Step away from the sugar bowl. Our local honey and maple syrup boast benefits that make them smarter sweetener choices.
When it comes to everyday sweetening, honey and m aple syrup are often overlooked in favor of sugar— or those little multicolored packets of sweetener. But these products, abundantly produced in Northern Michigan, deserve a closer look. ›
4000 Eastern Sky Dr. Ste. 6 Traverse, City MI 49684
“Honey and maple syrup are more than just sweeteners—they’re a powerhouse of nutrients,” says Jill Balla, D.C., a chiropractor with a focus on using nutrition as a therapeutic tool to help the body heal naturally. “They bring in essential stuff like B vitamins and minerals like zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.”
And, Balla says, both are loaded with antioxidants—which can help protect your body against diseases like cancer and heart disease—and thanks to lower scores on the Glycemic Index, both are easier on blood glucose than table sugar. “Just to put things in perspective, regular sugar is 65 on the Glycemic Index, while maple syrup and honey clock in at 54 and 20, respectively,” Balla says.
While maple syrup (make sure you’re getting real, 100 percent maple syrup and not the goopy corn syrup in the lady-shaped bottle) has a higher mineral content than honey, honey boasts an additional benefit: Research has shown it can help keep you from sniffling and sneezing during allergy season. “Local raw honey is a secret weapon against seasonal allergies,” Balla says. “The bees work their magic, collecting local pollen and turning it into a food that helps your immune system recognize your environment as healthy.”
A Sweet Surprise
With unique textures and flavors, these Northern Michigan–sourced maple syrup and honey products are anything but ordinary.
sugar for honey or maple syrup, and not just on your peanut butter sandwiches and pancakes. Use it in salad dressings, drizzle over fresh fruit and cheese, or put a dollop in your coffee or tea—pretty much anything sugar can do, honey and maple syrup can do, too, with an extra infusion of flavor and nutrition. But don’t overdo it. “Honey and maple syrup will still spike your blood sugar, so less is better,” Balla says. “But they bring a whole lot more to the table than your average sugar.”
With varieties like bay leaf, chai spice, coffee bean and ghost pepper, infused maple syrups from Harwood Gold add a burst of unexpected flavor to your favorite beverages, salad dressings, desserts or grilled and roasted veggies and meats. Visit the store at 230 Bridge St. in Charlevoix or order online at harwoodgold.com.
Bring the heat! For The Love of Bees, from Traverse City–based Grand Traverse Sauce Co., packs a sweet-and-spicy surprise. This chili-infused honey, made with local honey sourced from Hilbert’s Honey Co. (also in Traverse City), is delicious drizzled over waffles or biscuits, as a delightfully daring dunk for fried chicken, or even mixed into cocktails. Pick up a bottle at 1125 E. Eighth St. or find online at gtsauceco.com.
If you love the flavor of maple syrup but wish for a more dunk-able consistency, maple cream from The Sweet Spigot—a family farm nestled in the Upper Peninsula—is your new best friend. Maple cream is maple syrup that’s been whipped to silky, spreadable perfection: Try as an add-on to your peanut butter toast or S’more, atop a Ritz cracker or as a fruit dip. Find a store near you or shop online at sweetspigot.com.
The first step to taking advantage of all that sweet, locally sourced goodness is swapping out regular
Even with all their delicious benefits, maple syrup and honey aren’t the best choice for everyone. If you’re dealing with prediabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome or a fatty liver—all reasons you may not want to spike your blood glucose at all—consider Stevia or monk fruit, two non-caloric sweeteners derived from natural ingredients, Balla advises. And as for chemical-based artificial sweeteners (the kind in the little pink and blue packets)? Just don’t do it, she says. “Those are like a chemistry experiment gone wrong and are best avoided for the sake of your health.”
With a multitude of honey and maple syrup producers across Northern Michigan, shopping for your next spoonful of sweetener can be as easy as hitting up a nearby farmers market or roadside stand. Or seek out a farm that offers tours, so you can shop while also learning more about the process of tapping trees and befriending bees. Super sweet!
THE SHOWDOWN: HONEY VS. MAPLE SYRUP
Maple syrup and honey each have their strong points—and ardent supporters. But how does the data stack up?
BLOOD SUGAR HEALTH
Honey packs about 40 percent fructose. Maple syrup is lighter in fructose, at just about 4 percent.
CARB CONTENT
Maple syrup is lower in carbs, with 13 grams per tablespoon, compared to honey’s 17 grams.
NUTRITION
Maple syrup has a higher mineral content than honey, but honey swings back with a dose of gut-healing polyphenols.
FLAVOR
Honey is sweeter and more floral; maple syrup brings a caramelized flavor, with notes of vanilla and butterscotch.
Hope for Better Mental Healthcare
A new facility from Munson Healthcare addresses an urgent need in the community.
by MEAGAN FRANCIS
up north, we wouldn’t trade our small communities, sweeping rural landscapes and showstopping winters for anything. Still, it’s only fair to admit Northern Michigan poses a double challenge when it comes to mental health.
First, there are those winters we love so much. Less daylight can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and the isolation that can come with living in a rural area—of which our region is mostly composed—can make residents more susceptible to depression, says Terri Lacroix-Kelty, director of behavioral health at Munson Healthcare.
And there are other factors at play, too. “Economic stressors can take a tremendous toll on mental health,” Lacroix-Kelty says, pointing out that the unemployment rate in many of our Northern Michigan counties is double or more than in densely populated areas. Around 43 percent of our population lives under the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) level and struggles to afford essential needs. Transportation and technology also create issues: Northern Michigan residents may have to travel long distances to receive care, or don’t have reliable internet access that would allow them to speak with a care provider virtually. ›
Back: Elizabeth Madison, MD / Kara E. Cockfield, MD / Kendra Johnson, DO / Emma Rodgers, DO Middle: Deanna Angers, DO Front: Holly McKinney, FNP / Shelby Waibel, FNP-BC
All these factors can lead to a snowball effect for those who need help, says Kate Dahlstrom, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Grand Traverse, which offers support, education and advocacy for people and families affected by mental illness. Lack of access to appropriate care can lead to mental illness worsening and poor outcomes: For example, a person who is sent to the ER instead of receiving proper mental health care may escalate, untreated, from an anxiety attack to a psychotic break, leading to negative outcomes like self-harm or resisting arrest for a minor infraction.
“Every day, right here in Grand Traverse County, up to 40 percent of our [incarcerated people] really need mental health care,” Dahlstrom says. “We’re the most underserved region in the state.”
Recognizing the urgent need in the region, Northern Michigan’s healthcare community, led by Munson Healthcare, is working to close the care gap with the opening of the Grand Traverse Mental Health Crisis and Access Center.
Right now, the center is open Sunday through Thursday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., offering services like behavioral health assessments, mobile crisis support, peer support and crisis phone screenings. Not only does the center provide a safe, nurturing place for people in crisis, but it also has the potential to improve the entire mental health care system in the region. Emergency rooms were never designed to handle mental health crises, yet often when people need urgent help, they have nowhere else to go. The new center provides a more appropriate environment, allowing emergency departments to focus on medical care while mental health professionals take the lead on psychiatric care.
“The center adds a much-needed piece to the continuum of care.
“The center adds a much-needed piece to the continuum of care,” Lacroix-Kelty says. The facility consolidates essential services under one roof, allowing individuals to get the help they need in times of crisis, or helping them to connect with the right resources. LaCroix-Kelty points to studies showing communities with services like a crisis hotline and a crisis center can resolve up to 85 percent of mental health crises without hospitalization, meaning this one-stop approach is better for patients and more fiscally sustainable.
Located on Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center campus at 410 Brook Street, the center is housed in a renovated 22,000-square-foot building that previously provided outpatient behavioral health services. After extensive renovations, it now offers both outpatient and residential crisis services for individuals of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay.
It’ll help in recruiting, too. The facility’s opening signals a broader community commitment to mental health, which Lacroix-Kelty believes will make a big difference when it comes to bringing more care providers to Northern Michigan. “Opening a crisis center and taking a communitywide approach to mental health signals opportunity,” she says, emphasizing this can help alleviate some of the concerns providers may have about practicing in a rural area.
“The community has been incredibly supportive,” Lacroix-Kelty adds, noting the facility cared for about 50 people in its first month after opening on January 5. As awareness grows, “so will the number of people we see come through our doors,” she predicts.
By July 2025, the facility is on target to expand to 24/7 care, providing a psychiatric urgent care unit along with a unique “living room” model of care. This model offers a nonclinical, home-like environment where patients are able to recover in a calming environment, with soothing views of the woods. In fall of 2025, the plan is to add a six-bed pediatric unit to help fill the serious gap in pediatric mental health care in Northern Michigan.
The center’s opening represents a step toward addressing the mental health crisis in Northern Michigan. It provides a beacon of hope for those who have long struggled to access the care they need, and with ongoing support and expansion, it promises to be a game-changer for the region’s mental health landscape.
The Secret to a Low-Stress Retirement
Looking for less stress, more enjoyment? Staying active, connected, and having access to quality healthcare are key.
by KIRSETIN K. MORELLO
Retirement conjures images of carefree days, but it also brings change—and with change can come unexpected stress. Many retirees experience isolation or worry about maintaining their health, both of which impact well-being.
PRIORITIZE YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH
Movement is essential for aging well—improving mobility, reducing stress and even easing depression. And it doesn’t require a marathon. Whether it’s chair yoga, gardening or strength training, staying active supports long-term wellness.
Living in a thoughtfully designed community makes it easier. At The Village at Bay Ridge— voted Best Senior Living Community in the 2022 Record-Eagle readers’ poll—fitness is effortless. “We offer group exercise, like Zumba Gold, and have an onsite gym with recumbent bikes, treadmills, free weights and elliptical machines,” says Marketing Director Kelse Berndt.
In addition to the gym, residents enjoy walking paths around a scenic pond, easy access to the TART trails and the nearby YMCA. The Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area, with its wooded hiking trails, offers another opportunity to stay active.
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY
Without the easy camaraderie of work colleagues, staying connected during retirement takes more intention. That’s why The Village at Bay Ridge prioritizes community.
among the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems™, along with Copper Ridge Surgery Center and a wide network of specialists.
All of these are close to The Village at Bay Ridge, which also supports residents’ well-being by hosting guest speakers on topics like nutrition and blood pressure management.
“We host a weekly social hour, plus casual coffee gatherings,” says Berndt. Games like Mahjong and euchre, and watching films in the onsite movie theater, keep residents engaged. Excursions—whether for grocery runs, casino trips or local tea parties—make life both practical and fun. “Residents love going with a group and not having to worry about logistics.”
When the weather warms up, the community enjoys barbecues, cornhole and trips to Interlochen and Northwestern Michigan College for live performances. “There’s so much on the calendar,” one resident shares. “It’s hard to decide what to choose!”
HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS SUPPORT
Proximity to healthcare is another key factor in stress-free retirement. Traverse City is home to Munson Healthcare, ranked
Organizations such as the Commission on Aging and Comfort Keepers provide additional resources.
A major advantage of Bay Ridge is its built-in continuum of care. “One of our biggest draws is that we have an assisted living facility within the same community,” Berndt explains. Independent living residents have priority access to assisted living, ensuring a seamless transition if needed.
This setup is especially beneficial for couples. “One resident was able to visit his wife every day, after she moved from their independent housing to assisted living,” Berndt says. “He was grateful not to miss visits—even in winter.”
Now in its 25th year, Bay Ridge is seeing a full-circle moment—the next generation choosing it after seeing their parents thrive. “It’s a wonderful affirmation of the trust we’ve built,” says Berndt.
AWhat Does Successful Aging In Place Look Like?
Lean on Comfort Keepers for friendly support, wisdom and care.
s people age, most want to live in their homes for as long as they can, rather than move to a new and unfamiliar living environment. In fact, a national U-M poll recently discovered 88 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 80 find it important to live in their homes as long as possible.
However, in order to accomplish that, plans need to be prepared. “More Americans are choosing to age in place. That is, they opt to stay in their homes rather than move to alternative retirement settings,” says Leslie Knopp, co-owner of Comfort Keepers. The franchise organization she runs alongside her husband Russ Knopp has served Northwest Lower Michigan for more than 18 years. Their teams provide in-home care and other services that assist seniors in maintaining their independence.
by COURTNEY JEROME
“Aging in place has many benefits,” Knopp says. “Seniors who remain in their own homes as they age enjoy the consistency of belonging to communities where they may have lived for many years surrounded by friends and families. This offers both emotional and social benefits, as they have an already established support network.”
Knopp describes that the overall quality of life is better for seniors when they are as independent as possible, including participating in their communities in a meaningful way.
“Remaining in the home also avoids the stress of relocation and acclimating to new environments, and, even more compelling: aging in place can be cost-effective,” she says.
Comfort Keepers has locations both in Traverse City and Petoskey, allowing them to serve seniors from Manistee to the Mackinac Bridge. About 200 Comfort Keepers employees are passionate about the care they provide clients and their families throughout the area.
“Many families today are unaware of the many options available to assist seniors in their homes,” Knopp explains. “When loved ones begin to demonstrate difficulty with certain daily tasks, family members may automatically believe that it is time for assisted living or a nursing home. However, these are not necessarily the best options. Today, the senior care industry and new technologies make it possible for older adults to continue to live in their own homes safely and with assistance.”
Services with Comfort Keepers include: meal delivery, household maintenance, safety checks, emergency response assistance, transportation, medical needs, personal care, nutrition and health care coordination. With new technology tools being developed all the time, they are, “Staying on top of it so we can offer that kind of alternative to people who do want to stay in their homes all the way to the end of life—it’s possible,” says Knopp.
Part of their process is to meet with seniors and/or their family members to collaborate on a comprehensive, custom and curated plan that’s individualized to their needs.
“When someone is serious in exploring options, we meet with people in their homes and start a conversation to learn what the issues are, what their pain is, what their concerns and worries are, and to start developing a solution with them that addresses their needs within their budget,” Knopp says.
“There’s no single-one answer to how we can help,” she adds, explaining they partner with a strong network of senior-serving area organizations to provide care, inclusive of the Commission on Aging, Bay Area Senior Advocates and many medical providers and hospice organizations. “It’s a process of communication, learning, and constantly making sure the solution we originally developed is still meeting all the needs.”
TIKTOK: OUR NEWEST ADDICTION
by E LIZABETH HOSANG
The social and mental health implications of today’s hottest teen social media platform worry parents and experts alike: A local psychologist weighs in.
Through viral dance videos, story times and trending topics, the social media platform TikTok garners more than 1 billion video views per day. On the app, users dive into online communities and communicate with people around the world—but the dangers of this creative platform are often overlooked.
However, for Dr. M. Teri Daunter, a licensed clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist in Petoskey, the dangers—including depression, loneliness and even self-harm and suicidal ideation—are clear.
“All social media really puts children at risk. But TikTok is the most invasive and the most abusive,” says Daunter, pointing out that TikTok’s algorithmic recommender targets
cognitive vulnerabilities in a way that increases engagement with the platform and boosts profit for the company.
The number of active users roughly doubled between December 2019 and September 2021, when the company announced it had surpassed 1 billion monthly users. The majority of TikTok users are thought to be children and young people, and Daunter is disturbed by the impact technology is having on interpersonal relationships.
“It’s addictive, and it has exponentially increased its addictive components in the last several years,” she says.
In adolescents, the brain develops regions that are associated with social rewards like peer attention. Unlike emotional processing, rational thinking doesn’t fully develop until someone reaches their mid-20s. Consequently, teenagers are more likely than adults to be impulsive and experience strong emotional reactions to external stimuli.
Early-stage research is looking into the impact of excessive social media use on brain structures. Small studies show substance addictions and excessive social media use have a similar impact on the brain. Both trigger the release of high levels of dopamine, leading to a temporary emotional “high,” making the user feel low once they stop using the platform.
Daunter explains that technology addiction uses the same neural pathways that other addictions follow. They cause a sense of impulsivity in the person that is difficult to resist. Without access to the addictive app of choice, social media users feel withdrawal.
Endless scrolling is an example of compulsive and automatic behavior, a telltale sign of addiction, says Daunter. The repetitive behavior wires “grooves” into the brain, and the more the behavior is repeated, the deeper those grooves become.
“Addiction is a complex interaction among many brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experience. Yet we know that it is treatable,” Daunter says. “The brain is very neuroplastic and it can regenerate itself.”
The most alarming cultural change Daunter has noted since the rise of social media is an increase in synthetic relationships. TikTok and other social media platforms mock a personal network but lack the authentic experience of connecting with someone face-to-face.
“It’s like eating empty calories: They fill you up temporarily, but they never really nourish you long term,” Daunter says. “Technology is stealing so much of the joy of living moment-to-moment.”
That, in itself, is affecting other relationships, adds Daunter. Young people are late entering relationships, she says, because they aren’t comfortable becoming intimate with other people face-to-face. “They’re so used to synthetic relationships they don’t know how to feel and express themselves.” That inexperience, coupled with unrealistic expectations that can be created by the ease and immediacy of synthetic relationships, affect any intimate real-life relationships they might have, Daunter says.
What should parents watch for? Daunter advises that parents look out for signs their teen may be struggling with tech addiction, such as seeming withdrawn or overly occupied with their phone.
“There can be a personality change—that’s what an addiction does,” Daunter explains, adding that she regularly hears about teens becoming very aggressive, even toward siblings, if they get in the way of a social media fix.
According to Daunter, parents are the first line of defense against these troubling effects. “Parents can help instill lifelong emotional stability for their children by prioritizing healthy connections at home,” she says, suggesting that parents put in-person socializing first, and model the behavior they expect from their children.
While it isn’t always easy to get teens on board for in-reallife family activities, getting offline may be just the “fix” techaddicted kids need.
5 OFFLINE UP NORTH FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Try something new, together.
BE A PINBALL WIZARD
Family-friendly Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City has an impressive lineup of arcade games, including pinball, Skee-Ball and Ms. Pac-Man. Order dill pickle popcorn and a soda from the bar, then play the silver ball. Bonus Points: Bike to the brewery along the Boardman Lake Loop Trail.
WALK AN OLD-GROWTH FOREST
Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling is home to some of the state’s last old-growth pines. Hike the accessible, paved 1.25-mile Old Growth Forest Trail (stroller and ADA friendly) that’s adjacent to the visitor center. Watch for annual events like maple-syrup tapping in March and wood-shaving days in July.
FIND HIDDEN CLUES … AND YOUR WAY OUT
At Know Way Out in Petoskey, your group has 60 minutes to escape a meticulously themed room (think medieval castle, abandoned circus, Bermuda Triangle) by solving puzzles, completing challenges and finding hidden clues. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
GO STRAWBERRY PICKIN’
In mid-June, U-Picks and farm stands overflow with plump, juicy berries. Two favorites: Urka Farm in Brethren and Jacob’s Farm in Traverse City (get a pizza afterward from Jacob’s Kitchen).
KAYAK THE CRYSTAL RIVER
Pretty in every season, but especially fun during October’s salmon run when the river is teeming with large fish heading upstream to spawn. Rentals available at Crystal River Outfitters; the team will drop you off and a two- to three-hour paddle will land you right back at the shop in downtown Glen Arbor.
