Natural Awakenings of Grand Traverse Region Michigan - April 2022 by healthylivingmichigan

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HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

BUZZ-FREE DRINKING

THE HEALTHY RISE OF NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BEST APPS TO HELP YOU BE A NATURE EXPERT POWER WALKING TO BETTER FITNESS RESTORING WILDERNESS IN OUR LIVES AND YARDS

April 2022 | Grand Traverse Region | HealthyLivingMichigan.comApril 2022

Nature’s Virus Killer Copper can stop a virus before it starts

By Doug Cornell

cientists have discovered a with a tip to fit in the bottom of the natural way to kill germs fast. nostril, where viruses collect. Now thousands of people When he felt a tickle in his nose are using it against viruses and bacteria like a cold about to start, he rubbed the that cause illness. copper gently in Colds and his nose for 60 many other seconds. illnesses start “It worked!” when viruses get he exclaimed. in your nose and “The cold never start multiplying. got going. That If you don’t stop was 2012. I have them early, they had zero colds spread and take since then.” over. “We don’t Copper kills viruses almost In hundreds of make product instantly studies, EPA and health claims,” university researchers confirm copper he said, “so I can’t say cause and effect. kills microbes almost instantly just by But we know copper is antimicrobial.” touch. He asked relatives and friends to try That’s why ancient Greeks and it. They reported the same thing, so he Egyptians used copper to purify patented CopperZap® and put it on the water and heal wounds. They didn’t market. know about microbes like viruses and Soon hundreds of people had tried it. bacteria, but now we do. Feedback was 99% positive if they used “The antimicrobial activity of copper copper within 1-3 hours of the first sign is well established.” National Institutes of bad germs, like a tickle in the nose or of Health. a scratchy throat. Scientists say the high conductance Users say: of copper disrupts the electrical balance “It works! I love it!” in a microbe cell by touch and destroys “I can’t believe how good my nose it in seconds. feels.” Some hospitals tried copper “Is it supposed to work that fast?” for touch surfaces like faucets and “One of the best presents ever.” doorknobs. This cut the spread of “Sixteen flights, not a sniffle!” MRSA and other illnesses by over half, “Cold sores gone!” which saved lives. “It saved me last holidays. The kids The strong scientific evidence had crud going round and round, gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. but not me.” He made a smooth copper probe “I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no ADVERTORIAL 2 Grand Traverse Region HealthyLivingMichigan.com

more headache, no more congestion.” “Best sleep I’ve had in years!” The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on fingers and hands after you touch things other people have touched. The EPA says copper works just as well when tarnished. Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the science teams. He placed millions of viruses on a copper surface. “They started to die literally as soon as they touched it.”

Customers report using copper against: Colds Flu Covid Sinus trouble Cold sores Fever blisters Canker sores Strep Night stuffiness Morning congestion Skin infections Infected sores Infection in cuts or wounds Thrush Warts Styes Ringworm Threats to compromised immunity CopperZap® is made in the USA of pure copper. It has a 90-day full money back guarantee. Price $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code NATA28. Go to www.CopperZap.com or call tollfree 1-888-411-6114. Buy once, use forever. Statements are not intended as product health claims and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from the publishers Fresh Beginnings

GRAND TRAVERSE REGION EDITION

appy Earth Month dear readers, as April puts on a new playlist of birdsong. What better time to cele-

Publishers John & Trina Voell III

brate Mother Earth? Living in the north makes it especially

Design & Production John & Trina Voell III Editor Martin Miron Theresa Archer Randy Kambic

wonderful to see that spring is on the horizon and arriving soon. When spring unfolds, we witness nature transforming itself into an exquisite, yet untamed beauty, inspiring a

A2 Sales & Marketing John & Trina Voell III 734-757-7929

sense of excitement and optimism. This month, we put a big focus on NATURE and getting outside.

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As the world reels from pandemic and war, we can invite nature back into our lives and landscapes to help us recharge and reset. Visiting national parks is something the whole family will enjoy and can help cultivate love of nature in our children. We can invite nature into our own yards as well and reading “Why We Need

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Wild Places” shows us why turning our lawns into natural landscapes by replacing invasive species with native ones and getting rid of pesticides and herbicides is a great idea for us and the planet.

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Smartphones don’t have to be a mindless distraction; instead, with the aid of an app when out in nature, we can quickly identify mushrooms, bugs, birds, wildflowers and other flora and fauna. Many apps allow a user to photograph and post a finding, to ask questions about what they’re seeing and to interact with scientists to share their findings.

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Find out more in “Technology Meets Nature: Apps Bring Us Closer to Flora and Fauna.” Kids are natural storytellers and one of the best ways to develop a love of nature in them is to weave storytelling into their outdoor experiences. The characters of their stories can be the plants, animals and rocks around them. In “Nature Speaks: Storytelling Connects Kids to the Natural World,” you’ll find many ideas that are not only fun, but also provide rich, lifelong learning experiences that are valuable and practical. The sober-inclined are no longer stuck at gatherings nursing a seltzer; today they can sip from a vast array of sophisticated beverages—from faux vodka in exotic crafted drinks to prize-winning sparkling wines to low- and no-alcohol craft beer. On the home front, people are making their own concoctions, often with natural and herbal ingredients such

© 2022 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. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

as pears, tomatoes, cilantro and spices. Check out “Buzz-Free Drinking: The Healthy Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beverages” to discover an alternative way to celebrate life with a clear mind and a healthy liver. Tuning into nature is the best thing we can ever do to foster our well-being and sanity. The harmonious sounds of nature, as well as the sound of silence, enables us the opportunity to hear our inner voice. The quietude brings deep peace and balance to our whole being. We hope this edition inspires you and your family to get outside and partake of Earth’s bounty. Plant your thoughts and see your ideas blossom and unfold!

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

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Contents

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue you’ll find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative exapression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

12 WHY WE NEED WILD

PLACES

How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes

15 SPRING IS A STATE OF MIND

16 TECHNOLOGY

MEETS NATURE

Apps Bring Us Closer to Flora and Fauna

18 NATURE SPEAKS Storytelling Connects Kids to the Natural World

20 BUZZ-FREE DRINKING The Healthy Rise of NonAlcoholic Beverages

22 SPIRITED STRIDES

Power Walk to Better Fitness

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings, please contact us at 734-757-7929 or email Publisher@HealthyLiving Michigan.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@ HealthyLivingMichigan.com. Deadline for editorial: the 12th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events at: HealthyLiving Michigan.com. Deadline for calendar: the 12th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

26 PEST CONTROL

Keeping Dogs Safe from Ticks and Fleas

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 11 global briefs 15 inspiration 16 green living 18 healthy kids 20 healing ways 22 fit body 24 plant

medicine

26 natural pet 28 calendar 29 farmers

markets directory 29 classifieds 30 resource guide April 2022

news briefs

Celebrate Earth Day with Flowers

dson Farms Natural Foods has tulips, daffodils and Easter lilies for an Earth Day, spring or Easter surprise with flowers. Planting flowers reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the environment and creates oxygen. Flowers and foliage are not only beautiful, but research shows that simply having flowers around the home can make a positive impact on mood and reduce stress. Family-owned Edson Farms specializes in catering to customers with food allergies. They have a full line of wheat-free, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-, egg- and casein-free foods. There’s a deli and juice/coffee bar, Grab-n-Go options and many new items. In addition to produce, refrigerated and frozen foods, groceries, organic meats, bulk items, pet supplies, herbs, teas, vitamins, local products, cosmetics and gifts, Edson Farms Natural Foods even sells heirloom seeds from Seed Savers Exchange. All varieties are hardy in our zone, non-GMO, and most are organic. Location: 835 S. Garfield Ave., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-941-5221 or visit EdsonFarms.com/juice-cleanse.

Experience Zen Shiatsu Asian Bodywork

ohn Phillips, AOBTA-CP, practices Zen Shiatsu Asian Bodywork at Asian Healing Works, LLC. He is a graduate of the Blue Lotus School of Shiatsu, where he trained in Zen Shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine with John Phillips Michael DeAgro. He is also a board-certified practitioner and member of the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia. Zen Shiatsu Asian Bodywork is a gentle, nurturing, touch therapy affecting all areas of the body, including muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, nerves, bones, organs, blood and fluids. The focus of shiatsu is to restore and optimize the natural life functions of the body and mind as a whole. Shiatsu can alleviate pain, tension and nerve discomfort including headaches, muscle 6

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cramping, tension and neuropathy. It promotes the body’s innate ability to protect and repair by reestablishing the communication between all organ systems and the central nervous system. Clients are treated fully clothed while receiving gentle rhythmic touch including finger pressure, rocking, gentle shaking, rotating, stretching and the working of tissue. Location: 820 W. Front St., Traverse City. For appointments and more information, call 231-668-1029, email JPhillips3@mhc.net or visit AsianHealingWorks.com.

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with Brilliant Books

eter and Colleen Makin, owners of Brilliant Books, are observing Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) on April 30. Catering to seasonal visitors, they say, “We now ship to every state in the union, and our dedicated web store team and email concierge handle more online orders than any other store our size in the country. We bring a uniquely personal approach to online shopping that you’d expect from a well-curated bookstore staffed with experienced booksellers.” Brilliant Books also offers a highly personalized monthly subscription service, where readers fill out a preference card and then get one hand-selected book each month for a year. IBD is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country with authors, live music, cupcakes, scavenger hunts, kids events, art tables, readings, barbecues, contests and other fun stuff. There are exclusive books and literary items only available on that day. Location: 118 E. Front St., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-946-2665, email Life@Brilliant-Books.net or visit Brilliant-Books.net.

Have it Both Ways at Bubba’s

stablished in 2000 by Jeff and Trish Wiltse, Bubba’s, a favorite Traverse City restaurant for people seeking great drinks and great times, is known for serving amazing hamburgers and burritos. But there are plenty of veggie options too, including the classic Traverse City Salad: mixed greens, dried cherries, feta, red onions, walnuts and a cherry vinaigrette. The menu also features fried mac and cheese bites, humongous onion rings and seasoned French fries. On the lighter side, they serve fresh salads, sandwiches, wraps and tacos. There’s

something for everyone. In the morning, breakfast includes eggs, omelets and burritos. Location: 428 E. Front St., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-9950570or visit TCBubbas.com. For delivery, visit apps.apple. com/us/app/tc-food-delivers/ id1512422688.

Find Relief with the Gaston Technique

ullman Family Chiropractic, the practice of Jason T. Hullman, DC, uses the Graston technique to assist in treating soft tissue dysfunction and movement impairment. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is used by chiropractors, massage therapists and other physical therapists to identify and treat fibrotic tissue and areas of restriction. The instruments enable the clinician to identify areas of restriction in the myofascial system and effectively treat the resultant scar tissue and/or adhesions to help restore normal function. Hullman says, “Many sports teams use Graston, as well as chiropractic, to improve performance and reduce the healing

time of their athletes.” IASTM may have an impact on physiological changes by providing an increase in blood flow, reduction in tissue viscosity, myofascial release, interruption of pain receptors and improving flexibility of underlying tissue. It is suggested that IASTM is an effective treatment intervention for reducing pain and improving function. Graston is used in conjunction with chiropractic to facilitate change and improve the time required to heal. Location: 697 Hannah Ave., Unit A, Traverse City. For appointments or more information, call 231-933-9433 or visit Hullman Chiropractic.com.

Learn Pilates One-On-One

ilates Sestina is an intimate, classical Pilates studio offering one-on-one guidance to explore healthy movement. Studio owner Missi Campbell, who is classically trained and certified through U.S. Pilates, as well as certified with the United Pilates certification program, provides a guided training session that is thoughtful for every body type and personality she works with.

April 2022

Joy arises when we remove our inner obstacles to the flow of love.

“My time working with Julie has been powerful. I’ve deepened into myself and released old wounds and negative patterns. Her ability to hold space with reverence and delight is profound. – Jess, CA 2022 InnerListening.me JulieChai.com Rev. Julie Chai 231-922-9699

news briefs Campbell says, “One-on-one private sessions are the optimal way to start your journey with Pilates. A 30-to-55minute session with a certified instructor allows a quality exploration of each movement. These will teach you how to align. You will learn your body’s ability to perform each movement. These movements directly correlate with daily life. This is one of the most celebrated benefits of Pilates. You can take everything you learn and apply it to everything you do, everyday. That way, you are constantly improving and growing!” Pilates has six basic principles: concentration, control, centering, precision, flow and breath. It follows a basic structure for the duration of the workout. Personalized attention improves results. Location: 1126 Barlow St., Ste. 3E, Traverse City. For more information, call 231-421-1900 or visit PilatesSestina.com.

Purify Home Air to Relieve Allergies

f spring allergies are a problem, an air purification system can help a home’s indoor air quality. For more than 30 years, Team Bob’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing has provided comfort, peace of mind and healthy environments for residential and small business customers. They service all brands of heating, cooling and plumbing systems, with 24-hour emergency service. A home is meant to be a relaxing, safe and comfortable place. Unfortunately, poor indoor air quality will affect health and create an unsafe environment. Proper detection, testing and removal will improve our indoor air quality and keep the home safe. Team Bob’s is dedicated to providing customers with the highest level of quality service and craftsmanship at the best value possible and ensuring that every customer is 100 percent satisfied, with a willingness to recommend us to family and friends. They employ the most progressive training and up-to-date tools and equipment to complete each project. All technicians are enrolled in North American Technical Excellence certification to ensure quality service. Free estimate. Location: 1797 Park Dr., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-941-4064, email Info@TeamBobs.com or visit TeamBobs.com.

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Serenity’s Path Opens Second location

racey Sivek, owner of Serenity’s Path, provides spiritual guidance and counseling, including intuitive readings, reiki energy healing, mediumship and past-life exploration. She has added a new location at Harborside, 13282 West Bay Shore Drive, in Traverse City. Sivek has many years of experience using her abilities as an intuitive channel to connect clients to their higher self and spiritual guides, bringing assistance with questions or difficulties on their life journey. As a medium, she can help contact loved ones that have crossed over to find peace and closure. She is a certified reiki master/teacher, spiritual counselor and paranormal consultant, and utilizes this gentle, beautiful, energy healing technique to restore health, balance and well-being to body, mind and spirit. She says, “Through a process of healing that has had that flare of intensity and sometimes dark, I see. I Tracey Sivek see the vision clearly through my channeling. Better than I ever have before. The lives that we have lived in-between then and now. Love, pain, passion and lack of passion, health and disease … I honor it all.” Original location: Garfield Courts, 806 S. Garfield, Ste. 812KK, Traverse City. For appointments and more information, call 231-933-5392, email TraceySivek@gmail.com or visit TraceySivek.com.

KUDOS

Morsels Espresso + Eatables is celebrating 14 years in business at 321 East Front Street, in Traverse City, under new owners Ed and Angie Witkowski. The independent, specialty bakery and espresso bar has a cozy fireplace inside and an outdoor patio and deck with gorgeous views. They have won accolades for their original and unique bite-sized baked goods and exemplary coffee service. The home of award-winning baristas, Morsels features Intelligentsia coffee and Kilogram tea on a full espresso and brew-to-order coffee bar. Morsels’ signature baked goods are perfect for celebrations, meetings, parties and other special events. They can provide custom packaging, personalized flavors and other special touches for events.

Don’t Just Medicate; Regenerate New care for chronic joint and muscle pain. Experience our unique “Clinic Guarantee” for yourself. Do you suffer from chronic pain due to knee or hip arthritis, frozen shoulder, low back pain, or peripheral neuropathy? We understand that “one size does not fit all” which is why our team of Medical Doctors, Doctors of Chiropractic, and specialists have joined together under one roof to provide the best and most advanced true health care available to fit the individual needs of you and your family. Learn more at WholeHealthTC.org.

(231) 943-2100 Call today to reserve your $68 exam and trial visit (mention this ad)! Whole Health Traverse City 3639 Cass Rd, Traverse City, MI

Gain more awareness, knowledge and support during your pregnancy. A Birth Doula will support you mentally, physically and emotionally, during your preganancy, labor, birth and postpartum.

What is a Birth Doula?

A birth doula encourages a birthing mom and her support partner to explore their birth options, develop a birth plan and establish goals to help achieve their birth wishes. "Hi, I am Jeneé Claridge. I am a proud mama to seven amazing children. And just as each child is different, so were each of my birthing experiences. Each of these experiences ultimately inspired me to begin a journey to bring more awareness, knowledge, and support to the birthing community. My passion for health and wellness and joy of being a birth doula will help you carry your birth story with you forever!"

Contact me for your FREE consultation today! 231-300-2229 JeneeClaridge@gmail.com Hospital Births & Home Births

For more info, call 231-421-1353 or visit MorselsBakery.com. April 2022

health briefs

Eat Lots of Fiber to Improve Melanoma Outcomes

A new type of immunotherapy that enables T-cells to fight cancer cells is proving hopeful for people with the deadly skin cancer melanoma, and a new study has found that a high-fiber diet improves the effectiveness of the therapy. Researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported in Science that, by analyzing the gut microbiome in hundreds of patients, they found that higher dietary fiber intake was linked with disease non-progression among patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade therapy compared to patients eating little fiber. The results were strongest in patients that ate the most dietary fiber, but did not take probiotics, a finding that was replicated with lab animals.

Consider Berberine and Probiotics to Improve Cholesterol When used together, the plant alkaloid berberine and the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve work synergistically to significantly improve total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, reports a new study in Gut Microbes from Shanghai Jiao Tung University, in China. Researchers tested 365 diabetes patients at 20 centers throughout the country, giving them either a placebo, one of the two substances or both. Comparing post-meal blood samples after 12 weeks, patients that had taken both the berberine and the probiotic had significantly better cholesterol readings and experienced positive changes in the gut microbiome, as well as better fatty acid metabolism. 10

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Avoid Formaldehyde to Sidestep Cognitive Problems Workers exposed over years to formaldehyde may experience thinking and memory problems later in life, researchers at the University of Montpellier, in France, have concluded. Their study published in the journal Neurology surveyed and tested more than 75,000 people with an average age of 58. Of those, 8 percent were exposed to formaldehyde through their occupations as nurses; caregivers; medical technicians; workers in the textile, chemistry and metal industries; carpenters and cleaners. The risk of developing thinking and memory problems was an average of 17 percent higher in people that were exposed to formaldehyde on the job than those with no such exposure. People exposed to formaldehyde for 22 years or longer had a 21 percent higher risk of cognitive impairment.

Try Fenugreek to Boost Male Fertility and Health Fenugreek, an herb used in Indian curries and Middle Eastern cuisine, has been shown in studies to increase breast milk production in women, and a 12-week study of 100 men has found that it also boosts male testosterone and fertility. A research team at King George’s Medical University, in Lucknow, India, gave 500 milligrams a day of an extract made from fenugreek seeds to men that ranged in ages from 35 to 60. Sperm motility, or movement, significantly increased at eight and 12 weeks of treatment, while abnormal sperm morphology significantly decreased at 12 weeks. Testosterone levels, cholesterol markers and libido also improved. Higher levels of alertness were documented, along with lower blood pressure.

Broken Promises

global briefs

Inconvenient Convenience

Large Study Addresses Indigenous Biodiversity Decline

A poll by Ipsos conducted for the ocean conservation group Oceana last November found that 82 percent of registered U.S. voters responding would like the National Park Service to stop selling and distributing single-use plastic items. The survey revealed broad appreciation for national parks, with around four in five respondents saying they had been to a park and 83 percent of previous park visitors looking forward to a return visit. Oceana Plastics Campaign Director Christy Leavitt says, “These polling results indicate that Americans, whether Republican or Democrat, want our parks to be unmarred by the pollution caused by single-use plastic.” The results show broad support for a campaign led by Oceana and more than 300 other environmental organizations which sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland asking the parks to end the sale and distribution of plastic beverage bottles, bags, foodware and cutlery, and plastic foam products. The proposed Reducing Waste in National Parks Act would see such a policy enacted if passed. “The National Park Service was created to preserve these natural and historic spaces, and in order to truly uphold that purpose, it needs to ban the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items, many of which will end up polluting our environment for centuries to come, despite being used for only a moment,” says Leavitt.

Simon Fraser University (SFU), in British Columbia, is engaging with more than 150 Indigenous organizations, universities and other partners to highlight the complex problems of biodiversity loss and its implications for health and well-being in the Tackling Biodiversity Decline Across the Globe research initiative. The project is inclusive of intersectional, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary worldviews and methods for research, with activities in 70 different kinds of ecosystems that are spiritually, culturally and economically important to Indigenous peoples. One of the project’s six principal investigators, SFU assistant professor Maya Gislason, of the Faculty of Health Sciences, says, “Our work in health will focus on healing from the stresses and losses caused by colonial practices and on building healthier relationships to nature. By 2027, when the project completes, healing and well-being will have been important considerations within the development of holistic and actionable solutions intended to improve stewardship and care for people and the planet.” SFU professor John O’Neil, former dean of the faculty of health sciences, says of the enterprise, “It is unique from many other large projects in its embrace of governance models like ethical space, Indigenous research methodologies and Indigenous knowledges.”

Plastic On its Way Out at National Parks

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WHY WE NEED

Wild Places How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes by Sheryl DeVore

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n a blustery day, Julian Hoffman stood outdoors and watched wild bison grazing in the restored grassland of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, fewer than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. For him, it was a wild place, affording a glimpse of what North America looked like hundreds of years ago when bison roamed the continent by the millions. “We’re witnessing, in a way that’s both terrible and tragic, just what the profound cost is of continuing to destroy the natural world,” he writes. Saving wild places is critical for human health and well-being, say both scientists and environmentalists. But defining what a wild place is or what the word wilderness means can be difficult, says Hoffman, author of Irreplaceable: The Fight to Save Our Wild Places. “If wilderness means a place untouched by humans, then none is left,” he says. Even the set-aside wildernesses where no one may have ever stepped have been altered through climate change, acid rain and other human interventions. Humans are also losing the wilderness that is defined as land set aside solely for plants and creatures other than humans. Prominent naturalist David Attenborough, whose most recent documentary is A Life on Our Planet, says that in 1937, when he was a boy, about 66 percent of the world’s wilderness areas remained. By 2020, it was down to 35 percent. A wild place can be as spectacular as Yellowstone, a 3,500-square-mile national park in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, filled with hot springs, canyons, wolves, and elk. It can also be as simple as a sky filled with a murmuration, or gathering, of thousands of swooping starlings, which once caused two teens to stop taking selfies and photograph the natural scene above them instead, as Hoffman witnessed in Great Britain.

Such regions that offer vast tracts of natural beauty and biodiversity are even found in and around major cities like Chicago, says Chicagoland nature blogger Andrew Morkes. “A wild place is also where you don’t see too many people, or any people, and you can explore,” he says. “You can walk up a hill and wonder what’s around the next bend.” “A wild place could be a 15-minute drive from home where we can walk among plants in a meadow, or a tree-lined street, or front and back yard, if landscaped with wild creatures in mind,” says Douglas Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts with Your Yard.

Sustaining Our Species

“We need these places to save ourselves,” says Tallamy, who heads the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. “Humans are totally dependent on the production of oxygen and clean water, and that happens with the continued existance of flowering plants, which are dependent on the continued existence of all the pollinators. When you lose the pollinators, you lose 90 percent of the flowering plants on the Earth. That is not an option if we want to stay alive and healthy.”

“When you lose the pollinators, you lose 90 percent of the flowering plants on the Earth.”

April 2022

Our mental and emotional health is also at stake. According to a recent overview in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, studies have shown that natural settings can lower blood pressure, reduce depression and anxiety, and help the immune system function better. People have saved wild places over time, of course. “The world’s ancient redwoods are still with us today because people in the early 1900s fought to protect and preserve what they could already see was rapidly diminishing,” Hoffman says. “In the year 2022, we are the beneficiaries of those past actions. Yet less than 5 percent of those old-growth redwood groves are left, and we live in an age where we’re losing an extraordinary range of wild species; for example, 3 billion birds have disappeared from the skies of North America in just the past 50 years. That’s why people need to continue to fight for wild spaces.”

Community Crusaders In researching his book, Hoffman went looking for wild-space struggles. In Glasgow, Scotland, he met people that fought to save an urban meadow from being turned into a luxury home development. “I’d never experienced as much joy in any one place as when I spent time with the community fighting to preserve this tiny meadow,” he recalls. “They campaigned and lobbied politicians, and eventually, the government backed down. And now the whole community is able to enjoy this site where a lot of urban wildlife thrives.” Once-wild places may also need human help to again become wild refuges. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, where Hoffman saw the buffalo, “was once an arsenal for the production of extraordinary quantities of ordnance for a number of wars,” he says. After hundreds of die-hard volunteers dug out invasive plants, scattered seed and documented wildlife on the 18,000-acre prairie, visitors can now walk among big bluestem and golden alexander, and listen for the sweet song of meadowlarks in the grasslands and chorus frogs in the wetlands. Conservation volunteers working to save wild places hail from every state. In fact, nearly 300,000 volunteers contribute more than 6.5 million hours of volunteer service a year to the U.S. National Park Service, 14

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from leading tours to studying wildlife and hosting campgrounds. One doesn’t have to be an environmental crusader to save wild places, Hoffman stresses. Exploring local wild places and sharing them with others can help save them, as well. “We can only protect those places that we love,” he says. “And we can only love those places that we know.” Sadly, roughly 100 million people, including 28 million children, do not have access to a quality park within 10 minutes of home, according to The Trust for Public Land. Projects, such as the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, which enables urban communities to create out-

“Exploring local wild places and sharing them with others can help save them.” door spaces, can help. The U.S. Department of the Interior committed $150 million to the program in 2021. “Every child in America deserves to have a safe and nearby place to experience the great outdoors,” says Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.

A Homegrown National Park Tallamy says one of the most important ways to get people to appreciate and save wild places is to begin in their own yards. “We have wilderness designations. We have national forests. We have national parks. We have 12 percent of the U.S. protected from development,” he says. “Yet, we are in the sixth great extinction. Our parks and our preserves are not enough. My point is that we have got to focus on the areas outside of parks and preserves.” He urges what he calls a “homegrown national park,” in which homeowners, land managers and farmers create a habitat by replacing invasive plants with native species. Tallamy speaks from experience. He lives on a 10-acre former farm in Oxford, Pennsylvania. “It had been mowed for hay and when we moved in, very little life was here,” he says. “We have been rebuilding the eastern deciduous forest here, getting invasive

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plants under control and replanting with species that ought to be here.” He’s now counted more than 1,400 different species of moths on his property and documented 60 species of birds nesting within the landscape. “We have foxes who raise their kits in the front yard,” he says. Lots of acreage is not required, he says. In Kirkwood, Missouri, homeowners created a wild place on six-tenths of an acre on which they’ve documented 149 species of birds. “If one person does it, it’s not going to work,” he stresses. “The point is to get those acres connected. When everybody adopts this as a general landscape culture, it’s going to help tremendously. By rewilding your yard, you are filling in spaces between the true wild places and natural areas. The reason our wild spaces are not working in terms of conservation is because they are too small and too isolated. Even the biggest national parks are too small or too isolated.” Tallamy says people can create wild spaces in their yards by reducing the amount of lawn they have or even getting rid of it. They can grow native plants and discontinue the use of pesticides and herbicides, which are disrupting ecological function of wild places the world over, as research shows. Hoffman agrees, “We’ve cultivated a culture of tidiness. It’s actually very easy to welcome wildlife into your home places, often by doing fewer things, by not bringing the leaf blower out and by leaving some dead wood where it fell, which creates important shelters for insects, for example. “Such wild yard spaces encourage wonder. Suddenly, the kids are out there and they can be absolutely fascinated by a small glittering beetle. For me, to experience the wild is to go to the shore of a lake, to be present in the mystery, to be among the lake’s reed beds, to see a marsh harrier sleek out of those reeds and to know you’re part of something much larger,” he says. “There’s so much joy and beauty and complexity in being in the presence of other lives besides human.” That in itself is reason enough to save wild places. Sheryl DeVore has written six books on science, health and nature, as well as health and environmental stories for national and regional publications. Read more at SherylDeVore.wordpress.com.

inspiration

Spring is a State of Mind

tsuguliev/AdobeStock.com

by Marlaina Donato

very year, spring lifts us from lethargy, her blossomed enthusiasm nudging us to take down the curtains for an annual wash, clean out the closets, and plot this year’s garden. If we pause and listen carefully, we can also hear an invitation to shake off the winters of our lives—the failures, aborted plans and could-have-beens. All of life depends upon nature’s green ambition, yet we tend to take it for granted, not unlike the faint whisper of discontent that hints at the need for change. In the darkness of our fear-based comfort zones, there is a thwarted impulse to take that class at the community center, plant new ideas or try our hand at something new. “I’m too old,” we proclaim. “I can’t do that,” we assume. “They’ll think I’m crazy,” we say. But spring begs to differ. The most delicious possibilities are those that give us stage-fright butterflies in the belly and wake us up at night with the nagging question, “What if?” Perhaps, if the caterpillar could foresee its winged destiny, it would be too overcome with self-doubt to even begin. Author Marianne Williamson says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

“Spring, in all her punctual glory, teaches us the vital necessity to court our passions, and there is no better time than now.” As April puts on a new playlist of birdsong and our gardens remind us how to grow one inch at a time, we can make a point to wear that colorful shirt, begin the first chapter of a long overdue memoir or decide that we are deserving to fall madly, happily in love. For today, make an appointment with delight and put fresh flowers on the desk, walk barefoot after the rain or simply try on a new perspective. If we tune out the naysayer in our brains, we might even hear loved ones cheering us on. Spring, in all her punctual glory, teaches us the vital necessity to court our passions, and there is no better time than now. Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and visionary painter. Connect at WildflowerLady.com. April 2022

green living

TECHNOLOGY MEETS NATURE APPS BRING US CLOSER TO FLORA AND FAUNA by Sheryl DeVore

hile exploring Seattle, Jackie Lentz Bowman noticed some bushes filled with pink and orange berries. She discovered she could safely eat them by using the smartphone nature app called iNaturalist (iNaturalist. org). “I learned they were salmonberries and edible,” says the Chicago area photographer and birder. “I just had to try them. They were very similar to raspberries.” Bowman is among a growing number of people using their smartphones to enhance their nature experiences. Phone apps are available for free or a modest price to identify mushrooms, bugs, birds, dragonflies, reptiles, beetles, wildflowers and other flora and fauna. “Whether it is to help identify a plant I’ve taken a photo of or to familiarize myself with what a bird looks like and sounds like, these are

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tools I’m always glad to have in my back pocket,” she explains. At least 6,300 nature apps were available in 2015, according to Paul Jepson and Richard Ladle, Oxford environmental scholars and co-authors of “Nature Apps: Waiting for the Revolution,” a research paper published in the Swedish environmental journal Ambio. Such programs are only beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible. They write, “As most people own a mobile phone today, the app—though a small device—is a major way conservationists could be reaching a huge audience with transformative possibilities.” Right now, some apps allow the user to point a smartphone to a plant or animal to get instant feedback on its common or scientific name. Others ask the user questions about what they are seeing and suggest an identity based on the answers. Some allow the user to interact with scientists, share their knowledge, record their observations and contribute to science. Perhaps the most popular nature app is iNaturalist, which has all those features and more. “Our mission has been to connect people to nature through technology,” says Scott Loarie, co-director of iNaturalist, a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. “By 2030, we want to connect 100 million people to nature to facilitate science and conservation.” The app began as a master’s degree project at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2008, and today 2 million people have recorded about 100 million observations, covering one in six species on the planet. “iNaturalist has grown to the point where it’s helping take the pulse of biodiversity,” he adds. Newcomers are often mentored and helped with identifications by volunteers that are experts in different fields. One example is a worldwide competition called the City Nature Challenge in which beginning and advanced naturalists document urban flora and fauna for several days. During the event, people share their photos of plants and animals on iNaturalist. During Chicago’s Challenge, Eric Gyllenhaal, who blogs about nature on

the city’s west side, found an uncommon species. “A Canadian expert helped confirm the identification as a bronze ground beetle native to Europe,” says Cassi Saari, project manager of natural areas for the Chicago Park District. “It’s an introduced species in Illinois and could have implications for wildlife in the region down the line.” Two other nature apps that Loarie likes are eBird (eBird.org) and Merlin (Merlin. AllAboutBirds.org), both administered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in Ithaca, New York. With eBird, users can report on their phones a list of birds they’re seeing in the wild, including when and where, and the sightings are added to a database for scientific research. Merlin is a field guide app to help folks identify the birds they are seeing. “Merlin has taken on authoring content with great descriptions of birds, something iNaturalist doesn’t do,” Loarie points out. “Merlin also just released sound recognition in the app, so people can identify birds by sound. It’s huge for birders.” Award-winning nature photographer Adriana Greisman, of Phoenix, says she uses both Merlin and iBird (iBird.com), another field guide app, to identify birds in the wild and when processing photos. “These are great resources to identify unknown species and to learn about their behavior.” The favorite app of Joyce Gibbons, a volunteer at the Natural Land Institute, in Rockford, Illinois, is Odonata Central (OdonataCentral.org), which focuses on her passion—dragonflies and damselflies, collectively called odonates. “I’ve loved solitary walks in the woods, prairies and other natural areas since I was a child,” she says. “I’ve always taken photos and tried to ID the many species I’ve observed. Now, with these apps on my phone, I feel like I am actually contributing to the scientific body of knowledge and connecting with other enthusiasts and not just keeping all this joy of discovery to myself.” Sheryl DeVore is an award-winning author of six books on science, health and nature. Connect at SherylDevoreWriter@gmail.com.

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healthy kids

Nature Speaks STORYTELLING CONNECTS KIDS TO THE NATURAL WORLD by Carrie Jackson

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hildren are natural storytellers with imaginations that shape their play and learning. In outdoor settings, everything from puddles to pine cones can engage children and draw them closer to the natural world, opening up a lifelong appreciation of natural environments. Connecting with nature also improves creativity, academic performance and attentiveness, while reducing stress and aggressive behavior, a body of research shows. Organizations, like the Wilderness Awareness School, a Duvall, Washington-based nonprofit, work to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community and self. “We find that children who feel at home in the outdoors are often more resourceful, creative and allow for curiosity to naturally unfold,” says Leah Carlson, director of marketing and communications at Wilderness Awareness School. “Allowing them to play freely and explore in nature is a wonderful way to build resilience and resourcefulness. When children can be intrigued through a story, it also allows them to understand their own outdoor experiences. They become more adept at finding new solutions to problems using the tools they have access to and creative thinking.” Weaving storytelling into their programs helps children understand their outdoor experiences. “Regular time spent with ex-

perienced nature mentors, playing games, exploring unique plants and animals and getting excited about the possibilities of nature is how a connection begins. When children are outside, the characters of these stories are the plants, animals, rocks and landforms around them. The suburban tree that was always an obstacle on the sidewalk can be seen through new eyes as a dragon, monkey bars or a red alder,” Carlson explains. Megan Zeni, a public school teacher in Steveston, British Columbia, says there is a global body of research that shows every measure of wellness is improved through time spent outside. She teaches solely outdoors, ensuring that her students have exposure to nature regardless of which neighborhood they live in. “In our modern world, higher-income families generally have better access to green spaces. Incorporating outdoor activities into the school day gives children equitable exposure to nature and outdoor learning,” she explains. Zeni uses both non-fiction and fiction storytelling approaches to teaching. “To learn about water cycles, I’ll have kids jump in puddles, observe where the water goes and track where it is in the community. They’ll then relay a fact-based story based on their observations and experiences. For a lesson on squirrels, I’ll ask the students to imagine where their habitat is, who their family is and what they eat. We use loose parts, which are open-ended items, such as pine cones and sticks, to creatively illustrate the story. “By using storytelling as a measure of knowledge, it is more equitable for students who don’t perform as well using traditional test and essay methods,” she says. Listening to a child’s story can also reveal misconceptions that can be clarified through further exploration and instruction. Storytelling can take on many forms and be enhanced with the use of props. As the artistic director of Rootstock Puppet Co., based in Chicago, Mark Blashford performs puppet theater rooted in stories that promote mutual kindness and ecological awareness. “Puppets are remarkable storytelling agents because, not only can they play characters and support narrative through movement, they can also tell a story from the very material they inhabit,” he says. “Puppets invite kids to exercise empathy by compelling them to accept and invest in the thoughts, feelings and life of another entity.” By making puppets out of wood and using them to weave environmental awareness into his shows, Blashford helps to put the natural world in perspective. “My show TIMBER! is about an entire forest and a single tree which is home to a family of spotted owls. I want children to see the role of both the forest and the tree in the lives of an owl family. When they fall in love with little wooden puppet owls, they are able to convert the giant concept of deforestation into a manageable scale,” he says. He encourages parents to regularly engage their children with their natural habitat. “Go to your local forest or park, find a tree, name it and check on it as often as you can. Prompt children to ask questions about who they think lives in that tree, why the branches stretch out how they do and what happens at night. As children learn to see the outdoor world as part of their own characters and setting, the stories will develop naturally,” he advises. Connect with writer Carrie Jackson at CarrieJacksonWrites.com. April 2022

healing ways

Buzz-Free Drinking The Healthy Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beverages

SOUR MOCK-A-RITA 1 cup and 2 Tbsp lime juice ¼ cup and 2 Tbsp orange juice 3 Tbsp agave nectar, plus more to taste 2½ cups and 2 Tbsp coconut water Few dashes of salt Lime wheels for garnish Lime wedges and sea salt to rim the glasses To salt the rims of four to six lowball or margarita glasses, pour a thin layer of salt onto a plate or a shallow bowl. Slide a lime wedge around the rim of the 20

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glass to wet it, or use a finger to apply the juice to the rim, then dip and twist the glass in the salt. Combine all of the drink ingredients in a pitcher. Stir. Fill the rimmed glasses with ice. Divide the margarita mix among the glasses. Garnish with lime wheels. From Mocktail Party: 75 Plant-Based, Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Recipes for Every Occasion, by Kerry Benson and Diana Licalzi.

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

by Ronica O’Hara

s a former bartender, Katie Cheney enjoys mixing drinks for friends, and one night recently, in her San Francisco apartment, she tried out something new: an alcohol-free “Noquila Sunrise” made with a distilled, plant-based spirit. “I was actually pleasantly surprised. Even though we were drinking non-alcoholic drinks, we still had just as much fun as usual!” recalls Cheney, who blogs at DrinksSaloon.com. In New York City, Marcos Martinez has begun drinking virgin piña coladas when out on the town with friends. “The feeling is surprisingly great since I don’t wake up with hangovers. More importantly, I’ve realized that I don’t have to use alcohol as a crutch for my social anxiety,” says Martinez, who owns the black gay lifestyle blog TheMenWhoBrunch.com. At Chicago’s Kumiko Japanese cocktail bar, owner Julia Momosé offers a menu of what she calls “Spiritfrees,” crafted without alcohol and with ingredients like yarrow, ume—a Japanese fruit—and cardamom. “Folks comment on how they appreciate that it is ‘more than just juice,’ or how surprised they are at their depth, texture and complexity,” she says. The “sober-curious”—people experimenting with alcohol-free beverages as a way of prioritizing their health and fitness over a short-lived buzz—are changing America’s drinking culture. For the first time in 20 years, fewer Americans are regularly drinking, reports Gallup, and tipplers are drinking measurably less than they did 10 years ago. No longer stuck with a seltzer while dodging questions from inquisitive imbibers, today the sober-inclined can sip from a vast array of sophisticated choices—from faux vodka in exotic, crafted drinks to prize-winning sparkling wines to low- and no-alcohol craft beer. No-booze options can be easily ordered at restaurants, picked up at supermarkets or delivered at home with a few online clicks.

“The best part about having a fun, non-alcoholic beverage in hand is that you get the taste and experience of a cocktail or beer, just without the alcohol and potential negative side effects,” says dietitian Kerry Benson, co-author of Mocktail Party: 75 Plant-Based, Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Recipes for Every Occasion. “You have your wits about you, you can drive if necessary, you are less likely to say or do something you might regret and you won’t have a hangover the next morning. And alcohol-free drinks are usually less expensive than their alcoholic counterparts.” Sober-curious strategies range widely. Some people start tentatively, but increasingly turn to non-alcoholic drinks because they prefer the taste, price and lower calorie count, as well as the diminished risk of heart and liver disease. Others may go cold turkey for a month or two to break a pandemic-induced habit, alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at a game or bar to avoid getting tipsy, or drink a Bloody Mary for a weekend brunch and virgin versions during the week to enhance work productivity. The sales of non-alcoholic beverages shot up 33 percent to $331 million in 2021, reports Nielsen, and online sales of non- and low-alcoholic beverages skyrocketed 315 percent. To compete for the Millennials-heavy market, distillers like Seedlip, Suntory and Lyre’s have created beverages evoking tequila, Campari and vodka; breweries like Guinness, Budweiser and Carlsberg and small crafters are offering robust-tasting near- and no-alcohol beers; and wineries are using distillation and reverse osmosis to produce fine, low-alcohol Cabernets, Chardonnays and other varieties. Niche

products are growing: for example, Los Angeles-based Optimist Botanicals bills its gin-, vodka- and tequila-like botanical blends as being vegan, gluten-free and paleo- and keto-friendly. On the home front, people are making their own concoctions, often with natural and herbal ingredients, such as pears, tomatoes, cilantro and spices. “Garden-grown produce, windowsill herbs and farmers market finds are the ideal foundation for recipes, from tea sangrias to shaken mocktails,” says New Jersey cooking instructor and recipe developer Vanessa Young, creator of ThirstyRadish.com. As an example, she says, “A slice of brûléed fruit gives a non-alcoholic drink a touch of smoky sweetness, plus it is so appealing in the glass.” Substance abuse counselors caution that beverages that mimic alcohol may not be a good route for recovery from serious alcohol abuse because they can reawaken destructive patterns. And consumers are advised to look carefully at labels. “Alcohol-free” beer contains 0.0 percent alcohol. “Non-alcoholic” beer can contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol, but some have been found to contain up to 2 percent—not desirable if pregnant or in recovery. Still, says Karolina Rzadkowolska, author of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, “The popularity of alcohol-free drinks is changing a culture. We are going from a culture that glamorizes drinking at every social situation, with little valid excuse to decline, to a culture that gives people healthier options.” Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@ gmail.com.

Providing the World’s Best Herbs, Spices, and Teas for Your Kitchen. DARK CHOCOLATE & SMOKED SEA SALT COOKIES Think of these as your favorite chocolate chip cookies from childhood, all grown up. Dark chocolate chips accenting with aromatic coarse Smoked Sea Salt sets off the flavor of the chocolate and adds complexity. INGREDIENTS Makes 30 cookies

DIRECTIONS

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 1/2 Cup White Sugar 1/2 Cup Granulated Brown Sugar 1 Large Egg 1 Teaspoon Premium Vanilla Extract, Madagascar 1 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Sea Salt Flakes 1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate, chopped 1 Tablespoon Smoked Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute. Whisk together flour, baking soda and regular salt in medium bowl. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Mix in dark chocolate pieces. Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving

about 2 inches of room between cookies. Sprinkle generously with Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt. Bake cookies until just golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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e all know that the more steps we take in a day the better. The Mayo Clinic advocates walking regularly to keep bad cholesterol in check, maintain a heart-healthy weight and keep blood pressure within a normal range. Power walking—going a mile in under 15 minutes—amps up cardiovascular benefits and takes metabolic conditioning to a new level. Power walking involves taking longer strides, moving at 4.5 to 5.5 miles per hour and using the arms to propel motion, with or without light weights. “With this more intensive exercise, in comparison to everyday walking, one should note that their breathing is harder and their heart rate is faster with power walking. Compared to someone who walks at a casual

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pace, a power walker can expect lower blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar and cholesterol numbers,” says Jason C. Robin, M.D., director of cardio oncology at North Shore University Health System, in Glenview, Illinois.

Walking as a Workout In cases of severe coronary artery disease, certain heart muscle disorders, known as cardiomyopathy or valvular diseases, Robin recommends seeing a doctor before taking up fitness walking, but emphasizes, “Obvious injuries or illnesses aside, power walking is great for all ages, genders, sizes and fitness levels and is, in general, very safe with very few contraindications.” He suggests aiming for 15 minutes or less on a first endeavor, and af-

ter one week increasing the time to 20 to 25 minutes, eventually working up to 30 minutes. To complement power walking, he recommends resistance training to increase muscle strength and tone, protect joints from injury, and improve flexibility and balance. Dave McGovern, walking coach and author of The Complete Guide to Competitive Walking: Racewalking, Power Walking, Nordic Walking and More!, points out, “The impact forces of walking, even high-level racewalking, can be one-third of what runners experience, so it’s a lot easier on the joints. Power walking doesn’t have many rules.” A 30-year veteran of the U.S. National Racewalk Team, McGovern underscores the importance of starting out with a regular, easy walk before progressing to a more vigorous pace. To avoid and reduce injury, he advocates mindfulness of correct posture and taking shorter, faster steps rather than long, stomping strides. He trains on a variety of surfaces, including everyday roads, tartan (rubber) running tracks, treadmills, dirt trails, grass, and even the occasional concrete sidewalk. “Changing up surfaces uses your muscles in different ways, which can help prevent overuse injuries that crop

“Changing up surfaces uses your muscles in different ways, which can help prevent overuse injuries that crop up from too much training on the same surfaces day in, day out.” up from too much training on the same surfaces day in, day out,” he says.

Practical Essentials For optimal results on any surface, proper footwear is vital. “We would typically recommend a running shoe for any fitness-based walking,” says Josh Saint Cyr, store manager at New Balance, in Highland Park, Illinois. He notes that the right shoes are designed to help align gait and avoid pronation or supination that prompts the ankle to roll inward or outward with movement. “For a more customized experience, someone with medium or lower arches would want a shoe from the stability running section, and someone with higher arches would want a shoe from the cushioned running section.” In cases of tight calf muscles, Saint Cyr recommends stretching as a daily practice, even on non-exercise days. “Rollers or massage guns can be useful for immediate relief, but ultimately, stretching will help by reducing or eliminating tightness.”

Taking it Up a Notch Racewalking, the competitive and highly technical variety of power walking, takes place at track meets. “After you’ve built a base of miles, you can start sprinkling in some longer and faster workouts, and maybe even think about competition,” says McGovern. “There is a bit more technique involved in competitive racewalking, but once you get the hang of it, it will allow you to go much faster.” In the end, having a goal can be the best motivator. “For the athletes I coach, many of them in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond, racewalking and power walking gives a purpose to their workouts,” says McGovern. “One of my athletes has said that she hates to work out, but loves to train. Having the goal of a race over the horizon gives a lot of athletes a reason to get out the door every day.” Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

April 2022

plant medicine

It’s High Time for a Party Mix

“I’ll never forget when I first obtained my medical card,” she recalls. “I went to the dispensary in Traverse City and purchased a couple of blonde brownies. I cautiously ate half of one and felt intrinsically happy with a slight buzz. A few days later, beleaguered from waking early to hop on a 22-hour flight, I ate half of the brownie once boarding the second plane, where I knew I’d be sitting for a solid five hours. Then, partially through that flight, I got hungry so I ate the rest of the brownie. The next two days were a blur, and something I had never experienced in my decades of using cannabis.” Young advises, “I wish I knew about the black pepper trick to help offset the prolonged effects of taking ‘too much’ THC. Science combined with personal experience has proven that for me, black pepper will decrease the adverse effects of taking too much THC. Yep, just raw black pepper, put some on your tongue and swallow, then bottoms up with your drink of choice.” Cooking with cannabis is another alternative. Here is one of Young’s favorite recipes.

Happy Hippies Party Mix

orch Cannabis Co, Northern Michigan’s premier adult use retail establishment, stocks a variety of Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) syringes and can help anyone 21 or older to determine which is the best to start with, based on the health and wellness goals of each individual. They deliver to Traverse City, Petoskey, Gaylord and Grayling. Owner Kelly Young says, “Working with cannabis over the past four years as a business owner and developer has led me to a more expansively robust foundation of what personal wellness can entail. I always thought a pot brownie was a great idea, but after experiencing over doing it, I have found myself timid to try anyone’s homemade cookies.” The reason the variance in the experience may happen can be correlated to a variety of different factors. The milligrams in the product is one factor, but other factors include diet, exercise, mental health, caffeine and alcohol use.

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1 box Wheat Chex 1 box Corn Chex 1 bag Better Made Butter Braided pretzels 1 box Cheez-Its 1 bag Cheetos Nuts (almonds/pecans/walnuts) 2 sticks butter Worchester sauce 1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt 1 tsp Garlic powder 1 gram RSO 2 Turkey roasting pans Pour contents into two roasting pans so each pan has an assortment of ingredients. Heat oven to 250 degrees.

We make 100% all natural products for helping and promoting better health and skin. We have several doctors who not only carry our products but use them as well. We are state certified, state inspected, and THE ONLY Chaga facility licensed in the U.P. MidnightSpcl_59@yahoo.com • UPChagaConnection.com HealthyLivingMichigan.com

Melt the butter, then add the RSO syringe and mix together. Add Lawry’s, garlic and Worchester to the butter mix. Pour butter salty RSO mixture over the dry Chex mix. Bake for 1 hour, hand-mixing every 15 minutes. A responsible tip when serving at a party is to make a big sign that says, “This Chex mix contains THC.” And next to it, leave a pepper shaker. It might come in handy while also ensuring that a backup plan is nearby in the event of an emergency.

Experience the Healing Power of Nature oil tinctures • gummies • topicals pet products • coffee • tea • kangen water

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business spotlight

Mother Nature Knows Best

.P. Chaga C on ne c tion, LLC, was started in 2016 to help introduce people to an alternative path to a healthier body using Mother Nature’s ingredients. They make all-natural products from natural ingredients made in the U.S. Owners Kevin Burbank and Dorrie Mercer have more than 14 years experience of combined natural remedies and knowledge and say, “We are very knowledgeable, as well as people-oriented. We have the best customer service and the fastest shipping, as well as we always keep products in stock and fresh.” They help people, one person at a time, by finding out what ails them health-wise, then educate them on what might help. At U.P. Chaga Connection, they take their time brewing and testing products without rushing the process before extensive marketing and testing. “Everything we make is special for every customer that needs a 100 percent, all-natural remedy; from cream to help with rashes to tinctures for helping with cancer, diabetes and more,” says Burbank. Their products are made from essential oils and 100 percent chaga. Burbank says, “We do not claim to heal or cure any disease or complication. Chaga nutrients are what our bodies need, and as we get older, we tend to lose the essential vitamins and nutrients that Chaga contains. We make only the best, natural products that we ourselves use on a daily basis.” Inonotus obliquus, commonly called chaga, is a fungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae. It is parasitic on birch and other trees. The sterile conk is irregularly formed and resembles burnt charcoal. They recently moved into the field of all-natural cleaning products and are always looking for more natural remedies for the body. U.P. Chaga Connection is located at 393 Woodward Ave., in Kingsford. For more information, call 906-282-0787 or visit UPChagaConnection. com. See ad opposite page.

231-421-1070 1112 E Front St, Traverse City PurelyCBD-TraverseCity.com Call us for free shipping!

Your Best Grow Ever! Hydroponic and Organic Products for All Your Indoor Growing Needs! We have experts on hand to answer your questions and get you started, so drop by soon and talk with our team, the best in the business! If you are an organic gardener they have everything you need here. – Christina A.

“The Store with More!”

P Locally Owned and Operated Since 2009 P Over 40 Years of Combined Experience P Over 2500 Products in Stock

Traverse City • 231-421-5191 • TheGrowStore.com April 2022

natural pet

Pest Control

Keeping Dogs Safe from Ticks and Fleas

by Karen Shaw Becker

leas and ticks are different types of pests; so, when considering how best to protect a dog, it is important to make a distinction—fleas are an annoyance, but ticks can be life-threatening. Many veterinarians recommend specific chemicals as a preventive solution, but this is often just a knee-jerk approach that uses chemicals to control nature. Instead, consider more natural alternatives that are both effective and non-toxic.

Fleas 101. Fleas are related to ants and beetles, feed on blood, and their bites can lead to irritation and skin allergies. They aren’t typically attracted to healthy pets; so, one of the best defenses against flea infestations is to feed a dog a nutritionally balanced, species-appropriate, fresh-food diet that will help keep their immune system functioning optimally. It is also important to remove the environmental factors that can negatively impact immunity, including: n Poor water quality. Make sure to provide

fluoride- and chlorine-free drinking water.

n Too many vaccines. Insist that the veter-

inarian runs titer tests instead of giving unnecessary shots.

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Grand Traverse Region

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n Toxic household chemicals, including

cleaning products and dog beds treated with flame retardants.

n Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers used

in the yard.

n Toxic levels of electromagnetic fields from

electrical devices in the home.

The Trouble with Ticks. Ticks are a type of arachnid related to mites, spiders and scorpions. Because ticks feed on many different animals (including humans, dogs, cats, squirrels, mice, opossums and deer), they are quite good at acquiring and transmitting diseases, some of which can be life-threatening. Unfortunately, a single tick bite can expose a dog to multiple pathogens, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and babesiosis. Luckily, most dogs mount an effective immune response. Up to 90 percent of dogs may have been exposed to tick-borne pathogens, but most are able to fight off infection on their own. The only way to know if a dog has effectively eliminated harmful bacteria is to follow up the typical blood test with a second test called a quantitative C6 that differentiates exposure from infection. Large numbers of dogs each year are unnecessarily treated with extensive antibiotic therapy because their veterinarians panic after seeing a positive exposure and fail to check for infection. To catch tick-borne infections before they take hold, ask the veterinarian to replace the

standard annual heartworm test with the SNAP 4Dx Plus (from Idexx Labs) or the Accuplex4 tests (Antech Diagnostics), which screen for heartworm, Lyme disease and four other vector-borne diseases. Completing one of these simple blood tests every six to 12 months is the best way to protect a dog. In tick-infested areas, if a dog tests positive on either of those two tests, it should also be screened for babesia exposure with a polymerase chain reaction test.

Before Reaching for a Chemical.

Pet parents should not automatically apply potentially toxic chemical agents to their dogs or around their home to repel or kill pests. The use of spot-on products may cause skin irritation, paralysis, seizures and even death, if used improperly, and there are effective, natural alternatives that are far safer. If these chemicals are used, follow these precautions: n Be very careful to follow dosing directions

on the label. If a pet is at the low end of a dosage range, use the next lowest dosage. Monitor the pet carefully afterwards for adverse reactions. Do not under any circumstances apply dog product to a cat.

n Every other month, rotate chemicals with

natural preventives, including diatomaceous earth, pet-friendly, essential oil products and natural deterrent collars. In many parts of the country, people can successfully control ticks with one chemical dose in the spring and one in late summer.

n To detox a dog’s liver afterwards, give them

a supplement such as milk thistle, a detox agent that helps to regenerate liver cells, or chlorella, a super green food. Work with an integrative veterinarian to determine the dosage; one dose daily for seven days following any chemical flea-, tick- or heartworm-preventive application is recommended.

Safe Options to Chemicals.

There are safe, non-toxic alternatives for flea and tick control for dogs, and they do not have side effects, unlike virtually all forms of chemical pesticides. These include: n Cedar oil, specifically manufactured for

pet health

n Natural, food-grade diatomaceous earth,

applied topically

n A fresh-food diet that is nutritionally

optimal and species-appropriate

It is important to bathe and brush a dog regularly and perform frequent full-body inspections using a flea and tick comb to check for parasite activity. If they spend a lot of time outdoors, be sure to check pets and people for ticks every night during tick season. Veterinarian Karen Shaw Becker has spent her career empowering animal guardians to make knowledgeable decisions to extend the life and well-being of their animals. Visit DrKarenBecker.com.

Here at Square Deal we feel pets are part of the family. Our Knowledgeable staff is here to help you find food, treats, and products that

keep your pets happy and healthy!

We carry the top holistic brands of Dog and Cat food. We Carry a large seletion of Raw and Freeze dried diets.

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(231) 946-5030 • SquareDealCountryStore.com • Square Deal Country Store • 900 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City • Local Family Owned since 1982 April 2022

calendar of events FRIDAY, APRIL 1 Taste & Learn Store Tours for Kids – 10-11am or 2-3pm. We will walk, talk, and taste our way around the store as they learn all about what a healthy snack is and what kinds of foods make for healthy snacks. Free. Oryana West, 3587 Marketplace Cir, Traverse City. Oryana.coop. Guided Hike: Boardman Valley Nature Preserve – 12-2pm. Explore, ask questions and discover the waterways and woodlands of this 208-acre reserve. Free. 1450 Cass Rd, Traverse City. Tinyurl.com/2p99vk8e. First Fridays in Downtown – 3-6pm. Also held May 6. Enjoy shopping, random giveaways, great food from local restaurants, and kid-friendly activities in Hoop Skirt and Van Pelt Alleys. 109 Mason St, Charlevoix. DowntownCharlevoix.com. Free Beginner Belly Dance Class – 6-7pm. With Amira Hamzar of the School of RakFor absolute beginners for all ages, sizes, shapes, genders and ethnicities. Learn some basic Belly Dance moves and a couple of combos. ($40). IN-person & Zoom. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E Eighth St, Traverse City. 231-499-8595. AmiraHamzarRaks.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 What’s New in Plants for 2022 – 7pm. Jeanine Rubert, co-owner of Pine Hill Nursery & Pine Hill Village Garden, shares about what’s coming this season. Free/member, $10/nonmember. The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, 1490 Red Dr, Traverse City. TheBotanicGarden.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7 Meditation Thursdays – Apr 7-28. 6-7pm. With Mike. Higher Self Bookstore, 313 E Front St, Traverse City. Pre-registration required: 231-941-5805 or HigherSelfBookstore.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 Yoga Retreat Weekend at Chateau Chantal – Apr 8-10. With Cristin Hosmer. A retreat weekend that combines creativity, playfulness and inspiration into a variety of classes focused on Spring and Renewal. $496-$684. 15900 Rue de Vin, Traverse City. Reservations required: 231-223-4110. ChateauChantal.com. Spring Owl Prowl – 7:30-9pm. Learn about our local owls and their conservation with an introductory presentation, and then head out for a night hike in search of these amazing birds. About 1 mile on uneven trails. $10/person. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire. Register: GrassRiver.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 FWW Virtual Retreat: Finding Food Freedom – 9am-12pm. Join the Foundations of Wellness for Women for a virtual retreat with guest facilitator, Lisa Dahl, Certified Intuitive Eating and Body Image Health Coach. It’s time to break the diet cycle and learn to eat intuitively, find your food freedom. $108. Register: bit.ly/FWW-food-freedom. Basics of Photography 101 – 10am-1pm. With the Charlevoix Photography Club. Will cover topics such as

Grand Traverse Region

how to best use the camera you have, shooting modes, settings, the exposure triangle, the rule of thirds and composition, editing your photos and more. Charlevoix Circle of Arts, 109 Clinton St, Charlevoix. Pre-registration required: CharlevoixCircle.org. Foot Reflexology – 11am-6pm. With Pat McGhan. Higher Self Bookstore, 313 E Front St, Traverse City. Pre-registration required: 231-941-5805 or HigherSelfBookstore.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 11 Pottery and Wine at Castle Farms – 6-9pm. All paints, supplies and artist guidance included. Once you have completed your pieces, they will be transported to the Cottage Pottery studio for professional glazing and firing. After completion, they will be ready for you to pick up at your convenience at Castle Farms. Also included in your ticket: a glass of 1918 Cellars wine to inspire your artistic senses. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix. CastleFarms.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 Spring Bird Walk – 9-11am. Join us for a spring bird walk to learn to ID birds by sight and sound and how to log observations online using the eBird webpage or app. Bring binoculars or borrow some. $5/person. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire. Register: GrassRiver.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 ONLINE: Women Working for the Earth Summit – Apr 21-24. Brings together voices of 35 women and non-binary leaders ushering in a new paradigm: Winona LaDuke, Terry Tempest Williams, Leah Penniman, Rosemary Gladstar, and many more. Topics include water rights, healing gardens, the magic of hummingbirds, apprenticing with trees, and so much more. Free. Registration required: NatureEvolutionaries.com. Owls/Amph Dusk Walk – 7:30-9pm. As part of our Earth Week Celebration, join us for a walk at dusk to listen and look for signs of spring like owls calling, frogs singing, or salamanders migrating. $10/person. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire. Pre-registration required: GrassRiver.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22 Earth Day Tree Planting – Apr 22-23. 10am-2pm. Join Conservation District staff as they work on the Boardman River streambank restoration by planting native tree and shrub seedlings in the Brown Bridge bottomlands. Free. Brown Bridge Quiet Area, Traverse City. NatureIsCalling.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 TART Trails’ Spring Work Bee – 10am-12pm. TART Trails is hosting work bees at various locations along the trail network. The perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy springtime on the trails and help us get them ready for the summer season ahead. Locations & registration: Tinyurl.com/yckprand.

TUESDAY, APRIL 26 Cook Once, Eat Three Times – 6-7pm. With Chef Ali. Three delicious vegan meals are just a short prep time away. $10. Via Zoom. Register: Oryana.coop.

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 Earth Day Tree Planting – 9:30am-1pm. Help district staff plant native tree and shrub seedlings on the Natural Education Reserve. Free. Grand Traverse Natural Education Reserve, 1450 Cass Rd, Traverse City. To register: Trails@gtcd.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 Brilliant Books: Independent Bookstore Day – A oneday national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country. There are exclusive books and literary items only available on that day. 118 E Front St, Traverse City. 231-946-2665. Brilliant-Books.net. Spring Wildflower Hike – 10am-12pm. Volunteer Paula Dreeszen will share her knowledge and passion for native plants along the winding trails and wildflowers of the Railroad Point Natural Area. Register: gtrlc.org.

PLAN AHEAD FRIDAY, MAY 6 First Fridays in Downtown – 3-6pm. Enjoy shopping, random giveaways, great food from local restaurants, and kid-friendly activities in Hoop Skirt and Van Pelt Alleys. 109 Mason St, Charlevoix. DowntownCharlevoix.com.

ongoing events

daily Pets & Parents Reiki Session – 9am-9pm. Sessions for wellness, critical care and end of life transition. Actively experience the use of reiki touch with your pet. Learn additional tips for helping your pet. Virtual 40-min appt. $20. 231-590-0001. TCDesoto@gmail.com. Sacred Lights Collective Events – A digital platform and virtual community for seekers and facilitators to walk the spiritual path together offering daily classes, groups and workshops. With Aria Mae Everts. Virtual. 774-578-2762. SacredLightsCollective.com.

sundays Men’s Circle: Stories in Council – 6:30pm. 1st Sun. An open group of men who come together in a safe, confidential space to share and gain from each other’s experience and presence. Free. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com.

mondays Cancer Care Support Discovery Call – 6-6:30pm. For those looking to incorporate a holistic, functional element of care into their cancer treatment plan by working in conjunction with your oncologists, surgeons, primary care physician and physical medicine practitioners. More info: MIHolistic Med.com.

tuesdays Empowerment Circle – 10:30-11:30am. With Heather Zigler. By bringing new light to an ancient and traditional tool used by indigenous people around the globe. Circles are a place to transform ME to WE as a space where the principle of sharing power with each other exists instead of having power over one another. 1st class free. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. 231-499-8595. HeatherZigler.com. Turntables and Tacos – 4pm-close. Stone Hound Brewing Company, 3593 Bunker Hill Rd, Williamsburg. 231-421-5010. StoneHoundBrewing.com.

wednesdays Empowerment Circle – 5:30-6:30pm. See Tues listing. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. 231-499-8595. HeatherZigler.com. Wine Down Wednesdays at Castle Farms – 6-8pm. Visit 1918 Cellars for live music, food, wine and more. No tickets necessary to enjoy the music. Check their lineup to see who’s going to be performing this summer. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix. CastleFarms.com.

thursdays Gentle Yoga – Apr 7-28; May 5-26. 10-11am. 4-wk sessions. With Janae Ernst. Incorporates mindful movement, breath work and somatic exploration to reduce stress and cultivate ease. No experience necessary. $50/nonmember, $45/member, $15/dropin. Charlevoix Circle of Arts, 109 Clinton St, Charlevoix. CharlevoixCircle.org. Weekly Facebook Live with Dr. McSwain – 5:306pm. More info: MIHolisticMed.com. The Goddess Workout Beginner Hula Dance Class – 6:30-7:30pm. For absolute beginners of all ages, sizes and shapes. Learn basic hula moves and combinations. $80/8-wk session, $15/drop-in. First Congregational Church, 8066 W State St, Central Lake. AmiraHamzarRaks.com. Red Tent: Women’s Circle – 7pm. 2nd Thurs. Meet local women, share your journey and grow together. Hosted by Aria, Red Tents are a gentle introduction to women’s sacred circles. Free. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com. Community Night – 7-9pm. 4th Thurs. Each month we will host a different theme for connecting with your fellow Bellaire community members. Movie nights, potlucks, cacao and conversation, etc. Everyone welcome, including families; do not need to practice yoga. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com.

fridays

For absolute beginners of all ages, sizes and shapes. In-person & Zoom. $40/mo, $15/drop-in. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. 231-499-8595. AmiraHamzarRaks.com.

saturdays Indoor Farmers Market – Thru Apr 30. 10am2pm. Presented by The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Free admission. Mercato, 830 Cottageview Dr, Traverse City. TheVillageTC.com/ farmers-market.

classifieds HELP WANTED LOOKING FOR DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE DISTRIBUTOR / SALES OF ALL- NATURAL PRODUCTS. This is not a MLM, this is based on product sales of retail and sales to the public. This will include contacting the public as well as outdoor and indoor events. Calling on stores and businesses. Must be passionate about healthy living and helping others be healthy. Michigan-made products. We are a licensed, insured, certified Company. Please contact U.P. Chaga Connection 906-282-0787 (Serious inquiries only).

farmers markets directory

o many healthy outdoor activities await us in the summertime— picnics, sporting events and boating, just to name a few. Best of all is the cornucopia of fresh, local produce we find to fuel our seasonal fun. A plethora of farmers’ markets spring up each year that allow us to skip the middleman and get food straight from the people that grow it. Not only is it more nutritious than store-bought, it creates a much smaller carbon footprint on the environment than extensive shipping and we get to SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET

Between Cass and Union Streets, Traverse City 231-922-2050 June-October Saturdays, 7:30am-12pm Wednesdays, 8am-12pm

FARMERS MARKET AT THE VILLAGE & GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS

830 Cottageview Dr, Ste 101, Traverse City 231-941-1900 Traverse City's only year-round indoor market. Mondays, May-October, 2-6pm Saturdays, November-April, 10am-2pm

EMPIRE FARMERS MARKET

10234 W Front Street, Empire 231-866-0922 Saturdays, June 11- September 3, 9am-1pm

GROW BENZIE FARMERS MARKET

5885 Frankfort Hwy, Benzonia 231-882-9510

talk to farmers about how we can make better decisions all-year long. INTERLOCHEN FARMERS MARKET

2112 M 137, Interlochen 231-970-1340 Sundays, 9am-2pm

GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET

6394 Western Ave., Glen Arbor 231-866-0922 Tuesdays, June-September, 9am-1pm

LAKE LEELANAU FARMERS MARKET

112 W Philip Street, Lake Leelanau 231-866-0922 Sundays, June 14-September 6, 9am-1pm

NORTHPORT FARMERS MARKET

105 Bay Street, Northport 231-866-0922 Fridays, June 7-September 13, 9am-1pm

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER ARTISANS & FARMERS MARKET

461 East Mitchell Street, Petoskey 231-347-4337 October to June, 10am-1pm

The Goddess Workout Beginner Belly Dance Rhythms: Maksoum – 6-7pm. Learn to play the finger cymbals in a beginner belly dance class taught by certified GoddessLife instructor, Amira Hamzar.

April 2022

community resource guide ADVANCED WELLNESS EARTH LABS

ARIA MAE EVERTS

317a E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-1490 EarthLabsHeal.com Subtle modalities including sound, light, frequency and thermogenic therapies to enhance and transform your quality of life. Our techno-therapy will reduce pain and restore energy. See ads page 19 and back cover.

Coach, Facilitator, Healer Aria@AriaMae.com AriaMae.com Spiritually integrative coaching, healing and retreats for Conscious Leaders. In-person and virtual personal development for those who envision a world where all life is honored. See ad page 18.

COOKING & TEA BREWING

MY CBD

SPICE & TEA MERCHANTS

Kelly Young MyTCBD.com All-Natural CBD products. We source from only organic, environmentally socially responsible companies that believe in cruelty-free testing. Life is too short to feel anything less than your personal best. Ask about our distributor options where you can be your own boss. See ad page 26.

PURELY CBD

1112 E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-1070 PurelyCBD-TraverseCity.com

SHARED BLESSINGS FARM

7291 18 Mile Rd, Marion 231-743-2286

We are a family farm focused on healthy soils to produce healthy grass-finished animals rich in minerals and omega-3s and omega-6s with real fat that is good for you. See ad page 22.

HALOTHERAPY

CHAGA PRODUCTS

Providing the world’s best herbs, spices and teas for your kitchen. We carry over 200 spices from everyday use to the most exotic as well as over 120 different teas. See ad page 21.

SHARED BLESSINGS FARM

7291 18 Mile Rd, Marion 231-743-2286

We are a family farm focused on healthy soils to produce healthy animals so they can produce healthy raw milk for your good. Taste to know the difference. See ad page 22.

GIFT CERTIFICATES

U.P. CHAGA CONNECTION

906-282-0787 MidnightSpcl_59@yahoo.com UPChagaConnection.com

URBAN OASIS SALT SPA

13709 S. West Bayshore Dr, Traverse City 231-938-6020

Freshest, cleanest, wildest organic Chaga available in the Upper Peninsula. State certified. Immune-Boosting Superfood. For centuries, people have used chaga mushrooms for medicinal purposes. Packed with antioxidants, its extract may fight cancer, chronic inflammation, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. See ad page 24.

13709 S. West Bayshore Dr, Traverse City 231-938-6020 UrbanOasisSaltSpa.com

Dry salt therapy, massage, detox, organic facial services, exclusive salt room made from 15,000 pounds of Himalayan pink salt supports overall health and wellness. See ad page 23.

145 E Front St, Traverse City 231-947-7423 SpiceMerchants.biz/traverse-cityspice-store

FRESH MILK HERD SHARES

At Purely CBD Traverse City, we strive to provide our customers with top-quality products that help serve their personal needs. As a locally owned business, we are dedicated to caring for our community and prioritize your overall well-being. See ad page 25.

Grand Traverse Region

GRASS-FINISHED BEEF

URBAN OASIS SALT SPA

CBD PRODUCTS

COACHING & COUNSELING

UrbanOasisSaltSpa.com

Give the gift of health and beauty this holiday season. Treat a loved one to our dry salt therapy, massage, detox, organic facial services, or exclusive salt room made from 15,000 pounds of Himalayan pink salt that supports overall health and wellness. See ad page 23.

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

HEALTHY PET SQUARE DEAL COUNTRY STORE

900 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City 231-946-5030 SquareDealCountryStore.com

Our knowledgeable staff is here to help you find the best food, treats and products for your pets. See discounts page 27.

HOLISTIC MENTAL WELLNESS KELLIE ZIEHM

Kellie.Amare@yahoo.com 734-344-2339 AmareMentalWellness.com Come join my team with this ground floor distributor opportunity with the only holistic mental wellness company in direct sales. I’m also looking for healthcare professionals to join our influencer program. See ads, pages 3 and 16.

HYDROPONICS & ORGANIC GARDENING PRODUCTS THE GROW STORE

90 N U.S. Hwy 31 S, Traverse City 231-421-5191 Facebook: The Grow Store Traverse City Serving Traverse City and the Northern Michigan region since 2009. Specilizing in organics, hydroponics and lighting systems for the indoor grower. A locally owned, service-oriented company. See ad page 25.

LESS ANXIETY NATURALLY EARTH LABS

317a E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-1490 EarthLabsHeal.com Advanced technologies in the sound and light lab ease anxiety and relieve chronic pain. Enhance your mood and bring balance to the limbic system. See ads page 19 and back cover.

MEDICAL/CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS WHOLE HEALTH TRAVERSE CITY

3639 Cass Rd, Traverse City 231-943-2100 WholeHealthTC.org

We help people suffering with chronic joint and muscle pain, and peripheral neuropathy to decrease pain, increase quality of life, and maximize their competitive edge. See ad page 9.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 East Broadway St, Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info

Educational programs offered: Natural Health Program: four years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program: one year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program: six months (one weekend a month). Individual classes available. See ad page 7.

PERSONAL & SPIRITUAL GROWTH WORKSHOPS INNER LISTENING™ WORKSHOPS

Rev. Julie Chai 231-922-9699 InnerListening.me

Inner Listening™ workshops for compassionate self-awareness, presence, serenity, love, and joy, offer you the theory, practice, and support to move beyond emotional reactions and into deep healing, compassion, and empowerment. See ad page 8.

SCHOOL / EDUCATION NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 East Broadway St, Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info

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Grand Traverse Region

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

Natural Awakenings of Grand Traverse Region Michigan - April 2022

Articles inside

TECHNOLOGY MEETS NATURE

BUZZ-FREE DRINKING

PEST CONTROL

SPRING IS A STATE OF MIND

NATURE SPEAKS

WHY WE NEED WILD PLACES