April 2023 Natural Awakenings Chicago magazine

Next Month: TOP WOMEN IN WELLNESS

Don't miss interviews and lifestyle tips for reducing stress.

Scan the QR code to JOIN US LIVE ONL INE as these top women in wellness share their expert insights for reducing stress and achieving WELLthier Living!

tinyurl.com/womens-wellness

Trevor Cates, ND Stress Impact on Skin

Jaclyn Chasse, ND Stress and Fertility

Carol Penn, DO Aging Gracefully

Carrie Jones, MD, FAAP Stress and your Thyroid

Jaquel Patterson, ND, IFMCP Sleep, Cortisol and its Relation to Stress

Anna Cabeca DO, OBGYN, FACOG S t res s a nd Lib i do

Arti Chandra, MD, MPH Healing Your Gut

Anne Marie Fine, ND Cracking the Beauty Code

Kela Smith, PhD DNM Stress & Fertility

Jyl Steinbeck Women’s Health & Homeopathy

Wipe Away the Brain Fog

“I have been seeing Dr. Meena for a little over a year and it’s been nothing short of a miracle. When I first walked in I was in really bad shape, between my thyroid and gut and mental state. There were times I couldn’t even remember what I was talking to someone about-mid sentence. She has helped to restore my gut and thyroid which has helped in more ways than one. I am still on this journey and will be doing hormone therapy that has been needed for some time, and I believe this will take my health and well-being to the next level. Thank you Dr.Meena and staff!” ~Meachy F.

Just like your house, your body needs to be cleaned up, too. If you haven’t cleaned up in awhile, you have some work to do.

Hello, I’m Dr. Meena, MD, Medical Director of the Heal n Cure Wellness Center in Glenview.

Our integrated approach has helped thousands of patients successfully lose the weight and keep it off by using following tools:

♦ Restoration of Gut

♦ Detoxification

♦ Optimization of Hormones

♦ Cutting-Edge Technology to Build Muscle

Detoxification

• An overloaded detoxification pathway may lead to symptoms, such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, emotional & sleep disturbances, weight gain etc.

• Detoxification is a highly personalized process that needs to be adjusted to meet your needs depending on your current health and lifestyle. It is not about starvation or liquid diets.

• At Heal n Cure, we take an evidence-based, scientifically proven approach to creating a personalized detox program for your individual health and lifestyle needs.

• Thorough history & exam, advanced diagnostics and lifestyle assessment. READ MORE at Dr. Meena’s Blog: healncure.com/detox

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Is your body telling you it needs help?

Do new symptoms creep up on you too fast?

Have dietary modifications failed to provide relief?

Help is a phone call away.

Reneé Barasch, Certified Digestive Health and Detoxification Specialist, has been helping clients achieve nutritional balance and enhance quality of life for more than 17 years. Reneé’s individualized plans help clients re-boot their digestive tracts and increase absorption of needed nutrients—creating the environment for detoxification of all organs and the pathways between them.

Working with Reneé, you will:

• Identify digestive triggers. (Some may surprise you!)

• Understand which foods agree with you— and those that don’t.

• Create a detoxification and digestive plan.

Digestion is one of the main ways the body detoxifies and cleanses.

If the food you consume isn’t thoroughly broken down, your body cannot work as efficiently as it should. Poor digestion causes stress for the entire digestive system and leads to gas, bloating, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea and even insomnia, psoriasis, eczema, chronic pain, and anxiety. Undigested food can seep

into the bloodstream through a condition called “leaky gut syndrome,” which often leads to more serious conditions like Crohn’s Disease, colitis, and other autoimmune disorders.

Environmental irritants also affect digestion.

The environment can also produce irritation and inflammation. Everyday, airborne toxins perfumes, cleaning products, smoke, automotive exhaust, indoor dust, and springtime pollen find their way into our bloodstream (in less than 20 seconds!) and cause digestive organs to work overtime. A runny nose, itchy eyes, and red and blotchy skin often result in a trip to the allergist, when a digestive imbalance may be contributing.

Stay strong and healthy with a gut ‘reset.’

• Effectively and efficiently digest food.

• Reduce inflammation.

• Nourish your gut—and ensure your whole body is balanced.

• Regulate the processing and digestion of food and the elimination of waste by incorporating foods that lead to better absorption and detoxification.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

As I was finalizing this April issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago, I completed my ritual daily inspection of the backyard to see how spring is progressing. The Equinox is behind us, and as the sun’s rays shine higher and more intensely, each trip through the garden brings more harbingers of the new season, as early bulbs blossom and native pollinator plants start to show small crowns of leaves at the soil level. I’m still searching for the first green shoots of bloodroot and trillium, but it’s still a couple of weeks until those spring ephemeral plants break their winter dormancy and start to emerge.

Ahhh, but spring has just started in our Zone 5 growing area, and as we all know, weather in Chicago is anything but predictable. Just as we scurry inside to stay warm while the season wanders, the birds, insects and animals in our yards also seek shelter. Many native bees and other insects are still hibernating in early April. Some butterflies like swallowtails, as well as moths, may overwinter in chrysalis or caterpillar form, burrowed under leaves or attached inconspicuously to twigs in leftover brush piles. Other insects have overwintered or taken shelter in last season’s standing flower stalks or leaf piles, and once our lawns start to grow, flowering native violets, clovers and dandelions provide some of the earliest nectar available for the bees and other pollinators (and some are even host plants to butterflies).

While it may be tempting to “clean up” outside on a gorgeous spring day, many of the pollinators in our yards aren’t yet ready for the season. Rakes and other tools can disturb hibernating insects, destroy their winter homes and worse. In a recent blog post, the team at Xerces.org says that while each spring is different, and there is no one rule to indicate when it’s okay to clean up the garden, homeowners can ask themselves a few questions before they begin clearing the garden for a new season, including (and I paraphrase): Have I put away my winter clothes yet, can I plant tomatoes outside, is my lawn growing tall and have the fruit trees finished blooming? If you’d like to read more, check out Xerces. org/blog/dont-spring-into-garden-cleanup-too-soon

For our Earth Month edition, aptly titled People, Planet, Purpose, we’re taking a hopeful and enthusiastic look at some of the important actions being taken by global farmers to nurture our soil and move toward truly regenerative agriculture practices. While soil health can seem a distant concern when going about our daily urban and suburban lives, the vitality of the soil that grows our food, anchors our landscapes, harbors myriad life and sustains the energy of the world’s plants affects us all. The soil ecosystem is critical to the survival (and thriving) of the health and future of all life on this planet, including our own.

If you’re planning your spring projects, garden expert Melinda Myers offers great suggestions for planning and growing a backyard habitat to attract and support birds yearround. And while April may not start off as colorful as May, writer Sheryl DeVore takes us on a tour of birds, blooms and insects to see this month in natural areas throughout our region.

As always, I encourage you to make it a goal to step outside every day, observe and participate as our landscapes transition from winter browns to vibrant and blossoming greens and other colors of the season. Watch for the first migrating birds and green darner dragonflies. Check the buds on your backyard trees and look for blooming magnolias and showy bulbs, as well as the quieter, ephemeral blooms of the native prairies and woods. Hike a forest preserve, river or lakefront trail. Tune up your bike for an early evening ride or simply sit in silence and watch a spring sunrise or sunset. Sample and enjoy each of the 30 days this month offers.

Happy Spring!

Publisher Peggy Malecki

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Peggy Malecki

Photo credit Peggy Malecki

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Midwest Grows Green to Host Webinars About Sustainable Landscapes

Midwest Grows Green and Green Shield Certified (GSC) will host Green Shield Week, a series of webinars discussing sustainable landscaping and pest management practices, strategies and policies, from April 10 through 14. The events are for homeowners as well as municipalities and public facility managers.

On April 10, Barry Draycott, from Tech Terra Environmental, discusses how to protect our water resources while maintaining a healthy and resilient lawn. Register for free at bit.ly/GreenLawns23

On April 11, Bradley Herrick, from the University of Wisconsin Madison Arboretum, focuses on best management practices, control methods and the latest research on jumping worms. Register for $10 at bit.ly/InvasiveJumpingWormsWebinar

On April 13, Dr. Doug Richmond, from Purdue University’s Soil Insect Ecology Laboratory, presents a systems approach for integrating cultural, biological and low-impact chemical tools to reduce the ecological footprint of managing turf pests. Register for $10 at bit.ly/SustainablePest23. GSC clients can access this webinar for free. To learn more about GSC sustainable landscaping standards, visit bit.ly/GSCLandscapes

For more information, visit MidwestGrowsGreen.org.

Access the ‘Book of Life’ in Zoom Class

The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center will present Accessing The Akashic Records, a beginners’ class with spiritual teacher and healer Christina Cross, from 6 to 9 p.m., April 21, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 22, online via Zoom. According to Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, the Akashic Records are the book of life, the records of every soul’s journey throughout all time. According to quantum physicist Ervin Laszlo, the Akashic Records are an electromagnetic imprint of everything that has happened in the universe.

Whether coming from a scientific or spiritual perspective, the loving energy of the Akashic Records is deeply healing. Cross helps attendees understand how to work in their own records and those of others for a clearer connection with source and to gain supportive insight, guidance and wisdom for their own evolution.

The Akashic Records can also be used in conjunction with other systems such as social work, counseling, bodywork, feng shui, reiki, aromatherapy and others. Some use the Akashic Records in writing, photography, painting and music. Businesspeople find guidance that enables them to do their work in a loving, inspired manner.

Cost: $250; ARE members: $225. To register, visit HolisticCenterChicago.com. For more information, call 847-299-6535. See ad on page 29 and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com

Open House Showcases Unique Healthcare Collaboration in Schaumburg

The Calandra Center for Health & Wellness (CCHW) works in partnership with their clients’ existing healthcare providers to facilitate coordinated care. They also cultivate relationships with other practitioners so that clients will have a supportive network of healers available to them as needed. The association between CCHW and the Center for New Pathways exemplifies this collaborative spirit, and they will host a joint open house on April 22 in Schaumburg to showcase what this union has to offer.

As people make an ongoing investment in improving their health and well-being, they may need support on many levels—physical, emotional and spiritual. The CCHW/Center for New Pathways integrated network of therapies and practitioners can help by providing access to a range of modalities that include acupuncture; reiki; neuro-emotional technique; Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET); eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR); hypnosis; and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Location: 830 E. Higgins Rd., Unit 112. Register for the event at Tinyurl.com/Reclaim-Your-Power. For more information, call 312-796-3965, email Admin@CalandraAcupuncture.com or visit CalandraAcupuncture.com See ad in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com

Teri Calandra

Christina Cross

Photo courtesy of Edgar Cayce Holistic Center

Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.

~Carl Sagan

Access SOUL EXPO Debuts in Rockford

Kelly Joy Simmons has created the inaugural Access SOUL: Mind Body Spirit EXPO to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 29, at the IBEW Hall, in Rockford. The writer, speaker, coach, teacher, intuitive soul coach and ascension guide thought she had retired, but spirit said not yet.

She says, “The mission is simple—connect people with the resources that can help them on their holistic personal growth journey.” The EXPO hosts more than 50 vendors offering a curated variety of healing modalities, services, products, offerings and education.

Whether a mini-session, soul portrait, card reading, energy work, consultation on better sleep or gut health or chronic pain, or shopping the myriad crystals, holistic products and handmade items for home, heart and health (and gifts galore), the Access SOUL EXPO has something for everyone.

Free admission. Location: 6820 Mill Rd. For more information, email KellyJoySimmons@gmail.com or visit AccessSOUL.com See ad on page 15 and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Holistic Health Fair Comes to Pleasant Prairie

The Holistic Health Fair, returning to the DoubleTree by Hilton, in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, includes an exploration of holistic health and metaphysical wonders in northeast Illinois and southeast Wisconsin from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 7. Holistic Health Fair founder Debra SmithAndersen says, “Find a favorite crystal, experience a card reading and experience alternative healing modalities, all under one roof.”

Attendees can explore holistic health and metaphysical topics with local vendors, speakers and energy workers with a wide range of products and services, crystals, gems, sound healing, natural skin care, candles, herbs, psychics, mediums, jewelry, aromatherapy, reiki, chiropractic, intuitive and tarot card readers, animal communication and more.

Admission is $5 online for advance tickets, $7 at the door and free for kids 16 and under free. Location: 11800 108th St., Pleasant Prairie (adjacent to the Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets). For more information, call 262-515-1472, email Info@HolisticHealthFair.org or visit HolisticHealthFair.org

Sadhguru Offers Isha’s Inner Engineering Completion In Atlanta and

Los Angeles This Summer

Sadhguru, the founder and head of the nonprofit, non-religious Isha Foundation, based in Coimbatore, India, says, “This is not about being superhuman—this is about realizing that being human is super!” Isha’s flagship program, Inner Engineering Completion, will be led by Sadhguru in Atlanta on June 3 and 4 and Los Angeles on June 24 and 25. This is the first time since 2019 that he will be offering the program in person in North America.

Inner Engineering provides tools to defuse tension, reduce stress and shore up mental and emotional resilience. Participants learn a simple, 21-minute daily practice, Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya. A recent joint study by Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found a 41 percent reduction in stress among participants after six weeks of practicing Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya.

Research on its profound physical and psychological benefits has revealed the reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as the improvement of chronic ailments such as hypertension, migraines and asthma.

The Isha Foundation is dedicated to raising human consciousness through the distilled science of yoga and meditation, offering a variety of programs that provide methods for anyone to attain physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit InnerEngineering. Sadhguru.org/with-sadhguru See ad on page 15.

Image courtesy of Isha Foundation

Experts Present at May Women’s Wellness Events

This May, join Natural Awakenings and KnoWEwell for a weekly online women’s wellness event entitled Overcoming Stress: How to Balance It All. Each Tuesday at 7 p.m. CDT, top integrative and functional medicine experts in women’s health will present cutting-edge insights into the many ways that stress can impact hormones, thyroid function, fertility and libido, and also provide tangible recommendations to improve skin care, aging, sleep and mindset. The speakers are:

n Anna Cabeca, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, author of The Hormone Fix

n Trevor Cates, naturopathic doctor, author of Clean Skin From Within

n Anne Marie Fine, naturopathic doctor, author of Cracking the Beauty Code

n Carrie Jones, functional medicine physician specializing in hormone and thyroid health

n Jaquel Patterson, naturopathic physician, success coach, author of Women and Lyme

n Carol A. Penn, board-certified physician, mindset coach, author of Meditation in a Time of Madness

n Michelle Sands, naturopathic doctor, author of Hormone Harmony Over 35

n Jaclyn Smeaton, naturopathic doctor specializing in hormone health and reproductive medicine

n Kela Smith, holistic-integrative fertility and hormone doctor

n Jyl Steinbeck, personal trainer and lifestyle expert

The $59 event fee includes all Tuesday evening sessions. To learn more and register, visit tinyurl.com/womens-wellness or scan the QR Code. SCAN HERE See ad on page 2.

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The most environmentally friendly product is the one you didn’t buy.

~Joshua Becker

De-Stress With Sauerkraut

A new study published in Molecular Psychiatry has shown that eating more fermented foods and fiber daily for just four weeks significantly lowered perceived stress levels. Forty-five participants with relatively low-fiber diets were split into two groups.

One group met with a dietitian that recommended a psychobiotic diet, which included six to eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables high in prebiotic fibers, such as onions, leeks, cabbage, apples, bananas and oats; five to eight daily servings of grains; three to four servings of legumes per week; and two to three daily servings of fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha. The control group received only general dietary advice based on the healthy eating food pyramid.

The group following the psychobiotic diet reported feeling less stressed compared with those in the control group. Moreover, significant changes in the level of certain key chemicals produced by gut microbes were found in these participants. Some of these chemicals have been linked to improved mental health, which could explain why the participants reported feeling less stressed. The quality of sleep improved in both groups, but those on the psychobiotic diet reported greater sleep improvements.

Screening Children for Anxiety

After a systematic review of 39 studies to evaluate the benefits and harms of screening for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a group of disease prevention and medical experts

assembled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, now recommends that primary care physicians perform such screenings, even if there are no signs or symptoms of anxiety.

A common mental health condition in the U.S., anxiety disorder involves excessive fear or worry that manifests as emotional and physical symptoms. In children and adolescents, it is associated with impaired functioning, educational underachievement and an increased likelihood of a future anxiety disorder or depression.

The 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 7.8 percent of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 had a current anxiety disorder.

USPSTF recommended using screening questionnaires to identify children at risk, noting that studies show that children with anxiety benefit from treatments that may include cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy. They also concluded that there is insufficient evidence to assess children 7 years old or younger.

Exercise for the Brain

Researchers in the UK compared the effect that different types of daily movement had on overall cognition, memory and executive function. Their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, reported that replacing sitting, sleeping or gentle movement with less than 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (brisk walking, bicycling, running up and down stairs, aerobic dancing, jogging, running or swimming) can protect the brain and improve working memory and executive processes like planning and organization. The intensity of the exercise matters, and study participants that engaged in light physical activity, rather than more vigorous activity, saw declines in cognitive performance. However, light activity is still more beneficial than sitting, the scientists found.

The data for these findings was taken from the 1970 British Cohort Study, an ongoing survey that tracks the health of a group of UK-born adults. The group of nearly 4,500 participants consented, at age 46, to wear an activity tracker and complete verbal memory and executive functioning tests, and they were followed from 2016 to 2018.

Toxin Exposure is Endemic

The neighborhoods where people live play a major role in their wellness and well-being. Neighborhoods closer to major roadways, industrial and agricultural operations may influence an individual’s daily toxicant exposure level. Higher toxin exposure increases the risk for developing lung, breast, blood and colorectal cancer and other chronic diseases affecting respiratory, metabolic and cardiovascular systems.

Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, manganese and copper, PFAS and PFOS (fluorinated hydrocarbons, or “forever chemicals”) organic solvents, phthalates, pesticides and insecticides all play a role in the pathogenesis and development of chronic diseases like fatty liver, diabetes and thyroid disorders. BPA from plastics is ubiquitous, with more than 90 percent of Americans having traces in their bodies. Detoxification is a therapeutic treatment that prioritizes the avoidance of toxicant exposures as much as possible while implementing lifestyle modifications to enhance biotransformation pathways and elimination processes.

Use a filtration system such as reverse osmosis to remove forever chemicals. Avoid Teflon and similar non-stick cookware; instead, using cast iron, stainless steel or clay pots is another way to cut down exposure to these endocrine disruptors.

Optimizing our individual nutritional status, ensuring adequate fiber and water intake, eating more phytonutrient-dense and diverse foods, and supporting liver function through targeted, nutrient-dense diets, helps improve the elimination of toxic burden. Foods like cruciferous vegetables, berries, soy, garlic and turmeric support the biotransformation of PCBs (endocrine disruptors). Polyphenols found in berries, nuts and seeds affect Cytochrome P450, which plays a key role in the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics. This process supports the biotransformation processes—particularly of estrogen.

Probiotics, especially lactobacillus strains like rhamonus, casei and plantarum, have been shown to have a potential protective effect against the toxicity from heavy metals. Phytonutrients like sulforaphane, curcumin, quercetin and resveratrol have been reported to stimulate the expression of endogenous detoxification enzymes.

A comprehensive systematic approach is needed to periodically detoxify the body to minimize the environmental impact on pathogenesis of chronic disease.

Meena T. Malhotra, M.D., is the medical director of Heal n Cure, located at 2420 Ravine Way. Ste. 400, in Glenview. For more information, call 847-686-4444 or visit HealnCure.com See ad on page 3, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Meena Malhotra, M.D.

Insect-Inspired Drones Build Structures

Two London-based roboticists, Mirko Kovac and Robert Stuart-Smith, have developed new technology that mimic s the way bees work together to build a structure. They used two free-flying drones to build a human-sized tower. The “build drone” carried expanding foam and sprayed it in slow, steady circles to form layers, while the “scan drone” surveyed the structure and identified spots where the last layer was either too thin or too thick, and it then created a plan for the build drone to even things out on the next pass to keep the structure straight and sturdy.

In a second demonstration of the technology, the drones made a cylinder the size of a large round cake using a cement-like material. The duo exhibited a great deal of precision in stacking the material to within millimeters.

The team plans to take the drones outdoors to deal with the elements and add to the complexity of the objectives and number of drones involved. If the technology can be perfected, these collaborative construction drones could be used in places where it is difficult for humans and heavy machinery to reach, like the tops of buildings, remote pipelines and disaster areas.

Lowering the Carbon Footprint of Batteries

A Swedish battery manufacturer, Northvolt, in partnership with Stora Enso, one of the largest private forest owners in the world, has developed a battery for electric vehicles (EV) with an anode made of sustainably raised and harvested wood instead of graphite, paving the way for battery production from a renewable source.

The partners figured out a way to extract lignin, a carbon-rich natural binder that comprises up to 30 percent of many trees, and turn it into a material they call Lignode. According to Stora Enso, by replacing graphite or copper anodes with Lignode, lithium-ion batteries will offer faster charging and discharging, higher cycling stability and more efficient performance in low temperature.

More than 50 percent of the EV’s carbon footprint comes from the manufacture of its battery—both in sourcing raw materials and producing the component. Mining graphite is an expensive and labor-intensive process that requires considerable resources that come from parts of the world where workers’ rights are inadequately protected. While Northvolt’s battery is not on the market yet, this development, along with others like solid-state batteries, may help to reduce the carbon footprint of EVs.

Gas Stove Pollution Goes Unnoticed

A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds that gas stoves frequently leak dangerous pollutants into the kitchen. A team from PSE Health Energy collected samples from 159 gas stoves across California and sent them to a laboratory for analysis. The researchers found 12 pollutants in total, and four of these gases—benzene, toluene, hexane and m- or p-xylene—were present in 98 percent of the samples. Most of the stoves leaked at least a little, even when they were turned off.

The natural gas used in stoves is comprised mostly of methane and other hydrocarbons and gases. Before it is delivered into homes and business, most of the non-methane gases are removed and a strong-scented chemical is added to alert people to possible leaks. The leaks studied by the California researchers were not substantial enough for people to notice this rotten-egg smell, but they could still expose users to harmful and potentially cancer-causing pollutants. Those with gas stoves are encouraged to turn on their exhaust fans whenever they are in use.

Bilanol/ ShutterStock.com

Invasive Wild Hogs Pose Numerous Threats

There are approximately 6 million non-native, feral pigs in the United States. They destroy an estimated $2.5 billion in crops, pastures, forests and livestock each year across 35 states and jeopardize endangered species, including the Florida panther, green sea turtles and red-cheeked salamanders. But their greatest threat may be the potential to carry disease to humans, domesticated hogs and other animals.

The pigs were brought to the Americas from Europe as early as the 1500s. They reproduce quickly, with up to two litters of four to 12 piglets every 12 to 15 months, and can grow to be five feet long and weigh more than 500 pounds.

Feral swine can carry a long list of pathogens, including leptospirosis, brucellosis, swine influenza, salmonella, hepatitis and pathogenic E. coli. The U.S. Department of Agriculture describes swine as a “mixing vessel species”, meaning that they are susceptible to human viruses and have the ability to create novel forms of those diseases. Human risk to known and new pathogens is greater from feral swine than other wildlife due to our proximity to them and their large numbers. Hunters and farmers are at greatest risk. Anyone that handles feral swine should wear rubber gloves and avoid fluid exchanges.

Watershed Warriors

Film Spotlights Fox River

by Megy Karydes

Protecting and restoring river ecosystems sits alongside reducing carbon emissions as an integral driver of the solution for improving community and environmental health in the face of climate change. “Our rivers can’t speak for themselves about their overall health and conservation. We’re trying to give the river a voice,” says Gary Swick, president and educator of the nonprofit Friends of the Fox River, the subject of Watershed Warriors, a film that is part of the Rivers are Life series dedicated to telling the stories of river heroes around the world. The film premiers at RiversAreLife.com on April 20.

Illinois has 87,110 miles of rivers and streams within its borders. Deep in the middle of the American Midwest and 40 miles from Chicago lies the Fox River watershed, a historically significant waterway that helped Chicago and Illinois grow into a major transportation center. It is more than 200 miles long with more than 100 public access points.

Due to sewage and industrial runoff over the decades, the Fox became overwhelmingly polluted, sharing the fate of so many other rivers today. In April 1999, American Rivers declared the Fox River the seventh-most endangered river in America. Like so many rivers throughout the world, it can’t defend itself, so organizations like the Friends of the Fox River, dedicated to creating a watershed of caretakers through programs and

activities that educate and empower citizens about river issues, step in.

Jenni Kempf Schiavone, director of education programs operations for Friends of the Fox River, asks, “What is the first step in inspiring people to care?” She and Swick represent the work being done in and around the Fox River, and share how many people have become disconnected and fearful of our natural environment; they are working to build relationships with the Fox River.

Swick says, “Connecting people is the first step.” The film is an important step to helping connect people to our rivers.

“Clean water is not a given,” advises Kempf Schiavone, who runs the field education programs for Friends of the Fox River. “Many of us maybe feel that it is, but there are people all over the world that do not have access to clean water in the way we do. And the only way to ensure that privilege remains for generations to come is to do the work to protect it as the critical resource that it is.”

A lifelong educator, Swick uses the river itself as his classroom and inspires numerous students, peers and families to establish a personal environmental ethic in all those he teaches and works with. Many of his former students have become professionals in the environmental field, including Schiavone.

Photo Credit Friends of the Fox River

Photo Credit Friends of the Fox River

Every year the organization sponsors the Fox River Clean-Up Day where hundreds of volunteers and community members come together to learn, clean and discuss the future of their watershed. There are several ways people can continue to stay involved and join the movement to support our world’s rivers.

Here are three, simple steps to get started:

n Subscribe to the Rivers are Life newsletter to receive regular updates on river heroes around the world or click on the Join the Movement link at RiversAreLife.com/ join-the-movement

n Watch and share Watershed Warriors with friends and communities.

n Reach out to Friends of the Fox River to learn how to get involved with upcoming cleanup events in May, get trained to monitor water quality in the Fox River watershed or participate in one of their many activities in or near the river.

Megy Karydes is a Chicago-based writer and author. Find her at MegyKarydes.com

Eco-Friendly Supplements from FuFluns Foods

by Carrie Jackson

With a commitment to positive social and environmental impact, FuFluns Foods is pioneering a sustainable way for consumers to access healthy supplements. The Deerfield-based company produces artisanal, small-batch organic mushroom, botanical and hemp extract supplements to aid with cognition, digestion, energy, immunity and other everyday functions. Founder Perry Galanopoulos says that using ingredients extracted from plants grown with regenerative farming practices benefits the planet, as well as the person. “We take pride in supplying top-quality products from farmers we know and trust. Our unprocessed, naturally contaminant-free supplements are rich in phytonutrients, cannabinoids and terpenes, and are designed to work in tandem with the body’s own healing mechanisms.”

Galanopoulos launched FuFluns Foods in 2018 after losing both parents at an early age to conditions that could have been prevented with diet and lifestyle modifications. “I experimented with supplements to help on my own healing journey, but was dissatisfied with the majority using industrial farming as extraction practices,” he recalls. With a background in supply chain efficiency, Galanopoulos researched how different production methods impact the overall product, as well as the environment, and created a line of supplements that benefits both.

Named after the Etruscan Fufluns, the god of plant life, happiness, health and growth, the company encourages consumers to think about how and where the products they use are sourced. “We’re seeing more people looking to make purchase decisions that align with their values. Many supplements today are produced with despicable practices that benefit Big Ag, but are harmful to the planet,” Galanopoulos explains. The 2020 documentary Kiss the Ground sheds light on how activists, scientists, farmers and politicians combat climate change using regenerative agriculture.

While the majority of commercially available mushrooms are grown in China, FuFluns sources only from farms in the United States that they have personal relationships with. “We work with small, family-owned farms, largely in Oregon, who tend their fields by hand and are environmentally conscious stewards of the land. Farming location and practices are par-

amount to quality, and better plants provide more phytonutrients and a clean product and environment,” says Galanopoulos.

FuFluns Foods’ line includes capsules and tinctures that incorporate the essence of the plants and fungi. “Mushrooms have been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years in Asia and elsewhere, and are becoming more popular here as people learn about their healing benefits. We extract from whole mushrooms without adding powders or myceliated grain or rice, which is often used as a filler. Then we apply a 500-year-old alchemical method of extraction that originated with the Egyptians. Using minimum heat, this process separates, purifies and reunites the soul (sulfur/volatile essential oils), body (salt/ minerals) and spirit (mercury/alcohol), which preserves the entire plant or mushroom in its natural ratios the way Mother Nature intended,” says Galanopoulos.

As supplements, the products are designed to support the body’s natural healing modalities. Lift & Focus, their most popular, is made from lion’s mane, which is known for its neuroregenerative properties. “This synergistic botanical and mushroom blend is formulated to elevate mood and energy while providing regeneration and nourishment to the brain and the body. It’s often used in tandem with other sacred mushrooms, and is a popular addition to micro- or macro-dosing,” advises Galanopoulos. Energize & Balance Blend uses adaptogens to combat stress. Turkey Tail Tincture features the heralded “mushroom of immunity”. The Chaga Tincture is rich in antioxidants and supports digestive health, and the Ultimate Mushroom Blend supports immunity, cognition, energy and overall vitality. The company plans on growing the functional capsule product line to include a broader range of common conditions and adding additional, lesser-known superfoods such as cacao.

Galanopoulos collaborates with a herbalist to create the optimal blend of formulas that are easily accessible and digestible. “Formulating herbs and botanicals is part

Perry Galanopoulos

science and part art. Not all of them go together, and people will respond differently to blends based on their constitution. We tailor our formulas so they’re not too hot, cold or dry, and are generally aligned with most body types,” he says. Tinctures can be taken on their own or mixed with tea or smoothies, and the vegan capsules contain a plant-based fiber that gently opens in the digestive tract for optimal absorption.

He stresses that supplements are most effective when used in conjunction other holistic wellness practices. “Our products should support a healthy diet consisting of the highest-quality fruits, veggies, mushrooms, nuts and a little high-quality meat. Mushrooms are an overlooked superfood which many people forget to include. In addition to food and nutrition, movement and meditation are paramount to keeping the body in balance. We want people to be mindful of how they’re holistically treating what goes into their body, and that starts with sustainable farming practices,” says Galanopoulos.

For more information, visit FuFlunsFoods.com See ad on page 29, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com

Carrie Jackson is an Evanston-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.

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EARTH DAY 2023 INVESTING IN OUR PLANET

by Sandra Yeyati

This year’s Earth Day theme—Invest in Our Planet—reminds us that it is not enough to merely celebrate our ancestral home for one day. We are called upon to dedicate our time, money and talents year-round to ensure a sustaining and just world for generations to come. The motto also calls attention to the economic realities and opportunities of the climate crisis. It is no wonder that EarthDay.org, the global organizer of this annual event, decided to keep the same theme as last year, thus underscoring a continuing need to bring global economies together in harmony with the environment.

“In 2023, we must come together again in partnership for the planet. Businesses, governments and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate change towards a green, prosperous and equitable future. We must join together in our fight for the

green revolution, and for the health of future generations. The time is now to invest in our planet,” advises EarthDay.org President Kathleen Rogers.

Surmounting the climate crisis is within reach if we all take action. The time is right for innovators to bring planet-saving ideas to market, and for consumers to stop supporting brands that are socially and environmentally irresponsible—instead, spending money with businesses that take the Earth’s future seriously.

In the voting booth, citizens have the power to elect leaders that will help build a green economy through regulations, incentives and partnerships with the private sector. We can press our congressional representatives to support clean energy jobs and move away from the doomed fossil fuel economy.

There are many ways to make a difference in our daily lives, too. We can eat sustainable foods, pick up trash while on a run, participate in beach cleanups, reduce our use of plastic, write our representative, switch to solar power, take reusable bags to the grocery store, drive an electric vehicle, compost, go pesticide-free, plant a pollinator garden, support local farmers, eat less meat, purchase secondhand clothing, use environmentally friendly cleaning products, turn off lights when not in use, take shorter showers and so much more. Learn about all of the ways to make a difference at EarthDay.org.

This year, join one or more of the empowering events here in Chicagoland and meet planet-loving people that are ready to push up their sleeves, vote with their pocketbooks and dedicate their time to a healthy, equitable and prosperous future on Earth.

Sustainable Grocery Shopping

There are many ways to be environmentally responsible when shopping for food. Here are a few tips.

Bring Reusable Shopping Bags Americans use approximately 100 billion single-use plastic bags each year, which accumulate in landfills and waterways and never truly decompose. Some states have banned disposable bags, but many still permit them. Come prepared to the grocery store with reusable bags to reduce the use of single-use plastics.

Shop the Perimeter Food packaging and containers make up 23 percent of landfill waste. Shop around the perimeter of the store as much as possible to find the freshest, healthiest foods with the least amount of packaging, such as produce, bulk items, dairy, fresh fish and meat. Bulk items like nuts, dry beans, coffee, tea and grains can be purchased in exactly the amount needed with no packaging.

Plan Ahead The average American wastes about 21 percent of the food they buy, which equates to about $1,800 a year. To avoid overbuying and shrink the carbon footprint of multiple shopping trips, plan meals a week (or month) ahead and come with a shopping list organized by the sections or aisles of the store.

Shop Local and In Season

Local produce has a drastically smaller carbon footprint than fruits and vegetables that must travel long distances by truck, airplane or ship. Buying local, in-season produce

reduces waste because the produce is fresher when purchased and will not spoil as quickly at home. If the family’s diet includes meats, choose pasture-raised, grass-fed products from farmers that practice regenerative organic agriculture, which improves the quality of the land and maintains local ecosystems.

Read Labels

Choose foods that were produced with the environment in mind by looking for the following labels, seals and certifications:

n USDA Organic

n Biodynamic (BDA) for food produced without chemical pesticides or herbicides, using organic, non-GMO seeds

n Non-GMO Project Verified for foods that were not genetically engineered

n FAIRTRADE Mark and Fair Trade Certified for food producers committed to reasonable wages and the safe, fair treatment of workers

n Climate Neutral Certified for food manufacturers committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions

n Safe Catch for sustainably caught fish

n Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) for sustainably farmed seafood

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A NEW DAWN ON THE FARM FRONT STEPPING AWAY FROM INDUSTRIALIZED AGRICULTURE

by Sandra Yeyati

We all have to eat, and the food industry is big business, with wide-ranging implications across many arenas. Because agriculture is controlled by a handful of multinational corporations, the priority to maximize profits often conflicts with what is best for human and planetary health. In many ways, our food production and consumption practices are broken or on the brink of failure. They are inhumane, socially unjust, environmentally unsound and unsustainable.

Viable, achievable solutions to these immense challenges exist, and the emerging consensus is that regenerative organic agriculture is the key to preserving human health and helping solve the climate crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic uncovered weaknesses in the system, such as supply chain vulnerabilities, and altered human behavior as more people started cooking at home and exploring healthier lifestyle choices. The time is right to make positive changes to the way we grow, distribute and consume food.

THE PROBLEMS WITH OUR CURRENT INDUSTRIAL FARMING MODEL

For decades, doctors, scientists, farmers and nonprofits at the forefront of the environmental movement have been sounding the alarm about the inherent weaknesses in the national food chain and the harmful effects of industrial agriculture. In his book Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities and Our Planet—One Bite at a Time, Dr. Mark Hyman notes, “Food is the nexus of most of our world’s health, economic, environmental, climate, social and even political crises. While this may seem like an exaggeration, it is not.”

In the late 1800s, American farming began to transition from small, diverse operations that produced a variety of crops and livestock to feed a family or community to an industrialized system dominated by multinational corporations that focused on maximizing yields of just a few crops, primarily corn, soy and wheat. Today, these crops overwhelmingly end up as animal feed, biofuels and cheap, processed food ingredients—a staple of the standard American diet since the 1950s.

Industrial agriculture is now the dominant food production system in this country, characterized by large-scale monoculture, heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and meat produced in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO). Most modest family farms have been forced to either get into business with a big company (contract farming) or go out of business. The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that 90 percent of the 9 billion chickens raised each year in the U.S. are grown under contract, and 57 percent of hogs are owned and slaughtered by just four companies. According to Rodale Institute , only 8 percent of farms produce more than four crops, while specialty crops like fruits, vegetables and nuts are grown on just 3 percent of cropland.

With industrial dominance comes numerous devastating consequences.

HUMAN HEALTH COSTS

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, industrially produced food is bad for us on several fronts. Heavy pesticide use is poisoning our food, fertilizer is polluting our drinking water, junk food made of corn and soybeans is degrading our health and the overuse of antibiotics in CAFOs is accelerating the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioethicist Peter Singer advises, “Factory farms are breeding grounds for new viruses. We’ve had swine flu and avian flu coming out of factory farms. It’s quite possible that the next pandemic will originate there.”

Zach Bush, a triple board-certified physician and producer of the documentary Farmer’s Footprint, says, “Over the last 25 years, we have seen the most profound explosion of chronic disease in human history. Research from around the globe now suggests that environmental factors are contributing to a combination of genetic, neurologic, autoimmune and metabolic injuries that underpin the collapse of health in our children and adults.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that chronic and mental health conditions account for 90 percent of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care expenditures. Obesity affects 20 percent of children and 42 percent of adults. More than 850,000 Americans die of heart disease or stroke annually, and 37 million have diabetes. Each year, more than 1.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer, while 600,000 succumb to the disease.

“Most of those diseases are caused by our industrial diet, which means they are avoidable if we transform the food we grow, the food we produce and the food we eat. Eleven million people die every year from a bad diet,” Hyman asserts.

SOLUTIONS USING REGENERATIVE ORGANIC FARMING

Led by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, which includes organizations and brands like Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia, the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) standard helps consumers make informed choices about their food purchases. Its three pillars—soil health, animal welfare and social fairness—are designed to ameliorate the problems associated with conventional agriculture.

SOIL HEALTH EQUALS PLANETARY AND HUMAN HEALTH

Chemical-heavy farming practices employed by conventional agriculture deplete topsoil, draining it of all its organic matter—the very microbiome needed to nourish the plants we grow and ultimately nourish us. In 2014, Maria-Helena Semedo, of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said that if

current farming practices continue, we have only 60 years of harvest left. The clock is ticking.

Farming techniques proposed by the ROC are designed to continually rebuild soil. They are proven by years of science done at Rodale Institute and practical results achieved by regenerative organic farmers already growing food this way. “On the farm that we operate here at the Institute, we know that Native Americans were farming this land 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. We’d like to be farming this land 8,000 to 10,000 years from now. We probably won’t be using tractors or diesel fuel, but we will be using the soil,” says Rodale Institute CEO Jeff Moyer.

Under ROC standards that include a variety of rotating crops, cover crops, no tillage, no synthetic inputs of any kind, no genetically modified seeds and staggered grazing by animals, farms become biodiverse ecosystems with organically rich soil that absorbs water, doesn’t erode over time and produces safe, nutritious food. As J.I. Rodale said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people.”

Healthy soil draws carbon from the atmosphere deep into the ground, and that is a boost for our fight against climate change. “Regenerative organic farming has a very positive impact on climate, because we’re sequestering more carbon than we are emitting,” Moyer explains. “Under its current production model, agriculture is part of the problem. If it’s part of the problem, then it can and should be part of the solution. That’s the whole premise behind the [ROC] standard itself—treating agriculture as one of the primary tools that we’re going to use as a society to improve our relationship with the planet.”

ANIMAL WELFARE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO

Under the ROC model, animals must be raised in a humane way that frees them from discomfort, fear, distress, hunger, pain, injury and disease, while also being able to express normal behavior. To achieve these aims, they need to be taken out of CAFOs and reintegrated into farmland, so that they are pasture-raised and grass-fed, creating meat that is more nutritious and less diseased without chemical interventions.

“We’re integrating animals onto the cropland, with livestock, chickens, sheep and hogs. Imagine what the Great Plains of the United States was 500 years ago. You had bison, elk, deer, rabbits, wolves and myriad different birds, because the birds always followed the migrating animals. We’re trying to mimic that to a small degree on our ranch,” says North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown, who started transitioning into regenerative organic practices in the mid1990s and wrote an influential book on the subject, Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture.

SOCIAL FAIRNESS AND FARMING RESILIENCE

Taking care of the farmers and workers that plant, raise, harvest and transport our food is not just the right thing to do, it also creates a system that is more stable and resilient, says Graham Christensen, a Nebraska farmer and president of GC Resolve. “There are serious issues with how the big agricultural companies are treating workers. We saw horrible situations with COVID in the meatpacking plants and how the workers were being treated. This is just one of the many reasons that this over-centralized, monopolized system is affecting people in bad ways,” he says. “Regenerative organic farming requires more hands-on work, which creates jobs. Structural changes in the food production system to decentralize agriculture in favor of regional markets comprised of smaller farms would allow for more equity and better management of the ecosystem.”

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of Natural Awakenings magazine.

Dig e stive H e alth Solutions

It’s very common for your stomach to send mixed messages to your brain. Your tummy is also a factor in how well you sleep. When your digestive system is out of balance, the volume on your cravings turns up, and sleep is disrupted. If you struggle with food cravings, or the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep –reach out to Reneé – The Tummy Whisperer. As a Certified Digestive Health Specialist, Reneé helps people resolve poor digestion, and related symptoms such as gas, bloating, belching, constipation, diarrhea, and cravings! Which foods cause your issues? Reneé has answers for a lifetime of better health.

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Poor Sleep? It may be your Stomach

SUSTAINABLE EATING

TIPS TO SHRINK YOUR FOODPRINT

by Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD

Knowing which foods have the least environmental impact is not always easy. Organic blueberries are considered Earth-protective because no pesticides were used to grow them, but if they were shipped from California to a Florida grocery store, the transportation represents a steep carbon footprint. And if we waited too long to eat those blueberries and had to throw them away, all of the resources spent on producing those fruits were wasted.

To get a fuller picture of our food-related environmental impacts, we need to take into consideration the many variables associated with the production, transportation and consumption of food, and that’s where the “foodprint” comes in—a barometer of eco-friendliness. There are many ways to calculate a foodprint; EarthDay.org/foodprints-calculators lists a few automated calculators and food quizzes that can help. Here are noteworthy examples:

n EatLowCarbon.org compares the carbon emissions associated with different meals—ranging from bean soup (lowest CO2 emissions) to a Philly cheesesteak (highest).

n FoodPrint.org offers a questionnaire about a person’s food choices and follows up with tips to reduce their foodprint.

n FoodEmissions.com calculates the foodprint of specific foods like dairy or seafood by asking about the origination and destination of the food to determine transportation emissions, and by asking the consumer to self-report their percentage of waste to calculate the loss of natural resources.

HOW TO REDUCE OUR FOODPRINT BUY RESPONSIBLY PRODUCED FOOD

When shopping for groceries, consider buying from food producers that support environmental stewardship, sustainability and regenerative farming practices in their production systems. A list of third-party certifications that can help identify responsibly manufactured foodstuffs can be found at Foodprint.org/ eating-sustainably/food-label-guide

BUY LOCAL AND IN SEASON

Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition, encourages her clients to eat local, seasonal produce. “[It] spares the environment, as it doesn’t need to be flown across the country, reducing fuel costs,” she explains, adding that local produce is generally more nutritious and cost effective.

STORE FOOD CORRECTLY

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 30 to 40 percent of the available food supply is wasted. While there are many reasons for food loss at all stages of production and

delivery, consumers can have a major impact in reducing how much food is wasted.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides advice for properly storing foods in the refrigerator: leafy veggies go in the high-humidity drawer, while most fruits should be placed in the low-humidity bin. Some fruits like apples and avocados release ethylene gas and can cause nearby produce to spoil, so they should be stored separately. Wash berries just before eating them to prevent mold. Store potatoes, onion and garlic in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place. Freeze bread, meat or leftovers that won’t be eaten before they spoil.

CONSUME SUSTAINABLE FOODS

According to Registered Dietitian Lauren Panoff, one way that consumers can benefit the environment is by transitioning to a more plant-predominant lifestyle. “Plant foods utilize far fewer natural resources than industrial animal agriculture, which is also one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases and drivers of Amazon deforestation,” Panoff explains.

Patricia Kolesa, MS, RDN, founder of the Dietitian Dish, notes, “Plant-based proteins tend to be more affordable and can be stored longer than your animal proteins, helping reduce food waste.”

Nutritics, a food information company, offers a list of the highest-ranking foods when it comes to sustainability, considering inputs like water usage, carbon emissions or capture, land usage and nitrogen storage capabilities. Their list includes mussels, beans, lentils, peas and other legumes, mushrooms, seaweed, cereals and grains, and organic fruits and vegetables.

RESPONSIBLY DISPOSE OF OR SHARE UNEATEN FOOD

Perfectly fresh food that the family has decided not to eat can be donated to people in need. Visit FoodPantries.org to find a nearby soup kitchen or food bank. Compost scraps and spoiled items to divert them from landfills. For composting instructions by the USDA, visit Tinyurl.com/USDAcompost

Ana Reisdorf is a registered dietitian and freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience in the fields of nutrition and dietetics.

Igisheva Maria/ ShutterStock.com

Spring Salad Spotlights Flavors of Fresh Garden Peas

by Tiffany Hinton

With spring comes the freshest, most tender peas of the season. They are sweet, crisp and best when eaten raw or lightly cooked to bring out their beautiful, green color. Peas are easily grown at home in as little as three weeks, or can be found at the local farmers market, co-op, grocery store or possibly in a CSA share. Peas are in the legume family, similar to a bean, and they boast the health benefits of potassium, folate and fiber. This spring, try peas in a new way and add them to a cold salad or your favorite pasta dish.

Creamy Spring Pea Pasta Salad

YIELDS: 8-12 SERVINGS

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

½ lb gluten-free penne pasta

½ sweet white onion, sliced thin

1 cucumber (English cucumber works well), seeded, peeled and sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet peas, removed from shell

½ cup sour cream (or vegan)

½ cup mayonnaise (or vegan)

1 tsp sugar (other sweeteners may change the flavor)

2 Tbsp white distilled vinegar (other vinegars may change the flavor)

½ tsp salt

In a medium stock pot, cook gluten-free penne pasta for 6 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a strainer and rinse under cold water to cool. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.

Thinly slice sweet onion and add to pasta. Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and remove seeds using a spoon. Peel the cucumber skin off. Then slice cucumber halves into thin slices and add to pasta. Add sweet peas.

In a small bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, white vinegar and salt. Mix well and pour over pasta salad. Toss to coat.

Serve warm or chilled.

Recipe courtesy of Tiffany Hinton, founder of Cultivating Guts. Connect online at @iamtiffanyhinton and listen to her podcast, Cultivating Guts, on Spotify or iTunes.

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JEFF MOYER

ON FARMING FOR HUMAN AND PLANETARY HEALTH

by Sandra Yeyati

Jeff Moyer is CEO of Rodale Institute, which champions regenerative organic agriculture through scientific research, farmer-support programs and consumer education. On Earth Day, he plans to retire after dedicating 47 years to the influential nonprofit. Moyer revolutionized organic agriculture when he developed and popularized the roller crimper, a device that simplifies no-till crop management and reduces or eliminates the need for herbicides to control weeds. Under his leadership and as a member of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, Rodale Institute helped develop a Regenerative Organic Certified standard that expands USDA Certified Organic requirements to include soil health, animal welfare and social fairness pillars.

Image courtesy of RodaInstitute.org

WHY IS CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE PROBLEMATIC?

Because it boils down the measurement of farming success to one word: yield. By focusing just on yield and sacrificing long-term resource stability to get it, we’re chewing up topsoil at a national rate of fiveand-a-half tons per acre of farmland per year for short-term economic benefit. You can only do that so long before you run out of topsoil. It doesn’t make sense long-term.

WHAT FARMING PRACTICES DOES RODALE INSTITUTE PROMOTE?

We’re suggesting a different production model, based on science, that incorporates other metrics of success: soil health and long-term planetary and human health. As a side bar, let’s say you’re a smoker and you stop smoking—your lungs will regenerate. The same is true with soil. If we change production practices, the soil will regenerate.

Under our Regenerative Organic Certified standard, we want well-thought-out crop rotations to get more biodiversity into the system, cover crops and reduced tillage to get more earthworms, and a reintegration of livestock into farms. I’m not going to argue whether people should be eating animals, but if you are going to have animals in the system, they should be raised on farms with grass, not feed lots with grain.

WHY IS SOIL HEALTH SUCH A PRIORITY?

Healthy soil is more biologically active and has a positive impact on climate because it doesn’t just sequester more carbon, it sequesters it at greater depths. We want carbon to last in the soil for a very long period of time. We don’t want it to be short-cycled in and out of the system, and we want to sequester it at greater depths where we can control it and maintain it for hundreds of

years. Ideally, we’ll get it deeper and deeper in the soil over time.

CAN REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AFFORDABLY FEED THE WORLD?

Affordability is a strange term. Can we produce all the food we need at a reasonable cost? Absolutely. The problem with the conventional model is that we don’t pay the true cost of food production at the point of purchase. As an example, when we have to dredge the Mississippi River because of all the soil that’s washing into it from agricultural lands, you don’t pay that bill at the supermarket or restaurant. You pay it as a hidden cost, buried in our tax structure.

In an organic system, you’re paying the true cost of the production of that food at the point of purchase, which makes more sense. And if you add the cost of human health—diabetes, heart disease—all the things that our current food production and food consumption model embodies, then the system we have now is outrageously expensive, and regenerative organic food is cheaper than conventional food.

CAN REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRODUCE THE AMOUNT OF FOOD NEEDED WORLDWIDE?

Yes. In most parts of the world, we use agricultural lands to produce all kinds of commodity products that aren’t food. Forty percent of the corn we produce in the U.S. goes to ethanol production and another

40 percent goes to livestock feed. The ink in your pen was made with soybean oil. If we decided to produce the most amount of food on an acre or hectare of land, we can produce way more food than we need.

What we’re saying is that conventional agriculture cannot feed the world longterm. In the short-term, we’re producing a lot of cheap food, but our current production model is doomed to failure over time because we’re going to run out of healthy soil to farm.

ARE YOU HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE?

Very hopeful. The USDA says that most organic farms are more profitable and expanding at a more rapid rate than their conventional counterparts, and that ’ s because we have a growing population of support in the marketplace. People are beginning to pay attention to how their food is produced, asking the right questions and recognizing that they have a vote with their food purchasing dollars. We’re seeing the concept of regenerative organic enter into the daily conversation, just like we did a few years ago with organic. People didn’t know what organic meant at first. Recent USDA statistics suggest that roughly 80 percent of the nation’s population has eaten something organic in the last 30 days, so people are seeking out organic, and we’re going to follow the same course with regenerative organic.

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of Natural Awakenings magazine.

MUSCULAR MAINTENANCE 101

HOW TO REPAIR MUSCLES AFTER EXERCISE

by David J. Sautter, NASM CPT, FNS, PES, ACE SCS

I n any fitness regimen, rest and muscle recovery are just as important as strength training or cardio workouts. Allowing our body to heal micro-tears and inflammation after strenuous exercise readies muscles for subsequent training sessions. By strategically planning a muscle recovery regimen, we optimize performance and reduce injury risk.

Key factors that affect recovery time include workout intensity and duration, stress, sleep and nutrition. Workouts that are longer in duration or higher in intensity require a greater amount of recovery time. High stress levels can increase cortisol and adrenaline, and consistently excessive levels of these fight-or-flight hormones have been shown to impact the body’s ability to repair. If we are chronically deprived of proper sleep (at least seven hours every night) our muscles will suffer. And a poor diet is akin to using broken tools to fix something. Following a healthy, well-balanced and protein-focused eating plan can significantly improve muscle recovery time.

Here are a few scientifically proven approaches that promote tissue repair. A solid, muscle-recovery plan should include one or more of these techniques.

EARTHING

Earthing is the practice of connecting with the Earth’s surface energy by going barefoot outside. Also known as grounding or barefoot healing, recent studies suggest that this practice can promote muscle recovery. One study that divided 32 healthy

young men into either a grounded or sham-grounded group found that the grounded participants had significantly greater concentrations of neutrophils and platelets, which are essential for pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses.

In another study, researchers wanted to observe the impacts of grounding on immunity, focusing specifically on delayed onset muscle soreness. Results suggested that being grounded considerably lessened pain levels and altered circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes, as well as various chemicals related to inflammation.

“ The feeling of being grounded will calm your mind and center your body,” says Anthony Roumell, a personal trainer, gym owner, gymnast and long-time proponent of earthing. But there’s more to grounding than a clear head. He explains, “Our entire cellular system charges with free electrons when we connect to the earth. Studies suggest that these free electrons act as antioxidants in the organism, neutralizing the inflammation response.”

Jonathan Jordan, a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach and grounding practitioner, advises, “Simply getting off computers or devices and going outside has immediate benefits. Just taking a break, being outside in nature with sun and fresh air lowers the fight-or-flight response. My clients who take the time and practice this for just a few minutes during the day all see great benefit to their health

and in their workout programs.”

HYDRATION

Another way to improve muscle recovery is by hydrating properly. Staying adequately hydrated before, during and after a workout helps the body flush out toxins, reduce inflammation and promote muscle repair. Hydration is more than just drinking water. We also need electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium, which can be found in natural sources like coconut water, fruits and vegetables. Electrolytes can also be found in sports drinks, but make sure to choose brands that do not contain sugar, preservatives or food coloring.

DIET

Having a balanced meal before and after a workout is important for muscle recovery. Eating the right foods can provide the essential nutrients needed to repair muscles. Healthy examples include protein like poultry, wild-caught fish, eggs and grass-fed protein powder; carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats and dark leafy greens; and fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and medium-chain triglycerides, known in the market as MCT oil.

MASSAGE

Massage increases the oxygen-rich blood flow in muscles and may decrease lactic acid buildup—a condition that causes sore-

ness and puts a damper on proper exercise. Consider getting periodic massages from a well-trained professional. A good massage can encourage muscles to heal faster. Self-massage using a foam roller, trigger point balls or our own hands can also be helpful. To promote better blood flow, compression clothing designed to apply pressure to certain parts of the body may also be helpful.

CONTRAST THERAPY

Contrast therapies involve alternating between hot and cold, such as taking a hot shower followed by a cold one. A related muscle-recovery technique is whole-body cryotherapy, which involves exposure to extremely cold temperatures for a very short amount of time, usually one or two minutes.

“Learning how to embrace the discomfort within the cold and heat has had a profound change on my life,” Roumell says. “Contrast therapies will reconnect you to the power of your mind, your breath and your belief in your body’s magnificence After all, when you are finished sitting in a 34-degree tub for two to 10 minutes, what could possibly be much harder in your day?”

David J. Sautter is a professional fitness writer for KnoWEwell and Natural Awakenings

TOXIC OVERLOAD

HOW TO CLEAN OUR WATER, FOOD AND INDOOR AIR

by Madiha M. Saeed, M.D.

radiological contaminants such as uranium and cesium. These substances can cause cancer, reproductive health concerns, and kidney and liver problems.

“I have treated hundreds of patients who have restored their health and are already eating and living clean by properly filtering their water, but sometimes, even when using a very expensive water filtration system, people will still find high levels of contaminants like MTBE [methyl tertiary-butyl ether], an additive in unleaded gasoline that is banned in several states,” Galbraith says. “Reverse osmosis typically filters most hazardous chemicals from your water, but they can be pricier. An inexpensive alternative are the filters from Clearly Filtered, which reportedly remove 99 percent of MTBE, among many other chemicals.”

Toxins are in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Substances Control Inventory shows the magnitude of our potential exposure, listing more than 86,000 industrial chemicals that are manufactured or processed in this country. Despite regulations and safety protocols, a number of these dangerous compounds run off into waterways or are released into the atmosphere. Food manufacturers use some of them to preserve or beautify their products.

“We live in an increasingly toxic world, and the best defense against becoming overwhelmed by toxins is limiting what we take in as much as possible,” emphasizes Paul Anderson, an integrative and naturopathic clinician and co-author of Outside the Box Cancer Therapies. While our bodies are not designed to handle the accumulation of industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and radiation that seep into our personal space, we can take measures to reduce the assault and protect our health.

FILTER DRINKING WATER

“For the health-conscious individual, toxins in the water is the top threat often overlooked or inadequately addressed,” says Rajka Milanovic Galbraith, an Illinois-based functional medicine practitioner, noting that drinking water is packed with chemicals like per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (also known as forever chemicals), solvents, pesticides, metals, bleach and

“Everyone should try to filter their water with any means available, from a carbon block pitcher to the most aggressive method using a reverse osmosis water filter under their sink. Given the state of municipal—and well—water and the amount we need to clean our bodies and brains every day over a lifetime, we need to get this right,” advises Aly Cohen, M.D., an integrative rheumatologist, founder of The Smart Human and co-author of Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World

READ FOOD LABELS

“For the individual newer on their health journey, I would say food additives are the ‘hidden’ environmental exposure that is a serious cause for concern, contributing to autoimmune diseases and from a metabolic standpoint, think weight gain, obesity, pre-diabetes and diabetes,” Galbraith says. “These additives are used to increase palatability, shelf life and texture and can include some you may have heard of, like sucralose, citrate and carrageenan, and others you may not have, like carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80. Carrageenan is common in many nondairy milk alternatives that have made their way into coffee shops.”

According to Galbraith, the most effective way to steer clear of food additives is to avoid or greatly minimize the consumption of highly processed foods. She recommends eating whole foods, especially for those dealing with chronic health issues or experiencing signs or symptoms of an ailment. She also encourages people to read food labels and avoid products with artificial colors, carrageenan, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates and nitrites, polysorbate 80, propyl gallate, propylparaben, methylparaben, sodium benzoate, potassium

benzoate, tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) and titanium dioxide.

“You are what you eat!” Cohen exclaims. “Eating clean food, without synthetic chemicals that break down the protective microbiome of the gut, is critical to the health of our immune system and our mental health, so we should try to eat whole, unprocessed foods that are USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] Certified Organic whenever possible.”

IMPROVE INDOOR AIR

According to the EPA, “Americans, on

NATURAL PET

average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.” The Environmental Working Group offers a comprehensive blueprint at ewg.org/healthyhomeguide that identifies dangerous chemicals found indoors (from lead, asbestos and flame retardants to volatile organic compounds, antimicrobial agents and radon) and recommends actions to clean up our sanctuaries.

“We can lower our toxic burden by decreasing the chemicals in the air that

we breathe, and that begins by reducing the junk we bring into our homes,” Cohen remarks. “Start by removing air fresheners, perfumes, bug sprays, scented cleaning and laundry products, and by opening the windows daily, adding lots of plants and possibly adding an air filter for those who live in cities and areas with poor air quality.”

Madiha Saeed is a holistic, functional and integrative doctor in Naperville, Illinois, and director of education for Documenting Hope and KnoWEwell.

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THE WINDS OF CHANGE

YOUNG ACTIVISTS PURSUE CLIMATE JUSTICE AND GREEN LIVING

by Sheila Julson

Born in the mid-to-late 1990s up to the early 2010s, Generation Z environmental activists agree that urgent action is needed to achieve climate justice, and they’re willing to do what it takes to get results. “Climate and environmental justice and environmental racism are very big concerns among youth, whether or not they are youth of color. It’s not just about energy, water or air—it’s also very much about people,” says Ana Garcia-Doyle, executive director of One Earth Collective. The Chicago nonprofit inspires action, facilitates learning and promotes environmental justice through annual programs like the One Earth Film Festival and One Earth Youth Voices, a summit designed to give voice to the next generation’s environmental concerns.

Kristi Blokhin/ ShutterStock.com

TEENS TAKE CHARGE

Marin Chalmers, a sophomore at Oak Park River Forest High School, in Illinois, and member of One Earth’s Youth Advisory Council, has been participating in the One Earth Young Filmmakers contest since the seventh grade. Her short documentary, Sondaica, is about wildlife and ecosystems.

Chalmers credits One Earth with helping her connect with people that normally would not be involved with climate activism. Her peers share in the understanding that there’s a climate crisis. “The Earth is breaking,” she explains. “We need to fix it. Everybody needs to do a better job of taking action.” Getting people to pay attention is challenging, Chalmers laments, especially given America’s overwhelming dependence on automobiles and the lack of public transportation. “A lot of people want to help, but just don’t know how,” she notes. “Some people don’t have the financial ability to make environmentally sound choices.”

Although individual action can help mitigate climate change, 16-year-old Sebastian Delgado, a Revolutionary Youth Action League (ROYAL) volunteer, blames polluting, profit-driven corporations for the climate crisis. “The biggest threat to our climate and people of color is capitalism,” he explains. “We need a new economic system that’s not based on profit.”

ROYAL volunteers like Delgado collaborated with Marlene Brito-Millán, Ph.D., an ecology assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago, and Dr. Bryan Ramson, a nuclear physicist and research associate at Fermilab, to craft a social justice plan that incorporates climate town hall meetings to raise awareness and develop action plans. According to Delgado, even when concerned citizens contact their elected representatives, leaders can be slow to act. “Climate change has been happening for decades, and we’re still dealing with the same issues,” he remarks, adding that bold ideas and unwavering action are needed when government officials won’t listen to their constituents.

GREENING URBAN AREAS

In Austin, a predominantly Black neighborhood on the west side of Chicago,

two 20-year-olds, Cortez Dean and Ethan Horne, work at paid internships in an urban farming program called Austin Grown, which raises chickens and maintains gardens with vegetables and native pollinators.

A collaboration between One Earth Collective and BUILD Chicago, a nationally respected youth development organization, Austin Grown serves urban communities where fruits and vegetables are hard to find. The organization also offers gardening and healthy eating classes to the public.

Dean is learning firsthand how climate change adversely affects farms, gardens and forests where food and medicinal plants are grown. During a summer heat wave, he witnessed a sewer pipe explode, filling his neighborhood with a powerful stench, and he worries that aging infrastructure will contaminate their drinking water.

“People assume there’s time to solve climate change, but we’re not slowing things down. There’s a lot of work to be done,” Horne says, noting that food deserts disproportionately affect communities of color. “There are lots of areas with no grocery stores, or stores that only offer chips and candy, but no fruits and vegetables.”

Dean and Horne concur that gardening provides needed green infrastructure and nutritional food to underserved populations. “I didn’t fully understand climate change until I put my hands into the soil. When you

do that, you’ll see Earth for what it is—and the damage we’ve done to it,” Dean says.

ACTIVISM ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES

Originally from Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 21-year-old Grace Arnold feels lucky to have attended two schools with strong environmental programs and student engagement. At the University of Vermont, she participated in marches against fossil fuels and joined lively discussions about climate-related racism at the Social Justice Coalition. Now a student at University of Texas at Austin, she is enrolled in environmental studies classes and notes, “Students are forming environmental clubs. I’m grateful to again be surrounded by people trying to get their voices heard.”

Arnold was a social media volunteer for Plastic-Free MKE, a Milwaukee-based organization dedicated to reducing single-use plastic waste. She credits social media as a powerful tool that helps her generation reach people and organize activism. “Climate change is intertwined with social, economic and political issues,” she relates. “But small actions can make big impacts—and voting is a powerful thing.”

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.

WILD BIRDS, BLOOMS AND INSECTS IN April’s Midwest Landscape

by Sheryl DeVore

Though May and June are the months northern Illinois residents think spring is at its peak, April can be equally magical. Woods, wetlands and grasslands in the Chicago region are bursting with nature in April if we know what to seek and where to find it.

The forest floor isn’t completely covered with spring ephemerals in April, but plenty are shining, ready to be enjoyed and photographed. For example, at Messenger Woods, in Homer Glen, “You can see one of the most beautiful and vast displays

of Virginia bluebells in April,” reveals Andy Morkes, founder and author of Nature in Chicagoland (NatureInChicago.wordpress.com/ tag/andrew-morkes). “They blanket the woodlands and banks of Spring Creek for as far as the eye can see.” In April, pink buds on bluebells open into soft blue flowers. Another place to see copious Virginia bluebells is at Reed-Turner Woodlands, in Long Grove.

Large stands of marsh marigolds also bloom in wet areas in the woods in April, looking like thousands of golden stars emanating from the forest floor. “In sunny wetlands, marsh marigold is one of the first wildflowers to bloom during the spring,” writes John Hilty in his Wildflowers of Illinois blog (IllinoisWildflowers.info) “The flowers are showy and conspicuous because of their bright color and relatively large size,” he writes. Places to find marsh marigolds in April include Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area, in Riverwoods and Pilcher Park Nature Center, in Joliet.

“April is early for butterflies in northern Illinois,” acknowledges Doug Taron, curator of biology and vice president of research and conservation at the Chicago Academy of Sciences Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (NatureMuseum.org). But he does find a few species in woodlands that include the eastern comma and the mourning cloak, which are often out even earlier. Other butterfly species overwinter as eggs, caterpillars or chrysalises; the various stages before adulthood. “But the eastern comma and mourning cloak overwinter as adults,” says Taron. So when it warms and the sun is out, these adult butterflies are ready to mate and lay eggs in April.

The mourning cloak has a three-and-a-half-inch wingspan, with brownish-maroon wings bordered by yellow. When it rests on a tree with folded wings, it can look like part of the bark. The smaller, eastern comma, which has orange wings dotted with brown, prefers moist woodlands and also is good at camouflage, resting in bark with folded wings that look like leaves. Their wing marks look like bird droppings and they hibernate in hollow trees and log piles, while the mourning cloak hibernates in loose bark on trees and in cavities.

When the sap starts flowing, they emerge. Mourning cloaks particularly like tree sap from oaks. “They walk down the trunk to the sap and feed head-downward,” according to Butterflies and Moths of North America (ButterfliesAndMoths.org), an organization

LEFT: Blood root blooms in April next to spring beauty.

Photo by Steven D. Bailey

Free April walks in the woods offered by local nature centers

Here are some scheduled in April. These below are all free, but registration is required via phone or website. Also, check a favorite forest preserve or nature center to see what is planned for outdoor nature hikes in April.

Signs of Spring, 1 p.m., April 2, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont. Call 630-257-2045.

Early April Bird Walk, 8 a.m., April 5. Dan Ryan Woods Visitor Center, Chicago. Bring binoculars, or some may be available to borrow. Call 312-415-2970.

April Bird Walk, 8 a.m., April 7. Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington Hills. Call 847-532-5764.

Wetlands and Waterfowl Walk, 8 to 10:30 a.m., April 15. Glacial Park Conservation Area, Ringwood. Call 815-338-6223.

Sunday Stroll at Ethel’s Woods, Antioch, 9 to 10 a.m., April 16. Call 847-367-6640.

that collects, stores and shares information about lepidoptera.

The mourning cloak can be found not only in woods, but also parks and suburbs, especially riparian areas where their host plants are growing. Mourning cloaks lay their eggs in tree species such as willows, cottonwood, paper birch and hackberry. Eastern commas lay eggs in American elm and common nettles, among other host plants.

Birdsong also rings in the woodlands in April from avian creatures that live here year-round and are already setting up nesting territory. Northern cardinals and black-capped chickadees are singing full force in the woodlands well before April, but migrants are here by March and April, including the eastern phoebe, a flycatcher with a brown head and black and white underparts. Look for a bird sitting on a somewhat low perch wagging its tail and listen for it singing its name, “Phoebe.” This species builds mud nests on bridges, barns and houses, and often nests underneath the eaves of a cabin at Ryerson Conservation Area (lcfpd.org/ryerson).

Dragonflies and damselflies typically fly later in the season. “But it’s not unusual to see green darner dragonflies in April,” Taron says. “One of the reasons that green darners are so early is because some of them are migrating up from the Gulf [of Mexico] and get here as soon as it warms up,” he explains. Common green darners are one of the most abundant drag-

onflies in North America. They are three inches long and have a three-and-a-half-inch wingspan. Both males and females have bright green thoraxes (middle body segment). This species is a migratory, as well as permanent resident, and often returns from migration before overwintering dragonfly species, including its own, emerge, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Many wetland bird species are back setting up territories in cattails and other vegetation in April. Listen for the “Onk-a-lee,” three-syllable song of the red-winged blackbird near a wetland or even a wet prairie. The killdeer is back, too, calling out its name as it flies over wet areas and shallow ponds in parks.

Cindy Crosby, of Glen Ellyn, enjoys nature in April by walking grasslands. “A lot of what you see and what is in bloom depends on the weather in a given year, so it can be different from place to place even on the same site,” says Crosby, author of The Tallgrass Prairie: An Introduction ( Northwestern University Press) , Tallgrass Conversations: In Search of the Prairie Spirit (Ice Cube Press, with

Photo by Steven D. Bailey

The eastern comma is one of the earliest butterflies to emerge in spring in the Chicago region.

Photo by Pavel Kirillov/St.Petersburg, Russia

LEFT: The mourning cloak is out and about in March and April in the Chicago region.

Thomas Dean), and Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History (Northwestern University Press).

“April is a wonderful time to hike the Illinois prairies and savannas, and also a mercurial time,” Crosby advises. “Days of sunshine alternate with snowfall or torrential rains. Spring ephemerals adjust their blooming schedules from year to year, which makes each April stroll a new adventure.”

“The prairies in the Chicago region may be subject to prescribed fire as late as April, depending on the weather patterns earlier in the year, so it’s always an adventure to see what stage of growth the prairie is in,” says Crosby, who serves as a steward for the Schulenberg Prairie at The Morton Arboretum, in Lisle (MortonArb.org). “If a prairie has recently been burned, you might see the first green shoots of prairie dropseed across the prairie looking like UFOs had landed with their circular patterns, or the crinkly early leaves of wood betony, which remind me of tiny rhubarb leaves.”

She explains, “Many of the emerging prairie plants are identifiable by their leaves in April.” One of these is the compass plant.

“At the bottom of the plant, the leaves are huge—up to 16 inches long—but the leaves are progressively smaller toward the top of the stem. In full sun, the upright lower leaves turn their edges toward north and south, with the flat surfaces facing east and west, giving compass plant its common name,” according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Their leaves are often prettier and as distinctive as the blooms that follow later in the year,” Crosby says.

“Toward the end of April, depending on the weather vagaries of the year, you may spot the first blooms of the prairie violet and if you’re lucky, the birdfoot violet,” Crosby continues. “Bloodroot pops up on the prairie edges, with the plant’s unusual leaves wrapping around the stems of the bloom as it emerges. Their pollinators, the bumblebees, are out and about lending their buzz pollination to the grassland melody.”

Crosby also suggests looking for the clustered, magenta and green leaves of shooting stars all April, that bloom with nodding flowers in May. One place to see shooting stars is at Thelma Carpenter Prairie, at the Nachusa Grasslands (NachusaGrasslands.org).

Crosby suggests wearing waterproof boots and layers to be ready for April’s finicky weather. “Then prepare for endless adventures as you hike outdoors in April,” she says.

Sheryl DeVore has written six books on science, health and nature, as well as nature, health and environment stories for national and regional publications. Read more at SherylDeVore.Wordpress.com

Photo courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation

RIGHT: Common green darners are the earliest dragonflies seen in the Chicago region and are often flying in April.

LEFT: An eastern phoebe perches on a branch before the leaves are out in April.

That is one good thing about this world … there are always sure to be more springs. ~L.M. Montgomery

TREES CAN BENEFIT FROM ADDING Biodynamic Compost Tea

by Tiffany Hinton

Healing Mother Earth is not a one-person job. It will take many to help her heal and create a sustainable planet for our children to live in. The many years of industrial farming, chemical lawn treatments and trying to grow a suburban monoculture yard have harmed the biome of our soil. Earth Day was begun in 1970, and marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. The idea was to create awareness and a voice for emerging environmental consciousness. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year, and this year it will also align with the predicted last frost for our area by The Farmer’s Almanac, although the actual last frost date may vary.

Healing our soil will take many years, although there are simple things you can do at home to help contribute to our soils health and improve the diversity of our plants and trees in your own backyard. One way to take action at home and join the movement is to create a “tea” designed to nourish trees. This concept was given the name biodynamic compost treatments by Rudolph Steiner, who took a key role in healing and improving the soil in Germany in the 1920s following World War I, using ancient medicinal treatments. Steiner’s treatments are now used globally, even at Sissinghurst Castle, in England, by Matt Jackson, the author of Moon Gardening. A few of Steiner’s famous treatments include Prep 502 (Yarrow Blossom), Prep 504 (Stinging Nettle) and Prep 506 (Dandelion Blossom).

Biodynamic compost tea treatments can be purchased online and at garden centers, although they can be made less expensively at home using the same technique as making sun tea in a large glass jar or pitcher. Simply collect rainwater and use the infusion method with the treatment ingredients to make the compost tea to add to the soil around the garden or trees.

These compost tea recipes have been adapted and tested for backyard use by the author. As you water the earth with the compost tea, say a prayer or phase of gratitude for the Earth and her abundance. Send the Earth healing energy and smile. This small step will have great rewards for your harvest, flowers and fruit from the trees this season.

Note: Check with local backyard chicken groups and neighbors to source chicken and cow manure. Organic cow manure is available at some local independent garden centers.

Safety note: These compost teas are strictly for garden use only and are not for human or animal consumption. Wear gloves and wash hands well after applying to the soil.

COMPOST TEA #1Well-Rounded Tea

1 banana peel

½ cup manure (rabbit poop or cow poop)

32 oz rainwater

1 Tbsp used coffee grounds

5 yellow dandelion flowers

COMPOST TEA #2Nitrogen Tea

1 cup chicken poop

Handful of grass or dandelion greens

32 oz rainwater

COMPOST TEA #3Tomato Energizer

2 banana peels

1 Tbsp coffee grounds

5 egg shells, crushed

32 oz rainwater

COMPOST TEA #4 –Plant-based Fuel (Vegan)

1 cup stinging nettle leaves

1 cup yarrow flowers

32 oz rain water

Add all ingredients to a large mason jar or upcycled pasta sauce or similarly sized jar. Allow to sit in the sun for seven days, then dilute with additional water. Apply to the soil at the tree driplines with gratitude.

If you are interested in learning more about biodynamic gardening or setting up your own raised bed garden, visit CultivatingGuts.com. Tiffany Hinton has a new free eBook for download, Biodynamic Moon Gardening, helping you build a biodynamic raised bed garden in one moon cycle. Also, join Tiffany on her homestead on April 22 for an all-day garden retreat. Register at CultivatingGuts.com/gardenretreat. Space is limited.

Photo credit © Sasi Ponchaisang for Dreamstime.com

Plan, Plant and Enjoy a Bird-Friendly Garden

by Melinda Myers

Create a beautiful garden filled with bird-friendly plants and enjoy the many benefits of birdwatching at home. Seeing and listening to birds has been shown to boost our spirits. These visitors also help manage a variety of insect pests, as 96 percent of North American terrestrial birds consume insects and feed them to their young.

Plan a landscape that provides food for seasonal visitors as well as year-round residents. Select trees, shrubs and flowers with berries, seeds and nectar the birds like to eat. Plants are nature’s bird feeders that do not require cleaning or restocking.

Check range maps in field guides and Cornell University’s All About Birds website (Birds.Cornell.edu/home/all-about-birds) to help identify and prepare for birds that may visit the yard. Boosting food sources during spring and fall migration helps them recharge on their long journeys. Providing food year-round supports those birds nesting and overwintering in the landscape.

PLANTS

Take a clue from nature when creating plantings that provide shelter for birds to rest, nest and escape from predators. Dense shrub plantings create thickets many birds prefer, and larger groupings make dining easier for the birds. They will waste less energy traveling between plants when the food sources are growing close together.

Plantings provide visual impact, colorful screening and living boundaries in the yard. Vines are great options in small and large spaces. They can dress up blank walls, fences and arbors while providing food and shelter for birds. Provide strong supports and avoid damage by keeping the vines off wooden homes and siding.

Select a diverse collection of bird-friendly plants that are suited to the growing conditions. Check the tag to make sure they will fit in the available space once they reach their mature size. Including a variety of plants helps attract a wider range of birds. It also helps reduce the risk of an insect or disease wiping out a large portion of the plantings, like what was experienced with emerald ash borer and Dutch elm disease.

Include both evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs that lose their leaves in win-

ter. Evergreens provide a green backdrop, highlighting plants in the foreground and year-round shelter for birds. Deciduous trees and shrubs can provide multiple seasons of beauty with flowers, fruit and fall color. Many also provide shelter and food for songbirds.

FOOD

Consider supplementing food as needed throughout the year. Stock the appropriate style of feeders with the type of food preferred by the birds we are trying to attract. Place feeders carefully to avoid window collisions, but put them in areas where they can easily be viewed, filled and cleaned. Plant trees and shrubs nearby to provide protective covering from hawks, feral cats and other predators.

WATER

Adding a birdbath is another way to attract birds to gardens. Providing clean and dependable sources of water can help attract birds that don’t eat seeds and wouldn’t otherwise visit the garden. Select a shallow birdbath with gently sloping sides that allows birds to take a sip of water without getting wet, or set a few stones in a deeper birdbath to accomplish the same result. Change the water every day or two to keep it clean, safe for drinking and to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Use warm water and a scrub brush to remove algae. The Audubon Society recommends rinsing and

Photos courtesy of www.MelindaMyers.com

Photos courtesy of www.MelindaMyers.com

Learn more about attracting birds to our landscape with Melinda Myers at 11 a.m., April 22, at Pasquesi Home and Gardens, located at 975 N. Shore Dr., in Lake Bluff. The event is free and no registration is required.

scrubbing birdbaths as needed with a solution of nine parts water to one part vinegar, then thoroughly rinse and fill with fresh water. Providing water year-round is important for birds residing here in winter. Purchase a heated birdbath or use an immersion heater in a cold weather-resistant birdbath, or set out a plastic bowl filled with water at the same time each day. Bring it back inside once it freezes. Creating a landscape filled with bird-friendly plants, water and shelter is sure to attract a variety of birds to our landscape. The efforts will be rewarded with seasons and decades of entertainment and beauty we can enjoy right outside our back door.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses How to Grow Anything instant video series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. For more information, visit MelindaMyers.com

TIME TO DANCE

Dance classes for people age 50 and up

Ballet WITH

Beginning & Intermediate Tap WITH

Fitness Dance WITH PENNY BRICHTA VIRTUAL ONLY

Modern Dance WITH LISA GOLD

Introducing a New Class: Pilarre

A blend of Pilates mat and barre.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CALENDAR DEADLINE: All listings must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Calendar events must be submitted online at NAChicago.com/Calendar.

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Events or services may be cancelled, postponed or are now offered online. Call and check websites for up-to-date information.

Arab American Heritage Month

Earth Month

Nat’l Sexual Assault Awareness Month

SATURDAY, APRIL 1

Woodstock Winter Farmers Market –9am-1pm. Woodstock Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Rd, Bldg D, Woodstock. WoodstockFarmersMarket.org

Holistic Fair – 12-6pm. Readers and body workers every 30 mins. Angel card reading, akashic records, animal communications, chakra balancing, medium, Peruvian Shaman, reiki, reflexology. Specials on products and so much more. $35/30 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Hawaiian Elemental Healing Treatments

– 4-7pm. With Barbara Petersen. Work with the elemental qualities of Fire, Water, Air and Earth that are directed to specific areas of the body. During this process the elements support areas that are strong and build up the energies that are weaker to create harmonious function of your mind, body and spirit. 30-min sessions. $40. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 2

Palm Sunday (Christianity)

Sensory Sunday – 11am-12pm. This independent program offers guests with sensory processing needs a chance to experience Four Rivers Environmental Education Center’s exhibits and trails on their own terms. Free. Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W Walnut Ln, Channahon. Register by Apr 1: 815-722-9470. ReconnectWithNature.org

Tarot – 11am-4pm. With Andre. $35/30 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. For appt: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Future, Past Life and Spirit Realm Journeys – 2-5pm. With Susan Wisehart. Journeys are powerful experiences that deepen

the understanding of your life purpose, talents, and soul lessons. In-person & Zoom. $55, $45/10 days advance. Infinity Foundation, 1280 Old Skokie Rd, Highland Park. 847-831-8828. InfinityFoundation.org

MONDAY, APRIL 3

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 2700 Patriot Blvd, Ste 250, Glenview. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com

Water Features to Attract Dragonflies and Other Beneficial Wildlife – 6:30-8:30pm. Darien Garden Club General Meeting. Presenter, Tom Eisenhart, encourages us to add a water feature to our gardens. Tom will cover how to design your feature to attract beneficial wildlife while discouraging “nuisance” wildlife. Free. St John Lutheran Church, 7214 S Cass Ave, Darien. DarienGardenClub.com

ONLINE: Practical Self-Care – 7-7:45pm. Personally guided by Sarah Karnes, you will develop a more compassionate and loving relationship with your body, mind and spirit. $15-$25 suggested donation. 262-745-8362. Meetup.com//Spiritual-NourishmentChicagoland.

Sparrows of Northern Illinois – 7-8:30pm. In this presentation, we will discuss the species of sparrows that occur in our region, where to find them, and how to tell them apart. In-person and Zoom. Libertyville High School, Studio Theatre (entrance in back), 708 W Park Ave, Libertyville. LakeCountyAudubon.org

TUESDAY, APRIL 4

Digestive Solutions for Gut Health – 5:456:45pm. Many people experience discomfort after meals: gas, bloating, and food intolerances, but are left baffled as to what the cause could be. Could it be environmental? What we ate? Stress? Digestive imbalance? We’ll explore digestive enzymes, probiotics and more. Fruitful Yield, 2378 Essington Rd, Joliet. FruitfulYield.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

Vesak Day (Buddhism)

Passover begins at sundown (Judaism)

What’s New with Skincare? – 12pm. Join Fruitful Yield Educator Sandhya, for a fascinating discussion on what is new at Fruitful Yield with our skin care items. Facebook: @TheFruitfulYield.

Green Drinks McHenry County – 5pm, social; 6-8pm, program. 1st Wed. Topic: Ways Renters and Homeowners Can Access Energy Efficiency and Cost Saving Programs. In-person and Zoom. Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen, 110 N Main St, Crystal Lake. Tinyurl.com/GDApr5

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

Full Moon – Pink Moon, Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs, Growing Moon

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

Good Friday (Christianity)

SATURDAY, APRIL 8

Hanamatsuri (Zen Buddhism)

ONLINE: Chicago IANDS – 2pm. Support/ study/resource forum for near-death, outof-body and spiritual experiences, losses. Guest Speaker: Sherry Anshara, NDEr, author, medical intuitive, spiritual teacher. Healed herself. Become a free subscriber to Chicago IANDS by filling in the form online. $20 tax-deductible donation requested (see website). For more info: 847-251-5758 or ChicagoIANDS.org

Healing Anxiety Silent Meditation Retreat – 2-5pm. This retreat will highlight practical meditations and positive ways of thinking to control your mind, rather than being overwhelmed and controlled by anxiety. Suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners. $30. Kadampa Meditation Center Chicago, Wicker Park, 2010 W Pierce Ave, Chicago. 708-763-0132. MeditateInChicago.org

Kirtan – 6-8pm. Krishna consciousness. Kirtan’s ultimate purpose is to facilitate the awakening and nurturing of one’s devotion for the Divine. Because music is particularly potent as a vehicle of conveying one’s emotions, music is especially effective at evoking feelings of love for God. Free. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 9

Easter (Christianity)

MONDAY, APRIL 10

Green Shield Week – Apr 10-14. Hosted by Midwest Grows Green and Green Shield Certified. A series of webinars discussing sustainable landscaping and pest management practices, strategies and policies. Details: MidwestGrowsGreen.org

Hindu Healing Touch, Chanting and Annadhan Vegetarian Food – 6-8pm. Come experience this free community event. All welcome. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

Mission SLIMpossible – 5:30-6:15pm. Weight loss can be a revolving door for many of us. From the foods we eat to detoxing our bodies, we can all make some lifestyle changes. Jessica will offer a discussion on individualizing your weight loss journey with detoxing and nutrition tips. Fruitful Yield, 155 N Randall Rd, Batavia. Register: FruitfulYield.com

Green Drinks Libertyville – 6pm. 2nd Tues. Cafe Pomigliano, 13860 Rockland Rd, Green Oaks. More info: Facebook.com/ greendrinkslibertyville

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

Fruitful Yield with Ancient Nutrition Live on Instagram – 12-12:25pm. Jordan Rubin is known as one of America’s most respected natural health experts. An eco-entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and lecturer on health and nutrition, Jordan is the founder of Garden of Life and Ancient Nutrition, where he currently serves as CEO. He is the author of The Maker’s Diet Instagram: @TheFruitfulYield.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

Go Green Highland Park Monthly Meeting – 7-8pm. Join our monthly meeting and share your ideas. Find out how you can get involved in event planning or help with other group activities. Register: GoGreenHP.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

ONLINE: Aromatherapy on Point 2 – 9am12pm. An innovative, gentle, completely safe and yet exceptionally effective handson method of treatment that harnesses the power of pure essential oils together with acupoints. One of a 5-part series. 3 CEs/ class. $75. Zoom. Zen Shiatsu Chicago: 847-864-1130 or ZenShiatsuChicago.org

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 1603 Orrington Ave, Ste 600, Evanston. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com

Night Tarot – 6-10pm. With Andre. Wine served. $35/30 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. For appt: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

SAVE THE DATE

Green Living Fair – 10am-2pm. Close to 50 green organizations will be exhibiting, including environmental clubs from area high schools. Admission free. University Center, College of Lake County, 1200 University Center Dr, Grayslake. Tinyurl.com/GreenLivingFair

Nature Artists’ Guild Spring Art Exhibit – Apr 15-16. 10am-4pm. Enjoy nature-themed, juried art. Many pieces by the local artists can be purchased at the exhibit. Free with admission. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. MortonArb.org

Upcycled Crafts: T-Shirt Tricks – 11am2pm. Drop-in to learn tricks to turn discarded T-shirts destined for the landfill into a variety of fun, new items. Free. Monee Reservoir, 27341 S Ridgeland Ave, Monee. ReconnectWithNature.org

Little Witches Moon Gardening Club –1-3:30pm. Club members learn how to start seeds and a planting log. We’ll create seed trays together and plan gardens together within different monthly sessions. $50. Cultivating Guts, 1011 W Wildwood Dr, Prospect Heights. 773-234-6636. CultivatingGuts.com

Crystal Energy Healing – 1-4pm. Learn to place crystals on and around the body to produce a deeply relaxing state of being which may clear old stagnant energy and blocks and increase positive energy thereby helping you move forward to manifest what you want to bring into your life. $40. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Shake Your Chakras: Interactive Energetic Sound Healing – 4-6pm. Join Eve Muir-Wilson, Energy Healer and teacher, in an experience of energy, relaxation and fun. Clear your energetic fields as you help create a percussive sound bath with Koshi chimes, rattles, drums, Zen Tubes, rain discs and singing bowls. $40. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

Easter (Russian Orthodox)

Earth Day Spring Wildflowers: A Tale to Tell – 9-11am. Join a naturalist to hike through Racoon Grove Nature Preserve, a top spot to seek out wildflowers in Will County. Free. Racoon Grove Nature Preserve, 5851 W Pauling Rd, Monee. ReconnectWithNature.org

ONLINE: The Transiting Planets – 1-4pm. Explore the nature of transits in general and a deeper understanding of what each planet brings to us as it affects our individual horoscopes. $55, $45 by Apr 9. Life Force Arts Foundation: 773-327-7224 or LifeForceArts.org.

Earth Day Family Nature Club

Frogs – 2-3pm. Visit a preserve to learn about and explore local Lake County nature with your family. For families with children ages 10 and under. Edward L. Ryerson Welcome Center, 21950 Riverwoods Rd, Riverwood. Registration required: Tinyurl.com/yc4xkp78

Crystal Connections – 2-4pm.For people who want to know more about crystals, how they work and what they do. $35. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Drumming Circle – 3-5pm. Free. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Free Beginner Cannabis Growing Class –7-9pm. Learn all the information you need to get started growing your own medical cannabis including how to propagate a seed, how to re-pot, how to clone a plant, product knowledge, nutrient deficiencies, pest control and much more. Part 1 of a 3-part class that continues, Apr 23 and 30. Free. Aroma Grow Store, 668 Wheeling Rd, Wheeling. 847-947-2857. AromaGrowStore.com

MONDAY, APRIL 17

Yom Hashoah begins at sundown (Judaism) Earth Day Wildlife Warnings – 1011am. Many animals have unique adaptations, including warning colors, that help them survive. Join this virtual program where the focus is on Lake County animals and other unique animals from across the globe. Registration required: Tinyurl.com/4bwbxznw

ONLINE: Beginning Astrology Level 2 –Mondays, Apr 17-May 22. 7:30-9:30pm. Learn transits in depth, progressions, synastry, composite charts, solar arcs and solar returns. Requires basic astrological knowledge and a knowledge of interpretation. $180, $150 registration by Apr 10. Via Zoom. Life Force Arts Center: 773-327-7224. LifeForceArts.org

TUESDAY, APRIL 18

Green Drinks Park Ridge – 7pm. 3rd Tues. An environmental movement meet up. A great way of catching up with people you know and for making new contacts. For location & more info: cgrau8@gmail.com GoGreenParkRidge.org

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

Lin Boufelli Angel Communication & Astrology – 12-4pm. $35/30-mins, $60/60mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. Appt required: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Earth Day Planting for Pollinators – 3-4pm. Learn about the benefits of planting native plants to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. Take a native plant seedling home. Edward L. Ryerson Welcome Center, 21950 Riverwoods Rd, Riverwood. Registration required: Tinyurl.com/v4e2kbaf

THURSDAY, APRIL 20

Ramadan ends

Ridvan begins at sundown (Bahai’i)

New Moon – Gana-hdo go-nah – Moon of Many Leaves

ONLINE: Transform Bath Time into Spa Time – 12-12:15pm. Fruitful Yield Educator Jessica will discuss some spa-day staples to include in your time of relaxation. Facebook: @TheFruitfulYield.

Earth Day Playdate with Nature –1-2:30pm. Unstructured seasonal play outdoors, proven healthful and beneficial. Muck and build in mud, scoop in water and search for critters. Follow signs to the meeting area. Hastings Lake, 21155 W Gelden Rd, Lake Villa. Registration required: lcfpd.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

Fish Migration Day

Earth Day Cleanup: Jerome Huppert Woods – Clean up litter in the Preserves. Supplies provided. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day Cleanup: Miller Meadow-South – Clean up litter in the preserves. Supplies provided. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day Restoration Weekend –

Celebrate Earth Day by pulling invasive garlic mustard to conserve native plants and wildlife. Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, 12545 111th St, Lemont. More info: FPDCC.com

Total Body Re-Education-Unlock Your Potential – 9am-4pm. With Michael Ronin. Take a deep dive into the 5 elements to identify optimal ways to navigate clients’ needs from the viewpoint of how they function. 6 CEs. $139. Illinois Valley Community College, Ottawa Center, 321 Main St, Ottawa. 815-224-0427. ivcc.edu/enroll.

Women’s Health Check Screening –9am-5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 50 S Main St, Ste 200, Naperville. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com

Cupping Part Three: Silicone Cupping for Myofascial Syndromes of Shoulder, Neck, Hip, & Leg – 10am-5pm. Prerequisite: Cupping Part Two. Learn cupping protocols for a variety of syndromes, focusing on effective acupoints and meridians, including exercises to assist in expansive, pain-free movement. 6 CEs. $150. Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

ONLINE: Accessing the Akashic Records with Christina Cross – Apr 21-22. 6-9pm, Fri; 10am-5pm, Sat. With spiritual teacher and healer Christina Cross. This beginner’s class prepares individuals to work in their own Akashic Records and those of others. $250, $225ARE members. Via Zoom. HolisticCenterChicago.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

Earth Day

A Spirit of Collaboration Open House –With Calandra Center for Health & Wellness and Center for New Pathways. As people make an ongoing investment in improving their health and well-being, they may need support on many levels—physical, emotional and spiritual. CCHW, 830 E Higgins Rd, Ste 112, Schaumburg. Register: Tinyurl.com/Reclaim-Your-Power

Earth Day The Champion of Trees 10K – Find your inner tree champion while running or walking on a springtime morning surrounded by trees from around the world. The USATF-certified course follows the Arboretum’s East Side Main Route through rolling terrain. In-person and virtual options. $60. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. Details: MortonArb.org

Earth Day: Bunker Hill – Clean up litter in the preserves. Supplies provided. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day: Sand Ridge Nature Center – Themed games, a self-guided litter cleanup and more. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day: Sauk Trail Woods-Central – Help the Earth with a litter clean-up. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day: Trailside Museum of Natural History – Help plant a tree. More info: FPDCC.com

Earth Day Walk with a Naturalist –9-10:30am. Join a naturalist and take a nice leisurely stroll through Grant Forest Preserve on Earth Day. Learn about the history of this site and take a close look at some of the interesting plants and animals there. Meet at parking lot A. Registration required: Tinyurl.com/mr235za5

Earth Day Gardeneers Cleanup –9am-12pm. Collaborating with Litter Free Lawndale in North Lawndale for a neighborhood-wide litter pickup. Benjamin Franklin Park, 4320 W 15th St, Chicago. Register: Tinyurl.com/VolunteeringWithGardeneers

ONLINE: Life Mission Exploration – 9:1510:30am. Uncover clues and insights so you can move forward with more purpose and meaning. Why am I here? What am I here to do? Who am I here to become? Each session is custom created for, and with, those in attendance. $15-$25 suggested donation. More info & registration, Sarah Karnes: 262-745-8362 or Meetup.com/spiritual-nourishment-chicagoland

Earth Day Cleanup – 10am-12pm. For ages 14 or older. Rock Run Rookery Preserve, 23065 S Youngs Rd, Joliet. Register by Apr 21: ReconnectWithNature.org

Earth Day: Sand Ridge Nature Center – 10am-2pm. family-fun nature activities and nature play. Sand Ridge Nature Center, 15891 Paxton Ave, South Holland. More info: FPDCC.com

Museum Campus Exploration Day –10am-4pm. This is your chance to explore all the buildings at Isle a la Cache Museum and learn about the French fur traders and Potawatomi who once called this area home. Free. Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E Romeo Rd, Romeoville. ReconnectWithNature.org

Earth Day Festival – 12-4pm. Enjoy live music and demonstrations from local artisans while discovering fun ways to shrink your carbon footprint by going green. Meet the bees that make our honey, visit with our live animals, shop our vendors, explore the hands-on exhibits and more. Free. Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 419 Trout Farm Rd, Bolingbrook. ReconnectWithNature.org

Earth Day McHenry County Conservation District Earth Day Celebration – 12-4pm. Various organizations will present or host hands-on activities such as guided hikes, puppet shows, a planting activity and Earth-friendly crafts. Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Rd, Crystal Lake. MCCDistrict.org

Sanctuary of the Heart – Apr 22-23. 1-5pm. An intimate personal retreat guided by popular Hay House author of Soul Centered, Sarah McLean. Experience solid ways to rediscover and connect to their inner sanctum through meditation and contemplative heart-centered practices such as mindfulness, self-inquiry and focused attention. $105, $95/10 days advance. Zoom. Infinity Foundation: 847-831-8828 or InfinityFoundation.org

Gemz and Boardz April Pop-Up Shop – 2:22-7:22pm. Come support our small business along with other vendors. Free gifts to the first 22 people at the door. Gemz and Boardz, 3101 W Montrose Ave, Chicago. 872-218-0307. GemzAndBoardz.com

Earth Day Cleanup and Campfire –4-7pm. Collect trash found along Monee Reservoir and celebrate the clean-up with a zero-waste/package-free snack around the campfire. Monee Reservoir, 27341 S Ridgeland Ave, Monee. Register by Apr 21: ReconnectWithNature.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

Animal Communication – 12:30-3:30pm. With Linda Roberts. $35/30 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

MONDAY, APRIL 24

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 15255 S 94th Ave, 5th Fl, Orland Park. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com

Powering Your Home with Solar Energy – 7-8:30pm. Find out how you can tap into solar energy at home, even if you have large shade trees. $10/member, $17/guest. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. MortonArb.org

TUESDAY, APRIL 25

Mission SLIMpossible – 5:30-6:15pm. Weight loss can be a revolving door for many of us. From the foods we eat to detoxing our bodies, we can all make some lifestyle changes. Jessica will offer a discussion on individualizing your weight-loss journey with detoxing and nutrition tips. Fruitful Yield, 168 E Golf Rd, Schaumburg. Register: FruitfulYield.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

Meet Nature Cat – 10am. Have fun in nature with PBS Kids’ Nature Cat during an Arbor Day celebration with activities and prizes. Free with admission. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. Details: MortonArb.org

DGC Sprouts: DuPage Sunflower Project and Community Science Inspiration – 6-7pm. Be inspired to plant sunflowers and learn how your children can contribute to community science in a big way. Free. St John Lutheran Church, 7214 S Cass Ave, Darien. Tinyurl.com/mufukph7

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

Take our Daughters & Sons to Work Day Arbor Day Plant Sale – Apr 27-29. 9am-4pm. Includes over 32,000 carefully chosen plants, including trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, hostas, native plants, perennials and ornamental grasses. Expert Plant Geniuses. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630968-0074. Details: MortonArb.org

Gong Sound Bath – 6:30-8pm. Have family in town and looking for something to do? Want to just get away and bliss out? Come and join Andre Peraza for an exceptional experience. $35. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

Workers Memorial

Arbor Day

Aromatherapy for Pain and Inflammation – 9am-12pm. Explore the best oils for pain and inflammation and their massage application; how to create a stock blend for pain relief massage, with recipes ideas, plus tips and techniques to create your own blend proper dilution. 3 CEs. $75. Zoom. Zen Shiatsu Chicago: 847-864-1130 or ZenShiatsuChicago.org

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 10 N Martingale Rd, Ste 400, Schaumburg. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

for the latest updates in health & wellness

2 M isconceptions about Bladder Pain and Urinary Tract Infections ( UTI s )

If you suffer from bladder pain or reoccurring UTIs, you’re probably doing all the things to avoid the next painful onset: drinking enough water, and consuming cranberry juice or cranberry extract. Bladder discomfort can happen when bacteria enters the urinary system by way of the urethra. Most commonly, this bacteria comes from the bowel. But could something else be causing the issue?

Misconception 1 : Bladder irritation is always a UTI . People experiencing bladder urgency or pain may think that they have a UTI. However, bladder irritation often occurs when the body is taking in food that cannot be digested properly.

Misconception 2 : Taking antibiotics will

rid the pain or discomfort. Looking at the issue scientifically, this is what we know: Cultivating a healthy gut balance through proper nutrition can get to the source of what is causing the irritation, and may be a helpful therapy for reoccurring or chronic issues.

Get Expert Help.

If you experience bladder irritation, you can identify what’s really going on and establish an effective therapy plan. I take a science-based approach to understanding your unique digestive needs. Developing a healthy gut balance by identifying food irritants and optimizing digestion can have a big impact on reducing chronic symptoms and boosting overall health and vitality.

The Tummy Whisperer is here for you. Call today for a free 15-minute consultation.

Spring Flowering Trees Walking Tour –1-3pm. Guided by members of The Morton Arboretum’s scientific research team, this seasonal stroll will give you the chance to view the spring blooms with an engaging story of the seasonal changes that trees go through each year. $16/member, $23/guest. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. MortonArb.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

Int’l Dance Day

Reiki Play Day – 9-11am. Come revel in the energy that is reiki. This gathering allows you to delve deeper into reiki and true self through guided meditations, discussions and chanting. $20 suggested donation. Calandra Center for Health and Wellness, 830 E Higgins Rd, Ste 116, Schaumburg. Registration required: 312-796-3965 or CalandraAcupuncture.com

Craniosacral Therapy – Apr 29-30. 9am4pm. This 2-day course builds on the foundational training of the Craniosacral Balancing Level 1 course. Learn to move deeper within this work and experience working specifically with the rhythms of the cranial and facial bones among other aspects of the body. Prerequisite: Essentials of Craniosacral Therapy. 12 CEs $300 Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

Intro To Tarot Card Reading – 9am-4pm. Theresa Reed will introduce the basics of tarot reading, how to do spreads, and receive guidance. The first half of this daylong class will focus on the structure of a tarot deck, ethics and how to ask good questions. The second half of class is experiential with practice doing tarot spreads. $75, $65/10 days advance. Infinity Foundation, 1280 Old Skokie Rd, Highland Park. 847-831-8828.

Transitions with Grace and Mindfulness –2-3pm. Join us for a guided meditation and creative exploration that help you feel more energy and clarity as you move forward. Optional donation via paypal. Meetup.com/ spiritual-nourishment-chicagoland

Becoming a Friend of the World: How to Practice the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life –2-5pm. During this weekend course, learn the 6 essential practices that form the Buddhist path to enlightenment and how to integrate these ancient practices into busy modern life. Sessions will include practical teachings and meditations, and an opportunity to ask questions. $30/Sat, $40/Sun (includes lunch). Kadampa Meditation Center Chicago, Oak Park, 13 Harrison St, Oak Park. 708-763-0132. MeditateInChicago.org

Amazing Gong Journey – 6-7:30pm. With Sound Healer Andre Peraza. The gong is a powerful instrument that works on many levels to heal the listener. It can help release deep emotional energy and feelings to better ground yourself. $40. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

PLAN AHEAD

MONDAY, MAY 1

Darien Garden Club May Meeting: Plant Exchange – 6:30-8:30pm. Please bring only 1 plant to exchange. The plant should be potted and labeled with the name and type of plant: houseplant, annual, perennial, sun or shade-loving plant, etc. Free. St John Lutheran Church, 7214 S Cass Ave, Darien. DarienGardenClub.com

FRIDAY, MAY 5

SUNDAY, MAY 7

Holistic Health Fair – 10am-5pm. Explore holistic health and metaphysical topics, local vendors, speakers and energy workers with a wide range of products and services: crystals and gems, sound healing, natural skincare, candles, herbs, psychics and mediums, jewelry, aromatherapy, reiki, chiropractic, intuitive and tarot card readers, animal communication and more. $5/ online advance, $7/day of, free/age 16 & under. DoubleTree by Hilton, 11800 108th St, Pleasant Prairie. 262-515-1472. HolisticHealthFair.org

FRIDAY, MAY 26

12th Annual Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference Weekend: Germinating Regenerative Wisdom – May 26-28. Keynote speakers are Robin Rose Bennett, Linda Black Elk, Rev. Judith Laxer, with opening and closing ceremonies led by Venice Williams. The conference offers more than 60 workshops and plant walks focused on transforming our relationship to herbs, plants, trees, mushrooms and the Earth. Camp Helen Brachman, Almond, WI. MidwestWomensHerbal.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

Access SOUL Expo – 10am-4pm. Includes over 50 vendors offering a curated variety of healing modalities, services, products, offerings and education. Be it a mini-session, Soul Portrait, card reading, energy work, consultation on better sleep or gut health or chronic pain, or shopping the myriad crystals, holistic products, handmade items and more. Free admission. IBEW Hall, 6820 Mill Rd, Rockford. AccessSOUL.com

Woodland Family Hike – 11am-12pm or 1-2pm. Explore the Arboretum’s diverse tree collections on a guided hike for participants of all ages. $10/member, $17/guest. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. MortonArb.org

Advanced Applications Seated Massage Therapy – 9am-4pm. Will cover chair massage and upright/seated massage in clinical settings, for various special populations and for various conditions. Learn creative ways to provide massage therapy for those who may need to be worked with outside of what you are used to with prone and supine positions. 6 CEs. $139. Illinois Valley Community College, Ottawa Center, 321 Main St, Ottawa. 815-224-0427. ivcc.edu/enroll

Inner Engineering Completion – June 3-4. Led by Sadhguru of the Isha Foundation. Inner Engineering provides tools to defuse tension, reduce stress, and shore up mental and emotional resilience. Learn a simple, 21-min daily practice, Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya. Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW, Atlanta. More info: InnerEngineering.Sadhguru. org/with-sadhguru

Check

Online: Check the NA Online Calendar and Directory for many updates and new online events and workshops.

ONGOING EVENTS

To ensure we keep our community calendar current, ongoing events must be resubmitted each month. DEADLINE: All listings must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Calendar events must be submitted online at NAChicago.com/Calendar.

EARTH MONTH

Earth Day Safari – Apr 1-30. 124pm, Sun; 10am-4pm, Wed-Sat. Explore the hidden gems of the preserve using our official safari gear, including a backpack, safari hats, binoculars, critter containers, magnifying lenses, journals, reference books and more. Free. Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 419 Trout Farm Rd, Bolingbrook. ReconnectWithNature.org

Recycle Your Bicycle – Apr 8-30. Hidden Oaks Nature Center: 12-4pm, Sun; 10am-4pm, Wed-Sat. Monee Reservoir: 7am-6pm, Tues-Sat. The Forest Preserve District is collecting for Working Bikes. All bike parts are accepted. More info: ReconnectWithNature.org

SUNDAY

Winter Markets at the Dole – Apr 2 & 16. 10am-2pm. Dole Mansion, 401 Country Club Rd, Crystal Lake. TheDole.org

Time to Dance: Ballet – 10:30am. Also 1:30pm, Tues & 5:30pm, Thurs. Although not beginner classes, dancers of all levels of experience welcome. In-person & Zoom. CBG Institute for Dance and Health, 505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. To register: CBG-Institute.org

Free Aura Reading – 12:30-1:30pm. Also Sat. Learn more about your chakra energy system and manifest your dreams. Body & Brain, 860 S Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville. RSVP: 847-362-2724. BodyNBrain.com/ Libertyville

MONDAY

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

TUESDAY

Cultivating Guts Podcast: New Episode Release – 9am. Tiffany Hinton’s podcast where we discuss gardening, homesteading, gut health, following our intuition, herbalism and functional medicine to create a life of joy and beauty. Listen on Spotify, YouTube and iTunes. Free. Tinyurl.com/CultivatingG

Reflexology – 1-5pm. Cheryl is offering foot reflexology which is great for re-

laxation, pain management and promoting optimal health. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. For appt: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Time to Dance: Ballet – 1:30pm. Also 10:30am, Sun & 5:30pm, Thurs. Although not beginner classes, dancers of all levels of experience welcome. In-person & Zoom. CBG Institute for Dance and Health, 505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. To register: CBG-Institute.org

Community Meditation – 7-8pm. For the planet and humanity. Walk-ins welcome. Love donation. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

WEDNESDAY

Meridian Stretching – 10-11am. Develop strength, flexibility, breathing and energy. You may notice that our yoga classes offer a variety of exercises and poses, helping to keep your practice fun and dynamic while consistently covering the basics. In-person & online. Body & Brain, 860 S Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville. 847-362-2724. Libertyville@BodyNBrain.com BodyNBrain.com/Libertyville

Akashic Records & Angel Card Readings – 7-9pm. By appt. Have questions about your spiritual life? Ask for guidance from your angels and guides with an Akashic Record Angel Card Reading. What questions are on your mind now? $35/30 mins, $60/1 hr. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

THURSDAY

Time to Dance: Fitness – 9:30am. Emphasizes low-impact, high-intensity, cardio dance and fitness routines accompanied by music. Alternate dance with resistance routines to build and maintain muscle and bone density. In-person & Zoom. CBG Institute for Dance and Health, 505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. To register: CBG-Institute.org

Numerology – Times differ: 12-3pm or 2-5pm. Call for appt; walk-ins taken when available. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Time to Dance: Modern – 1:30pm. Although not beginner classes, dancers of all levels of experience welcome. In-person & Zoom. CBG Institute for Dance and Health, 505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. To register: CBG-Institute.org

Time to Dance: Ballet – 5:30pm. Also 10:30am, Sun & 1:30pm, Tues. Although not beginner classes, dancers of all levels of experience welcome. In-person & Zoom. CBG Institute for Dance and Health, 505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park. To register: CBG-Institute.org

Community Healing Circle – 6pm. All welcome. Opens with a heart resonance meditation followed by reading each intention aloud while others practice focused silence. Closes with a restorative exercise to release, regenerate and renew. Free. Philosopher’s Stone Apothecary, 160 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights. 224-735-2355. PhilosophersStoneApothecary.com

FRIDAY

St. Charles Indoor Farmers Market – 9am12pm. Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar Ave, St. Charles. BakerMemorialChurch.org

SATURDAY

Green City Market – 7am-1pm. Lincoln Park, 1817 N Clark St, Chicago. GreenCityMarket.org

Deerfield Indoor Winter Farmers Market –Thru Apr. 9am-12:30pm. 1st, 3rd, 5th Sat. St Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 815 Wilmot Rd, Deerfield. Tinyurl.com/56wdee4n

Woodstock Farmers Markets – Apr-Oct. 8am-1pm. Historic Woodstock Square, Woodstock. WoodstockFarmersMarket.org

Plant Chicago Indoor Winter Market – Thru Apr. 11am-3pm. 3rd Sat. 4459 S Marshfield Ave, Chicago. PlantChicago.org

Shamanic Healing Sessions – 11am3pm. $60/60 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. For appt: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Akashic Records & Angel Card Readings –12-4pm. Walk-ins welcome. $35/30 mins, $60/60 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com

Free Aura Reading – 12:30-1:30pm. See Sun listing. Body & Brain, 860 S Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville. RSVP: 847-362-2724. BodyNBrain.com/Libertyville

COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE

Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community.

Acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine

CALANDRA CENTER FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS

Teri Calandra, MSTOM, Dipl Acu, LAc, LMT, RMT

830 E. Higgins Rd, Unit 116, Schaumburg 312-515-9492

Facebook @CalandraAcuChi

CalandraAcupuncture.com

We believe that when someone has the tools to help themselves that the possibilities are endless. Offering acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbal medicine, NAET allergy elimination, reiki, Access Consciousness, and a variety of wellness educational classes. Teri specializes in gynecological disorders, infertility, menopausal syndrome, musculoskeletal dysfunctions, allergies, respiratory disorders, digestive disorders, thyroid disorders.

CHIROCARE CLINIC WELLNESS CENTER

693 N Cass Ave, Westmont 60559

721 W Lake St, Ste 201, Addison 60101 630-601-6932

ChiroCareClinic2@gmail.com

ChiroCareWellnessClinic.com

At ChiroCare Clinic Wellness Center we strive to get to the source of the problem, address the issue naturally, and restore proper body function for health and wellness. We not only help you get out of pain, but we also help you regain your life.

NIRVANA ACUPUNCTURE AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

LANA MOSHKOVICH, LAC, ND, MSOM

707 Lake Cook Rd, Ste 125, Deerfield 60015 847-715-9044

NirvanaNaturopathics.com

We use acupuncture to help you get immediate relief from acute or chronic pain. Combining Western and Chinese Medicine, we can treat and resolve insomnia, anxiety, fertility and women’s health issues, plus chronic conditions. Certified NAET. Preferred MeiZen Provider. Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. Major insurances accepted. Schedule your initial appointment on NirvanaNaturopathics.com. Get a healthier and alternative approach to your chronic health conditions.

Allergies

MIDWEST ALLERGY RELIEF CENTER

111 Barclay Blvd, Ste 101, Lincolnshire 60069 847-392-7901

MidwestAllergyRelief.com

Sage Healing Collective

525 S Tyler Rd, Ste S, St Charles 60174 331-901-5672

SageHealingCollective.com

Dr. Amanda Thiry, DC, BSN, uses Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT), a non-invasive alternative technology that’s effective and safe for all ages, to identify and treat specific allergen elements that affect your quality of life. Discover how you can eat foods, be near pets and use products again that you now avoid, and experience a new lease on life.

Anti-Inflammatory Meal Services

CHEF BEAU’S KLEAN KITCHEN

Serving the Chicago area

26 Calendar Ave, La Grange 60525

708-354-4844

ChefBeausKleanKitchen.com

Chicagoland’s only Personal & Private Chef service focused on using the Kleanest food! Do you have inflammation? Do you have an autoimmune disease that you are trying to manage with food? Chef Beau’s meal service is available for pickup & delivery 2x a week. See ad on page 9.

Artisanal and Specialty Food Products

LIVE OIL BY LESNA

773-739-4857

LesnaOils@gmail.com

LiveOilByLesna.com

Offering exclusive organic oils from nuts and seeds, pressed whole and raw—100% natural, cold-derived and carefully pressed by hand in unique wooden barrels. No chemicals, preservatives or additives. Unique room temperature extraction ensures oils are fresh, never bitter and always maintain high-level nutrition. See website for complete line of LIVE oils, flours and skincare products.

Bodywork

ZEN SHIATSU CHICAGO

825 Chicago Ave, Evanston 60202

847-864-1130

ZenShiatsuChicago.org

You’ll feel the stress melt away like the snow in spring through our relaxation-focused shiatsu massage practice, which offers the same energizing benefits as acupuncture combined with the restorative power of yoga poses. Dress in cozy threads, shiatsu is performed on fully clothed clients. Professional and student therapists available. See ad on back cover.

Bookstores

THE GREEN READ

61 N Williams St, Crystal Lake 60014 779-220-4945

THE GREEN SPOT

110 S Johnson St, Woodstock 60098 815-527-7122

TheGreenReadBookstore@gmail.com

mcdef.org/bookstores

The Green Read and The Green Spot bookstores are committed to providing high-quality, gently used books to our communities. The Green Read also carries new, hand-crafted and sustainable puzzles, gifts and stationery products. The bookstores are run by the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. All purchases support their environmental projects.

Chiropractic

CHIROCARE CLINIC WELLNESS CENTER

693 N Cass Ave, Westmont 60559 721 W Lake St, Ste 201, Addison 60101 630-601-6932

ChiroCareClinic2@gmail.com

ChiroCareWellnessClinic.com

At ChiroCare Clinic Wellness Center we strive to get to the source of the problem, address the issue naturally, and restore proper body function for health and wellness. We not only help you get out of pain, but we also help you regain your life.

Coaching & Counseling

DEW HEALTH COACHING

Elizabeth Lynch

312-504-8754

ElizabethGLynch@gmail.com

Using evidence-based techniques, the certified coaches at Dew Health Coaching provide talkbased and whole-person support for individuals looking to optimize their well-being.

SUSAN CURRY

InteriorWerx

312-479-7893

Info@InteriorWerx.us

InteriorWerx.us

Feeling anxious or scared? Are you seeking solutions to regain emotional balance and clarity? Susan Curry of InteriorWerx can assist, using her intuitive energy coaching skills. 15-min complimentary phone consult available using promo MYFIRSTSESSION. See ad on page 11.

Crystal and Rock Stores

GEMZ AND BOARDZ

3101 W Montrose Ave, Chicago 60618 872-218-0307

GemzAndBoardz.com

Retail and online 90s-themed crystal and skateboard shop with an amazing selection of rocks and crystals, handmade jewelry, local products, boards and more at great prices. We’re also an internet café for work and relaxing with coffee and tea available. Check out our events, pop-ups, game nights and facility party rental options.

Dance for Health

TIME TO DANCE WITH CBG INSTITUTE FOR DANCE & HEALTH

North Shore School of Dance

505 Laurel Ave, Highland Park 60035

DanceForJoy16@gmail.com

CBG-Institute.org

Discover the healing art of dance through ballet, modern and tap for adults 50+. Dance is proven to have both physical and psychological benefits. Taught by dancer teachers Lisa Gold, Lynne Chervony Belsky, MD, and Lorraine Chase. See ad on page 43.

Digestive Health Specialist

RENEÉ S. BARASCH, LDHS

Telehealth and In-Office

847-207-2034

DigestiveHealthSolutions.com

Digestive problems? Acid Reflux/ GERD, IBS, Crohn’s, colitis? Let us help you naturally achieve nutritional balance, feel better and enhance the quality of your life. Improve digestion while reducing discomfort and bloating so you can eat the foods you love again. Certified digestive health specialist/enzyme therapist. See ads on pages 5, 25 and 47.

Energy Gemstones & Jewelry

JOANN LYSIAK, ENERGY SPECIALIST

Joann Lysiak Gems

847-596-0274

Joann@JoannLysiakGems. com

JoannLysiakGems.com

Gemstones have energy properties that you can benefit from when wearing them or displaying them. Using the energy properties, you can attract love, abundance or increase your intuition and Spiritual Consciousness or strengthen your energy. View my collection with purpose or let me intuitively find the perfect gemstone for you.

Float Therapy

FLOTSTONE

57 E Scranton Ave, Lake Bluff 60044 847-482-1700 • Flotstone.com

Floatation therapy is quickly being recognized as a very safe and effective way to shift into the parasympathetic state of total relaxation. Floating cradles you in its graceful healing waters optimizing your body’s ability to do what it does best, heal! Float effortlessly in over 1,250 lbs of Epsom salt. See ad on page 35.

Functional Medicine

HEAL N CURE MEDICAL WELLNESS

Meena Malhotra, MD, ABIM, ABOM 2420 Ravine Way, Ste 400, Glenview 60025 847-686-4444 • HealNCure.com

Specializing in medical wellness, weight loss, hormone balancing, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and anti-aging using integrative and functional medicine. We find and resolve the root cause of medical conditions and achieve outstanding, lasting results for our patients, many of which had almost given up on wellness goals. Free educational seminars. PPO insurance and Medicare accepted for covered services. See ad on page 3.

Holistic & Airway Dentistry

DR. ALLA AVER, DDS

2400 Ravine Way, Suite 400, Glenview 60025

847-998-5100

GlenviewSmiles.com

Our office uses whole-body, preventive dental care. We utilize non-fluoridated ozonated water, herbal periodontal treatments, and gluten-free herbal paste. We offer: safe amalgam removal; BPA-free fillings and sealants; non-metal crowns; sleep apnea and TMJ appliances; ozone therapy; microscopic plaque analysis; material reactivity testing kits; and non-acrylic night guards, partials.

K. BOEHM, DDS, & ASSOCIATES

1585 N Barrington Rd, Ste 106, Hoffman Estates 60069 | 847-884-1220

1440 Maple Ave, Ste 2A, Lisle 60532 630-810-1280 | KBoehmDDS.com

Offering state-of-the-art holistic dental care in a relaxed environment, Dr. Boehm and his staff are ready to meet all your dental needs in either of his two locations. Bio-compatible materials and an extensive knowledge of the correlation between oral and overall health are his specialties. Services include safe mercury removal, electrodermal screening for materials compatibility and tooth viability, crowns, bridges, dentures, zirconia implants, homeopathy, cranial osteopathy, orthodontics, ozone therapy, CT/3D imaging, and laser treatment for both gum disease and decay.

SERENITY DENTAL

Dr. Dawn Diehnelt, DDS 12 W Schaumburg Rd, Schaumburg 60194 847-519-1711

SerenityDentalSchaumburg.com

Family dentist emphasizing the connection between airway, dental and overall health. Persistent airway issues can cause crooked teeth, sleep apnea, snoring, ADHD, bedwetting, difficulty concentrating—even anxiety and depression. Our approach naturally develops jaws, improves facial balance and straightens teeth, opening the airway to improve breathing and sleeping. See ad on page 9.

WRIGLEYVILLE DENTAL

Dr. Bernice Teplitsky, DDS, PC 3256 N Ashland, Chicago 60657

773-975-6666

WrigleyvilleDental.com

Chicago’s premier biological holistic dentists. Offering the latest technology, we provide ozone, lasers, same-day crowns and BPA/fluoride-free nontoxic products. Several dentists on staff with unique specialties provide safe amalgam removal, PRF facials, orthodontics, TMJ, sleep/airway, children’s dentistry and countless other treatments. One home for all your dental needs. Free garage parking! See ad on page 19.

Holistic Health Practitioner

BIO-ENERGY CENTER

Kankakee Natural Foods

BioEnergy Center

815-933-6236

KankakeeNaturalFoods.com

Our BioEnergy Center brings together stateof-the-art machines in one location for an integrative wellness experience. Our approach to healing meets each client’s unique needs through personalized testing and therapies. Come as you are, no appointment needed. Kankakee Natural Foods Wellness under One Roof.

Hyperbaric Therapy

HYPERBARIC CHICAGOLAND

4200 Grove Ave, Brookfield 60513 708-510-0292

HyperbaricChicagoland.com

Hyperbaric Chicagoland is a 20-year-old clinic committed to providing comprehensive, high-quality and affordable hyperbaric oxygen treatment for the entire family. Administered in a one-hour painless, non-invasive session, with practitioner present. Hourly cost-effective rates of $65 and prepaid 10-hour blocks of chamber time for $500. See ad on page 7.

Hypnosis-Hypnotherapy

BRUCE G. SKEDD, MS, CI, CHT, CT.NLP, CM.NLP, CHLC

NGH Certified Instructor

Vm/text: 630-778-0899

Hypnocat10@gmail.com

Wishing you a Better New Year filled with Success. Bad habits don’t happen overnight and unsupported willpower often is unsuccessful. If you’ve decided it’s time for a Successful change in your weight, sleep or fitness

Hypnosis may be your Easy and Natural path to Success this year. CALL Bruce now at 630-778-0899.

Integrative Medicine

BROOKFIELD HEALTH & WELLNESS, LLC

150 S Sunnyslope Rd, Ste 148, Brookfield, WI 262-395-4023

BrookfieldHealthAndWellness.com

Our passion is helping patients maximize their health, allowing you to live life to the absolute fullest. We approach each patient as an individual by assessing the body with state-of-the art, bio-energetic technology to identify underlying root cause issues. See ad on page 35.

THE EISENSTEIN CLINIC

Jennifer Eisenstein APN, DNP

415 W Golf Rd, Ste 2, Arlington Hts, 60005 847-329-2020

EisensteinClinic.com

We are a nurse practitioner owned and operated clinic, offering comprehensive family care for everyone from newborns to adults. We share our passion for health care, overall wellness and parental rights in guiding their children’s care, using natural alternatives when possible. Clinic director Jen is double-board certified as a family nurse practitioner and a doctor of nursing practice. Most insurance accepted.

thriveMD – OPTIMAL HEALTH

Dr. Greg Seaman

1355 Remington Rd, Ste I, Schaumburg IL 60173

312-600-5070

Info@thriveMD.org

Using IV therapies, PRP, weight management and other natural programs, we help conditions like fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, pain, injury, weight gain, decreased performance, tickborne disease and more. After an initial consultation, we design your custom program to obtain true optimal health, which includes living a healthy lifestyle and being committed to yourself.

Integrative Psychotherapy

ELLEN KATZ, MS, LMFT Clinical Director, Inner Balance Chicago, Palm Springs 847-224-0244

EllenKatz.net

Ellen’s 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist integrates a conscious approach to healing old patterns through a mix of trauma and mindfulness-based psychotherapies, HMR, Lifeline, The Work (Byron Katie), energy medicine and somatic awareness. Join Meetup.com “Inner Balance Meditation” for updates on her events, and visit her at EllenKatz.net

Lifelong Learning & Personal Growth

THE EDGAR CAYCE HOLISTIC CENTER AND BOOKSTORE

At Unity Northwest Church

259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines 60016 847-299-6535

AREChicagoCenter@gmail.com

Full-service bookstore, Cayce remedies, spiritual growth study groups, monthly programs, workshops and holistic fairs, intuitive skills development training, knowledgeable seekers, intuitives, healers and more. Call for hours. See ad on page 29.

INFINITY FOUNDATION

1280 Old Skokie Rd, Highland Park 60035 847-831-8828 • InfinityFoundation.org

Many courses now live in-person or on Zoom, some are recorded to watch later. CEUs available. Sanctuary of the Heart with Sarah McClean, Zoom, April 22-23. Intro to Tarot Card Reading with Teresa Reed, April 29, Zoom. Call for free course guide.

Meditation Center

KADAMPA MEDITATION CENTER

CHICAGO

13 Harrison St, Oak Park 60304 2010 W Pierce Ave, Chicago 60622 708-763-0132 • MeditateInChicago.org

Meditation and modern Buddhism. Everyone welcome. We offer an array of drop-in classes, weekend events, and retreats open to everyone and suitable for all levels of experience. A nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, we’re dedicated to sharing the practical wisdom of Buddha’s teachings with Chicagoland through meditation and mindfulness practices.

Naturopathic Consultation

DR. ALLA ARUTCHEVA, MD, PHD, ND Associate Professor, Rush University Med. School

Antalee Wellness

1352 Patriot Blvd, Glenview 60026 847-486-1130 • AntaleeHolistic.com

If you are seeking integrative and natural approach to your wholebody health, Dr. Arutcheva will use her extensive knowledge, training and experience to work with you to create a personalized plan to prevent and overcome illness based on her strategy of health screening tests, state-ofthe-art technology and the best natural supplements. These methods accelerate your ways to optimum health and prevent the development of serious chronic diseases.

Nutritional IV Therapy

thriveMD

1355 Remington Rd, Ste I

Schaumburg IL 60173

312-600-5070 • thriveMD.com

Thrive MD offers a way to deliver vital fluids, vitamins, electrolytes and nutrients directly into the bloodstream which can restore hydration, support the immune system and aid in faster recovery. Offerings include nutritional immune support, weight loss, vitality and stress relief.

Nutraceutical and Supplements

FUFLUNS’ FOODS

Perry Galanopoulos, Owner

Info@FuFlunsFoods.com | FuFlunsFoods.com

FuFluns’ is a Chicago-based, family-owned, provider of mushroom and botanical supplements. We utilize pre-industrial, astrologically influenced, farming and extraction practices, which are better for both people and planet. Offered online and by discerning healthcare practitioners. See ad on page 29.

Thermography, Thermometry & Ultrasound

NORTHWEST MEDICAL SCREENING

(formerly known as Northwest Medical Thermography)

Locations across Chicago area 224-600-3216

Facebook: @northwesthealingcenter NWMedicalScreening.com

Erica Cody is a certified thermographer and works with a team of technicians and doctors together focusing on women and men’s health. Our scans help to indicate issues throughout the body, including head, breast, abdominal and pelvis. Women’s Health Check half-body scans can also detect dysfunction and provide indications for further investigation. Multiple locations: see website for schedule and to make an appointment. See ad on page 17.

CLASSIFIEDS

AKASHIC CONSULTATION

AKASHIC RECORD READING – Open the record of your soul’s journey to find information to support you in your life right now, heal your past and help you into your future. Heal. Grow. Investigate. Find direction. Lin Ewing: 847-609-0034. AstrologicalDetails.com

ASTROLOGY

ASTROLOGY – Understand yourself, your motivations, your feelings. Recognize your talents, strengths, successes. Overcome difficulties and confusion. Astrology can help pull it all together. Relationships. Career. Plan the future. Serious astrology for serious seekers. Private, personal consultations. Lin Ewing: 847-609-0034. AstrologicalDetails.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

THERAPEUTIC HOLISTIC PRACTITIONERS – Center for Healing & Integration in Westmont offers various therapies and is in search of practitioners to join our team. Please email if you are an independent contractor, looking for an excellent opportunity: JRutkowski@HealingAndIntegration.com

HELP WANTED

YOUR LISTING CAN BE HERE – Visit NAChicago.com/classifieds

ADVERTORIAL

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: NOT FOR THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY OR FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Thyroid hormones, including TIROSINT-SOL, either alone or with other therapeutic agents, should not be used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss.

• In euthyroid patients, doses within the range of daily hormonal requirements are ineffective for weight reduction.

• Larger doses may produce serious or even life-threatening manifestations of toxicity, particularly when given in association with sympathomimetic amines such as those used for their anorectic effects.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to glycerol

• Uncorrected adrenal insufficiency

Warnings and Precautions

• Cardiac adverse reactions in the elderly and in patients with underlying cardiovascular disease: Initiate TIROSINT-SOL at less than the full replacement dose because of the increased risk of cardiac adverse reactions, including atrial fibrillation

• Myxedema coma: Do not use oral thyroid hormone drug products to treat myxedema coma

• Acute adrenal crisis in patients with concomitant adrenal insufficiency: Treat with replacement glucocorticoids prior to initiation of TIROSINT-SOL treatment

RAVINIA FARMERS MARKET ASSISTANT/ MANAGER TRAINEE – Seeking one assistant to learn responsibilities of being the Ravinia Farmers Market (Highland Park) manager. Market runs Wednesday mornings June 7-Oct 25. Position hours 5am-1pm. For more info, Ed Kugler: 847-579-9080. RaviniaFarmersMarket.com

RAVINIA FARMERS MARKET HELPERS AND VOLUNTEERS – Help needed with information booth, market set-up and teardown, social media, community outreach and more. Paid and volunteer positions available. Market runs Wednesday mornings June 7-Oct 25. For more info, Ed Kugler: 847-579-9080. RaviniaFarmersMarket.com

RAVINIA FARMERS MARKET VENDOR ASSISTANTS – Seeking help for various vendor booths at the Ravinia Farmers Market (Highland Park). Market runs Wednesday mornings June 7-Oct 25. For more info, Ed Kugler: 847-579-9080. RaviniaFarmersMarket.com

PETS

HERBS FOR DOGS – Herbs and vitamins could help your dogs live a healthier and happier life. Learn more: HolisticHerbsForDogs.com

• Prevention of hyperthyroidism or incomplete treatment of hypothyroidism: Proper dose titration and careful monitoring is critical to prevent the persistence of hypothyroidism or the development of hyperthyroidism

• Worsening of diabetic control: Therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus may worsen glycemic control and result in increased antidiabetic agent or insulin requirements. Carefully monitor glycemic control after starting, changing, or discontinuing thyroid hormone therapy

• Decreased bone mineral density associated with thyroid hormone over-replacement: Over-replacement can increase bone reabsorption and decrease bone mineral density. Give the lowest effective dose

Limitations of Use

• Not indicated for suppression of benign thyroid nodules and nontoxic diffuse goiter in iodine-sufficient patients

• Not indicated for treatment of transient hypothyroidism during the recovery phase of subacute thyroiditis

Adverse Reactions

Adverse reactions associated with TIROSINT-SOL are primarily those of hyperthyroidism due to therapeutic overdosage including: arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, dyspnea, muscle spasm, headache, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, tremors, muscle weakness, increased appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, heat intolerance, menstrual irregularities, and skin rash

For Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, visit www.TirosintSOL.com

Thyroid medication: why less really is more

by Dr. Raquel Espinol

Introduction

The thyroid gland regulates metabolism by releasing hormones called thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). When the thyroid underperforms, it causes everything in your body to work less efficiently. This is known as hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism affects more than 30 million American adults and is five to eight times more common in females.1 By conservative estimates, one in eight women will develop hypothyroidism.1

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This makes up 75-85% of hypothyroid cases. Oftentimes, people with Hashimoto’s struggle to find a medication or treatment plan that works for them and continue to suffer through symptoms like:

• Fatigue

• Feeling cold

• Losing hair

• Gaining weight

• Depression

While there are many treatment options for hypothyroidism, not all are created equal. Selecting the most appropriate one is vital to managing this disease.

What can interfere with hypothyroid therapy?

Some commonly used prescription drugs that can interfere with thyroid medication absorption and efficacy:

• Antacids

• Lithium

• Amiodarone

• Antibiotics

• Antidepressants

• Dopamine agonists

• Colestipol

• Cholestyramine

• Estrogen, testosterone

Thyroid hormones: T3 and T4

The two hormones to remember are T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T4 circulates throughout your bloodstream and is stored in your tissues until needed. Once your body finds a need, it converts T4 into T3. Establishing the exact levels of T4 and T3, and determining if the conversion process is working normally, are critical to designing the best treatment approach.

While most healthcare providers understand the critical nature of T4 to T3 conversion, many fail to recognize the factors that affect this process. These include:

• Nutritional deficiencies/excesses

• Autoimmune diseases

• Gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, acid reflux, or irritable bowel syndrome

• Use of interfering medications like proton pump inhibitors (Nexium® and Prevacid®, for example) or H2 blockers (Tagamet®, for example), which inhibit the dissolution and absorption of thyroid hormone tablets

• The body’s own obstacles to converting T4 to T3

Some people continue to suffer from hypothyroid symptoms despite being on medication for years. But with some effort, patients can work with their doctor to find an approach that works for them.

Some commonly used nutraceuticals that can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medicines:

• Iron

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Chromium picolinate

Some foods that can interfere with absorption of medication:

• Soy products

• High-fiber/high-bran foods

• Calcium-enriched foods/beverages

Digestive complications or diseases such as celiac disease, autoimmune gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome can also complicate thyroid hormone therapy.

Make sure to discuss with your doctor all of your medical conditions, medications (both prescription and nonprescription), and nutritional supplements before starting or switching thyroid hormone therapy.

Dr. Raquel Espinol graduated with honors and received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Sonoran University of Health Sciences (formerly Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine). She struggled with her own thyroid condition, which was not successfully managed until she discovered naturopathic medicine and worked with a naturopathic doctor to control her condition. This firsthand success inspired her to pursue a career in naturopathic medicine specializing in thyroid diseases.

Dr. Espinol works with men and women addressing thyroid conditions, hormone imbalances, and weight loss. She is licensed to practice in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Montana.

Common choices for treating hypothyroidism

The most common treatments for hypothyroidism include T4 monotherapy with levothyroxine, natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) aka “glandular thyroid,” and a regimen of T4 and T3 medications taken together. Figuring out the best option for you may take some time. See the accompanying chart for pros/cons of commonly used hypothyroidism therapies.

T4 monotherapy

Pros:

• Current standard of care for hypothyroidism

• Proven safe and effective

• Available at all pharmacies

• Usually low cost

Cons:

• GI conditions, medications, sensitivities to excipients/ inactive ingredients in tablet formulations can interfere with absorption and tolerability

Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT)

Pros:

• Contains both key thyroid hormones: T4 and T3

• An option for people who need supplemental T3

Cons:

• Derived from thyroid glands of pigs – an issue for vegans

• NDT therapies are tablets that contain excipients or “fillers”

• The T4:T3 ratio contained in NDT tablets is 5:1 – different than the normal human ratio of these hormones

• Can lead to cardiac problems like rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and feelings of anxiety

• It comes from pigs and may contain porcine antigens, which may be problematic for some people

• Not all pharmacies carry NDT products. Not all insurance carriers pay for them

Combined T4 and T3 medication therapy

Pros:

• Consistent potency

• Can be an option for those in need of supplemental T3

• Available at most pharmacies

Cons:

• Two separate medicines that need to be taken daily. T4 is taken once a day; T3 may be recommended in multiple daily doses

• Some insurance plans may require two medication copays

• T3 can be risky for some patients with cardiovascular conditions. Some patients can experience heart palpitations and other side effects

Malabsorption and drug underperformance

Most thyroid hormone therapies come in tablet form. These contain inactive ingredients such as wheat starch (gluten), talc, lactose, sugars, and dyes that help hold the tablet together, but also can impede the absorption of their active ingredient, which results in suboptimal or inconsistent levels of thyroid hormones. When this happens, many patients often believe they need to change medication rather than address the factors that contribute to their therapy’s poor performance. They turn to their physician for new therapies in the hope that these can provide long hopedfor relief from their symptoms.2

Nutritional support

Nutrition can play a role in managing hypothyroidism. However, few patients can treat hypothyroidism with nutritional supplements alone. Some examples of helpful nutritional supplements include inositol, nigella, B vitamins, and selenium. However, excess amounts of certain nutritional supplements can also lead to hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Always tell your physician about all drugs and supplements that you are currently taking as well as your soy, fiber, and non-animal product intake.

Thyroid treatment: sometimes less is more

Less is often more when it comes to hypothyroid treatment. Tirosint®-SOL (levothyroxine sodium) oral solution is a unique liquid hypothyroid medication made with only three ingredients. It contains no fillers or other ingredients that can irritate your stomach or lead to poor drug absorption. Because it’s a liquid, it doesn’t need to dissolve in your stomach like a tablet or capsule before your body starts to absorb it. It’s not made with any ingredients sourced from animals, and it’s easy to swallow and comes in precise monodose ampules that can be conveniently stored for travel. You can pour it into a glass of water and drink it, or you can squeeze the contents of the ampule directly into your mouth.

Since Tirosint-SOL consists of just water, glycerol, and levothyroxine, it’s a very simple yet effective solution for treating hypothyroidism. This is important to me. Additionally, I want to ensure my patients have consistent access to the thyroid medication that works best for them. That being said, Tirosint-SOL has a generous coupon program and low-cost mail-order option to help patients without insurance or with high insurance copays/ deductibles. These can be found on the product’s website.

So, which treatment is right for you?

Share your answers to the following with your physicians so they can work with you to pick the right option for you:

• Have you been treated for hypothyroidism and are dissatisfied with the results?

• Do you want a simpler approach?

• Do you need a drug that is free of excipients like gluten, dyes, lactose, and preservatives?

• Do you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or another GI condition?

• Problems swallowing?

Please see Important Safety Information on the following page or toward the back of this issue, and Full Prescribing Information at TirosintSOL.com.

References: 1. American Thyroid Association Website. https://www.thyroid.org/mediamain/press-room/. Accessed December 8, 2022. 2. McMillan M, et al. Results of the CONTROL Surveillance Project. Drugs in R&D. 2015;16(1):53-68.

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