Our BerkshireTimes Magazine

Our BerkshireTimes™

Community News | Local Events | Personal Growth | Vibrant Living

Special Fine Food & Drink Feature O Coupons!

Feb - Mar 2014, vol 12 Take One, It's Free!

Special Wedding & Romance Feature Online Coupons at www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/Coupons!

OO

Community Matters.Eat Local Food.www.berkshire.coop

Woven Roots FarmLee & Tyringham, MA

Cooperatively Owned • Community Focused

42 Bridge Street • Great Barrington, MA • 413.528.9697

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www.OurBerkshireTimes.com February | March 2014

Contents

February - March 2014


Stephanie Anderson, Artist

A 1999 graduate of The Rhode Island School of Design illustration pro-gram, Stephanie has cur-rently completed illustra-tions for three children’s books – Weaving the Rain-bow, Sleepy Boy, and You and Me and Home Sweet Home, all published by Simon &

Schuster Publishing. Her work has appeared in numer-ous publications and exhibitions. [email protected], www.stephanieandersonart.com

PUBLISHERKathy I. [email protected]_______________

EDITORIALKathy I. [email protected]

Rodelinde [email protected]

Copyeditors/ProofreadersRodelinde AlbrechtPatty Strauch_______________

DESIGNMagazine Design/LayoutKathy I. Regan

Ads–Independent DesignersKatharine Adams, Rural Ethic [email protected]

Christine [email protected]

Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design [email protected]

Shirley Sparks, Graphic Design on a [email protected] _______________

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc.P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) [email protected]

www.OurBerkshireGreen.comwww.OurBerkshireTimes.comwww.OurBerkshireCalendar.com_______________

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Like Us On

4 art, culture & entertainment

EVENT SAMPLER

8 home, garden & landscape HOME & GARDEN EVENTS

Our BerkshireTimes Magazine is a bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, start-ing in February), free to the public, and is enjoyed by community members, second home owners, and visitors alike. Most of our editorial content is contrib-uted by our community members. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website. You will find complete instructions on our online form. To find out more about advertis-ing, submitting editorial, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter.

All content in Our BerkshireTimes™ is accepted in good faith. We do not necessarily ad-vocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.

5 wedding & romance feature ASK THE EXPERTS FEATURED BRIDE SWEET ROMANCE

10 food & drink

FOR TERRIFIED COOKS

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

12 animal talk

DENTAL CLEANING

14 fashion & beauty

LENOX PETIT SPA

16 education & workshops

THE HOLLYHOCK DREAM

19 community spotlight

PITTSFIELD PERSPECTIVE

20 health & wellness

HEAVY METALS

22 mind & spirit

SHEILAA HITE

23 featured advertisers

SPECIAL THANKS

Savings! Go to: www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/coupons to find advertisers who are offering additional online coupons and deals with fantastic savings! Join our mailing list to receive our informative eNewsletter and coupons directly.

Our BerkshireTimes™ The Voice of Our Community!

4 February | March 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

art, culture & entertainment

Closed February & MarchReopening April 1, 2014

Open Fri thru Mon 11am - 5:30pm www.facebook.com/stfrancisgallery

Please join us for our Artist’s Reception on April 5, 2014 – 3 to 6pm

Route 102 (Next to the Fire Station)South Lee, MA ● (413) 717-5199

presenting

www.saintfrancisgallery.com

A FOOL'S PARADISE RE-VISIONING ART

february -march event sampler

see more events or post your event for free at www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

MORNINGS @ MATRUSHKA PUPPET PLAYDate: Sat. Feb 1, 2014, 10:30amPlace: Matrushka Toys and Gifts 309 Main Street, Great Barrington MA - (413) 528-4015Price: FreeDelightful puppet play for pre-K and toddler-age children present-ed by an experienced Waldorf early childhood teacher.www.gbrss.org

RHYME TIMEDate: Tues, Feb 4, 2014, 10:30amPlace: Matrushka Toys & Gifts 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-6911Price: Free. Rhyme Time, a weekly drop-in song and story circle for young children with a parent or caregiver. This event takes place every Tuesday, 10:30am, at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington. www. gbrss.org

REV TOR'S DEAD OF WINTER JAM CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF THE GRATEFUL DEADDate: Thurs, Feb 13, 2014, 8pm. Place: The Garage at The Colo-nial, 111 South Street, Pittsfield MA - (413) 443-8084Price: $10, $12Since its conception in the mid-90s, The Rev Tor Band, led by singer and lead guitarist Tor Krautter, has become one of the most compelling and exciting acts on the blues and jam-band circuit. This show will be a midwinter celebration of the music of The Grateful Dead featuring a multitude of guest artists. Pulling inspiration from a variety of influences, Tor and his band have shared

the stage with members of The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Allman Brothers, and The New Riders of the Purple Sage.www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

HOFFMANN BIRD CLUB MEETING/PRESENTATION "MEMORIES OF ALASKA"Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2014, 7pmPlace: Berkshire Life Insurance Company, 700 South Street, Pittsfield MA - (413) 884-4961Price: Free. HBC members share their trips to Alaska.www.hoffmannbirdclub.org

LONI LOVEDate: Fri, Mar 7, 2014, 8pmPlace: The Colonial Theatre 111 South Street, Pittsfield, MA - (413) 443-8084Price: $35, $25Loni Love is one of the most hilarious and lovable comics per-forming stand-up on the comedy club and college circuits today. Currently, Love is a regular panel-ist on E!’s hit show Chelsea Lately. www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

REVOLUTION, PRESENTED BY PROJECT NATIVE Date: Sat, Mar 29, 2014, 7:00pmPlace: Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA - 413-274-3433Price: Free. We will be kicking off our 4th environmental film festival with a special screening of Revolu-tion, an award-winning film by Rob Stewart, director of Sharkwater. Prepare to be inspired! Continuing his adventurous journey around the world, filmmaker Rob Stewart brings us Revolution, a full length feature film that is inspiring humans to change the world and save our planet. www.projectnative.org

Do you have experience in sales? Would you like to work flexible hours

and enjoy making extra money while helping local business owners

promote their businesses?

Help Wanted

Independent Sales Opportunity to sell advertising space for

Our BerkshireTimes Magazine.(413) 274-1122 (leave message)

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April - May 2012, vol 1

Take One, It's Free!


Presented by Our BerkshireGreen


Connect, Share, Grow, Prosper • It's All About Community!Western MA | Northern CT | Eastern NY | Southern VT

Oct - Nov 2012, vol 4 Take One, It's Free!



Connect, Share, Grow, Prosper • It's All About Community!Western MA | Northern CT | Eastern NY | Southern VT

Special Wedding Feature Inside!


Feb - March 2013, vol 6 Take One, It's Free!


Western MA | Northern CT | Eastern NY | Southern VT

Connect, Share, Grow, Prosper • The Voice of Our Community!

5


The following is a compilation of various questions Diane and Jerrid Burdick of BerkshireBride.com have been asked

throughout the years. BerkshireBride.com is a locally owned, full-service wedding firm designed to “teach” brides how to get mar-ried in the Berkshires while supporting the local wedding profes-sionals located in Berkshire County. BerkshireBride.com is more than a website; it’s an experience. If you have questions of your own, please email [email protected].

Q: I just got engaged! Where do I start?A: Congratulations on your engagement! There are four major components to planning your wedding that you will need to decide on very shortly after setting the date: ceremony location/officiant, reception facility (if not in same place as the ceremony), a deejay, and a photographer. These four major planning details are to be done first so that you secure the most important facets of your wedding. The professionals you choose are going to be working for just you on your wedding day. Where a florist can handle 11 to 12 weddings in a week, a photographer will only book themselves for you for that day. The same applies for your deejay. Making these four decisions first will really clear your head and help you to utilize your energy for other fun stuff like color palettes, invi-tations, food tasting, and so forth.

Q: What is the tipping etiquette for a wedding? Do we tip all the vendors whom we’ve received a service from?A: You are not required to tip anyone on your wedding day! Our rule of thumb is to only tip when you have received exceptional service. Vendors that could be tipped are: catering managers (they work for hourly wages), deejays (only if they work for someone else), cake makers (if they have exceeded your expectations), and finally the limo drivers. Basically, you have hired these people to do their jobs. You shouldn’t have to feel as though you owe them extra when you have already paid them a substantial amount.

Q: My fiance and I hate cake. Do we have to have it at our wedding?A: You are not alone! We have had a lot of couples proclaim their dislike of cake. Couples are starting to think outside of the cake mold and are trying different things they actually like. For instance, one couple likes apple pie. Since their wedding was in October, they had pies for every table each on its own pedestal. It served as a centerpiece and a dessert that everyone could serve themselves. Another idea is cheesecake or individual cup-cakes at each table. We’ve even seen weddings have cannolis and Italian cookies because the bride’s grandmother was Italian and their wedding theme was “A Taste of Italy.” Be creative! You are not bound by any wedding laws to have certain rituals or “traditions.”

Q: How many “tries” should I give a business I’ve been calling to book with before I call someone else?A: Depending on the particular circumstances, if the initial phone call has not been called back within four days, you should try calling the business again and leave another message. If after three days you still haven’t heard, we recommend that you move on.

Q: The jeweler for our wedding rings was absolutely amaz-ing! How do we express our thanks to them?A: Based on our own experience, we really appreciate it when couples send a thank you letter, card, and pictures. The best way to say thank you is tell other people! If you write a stellar letter to the vendor highlighting specifics that you liked about them, those vendors will be able to put it out for other potential clients to see.

Q: My fiance and I already have a child together. Can I still wear white?A: Wedding dresses today mean so much more than the classic “pu-rity.” They now represent hope and new beginnings. You can wear whatever color you want. If white is what suits you best . . . Go for it!

wedding & romance special feature

ask the expertsHELPFUL INFORMATION FOR EVERY BRIDE AND GROOM

by diane & jerrid burdick

37 Years • Your Personal Jeweler

Allendale Shopping Center

413-442-9073

Now available exclusively at

February | March 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

6


Featured Bride ~ CatherineBurt CantinFrom a young age, Tanglewood

became one of my favorite places. Lucky for me, my parents have always had a taste for the simple yet beautiful things in life - music, exploration, and nature to name a few. Tanglewood was a place where all three beautifully in-tertwined, providing a magical and safe sanctuary. It was often that our family would pack a picnic and blanket, and

hang out on the grass for a daytime rehearsal or an evening concert under the stars. My brothers and I ran barefoot through the maze and climbed in the trees. Who would

have thought that just 20-some years later, it would be in that very same maze where I would be swept off my feet through a romantic marriage proposal?

Lesson number one: It is a very cool thing when your best friend is also the love of your life. Let me back up. I met Mark (my now husband) while completing an internship in Los Angeles during our senior year at Emerson College. It took a cross-country trip to bring Mark, also a Massachusetts native, and myself together. It was early on that our families also fell for each other, and my mom and dad invited his family to spend our traditional Fourth of July celebration with us at Tanglewood. It was nine years and many plane rides later and yet another wonderful Fourth of July spent listening to James Taylor, when Mark got down on one knee with a ukulele and ring in hand, and popped the question through a love song that he wrote for me. It was mushy, sentimental, and all things that sappy movies are made of.

Next up? Enjoying being engaged. Oh, and some planning. Since deciding on a traditional wedding versus eloping, we wanted a place that held sacred meaning for the two of us. That was Tanglewood. We then found out that Mark coincidentally grew up in Westford, Massachusetts, with the current event manager at Tangle-wood (thank you, Sean). It was meant to be and the date was set.

Lesson number two: If help is offered, take it. Embrace the talents of the people around you. Our wedding was a labor of love. Our buddy Mike hand-addressed every single invitation and place card. My two pals from LA, George Clinton and Christian Classen, helped me to modernize my mom’s wedding dress that I wore, while Mark wrote the music that we walked down the aisle to. We kicked off our celebratory weekend with a welcome party consisting of locally brewed beer from Green Lion Brewing Company (owned by my brother and his buddy). Guests snacked on fresh oysters that Mark’s dad brought from the Brewster Bay on Cape Cod where Mark spent his summers as a child. My parents made batches of wine and cheese for guests to enjoy. A friend designed canvas gift bags that displayed a hand-drawn map of The Berkshires, filled with some of our favorite things like Cape Cod Potato Chips, Berkshire Mount Spring Water, and a copy of Our BerkshireTimes magazine. Our dear family friend Jo Ann Atma Levitt so graciously married the two of us under handwritten wishes that our guests tied to an arbor covered in

hop vines from my parents’ backyard in Pittsfield. Mark’s mom made every single candle that lit up the barn at Gedney Farm in New Marlborough for the reception that followed our wedding ceremony. Our support crew worked endlessly to create our dream day that would lead us into our future. Apparently, it does take a village.

Lesson number three: The journey is the reward. The planning was an exploration back to our home state of Massachusetts as we worked together with a team of local vendors we are so grateful to have collaborated with. Wildflowers in Great Barrington cre-ated elegant bouquets of local herbs and flowers.

The ladies had a blast getting ready together at The Old Inn On The Green with hair stylist Lari Manz and makeup artist Maria Pizzuro Cleary. The Lucky Five Jazz Band got the dance floor moving early on, and our friend and Massachusetts native, DJ Special Blend, spun music late into the night. From what I can remember, it was perfect.

So, on that beautiful, crisp day in September, surrounded by the love, humor, and encouragement of 150 friends and family members from near and far (okay, that small wedding idea did not happen), the clouds parted and as the sun came out we said two words that meant everything, “I do.”

I am grateful for all that my parents have given me, but learning how to love and be loved are most valued, along with the gift of Tanglewood and the ability to share in the spirit of The Berkshires. ~ Massachusetts native Catherine (Cat) Burt was born and raised in Pittsfield, MA. From a very young age, she was inspired by nature, art, staying active, and cooking with her dad. Her passion led her to to Boston, MA, to study journal-ism at Emerson College and finally back to the Berkshires to be wed.

LJ LoMurry & David Charles Sullivan, Fluid Frame Photography

Ben Schaefer, Avenna Studios


Purveyors of fine, rare and hard to findwines and spirits from around the world.(413) 232-852226 Main StreetWest Stockbridge, MA 01266

Artisianal Fine Wines, Craft Beers,Wide Selection of Liquor,

Locally Made CheesesFree Wine & Beer Tastings

Every Saturday

QueensboroWine k Spirits

www.queensborowineandspirits.com


7

ALL OCCASION CAKESCatering for Weddings,

Office Parties & Special Events

413-443-5400179 South Street

Pittsfield, MA

www.benjerry.com/pittsfield

sweet romanceCREATIVE AND FUN WAYS TO BE ROMANTIC

Do you have a flair for romantic ideas, sweet gestures, and spontaneity? The following are some simple romantic

ideas that we hope will inspire you!

Surprise your partner with a romantic “getaway” weekend right here in the Berkshires. Many of the bed-and-breakfasts and inns in the area offer fabulous special deals and packages in Febru-ary and March that include breakfast, dinner, and afternoon tea. Choose a destination with a little extra luxury such as a whirlpool tub and fireplace. Pack a light overnight bag and keep it simple so you can both completely relax and enjoy your time together.

Write an old fashioned love note (on real pa-per) and include an invitation to dinner (somewhere with delicious food and romantic atmosphere like Chez Nous Bistro in Lee, MA). Keep your note short and sweet so you don’t put off doing it, and dab a little of your perfume or cologne on the pa-per right before you pop it into the mail.

Take a workshop or class together that you would both enjoy such as dancing, cooking, yoga, exercise, or photography. Make it a ritual to stop for tea or coffee before or after to extend your special time together.

Play hooky for the day (or half day) from work and go on an “adventure day” together at a nearby town. Have breakfast or lunch at a place you have never tried before, window-shop in stores that you have not shopped in before, and finish off the day with a special treat (maybe an ice cream cone from Ben & Jerry’s in Pittsfield, MA).

Have an indoor picnic in front of the fireplace or on your bed. Pick your favorite takeout so you do

not need to do dishes, and plan to watch a romantic movie after dinner. Or, enjoy a special free wine and beer tasting together on Saturdays at Quensboro Wine & Spirits in West Stockbridge, MA.

Do something thoughtful for your partner that you do not usually do. Even something small like making a cup of cof-fee will seem special if it is an unexpected kindness.

Reach out and touch each other. As obvious as that sounds, we often get so caught up in the daily grind that we forget how important, healing, and romantic touching your loved one can be. Start your day off with a caress and a kiss goodbye, and get reacquainted after work with an inviting warm hug or backrub at the end of the day.

If you or someone you know is looking for love but have not yet found it, consider using a reliable introduction service like Concerned Singles (see ad at right). You may very well meet the love of your life or at the very least a wonderful new friend!

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home, garden & landscape

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2014OUTDOOR LIVING EXPO50 Foster Street, Worcester, MAwww.outdoorlivingexpos.com

What is Outdoor Living? It no longer means just a few folding chairs, a pic-

nic table, and a charcoal grill. It means bring-ing all the comforts of indoor living to the outdoors. Homeowners are building stone patios with outdoor kitchens complete with large, permanently installed grills, refrig-erators, work areas, and even pizza ovens! They’re also installing luxurious outdoor fireplaces or firepits to extend the season, and adding beautiful outdoor lighting to ex-tend each evening. We are bringing in the best contractors and products in the region so our attendees can get fresh ideas for cre-ating their dream outdoor living room and get that first breath of the season.

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2014CONNECTICUT HOME & REMODELING SHOWConnecticut Convention Center, Hartfordwww.cthomeshow.com

As Connecticut’s largest and longest running Home and Remodeling Show,

the Home Builders & Remodelers Associa-tion of Greater Hartford offers residents of Connecticut and western Massachusetts a one-stop shopping experience in home products and services. You will be able to find a wide variety of home improvement,

building, and remodeling exhibits featuring thousands of ideas for the home and yard.Because this is the show that is produced locally by the Home Builders, you can have confidence knowing that this show repre-sents many of our members and the people we do business with every day.

MARCH 12 -16, 2014BOSTON FLOWER & GARDEN SHOWSeaport World Trade Center www.bostonflowershow.com

The Boston Flower & Garden Show will return with the theme “Romance

in the Garden.” Whether it’s in the fairytale elegance of a royal rose garden or the sleek and sexy site of a modern meet up, ro-mance will blossom in this year’s landscapes and floral designs. Set to the backdrop of spectacular garden displays by cutting-edge landscape professionals and area nurseries, the 2014 show will feature hours of lectures and demonstrations by top garden writers, industry experts, and creative local chefs, a diverse and lively marketplace featuring thousands of plants and hundreds of the newest gardening products.

MARCH 27-30, 2014West Springfield, MAwww.westernmasshomeshow.com

Visit hundreds of local and national vendors covering everything from

home building, remodeling, financing, decorating, gardening, landscaping, and so much more. The largest Home and Garden show in New England for 60 years! Everything for the home and garden. Two buildings and an outdoor area. Over 600 booths. This year’s show will be held at the Eastern States Expo-sition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, MA. For more information on the show, to exhibit in the show, or for sponsor-ship opportunities contact Tina Smith at (413) 733-3126 or [email protected].

JULY 12 -13, 2014PITTSFIELD GARDEN TOURPittsfield, MAwww.pittsfieldgardentour.org

Enjoy a fine selection of Pittsfield’s most beautiful gardens with an easily navi-

gated self-guided tour. First obtain a ticket (passport), either before the tour or on the days of the tour (see website). Each garden is numbered and the ticket will contain a map showing you where each of the gardens is located. Upon arrival you will be greeted at the entrance by a volunteer who will stamp your passport with a rubber stamp unique to that garden. You need not attend the gar-dens in any particular order and you may at-tend each garden as many times as you wish during the two days of the tour. Usually the gardeners themselves will be on hand to an-swer any questions. Have fun and enjoy this lovely garden tour! The Garden Tour’s mis-sion is to recognize and celebrate the beauty of Pittsfield by organizing garden tours of selected private gardens and public spaces; the monies raised are to be used for projects to enhance Pittsfield. (413) 443-1832,[email protected]

exciting home & garden events! GET A JUMP-START ON SPRING AND SUMMER

9


home, garden & landscape

The Empire State Building has gone GREEN because of a window energy retrofit techniqueto remove, weatherproof and replace all 6,514 windows to help the famous landmark reach its goal of reducing energy consumptionby 38%. Exclusively sold at Morrison's.

Morrison’s window glass technology- energy efficiency higher than the rest!

Fuel Savings up to 50%

obtained by customers!

We don't brag about having the best windows,

our customers do it for us!"

413-442-3001674 North Street • Pittsfield, MA 01201

“Very satisfied with replacement window installation."“Windows have proved to keep the house cooler.""Noticed extreme difference right away.""I used less than a half tank of oil!""Gone are the rattles and the drafts.""Tremendous savings on fuel bills."

www.morrisonshomeimprovement.com

Licensed-CSL #051408

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The Empire State Building just got SERIOUS

EMERGENCY ON CALL SERVICE24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

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Emergency Water Damage RemediationHouse Wide & Post Construction Cleaning ● Carpet & Upholstery CleaningFloor Maintenance ● Animal Debris & Odor Clean Up ● Sewer & Septic Clean UpFire, Soot & Smoke Remediation ● Mold & Odor Remediation

3 Westview Road, Pittsfield, MA

(413) 274-1010 [email protected]

Kitchens • Baths • Offices• Entertainment Centers • Staircases

• Furniture • Big & Small Jobs

www.HartsvilleDesign.com

Hartsville Design Woodworking

Celebrate Our Forty-first Year!

Wonderful Things

Harry and Debbie Sano232 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230

Lar arns and Unique Handcrafted Gifts in the Berkshires

413-528-2473 www.wonderful-things.com

Open Mon.-Sat. 9:30-5, Sun. 12-4Gift Certificates Free Knitting Lessons

gest Selection of Y


food & drink

Cross Country Skiing andSnowshoeing with Amenities

� Warm up by the fi replace� Enjoy delicious mulled cider, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods� Taste any one of our wines for FREE Professionally groomed trails designed by Olympian John Morton.

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook WineryOpen daily 9am-5pm508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 • Richmond, MA 01254Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.comCheck website for details of full moon snowshoe treks!

SNOWSHOE &

SKI RENTALS

for terrified cooksTHE CAN'T COOK BOOK BY JESSICA SEINFELD

review by miriam jacobs

Slemon ricotta pancakes

Copyright © 2013 by Jessica Seinfeld from THE CAN’T COOK BOOK published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

the ingredients (makes 16 three-inch pancakes):½ c. all-purpose flour | ½ c. whole wheat flour | 2 T sugar | 2 tsp. baking powder | ½ tsp. kosher salt | 2 large eggs | 1 c. low-fat or whole milk | ½ c. whole milk or part-skim ricotta cheese | ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract | grated zest of ½ lemon (about ½ tsp.) | 2 T unsalted butter (½ T +½ T + ½ T + ½ T) | maple syrup, for serving

Measuring, pouring the batter, and flipping the pancakes at the right moment is simple stuff.1. In a medium bowl, measure and whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt (dry ingredients). Add the eggs, milk, ricotta, and vanilla (wet ingredients). Grate the zest directly into the bowl. Whisk everything together (do not overmix).2. Place your large skillet on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add ½ T of the butter. Once it’s melted, swirl the skillet so the butter coats the bottom of the pan. Spoon in 2 T of batter for each pancake – space them a few inches apart because they will spread (a large skillet will hold four pancakes per batch).3. Cook until bubbles on the tops of the pancakes start to pop and the undersides are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip with a metal spatula, cook 30 seconds more, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter (you may have to turn the heat down if the skillet becomes too hot and the pancakes start to scorch). Serve with maple syrup.

tools needed:

Cross Country Skiing andSnowshoeing with Amenities

� Warm up by the fi replace� Enjoy delicious mulled cider, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods� Taste any one of our wines for FREE Professionally groomed trails designed by Olympian John Morton.

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook WineryOpen daily 9am-5pm508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 • Richmond, MA 01254Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.comCheck website for details of full moon snowshoe treks!

SNOWSHOE &

SKI RENTALS

medium bowl | measuring cups, spoons | grater/zester | whisk | large skillet |metal spatula

Most cooking aficionados gravitate to-wards the complicated and exotic and

yet, the popularity of the cooking channel notwithstanding, most people don’t know how to cook! But there are new brides and grooms, and those who will newly gradu-ate in a few months and set up their own kitchen, who would love to be able to make a meal from scratch but find that most be-ginner cookbooks are boring and often de-pend on prepackaged ingredients.

So I was delighted when I ran across a basic cookbook which was neither. For a start, I love the tone Jessica Seinfeld (yes, that Seinfeld) takes, assuring the new cook that “you can get creative here without fear,” or “Okay beginners, do this one and definitely do not be alarmed! ”

One of the introductory chapters shows with clear pictures some basic tech-niques any cook will need, from zesting lemon to chopping onions, and when the recipe calls for the procedure she refers back to it. She also puts all this cooking mystique in perspective: After all, if her seven-year-old can make Shepherd’s French Toast, how intimidating can it possibly be? On

top of that, for recipes that need an extra page, there is a fold-out page so all the in-structions can be seen in one glance. Most important of all: they are good recipes!

Think about it: Banana-Date Bran Muf-fins (with no added sugar), Roasted Chicken Drumsticks (in four different ways, including yogurt and cumin), Hoisin Halibut (serious taste but seriously easy), and Slow-Cooker Lasagna (with no precooking noodles).

I am especially in love with her veg-etable and starch recipes since they tend to be the ingredient which intimidate most beginners. Roasted Asparagus with Lemon (lemon freshly zested), Oven Fries (pars-nip, russet potato, and carrot fries), Minty Sugar Snaps, Summer Tomato Bruschetta, a Mexican Corn (with parmesan, cayenne, and lime), and Toasted Pine Nut and Cranberry Quinoa (no, this is not a difficult grain).

There is nothing as soul satisfying as a home-cooked meal and it does not have to be complicated to be special. So go on, put on that apron, whip up something yummy. I promise you with this delightful cookbook you can. ~ Miriam Jacobs writes about food at www.sandwichdiva.com.

don't panic:

11


food & drink

PURCHASE AT CHECKOUT or ONLINE @ GUIDOS FRESHMARKETPLACE.COM

PITTSFIELD & GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

Purveyors of fine, rare and hard to findwines and spirits from around the world.(413) 232-852226 Main StreetWest Stockbridge, MA 01266

Artisianal Fine Wines, Craft Beers,Wide Selection of Liquor,

Locally Made CheesesFree Wine & Beer Tastings

Every Saturday

QueensboroWine k Spirits

www.queensborowineandspirits.comLenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Lenox Road

Lenox, MA 01240

Tel: 413.637.9777www.jaeslenox.com

Jae’s since 1990

for terrified cooksTHE CAN'T COOK BOOK BY JESSICA SEINFELD

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12 February| March 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

animal talk

When I took a temporary leave from my college coursework

to work full time at a busy veterinary practice, my primary responsibility was radiology, but I also substituted as treat nurse, surgical nurse, and lab technician when needed, and some-

times I assisted in the exam room. But my favorite assignment was to perform dental cleanings under general anesthesia. Removing every single speck of plaque and tartar from every surface, nook, and cranny, and the transformation of a grungy mouth to spot-less, was very appealing to my somewhat obsessive side.

Non-anesthetic dental cleaning does not always allow the obses-sive removal of every single speck of plaque and tartar from ev-ery surface, nook, and cranny of our pets’ mouths. Nevertheless, it is a valuable option for safely, responsibly, and humanely avoid-ing the risks of routine dental cleanings under anesthesia for our healthy pets, and, as well, for safely, responsibly, and humanely improving the quality of life of our pets with advancing dental disease who, for reasons of systemic illness or advanced age, are not good candidates for dental cleaning under anesthesia.

In the past, veterinarians could (and often would) remove plaque and tartar from a pet’s teeth without using general anesthesia so long as there was no indication of advancing dental disease nor the need for extractions, and so long as the non-anesthetic procedure could be accomplished without overly stressing the pet. However, new American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredita-tion requirements are rapidly regulating non-anesthetic dental pro-cedures out of existence, at least insofar as those procedures being performed on site at veterinary clinics and hospitals.

Effective November 2013, the AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats mandate general anesthesia with intubation for all dental procedures (including routine dental cleanings), and deem the cleaning of pet’s teeth without general anesthesia and intubation to be an unacceptable practice. Not surprisingly, the AAHA Guidelines are supported by generous grants from a number of entities with vested interests beyond the simple health and well-being of our pets, and whose “generous support” in a variety of areas holds great sway in any number of mandates and accrediting guidelines put forth by AAHA, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and individual state licensing and regulatory agencies.

AAHA’s justification for its sweeping mandate on pet dental care is that “Techniques such as necessary immobilization without discomfort, periodontal probing, intraoral radiology, and removal of plaque and tartar above and below the gum line that ensure patient health and safety cannot be achieved without general an-esthesia.” While I would certainly agree that intraoral radiology (x-rays) cannot yield acceptable results without the use of general anesthesia, I would vigorously contest the notion that plaque and

tartar removal above and below the gum line cannot be humanely and acceptably accomplished without general anesthesia and in-tubation, and I would suggest that those who claim otherwise either have a vested interest beyond the simple health and well-being of our pets, and/or simply have never witnessed non-anes-thetic dental cleaning procedures performed correctly.

For my own part, I first witnessed non-anesthetic dental procedures being performed correctly about a decade ago when the holistic veterinary practice I used for my pets (and later worked at) brought in Houndstooth Non-Anesthetic Veterinary Dental Service dental technicians several times a year to provide non-anesthetic dental cleaning services. It was amazing to watch. The Houndstooth tech-nicians sat on the floor working quickly and quietly. Cats were gen-tly swaddled in bath towels to both restrain and calm them during the procedure. Dogs were gently persuaded to lie quietly with their heads on the technician’s lap throughout the cleaning. No brute strength was applied. No raised voices were heard. There was no whining, whimpering, yelping, or growling. There was only the oc-casional insulted lashing of a cat’s tail, or the repeated thumping of a wagging dog’s tail. Nobody was stressed, hurt, or otherwise trau-matized, and the results inside the mouth were truly impressive.

Since that day, I have continued to work with Houndstooth, both as a pet owner and as a host location for their veterinarian-super-vised clinics. What started out as a small pool of Berkshire County Houndstooth devotees has now grown, through little more than word-of-mouth advertising, to become an essential service option for pet owners and referring veterinarians from as far away as Bos-ton, southern Vermont, western New York State, and southern Connecticut, into Long Island, New York City, and New Jersey. It is indeed an honor to be able to bring this essential service option to so many individual pet owners and referring veterinarians. Good dental health is of utmost importance for good overall health.

Please visit the www.houndstoothpetdental.com website for more information on their non-anesthetic dental cleaning service, and please visit www.bensdotters.com to join the mailing list for notification of southern Berk-shire County Houndstooth dental clinics.

~ Kristina Dow, BensDotter’s Pet, www.bensdotters.com. See Tina’s advertisement at right and on inside back cover.

CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL VETERINARY PRACTICEby kristina dow

Editor's note: Providing raw bones (preferably organic) on a regu-lar basis will also help clean your pet’s teeth in addition to provid-ing them with a nice oral workout and many additional health ben-efits. See the April 2009 issue of Our BerkshireGreen magazine (www.OurBerkshireTimes.com) to read an excellent article by Kristina Dow about raw feeding your pet.

non-anesthetic dental cleaning for pets

13


animal talk

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non-anesthetic dental cleaning for pets february is national pet dental health month

To address the significance of oral health care for pets, the AVMA and several veterinary groups are sponsoring

National Pet Dental Health Month in February.

The AVMA reminds pet owners that preventive dental care is always less expensive than oral catastrophes. Periodontal disease is the most common health problem that veterinarians find in pets, explains Dr. Douglas Aspros, president of the AVMA. Practicing good dental hygiene at home in addition to regular cleanings by your veterinarian is the most efficient and cost-effective way to ex-tend your pet’s life, while keeping them comfortable and pain free.

While regular dental checkups are essential to help maintain your pet’s dental health, there are a number of signs that dental disease has already started. If you notice any of the symptoms below, take your pet into your veterinarian as soon as possible:

Bad breath - Most pets have breath that is less than fresh, • but if it becomes truly repugnant, that’s a sign that peri-odontal disease has already started.

Frequent pawing or rubbing at the face and/or mouth.•

Reluctance to eat hard foods.•

Red swollen gums and brownish teeth.•


Located neatly within the Garden Gables Inn on Main Street in Lenox, MA, Le-nox Petit Spa offers a variety of luxu-rious, healing facials and massages for woman and men. The Inn’s Director of Aesthetics, Erica Leopold, and her staff of licensed massage therapists can treat

you to their signature Naturopathic “Natural Face Lift” Facial, their Naturopathic Men’s “Good Grooming” Facial, or their Environ Mini Corrective Treatments Facial just to name a few from their generous list of services.

Special add-ons include Power Peels to soften fine lines and bright-en dull complexions; Botanical Skin Bright-eners to reduce sun damage and restore the glow of health; Vi-tamin K Eye Treatment to diminish dark circles and ease puffiness; “Happy Head” warm aromatherapy scalp treatment (a blissful scalp, neck, and shoulder massage with deep conditioning hair treatment); and “Happy Feet” foot and lower leg therapy that includes a warm herbal compress, along with relaxing, exfoliating, and hydrating massage.

Lenox Petite Spa’s relaxing and rejuvenating massage menu ranges from a 25-minute tension-relieving Back, Neck, and Shoulder Massage to a more intensive 50- or 80-min-ute Theraputic Deep Tissue Massage. You can also choose from Hot Stone, Aroma Stone, Sports, and Pre- and Post-Event Massages (perfect for the soon-to-be bride!), Sugar Scrubs and Wraps, and even a Pre- and Post-Natal Mas-sage using Swedish techniques designed to help clients re-lieve some of the discomfort of childbearing. See ad at left.

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simple power relaxation tips

Dr. Edward F. Group from the Global Healing Center, www.globalhealing

center.com, recommends taking two minutes (especially before meals) to take nine deep breaths starting from deep in your belly all the way up through your upper lungs. He states that many people who have food aller-gies often eat in a sympathetic state (part of the autonomic nervous system that is activat-ed during stress which reduces digestive se-cretions, speeds up the heartbeat, and causes contraction of the blood vessels). During this state there is a much higher chance that your body will treat the food you eat as a toxin, allergen, or threat, and initiate an im-mune response toward the food. Dr. Group suggests that if you suffer from food allergies (or stress in general) you can start perform-ing the deep breathing exercises before meals and you should start noticing better digestion and fewer allergic reactions within months, creating a healthier and more beautiful you!

We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine, but maybe if you know

why you will make a point of doing it more often. Mike Adams, better known as the Health Ranger, www.naturalnews.com, says your body manufactures chemicals based on certain needs and then distributes them throughout your body. When you laugh, you generate a wealth of healing and immune-boosting biochemicals. It also increases cir-culation, exercises abdominal muscles, and increases oxygenation of your body!

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the hollyhock dream

Early childhood teachers from the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner

School (GBRSS) have created an original story book, The Hollyhock Dream, about a girl and her little brother who venture through the forest in search of the flower that their mother dreams will make her well. The fairy tale debuted as a puppet play at the school’s Holiday Handcraft Fair in November 2013, and teachers will perform it again for the community at the Mason Library in Great Barrington on Saturday, March 15, 2014, at 11:15am.

The Hollyhock Dream was written by teach-ers Trice Atchison, Beth Oakley, and Jo Valens. “We went to a workshop led by author and storyteller Nancy Mellon last spring and, as part of the evening, wove together a story on the spot,” says parent-child teacher Trice Atchison. “We were so inspired by the process, we decided to col-laborate on a new fairy tale for our 2013 Holiday Handcraft Fair’s puppet play.”

Writing a new story allowed the teachers to consider themes such as how there can be more than one right way to a destination – sometimes with the least likely person leading the way; how be-nevolent help can show up during mo-ments of confusion; and how the natu-ral world is full of wonders, including plants that heal. When they finished the tale, the group decided to publish it as a storybook, with nursery teachers Jo Valens and Beth Oakley together illus-trating the book with color pencil draw-ings. Jo Valens has previously illustrated The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book, The Waldorf Book of Bread, The Waldorf Book of Soups, and Tell Me a Story, a collection of nursery and kindergarten tales from Waldorf teachers around the world, to which she also contributed several sto-ries. Trice Atchison contributed to and co-edited A Warm and Gentle Welcome, a collection of articles about Waldorf early childhood education.

When it came time to adapt the story as a puppet play, kindergarten teachers Somer Serpe and Michelle Kuzia joined the col-laboration, making silk marionette puppets to represent the mother and children, along with a grandfather rod puppet of felted wool that can move with expressive ges-tures. Teachers brought the story’s animal friends to life, too, and created a puppet stage for the characters’ adventures us-ing silk cloths and simple props. Michelle Kuzia composed two songs to accompany the performance and Veronica Horowitz, nursery assistant, joined in as a puppeteer. Feedback has been positive, according to the teachers, with children reenacting parts of the story in their free play and conver-sation, and parents mentioning that their children are asking for the story to be read again and again.

The Early Childhood program at GBRSS is based on the simple yet profound concept that young children learn most effectively

original story book by trice atchison, beth oakley, and jo valens


continued on page 18

17



A wonderful, well-rounded collection of books for all ages and interests,

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the hollyhock dream

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

Waldor f Educat ion in the Berkshires for over 40 years

(413) 528-4015 www.gbrss.org Great Barrington, MA

We educate our students to meet life with courage, impart meaning and purpose to their lives, and respond with creativity and integrity to the needs of the world. Our well-rounded, hands-on education prepares students for their choice of high school and college – and to reach their full potential.

P a r e n t - B a b y • P r e - K • K i n d e r g a r t e n 1 s t - 8 t h G r a d e • S u m m e r P r o g r a m

through imitation, imagination, and meaningful activity. Teachers strive to create a nurturing and rhythmical environment in which the young child’s senses, imagination, and awareness of self and others can flourish. This developmentally appropriate and secure beginning provides a strong foundation for later academic and artistic learning in the grades and beyond. Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner

School’s developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence starts with a warm welcome to learning in parent-child classes for babies and toddlers with a caregiver, two nursery (pre-K) programs for young children and mixed-age kindergartens. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields, and woods. Tuition for nursery and kindergarten prog-rams is based on a sliding scale, and new early childhood openings are available as of January 2014.

The Hollyhock Dream storybook, created locally in the spirit of giving to the community, is available at Matrushka Toys & Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington. Autographed copies of the book are also available through the school at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington. For more information, visit www.gbrss.org or call Tracy Fernbacher at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

GBRSS EC teachers and creators of The Hollyhock Dream

19


community spotlight: pittsfield

talented, enthusiastic, and enormously capable Dan Bianchi was well chosen as our newest mayor to succeed Jimmy and cham-pion our hometown community.

It’s a sunny day in Pittsfield. Creative energies are produc-ing tangible and tantalizing results every day. New investors visit regularly to make their proposals on how they would like to par-ticipate because they know Pittsfield has a new perspective.

It is no coincidence that there are currently seven new ho-tels preparing to open or currently applying for building permits between Pittsfield and Lenox. We are very fortunate that capable people are noticing Pittsfield’s developments and are eager to par-ticipate. This is not just a sudden stroke of luck. These investors have done their homework and they had to convince many smart, experienced, and practical people within their own companies that they are making wise financial decisions. Each of them has had to jump through hoops to acquire the funding to create their propos-als and they intend to profit from their investments.

We too will all profit in many ways as we participate in and enjoy the benefits of this latest 2014-2015 stage of Downtown Pittsfield's revitalization. Pittsfield is rapidly once again becoming the hometown community it used to be. This is not unique and it is not unusual. It is happening all across America. Hometown community life is the breeding ground for all that is good in life. We rebuild to provide fertile grounds for our children and future generations.

If you have been involved during the last 20 years in Down-town Pittsfield, you know the pride. If you have planted the seeds of your life and your dreams, you know the satisfaction of be-coming yourself. If you are reaping the benefits of your toil, you know others can do likewise. If you have not yet participated in this groundswell, it’s time to join.

We each know where our heart is. We know if it isn’t where we want it to be. Every day of our lives we have a new opportu-nity to begin to put our heart in the right place. Downtown Pitts-field has been moving on this path with a very positive perspec-tive for a long time. History will record that 2014-2105 were the days when Downtown Pittsfield truly reemerged as “The Heart of the Berkshires.”

~ By Jeff Winslow, Wild Sage (vintage store for the colorful collector), 333 North Street, Pittsfield, MA, (413) 447-7000. Learn more about Wild Sage on Facebook.

It is not often a community has the opportunity to watch and participate in events that will soon register as turning

points in its own history. The much-reported Pittsfield prog-ress during the last 20 years has hugely changed the perspec-tive of many people. The legions of investors and community activists have long known the value of Pittsfield’s physical and personal assets. The setbacks sustained by our community since the days when General Electric began exporting jobs to Puerto Rico in 1970 certainly took their physical and emotional toll over the years. Everyone remembers the doldrums that encased downtown after GE left, the neighboring mall arrived, Jim Bouton was unappreciated, and England Brothers closed off a treasured chapter of legacy. The surrounding Berkshire com-munities all seemed to be able to embellish their identities by focusing on their unique attributes. Pittsfield had lost so much; it was difficult to get all the engines rolling forward together. That was yesterday.

Today is different, very different. The years 2014 and 2015 will represent another significant turning point in the history Pittsfield has been writing about itself. Not only is this newly revitalized Downtown Pittsfield here to stay, it is poised to recap-ture its long-lost moniker “The Heart of the Berkshires.”

Who would have believed 20 years ago that Downtown Pittsfield would develop a Dining Destination reputation? With more than 40 restaurants and cafes luring Berkshire residents and visitors back to downtown, it’s easy to see why optimism carries the day.

Communities, just like individuals who populate them, re-vitalize themselves slowly. I’ve asked thousands of customers many questions about Pittsfield over the last twelve years since I opened Wild Sage on North Street. Some have said to me “Pitts-field will never be a Great Barrington,” referring to their success-ful, unique personality. I responded with “We aren’t trying to be Great Barrington. We’re just becoming ourselves.”

In the beginning of any revitalization, there are new restau-rants. We need to eat. Then there are artists. We need to create. Then there are adventurers. We need to explore. We all know the names of the multitudinous people who fit into each of these categories for Downtown Pittsfield over the years. We have given them acclaim and celebrated their achievements.

When I first opened my store in 2002, all my customers told me Pittsfield had destination stores. What they meant was it was a one stop town. You needed a frame so you made a trip to see Anne Pasko. You were a skier so you visited John Kirby at Ski Fanatics. Then you went home. No browsing of shops back then. Today my customers will typically rattle off four or five shops they are also visiting. That’s perspective.

Pittsfield citizens prepared well for this turning point in history by selecting their two most recent enormously quali-fied and committed mayors. Jimmy Ruberto was easily the most visionary, energetic, and accomplished mayor hired to change Pittsfield history. No column could possibly enumerate the impressive list of accomplishments shepherded by Jimmy and hundreds of hard working citizens to rebuild our city. The most

pittsfield perspective HISTORY BAKING IN THE OVEN

by jeff winslow

20

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health & wellness

What exactly are heavy metals anyway? The term heavy metals is widely used

as a group name for metals and semimetals (metalloids) such as mercury, lead, alumi-num, barium, strontium, nickel, and cad-mium to name a few, that have been associ-ated with contamination and toxicity.

Heavy metals accumulate in the body over time, building up in fat cells, bones, en-docrine glands, and hair and are suspected of triggering or contributing to many symptoms and conditions like heart disease, thyroid prob-lems, lowered energy levels and immune func-tion, dementia, neurological conditions, au-tism, infertility, birth defects, damage to blood composition and vital organs, and more.

The good news is that you can avoid and help remove a good portion of many of these unwanted metals from your body over time and minimize their impact on your health and wellbeing. The first step you may wish to take is to find a qualified profession-al to be properly tested. This is a topic in and of itself and worthy of significant research

before spending your money. Dr. Mark Hy-man, a Functional Medicine M.D. located in Lenox, MA, and author of The UltraMind So-lution, states that his experience has shown that a blood test will be positive if the heavy metal exposure has been recent, but if the exposure has been over a long period of time the metal will accumulate in tissues and bones. Taking a chelating agent will pull the toxins out of tissue and bone, then a 24-hour urine sample is taken, and the amount of toxins your body excretes will be measured.

If heavy metals are found, your doc-tor may discuss the possibility of chela-tion thearpy with you (a procedure in which metals are removed from the body little by little with a series of intravenous or suppository administration of certain drugs). Any type of detoxification proce-dure should be done under the guidance of your doctor, but following are some smart, simple things you can do with your doctor’s approval where needed to reduce the amount of heavy metals in your body.

heavy metalsHOW THEY IMPACT YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING

by kathy regan

21

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Avoid Heavy Metals When You Can

Do not have mercury amalgam (silver) fillings placed in your mouth. If you already have them, find a qualified biological dentist through www.iaomt.org and have them safely removed. Be certain that your dentist uses a rubber dam, a sealed alternative air source such as oxygen from a tank (so you cannot breathe any inside air), and a high-volume evacuator, and covers your eyes and face to pro-tect you from mercury dust and vapor. If these steps are not carried out properly you could wind up more toxic than you started. Also realize that braces and other corrective dental gear contain nickel (as can jewelry) that can present significant health hazards.

Most ocean and farm-raised fish tend to have high levels of mercury. The larger the fish the higher the toxicity. Consider choosing smaller fish like sardines, and purchasing fish from safer sources such as www.vitalchoice.com.

If you feel that you must use vaccines, avoid vaccines con-taining aluminum as well as thimerosal, a mercury-containing vac-cine preservative that is still widely used in vaccines including flu shots and those routinely administered to children. Thimerosal contains close to 50 percent ethyl mercury by weight. Don’t take anyone’s word for it – insist on reading the package insert.

Minimize your exposure to aluminum by not baking or storing food in aluminum cookware or foil or drinking from aluminum cans. Do not use antiperspirants, toothpastes, or antacids that contain alumi-num. Many people do not realize that even “natural crystal” deodorant stones and sprays contain aluminum in the form of potassium alu-minum sulfate (also listed as potassium alum). Most baked goods are made with aluminum baking powder (hard to believe, isn’t it!), so stick to home-baked products using aluminum-free baking powder.

Read cosmetic and skin care product labels carefully and purchase chemical and heavy metal free products. Also avoid ti-tanium dioxide compounds and nano particles often included in products even when they are advertised as all natural.

Install a quality whole-house and under-sink water purifi-cation system if you can. Access to truly clean water is one of the very best investments you can make for your health.

Choose safer medical imaging tests. If your doctor suggests that you need an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) request that the test be performed at a hospital with state-of-the-art equipment that does not require the use of contrast agents made of gadolinium chelates (a highly toxic heavy metal injected into a patient prior to the MRI procedure to enhance the image). Heywood Hospital (www.heywood.org) in Gardner, MA, has the latest most sophisti-cated machine and was able to do an extremely high quality scan for me this year that would have required contrast elsewhere.

Learn more about the impact that geo-engineering (better known as Chemtrails) is having on our health and environment right here in the Berkshires as well as around the globe. You can find out more about the heavy metals involved and what you can do about it through www.thrivemovement.com/human-geo-engineering-chemtrails-and-haarp. Be sure to sign the petition.

Continued on page 22

22 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

health & wellness

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heavy metals CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Gently & Safely Detoxify Your Body

A highly recommended first step prior to any detoxification procedure, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, is to take one to two months to optimize your gut function, your nutritional status, and enhance your liver’s detoxification pathways. For more details search his blog at www.drhyman.com.

Work up a sweat. Exercise helps your body release toxins. Start your day with a brisk walk in sunlight to boost your immune system and get your blood pumping. An EMF safe in-frared sauna can be very helpful to enhance the detoxification process, increase circulation, and help oxygenate your tissues. Be sure to start off very slowly with only a few minutes a day and work your way up to the recommended time.

Organic broken cell wall chlorella is a single-celled micro-alga that is noted for its natural detoxification abilities that can help bind and carry heavy metals out of the body.

The herb cilantro, also known as corian-der, acts as a natural chelating agent. Some ex-perts say that you should have your amalgam (silver) fillings removed before eating this herb because it will remove some mercury from tissues and gums, and cause that mercu-ry to be circulated in the bloodstream. If you wish to detoxify, check with your doctor and start with small amounts. Cilantro is said to mobilize aluminum, mercury, cadmium, and lead in the body, but to avoid re-absorption, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt recommends taking chlorella 30 minutes prior to meals followed by the cilantro at the end of this time.

Take advantage of eating fabulous foods like apples that are rich in a very spe-cial form of soluble fiber called pectin, which helps to remove heavy metals from the body. The white pith from lemons also contains pectin that binds up toxic heavy metal parti-cles, and garlic has been shown to have a pro-tective effect against heavy metal poisoning.

Sheilaa Hite The Center for Practial Spirituality

Sheilaa Hite, CHt, CLC, MSAA, is a natural clair-voyant and medium (with a 95 to 100 percent ac-curacy rate), tarot master, internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, teacher, and counselor, as well as an ordained minister. She is featured in Paulette Coo-per’s book, The 100 Top Psychics in America, and is a favorite guest and consultant on radio and network TV, including NBC’s ground-breaking The Other Side, E! Television, and Entertainment Tonight.

Sheilaa’s clients come from all walks of life and include celebrities, show business personalities, sports figures, politicians, homemakers, CEOs, students of all ages, business professionals, and members of the clergy and the military, as well as film studios, production companies,

and corporations.

Sheilaa says “My greatest motivator is knowing that we are meant to be happy – that our wishes, hopes, and desires

are meant to come true. This unique perspective enables me to provide practical solutions to both spiritual and worldly is-sues. I love my work, I love that I’ve been chosen to do it, and I love that I’m good at it. Helping people to be happy and feel empowered makes me happy. Life is a grand adventure and we are meant to enjoy and grow from the experience. My work is transformational, empowering, healing. My commitment is to assist and guide you to your birthright of joy, abundance, and remembrance of who you are.” You can purchase Sheilaa’s books and meditation CDs pictured at left, on Amazon or through her website at www.SheilaaHite.com. To schedule a consultation, contact Sheilaa at (413) 637-0085.

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