March 2023 Natural Awakenings Chicago Magazine

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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

“I can’t say enough wonderful things about Dr. Malhotra and her team. They are very caring, kind and accommodating. In just a few months under Dr. Malhotra’s care, I feel like a brand new person. My blood pressure is under control and my weight loss progress is great. I definitely recommend Heal n Cure to anyone who wants a great team to take care of them and feel better.”

~Diana R.

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.

• 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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March is National Nutrition Month, and we’ve devoted this issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago to exploring how our food choices, especially ones rich in plant-based foods, aid in reducing inflammation, curbing debilitating illnesses and autoimmune conditions, and contribute to overall wellness. In our main feature, “Veggies For the Win,” Kiki Powers gives us five great reasons to choose a lifestyle based on plant-based foods.

We also look at simple dietary changes to support kidney health, examine fasting and autoimmune disease, talk with local chef William Beau Blackburn about his passion for preparing anti-inflammatory foods for Chicago area residents, and interview Terry Wahls about ways to manage autoimmune conditions through lifestyle changes. We also feature some great recipes for your weeknight cooking.

About this time of year, I start longing for a summer salad. I aim to eat as locally, organically and sustainably as possible, so I try to avoid winter salads with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other produce that have traveled from a farm hundreds or thousands of miles to my salad bowl. Yet with all the spring garden catalogs still pouring into my mailbox, with their gorgeous images of heirloom tomatoes in all colors and dozens of varieties of peppers, cucumbers and kohlrabi, I’m dreaming of summer produce.

It’s encouraging that in the Chicago area we’re fortunate to have some local organic farmers growing fresh lettuces, greens and microgreens year-round in greenhouses and hoop houses. You can purchase their products at area co-ops, indoor farmers markets, CSAs, online and even direct from their farms. Illinois-grown hydroponic tomatoes and lettuces can also be found in some stores, and some local farmers are experimenting with indoor and/or hoop house-grown crops of cukes, tomatoes and other veggies that until recently were typically considered summer-only crops in our latitude.

All that said, while summer salads are classic, what remains in storage or at the markets from our fall crops can form the base to a hearty late winter salad. Squashes, cabbage, dried beans and root crops (think carrots, beets, potatoes, rutabaga, etc.) are perfect when shredded or diced and tossed with herbs and a nice vinaigrette or creamy dressing. Some benefit from a quick blanching, steaming or oven roast to cook and add sweetness. Toss with a handful of torn winter kale or local romaine, add some crunch, fruit or a cheese (regular or plant-based), maybe a handful of corona or other cooked beans and call it dinner. You may also want to search for “warm salad” or “cooked salad” recipes for chilly early spring evenings and lunch leftovers.

It’ll be a while until spring is in full bloom, so what better time to visit one of the many indoor gardens in our area? Sheryl DeVore takes us on a tour of some of the incredible garden conservatories in the greater Chicago and Milwaukee area. If local craft beer is more to your interest, be sure to check out Bob Benenson’s tour of four area breweries that are bringing change to the industry. And for anyone that’s dreamed of starting a food business from their kitchen, Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko update us on cottage food regulations in Illinois, as well as preview the Home-based Food Entrepreneur Virtual National Conference, coming up April 10-13.

As always, I encourage you to step outside every day this March and explore the early spring. Listen for the cardinals, goldfinches, redwing blackbirds and others singing their spring songs. Look for early signs of emerging leaves, bulbs and native ephemeral flowers making their first appearances. Watch for the full moon, feel the cold rain, smell the earth and enjoy all that 31 days of March have to offer.

Publisher Peggy Malecki

Sales & Marketing Peggy Malecki

Carrie Jackson

Heidi Hetzel

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© 2023 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

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Peggy Malecki

Happy Equinox and Happy Spring!

Cover photo credit by Oksana for Adobe Stock

Photo credit Peggy Malecki

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.

Orchids, Orchids, Orchids

The Chicago Botanic Garden presents The Orchid Show: Magnified, through March 26. This year’s show will illustrate what makes an orchid an orchid, with exaggerated elements that feature more than 10,000 orchid blooms.

Regular hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. On Thursdays the show is open in the evening from 5 to 8 p.m. for Orchids After Hours, with cocktails and light bites, including goat cheese croquette with orchid truffle honey and café con leche, available for purchase. Tuesday photographers’ hours through March 21 are 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. for monopods and tripods.

A rare book exhibition of Moth Orchids Illustrated in the Lenhardt Library features 10 volumes with beautiful illustrations of moth orchids, or Phalaenopsis, published between 1750 and 1900. A free library talk will be held at 2 p.m., March 12. The Illinois Orchid Society Spring Show & Sale takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 11 and 12. A post-show sale runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 30.

Location: 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe. For more information and tickets, visit ChicagoBotanic.org/orchid.

Take the Will County Triple Crown Hiking Challenge

The Forest Preserve District of Will County Triple Crown Hiking Challenge for ages 10 or older, sponsored by The Nature Foundation of Will County, begins on March 1 and ends on June 30. Participants must hike the 22-mile Wauponsee Glacial Trail, 14 miles of Old Plank Road Trail, in Will County, and 13 miles of the I&M Canal State Trail from McKinley Woods to Brandon Road.

Each trail can be hiked its entire length at one time or completed in segments. Those that complete the challenge will earn a commemorative item. Submission requirements include a selfie or landscape photo on each of the three trails.

For more information including trail routes, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.

Natural Wellness and Self-Care Fair in Highwood

Infinity Foundation is sponsoring a natural wellness and self-care fair from 1 to 4 p.m., March 11, at Oak Terrace Elementary School, in Highwood. Participants will experience free mini-sessions to relax, revive and revitalize along with obtain other health benefits.

They will gain tips and practices for improving body, mind and spirit with simple techniques to feel calmer, happier and healthier. Wellness experts will provide free individual mini-sessions to promote wellness. A separate, supervised play space will be available with activities for kids of all ages.

Free admission. Location: 240 Oak Terrace, Highwood. For more information, visit InfinityFoundation.org. See ads on page 37, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Photo credit _byjure for Adobe Stock

Photo courtesy of Infinity Foundation

Photo credit Chicago Botanic Garden

Climate Change Conference Explores Worldwide Refugee Impacts

From floods to wildfires and droughts, climate change increasingly drives extreme weather events that force people from their homes, adding to the growing number of displaced people worldwide. On March 16, the Loyola University Chicago Climate Change Conference, at the Lake Shore Campus, will explore how this phenomenon is impacting communities both globally and locally. A streaming option for viewing the event will also be available online.

Participants will hear from Yves Umuhoza, chief executive officer and chief engineer at Assorted Energies International, sharing his experience as a refugee and discussing his work as a climate and refugee education advocate.

Other speakers include Father Tom Smolich, executive director of Jesuit Refugee Services, discussing the Jesuit response to refugee crises worldwide; and Shelly Culbertson, an international policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, addressing how climate-related migration will test the fragile limits of international cooperation and governance.

Location: Damen Student Center, 6511 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago. Register at Tinyurl.com/LoyolaClimateConference.

Visit Unique Chicago Fair Trade Museum

The Chicago Fair Trade Museum, which recently opened at 1457 N. Halsted Street, is a first for the city and the global fair trade community. Its hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays until May 31, including an expansive museum store.

The museum’s mission is to spread the message of fair trade to new audiences and educate visitors while encouraging and inspiring them to be fair trade advocates and supporters.

Parking validated for the garage next door at $2 for two hours. For more information, visit ChicagoFairTrade.org.

Free Green Living Fair Returns to Lake County

The Green Living Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 15 at the University Center located at the College of Lake County’s (CLC) Grayslake Campus to kick off Earth Week activities. Previously held in Libertyville, the fair was moved to accommodate greater attendance from more suburbs in Lake County. Close to 50 green organizations will be exhibiting, including environmental clubs from area high schools.

The CLC Sustainability Council and Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) are major sponsors, and Baxter Credit Union is providing reusable bags for attendees. Working Bikes, from Chicago, will collect bikes for repurposing and distribution to underserved communities. Participants may also bring shoes and glasses for recycling. Ten vendors will sell sustainable products.

Free admission. Location: 1200 University Center Dr., Grayslake. For more information, visit Tinyurl.com/GreenLivingFair.

Hyperbaric Chicagoland Offers

Cost-Effective Oxygen Treatment

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s healing process by inhalation of 100 percent oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is slowly increased and controlled, providing oxygen to damaged tissues and allowing the body’s natural defense mechanisms to fight infection and kill bacteria. Hyperbaric Chicagoland provides hourly cost-effective rates of $65 and prepaid 10-hour blocks of chamber time for $500.

HBOT is administered in an hour-long, chamber-type setting. It is a painless, non-invasive experience in which the patient can read, talk on the phone, listen to music or just nap. The result is an increase of healing oxygen to damaged tissues, substantially boosting oxygen levels 15 to 20 times the normal amount. This evidence-based modality has proven effective in a wide variety of medical conditions, including cancer, COVID-19 long hauler symptoms, Lyme disease, early Alzheimer’s, stroke recovery, sports injuries, cognition and more.

Location: 4200 Grove Ave., Brookfield, IL. To schedule a 15-minute, $25 introductory session, call 708-510-0292. For more information, visit HyperbaricChicagoland.com. See ad on page 21, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Photo courtesy of Hyperbaric Chicagoland

Gemz and Boardz Seeks Local Vendors for Chicago Retail Location

Gemz and Boardz, in Chicago, is expanding and accepting vendors, giving others an opportunity to showcase and sell their work. They are required to set up their shelf; price the items; submit a spreadsheet of inventory prior to stocking items; and supply displays and signage with the business name that fit the given area.

Inventory must not exceed $500. Vendors are encouraged to come check up on their items.

The vendor fee is $50, due the first of every month, with a minimum contract of three months. Sales are not guaranteed, but prior vendors have made up to $150 a month or more. Offering unique products in appealing displays can help encourage sales.

Gemz and Boardz will advertise on social media; however, vendors are strongly encouraged to promote themselves, as well.

Location: 3101 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago. To apply, visit Tinyurl.com/GemzAnd BoardzVendors. For more information, call 872-218-0307 or visit GemzAndBoardz. com. See ad in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Cutting-Edge Treatment for Airway Issues

Serenity Dental has a holistic, natural approach to dentistry, emphasizing airway health. How the teeth, jaws and face develop and function can adversely affect overall health. Airway issues, left unaddressed, can result in crooked teeth, grinding, sleep apnea, snoring, ADHD, bedwetting and even anxiety and depression. Dr. Dawn Diehnelt is an airway professional who can help with these issues.

By looking at teeth and the oral system holistically and understanding how the position of teeth and jaw could affect breathing, sleep and so much more, both children and adults not only see a better smile, but better overall health. By training the muscles in and around the mouth to function properly, airway dentistry goes beyond regular orthodontics with minimally invasive treatments and long-term stability.

Issues may include mouth breathing; restless sleep, fatigue, chronic sore or dry throats; difficulty concentrating; agitation; breathing pauses during sleep; tonsil or adenoid-related health problems; flat cheeks; sunken eyes (shiners); and weak chin.

Location: 12 W. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg. For appointments and more information, call 847-519-1711 or visit SerenityDentalSchaumburg.com. See ad on page 9, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Innovative Technology at Brookfield Health and Wellness

Susan Rohr, owner of Brookfield Health and Wellness, uses innovative bioenergetic technologies to help identify the root causes of health challenges. Her assessment tools include the Qi-5 body scan, NuVision, ONDAMED and AmpCoil, all of which can help identify system imbalances, microbes, organ weaknesses and immune and detoxification dysfunction.

After assessment, Rohr customizes a care plan that combines nutrition, supplements, stress management and clinic-based treatments. Treatment tools for chronic conditions include hyperthermic ozone and carbonic acid transdermal therapy (HOCATT); the Energy Enhancement System (EES), Rife technology; NanoVi; frequency-specific microcurrent; and intranasal auricular stimulation with simultaneous cerebral electroencephalographic recording microcurrent neurofeedback. Rohr says that these tools can help increase oxygenation to cells, decrease inflammation, boost the immune system, improve circulation, restore cellular energy and provide other functions to help the body heal itself.

Location: 150 S. Sunny Slope Rd., Ste. 148, Brookfield, WI. For more information, call 262-395-4023 or visit BrookfieldHealthAndWellness.com. See ad on page 41, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Midwest Allergy Has New Office Locations

Midwest Allergy Relief has relocated from Arlington Heights to locations at 111 Barclay Boulevard, Unit 101, in Lincolnshire, and the Sage Healing Collective, 525 S. Tyler Road, Suite S, in St. Charles, where owner Amanda Thiry, DC, BSN, provides a natural allergy/sensitivity treatment. She says, “We use a biofeedback system to test and treat over 400,000 different substances—anything from barometric pressure to motion sickness, food items, chemicals, pollens, molds and fungi, dust/dust mites and pet dander. The treatment is safe for all ages and effective.”

For more information and to schedule appointments in Lincolnshire, call 847-392-7901 or visit MidwestAllergy Relief.com; in St. Charles, call 331-901-5672 or visit SageHealingCollective.com. See ad in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Dawn Diehnelt, DDS

Susan Rohr

Amanda Thiry, DC, BSN

Forest Preserve Launches Take It Outside Campaign

The Forest Preserve District of Will County has launched a yearlong Take it Outside campaign and app challenge designed to entice people to return to nature or discover it for the first time. The campaign will also educate participants about the mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors.

The campaign features a challenge. Download the free smartphone Goosechase app, search for 6DW83B or the Take It Outside Challenge and create a profile. For details, visit Tinyurl. com/TakeItOutsideApp.

Participants will be asked to take photos at specific spots, use the app to check in at trailheads and other preserve locations, hike to a preselected spot in a preserve or correctly answer trivia questions.

Each month, the Forest Preserve will randomly select individuals that completed any of the missions to receive prizes. At the completion of the online challenge on December 31, the top three point earners will earn prizes in the form of MasterCard gift cards: $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $150 for third place.

For more information, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.

Buckthorn-Free Garden Flags Are Available to Lake County Residents

Since last September, Lake County Forest Preserves has approved 27 “buckthorn-free” garden flag applications from county residents. Flags are available free of charge to Lake County residents that do not have European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) on their property. One recipient, Bob Lee, who also volunteers for the Forest Preserves, shared a photo of himself with the flag installed in his yard. Apply at Tinyurl.com/BuckthornGardenFlag. For more information, visit lcfpd.org.

Gut Microbiome May Influence Obesity

Walnuts to Relieve Exam Stress

Stressed college students might benefit by adding walnuts to their diet before their next exam. A randomized clinical trial published in the journal Nutrients sought to investigate the effects of academic stress and daily walnut consumption on mental health, general well-being and gut microbiota in a group of 80 college students. Walnuts are full of nutrients that support brain and gut health, including omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, melatonin (sleep-inducing hormone), polyphenols, folate and vitamin E.

A new study may shed light on why some people gain more weight than others regardless of diet and activity levels. Led by researchers at the University of Copenhagen and published in the journal Microbiome, the study found that being overweight may also be related to the makeup of a person’s gut microbiome. The researchers studied 85 overweight adults and found that 40 percent of the participants had more Bacteroides in their gut microbiome, which are more effective at extracting nutrients from food, possibly causing leftover food to be stored as fat. Before they began their study, the researchers had hypothesized that a long digestive travel time would allow people to extract more energy from their food, but they found instead that people with shorter digestive travel times were actually the ones that extracted the most nutrition. Those with Bacteroides had shorter intestinal transit times and higher body weight.

Human-Grade Dog Foods Lead to Less Poop

Although human-grade foods for pets are commercially available, little research has been done on their health impacts.

A 2021 study published in the Journal of Animal Science compared the fecal output of 12 dogs that ate one of three types of dog food: fresh, human-grade or extruded (kibble). The researchers found that the dogs that were fed fresh and human-grade food excreted about half as much as those that were fed classic, processed dog food. The human-grade foods were also found to be extremely digestible, and the dogs that ate them had to eat less food to maintain the same weight. There were many differences in fecal microbiota among the three diets, and the scientists stated that this was likely because of differences in ingredient source, nutrient concentrations and processing methods.

The University of South Australia researchers concluded that daily consumption of one half cup of walnuts improved self-reported mood and mental health status, metabolic biomarkers and sleep quality. The data also suggested that walnuts might counteract the negative effects of academic stress on the gut microbiota in women. The scientists noted that more research was needed with respect to males, as far fewer men participated in this study. They also cautioned that the placebo effect could have influenced results, as this was not a blind study.

Supplements That Help the Heart

A new study conducted by researchers at Brown University has identified certain supplements that may be beneficial for heart health. The meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reviewed more than 884 studies on 27 types of micronutrient supplements among 883,627 participants and found strong evidence that omega-3 fatty acid, folic acid and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) are micronutrients that reduce cardiovascular risk. Omega-3 fatty acid was found to decrease mortality from cardiovascular disease; folic acid lowered stroke risk; and CoQ10 decreased all-cause mortality. Omega-6 fatty acid, L-arginine, L-citrulline, melatonin, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, alpha-lipoic acid, catechin, flavanol, curcumin, genistein and quercetin also showed evidence of reducing cardiovascular risk.

Your

Health Conditions That Happen in the Breast

There:

Thermography can detect inflammation and other signs of dysfunction at an early stage, allowing you to be aware of and monitor changes in your body.

Crackdown on Musical Bows Made from Rare Wood

For centuries, brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata) has been used to make the finest bows for classical stringed instruments due to its unmatched ability to project sound. The wood comes from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the most threatened biomes in the world. This once abundant wood is now endangered, and its trade is regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Since 2018, Brazilian authorities have been cracking down on brazilwood smuggling. They’ve confiscated almost 150,000 bows (and sticks) and last year raided 37 properties connected to their manufacture. In November 2022, signatories to the CITES treaty voted to expand restrictions and require permits to export newly made brazilwood bows. The classical music industry and several of its stars have voiced their opposition to such restrictions, but ecologists assert it is the only way to save the species.

First Honeybee Vaccine Approved

Nations Agree to Protect Biodiversity

Scientists have warned for years that as forests and grasslands are disappearing at unprecedented rates and oceans are pressured by pollution, humans are pushing Earth beyond tenable limits. In December 2022, nearly 200 countries agreed on a Global Biodiversity Framework at the United Nations 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The historic agreement represents hope for real progress to halt the loss of biodiversity. Among its numerous provisions, the framework commits nations to protect 30 percent of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans by 2030; increase financing for nature restoration and protection; halt human-induced extinction; and protect the rights of indigenous people. The protections will emphasize areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services.

Throughout the talks there was division over the strength of the measures and how to finance them. In a statement released by the Wildlife Conservation Society, vice president of international policy Susan Lieberman said, “The [framework] is a compromise, and although it has several very good and hard-fought elements, it could have gone further to truly transform our destructive relationship with nature.” During negotiations, some countries called for a new fund to be set up to help preserve biodiversity, but this recommendation was not included in the final pact.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 100 U.S. crops depend on pollination by honeybees and other insects. Safeguarding commercial honeybee colonies is critical to food production as there has been an alarming population decline in wild species due to habitat loss, pesticide use and the climate crisis.

Recently, the USDA granted a two-year conditional license for a vaccine that protects honeybees from American foulbrood disease (AFB), a widespread, destructive ailment. The non-GMO inoculation will initially be available to commercial beekeepers and can be used in organic agriculture.

Prior to this booster, the only treatment method for AFB required beekeepers to burn the infected hives and equipment. According to vaccine manufacturer Dalan Animal Health, their vaccination is incorporated into the royal jelly, which worker bees feed to the queen. Once ingested, fragments of the treatment are deposited in the queen’s ovaries, providing developing larvae AFB immunity as they hatch.

Diveheart Film Garners Ninth Award

Nonprofit Diveheart’s documentary Adapting to Dive, by Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh, has won its ninth international film festival award. Marsh and Diveheart founder and Executive Director Tinamarie Hernandez encourage those in the dive community, individuals with disabilities and everyone else to watch and share the film.

The movie follows Marsh on a transformational journey after losing his son to an opioid overdose on Thanksgiving Day one week before he was to join Diveheart on an adaptive scuba diving trip to Cozumel, Mexico. It also highlights the travails of a group of scuba divers with disabilities. Since premiering in May, Adapting to Dive has received honors from the Orlando International Film Festival, Cine Paris, Marina del Rey Film Festival and Impact

Doc awards, and is available for streaming on Amazon Video, tubiTV and other services.

Marsh says, “After going through this entire process of creating a film, releasing it to the world and seeing the response, what I’ve learned is that we are all adapting to something in life. Diveheart and the adaptive divers showed me that we have to learn to go through these challenging things. It is important to remain in a positive state no matter what happens, because it doesn’t matter what happens, it only matters what you do with what happens that makes the difference in your life.”

Founded in 2001, Diveheart’s mission is to provide and support educational scuba diving programs that are open to any youth, adult or veteran with a disability, with the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to all participants. Diveheart also teaches adaptive scuba to instructors and divers of all abilities. For more information, visit Diveheart.org.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Eco-Friendly Water Heating

When it comes time to replace the water heater, homeowners have an opportunity to save money and significantly lower their carbon footprint by choosing more efficient appliances. In the U.S., most homes are equipped with water heaters that require a large storage tank. The water has to be heated continually, leading to $400 to $600 water heating bills every year.

A tankless model requires less space, lasts longer and costs less to operate. Because it does not hold water, cold water flows into the unit and is heated only when needed. This can save energy because the unit does not need to heat gallons of water that aren’t being used.

One drawback is that tankless devices may require a gas line and may be a challenge for older homes because of the necessary permits and electrical upgrades. Whether it has a tank or not, choose an Energy Star-certified model, which is deemed to be more efficient and often comes with a rebate or tax credit. Visit EnergyStar.gov for more information.

Some people may opt for a solar water heating system, which can cut annual hot water costs in half. Homes that generate their own power with solar panels may eliminate the annual cost altogether.

Another option is a heat pump water heater that uses 70 percent less energy than standard water heaters and is currently eligible for a $300 federal tax credit. According to Energy Saver, a U.S. Department of Energy consumer resource (Energy.gov), heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly.

After installing a new unit, be sure to recycle the old water heater. Ask the retailer of the new appliance if they participate in a take-back program, or coordinate with the installer to arrange for proper recycling.

If the water heater doesn’t need replacement yet, consider that for every 10-degree decrease in the temperature setting on a conventional tank there is a corresponding 3 to 5 percent energy savings. Lower temperatures also reduce mineral buildup and corrosion in the tank and pipes.

Keep in mind that the easiest way to lower a household’s water heating is simply to use less hot water. Look for ways to decrease the family’s use of hot water by taking baths or shorter showers, washing laundry with cold water and running the dishwater on the energy-efficient setting.

The Cellular Magic of Compassion

by Marlaina Donato

Looking for a life coach that gets deeper than most?

Creating HappyHealthyHumans

Dropping off a homemade treat on a neighbor’s porch or going out of our way for a stranger can make the recipient’s day, but the giver also gets a boost. Thanks to a scientifically proven cascade of feel-good chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine, performing regular acts of kindness forges new neural pathways in the brain, amping up our cognitive ability while reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The “helper’s high” is as real as the runner’s high and, according to sources cited by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, neurotransmitters stimulated by compassion have a stronger influence on health and longevity than exercise and other positive lifestyle factors.

Studies show that practicing kindness for just seven days increases happiness, but the magic is ephemeral. Oxytocin, the “love chemical” that bonds humans to each other, floods the bloodstream for only four minutes after a positive interaction, which means the more doors we hold for each other and the more we offer small soul-gifts to others, the more we train our brains to be happier and our bodies to be less sensitive to chronic pain patterns.

Of course, giving must be counterbalanced with a healthy ratio of receiving. Expressing compassion to ourselves is equally as important and effective. Including the self is paramount in purposeful generosity. Allowing ourselves the full range of human emotions without judgement, giving our bodies that much-needed extra hour of sleep, buying fresh flowers for our office and crediting ourselves for daily accomplishments are all easy ways to turn on endorphins.

The more joyful we can be in our own skins, the more likely we are to beam that joy out into the world. Being both giver and receiver to ourselves blesses us with an understanding of why expressing benevolence is vital to the planet. “The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be,” said the Dalai Lama, exemplifying how giving in itself is the greatest reward.

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and host of multimedia art exhibits intended for healing the community. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

“As someone who is proactive both about their spiritual and physical health, I was looking for an answer to a lot of questions western/ alternative medicine [wasn’t] adequately answering. In the past I have done reiki, meditation, nutrition counseling, and more. Each with their own respective benefit and purpose. Working with Susan has eclipsed all the other wonderful options out there. My spiritual and physical health are coming together and working in harmony. I have worked through conditioned emotional responses and finally gained insight into my specific food allergies. e mind and body have an intrinsic connection that Susan both respects and rewires. Susan is a gift and her intuitive healing is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.”

~Leah (Chicago)

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CHICAGO CHEF SHARES Journey Toward Anti-Inflammatory Foods

by Sheila Julson

Chef Beau, William Beau Blackburn, has experienced firsthand the healing power of food. After resolving his own neurological issues by changing his diet, Blackburn was inspired to train as a chef, serving craft menus of clean foods with ingredients that lower inflammation. At Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen, he offers convenient weekly meal plans that use food as medicine.

Blackburn was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1993, and a psychiatrist friend advised that he could stabilize his mood by eliminating gluten from his diet. Blackburn was skeptical, but went gluten-free, eliminating bread, pasta, beer, bread, cookies and muffins from his diet. “Five days later, I woke up with no racing thoughts,” he relates. “My brain actually turned off and I was able to focus.”

Blackburn holds a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and worked in advertising at the time, but his personal experience inspired him to take a different path and help others through anti-inflammatory foods. He earned a culinary degree from Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and has master-level certifications in homeopathic wellness.

“It all has to do with understanding the types of food that gives us gut issues,” he says. “I’ve learned to make recipes by substituting ingredients. Instead of butter and cream, I use olive oil and coconut cream, which are flavorful and good for you.” In 2010, he launched Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen in a centrally located commercial kitchen serving the Chicagoland area.

THINKING BEYOND FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet has to do with putting the right nutrients into the body at the right time and staying away from government-subsidized wheat, cow’s milk and genetically modified organisms (GMOs),

Blackburn says. While many chefs can prepare gluten-free meals, Blackburn states that actually having to live in the gluten-free world gives him an edge when crafting true anti-inflammatory dishes. “When I became a chef, I was going to make sure my food tastes good—and it does,” he shares.

All meats used in Blackburn’s dishes are pasture-raised and certified humane. He only uses seafood that is wild caught or farmed via open water, meaning that the bay is netted off and the fish are fed pure feed pellets, with no grain fillers. He says this make a big difference in healthy omega-3 fatty acid content versus omega-6, which is unhealthy in large quantities. “We can tell how fish has been raised by how much fat it gives off while cooking,” Blackburn remarks.

For baked goods, Blackburn uses sorghum and brown rice flours. In soups, he uses organic chicken stock or vegetable stock. Kids’ meals include gluten-free pasta made with brown rice flour. He cooks with olive oil and keeps seasonings pure—salt, pepper, fresh herbs and spices—to let the food do the talking. Sauces are thickened with sorghum flour rather than white flour.

“Gluten is everywhere,” Blackburn advises. “Many restaurants that make sauces almost always thicken the sauce with white flour.”

The meal plans change weekly, and

Photo credit Ron Hume

Photo credit William Beau Blackburn

William Beau Blackburn

feature more than 500 rotating menu items. Entrées include lasagna that’s dairy- and gluten-free, along with smothered roasted garlic pork chops, lamb and Bulgarian sheep feta burgers, plus plant-based options. Blackburn uses European-sourced cheeses made from goat’s or sheep’s milk such as manchego and feta, which tend to be lactose-free.

GOODNESS TO GO

Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen’s weekly meal service delivers as far north as Highland Park, west to Naperville and south to Interstate 55. The farther away from their location, the larger the order is needed to be delivered. Customers may also pick up their orders each Monday and Thursday at the kitchen, which must be placed by noon each Thursday for the following week. Blackburn offers senior citizen and military discounts.

“Food is medicine, and medicine is food here at Chef Beau’s Kitchen,” Blackburn says. “The more people I help, the more I know this business is needed throughout the entire country. All of this food is made by a chef that has walked the walk and talked the talk. How you eat affects you physically and mentally.”

For more information, call 708-354-4844, email Info@ChefBeausKleanKitchen or visit ChefBeausKleanKitchen.com. See ad on page 11, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.

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Fasting and Autoimmune Disease

by Meena Malhotra, M.D.

as macromolecules, toxins and food proteins from the gut into the body, was found. Zonulin is the master regulator of intestinal permeability that opens the door to several chronic inflammatory conditions. It is found in abundance in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, IBD and other autoimmune diseases.

Using zonulin as a biomarker for leaky gut is linked to age-related inflammation and frailty (decreased muscle strength). Pathogenic bacteria and gliadin are major triggers that cause the release of zonulin. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG inhibits gliadin from altering intestinal permeability. This research contributes to a growing body of evidence showing the efficacy of healthy bacteria in treating the chronic inflammation implicated in autoimmune diseases.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been closely linked to several diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, necrotizing enterocolitis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Healthy lifestyle factors, including a diversified diet, limited consumption of processed and refined foods, and consumption of adequate dietary fiber, may all promote a healthy microbiome

Foods and nutrients that potentially boost immune function also tend to promote gut health. For example, consuming a diverse array of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients and phytochemicals may reduce oxidative stress, support the liver to promote efficient biotransformation and detoxification, and boost overall immune system function. These same fruits and vegetables also contain soluble fibers that “feed” the commensal microbial community in the colon to optimize gut balance and health and insoluble fibers that assist in the efficient processing and elimination of waste from the intestinal tract.

More than 100 known autoimmune disease types affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and their prevalence is increasing. Some of the more prevalent include Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis systemic lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

For a patient with a history of chronic systemic inflammation, precursors like an inflammatory diet or a psychological stressor can act as a trigger to precipitate the onset of autoimmune disease or a flare-up.

Genetic and environmental factors have long been understood to trigger autoimmune disease. In 2000, a third element—intestinal permeability (leaky gut)—which allows passage of antigens such

Fasting is the quickest way to bring autoimmunity under control. After 72 hours of water-only fasting, autophagy and apoptosis change in a favorable direction. In addition, components of the innate immune system are boosted compared to baseline measurements. Time restricted eating (TRE), where we consume three meals per day within an eight-hour time frame at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., is another way to benefit the immune system. After 12 months of TRE, inflammatory markers interleukin 6, interleukin 1-beta, and TNF-alpha are reduced, and both insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles significantly improve. Intermittent fasting enhances beneficial gut bacteria and increases short-chain fatty acids that promote healthy immune function.

Consult with a physician before engaging in any kind of fasting routine because the extent of fasting and support should be personalized for optimum outcomes.

Dr. Meena Malhotra is the medical director of Heal n Cure. For more information, call 847-686 4444, email Consult@HealnCure.com or visit HealnCure.com See ads on page 3, in the Community Resource Guide and in the Business Directory at NAChicago.com.

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Veggies for the Win

FIVE REASONS TO CHOOSE A PLANT-BASED LIFESTYLE

by Kiki Powers, MS, CNC

Many of us have come across the term “plant-based eating”. Perhaps the regimen was recommended to us by a medical or nutritional professional. We may have read about it in a magazine or seen a documentary on the subject. Scientists around the globe have studied this lifestyle choice, and persuasive evidence is mounting that eating a preponderance of foods from plant sources has health merits.

The concept is attributed to T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., the Jacob Gould Schurman professor emeritus of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University. Based on his extensive research, he has advocated a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet since the 1980s, and his commentary appears in Forks Over Knives, an influential 2011 documentary on the subject that is still worth viewing.

Americans love their cheeseburgers and french fries, and breaking a habit that we thoroughly enjoy might be challenging at first. But we need not completely ban such delights from our menu, so long as our plates are brimming with vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, beans, healthy oils, nuts and seeds most of the time. Gradually transitioning to a whole food, plant-based, low-fat diet is the winning formula for positive change and long-term compliance.

Here are five compelling reasons to make this promising dietary shift.

COST-EFFECTIVE DISEASE PREVENTION

As so many Americans struggle with chronic health issues, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease, physicians are hard-pressed to find the right combination of treatments to help their patients lead healthier lives. At the same time, healthcare costs continue to skyrocket. In 2020, health spending rose to $4.1 trillion, or $12,530 per capita, according to the American Medical Association.

In a 2013 article published in The Permanente Journal, California physicians surveyed leading research and case studies and found that plant-based diets offer patients a low-risk, cost-effective intervention to regulate weight, blood pressure, blood sugar

and cholesterol levels. They also asserted that such eating regimens could reduce the number of medications patients would have to take for chronic disease, and that physicians should recommend such diets to all of their patients, especially those suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or obesity.

Besides saving money on drugs and medical procedures, a plant-based menu has never been easier or more affordable. According to recent data conducted by the UK nonprofit Veganuary, plant-based meals eaten at home cost 40 percent less than meat- or fish-based meals and take one-third less time to prepare.

“The most powerful tool I discovered while in practice for both preventing and treating chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis was the implementation of a plant-based nutritional plan to a patient’s life,” says Ted Crawford, a board-certified family physician featured in two inspiring documentaries about the life-changing benefits of a plant-based diet: Eating You Alive and PlantWise

FLAVOR, FRESHNESS AND FLAVONOIDS

The latest food trend is a “burger” made entirely of plants. The race is on to see which one looks and tastes closest to a juicy, all-beef patty. Whether it’s mushrooms posing as “steak” or wheat-based seitan kneaded into “chicken”, recipes catering to carnivores have their audience. For some, these tasty alternatives may offer a path toward becoming a vegetarian or vegan.

Oven-roasted on a sheet pan, splashed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkled with fresh herbs and spices, served with a creamy dip, slow-cooked in a crockpot, baked into a pie, frothed into a sweet smoothie or freshly pulled from the vine, consider the fact that whole, plant-based foods taste delicious on their own and deserve the spotlight.

They are good and good for us, packed with nutrition while low in fat and calories. The vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables—as varied as the rainbow—are evidence of the many healthful attributes they offer. Ditching animal fats, white flour and sugar in favor of fresh, whole plant foods found at a local farmers market ensures a rich intake of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients, fiber, antioxidants, flavonoids, protein, fiber and more—the building blocks of a robust, disease-fighting body.

Those that believe a plant-based diet is too limiting might be surprised to learn that there is a wealth of meat-free culinary possibilities. Garth Davis, M.D., author of Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession With Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It, notes, “Just 12 plants and five animals compose about 75 percent of the world’s food, and yet there are approximately 300,000 known edible plant species, only about 150 of which are used commonly around the world.”

There are so many plant-derived flavors and recipes yet to explore. Try a new plant-based recipe weekly. Let the kids select their favorite fruits and veggies to prepare. Enjoy reimagining old favorites like lasagna, enchiladas, chili and tacos. Simply swap out the meat in favor of beans, tofu, tempeh or faux meat products, which have become quite sophisticated in recent years.

PLANT-BASED RESOURCES

Documentary Films championing plant-based diets

n PlantPure Nation

n Forks Over Knives

n Eating You Alive

n What the Health

Websites offering tips, recipes and advice for plant-prominent menus

n HappyHerbivore.com

n ForksOverKnives.com

n NoraCooks.com

n CleanFoodDirtyGirl.com

Cookbooks that make whole, plant-based foods shine

n Oh She Glows Every Day, by Angela Lindon

n The Happy Herbivore Cookbook, by Lindsay S. Nixon

n The PlantPure Nation Cookbook, by Kim Campbell

n The China Study Cookbook, by LeAnne Campbell

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY BENEFITS

While acute inflammation is a protective bodily response to heal infections and repair tissues, metabolic inflammation—or metaflammation—refers to chronic, systemic inflammation. According to a 2020 study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, metabolic inflammation is associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.

Numerous studies have explored the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects of foods. According to a 2021 article in Harvard Health Publishing, the following foods cause inflammation: refined carbohydrates like white bread; fried foods like french fries; sodas and other sugary drinks; red meat; processed meat, including hot dogs, sausage and cold cuts; and margarine, shortening and lard. Conversely, the best anti-inflammatory foods are tomatoes; olive oil; leafy, green vegetables such as spinach, kale and collards; nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans; and fruit such as apples, strawberries, blueberries, cherries and oranges. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are also recommended for their anti-inflammatory properties.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, total greenhouse gas emissions from global livestock represents 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Cattle raised for both beef and milk are the animal species responsible for the most emissions, which include methane and represent about 65 percent of the livestock sector’s emissions.

Industrially produced meat is also a leading contributor of global deforestation and habitat loss as large swaths of the Amazon and other land masses are cleared for cattle ranching and to produce animal feed.

According to a new model developed by California scientists and published in the journal PLOS Climate, a global phase-out of animal agriculture and a shift to plant-based diets over the next 15 years would have the same effect as a 68 percent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the end of 2100, thereby boosting humanity’s chances of avoiding the projected devastation of climate change. Such benefits would result from a decline in the methane and nitrous oxide emissions associated with industrialized meat production, coupled with a recovery of natural ecosystems as fewer forests and land masses are cleared for animal feed production.

IMPROVED MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, an integrative registered dietician and manager of clinical nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine (CCCFM), notes, “Certain foods and nutrients help your brain to make chemicals that can impact your mood, attention and focus, while other foods can zap your energy.” The CCCFM recommends a diet that combines complex carbohydrates with lean proteins and colorful produce. While lean proteins may include white-fleshed fish and white-meat poultry, healthy, plantbased, lean proteins are also found in beans, peas, lentils and tofu. Diet can support emotional well-being and perhaps even help ward off depression and anxiety. A 2017 clinical trial explored how a plant-based diet, daily exercise and mindfulness techniques would affect 500 adult men and women diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and anxiety. After 12 weeks, participants reported improvements in depression and anxiety, according to the study abstract published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

Eating a plant-based diet makes sense on many levels. Make the switch.

Kiki Powers is a health writer, blogger and national speaker specializing in plant-based nutrition and healthy green living. Learn more at RawKiki.com.

Loving Your Kidneys

EDIBLE ALLIES, INTEGRATIVE TREATMENTS AND LIFESTYLE TIPS

by Marlaina Donato

not feel ill or notice symptoms until they are in advanced stages of the disease, which is why people with diabetes and high blood pressure should be tested regularly and take steps to protect their kidneys. Managing CKD requires a multilevel approach, including lifestyle and diet changes, use of prescribed medications, avoidance of kidney-harming toxins like alcohol and cigarettes, and close supervision by a doctor that specializes in kidney disease (nephrologist) to ensure that other prescribed medications and over-thecounter or herbal treatments are safe.

Our kidneys are prodigious multitaskers. Through the production of urine, they filter toxins, excrete waste and balance bodily fluids. They also produce certain hormones that regulate blood pressure and aid in other vital functions. While the kidneys don’t usually fail all at once, their effectiveness can deteriorate slowly over years, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is most often the result of uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure.

Simple blood and urine tests help physicians evaluate kidney function and diagnose CKD, which is divided into five stages. The first three stages are mild

or moderate, and can respond well to lifestyle modifications and alternative interventions, while the more severe, later stages become increasingly more complex to treat and may require dialysis to mechanically perform the kidneys’ functions. In end-stage CKD, many patients are relegated to dialysis treatments several times a month to prevent the accumulation of deadly toxins, while many wait and hope for a life-saving transplant.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in seven adults are diagnosed annually. Most of these 37 million Americans do

Integrative and holistic approaches may be of help for those in earlier stages of kidney disease or for those striving to prevent it. “I have been really blessed to be connected with a global team of people who, like myself and everyone I work with, understand that kidney disease is treatable, and the recovery of kidney function is actually possible,” says Fiona Chin, an Australia-based naturopath and co-founder of KidneyCoach.com Chin adds that she and her colleagues have witnessed significant patient improvement from tailored diet and lifestyle regimens during and after diagnosis, especially when root causes are addressed.

THE KIDNEY-FRIENDLY KITCHEN

Promising research published last year in Frontiers of Pharmacology shows that combining Western treatments and Traditional Chinese Medicine can have a positive impact on even late-stage renal failure.

Isaac Eliaz, M.D., an integrative medical doctor and founder of Amitabha Medical Clinic, in Santa Rosa, California, says, “Preventing and reducing chronic inflammation is a critical aspect of minimizing CKD risk. An anti-inflammatory diet, moderate exercise program and attention to stress reduction all work to decrease the pro-inflammatory milieu.” He also highlights the importance of protecting and boosting beneficial gut bacteria, which can be addressed with supplements or prebiotic foods like garlic, leeks, onions and jicama.

Piling whole, plant-plentiful goodness onto our plates and embracing an alkaline diet are key measures in the prevention of CKD by lowering the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Mayo Clinic offers renal-supportive recipes with fruits, vegetables and grains like quinoa. It also recommends avoiding many packaged and processed foods that have phosphorus added to prolong shelf life and enhance taste, such as convenience foods, sodas and sports drinks, flavor-enhanced meats and processed cheeses.

Jarrod Cooper, ND, founder of Advanced Functional Medicine, underscores the importance of nixing pro-inflammatory foods such as sugars, refined carbohydrates, excessive red meat, trans and saturated fats, caffeine and alcohol. Alcohol negatively impacts liver function, and

over time reduces blood flow to the kidneys, leading to CKD, he says. That extra glass of wine can also crank up blood pressure, a surefire path to renal compromise.

Kidney-loving fruits, according to Cleveland Urology Associates, include pineapple, cranberries, red grapes and apples, all of which pack an anti-inflammatory punch.

SODIUM: FRIEND OR FOE?

Chin notes that although salt is essential for nerve and muscle function, a balancing of fluids in the blood and healthy blood pressure, not all salt is beneficial. “Salt is a healthy thing to have in your diet in moderation and in the right form,” she asserts. “Table salt is manufactured salt that is stripped of its natural minerals. During salt processing, the balance of sodium to other valuable minerals is lost. Most salt companies also add anti-caking agents that contain aluminum.” Chin recommends good-quality Himalayan salt or sea salt that also contains traces of other natural minerals.

Various types of seaweeds, like dulce, nori and kombu, are natural sources of sodium that are safe for people that do not have kidney disease. They offer significant benefits for inflammation reduction, blood sugar balance and heart health, including lower blood pressure. Sea vegetables have also been shown to help reduce the risk of kidney stones by inhibiting the formation of calcium oxalate

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and host of multimedia art exhibits intended for healing the community. Connect at Wildflower Lady.com.

CILANTRO LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

1 head cauliflower, chopped (or 6 cups)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Rinse the cauliflower and pat dry. Chop into florets, then pulse in a food processor or blender. Alternatively, the cauliflower can be left whole and grated with a box grater.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Increase heat to medium high and add cauliflower. Sauté about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and toss with salt, pepper, lime juice and cilantro.

Excerpted from Multiple Sclerosis Diet Plan and Cookbook. Copyright © 2019 Noelle Citarella. Used with permission from Rockridge Press, Emeryville, CA. All rights reserved.

nachicago.com/recipes

Savory Tomato Soup

Makes a Heart-Warming March Dinner

by Tiffany Hinton

The month of March is known to come in like a lion and out like a lamb, and we can certainly anticipate a few snow showers in early March and perhaps a few more chilly nights by the fire, as well. This is the perfect month to use the last of your frozen or canned tomatoes from last summer’s garden and make a comforting, warming and nutritious soup. The rich taste will bring back memories of the abundant garden or farmers market and fill your cells with energy captured from the warm sun. This soup can be frozen for up to three weeks in an airtight container.

SAVORY TOMATO SOUP

YIELD: 6 CUPS

8 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (or canned/frozen equivalent)

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

2-4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped small

2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or plant-based high-heat cooking butter)

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp thyme, minced (use fresh) (If that’s not available, use 1 tsp dried)

1½ cups tomato juice

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped and squashed with hands (or canned/frozen equivalent)

2 Tbsp dried basil

1 Tbsp sugar (optional)

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

⅔ cup milk or cream (or a creamy plant-based milk like cashew)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or melty plant-based cheese)

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Place the tomato halves onto a baking sheet, arranging so they do not overlap, and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast tomatoes for about 1 hour. You don’t have to flip them. While tomatoes are roasting, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent ~ 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and thyme, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Add crushed tomatoes (juice and all), basil and sugar. Stir the mixture, cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the stock and roasted tomatoes. Replace the cover and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes stirring occasionally. If you have an immersion blender, puree everything in the pot until it’s creamy and smooth. If you don’t, you can add this liquid to a food processor or blender but be careful, as this is hot. Refer to your blender/food processor’s instructions on how to properly handle hot foods. Please again, be careful and take precautions.

If using anything but an immersion blender, add the soup back into the pot.

Add in the milk and stir until all combined. The soup will lighten in color to an orangish-color.

Add in the Parmesan cheese and stir. Let this simmer, uncovered a few more minutes to allow the cream to warm up in the soup.

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

Photo credit Tiffany Hinton

Photo credit Tiffany Hinton

Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.

– Alan D. Wolfelt

Local Food Pantries Need Your Support!

Many families are struggling to balance budgets with good nutrition. Your donations of money, healthy food, personal care and cleaning items help area food pantries to serve everyone in our communities.

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Eating is so

It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life.

– Maya Angelou

Four Local Craft Beverage Makers

Bring Change to Industry and Community

by Bob Benenson

With more than 200 breweries in the Chicago region, we are living in the golden age of craft beer. With so much competition, brewers must bring their A-game, which makes it easy for beer lovers to find local, well-crafted, enjoyable brews. For some of these area breweries, it’s not just about the liquid in the glass, but about innovating to elevate the craft beer sector as a whole. Here, we highlight four of our area’s breweries that are making big strides in incorporating local, organic and botanical ingredients, sustainability and equity into their brews.

BOTANICAL BEER

A decade ago, the craft beer world had been overtaken by one among the many dozen varieties of beer: India Pale Ale, or IPA. This style is known for its hoppy (i.e., bitter) flavor and relatively high alcohol by volume (ABV), and for a time some brewers engaged in a race to see who could produce the hoppiest, or highest-octane, IPA.

Chicago’s Forbidden Root (Forbidden Root.com), started by investor/entrepreneur Robert Finkel in 2013, took a very different direction. For this brewery, it wasn’t about the hops or the ABV. It was about the unique flavors produced when a brewery added botanicals—flowers, herbs, fruit and, of course, roots—to a beer’s recipe. To lend a bit of magic, Forbidden Root brought in legendary craft brewer and author Randy Mosher with the title of “alchemist”.

Forbidden Root’s distinctive beers quickly found a following, which led in turn to the 2016 opening of its brewery/restaurant in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood and the late 2021 opening of Cultivate by Forbidden Root, its brewery/restaurant in Ravenswood, amid the concentration of breweries known as Malt Row.

A willingness to experiment with ingredient combinations has given Forbidden Root one of the most unique beer menus anywhere. Director of Operations Brian Krajack describes the creative process: “We still want to make sure we’re sitting on the side of things like, doing a farmhouse [ale] with turmeric. We had one that was called Further Afield, with lemon thyme, Meyer lemon and marjoram, it was awesome… We want to have the fruited botanicals, but we do love the spice elements of the botanic world as well, especially since we love cooking; all of us do,” Krajack says. “We’re always talking and thinking of ideas and experiencing what other people bring to the table and incor-

porating thoughts and ideas from anyone we talk and meet with.”

REDUCING WASTE

Broken Tee Brewing (BrokenTeeBrewCo. com), a new crafter that opened last July in suburban Highwood, and owner Paul Bumbaco found farmer Kyle Jacobson, of Jacobson Family Farms, in Antioch, who could use the spent grain from his brewing process as livestock feed. Spent grain is highly perishable, so one of the keys to making this work is that Jacobson is only about 30 miles north of Broken Tee.

During his long tenure as golf pro at Skokie Country Club (SkokieCC.com), in Glencoe, Bumbaco became an avid home brewer, eventually building a mini-brewery in his home basement that includes a canning machine. He began his career transition serving as taproom manager for Ravinia Brewing, in Highland Park, then found the location to build out his own brewery in nearby Highwood, located a few steps from the Metra train station.

“I think we’re very conscious of sustainability in the industry and also recycling,” Bumbaco says. “So, for our brand, my head brewer and myself, the notion of not having our spent grains end up in a dumpster or in a landfill was very appealing.”

GROUNDBREAKING ORGANIC BEER

Michael Cameron had a dream as he and his wife Helen built their Uncommon Ground ( UncommonGround.com) restaurant into

Kyle Jacobson and Paul Bumbaco

Brian Krajack of Forbidden Root

Photo credit Bob Benenson

Photo credit Bob Benenson

a pioneering farm to table institution. As a member of a brewing family in the Pacific Northwest, he wanted to start a craft brewery of his own. He finally met that goal in 2014 by opening Greenstar Brewing in a backroom space at Uncommon Ground’s Lakeview restaurant. It wasn’t just another craft brewery; in keeping with his and Helen’s strong belief in better-for-people, better-forthe-planet food, Greenstar because the first Certified Organic brewery in Illinois.

According to Cameron, “The only challenges were explaining to people why we were doing this.” It helped that Uncommon Ground already had so much credibility among good food diners. “I remember the first comment we got from people was, ‘Oh, of course you did. That’s where you guys are, of course, you open an organic brewery, that’s who Uncommon Ground is,’” Cameron says.

Brandon Stern, Greenstar’s head brewer, explains that organic grain, hops and yeast respond the same in the brewing process as do conventional ingredients. The challenge, he states, is that organic ingredients are just harder to source. “I really only have access to probably five or six different malt varieties,” Stern notes. “Hops, again depending on supply, I’d say probably at most 10, maybe 12 varieties, so it forces a lot of creativity.”

WOMEN-OWNED BREWERY, CIDER HOUSE AND HARD CIDER BREW PUB

When Eris Brewery & Cider House (ErisChicago.com) opened in 2018, it would have made a splash just by being the first brewpub in Chicago that emphasized its own craft hard ciders over beer. There are currently 11 different homemade ciders on Eris’ menu, many of them creative flavor

Forbidden Root, 1746 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago

Cultivate by Forbidden Root, 4710 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago

Broken Tee Brewing Co., 406 Green Bay Rd., Highwood

Uncommon Ground/Greenstar Brewing, 3800 N. Clark St., Chicago

Eris Brewery and Cider House, 4240 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago

combinations with names such as Punx, Apfelort, Pepper Jam, Baked Apple, Peach and Bong, and Berri Mint. By comparison, there are four house beers on the menu.

But the impact of Eris goes far beyond its cider-centric appeal because it is one of the few adult beverage companies that are women-owned and operated. Michelle Foik, a veteran beer and cider marketer, teamed up with Katy Pizza, which brought loads of project manager experience to the table. (Katy’s husband Nunzino Pizza was an early investor in Chicago’s legendary Revolution Brewing, where Foik also formerly worked.)

Together, Foik and Pizza chose the name Eris from the Greek goddess of discord, oversaw the overhaul of a former longtime masonic temple in the Old Irving Park neighborhood, opened to positive reviews, and then together weathered the critical challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foik’s ability to break through the glass ceiling in the male-dominated industry benefited from her strong reputation working in many managerial roles at major producers such as Revolution, Goose Island Brewing and Virtue Cider. Foik says that for a long time she would speak at seminars and ask women in the audience if they had owned businesses and liked beer, and hands went up, but when she asked if they would like to own their own brewery, there was little response.

Now Foik sees changes afoot. “There are a lot more women that are interested in the brewing industry, and that’s a positive change,” she says. “Now you’re seeing more women working directly in the heart of the brewing industry, rather than just sales and marketing.”

Bob Benenson is the publisher and writer of Local Food Forum, a newsletter that covers all aspects of the local food community in the Chicago region. He can be contacted at Bob@LocalFoodForum.com.

Brewing Tanks at Broken Tee Brewing

Uncommon Ground / Greenstar Brewing

Michelle Foik of Eris Brewery

Photo credit wallsdesk.com

Photo credit Bob Benenson

Photo credit Bob Benenson

Photo credit Bob Benenson

ON

TERRY WAHLS

MANAGING AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE WITH LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS

by Noelle Citarella, MS, RDN, CDN, IFNCP

Terry Wahls, M.D., is a certified practitioner at the Institute for Functional Medicine, as well as clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa, where she conducts clinical trials testing the effect of therapeutic diet and lifestyle to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. She is the author of The Wahls

Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, as well as an accompanying cookbook, The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life

When Wahls was diagnosed with MS and later relegated to a tilt-recline wheelchair in the early 2000s, she decided to fight back. Drawing upon her medical background, she identified certain nutrients that were critical for brain health and started taking supplements. The disease’s progression slowed as a result, spurring her to dig deeper. Since then, through rigorous scientific study and numerous clinical trials, Wahls has developed groundbreaking dietary and lifestyle recommendations that alleviate autoimmune disease symptoms. No longer bound to a wheelchair, she bikes to work every day and stands as a living testament to the power of tenacity and strenuous scientific inquiry.

WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE WAHLS PROTOCOL?

The protocol is a lifestyle that supports the steadily improving health of everyone, not just MS patients. It focuses on eating more vegetables and fruits, and ensuring sufficient protein. It reduces or eliminates added sugars, ultra-processed foods, dairy and gluten-containing grains. While the diet may get more complex, a great place for anyone to start is including more non-starchy vegetables, less processed food and more meals cooked at home. The protocol also includes lifestyle interventions, such as time in nature, meditation, mindfulness and physical activity. Even for patients who are wheelchair-bound, going from chair to bed, exercise will improve their quality of life. It is a way of approaching living that creates a more healthy, nurturing environment.

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR CURRENT MS STUDY?

Seeing what happens with brain volume and quality of life. We hypothesize that lifestyle changes will get the rate of brain volume loss to match that of healthy aging. MS patients have brains that are shrinking three times faster than in healthy aging. This increases the risk for anxiety, depression and early cognitive decline. Our study will be the largest and longest dietary

intervention study done in the setting of relapsing-remitting MS. We are recruiting people ages 18 to 70 diagnosed with MS. During the participants’ three visits, they will complete surveys, conduct functional tests, provide blood and saliva samples, and get an MRI. The participants will be divided into three groups. One will follow a modified paleo diet; the second an olive oil ketogenic, time-restricted diet; and the third will be the control group. We are optimistic that the first two groups will get to healthy aging, and the control arm will likely improve, as well.

WHAT IS METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY, AND HOW DO YOU IMPROVE IT?

Fasting improves metabolic flexibility—the ability to switch between protein, fat and glucose for fuel. Fasting for two days increases stem cells. While periodic fasting is beneficial for metabolism and regenerative processes, it is hard to sustain because of our strong biologic drive to eat and dislike for being hungry. An easier dietary pattern to sustain long term is time-restricted eating in a window of six to eight hours. Our current clinical trial incorporates this eating pattern.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE GETTING STARTED?

How important managing stress is. When I was diagnosed with MS, I could tell that stress made my symptoms worse. I feel I would have done much better had I maintained my meditation. I am fond of hormetic stress, that “sweet spot” where stress could be beneficial. Without stress, our bones and muscles disappear. Without the stress of having to learn, our brain disappears. We just need an equal measure of relaxation and recovery.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKEAWAY ON LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

You can reverse symptoms of MS and restore function. You can have a great and meaningful life at your level of function. It is important to find joy, gratitude and purpose in life as it’s unfolding now, and doing so will help with the energy and commitment needed to do the work that can change the direction of your healing journey.

To learn more about Wahls’ studies, visit Wahls.Lab.uiowa.edu. To participate, visit Wahls.Lab.uiowa.edu/join-study or contact the study team at MSDietStudy@healthcare.uiowa.edu.

Noelle Citarella is a registered dietitian specializing in neurological nutrition and autoimmune disease in the Buffalo, N.Y., area.

OF HIGH-INTENSITY

WORK HARDER AND SMARTER BENEFITS

INTERVAL TRAINING

by Kirby Baldwin

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts may sound like a trendy buzzword reserved only for experienced athletes, but this versatile, short-form exercise is safe and effective for just about everybody, including beginners, as long as it is done properly. According to Bogdan Goia, fitness expert and founder of Far Hills Fitness, in New Jersey, “HIIT training can benefit almost any age demographic, from teenagers to clients in their 70s and 80s.”

“In a recent study, even menopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis successfully completed 13 months of high-impact HIIT with a very high adherence rate, with no injuries and high satisfaction ratings,” shares Debra Atkinson, a medical exercise specialist, certified strength and conditioning coach, and founder of Flipping 50 (FlippingFifty.com).

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF HIIT

A HIIT workout consists of a series of short bursts of intense activity interspersed with periods of rest or low-intensity movement called “active recovery”. A session is deemed to be high intensity when it is at or near peak effort, which translates to an eight or nine out of 10 on the exercise intensity scale, or 80 to 95 percent of an individual’s maximum heart rate. Such exertion is characterized by heavy sweating and an inability to say more than a few words without gasping for breath.

While HIIT workouts provide many of the same benefits as traditional, “steady state” exercise training, where the required amount of effort remains relatively consistent, HIIT sessions are typically shorter in duration, ranging anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. HIIT is the perfect solution for busy people that are short on time or those hesitant to commit to longer exercise routines.

The exercise format is easily adaptable to most types of physical activities, such as running, weightlifting, swimming or biking, as long as a high level of intensity can be maintained. Adding to the convenience factor, HIIT does not require a gym membership or access to specialized equipment.

BENEFITS OF A HIIT WORKOUT REGIMEN

HIIT workouts have been the subject of numerous studies and have been shown to help with fat loss, improved metabolism and muscle gain. One study found that participants burned 25 to 30 percent more calories during a HIIT workout than in other forms of exercise. Because

HIIT boosts metabolism, calorie burn has also been shown to last beyond the workout.

Researchers have discovered other health benefits, from reducing blood sugar levels, resting heart rate and blood pressure, to balancing hormones, slowing the rate of cellular aging and even increasing longevity.

The practice also reduces the wear and tear that chronic cardio can inflict on

the body. While federal guidelines currently recommend 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate exercise, only 75 minutes per week are recommended when the exercise is vigorous.

HOW TO GET STARTED

For those looking to improve aerobic fitness, intervals typically involve a one-to-one or one-to-two work-to-rest ratio. For example, in a one-to-one cardio workout, the person would exercise strenuously for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds.

If the goal is to gain strength, longer rest intervals are needed, with at least a one-to-five work-to-rest ratio. A person might exercise for 30 seconds, followed by 150 seconds of rest, for example, allowing their targeted muscles to recover and heart rate to drop before the next exertion.

HIIT should not be performed daily or when energy levels are low, to avoid injury and give the body enough time between workouts to rest and repair. Atkinson cautions, “Injury rates increase considerably doing more than 50 minutes per week of HIIT, due to the additional stress and need for recovery between. The good news is, there’s no need to do more. Short sessions actually get the best results.”

According to Goia, “I believe the key is to have a fitness professional select the exercise, monitor form and function, adjust workto-rest ratios and monitor heart rate variability. HIIT workouts give my clients a 60-minute workout in 30 minutes and, if done correctly, will greatly increase the vitality, longevity and strength of any client.”

JUMP RIGHT IN

For a flexible, efficient path to fitness, HIIT checks all the boxes. By starting small and slowly working up to a high level of intensity, a whole host of fitness gains and health benefits are possible without sacrificing time.

Kirby Baldwin is an editor and writer for KnoWEwell, the Regenerative Whole Health Hub and parent company of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.

SWEET LULLABY BETTER SLEEP FOR CHILDREN

by Marlaina Donato and Kirby Baldwin

Sleep is essential for both survival and the ability to thrive, yet as children’s schedules get busier and they spend more time in front of screens, their average sleep time often decreases. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids between the ages of 6 and 12 get nine to 12 hours of sleep per night for optimal health, they’re regularly getting less, and about 15 to 25 percent of youngsters and adolescents have trouble falling and staying asleep.

In a recent study published in The Lancet, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that children that get less than nine hours of sleep per night have notable differences in areas of the brain that influence memory, intelligence and well-being compared to those that sleep more than nine hours. According to researchers, such insufficiencies in early adolescence can lead to long-lasting neurocognitive consequences.

WHY KIDS AREN’T SLEEPING

Anna Esparham, M.D., FAAP, an integrative medical expert with the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends that parents look for clues as to why their children can’t sleep, including stress, increased screen time and less physical activity. However, there may be other underlying issues.

A lesser-known culprit that may contribute to a child’s compromised sleep is impaired mouth syndrome (IMS), a term coined by dentist Felix Liao, a certified airway-centered mouth doctor and past-president of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine. “Most people, including many dentists, don’t realize the influence that the mouth has on the body,” he says. “The mouth is the portal to the inside. With impaired mouth syndrome, the child can still chew, smile and talk, but the body’s health can be compromised.”

While birth trauma, concussion and viruses can precipitate mouth breathing, and chronic allergies often exacerbate matters, immature swallowing can set off a cascade of problems. The mouth is a critical infrastructure for proper breathing, circulation, digestion, energy and sleep. IMS occurs when jaw development is insufficient, thereby giving rise to numerous difficulties, such as a narrower airway, which can cause hypoxia, or low levels of oxygen. Liao notes that poor sleep quality can also lead to learning and behavioral problems.

“Breastfeeding stimulates bone growth and jaw development through the tongue’s

instinctive action and ideally enables a child to have a mature swallow by age 2,” says Amy Dayries-Ling, DMD, FAIHM, a national spokesperson for the American Dental Association. In her book Solve Your Sleep: Get to the Core of Your Snore for Better Health, Dayries-Ling connects the dots between the vital role of the tongue during breastfeeding, balanced stimulation from the vagus nerve and beneficial spaces between milk teeth for a well-developed dental arch.

CORRECTING STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS

From a holistic perspective, improperly working muscles of the tongue, throat and face or a compromised jawbone can foster a predisposition to a number of seemingly unrelated conditions, including dental problems, teeth grinding, asthma, bedwetting, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, poor growth, swollen tonsils and pediatric obstructive sleep apnea. Dayries-Ling recommends that parents seek out a myofunctional therapist that can help retrain muscles and free up the airway. Building an integrative team is vital, including a dentist trained to address structural issues.

As a board-certified Integrative Bi -

ologic Dental Medicine practitioner and naturopathic physician, Bernice Teplitsky, DDS, NMD, FAGD, AIAOMT, owner of Wrigleyville Dental, in Chicago, works with patients to assess potential airway and sleep issues and give recommendations. She and her team also address related conditions in children, including frenectomy (tongue/lip tie) and orthodontic options to correct airway issues.

She says, “The human body was designed to have lips closed together and to breathe in and out through the nose. Similar to a HEPA air filter; the nose has a filtration system that screens out pathogens like bacteria and viruses floating in the air. Mouth-breathers get less oxygen into the body than nasal-breathers. Low levels of oxygen in the body can cause people to be prone to more infections, have trouble sleeping, have weight issues, clench or grind teeth, have depression or anxiety, sleepiness throughout the day and other systemic issues.”

Teplitsky explains, “Many people are not breathing correctly or efficiently, causing them to struggle throughout their day. The

body finds ways to compensate accordingly. Poor breathing may not appear obvious to the untrained eye. Sitting or sleeping with lips apart is one of the biggest signs to look for. By detecting this and other signs of poor breathing, we can help both kids and adults intake more oxygen so they can achieve their optimal health. Mouth-breathers should be evaluated by an airway-focused dentist. Sometimes seeing an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist or a myofunctional therapist to retrain the muscles of the mouth is in order. Keeping lips together and the tongue in the correct position is ideal for optimal well-being.”

Dawn Diehnelt, DDS, an airway-focused dentist in Schaumburg, treats both children and adults. At Serenity Dental Studio, she emphasizes creating beautiful faces with good airways, resulting in healthy bodies, and also provides routine dental care such as cleanings and fillings.

“Crooked teeth are not caused by genetics. Cave people did not have crooked teeth,” she states. Rather, mouth breathing and improper tongue position and swallow

are usually the culprits. They cause small, narrow jaws without enough room for the teeth. Doesn’t it make sense to correct the cause and help the jaws and face grow to a healthy size?” she says. “Harnessing the power of the body can create amazing results. Everything is connected, as it should be. It’s never too early to get started, and it’s never too late.”

As a member of the North American Association of Facial Orthotropics and a staunch supporter of the Foundation for Airway Health, Diehnelt takes a natural approach to airway dentistry that combines myofunctional approach (tongue and breath training) and the understanding of physiology and anatomy, along with the latest technology.

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and host of multimedia art exhibits intended for healing the community. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

Kirby Baldwin is an editor and writer for KnoWEwell, the Regenerative Whole Health Hub and parent company of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.

Empower Natural Health By

Your Pain, Fatigue & Chronic Illness May Be Rooted in:

1.Crowded Teeth & Deficient Jaws

2.Pinched Airway

3.Clicking/Popping Jaw Joints

4.Teeth Grinding

5.Tongue-Tie & Abnormal Swallowing

6.Weak Chin, Double Chin

7.Sunken Mid-Face, Flat Cheekbones

Impaired Mouth Symptoms Short List:

1. Aches & Pains in Head, Jaws, Neck Shoulders & Back

2. Fatique, Brain Fog, Lack of Motivation

3. Post-Nasal Drip & Frequent Colds & Flu

4. Teeth Grinding & Jaw Joint Troubles

5. Snoring, Sleep Apnea, CPAP Intolerance

6. Anxiety, Depression, Irritability/Hostility

7. “Empty Tank” From Adrenal Fatique, PMS/ED

8. Food Cravings; Caffeine, Sugar, Chocolate, Energy Drinks

Dr. Felix Liao, DDS

FINDING HOPE IN ACTION

SAVING EARTH AND WATER WITH SMALL STEPS

by Marlaina Donato

I n her book One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions That Change Our World, environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill asserts, “Everything we do and say does change the world. Even our inactions have impact.” Spring-boarding from Hill’s keen observation, the efforts each of us make can add up to much more than we ever imagine.

This year, the International Day of Forests and World Water Day are celebrated during the spring equinox (March 21 and 22), when nature kicks into high gear for annual renewal. For those dedicated to Earth awareness, this is a wonderful opportunity to commune with like-minded activists and learn about our impacts on vanishing resources.

PROGRESS AS INCENTIVE

It is easy to be hopelessly discouraged when we look at the statistics of vanishing rain forests, polluted waterways and an astonishing output of “forever chemicals”, but focusing instead on the headway we’ve made worldwide can be a shot in the arm. The ozone layer, according to reliable accounts, is in recovery, thanks to reduced production of chlorofluorocarbons. Plastic policies in cities across the U.S., Europe and Australia are reducing waste, especially plastic shopping bags, plates, straws and cutlery. To fight the demise of vital coral reefs due to ocean acidification caused by the plastic pandemic, scientists are seeding reefs with coral offspring to promote restoration. The United Nations biodiversity conference held last year initiated an agreement among world leaders to restore 30 percent of natural resources by 2030 through concentrated efforts across the globe.

FOSTERING FORESTS

Major culprits of deforestation are food production (soy, corn and livestock), illegal logging and excessive paper manufacturing, which uses hazardous chemicals that compromise the air and human health. But there is much we can each do to counterbalance this devastation.

Besides going paperless whenever we can at home and work, opting for paper alternatives like bamboo, hemp and sugarcane can reduce energy production and pollution. “The three Rs—recycle, reuse and reduce—are still very important,” says Todd Larsen, executive co-director at Green America “Look for paper products made with post-consumer recycled fiber, and consumers can encourage companies they support to use recycled paper as much as possible.”

The people behind TreeSisters.org , a registered charity in the UK spearheading social change and tropical reforestation, explain, “Tropical forests are more than ‘the lungs’ of our world.

They are the beating heart of the hydrological cycle. As weather stabilizers, rain creators and cleansers, they are intimately tied to our health and our food.”

Supporting reputable organizations for land and water extends beyond funds. Volunteer work, initiating a fundraiser and spreading the word about their efforts on social media or over a coffee break are love in action. Choosing to buy from organic farmers with Earth-positive practices like crop rotation, cover cropping and composting is an investment in the future. Brady Smith, the public affairs officer for the Coconino National Forest, in Arizona, emphasizes, “If people can practice ‘leaving no trace’ ethics, that would go a long, long way in helping preserve our forests.”

WALKING OUR TALK FOR WATER

It is a frightening prospect that the world’s oceans will have more plastic than marine life in just 30 years. The impact of overfishing

adds to the grim reality, but we can choose sustainable, wild-caught seafood that requires minimal fresh water (and produces fewer carbon dioxide emissions than the beef industry).

According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, one in three people suffer from the consequences of contaminated water. Supporting clean water projects sponsored by charities like Water. org can help provide safe drinking water for families in impoverished countries. Donating $200 can help a family receive a water credit loan to connect to a water supply inside the home. A borrower’s payback rate in a country like the Philippines is an inspiring 99 percent.

FULL CIRCLE

Even surfing the net can have environmental implications. Instead of conducting web searches on Google, consider Ecosia. They use the profit they make from people ’ s searches to plant trees where they are needed most. What we do matters.

Canadian activist Maude Barlow’s inspiring words at the World Future Council last year remind us, “We can’t know what the outcome is going to be, but we have to have faith that others are doing very important work and that, collectively, that’s going to make a difference.”

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and host of multimedia art exhibits intended for healing the community. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

Saturday, March 11, 6:00 - 7:30 pm (Onsite)

Amazing Gong Journey with Sound Healer Andre Peraza, $40

Saturday, March 18, 4;00 - 7:00 pm (Onsite)

Astral Energy Healing with Richard Popp and Cheryl K, 30-minute session, $50

Sunday, March 19, 2:00 - 5:00 pm (Onsite)

Technology Is Replacing Morality! with Dr. Leon Kolodziej, $45 March 21, 22, 23, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm (Onsite)

Malcolm Smith, Energy Healer from England 30-minute session, $100

Tuesday, March 21, 7:00 - 9:00 pm (Onsite)

Spring Equinox Shamanic Ceremony with Melissa Gama, Shaman, $40 Sunday, March 26, 2:00 - 5:00 pm (Onsite)

Angel Readings with Joanne, 30-minute session, $40

Sunday, March 26, 2:00 - 5:00 pm (Onsite)

Healing Through the Akashic Records with Janel, 30-minute session, $40

Photo by Tim Douglas from Pexels

Launch a Food Business FROM HOME

by Lisa Kivirist and John D. Ivanko

Turn muffins, decorated cookies, decorated cakes or homemade jams and jellies into cash. The time couldn’t be better to start a food business from a home kitchen. While these “cottage food” businesses in Illinois have been able to legally operate since 2012, the expanded cottage food law passed in 2021, called the Hometo-Market Act, adds opportunities for home-based food entrepreneurs to grow and reach new customers in the state.

State-specific cottage food laws, as they’re commonly known nationally, refer to cottage food operators that are allowed to sell, direct to the customer, certain “non-hazardous” food products made in their home kitchen. Food products may either be lowmoisture-like breads and cookies or high-acid canned items like jars of pickles. Many cottage food laws across the nation now allow potentially hazardous foods as well, including Illinois, where certain time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods like vegan pasta salads and vegan burgers are allowed if certain storage and transportation refrigeration requirements are maintained. All TCS foods must be stored, transported and sold at or below 41° Fahrenheit.

Anyone can be part of a growing movement of people starting small food businesses from their homes. Little to no start-up capital is needed; just good recipes, enthusiasm and commitment, plus enough know-how to turn ingredients into treats for the local community.

Everything required is probably already in their home kitchen.

In Illinois, each county health department handles the cottage food operator registration and the collection of a nominal fee. There are some requirements to be followed in order for the business to operate, including that the owner receive a Certified Food Protection Manager certificate, specific labeling requirements for each food product category and other food safety testing that may need to be completed, depending on the products sold. While no home inspection is required, every consideration should be made to produce the cottage food product as safely as possible. To assist operators, the local health department will provide a Cottage Food Operation Home Self-Certification checklist as a part of the registration process.

“Now is a great time to start a cottage food operation in Illinois.

Photo credit John D. Ivanko Photography

Photo credit John D. Ivanko Photography

Photo credit John D. Ivanko Photography

Thanks to legislation that our members and partners worked hard to pass, now cottage food producers can sell their products beyond farmers markets. This includes selling from their home, at fairs and festivals, at pick-up and drop-off locations and even shipping across the state,” says Molly Pickering, deputy director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance.

Unlike other states with restrictive gross sales caps for cottage food products sold, operators in Illinois can sell as much as they want. When marketing, however, owners must make it clear to their customers that their products were produced in a home kitchen that may also process common food allergens and are not inspected by a health department. The Home-to-Market Act further clarified fermented and acidified products and established rules to allow buttercream frosting.

“The new law gives cottage food entrepreneurs many more opportunities to reach new customers and grow their businesses. Cottage food entrepreneurs interested in getting started should check out the Cottage Food Guide available on our website at IlStewards.org, which will walk you through all the steps of setting up your cottage food business from registering with your health department to

finding business insurance,” advises Pickering.

Cottage food operators can take full advantage of the benefits of operating a business as opposed to having a hobby by deducting allowable expenses, and if operating at a loss, reflecting this on their tax return to reduce taxable income. Deducting business miles for making deliveries with their personal vehicle or receiving rent paid for a home office for storing packing items and to do the bookkeeping may both be legitimate business expenses. If the business has a net profit of more than $400 in a given year, then there will be some taxes due.

Fledgling food entrepreneurs no longer need to invest more than $50,000 into a commercial kitchen or pay $50 an hour to rent a licensed facility to turn a great-tasting biscotti recipe into a money-making dream business. They now have the freedom to earn with very little by way of startup costs or burdensome regulations.

Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko are the authors of Farmstead Chef, Homemade for Sale, ECOpreneuring, and Soil Sisters They run the completely solar-powered Inn Serendipity Farm, in Wisconsin. For more information on Homemade for Sale, visit HomemadeForSale.com.

Left: Desert Dome Right: Desert House

Photo credit John

D. Ivanko Photography

Winter Blooms and Greenery

Chicago Region Conservatories Connect Humans with World’s Plants

by Sheryl DeVore

As winter lingers, those that long for the dry heat of the desert, the humid warmth of a tropical rainforest or summer’s colorful blooms can visit the Garfield Conservatory of Chicago (GarfieldConservatory.org). This and other local conservatories feature greenhouses that are teeming year-round with blooming orchids, hibiscus and cacti; tall, swaying palm trees; and banana and coffee tree plants.

The Garfield Conservatory’s purpose is “to offer a place and space for urban dwellers to connect with nature and learn about how plants are critical to all life on Earth,” says Mary Eysenbach, Chicago Park District director of conservatories. “Through plants, the Conservatory connects visitors to places in the world they may have never seen or places in the world with which they have a history,” she notes.

Visitors can even travel to another time in the Conservatory’s historic Fern Room. “It has lush ferns, rocky outcroppings and an indoor lagoon that evoke the swampy landscape of prehistoric Chicago,” Eysen-

bach says. “It’s also home to the palm-like cycad, one of the oldest species of plants on Earth.”

Considered revolutionary when it opened in 1908, the Garfield Park Conservatory is described as a work of “landscape art under glass.” The structure replaced three small Victorian glass houses that were built in Chicago in the 1890s. Renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen designed the new conservatory, working with an engineering company that specialized in greenhouses.

“The structure, one of the largest conservatories in the world, was quite unlike its 19th-century predecessors,” Eysenbach says. “Jensen wanted the exterior to emulate the simple form of a Midwestern haystack. Inside, he displayed plants in the ground as opposed to potted containers. Jensen also hid pipes and other mechanical systems behind beautiful walls of stratified stonework.”

Visitors can see Jensen’s stone and water elements in the Fern Room. Eysenbach

says Jensen had the builders listen to Mendelssohn’s Spring Song, and that inspired them to build the kind of waterfall there he wanted, with water tinkling “gently… as it should in a prairie country.”

The Conservatory celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008 by opening a new greenhouse exhibit, Sugar from the Sun. “It teaches visitors how plants capture sunlight and use it to change small parts of air and water into sugar—the energy that sustains life on Earth and a crucial element in fighting climate change,” Eysenbach says.

Other greenhouses to visit at the Conservatory include the Palm House, which includes graceful palms interspersed with tropical plants reaching to the ceiling, and the Desert House, home to hundreds of cacti and other succulents. The Aroid House features giant houseplants, including philodendrons, a pond and a sculpture. The Show House displays two seasonal floral exhibits.

“Traveling through the Conservatory allows visitors to experience lush flora and tropical temperatures away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago,” Eysenbach notes. “The public that visits the Conservatory is just amazed at the collection and to learn that such an extraordinary inventory of plants and flowers originating from all corners of the world are alive and thriving in their own backyard.”

Eysenbach also manages another, smaller park district conservancy in Lincoln Park ( LincolnParkConservancy.org). There, visitors can explore a Victorian-era glass house built circa 1890. Palms, ferns, orchids and showy plants can be viewed in four display greenhouses. While admission is free to both conservatories, advance reservations are required to enter.

CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN GREENHOUSES

Farther north, the public can visit three greenhouses at the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe (ChicagoBotanic.org/ gardensgreenhouses). Designed by Edward

Left: Show House (Garfield Park Conservatory)

Photo credit Chicago Park District

Larrabee Barnes, they opened in 1978. There is an entrance and parking fee to the Garden. “The original purpose of the greenhouses was to display plants from three different biomes (tropical, semitropical and arid), emphasizing beauty and primarily winter flowers,” says Fred Spicer, executive vice president and director of the Garden.

“The public greenhouses provide visitors a place to view and interact with plants year-round. For us in a cold climate, visitors need and want things that are lush, green and flowering in the winter,” Spicer explains. “Species and cultivars in different plant families burst into bloom in winter, making it a major event in the greenhouses. It’s also a place where people from other parts of the world can see plants they may already know and love.”

Visitors can explore the Arid Greenhouse, with succulents, cacti, trees and shrubs from arid, desert or dryland climates. The Semitropical Greenhouse holds plants from around the world that can inspire visitors looking for new species to grow indoors. The Tropical Greenhouse is the most diverse of the three, housing nearly 300 species of orchids.

Jodi Zombolo, associate vice president of visitor events and programs, says of particular interest in winter is the annual orchid show, which is housed in two of the greenhouses. It runs through March 25.

“What better way to beat the cold and dreary days of winter than to step into the stunning displays of orchids and the warmth of the greenhouses?” Zombolo says. “At the show, people can see more than 10,000 orchid blooms, as well as experience the unexpected as they step into an oversized bloom and wander through huge hanging columns of color.”

The year-round greenhouses will close in late April for remodeling and reopen in late September. “Fortunately, visitors will have all the outdoors gardens to explore in their splendor during that time, and the greenhouses will be ready for visitors when cooler weather returns in the fall,” Spicer says.

Spicer shares that horticulturists work to maintain the plants using an integrated management program involving biological control rather than spraying with chemicals. “We regularly release small wasps, beetles and nematodes to control our greenhouse pests,” he explains.

a type of lizard that likes dry condition and lives in Australia. Deserts receive less than 10 inches of rain per year, and can be found on every continent. Staff keeps the Desert Dome at 50° F from October through March, and the plants are watered minimally.

The Tropical Dome features 1,200 plant species which are watered twice daily in a warm environment. Visitors learn about the four layers of a tropical rainforest inside this dome. The forest floor has little sunlight and few plants. The understory contains climbing ferns and coffee trees. The canopy teems with banana plants, orange trees, coconut palms, mahogany trees and ebony trees. At the top is the emergent layer, which reaches above the other plants in the forest and receives the most sunlight. Plants here include the canary date palm, the tallest tree in the Tropical Dome.

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.

MILWAUKEE’S MITCHELL PARK DOMES

Farther north is the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, in Milwaukee, better known as Mitchell Park Domes (Mitchell ParkDomes.com). There is an entrance fee to enter the domes, which are closed on Tuesdays. The Desert Dome contains plants that grow in Africa, Madagascar, South America and North America, and include giant cacti, agave and a bearded dragon,

Photo credit Chicago Park District

Photo credit Chicago Botanic Garden

Photo credit Mitchell Park Domes

Photo credit Mitchell Park Domes

Photo credit Chicago Park District

Orchid Show (Chicago Botanic Garden)

Desert Dome (Mitchell Park Domes)

Fern Room Desert House (Garfield Park Conservatory)

Bearded Dragon (Mitchell Park Domes)

Fern Room (Garfield Park Conservatory)

CHICAGO’S 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.

Call First:

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

Women’s Heritage Month

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

Green Drinks McHenry County – 5pm, social; 6pm, program. 1st Wed. Topic: Dragonfly Nymphs: Form Follows Function. In-person and Zoom. Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen, 110 N Main St, Crystal Lake. GreenDrinks. org/IL/Crystal%20Lake.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

ONLINE: Personal Chef Dana Boswell on Instagram – 9-9:15am. Fruitful Yield has the pleasure of hosting Personal Chef (and Fruitful Yield alumni) Dana Boswell on Instagram. Dana will share some of her favorite healthy breakfast additions that are guaranteed to add some nutritional power to your breakfast. Instagram: @TheFruitfulYield.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

World Wildlife Day

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. Regency Towers, 1415 W 22nd St, Tower Fl, Oak Brook. 224-6003216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival – 7pm. Bring the whole family to see a lineup of the best in environmental and adventure short films covering a variety of topics relevant to those concerned about the future of our planet. $10/EEA member, $12/general public. Rotary International, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston. Tickets: EvanstonEnvironment.org/filmfest.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

Ethics: Diversity & Decolonization Tool Kit for Bodyworkers – Saturdays, Mar 4-25. 10am-12pm. This series presents a map of the path we must traverse to liberate yoga and wellness tools and to enter the transformative justice work of anti-racism. Our approach to learning is rooted in a decolonized framework, Indigenous methodologies, is BBIPOC-centered and utilizes experiential pedagogy. Taught by Yoli Maya Yeh. 8 CEs. $200. Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

Cupping Part One – 10am-5pm. Cupping creates a vacuum to draw out stagnation and toxins and mobilizes the blood, qi and lymph. Learn a variety of cupping techniques addressing the common cold, muscle aches and pains, digestive disorders and irregular menstruation, etc. 6 CEs. $150. Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

SAVE THE DATE

Body Mind Spirit Expo Weekend – Mar 4-5. 10am-7pm, Sat; 10am-6pm, Sun. Explore some of the nation’s finest psychics and mediums and the best in alternative and natural health, wellness tools, products and resources, expand their insights and take in learning sessions and presentations featuring psychics, experts and holistic practitioners at the top of their fields. $15. Save $1 with entry coupon on website. Midwest Conference Center, 401 W Lake St, Chicago (Northlake). BMSE.net.

RejuveNate Plants: Paint and Plant Wellness Class – 10:30am-12pm. With Ashley Searing, founder of RejuveNate Plants and Wellness. Learn how RejuveNate started, her personal story and how plants and creative therapy influence and benefit our mental health. $5/person. Sugar Creek Administration Center, 17540 W Laraway Rd, Joliet. Register by Mar 2: 815-727-8700 or ReconnectWithNature.org.

IPPL/DGC Seed & Houseplant Exchange – 10:30am-12:30pm. Darien Garden Club members will offer their expertise on seed starting and explain how to harvest them at the end of the season. Our members will show you the ins and outs of houseplant propagation as well. While you are there, check out the seeds from the IPPL Seed Library. Free. Indian Prairie Public Library, 401 Plainfield Rd, Darien. Tinyurl.com/mr3bmh6f.

Mammal Madness – 11am-2pm. The festivities begin with a live animal presentation by Big Run Wolf Ranch. Following the presentation are mammal-themed activities that are fun for the whole family. Free. Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W Walnut Ln, Channahon. ReconnectWithNature.org.

Fiercely Female – 12-1pm. Ready to create resolutions that last a lifetime instead of just 2 weeks? Join Marla Privitera of INDIGO Holistic Wellness Coaching, for a 1-hr introductory workshop. We’ll talk about ways you can build a healthy lifestyle that brings out your best in body, mind and soul. $11. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

Beginning Birding Hike – 8-10am. Join a naturalist to learn birding basics. Free. Messenger Woods Nature Preserve, 13800 W Bruce Rd, Homer Glen. Registration required by Mar 3: 708-946-2216 or ReconnectWithNature.org.

Hike the Inner Trails of Skokie Lagoons–10am-12:30pm. Hike before they flood; 4.5 miles; option for 8.5 miles. Free. Forest Way Picnic Grove #1, N Branch Trail System, Brown Paved Trl, Glencoe. Details & to register: Tinyurl.com/4mx7dp99.

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 Mar 4: 815-722-9470. ReconnectWithNature.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 6

Purim begins at sundown (Judaism)

Women’s Health Check Screening –9am-5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. 1010 Lake St, Ste 200, Oak Park. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

Darien Garden Club March Meeting: Edible Landscapes – 6:30pm-8:30am. Discuss combining fruit and nut trees, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, and even berry bushes in aesthetically pleasing ways in your home garden. Free. St John Lutheran Church, 7214 S Cass Ave, Darien. Tinyurl.com/mr78m47r.

ONLINE: Beginning Astrology Level 1 –Mondays, Mar 6-Apr 10. 7:30-9:30pm. Learn planets, signs, houses, aspects, interpretation and transits. Know nothing about astrology, or know some but need to increase skill in interpreting charts, this course will provide what you need to go forward in study. $180. Via Zoom. Life Force Arts Center: 773-327-7224. LifeForceArts.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

Full Moon – Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Lenten Moon

Holi begins at sundown (Hinduism)

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, 1124 Douglas Rd, Oswego. Register: 630-554-3304 or FruitfulYield.com.

AWAKE: Ancient Breath Chakra Balance Meditation – 7-8pm. 1st Tues. This immersive meditative experience utilizes breath to access the chakra system and merge the ancient disciplines of movement, breathwork, mantra and Vipassana meditation. Updated for the 21st century by incorporating a modern Western understanding of neurology and physiology. Free. The Gathering Lighthouse, 26 N Park Ave, Lombard. TheGatheringLighthouse.org.

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.

ONLINE: Life Mission Exploration – 7:158:15pm. 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.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

Int’l Women’s Day

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

FRIDAY, MARCH 10

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. The Plaza, 100 Illinois St, Ste 200, St Charles. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

Women and the Environment Series – Fridays, Mar 10-31. 10-11:30am. Celebrate the contributions women have made to the natural world through conservation work, science, advocacy and education. In-person or online. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. Details: MortonArb.org.

Tarot Night – 6-10pm. Join us in a special evening with Andre. The store will be gallery lit for this special event. $35/30 mins. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. For appt: 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com.

The Science of Faith: A Buddhist Perspective – 7-8:30pm. A fascinating look into the scientific method of meditation and Buddhist practice. Includes a special talk, guided meditation and time for questions. All welcome. Following the talk, everyone invited to a social dinner at a local restaurant in Wicker Park (details TBD). $15; Cost of dinner not included. Kadampa Meditation Center Chicago, Wicker Park, 2010 W Pierce Ave, Chicago. 708-763-0132. MeditateInChicago.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

Hike Grassy Lake Hike – 10am-12pm. Multiple mileage options. Free. Grassy Lake, 23900 N Kelsey Rd, Lake Barrington. Tinyurl.com/486pb5nx.

Maple Syrup Magic – 10am-12pm or 1-3pm. Learn how it’s made, find maple trees on-site and try some real maple syrup. Free. Plum Creek Nature Center, 27064 S Dutton Rd, Beecher. Register by Mar 10: 708-946-2216 or ReconnectWithNature.org.

Rooted Holistic Healing & Wellness Fair

– 10am-5pm. Includes a variety of vendors as well as a Group Gallery mediumship event with Psychic Medium Debbie Strait and 4 free lectures. $5 Entry; $25 Optional Gallery. Brookfield Conference Center, 325 S Moorland Rd, Brookfield. RootedHolisticFairs.com.

SAVE THE DATE

Free Natural Wellness and Self-Care Fair

– 1-4pm. Sponsored by Infinity Foundation. Experience free mini-sessions to relax, revive and revitalize. Wellness experts will also give free individual mini-sessions to promote wellness. A separate supervised play space available with activities for kids of all ages. Free. Oak Terrace Elementary School, 240 Oak Terrace, Highwood. InfinityFoundation.org.

ONLINE: Chicago IANDS – 2pm. Support/ study/resource forum for near-death, outof-body and spiritual experiences, losses. Guest Speaker: Father Nathan Castle, Catholic Priest, author, lecturer, workshop facilitator, retreat director. Helps stuck souls cross over. 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.

How to Make a Crystal Grid – 2-4pm. Learn the basics of how to choose the elements of a grid, how to activate it, where to place it and much more. Workshop includes hands-on practice building and energizing 1 or more grids. $35. Sacred Ground, 15 E Miner St, Arlington Heights. 847-749-3922. ShopSacredGround.com.

Women’s Day Celebration at Gemz and Boardz – 2-6pm. Shop from local women vendors. Listen to inspirational speakers and much more. Free. Gemz and Boardz, 3101 W Montrose Ave, Chicago. 872-218-0307. GemzAndBoardz.com.

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, MARCH 12

Daylight Savings Time begins

Women in the Woods Hike – 10-11:30am. Join fellow women of the woods on this hike to celebrate woman’s role in nature. Along the trail, learn about the historical women who have quite literally paved the way. Free. Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W Walnut Ln, Channahon. Register by Mar 11: 815-722-9470. ReconnectWithNature.org.

Journey Stories: Living History Encounter: Voyageur’s Travels – 12-3pm. In honor of Isle a la Cache Museum hosting the Smithsonian exhibition, Journey Stories, discover the adventures of French voyageurs as they travel the river roads. Free. Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E Romeo Rd, Romeoville. ReconnectWithNature.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 13

ONLINE: Trauma-Informed Bodywork –Mondays, Mar 13-Apr 3. 10am-1pm. Trauma-focused pedagogy and practice equips healthcare practitioners with the tools they need to safely and effectively work with survivors of trauma. Course counts as an Ethics course for those with Ethics education requirements. 12 CEs. $300. Zoom. Zen Shiatsu Chicago: 847-864-1130 or ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

Int’l Day of Action for Rivers

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, 366 W Army Trail Rd, Bloomingdale. 630-894-2553. FruitfulYield.com.

Green Drinks Libertyville – 6pm. 2nd Tues.

Aull In: Defending a Wetland by Janice Aull. Cafe Pomigliano/Post Time Sports Bar and Grille, 13860 Rockland Rd, Green Oaks. More info: Facebook.com/greendrinkslibertyville or Tinyurl.com/4sw5fybr.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

World Consumer Rights Day

ONLINE: Rain Gardens Made Easy – Mar 15 & 22. 9-11am. Learn how to design and plant a rain garden for managing stormwater while adding aesthetics to a home landscape. $46. Register, The Morton Arboretum: MortonArb.org.

Super Greens: Vitality & Health with Sandhya – 12pm. Super Green Foods are robustly nutritious, can be excellent for healthy skin, are alkalizing and detoxifying. With so many choices available how does one choose? What are the differences? What is most important is finding ways to include them in our diets daily. Facebook: @TheFruitfulYield.

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.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

2023 Loyola Climate Change Conference: Climate Refugees – 5:30-9pm. Explores how climate-driven migration will impact communities globally and locally. Includes a keynote presentation and a panel discussion featuring experts offering diverse perspectives on climate-driven migration. Free. Damen Student Center, Lake Shore Campus, Loyola University Chicago, 6511 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago. Tinyurl.com/LoyolaClimateConference.

FRIDAY, MARCH 17

St. Patrick’s Day

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Global Recycling Day

Essentials of Craniosacral Therapy – Mar 18-19. 9am-4pm. This 2-day course is a practical introduction to the theory and practice of the biodynamics of craniosacral balancing. Learn essential ways to perceive the body’s intrinsic movement dynamics, rhythms and pulsations. 12 CEs. $300. Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

ONLINE: Great Love, Healing and Awakening – 10am-1pm. Rick Moss, PhD, author of Drops of Wisdom: Guidance on the Path of Awakening, explores the moments when the Divine speaks through you. Through exercises, visualizations and self-examination questions, participants can examine the power and influence of the unconscious. 3 CEUs. $55, $45/10 days advance. Zoom. Infinity Foundation: 847-831-8828 or InfinityFoundation.org.

Singing Bird and the Importance of Native American Women in Illinois History – 1-2pm. Meet Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Kim Sigafus, an award-winning Ojibwa author. Dressed in her native regalia, Sigafus will be giving a history of the natives in Illinois with a focus on native women, or what was considered “The Hidden Half.” Free. Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E Romeo Rd, Romeoville. Register by Mar 16: 815-886-1467 or ReconnectWithNature.org.

Confidence to Change: Silent Meditation Retreat – 2-5pm. Learn practical and effective meditations to develop healthy self-confidence, dissolve bad habits, and live with peace and purpose. Suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners, each session will include practical instruction and guided meditation. $30/advance, $35/at door. Kadampa Meditation Center Chicago, Oak Park, 13 Harrison St, Oak Park. 708-763-0132. MeditateInChicago.org.

Astral Energy Healing – 4-7pm. With Richard Popp and Cheryl. While you are lying on a massage table, you will enter into a semisleep trance and scan your body, aura and chakras. Stuck and charged energies will be identified and cleared. There will be time for questions and comments. $50/30-min session. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com.

SUNDAY,

MARCH 19

Dog Admission Day – 7am-sunset. Hit the trails, at The Morton Arboretum, with your canine friend. $5/dog. The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle. 630-968-0074. Reservations required: MortonArb.org.

Hike McHenry County – 10am-1pm. 6.5 miles. Pace is about 2.8 mph, about a 22min mile. Children and leashed dogs welcome. Free. Moraine Hills State Park, 1510 S River Rd, McHenry. Tinyurl.com/4zt2rp2v.

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.

Technology Is Replacing Morality – 2-5pm. With Dr. K (Leon Kolodziej). Man-made microbes and “cures” are hurting our physical, mental and emotional health. We need to return to the natural remedies and cures. Dr. K is presenting simple herbal and other natural remedies. $45. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 20

Farm Worker Awareness Week

Spring Equinox

Ostara (Wiccan)

World Sparrow Day

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. Park Ridge Plaza, 350 S Northwest Hwy, Ste 300, Park Ridge. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 21

Int’l Day of Forests; World Wood Day

New Moon – Ganä-hdôha – Moon of Buds on Trees

Newroz (Baha’ii)

Malcolm Smith, Spiritual Healer – Mar 2123. 9am-6pm. Smith considers himself an ordinary person with an extraordinary gift, the ability to be a channel for healing energy from God. In addition to in-person sessions, there are a limited number of remote sessions available if you are unable to get to the Edgar Cayce Holistic Center. $100. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com.

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, 425 N La Grange Rd, La Grange Park. Register: FruitfulYield.com.

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.

Spring Equinox Shamanic Ceremony –7-9pm. Spring Equinox is a time of celebrating the freshness of life and the flowing in our natural cycle to see the richness our internal garden has been preparing to bloom. We will cleanse all debris so that our innate creative souls can bear fruit in full expression. $40. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com.

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

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

HELP WANTED

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

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.

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.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22

Ramadan begins at sundown (Islam)

World Water Day

ONLINE: Stress & the Blahs – 12pm. With Sandhya. Stress and feeling down can be seen as close cousins. Each calling for a certain type of support in the moment. Join us for this insightful look at some healthy, natural options. Facebook: @TheFruitfulYield.

Darien Garden Club Sprouts: Create Miniature Gardens – 6-7pm. Some supplies will be provided. Please be sure to register and bring along a container and decor to create your child(ren)’s mini-garden. Free. St John Lutheran Church, 7214 S Cass Ave, Darien. DarienGardenClub.com/sprouts.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24

Women’s Health Check Screening – 9am5pm. By appt. Thermography by Northwest Medical Screening. Corporate 500, 500 Lake Cook Rd, Ste 350, Deerfield. 224-600-3216. NWMedicalScreening.com.

Chef Beau’s Cooking Class & Dinner –6-8:30pm. Enjoy an engaging 3-course anti-inflammatory dinner and cooking class with Chef Beau. 12-guest maximum. $125/ person. Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen, 26 Calendar Ave, LaGrange. 708-354-4844. ChefBeausKleanKitchen.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

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.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

Hike Kane County – 9am-12pm. 5.5-6 miles at Raceway Woods with 3-3.5 mile option. Children and leashed dogs welcome. Free. Raceway, St Rte 31, Carpentersville. Tinyurl.com/yrvzeb22.

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

Angel Readings – 2-5pm. A reading with Joanne will provide angelic guidance on your questions as well as in matters you may not have thought of. They can share information on how you can connect with your angels. $40/30-mins. The Edgar Cayce Holistic Center, 259 E Central Rd, Des Plaines. 847-299-6535. HolisticCenterChicago.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 27

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

TUESDAY, MARCH 28

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, 135 N Addison Ave, Elmhurst. FruitfulYield.com.

ONLINE: Practical Self-Care – 7:15-8pm. 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-Nourishment-Chicagoland.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

See NAChicago.com for latest events.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30

Fruitful Yield’s Facebook Livestream: Detox the House – 12-12:15pm. Discover some new cleaning alternatives found at Fruitful Yield that are healthier for ourselves, our homes and the environment. Facebook: @TheFruitfulYield.

Beginning Zen Shiatsu – Thursday, Mar 30-June 1. 7-10pm. Learn how to give a basic 1-hr shiatsu treatment that you can share with friends and family. Course is a standalone offering and is also the first 30 hrs of our complete shiatsu certification programs. $500 plus textbook. Zen Shiatsu Chicago, 818 Lake St, Evanston. 847-864-1130. ZenShiatsuChicago.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 31

Cesar Chavez Day

Int’l Transgender Day of Visibility

MONDAY, APRIL 3

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.

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

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.

MONDAY, APRIL 17

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.

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

This magical, marvelous food on our plate, this sustenance we absorb, has a story to tell. It has a journey. It leaves a footprint. It leaves a legacy. To eat with reckless abandon, without conscience, without knowledge; folks, this ain’t normal.

– Joel Salatin

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.

SUNDAY

Winter Markets at the Dole – Mar 12, 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 and following our intuition. She ties modern suburban homesteading to our ancestral roots. Hinton blends herbalism, functional medicine and green witch practices to create a life of joy and beauty. Listen on Spotify, YouTube and iTunes. Free. open.spotify.com/show/0NAS66nfqGnsi9Fy46yzYH.

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 – 7:30-8:30pm. 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. 847362-2724. 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 Fall Market: Avondale – Mar 4 & 18. 8am-1pm. 3031 Rockwell 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 Winter Farmers Markets – Mar 4 & Apr 1 – 9am-1pm. Woodstock Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Rd, Bldg D, Woodstock. WoodstockFarmersMarket.org.

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

Shamanic Healing Sessions – 11am-3pm. $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.

It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.

– Rainer Maria Rilke

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. See ad on page 17.

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 11.

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 19.

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 37.

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 7, 23 and 49.

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 43.

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

In addition to state-of-the-art technology and methods offered by most holistic dentists (microscopes, ozone therapy, etc.), we treat you as a partner. We thoroughly explain your unique situation, provide treatment options and keep you comfortable with Netflix, music and paraffin wax treatments. Now offering reiki treatments. Located off the Brown line. Free garage parking. See ad on page 21.

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 21.

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 41.

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 41.

INFINITY FOUNDATION

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

Many courses now live on Zoom, some are recorded to watch later. CEUs available. Natural Wellness and Self Care Fair, March 11, Free, Live. Great Love, Healing and Awakening with Rick Moss, March 18, 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 31.

STANDARD PROCESS

Kathy Kiss

Sr Account Manager

KKiss@StandardProcess.com

Standard Process is a Wisconsin-based, family-owned, wholefood-based nutritional supplement company that partners with healthcare practitioners to address issues related to health conditions. See ad on page 5.

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 15.

Accelerate Healing with Energy.

Using light energy through distance healing, your healing process can move forward more smoothly.

“My knee was warm for about 3 full hours after I left. It seemed to heal further after I slept the first couple of nights. While my knee was not healed 100%, it was significantly better and I was able to go on my Montana ski trip the next week.

P.S. Another month after my ski trip my knee has continued to improve.”

Robert, Gainesville, GA

Practicing by donation for nearly 10 years. Questions? Call Bill at 770-990-9191 or visit https://www.distancehealer.me

by Lisa Kivirist & John Ivanko.

Earn your massage license while studying holistic therapy!

BEGINNING ZEN SHIATSU

10-Week Sessions

Mar 28 - May 30, Tue 10am-1pm Mar 30 - Jun 1, Thu 7-10pm Jun 21 - Aug 23, Wed 7-10pm

2-Weekend Intensive July 14-16 & 21-23, Fri 7-10pm, Sat/Sun 9:30am-4:30pm

zenshiatsu.edu/ce/beginning_zen_shiatsu/

E-mail info@zenshiatsu.edu or call 847-864-1130 to sign up today!

www.zenshiatsu.edu

818 Lake Street, Evanston, IL

Financial aid available for those who qualify

Approved by the Division of Private Business and Vocational Schools of the Illinois Board of Higher Education