2023 GULF COAST WOMEN IN WELLNESS

Welcome to 2023 Natural Awakenings Gulf Coast Women In Wellness, part of our month-long salute to women’s health! We are highlighting some of the incredible holistic health professionals and businesswomen in the Gulf Coast area and celebrating women everywhere who hold wellness as a priority and passion in their lives.

NAGC is thrilled to showcase these stories and missions in this special multi-platform feature, which begins with our May print issue and continues to our website at NAGulfCoast.com and Facebook.com/ NaturalAwakeningsMag. We are proud to present the stories of 12 diverse women from various fields who have made a difference in so many lives by their hard work, their extensive research and their belief in natural healing through a mind-body-spirit approach in everything they do. These are the women that support and enable Natural Awakenings to connect, educate and empower readers all along the Gulf Coast to live healthy on a healthy planet.

We hope you will read, share and save this wonderful section of our magazine, follow these Women In Wellness practitioners and purveyors of natural health and wellness and consider their products and services when you, your friends and family are seeking health and wellness professionals. Enjoy learning all about them, as we did!

MISSY GUITTERREZ OWNER, RPh

Peak Alkalinity

Peak alkalinity in Fairhope is a fullservice wellness and detox spa best known for providing water ionizers for home and office use so that everyone can have the convenience of good health at the touch of a button.

With a pH greater than seven, alkaline water is less acidic than tap water. In the body, alkaline water flushes toxins, stabilizes pH, hydrates faster, improves energy, boosts metabolism and strengthens the immune system.

At Peak Alkalinity, the benefits of proper alkaline levels are understood. Owner, Missy Guitterrez, is committed to helping people live their healthiest, most fulfilled life. “The natural pathogen-fighting properties of a pro-alkaline balance help you feel better than you knew was possible,” she says.

A pharmacist by degree, Guitterrez has used most of Peak Alkalinity’s services for more than 20 years and is passionate about pursuing better health for her family, friends and community.

Those who seek out Peak Alkalinity enjoy ionized alkaline water, ionic foot detox, far infrared sauna, Himalayan salt therapy or the oxygen bar for accelerated health benefits. “We’ve seen people find improvement with things like acid reflux, gout, asthma, diabetes, respiratory and skin conditions. We’ve helped people with concerns they didn’t even know they had,” says Guitterrez.

Most recently Guitterrez added the sought after Lifewave X39 Stem Cell Re-activation patch to her natural healing lineup. Clinical studies have shown that by using the patch, in one to three months, 3,000 to 4,000 genes begin to reset. An elevation of antioxidants occurs, inflammation decreases and an increase in energy begins.

“The X39 patch is revolutionary. It utilizes the body’s own infrared heat to engage GHK copper peptides, which in turn stimulate dormant stem cells in the bone marrow to awaken,” explains Guitterrez. “As we age, stem cell production begins to slow. This hampers the healing process and results in various ailments.”

“Stop by Peak Alkalinity’s Fairhope location and have a conversation with our professional staff. We have something for everyone,” Guitterrez says. See ad, page 13.

JANET BAKER REGISTERED NURSE, OWNER enrG Wellness

Providing expertise in integrative and functional medicine, with a passion for naturally improving the body’s own healing mechanisms, especially for those with autoimmune disorders and metabolic diseases.

Janet Baker, RN, has worked in integrative and functional medicine since 2007. Through her practice of functional medicine, she helps people heal their bodies with appropriate nutrients, supplements and improved metabolism through her extensive knowledge of the roles that nutrition and genetics play in health issues.

In the medical field since 1995, Baker began her career in nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital where she worked in the intensive care units. She later worked at St. Vincent’s East as a charge nurse in orthopedics. Her personal journey with an autoimmune disorder led Baker to specialize in working with patients diagnosed with autoimmune and metabolic diseases. “I’ve designed a practice around seeking permanent health solutions to keep our patients on the correct path to wellness,” she says.

ENRG Wellness has transformed into a multidisciplinary practice. Licensed medical staff trained to guide clients to the correct products and services, such as weight loss, anti-aging therapy, IV therapy, ozone therapy, oxygen with aromatherapy, vitamin C infusions, bio resonance therapy plus NAD and peptides that offer DNA repair functions. “We are able to help so many,” says Baker. “Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, opioid and alcohol addictions respond very well with NAD and peptides, helping patients see long-term continued benefits.”

In addition, the weight management program includes semaglutide and MOTS-c, which “work together to help people lose more inches quickly,” says Baker.

Clients at enrG Wellness are usually looking for a more holistic way of being treated than what they have already experienced. Everyone at enrG Wellness collaborates to provide healing from the inside out. The experts include Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner, Tara McLellan; Functional Chiropractor, Dr. Rachel Gilmore, who specializes in working with athletes; Therapeutic Massage Therapist, Kelly Molyneax; Certified Pilates Instructor, Sherae McMurphy; with acupuncture coming soon. See ad, page 35.

251-943-9355 • 251-240-0842

Tara Mclellan Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner

Integrative Healthcare of Lower Alabama at enrG Wellness

Using a holistic approach to treat chronic conditions and handle preventative health concerns with a focus on identifying the root cause of symptoms and moving forward with natural methods.

Tara McLellan, functional medicine certified, family nurse practitioner (NP) is the owner of Integrative Healthcare of Lower Alabama. She is also an athlete who focuses on functional flexibility, strength and movement. She practices what she preaches on living a well-rounded and active life.

McLellan became a Nurse Practitioner to help people be healthier and happier. “I realized traditional medicine often uses medications to mask symptoms, rather than asking why the symptom is occurring in the first place and if it can be addressed holistically,” she says. “So, in 2019, I started studying integrative medicine and became a certified NP through the Institute of Functional Medicine.”

One specialty area for McLellan is working with hormone imbalances. “The body makes many hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol and more. All interact with each other in a delicate balance to maintain health. When the body becomes inflamed due to illness or age, hormones can suffer and affect a person’s weight, mood, energy level and a host of other things,” says McLellan.

Functional medicine is patient-focused, not disease-focused, and seeks the underlying causes of symptoms to correct and treat them through natural means. McLellan commonly finds that lifestyle modifications and supplements can treat the root cause, rather than simply masking symptoms with medication. She enjoys helping patients of all ages with hormone imbalances, autoimmune disease, chronic gastrointestinal issues and those struggling with their mental health.

Learn more about how the functional medicine approach is changing lives with a holistic approach to chronic and preventative health concerns. See ad, page 18.

Lynnora Ash Owner

Fairhope Health Foods, Virginia’s Health Foods, Sunflower Café

Providing full-service health food stores and healthy eating cafés, helping customers maintain a purposeful, healthy lifestyle utilizing products from local vendors.

In over 30 years as the owner of both Virginia’s and Fairhope Health Foods, Lynnora Ash, is a leader in the industry, overseeing three relocations with Virginia’s, withstanding the COVID pandemic and maintaining a strong presence in both the Mobile and Fairhope communities. Virginia’s and Fairhope Health Foods provide unparalleled service, knowledgeable employees, whole foods, natural supplements, cosmetics and more, mostly from local vendors.

After 45 years of investing in healthy living and education, first with her family and then with the stores, Ash was in a good place when the recent increased popularity of alternative and herbal treatments for chronic and acute health conditions swelled. She has long shaped her businesses to offer long-lasting and contemporary remedies including an emphasis on quality customer service. She has maintained a standard of operating the stores with a concern toward education by providing her staff with ongoing training.

Ash says she is humbled to have gained the trust of so many customers, sharing her health and wellness philosophy, seeing personal successes of longevity and pain-free living. Between herself and her loyal employees, they have over 100 years combined experience in nutrition, health and wellness.

As proprietor to two restaurants: Sunflower Café and Sunflower Café II, located alongside the health food stores, quality meals have always been a standard for Ash. Open seven days a week, the cafés welcome customers old and new with open arms and are delighted to share daily specials and a delightful Sunday brunch menu.

Fairhope Health Foods now has a Tik Tok, which Ash uses to encourage her customers to have confidence when seeking out new ways of improving their health and find products that promote cleaner living. “Invest in your tomorrow by investing in your health today,” she advises. See ad, page 31.

CAROLYN OLSON CCT, CLT, FOUNDER Thermography Advantage

Non-invasive holistic treatments and multiple screenings are available for overall health, immune system issues, disease intervention, balancing the body and mind through biofeedback and more.

After hearing about thermography, a medical imaging method that does no harm to the body, during a cancer prevention seminar for her nursing continuing education credits, Carolyn Olson knew she wanted to learn more about the radiation-free, non-invasive and highly effective device. Olson became certified in thermography and opened Thermography Advantage in 2009 to serve the Gulf Coast community.

Today, Olson enjoys forming personal relationships with each of her clients. With a history of cancer in her family, she was motivated to research the natural treatments and therapies that are available. At an American College of Clinical Thermography conference, she was given an award titled Excellent Achievement in Contributing to Clinical Thermography Studies.

Thermography Advantage offers electro-lymphatic drainage therapy, which is non-invasive, painless and very calming. “It is like having a light touch massage, but instead the certified lymphatic therapist uses an instrument that has two small handheld wands that are lightly and slowly moved across the body in a specific direction that correlates to the body’s lymphatic flow,” Olson says. “This therapy is helpful to many as lymphatic organs play an important role in the immune system. An impaired lymphatic system can result in colds, flu, sinus problems, excess water retention, heart disease, fibrocystic and tender breasts, cellulite, enlarged prostate and cancer.”

Men and women of all ages can benefit from Thermography Advantage’s services. “One of our popular services is the AO Scan, which measures the frequencies of each part of the body to identify what is out of balance,” says Olson. “You will be given a report and balancing tones to listen to at your convenience on a daily basis.” The clinic also offers cutting-edge supplements that assist in balancing a person’s frequencies.

“I’m proud to give people hope, holistic health options and to help educate them on alternative therapies,” says Olson. See ad, page 9.