heart medications and newly added to the list, antibiotics. Now this can be scary for a lot of people and according to the news may have been responsible for 16 deaths already. Luckily there are safe alternatives to those drugs and with virtually no side effects.
Essential oils are the life force of a plant as blood is the life force of humans. Research has shone that essential oils have a similar structure as human cells and tissue. Essential oils are compatible with human protein, therefore are readily identified and accepted by the human body. This allows for therapeutic results with virtually no side effects.
Research has also shown when Essential oils are diffused in the air that they can increase atmospheric oxygen and increases negative ions in the air, which inhibits bacterial growth. This being said, it is of vital importance that the above results can only be said of Therapeutic grade essential oils. Adulterated essential oils can contain toxic material that is harmful and is better suited for aromatic uses only.
The Raindrop technique is a great way to experience the phenomenal effects of Therapeutic essential oils. The technique uses 7 single oils (oregano, thyme, basil, wintergreen, marjoram, cypress and peppermint), and two blends: Valor (aka chiropractor in a bottle) and Aroma siez (used for muscle spasms and muscle tension). The oils are applied to the feet, and then dropped like rain along the spine. They are then gently massaged along the vertebrae and back and neck muscles.
It is topped off with a hot compress to melt away stress and tension and to drive the oils down to the cellular level. In short, the benefits of Raindrop technique go well beyond the physical benefits of massage. They help every aspect of life, physically, mentally and emotionally, often relieving a variety of issues in a single treatment. Raindrop technique can not only help relieve pain and restore immediate physical wellbeing, but it can set in motion healing processes that will last for weeks, and with regular treatments will bring the body back to balance to restore vitality in mind, body and spirit.
Please contact me for a free consultation and look for my free lectures on essential oil usage and education. The lectures will be located in the conference room upstairs from the Herbal Path, Dover, NH and also at the Portsmouth location. For more information on lectures, please visit www.yourearthsenergy.com. Let’s start your Journey to Wellness.
Amy Bregy of Earth’s Energy
Journey to Wellness
839 Central Ave, Suite 4
Dover, NH
www.yourearthsenergy.com
amy@yourearthsenergy.com
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JTW Spotlight: Awakening in 2012
by Paula Stout, Grace Blessings Practitioner
There has been much talk about what is going to happen in 2012, especially with the ending of the Mayan calendar, which prophecy has interpreted in different ways. The most negative ones predict that this is the year the world will end, but actually what is ending is the Era or “Age” of our planet. An Era lasts 5,125 years and is associated with the rotation of the whole solar system. We are leaving the Age of Pisces (which began in 3113 B.C.) and are entering the Age of Aquarius.
This is not to say that the world as we know it is not coming to an end. There is scientific proof that the vibratory state of our planet has been changing. The increase in the planet’s vibration can be perceived as an increment of light. For you to understand this easily you must know that this vibration is affected and intensified due to the consciousness of all human beings. You may have heard this referred to as the “Shift”. Enlightenment has never been so accessible to ALL. Each thought, each emotion, each new Awakening and Enlightenment of a human being elevates the vibration of the planet.
Grace Blessings is a Consciousness expansion energy that sparks your Awakening and Enlightenment process. What exactly does that mean? Enlightenment is a shift that occurs within you, a shift to your natural state of being. With the transmission of Divine energy during a Grace Blessing, you become more connected to your spirituality, have a sense of unity, and your consciousness expands moving you into higher vibrational realms. Everything within your entire being is illuminated. We all have outdated belief systems, patterns and learned behaviors from family, community, cultural influences, etc., that really are not who we truly are. These come to light as not true and pass. As you awaken and move into higher levels of consciousness, you realize that the thoughts you’ve formed around your body, reputation, bank account, and overall identity represent only a fraction of the sacred contents of your spiritual essence.
The more you live in the full knowledge of who you really are, the more of your power is reclaimed. You take responsibility for all your creations. You don’t need to analyze them, feel guilty about them, or try to fix them. On your path to enlightenment, your perceptions of reality shift and change, you see and feel things more clearly; you see the world through the eyes of the Divine – full of love and compassion; and you feel completely connected to everyone – at One with the earth, life of the earth, and all life forms.
More information on Grace Blessings is available at www.jtwnh.com/practitioners/paula-stout.
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Q & A: What do you do to beat the winter blues?
Although it’s been a relatively mild winter so far, January and February can still be some of the toughest months of the year — short days, cold temps, and stormy weather can combine to make us go stir crazy or just be swallowed up by a general feeling of ‘blah.’ Here are some time-tested Herbal Path strategies for beating the winter blues!
Marci: Take some Vitamin D Sunny Gummies and spend some time in front of my Happy Light!
May: Take a probiotic and try to enjoy a cup of tea.
Greg: Sit in saunas & use essential oils; playing out doors (skiing, skating); hot tea (for instance, Tulsi teas).
Pat: Watch or read George Carlin or any comedy, like dog & cat videos on America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Chad: Drink tea, exercise, probiotics.
Ron: Vitamin D, adaptogenic formulas, adrenal support, Host Defense.
James: Vitamin D, happy lights, vacation time.
Sam: Probiotics and Vitamin D.
Patricia: Lots of rhodiola!
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Thank You For Reading!
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