Natural Awakenings Tampa Bay August 2021

F

E E HEALTHY LIVING R

HEALTHY

PLANET

CHANGE YOUR THINKING

CHANGE YOUR

WORLD SMILE! IT CAN MAKE YOU HAPPIER

21st- Century SHAMANISM

Water Sports Offer Fun and Fitness August 2021 | Tampa Bay-Edition | NATampa.com August 2021

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

TAMPA BAY EDITION

PUBLISHER Debbey Wilson

EDITOR Cheryl Hynes DESIGN & PRODUCTION Patrick Floresca CONTRIBUTING WRITER Eleanor Bailey

SALES & MARKETING Debbey Wilson CIRCULATION MANAGER Dean Wille ACCOUNTING Susan Hoffman WEBSITE Kyle Hass

OPERATIONS Amy Hass

CONTACT US Natural Awakenings Tampa Bay Ph: 727-865-9339 • Fax: 1-727-279-4717 dwilson@natampa.com NATampa.com Follow us on Facebook!

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NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman

COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

Art Director Josh Pope

Layout & Design Gabrielle W-Perillo

Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert

Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy

National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Assistant Anne-Marie Ryan

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4851 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 200 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

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Contents

Natural Awakenings is a family of nearly 60 healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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22 THINK YOURSELF HAPPY 26 Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier

26 POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY YARDS

Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants

28 WATER SPORTS FOR A TOTAL BODY WORKOUT

Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer

30 BACK-TO-SCHOOL

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WELLNESS

Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

32 UNLEASH YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL

Working with a Life Coach Can Help

34 ALBERTO VILLOLDO on Shamanic Healing

35 SMILING CAN MAKE ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 727-865-9339 or email dwilson@ natampa.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Advertisers email articles, news briefs to dwilson@ natampa.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: dwilson@natampa.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th 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 727-865-9339. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

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US HAPPIER

36 PRESERVING THE HARVEST

Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year

40 POWER UP FIDO

Five Ways to Strengthen Your Dog’s Immune System

DEPARTMENTS 12 news briefs 14 health briefs 16 global briefs 26 green living 28 fit body 30 healthy kids

32 healing ways 34 wise words 35 inspiration 36 conscious eating 40 natural pet 43 calendar 44 resource guide

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letter from publisher

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ugust 2021 has arrived on the Gulf Coast, and I have again eased comfortably into tropical living, Florida-style.

Focusing on the more beautiful aspects of the season, I set my pace to comfortably flow with whatever may come.

I feel blessed to live in this Bay Area paradise and to live among a unique community of earth-loving natural health seekers intent on change for the better. It is a set of circumstances ripe with promise.

With students heading back to school late this month, this issue of Natural Awakenings Tampa Bay features an enlightening selection of wellness tips for boosting the health and well-being of the children in our midst. Time flies and there is no time like the present to accelerate progress in the realm of natural health. Whether through avenues of education, nutrition, fitness or sustainable living efforts, the sooner we holistically nurture ourselves, the better.

Writer Ronica O’Hara’s article, Think Yourself Happy (page 22), is sure to stir imaginations. This comprehensive look at how to reach that universally desirable goal encapsulates seven entirely achievable mind sets and life habits to help achieve positive change from within.

This month’s Conscious Eating department (page 36) features cool writer Julie Peterson’s article on the ways to preserve summer’s food bounty for use throughout the year, from dehydrating to pickling and fermenting to canning, including recipes for zucchini bacon and pickled watermelon radishes. Healthy, nutritious fun.

As always, with an open heart and an open mind, I hope you enjoy reading on,

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news briefs

Local Doctor Featured Speaker at Anti-Aging Conference

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racie Leonhardt, DO, Peaks of Health Metabolic Medical Center, is a featured speaker and teacher at the upcoming American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Endocrinology conference scheduled for August 13 to 15. Her subject and course of discussion will be “Oxytocin: The New Hormone on the Block with Novel Clinical Applications”.

Oxytocin is one of the “happy hormones”, and to that end, Dr. Leonhardt will be presenting patient cases to other physicians. A4M trains and certifies physicians in this area of medicine with the conference featuring renowned scientists, researchers and clinicians.

An international speaker and innovative educator, Dr. Leonhardt has been published in medical journals. On a regular basis, she teaches at St. Petersburg General Hospital and at LECOM medical school; she has lectured at the American Osteopathic Association national conferences as well as PCOMS and PCMS conferences.

Location: 1120 Belcher Rd. S, Ste. 2, Largo. For more information on Dr. Leonhardt, visit PeaksOfHealth.com. For appointment, call 727-826-0838. See ad page 11.

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Ayur-Thai Yoga Beginner Course at Living Room Yoga

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artake of a two-day Beginner Course in Ayur-Thai Yoga Bodywork, taking place August 21 to 22, at Living Room Yoga, in St. Petersburg.

This course brings the wisdom of Thai hands-on therapy together with Ayurvedic philosophy.

Facilitated by Barry Cooper, LMT, AHC, RYT 500, participants will learn a 60 to 90-minute sequence done on a futon/mat, receive a manual and certificate, and earn 16 CECs through NCBTMB. Areas of study include proper body mechanics; how to apply rhythmic rocking and walking; underlying theory of Thai Yoga Bodywork; Ayurvedic 5-element theory and theory of three doshas; the 5 vayus of yoga and Ayurveda; supporting breathwork and meditation; and more.

Covid Safety Note: Masks can be worn or optional. Please do not attend if you have felt sick or have been exposed to someone with Covid in the last two weeks.

Cost: $295/by August 8; $325/after. Location: 8424 4th St. N, Ste. G, St. Petersburg. To register, call 727-826-4754 or 407-4684023 or visit Living-Room-Yoga-llc.square.site/product/ayurthai-yoga-bodywork-basics/36?cs=true&cst=custom. See ad page 18. MM#29887

Giving People a Better Life with Vivos at Breathe Well Sleep Well

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r. Paul Rodeghero founded the clinic, Breathe Well Sleep Well, in 2019, in Clearwater, Florida, to assist people with sleep and breathing issues. An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea which means poor quality sleep that fails to heal body and brain and can lead to chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke while being associated with type 2 diabetes and depression.*

Breathe Well Sleep Well delivers Vivos appliances and protocols offering a real solution to those with obstructive sleep apnea.

While treatment is noninvasive, drug-free and successfully addresses the symptoms of sleep apnea, what makes it so unique and powerful is that it actually addresses the root cause.

“With good quality, restful sleep, the body can recuperate and eliminate stress and wake ready to take on the day,” Dr. Rodeghero explains. “We’ve seen tremendous improvements in blood pressure and weight loss. We’ve seen energy increase. We’ve seen people who could only get three to four hours of sleep before treatment now able to sleep for seven or eight hours and wake feeling refreshed for the first time in years.”

Location: 209 S. Myrtle Ave., Clearwater. For more information and an appointment, call 727-314-4045 or visit BreatheWellSleepWellClearwater.com. See ads, pages 3, 9 and 15. * SleepApnea.org/learn/sleep-apnea-information-clinicians

Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

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akhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center will celebrate their 2nd year anniversary, from 2 to 4 p.m., on August 29, having opened in the Brandon/Seffner area in September 2019. The word “rakhma” is of Aramaic origin and is synonymous with “unconditional love”—

why we are all here!

Each week of the month, the center offers something different. They are currently offering a study in “A Course in Miracles”, Reiki Share with meditation, singing bowls and crystal energy, an Enoch Study Group and discussion of our cosmic family, Gentle Yoga, and Community Share. They have also hosted herbal tea classes, crystal sound bowl healing, numerology, Ho’oponopono, Pistas Sophia Ceremony, Oneness Meditation and Blessing, and a visiting monk (Bhantee) for a delicious meditation and discourse.

Rakhma Love & Harmony emphasizes that of utmost importance is what we individually as well as collectively offer and share with one another. This is an open invitation.

Location: 129 N. Moon Ave. (Brandon Junior Women’s Club House), Brandon. For more detailed information, visit RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org. See them on Meetup and Facebook. See ad page 16.

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health briefs

Customized Meals for the Health Conscious

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ocated in Pinellas County, The Colors of Food, LLC is a personal cooking business that also specializes in custom cakes. This family owned and operated company is led

by Chef Melian De Carolis.

Originally from Italy, a country renowned for its incredible cuisine, De Carolis also spent time in England where she further honed her culinary skills. Then, with the desire for new opportunities, she made the move to America to become a pastry chef and a personal chef, during which era she worked at a nutritional company for several years, gaining knowledge of the diet’s relationship to health.

Via her experiences producing personalized meal plans and desserts for diverse clientele, De Carolis has developed a talent for accommodating a variety of dietary needs and preferences. Her cooking and baking skills are inspired by her experiences traveling the world. Her desserts and meals are crafted with integrity and passion, delighting the taste buds while satisfying the dietary needs of the health-conscious.

Specializing in diets specifically for those attending to a lifestyle of celiac, keto, paleo, vegan and much more, The Colors of Food is now offering personalized meals, catering and desserts.

For a gratis consultation, call 727-600-5509. For more information, visit TheColorsOfFood.com. See ad page 18.

Microbiome Linked to Risk of Death from Disease Certain gut microbiota can predict possible causes of mortality, reports a new study from Finland’s University of Turku.

Researchers collected stool samples from 7,055 Finnish adults around 50 years old and followed them for 15 years.

They found that greater numbers of bacteria from the Enterobacteria family increase the risk of death from cancer, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal disease. “Many bacterial strains that are known to be harmful were among the Enterobacteria predicting mortality, and our lifestyle choices can have an impact on their amount in the gut,” says study coauthor Teemu Niiranen.

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news briefs

People needing a push to eat more fruits and vegetables might be motivated by two new studies from Australia’s Edith Cowan University. Studying data from 8,600 Australians between the ages of 25 and 91, researchers found people that ate at least 470 grams (about two cups) of fruits and vegetables per day had 10 percent lower stress levels compared to those that ate less than half that amount. “Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental well-being,” says lead author Simone Radavelli-Bagatini.

In a second study based on 23 years of data on 50,000 Danes, researchers found that those that consumed one cup each day of the most nitrate-rich vegetables like leafy greens and beets had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of peripheral artery disease, heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Eating more than one cup daily didn’t increase the benefits, they found, and blending greens into smoothies (but not pulp-destroying juicing) is a good option for increasing intake.

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Eat Produce to Lower Stress and Heart Disease

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Avoid Air Pollutants to Protect Children’s Mental Health Exposure to even moderate levels of trafficrelated air pollutants during childhood results in a greater risk of mental illness by age 18, Duke University researchers report in JAMA Network Open. In the study, the psychiatric health of 2,000 twins from England and Wales followed into adulthood was compared to recorded levels of air pollution in their neighborhoods. Twenty-two and 84 percent of the twins, respectively, were found to have had exposure to nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Higher levels produced the most symptoms, including depression and anxiety. The effect, although weak compared to family history, equals that of other neurotoxicants known to harm mental health, particularly childhood exposure to lead. Previous evidence suggests that air pollutant exposures can cause inflammation in the brain and may lead to difficulty regulating thoughts and emotions.

WHO estimates that nine of 10 people worldwide are exposed to high levels of outdoor air pollutants emitted by vehicles, waste disposal, power plants, factories and other industrial processes. Studies show increased hospital admissions for many psychiatric illnesses during poor air quality days in China and India. “Because harmful exposures are so widespread around the world, outdoor air pollutants could be a significant contributor to the global burden of psychiatric disease,” says lead author Aaron Reuben.

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global briefs

Thorny Problem

Cactus Poachers Are Denuding Deserts More than 30 percent of the world’s 1,500 or so cactus species are threatened with extinction, and criminal scavengers are primarily to blame. A 2020 seizure by authorities in Italy yielded more than 1,000 of some of the rarest cactuses in the world, valued at more than $1.2 million on the black market. Some were over 100 years old. President of the Association for Biodiversity and Conservation Andrea Cattabriga helps police identify specimens taken from tourists or intercepted in the mail. He says, “Here is an organism that has evolved over millions of years to be able to survive in the harshest conditions you can find on the planet, but that finishes its life in this way, just as an object to be sold.” Trafficking can take a serious toll because many species are highly localized and often extremely slow-growing, thus quite sensitive to over-harvesting.

Cactuses and other succulents have become popular on social media, promoted by indoor plant influencers for their unusual appearance and minimal care requirements.

The pandemic has increased their popularity, with shops unable to keep some species in stock. Sales of legally sourced plants could help offset illegal trade, with the proceeds going directly to communities living alongside the plants, creating an incentive to protect them.

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Animal Alert

UN Methane Report Faults Big Meat and Big Dairy The United Nations Environment Programme and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition have released a Global Methane Assessment of emissions from fossil fuels, agriculture and waste management. With livestock contributing 32 percent of the methane footprint, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) stresses the need to regulate and mitigate methane emissions from global meat and dairy companies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also identified the factory farm system of hog and dairy operations with liquified manure lagoon systems as responsible for rising methane emissions related to agriculture.

IATP European Director Shefali Sharma says, “Disappointingly, the assessment calls for more technological fixes such as feed additives and biodigesters to reduce agriculture’s methane footprint, rather than addressing the core of the problem. Untenable growth of animals in the food chain is spurred on by a powerful meat and dairy industry that bears no costs for this environmental debacle, but passes it on to farmers and consumers.” The report provides evidence that a new policy framework accounting for the factory farm system’s emissions and aiding a transition to more scale-appropriate agroecological systems of animal production that will be less harmful to people and the climate is needed, according to Ben Lilliston, IATP director of climate strategies.

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eco tip

Bug Battle

How to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay

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It’s no fun fending off uninvited airborne guests at the family cookout, but bloodthirsty bugs are an inevitable part of summer. Mosquitoes aren’t just an annoyance; they can carry infectious diseases like West Nile and Zika viruses, so it’s important to know the best ways to keep them at bay.

Sprays containing the chemical DEET—developed by the U.S. Army after World War II and made commercially available in 1957—have long been the go-to option for mosquito repellant. DEET sprays came under scrutiny after isolated reports of seizures; these were subsequently dismissed as involving “off label” applications such as ingesting DEET (it’s best not to drink bug juice). DEET can occasionally cause a rash or skin irritation; however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have both deemed DEET sprays as generally safe and effective for both adults and kids as young as two months. DEET also breaks down quickly in the environment, posing minimal danger to wildlife.

For outdoor lovers seeking a more natural bug repellant, one formula performs as well as DEET at stopping mosquitoes and even better at repelling ticks: products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus extract, which contains the naturally occurring compound para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), a byproduct of the leaves of Corymbia citriodora tree. In a study published in the Journal of Insect Science in 2015, researchers from New Mexico State University found that it deterred mosquitoes for up to six hours, unlike largely ineffective candles, bracelets and ultrasonic devices.

The PMD compound differs from lemon-eucalyptus essential oil, so look specifically for repellents containing PMD, found at most outdoors sports stores and major retailers. Lemon-eucalyptus essential oil itself is also sometimes touted as a natural mosquito deterrent, but like other essential oils like clove or citronella, the limited protection it offers is short-lived, as their volatile compounds evaporate quickly. While DIY insect repellents made from essential oils smell wonderful and are easy to make, they can also irritate the skin at higher concentrations and in some cases, such as clove oil, be toxic to pets.

Products containing essential oils are also not registered by the EPA, and therefore not tested for efficacy.

Products containing Picaridin, a chemical modeled on black pepper, also have proven to be as effective as DEET. Picaridin-based products are better at deterring mosquitoes from landing than DEET, and are less oily and strong-smelling.

The percentage of DEET or Picaridin in a product determines how long it protects, with higher concentrations providing longer protection with fewer reapplications. Those benefits taper off at 30 percent DEET and 20 percent Picaridin.

Covering up with long sleeves and spraying clothes, not just skin, with insect repellent will help keep skeeters at arm’s length and also help keep off ticks.

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August 2021

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Why Should You Get

IV Nutritional Therapy if You are Having Surgery?

by Les Cole, MD

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nsufficient nutrition impairs wound healing and leaves surgical patients more susceptible to post-operative complications. By providing optimal IV nutritional supplementation before and after surgery, we can positively influence your surgical outcome. The risk of complications also increases from other medical conditions, increasing the importance of optimal perioperative nutrition. Patients who are poorly nourished, overweight and/or have diabetes or other health problems are particularly prone to surgeryrelated complications, including wound infection and poor healing.

Most Americans consume diets too high in calories and deficient in essential nutrients. We are known as a malnourished and overfed population.

More than 70 percent of American adults do not even get two-thirds of the RDA for one or more nutrients, and the RDA is only enough to prevent a deficiency

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IV pre- and post-operative nutrition is the solution to optimal perioperative nutrition and can decrease bruising, swelling, inflammation, pain, scarring and infection rates. disease (i.e., rickets, beriberi, scurvy) but not enough for optimal healing. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is notably poor in the consumption of fruits and vegetables—foods with high micronutrient density. American meals—loaded with packaged, processed, nutrient-poor foods—contribute to nutrient deficiencies that result in a shortage of micronutrients and antioxidants, particularly important to surgical patients undergoing anesthesia, trauma and wound healing.

Deficits in micronutrients such as zinc, selenium, vitamin B6 and D (to name a few) have a negative influence on the imNATampa.com

mune response. Perioperative IV supplementation can have a significant and measurable effect on your surgical outcome by favorably affecting four primary mechanisms: reduction of oxidation generated by surgery and anesthetic agents; enhancement of immunity; reduction of bruising, swelling, and inflammation; promotion of wound healing.

Beneficial antioxidants can deactivate unstable free radicals resulting from trauma or surgery thereby playing an important role in the prevention of further damage. Vitamins, minerals and nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamins A and C, selenium, bioflavonoids and glutathione act as antioxidants. Specific amino acids are needed for tissue building and others actually increase healing. Specific nutrients stimulate anabolic (“building”) hormones and reduce catabolic (“breaking down”) hormones. Zinc, selenium, vitamins B6 and D and other nutrients mobilize and improve immune function while decreasing inflammation. This is important because during surgery it has been documented that the blood and tissue levels of nutrients decrease while the body’s requirement for them increases.

What are you often told to do before surgery? Fast (i.e., nothing to eat for up to eight hours before surgery)—so you are nutrient depleting an already nutrient deficient body and brain. In addition, you are also told to stop all vitamins and supplements two weeks before surgery. In an effort to prevent bleeding, you are being even more nutritionally compromised.

Yes, there are certain nutrients you do not want to take before surgery since they can increase bleeding risks, but many others are essential to healing.

IV pre- and post-operative nutrition is the solution to optimal perioperative nutrition and can decrease bruising, swelling, inflammation, pain, scarring and infection rates. It will also significantly improve wound healing and recovery time.

Vital Solutions IV Therapy/St. Petersburg Health & Wellness is located at 2100 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. For more information and to book an appointment, call 727-202-6807 and/or visit VitalSolutionsIV. com. See ad right.

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THINK YOURSELF HAPPY Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier

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by Ronica O’Hara

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hat is happiness? Aristotle pondered it, our country’s founders encouraged its pursuit, but only now—thanks to the thriving field of Positive Psychology—have we learned more precisely how to attain and sustain it. In thousands of studies in the last two decades, researchers have watched babies share crackers, put Tibetan monks in brain scanners, asked college students to do kind deeds and explored databases, among other strategies. A major finding has emerged: Happiness is, to a great degree, in our own hands—or more exactly, our own minds.

“You get to choose,” says trailblazing researcher Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity and Love 2.0 and a professor at the University of North Carolina. “No matter where your river of emotions flows today, over time and with continued effort and attention, you can change its course and location to live a happier, more positive life.” Using advanced brain imaging technology, neuroscientists and psychologists have discovered that the brain is “plastic” and malleable. When we change our thinking and actions in positive ways, brain neurons start rewiring themselves to make newfound happiness settle in, especially if our practices are repetitive.

“Interestingly, changes can start quite quickly,” says neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, who has authored 10 books on the 22

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brain, emotions and spirituality, including Words Can Change Your Brain. “For those changes to become more fully ingrained, it can take a few months, but it does not necessarily require hours a day for many years.”

A change in thinking shifted the behavior and life of John Peterson, a sales manager at a major West Coast auto retailer and editor of SafeDriveGear.com. “I was unhappy and miserable, so I decided to give gratitude a shot,” he recalls. “It was mechanical to start, but the reactions I got turned into a domino effect.”

Instead of giving cursory thanks, he praised a co-worker’s kindness in handing him a daily cup of coffee; now they chat about their families. Instead of “keeping myself to myself,” he offered to help a neighbor he barely knew to clean gutters; now they’re “barbecue besties,” he says, adding, “I was kind of blown away at the incredible effect gratitude had on my life, both in improving my mental health and boosting my relationships. It was a real revelation to me!”

Positive psychologists offer two major approaches: adopting habits that encourage happiness and clearing away the mental debris that blocks it. Many books and websites offer a wide range of theories, techniques and tips. “The most effective practices for you are the ones that you enjoy and are willing to do more often,” says Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., a Psychology Today

blogger and founder of The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. The following are research-based methods to enhance happiness:

for a three-to-one ratio of 1Aim positive to negative experiences

The difference between languishing and flourishing, says Fredrickson in her book Positivity, is constructing a life in which heartfelt positive experiences outnumber the negatives by three to one. Positive experiences that flow from feelings such as gratitude, serenity, hope, awe and love can be as simple as exchanging smiles with a passerby, patting a friend on the back, joking with a cashier, picking up something that someone has dropped or planting a kiss on a son’s head. She emphasizes that the experiences must be authentic and heartfelt: acting “Pollyanna-ish” out of habit or pasting on a smile can actually make us feel worse, and positivity can turn toxic if it’s relentlessly turned on 100 percent of the time. “True happiness is not rigid and unchanging,” she says.

When it comes to marriage, five positive interactions for every negative one is the “magic ratio” that makes it happy and stable, according to studies by renowned relationship psychologist John Gottman, author of What Makes Love Last. “Successful long-term relationships are created through small words, small gestures and small acts,” he writes.

negativity by 2 Flip reframing experiences

Positive reframing involves shifting misery-making thinking to see the positive side of any situation. Canadian researchers reported in a 340-person survey at APA PsycNet that during the pandemic, reframing was the most effective mental health strategy; people practicing it gradually felt better, while people that vented, distracted themselves or disengaged from others fared worse. Reframing strategies include viewing a problem as a challenge, a learning opportunity or a way to help others; finding the higher purpose or divine order in a bad situation; exploring what the unexpected benefits might be; and finding humor in a situation.

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the inner critic 3 Defuse with caring self-talk

Berating ourselves for our shortcomings is a sure route to suffering, but applying self-compassion powerfully lowers the volume.

It involves three elements: treating ourselves as kindly as we would a dear friend; realizing that making mistakes is intrinsically human so we’re not alone; and non-judgmentally facing our emotions without denying or indulging them, according to its major theorist, psychologist Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.

Numerous studies show that people that practice self-compassion have less self-doubt and fewer negative thoughts, are less likely to feel anxious or depressed, enjoy better health and

relationships and are more resilient and motivated to change.

Another way to handle the inner critic is to transform it by befriending and chatting with it, a method used in voice dialogue therapy and in the Internal Family Systems approach.

Jackie Graybill, a Seattle songwriter and piano teacher, calls her “mean girl” inner critic Brutista Dynasticus. “I’ll find myself responding to an inner thought like, ‘You look fat. Just how much weight have you gained over COVID?!’ with a recognition like, ‘Oh, Brutista, that wasn’t very nice. I may have some extra pounds, but this healthy body has gotten me through a freaking pandemic! Show a little respect, okay?’ This quiets her down because I’ve recognized her and addressed her, and I feel an inner sense of victory because I’ve brought a positive truth to bear. It’s a very empowering practice.”

away pain by 4Clear questioning assumptions

Of our estimated 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, about 80 percent are negative and 95 percent are repetitive, says the National Science Foundation. Those noisy mental loops dampen our spirits by repetitively telling us that something regretful should not have happened in the past or is going to happen to blight the future. Few worries have real credence: A Cornell University study found that 85 percent of what people worry about never happens. Of the 15 percent of worries that did happen, 79 percent of people found they handled the problem better than they had expected or that they learned a valuable lesson from it. Cognitive behavioral therapists help clients to examine those beliefs and assumptions, challenge the dysfunctional ones and try out different interpretations to uncover the truth.

Victor Blue, a Tampa transportation engineer, examined his difficult relationship with a tyrannical father by asking himself two questions that spiritual teacher and author Byron Katie suggests applying to any painful thought: “Is it true? Can you absolutely know it’s true?” Self-inquiring deeply, Blue realized he had a distorted view: His father had in fact loved him, but had lacked the capacity to show it with warmth or tenderness.

“My father started with very little and saw a tough world and treated everyone tough,” he says. “And I came to realize that yes, I am able to father myself.”

the heart by 5Open deepening gratitude

Perhaps the most popular and direct approach to happiness is gratitude. Research shows that feeling and expressing thankfulness significantly boosts emotional well-being, makes us feel more connected and generous to others, and improves health and sleep August 2021

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Online Resources AuthenticHappiness.org: positive psychology news and self-tests Martin E.P. Seligman, a University of Pennsylvania professor and bestselling author who coined the phrase “positive psychology” in 1998, designed this comprehensive website that includes new research and dozens of self-questionnaires.

Pursuit-of-Happiness.org: research and curriculums Resources offered by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., author of Positivity and Love 2.0, include an overview of research, online courses and curriculum suggestions.

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quality. In one study, writing a few sentences of gratitude once per week for 10 weeks increased optimism and hope in participants; they even exercised more and had fewer doctor visits than those writing about aggravations. Writing a thank-you letter to someone we haven’t appreciated enough in the past can induce a sense of well-being that lasts for at least six months, a University of Pennsylvania study found.

Gratitude can be cultivated simply by daily journaling; writing a list every few days often works even better, research indicates.

The more concrete the items are and the more freshly observed, the better: Rather than, “I’m grateful for my daughter,” it might be, “I’m grateful for my daughter because she made me laugh at breakfast by making a funny face.”

Some people kick off their day by writing two thank-you emails; others find creative ways to fold gratitude into relationships.

During the pandemic, Nadia Charif, a San Jose-based wellness and health advisor at Coffeeble.com, shared with her boyfriend a note-taking phone app in which they wrote the ways they appreciated each other during the day. “Somehow, no matter how frayed our nerves were, we remembered the last lovely entry and melted like ice to water,” she says. “It diffused many arguments before they escalated.”

the noisy mind with meditation, 6 Quiet prayer and mindfulness

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Newberg and other neuroscientists studied meditating Buddhist monks, prayerful Catholic nuns and mindfulness meditators. They found that each practice has its own distinctive pattern of brain activity, yet all three deactivate the brain regions that underlie mind chatter. That “default mode network” is constantly ruminating, nagging and making sure we avoid trouble. Sustained spiritual practices gradually turn down its everyday volume, which may explain in part the well-documented link between spiritual practices and well-being. Even brief meditations can have a quieting effect, counsels New York City psychologist and mindfulness teacher Loch Kelly, author of Shift into Freedom. In a quiet moment, he suggests, “Ask yourself, ‘What is here right now if there is no problem to solve?’”

up others with 7 Lift a positive outlook

The more we give with a full heart, the more happiness we experience, studies show—and the benefits radiate far beyond ourselves. Following nearly 5,000 people over 20 years, Harvard researchers found that one person’s happiness triggers a chain reaction up to three degrees away, lifting the spirits not only of friends, but friends’ friends, and their friends’ friends’ friends.

Effects can last up to one year. It’s a vital way to help the world, says Fredrickson. “The happiness that you experience together with others has ripple effects, both biological and behavioral, that make whole communities healthier.”

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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community spotlight

Christie MD Functional and Aesthetic Medicine Heather Christie, MD

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or any individual not getting healthier with traditional medicine or taking medications to cover symptoms and not resolving the root cause, the functional approach may be for you. For Dr. Heather Christie, this approach has been the missing puzzle piece to her entire career as a physician; she now sees the results, resolving various symptoms and disease processes with deeper analyses into gut health, mitochondrial health (important for energy production), hormonal and metabolic imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies.

“Ever since my 20s when I decided I would become a physician, I knew that I would ultimately practice a more integrative approach to healing in my future career,” shares Dr. Christie. “Although I loved Family Medicine, I did not love the amount of prescriptions required for treating patients instead of actual healing, the ever-increasing bureaucracy of our healthcare system, and the lack of time to adequately address lifestyle issues.

After some of my own patients started seeing Functional Medicine physicians and getting healthier, I began looking into this form of Integrative Medicine, knowing it was time to pursue. I left

private practice in 2018 and began additional training.”

Today, Dr. Christie is a Family Medicine Board Certified physician with additional training and practicing in Functional and Aesthetic Medicine. She graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine in 2005 and Duke Community and Family Medicine in 2008.

During graduation from residency, she received the Duke University Medical Center–Family Medicine’s William J. “Terry” Kane Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine, awarded to one graduating resident per year. This was the first of multiple acknowledgements by outside entities of being recognized for getting measurable results in her patients during her 16 years as a physician.

Recognizing that it is the patient who must be actively involved in order to optimize and maintain their own health, Dr. Christie customizes a protocol specifically tailored to meet the individual’s particular and unique needs, including attention to core areas of diet, exercise, hydration, and whatever is needed based upon the patient/doctor communications, working with other physicians and therapists as required for a wholly integrative approach.

Dr. Christie shares, “I’m super excited to have returned to my childhood home state of Florida. I

opened the clinic in February 2020 and we all know how that year transpired.

I had to shift my initial focus from a physical space to online appointments.

Expansion in Telemedicine visits from all doctors became a necessity in 2020, so this opened doors that I had not previously considered. I was able to slowly start seeing patients via Telemedicine in 2020 and finally opened my actual space in late 2020.

“My mission is to give relief, getting my patients feeling better so they can live full lives rather than being limited with various diseases and symptoms. I want to address and heal the root causes of diseases and support our body’s ability to heal itself, instead of covering symptoms with prescription medications and not actually healing the person.”

With a career-long history as a doctor recognized for leading edge results, Dr. Christie is now offering Functional, Aesthetic and IV Nutritional Therapy services.

The IV nutritional therapy is as it sounds— the intravenous delivery of nutrients. This is a fast way to bypass the gut and launch nutrients directly into the bloodstream for greater bioavailability (the body’s ability to assimilate the nutrients). This form of therapy is quickly becoming a popular way to have nutrients and fluids easily entered into the body, with many protocols offered, including those for energy, healing, and nutritional health.

Christie MD Functional and Aesthetic Medicine is located at 2837 1st Ave. N, St. Petersburg. To learn more and to make an appointment, call 727-220-9080 and/or visit ChristieMDFam.com. See ad page 17.

August 2021

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green living

Pollinator-Friendly Yards vaceslavromanov/AdobeStock.com

Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants

by Betsy S. Franz

than 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and nearly 75 percent of our crops, including chocolate and coffee.

Without pollinators, say 26

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biologists, neither the human race nor the Earth’s ecosystems would survive.

Like many species, some pollinators are showing steady population declines, attributed in part to habitat loss and exposure to pesticides. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that grassy lawns occupy almost 2 percent of the total U.S. land mass, making grass the single largest irrigated crop in the country, which is why the way that people garden and maintain their landscapes can either harm or help pollinators.

Many people spending more time at home last year due to the pandemic did more gardening and maintaining of their own landscapes, often without realizing the significance and impact of their activities. “Now, for the first time in its history, gardening has taken on a role that transcends the needs of the gardener. Like it or not, gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife,” writes Douglas Tallamy, an agriculture and natural resources professor at the University of Delaware, in his book Bringing Nature Home.

“Bees are what comes to mind when most people think of pollinators, but pollinators include many other species, including some flies, moths, butterflies, wasps and beetles, as well as bats, hummingbirds and even a few mammals,” says David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. Fortunately, the same principles that make home landscapes NATampa.com

more inviting to pollinators also make it safer and friendlier for a wide variety of wildlife.

Rethink the Perfect Landscape “One of the main dangers for pollinators is loss of appropriate habitat,” says Andre Kessler, an ecology and evolutionary biology professor at Cornell University.

“To help them, give up your idea of the perfect, manicured landscape and aim to restore their preferred habitat.” Kessler suggests leaving part of a landscape a bit untidy by including native plants and mowing less often. “An island of native vegetation usually provides flowering plants year-round and, similarly important, nesting sites for native bees,” he says.

Tallamy advocates halving the total amount of space devoted to lawns in the continental U.S.—reducing water, pesticide and fertilizer use—and replacing grass with plants that sustain more animal life. Leave the leaves, sticks and debris, says Mizejewski. “Many species rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.”

Choose Appropriate Plantings

With so many different species of pollinators across the diverse terrain of America, few plants work for all locales.

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or some people, perfectly mowed lawns without a trace of a weed or an insect makes them proud, but they may not realize that this method of gardening and landscaping could be harming the local ecosystem and the important pollinators that we rely on to keep food and flowers reproducing.

Pollinators are the creatures that move pollen grains from the male anther of one plant to the female stigma of another, thereby helping plants to produce seeds for the next generation. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these hard-working animals pollinate more

Most experts believe the best option is choosing native plants. The Pollinator Partnership (Pollinator.org) lists plants for each zone by ZIP code, as well as the pollinators they attract. There are also native plant societies in many areas that offer specific recommendations.

Eliminate the Chemicals “Probably the most important thing the home gardener can do to overcome the pollinator and broader biodiversity crisis is to avoid using any pesticides,” says Kessler. “The uncontrolled use of insecticides and herbicides is the major reason for the dramatic loss of insect life in general and most other organisms depending on those insects.”

“It is now within the power of individual gardeners to do something that we all dream of doing: to make a difference,” Tallamy writes. “In this case, the difference will be to the future of biodiversity, to the native plants and animals of North America, and the ecosystems that sustain them.”

Betsy S. Franz is a freelance writer and photographer who seeks a loving, sustainable balance between the nature of our world and the inner nature of man.

Learn More About Pollinators Ecoregional Planting Guides: Pollinator.org/guides Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists: Xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/ pollinator-friendly-plant-lists Lawn to Wildflowers App: LawnToWildflowers.org/download Native Plant Societies: ahsGardening.org/gardening-resources/ societies-clubs-organizations/native-plantsocieties August 2021

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fit body

Water Sports for a Total Body Workout Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer

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by Marlaina Donato

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hether it’s adrenaline-fueled kiteboarding or peaceful paddle boarding, getting active in the water helps to improve bone density, elevates mood and engages major muscle groups without stressing the joints. The highlight of a vacation might be rafting down a river, surfing at sunset or waterskiing on a mountain lake.

Whether done regularly or occasionally, water sports offer a good workout disguised as play. While some water sports require a higher level of fitness, most are beginner-friendly and only require the willingness to try something new.

Core Adventures “Many lifelong skiers call waterskiing the fountain of youth.

My friends who are in their 70s, 80s and even 90s that still ski are living proof,” says pro water skier Corey Vaughn, owner of Bum Pass Water Ski Club, in Bumpass, Virginia. “Waterskiing is one of the best total body workouts on the planet, yet you are having so much fun it never feels like a workout.”

For Natali Zollinger, a raft guide, river surfer and whitewater stand up paddle boarder, it’s about trusting and working with the current: “Either rafting or paddling, our core has to engage way more than it would with other sports, and you’ll 28

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definitely notice the internal strength.” Based in Moab, Utah, Zollinger says that in only one week, paddling and kayaking produce noticeably more tone in the triceps and biceps, adding, “If you row boats, you’ll see the traps, shoulders and back muscles develop.”

Stand up paddle board (SUP) yoga on the water, although seemingly placid, challenges the abdominals and cultivates balance. Christy Naida Linson, yoga instructor and owner of Prana Yoga Center and Aligned Flow Floating Studio, in Denville, New Jersey, says, “Paddling is excellent exercise for the core, back, shoulders, arms and legs. Postures are done in relationship to the current of the water and recruit many of the smaller stabilizing muscles.”

Getting the Feet Wet SUP yoga is accessible to both new and experienced students that can swim and are comfortable in the water. All postures can be modified to be done in positions lower to the board, such as kneeling, to make balancing easier. “A typical class is 90 minutes long and begins with instruction on land. We go through paddle strokes and safety, how to get onto the board kneeling, transition to standing when feeling stable, paddle and stop,” says Linson.

“The worst thing that happens if you lose your balance is that you go for a little swim!”

Fitness requirements for river rafting can vary, depending on the type of trip and location. “Usually a couple months of ‘stair-stepper’ and some squats and lunges will do the trick,” says Zollinger.

When it comes to gear, commercial trips offer the most freedom, especially for beginners, she says. “Normally, commercial trips pack all the gear that you need for basic camping, and all you have to bring is your personal gear like clothes, toiletries, etc.”

Waterskiing can be a challenge, but learning is easier with proper instruction, optimal equipment, an experienced, skilled boat driver and positive encouragement. “People tell me about Uncle Fred just throwing them behind the boat with a couple of old skis, telling them to hang on tight and then gunning the boat. This is not what I would consider best practices,” says Vaughn.

A typical lesson lasts about 30 minutes, involves six to eight passes up and down the lake and includes technical guidance on body positions and timing.

For optimal waterskiing, Vaughn prefers private lakes to avoid interruption in the rhythmic flow of skiing that can occur on busier lakes or bodies of saltwater due to boat traffic, winds, tides and currents. Vaughn marvels when everything comes together; “There is nothing quite like the smile of a firsttime skier when they get up [on their skis] and realize they are gliding across the water.”

In the end, water sports are all about embracing possibilities.“It is a genuine joy to see people who may be new or doubt their ability come away feeling empowered,” says Linson.

Zollinger passes on wisdom about time on the water. “The river continuously teaches me to be in the flow and appreciating the little things.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

August 2021

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healthy kids

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Back-to-School Wellness Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

by Ronica O’Hara

everyone feels about going back to school and intentionally tell your student that throughout the year if they are needing support or are feeling overwhelmed or concerned, they can always talk to you to work through the issue together,” she says.

Reset bedtime creep

Hold a family sit-down

Buoy them with breakfast

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fter a year dealing with the ups and downs of pandemic-era schooling, many parents are anticipating their children’s return to school with mixed emotions. “Families indeed have had a rough time in the pandemic, resulting in increased food insecurity, weakened social skills, splintered attention spans due to constant multitasking and arguments over screen time, yet many families also feel that they grew closer together as they coped with the adversity,” says Jenifer Joy Madden, author of How To Be a Durable Human.

As we wave our children off to classes, we can draw on those hard-won, deeper ties by taking steps to ensure our children’s health and well-being. Here are some suggested strategies:

“During the summer, bedtime tends to creep later and later. Two weeks before school starts, begin to reset bedtime by reversing the creep by 15 minutes every few nights,” suggests Amber Trueblood, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Culver City, California, and author of Stretch Marks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 6 to 12 years of age sleep nine to 12 hours a night and teenagers 13 to 18 sleep eight to 10 hours. Getting enough sleep, it advises, leads to “improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health.” Sleep experts recommend not allowing kids to be on device screens beginning an hour before bedtime, and perhaps storing devices in another room.

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Meet as a group to talk about schedules and logistics to make sure everyone’s commitments will work together, recommends Erika Beckles Camez, Ph.D., a licensed family therapist in Temecula, California. “Talk as a family about how 30

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, children that eat a complete breakfast have been shown to work

Children need healthy, whole-food, nutritious snacks after school to fuel both their bodies and their brain.

faster, make fewer math mistakes and show improved concentration, alertness, comprehension and memory. “Get in the habit of a healthy breakfast that contains a mix of lean proteins, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates and fiber,” advises Amy Spindel, a functional holistic nutritionist in Plano, Texas. “That might be something like eggs scrambled with spinach in olive oil; a smoothie with greens, coconut milk, nut butter, cherries and steamed cauliflower; or a small bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with berries and almond butter alongside some turkey sausage. These types of combinations help promote stable blood sugar until lunchtime, which means your child will be able to focus on learning and social interactions instead of their tummies.”

Satisfy them with healthy snacks There’s a metabolic reason students head straight for the fridge when they get home—but it’s best if they can’t grab sweets. “Children need healthy, whole-food, nutritious snacks after school to fuel both their bodies and their brain,” says Uma Naidoo, M.D., a Harvard-based nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef and author of This Is Your Brain on Food. To support optimal brain development and help lower kids’ anxiety and hyperactivity levels, she suggests snacks rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B12 and D, and iron and folate, such as:

n “Fries” cooked in an air fryer to crisp up zucchini, carrots or green beans n Veggie dips or hummus made with chickpeas, carrots, beets or spinach n Almond butter on celery sticks, or seed butter for dipping sweet peppers or apple slices n Homemade fish sticks made by heating salmon pieces in an air fryer n Granola that includes walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds

Take allergy precautions About one in 14 U.S. children has a food allergy. Anisha Angella, an early childhood specialist and author of Easing Allergy Anxiety in Children, recommends taking special precautions with an allergyprone child, including frequent handwashing; carrying an EpiPen for sudden, severe reactions that require an epinephrine injection; and not sharing foods.

“Connect with their teachers,” she advises.

“They want to help in any way, too. When a child sees an adult that supports their allergy safety in all environments, they feel comfortable, and that lessens anxiety.”

“Readjusting from the pandemic will take patience and perseverance on the part of parents,” says Madden. “Having the family start simple wellness habits can help.”

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. ~Winston Churchill

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healing ways

iring a life coach can be an empowering decision for people that want to understand themselves better and lead fulfilled lives.

Coaches may specialize in distinct topics like business, parenting or weight loss, but, “It’s all life coaching,” says Patrick Williams, a master certified coach by the International Coach Federation, licensed psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training. “If I hire a specialist like a wellness coach, I assume they’re going to know something about wellness, but I’m not hiring a consultant to tell me what I should do in diet and exercise. I want to be coached in living a more well life.”

According to master certified coach Fran Fisher, with 30 years of experience, “Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. It’s a partnership of two experts. The client is the expert of the content: who they are, what’s important to them and what they believe, think and feel. The coach is the expert of the process. They’ve been specially trained to help the client access their deeper wisdom and make better choices that align with who they are.”

Unleash Your True Potential Working with a Life Coach Can Help

by Sandra Yeyati

alfa27/AdobeStock.com

Going for Gold

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Martha Beck, Ph.D., a Harvard-trained sociologist, renowned coach and bestselling author of The Way of Integrity, says, “Most problems can be resolved by simply talking to someone who is willing to listen compassionately and deeply to whatever is going on in their lives and to give them good feedback. A coach will get you to high levels of happiness, selffulfillment and self-expression. Unlike therapists, coaches don’t deal with the mentally ill. They deal with the mentally well who want to maximize their performance.”

“A coach helps you think and say and dream of things you hadn’t thought before,” says Williams. “I can advise myself all day long, but as soon as I have a conversation with a trained coach, I hear myself differently. I get new ideas,

Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. and that motivates me to make change. The value may come monetarily. It may improve someone’s business or money decisions, but it also may come in how you live your life. There may be value in having less stress, more time, more fun. Anybody who is motivated to make a change or maybe is in the midst of change and they don’t know what to do; that’s who benefits from coaching.”

Limiting Beliefs and Turtle Steps

According to Beck, one of the most common issues a coach must address is their clients’ limiting beliefs. “It’s about freeing yourself from beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward or convincing you that you can’t have what you want, so you never try,” says Beck. “There’s something in your behavior that’s not allowing you to move forward. Let’s find the behavior, figure out why you’re doing it and change that belief. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving in partnership with the client.”

Beck’s favorite tool for making changes is what she calls onedegree turns, or turtle steps, defined as the smallest steps you can take toward a goal. “Research shows that large steps tend to get discouraging,” she notes. “We could do them at the beginning of a really passionate, goal-seeking time, but we almost never sustain it. If we go in tiny steps toward what we really believe and what we really want, we get there. The tortoise wins the race.”

Achieving Goals and Feeling Free

When it comes to setting and achieving goals, coaches have different approaches. Williams, for example, considers himself an accountability partner. “I won’t punish you if you don’t achieve your goals,” he says. “If you report progress, we celebrate and talk about what’s next. If you say, ‘I didn’t get it done,’ then we talk about what got in the way, what needs to change. We never make the client wrong. It’s what’s true for you.”

For Beck, goals take a back seat. “My clients tend to give me goals that are culturally based on what they think they should do. People move forward much more rapidly when you don’t hold them to a goal. When they have permission to do whatever they want, they actually start doing the things that all the goal setting in the world won’t allow them to do. We have such a strong response to freedom. When we feel like we’re forcing ourselves to do something, we won’t do it because it’s not free.

When we’re free, we do the things that are best for us.”

For more information, visit DrPatWilliams.com, FranFisherCoach.com and MarthaBeck.com.

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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August 2021

33

wise words

Alberto Villoldo on Shamanic Healing

by Marlaina Donato

Shamans mediate between the visible world of matter and the invisible world of energy and consciousness.

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n his mid-20s, Alberto Villoldo, a psychologist and medical anthropologist, was the youngest clinical professor at San Francisco State University, where he founded and directed the Biological Self-Regulation Laboratory to decode the effects of energy medicine on the human brain. Villoldo eventually set aside the limitations of the microscope in search of a broader, more ancient perspective. His 10-year deep dive into the heart of shamanic culture in the Andes and the Amazon regions filled in the missing pieces of his research, but a dire health crisis decades later drove him to explore shamanic transformation.

Today, Villoldo is in vibrant health and the author of bestselling books translated into several languages, including Grow a New Body: How Spirit and Power Plant Nutrients Can Transform Your Health. He is the founder of the Four Winds Society, which trains energy medicine practitioners in its Light Body School.

What is shamanism and the shaman’s role?

Shamanism is a philosophy and a lifestyle similar to Buddhism in many ways. It includes healing practices for clearing the imprints of trauma from the luminous energy field (LEF) that surrounds the physical body, and that organizes the body in the same way that a magnet organizes iron filings on a piece of glass. Shamans 34

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mediate between the visible world of matter and the invisible world of energy and consciousness. The understanding of the shaman is that what we call reality is simply the projection of a map of the world we carry within us. To change the world, you need to change the map, but the map only changes through sacred ceremony.

Shamanism is making a comeback because we have exhausted our masculine, reductionistic and predatory Western paradigm. It offers a more feminine, participatory worldview that is founded on the notion of becoming Earth Keepers— stewards of the garden of nature.

How does shamanism address body, mind and spirit?

We need to think of the quaternity, including Gaia, the great mother. There is only one illness—disconnection from the great mother. There is only one cure, which is returning to Gaia. The luminous energy field is an information field. It contains all your genetic history—the story of the drama that runs in your family that you have programmed into the neural networks in your brain. Shamans discovered how to upgrade the quality of the information in the LEF. Out of the 40 million different species on Earth, only humans, whales and dolphins don’t have death programmed into their DNA. There are no grandmothers in nature; menopause doesn’t exist. The minute you cannot make babies, you are eliminated. We have the opportunity to take part in an experiment to grow bodies that are disease-proof, where our health span can equal our long lifespan.

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What shamanic principle can we apply daily?

Our Western diet and antibiotic use have decimated our gut flora, and in the process, ruined our “gut instinct”—the basis of the shaman’s “second sight”, the ability to see the hidden nature of reality. You cannot meditate, heal yourself or others, forgive those who wronged you or stop feeling like a victim if your gut flora is compromised. If your gut is riddled with Candida, you will only perceive strife and be angry. Even if you live in a city, you can cultivate sprouts and make probioticrich foods.

How do you see our future?

I was trained as a medical anthropologist, yet what I do today is to train modern shamans; men and women versed in the ancient wisdom teachings and cuttingedge neuroscience. This is where the magic of science and shamanism meet.

Western science and religion are very patriarchal and repressive of the feminine, confusing information for knowledge. We know how to diagnose, but do we know how to heal? I love science, but we must understand that most science, especially in medicine, is bogus. Studies are poorly designed; results are cherry-picked to support the authors’ beliefs. The greatest science is the one that explores the soul’s journey through infinity, which is what shamans are concerned with. This is where we discover true healing.

Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

inspiration

Smiling Can Make Us Happier

by Julie Peterson

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smile makes the brain happy.

As it turns out, it doesn’t matter if we smile at first because we’re genuinely happy or if we simply fake a smile. The brain doesn’t know the difference.

When we are happy, we naturally smile. But research has shown that the act of smiling can also induce happiness. It happens because the muscles required to lift the mouth into the shape of a smile are connected to nerves that send signals to the brain. Once the brain gets the message that a smile is happening, it releases dopamine, endorphins and serotonin throughout the body. These feel-good chemicals make us feel less stressed, less pain and happier, which can effortlessly transform a fake smile into a genuine one.

Platitudes through the ages have urged us to “Turn that frown upside down” and “Put on a happy face.” In 1872, Charles Darwin hypothesized that facial feedback could alter emotions and, ever since, the topic of smiling and mood has been a subject of discussion and research. Whether or not forced smiles can have a strong enough impact on our state of mind to effectively boost overall mental health is still being debated, with some research indicating that “false” smiles can lower mood if used continuously to avoid expressing certain feelings; however, there are several more positive aspects of smiling to take into consideration.

Smiling is contagious. Seeing other people smile stimulates our mirror neurons, which discharge; they discharge similarly whether we’re doing an action or observing someone else do it. So, being around smiling people, seeing them smile, affects our brains as if we were doing the smiling.

Smiling also provides the health benefits of reduced anxiety and lowers both blood pressure and heart rate. Over the long haul, these attributes add up to improved cardiovascular health and a measurable reduction in risk for stroke.

Get more smile time by working these muscles at every opportunity. Fake it if you must until it comes naturally, watch funny shows, spend time with cheery people and when things are looking down, grin and bear it. You might just feel better right away, and better long-term health is certainly something to smile about.

Julie Peterson is a Random Acts of Kindness activist (RAKtivist.com) and an advisor for Kindness Bank, a nonprofit invested in improving community health and well-being.

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conscious eating

enough, but levels can be increased with lemon juice. Vegetable pickles become acidic through the addition of vinegar.

Heat-sealed jars are shelf-stable if the seals remain intact.

Paul Fehribach, chef and co-owner of Big Jones, a restaurant in Chicago, gives canning tips in The Big Jones Cookbook.

For pickles and preserves, he recommends using a simple canning kit with a tool to lift jars in and out of boiling water, a jar rack that sits in the bottom of a stock pot and Mason jars with new canning lids to hold the food.

Both Paster and Fehribach suggest using professionally tested recipes. “Go to a reliable source, whether it’s a cookbook or a website, because there are some food safety issues. Recipes have been calibrated to have the right ratio of water and vinegar to vegetables to ensure it’s acidic enough,” says Paster. “Pickles are a great place to begin because they’re really hard to mess up.”

Preserving the Harvest Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year

by Julie Peterson

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Refrigerator Pickling

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hether gardening, purchasing at farmers’ markets or ordering from a community supported agriculture farm, preservation techniques capture the bounty of the harvest and ensure availability of fresh flavors year-round.

Dehydrating

“Dehydrating machines can be purchased for about $50, but an oven that goes down to a temperature of 150 or less will work,” says Brekke Bounds, educator at City Grange, a garden center in Chicago. Before dehydrating, consider the end use. Peaches or cherries can be cut into bite-size pieces. Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced or cut in half and dried, can go in winter soups and stews. “Apple chips are super-easy,” Bounds says.

“Core and slice with a mandoline, dunk in a lemon solution, sprinkle with cinnamon, dehydrate and store in an airtight jar.”

Foods can be seasoned or marinated before drying. “We make zucchini bacon for vegan BLTs,” says Anthony Damiano, chef proprietor at Counter Culture restaurant, in Vero Beach, Florida. Dried herbs chopped in a food processor can be stored in airtight containers and used up to a year later as a flavorful salad toppings or soup mixes.

Canning

“One of my go-to methods is water bath canning,” says Emily Paster, author of The Joys of Jewish Preserving. “It’s a really safe and effective method of home preservation for high-acid foods. Certain kinds of microorganisms, most specifically botulism, can’t live in a high-acid environment.” Fruits that go into jams and jellies are typically acidic 36

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The pickling process can be done without water bath canning, but the jars must remain refrigerated. The fun is in the quickness and variability of the recipes. Beyond traditional cucumber pickles, excellent pickles can be made with green beans, carrots, onions, cauliflower and green tomatoes. Brine can be dill, spicy or sweet. Damiano makes refrigerator pickles with a variety of local organic produce, including radishes, okra and other vegetables. The pickles are great for eating and can be used in salads and recipes like plant-based tostadas.

Fermenting

“Fermentation is an essential part of how people everywhere make effective use of food resources,” says Sandor Ellix Katz, fermentation revivalist in Liberty, Tennessee, and author of The Art of Fermentation. “Fermentation produces alcohol, helps preserve food by producing acids and makes foods more digestible, more nutritious, more delicious and sometimes less toxic.”

Cultures around the world developed fermentation techniques as a practical

method to prevent food decomposition.

Studies show that fermented foods and beverages provide beneficial probiotics to the gut microbiome. Anyone can give fermentation a try with ordinary kitchen tools—a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl and a jar. “Certain ferments, such as yogurt or tempeh, require specific temperature ranges,” advises Katz.

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Cold Storage

Many fruits and vegetables freeze well, but a basement or backyard root cellar is a noelectricity, cold storage method.

Items that store well in a root cellar include most root crops and firm fruits like apples and pears. “Root cellars use the natural, cool, moist conditions underground for fruit and vegetable storage. Earth-sheltered options work best for cooler climates where the ground temp is naturally cooler,” says Laurie Neverman in Denmark, Wisconsin, creator of CommonSenseHome.com. Those with no outdoor spot or cold basement room can still use cold storage. “Some crops like onions, garlic, potatoes, winter squash, apples and carrots keep well in dark, dry, cool room temperatures of about 55 degrees,” says Neverman.

Food preservation methods extend the blessings of the harvest. A little preparation now will provide edible delights for months to come.

Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin.

Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

Food Preservation Resources

‘Clean the Garden’ Kimchi This easy kimchi recipe turns common garden veggies into a spicy probiotic ferment that’s loaded with good bacteria and health benefits. yield: 32 servings 4 Tbsp sea salt and 4 cups water 1 lb Chinese cabbage (napa or bok choi preferred, but other cabbage will do) 1 daikon radish or a few red radishes 1 to 2 carrots 1 to 2 (minimum) onions (or shallots or leeks) 3 to 4 (minimum) cloves garlic 3 to 4 hot red chilies to taste (seeds removed, dried is fine, nothing with preservatives) 2 to 3 Tbsp (minimum) fresh grated ginger root Prepare brine in a nonreactive container such as a glass bowl or large measuring cup.

Mix water and salt, and stir thoroughly to dissolve salt.

Cut up cabbage, radishes and carrots. (Add in other vegetables as an option.) Mix vegetables together and move them into fermentation vessel. Cover vegetables with brine.

Use a fermentation weight or plate with a heavy object to weigh the vegetables down and keep them below the brine. (Mix more brine if needed to make sure vegetables are completely submerged.) Put a cloth over the fermentation vessel and wait for vegetables to soften (a few hours or overnight).

Drain the brine from the vegetables, reserving it. Give the vegetables a taste. They should be salty, but not too salty. Sprinkle on additional salt, if needed, and mix; rinse if too salty.

Mix the onion, garlic, chilies and ginger into the drained vegetables and blend well.

Pack the vegetable mix into the fermentation vessel. Use the fermentation weight or plate to press it down until the brine covers the kimchi-in-progress. Add a little brine back, if needed, to make sure the vegetables are completely covered.

Cover the fermentation vessel with a cloth and leave it on the counter for about a week. Taste test to check the fermentation. When happy with the flavor, the kimchi is done. Store in the refrigerator in a glass container to stop the fermentation.

Recipe by Laurie Neverman at CommonSenseHome.com.

National Center for Home Food Preservation: nchfp.uga.edu Ball & Kerr recipes and products for canning: FreshPreserving.com Complete Dehydrator Cookbook, by Carole Cancler The Pickled Pantry: From Apples to Zucchini, by Andrea Chesman Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables, by Mike and Nancy Bubel

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible.

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Pineapple Tepache Tepache is a wonderful, effervescent, lightly fermented pineapple beverage. It’s made from the skins and core of pineapple, making use of the parts typically discarded. yield: about 1 quart

sugar water over the pineapple, then add additional water as needed to cover the pineapple. Cover with a loose lid or cloth and stir daily.

Dissolve the sugar in about 1 cup of water. Place the pineapple skin and core pieces and spices into the vessel. Pour the

Pickled Watermelon Radishes 1 to 2 watermelon radishes ¼ cup white wine vinegar ¼ cup rice wine vinegar ½ cup water 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1 tsp sugar 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tsp ginger, microplaned ½ tsp peppercorns, lightly crushed

Recipe is an exclusive first look from the forthcoming book, Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys (Chelsea Green Publishing, October 2021).

Wash and peel watermelon radishes. With a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, slice radishes into round discs. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the water, white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the garlic, ginger and peppercorns. Pour the hot liquid including the garlic and peppercorns over the radishes. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

russiandoll64/AdobeStock.com

½ cup sugar, or more, to taste (ideally piloncillo, panela or another unrefined sugar, but any type of sugar will work) Peel and core of 1 pineapple (eat the rest of the fruit), cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces 1 cinnamon stick and/or a few whole cloves and/or other spices (optional)

sveta zarzamora/AdobeStock.com

Ferment for 2 to 5 days, depending upon temperature and desired level of fermentation. It’ll get fizzy, then develop a pronounced sourness after a few days. Taste each day after the first few to evaluate developing flavor. Strain out the solids. Enjoy fresh or refrigerate for up to a couple of weeks.

Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.

Zucchini Bacon 2 medium zucchini 2 Tbsp grape seed oil 2 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp liquid smoke Pinch chipotle chili pepper powder Freshly ground black pepper

Place in a single layer on dehydrator trays, making sure not to overlap. Set the dehydrator to 145° F and let the strips dehydrate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove them when they are crispy. Thicker strips may take longer. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container.

In a large bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, chipotle chili pepper powder and season generously with black pepper. Whisk to combine. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline,

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Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.

NATampa.com

photo by Julie Peterson

slice zucchini length-wise into thin strips.

Place strips in bowl and toss until coated in marinade. Let sit for several hours or overnight.

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natural pet

Power Up Fido Five Ways to Strengthen Your Dog’s Immune System

yakobchukolena/AdobeStock.com

by Shawn Messonnier

A

long, healthy life for our animal companions depends on them having resilient immune systems that can resist disease. While supporting a dog’s immunity during illness is vital, it’s also important to help it maintain natural defenses when well to help stave off disease. Adopting all five of these suggestions will help promote optimal wellness.

1Minimize vaccines

Vaccinations can help prevent disease when the immune system responds appropriately to such treatments. However, when dogs are over-vaccinated, improper immune

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responses can cause immediate allergic reactions or chronic problems such as autoimmune disorders and even cancer.

A simple and inexpensive blood antibody test called a titer can determine if and when a dog may require a vaccine after completing the first adult booster vaccination visit. Dogs with serious and chronic immune disorders should never be vaccinated.

2Minimize chemicals and medications

Overuse and misuse of chemicals and conventional medications can harm a dog’s body in numerous ways, including causing adverse effects on the immune system. Whenever a chemical product such as a flea preventive or conventional medication like a steroid or antibiotic is needed, we should ask two important questions.

First, whether there is a safer, natural alternative to use—there usually is. Secondly, what the lowest dose is to heal the patient. Usually, lower doses of many chemicals and medications can be used safely and effectively. Some doctors over-prescribe chemicals and medications because of incorrect diagnoses, a lack of knowledge of safer natural therapies and to increase their income.

3 Feed a great diet

No matter what else is done to keep a dog healthy, it is critical to feed a good, natural diet, either homemade or purchased from a reputable company that specializes in healthy, natural foods. Many pet foods are full of unhealthy ingredients that may not be helpful for a dog’s immune system. Animal and plant byproducts, which typically are scrap from the food processing industry, provide little if any positive health benefits and may actually be harmful to a dog. Added chemicals, flavorings and colorings have no specific wellness attributes and may harm the dog’s DNA through oxidative damage, resulting in various immune problems such as cancers.

4Enable exercise

As with people, a sensible exercise program for a dog is important. It keeps the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems in great shape by mimicking the natural activities that a dog’s wild relatives experience every day. It also strengthens the immune system and builds and enhances the human-dog bond.

5Use supplements

Dogs that receive supplements every day tend to live longer, feel better and act happier. Even when they may have serious problems like cancer from which they may not recover, they are healthier, stronger and happier while battling the disease. Good formulas contain enzymes, probiotics, glucosamine, vitamins, fatty acids and minerals to help support a normal dog’s overall constitution.

Choline reduces symptoms in senior animals with cognitive disorder and reduces the chances in normal older animals of developing it. Its use is advisable for animals with liver disease or diabetes and for those with seizures. Chamomile and tryptophan reduce any type of anxiety or phobia. They can also reduce itching in allergic patients with an obsessive component to their scratching.

Olive leaf extract is not only good for immune support, but can also help animals with infections of the ears and skin, making it a good alternative to antibiotics and anti-yeast medications. A cancer and immune support supplement containing scute, cordyceps, poria, American ginseng and coix is good for any animal with an immune disease, chronic infections and especially cancer.

These five easy and inexpensive steps to keeping a dog’s immune system healthy will reduce trips to the doctor and extend his life with minimal effort.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM, owner of Paws & Claws Animal Hospital and Holistic Pet Center, in Plano, Texas, is the author of several books on veterinary medicine. Visit PawsAndClawsAnimalHospital.com.

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Dr. Tom O'Bryan Chief Health Off icer, KnoWEwell

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calendar of events

SUNDAY, AUGUST 22

Printed calendar is a gratis feature exclusively for advertisers who make this magazine possible.

Non-advertisers are free to use the on-line calendar at NATampa.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13

A Course in Miracles Study Group – 11am12:30pm. Facilitated by Pepito Valdes. This is an open study and discussion group that allows for insight and personal understanding of the lessons contained within ACIM as we share thoughts & insights, bringing us together as ONE. Donations gratefully accepted! Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., 129 N. Moon Ave., Brandon.

RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org.

Tea Leaf & Tarot Card Readings – 11am-4pm.

August 13 & 27. Marilyn Mackey has been reading Tea Leaves for over 30 years. Over that time she has developed as a medium and medical intuitive as well as a counselor to help clients begin to resolve any problems or blockages they may be encountering. $25/15 minutes. Wings, 4500 4th St. North, St Petersburg. To book your appointment, call 727-522-6657.

MONDAY, AUGUST 2

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14

Psychic Readings – 11am-4pm. August 2 & 16.

Janie Boisclair, a 5C Clairvoyant, uses her skills, including connecting to loved ones passed, chakra clearing, and guidance on foods for healing your body and spirit. $45/15 minutes. Wings, 4500 4th St. North, St Petersburg. To book your appointment, call 727-522-6657.

Tea Leaf & Tarot Card Readings – 11am-4pm.

August 14 & 28. Marilyn Mackey has been reading Tea Leaves for over 30 years. Over that time she has developed as a medium and medical intuitive as well as a counselor to help clients begin to resolve any problems or blockages they may be encountering. $25/15 minutes. Wings, 4500 4th St. North, St Petersburg. To book your appointment, call 727-522-6657.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 Training CEUs Online for Certified Hypnotists – 10am-3pm. Interactive online Zoom training with Patricia V. Scott, PhD, UP Hypnosis Institute. Hypnotists may attend for continuing education. Prerequisite: 200 hours hypnosis training. Approved

by International Association of Counselors & Therapists. Single Day: $45 (UPHI, IACT or HEA Member); $65 (Non-Member). Includes materials, scripts & CEUs. 727-943-5003; UPHypnosis.com.

Sleep: The Real Fountain of Youth? – 10am4pm. Discover how our quality of sleep impacts our quality of life. Free. Join Breathe Well Sleep Well at the St. Pete Mind, Body, Spirit Expo, 1st Unity Church, 460 46th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 727527-2222. BreatheWellSleepWellClearwater.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 Enoch Study Group – 11am-12:30pm. Facilitated

by Kim Converse, a spiritual musicologist teaching use of sacred language in music and meditation for personal transformation. This study allows for interactive discussion on our place in the universe as we begin to understand how we are part of a greater cosmic family. $5 donation. Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., 129 N. Moon Ave., Brandon. RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18

Ongoing Astrology Classes – Every Saturday in August, with Dr. Imsara Dom. $40 per class.

Wings, 4500 4th St. North, St Petersburg. To book, call 727-522-6657.

Free Webinar: Hypnosis & NLP to Live UP to Your Possibilities – 7:30-8:30pm. Live interactive webinar with Certified Master Trainer, Patricia “Patti” V. Scott, PhD. With 29 years of experience as a Medical Hypnotherapist & NLP Master Practitioner, Patti shares her expertise with Q&A (3rd Weds. monthly/new topic & chapter meeting).

Register by 5pm for log-in details: UPHypnosis. com; UPHypnosis@outlook.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21

Reiki Share – 11am-12:30pm. Experience Reiki healing in a safe and loving environment. Includes a guided global earth meditation, singing bowls, crystal energy & individual attention to all who wish to receive Reiki by Reiki masters. This is an open share and Reiki experience is not necessary.

Please bring an open heart and mind! Donations gratefully accepted! Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., 129 N. Moon Ave., Brandon.

RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org.

Training CEUs Online for Certified Hypnotists – 10am-3pm. Interactive live training (Dunedin) with Patricia V. Scott, PhD, UP Hypnosis Institute.

Hypnotists may attend for continuing education.

Prerequisite: 200 hours hypnosis training. Approved by International Association of Counselors & Therapists. Single Day: $45 (UPHI, IACT or HEA Member); $65 (Non-Member). Includes materials, scripts & CEUs. 727-943-5003; UPHypnosis.com.

Gentle Yoga & Community Share – 11am12:30pm. Facilitated by Rev. Eva, a certified Yoga instructor 500 RYT/40 Hr. Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra. Bring mind, body and spirit in balance and harmony. Please feel free to bring personal yoga mats, blankets, pillows, props. Immediately following, donated hygiene and snack items with uplifting notes of love are packaged in “We Care Kits” for the homeless and needy in our community. Donations gratefully accepted! Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., 129 N. Moon Ave., Brandon. RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 Sleep: The Real Fountain of Youth? – 6-7pm.

Discover how our quality of sleep impacts our quality of life. Free. Join Breathe Well Sleep Well at the office of Dr. Kevin Granger, chiropractic physician, Nutritional Wellness, 205 S. Myrtle Ave., Clearwater. 727-248-0930. GrangerHealth. com. BreatheWellSleepWellClearwater.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25 Create Your Ideal Vibrant Body – 6:30-8:30pm.

The Mind-Body Cohesion System developed by Patricia V. Scott, PhD combines Hypnosis, NLP & Pivotal Response Conditioning to create new healthy habits, confidence and exercise motivation while eliminating blocks and limiting beliefs.

Fun, interactive class includes a hypnotic process, handouts and hypnosis recording for reinforcement. $45; $35 (UPHI Members). Register: 727943-5003; UPHypnosis.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 Training CEUs for Certified Hypnotists – 10am3pm. Interactive online Zoom training with Patricia V. Scott, PhD, UP Hypnosis Institute. Hypnotists may attend for continuing education. Prerequisite: 200 hours hypnosis training. Approved by International Association of Counselors & Therapists.

Single Day: $45 (UPHI, IACT or HEA Member); $65 (Non-Member). Includes materials, scripts & CEUs. 727-943-5003; UPHypnosis.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29 Two-Year Anniversary Celebration – 2-4pm.

A fun-filled event celebrating the 2nd year anniversary of Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., featuring a silent auction with unique and exciting items and a raffle. Also available will be palm reading, reiki with singing bowls, a numerologist, plus activities for kids, a holistic information table, fun conversation, sharing, and refreshments! All are invited! Donations gratefully accepted for each activity. Rakhma Love & Harmony Holistic Center, Inc., 129 N. Moon Ave., Brandon. RakhmaLoveAndHarmony.org.

Email your favorite pet picture to Debbey at dwilson@natampa.com for inclusion in the magazine.

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community resource guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide call 727.865.9339 or go to NATampa.com and request a media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE & ORIENTAL MEDICINE Chris Dziubinski, DOM, AP, L. Ac 12952 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa 813-935-CARE (2273) MindBodySpiritCare.com

Florida Board Certified Acupuncture Physician offering acupuncture therapies for the whole family. Established, comfortable, caring and professional integrative medicine clinics in South & North Tampa. In-network with most medical insurances; accept payments from HRA, HSA and FSA.

NATURAL MED THERAPIES Machelle Perkins, D.O.M. 7600 Bryan Dairy Rd # C, Largo 727-541-2211 NaturalMedTherapies.com

LIFEWORKS WELLNESS CENTER

Dr. David Minkoff, M.D. Dr. Christine Wildeman, M.D. Sue Morgan, APRN & Karima Redouan, APRN 301 Turner St., Clearwater 727-466-6789 LifeWorksWellnessCenter.com Specializing in Ozone Therapy, IV Therapy, Heavy Metal Detoxification, Neurological Issues, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Gut Issues, Thyroid Issues and IPT for Cancer treatment. See ad inside front cover.

PROFESSIONAL HERBALISTS TRAINING PROGRAM Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies 2520 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 727-551-0857 AcuHerbals.com

The 2-year program meets one weekend each month for class and Wednesday nights for our hands-on student clinic. This program is designed to create clinical herbalists in a combination of Chinese and western herbalism.

Many open classes. Designed to meet American Herbalists Guild standards.

See ad page 31.

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Dr. Paula Giusto 310 South Brevard Ave., Tampa 813-253-2565 NaturalLivingChiropractic.org

Family chiropractic care, wellness care, nutritional counseling, neuromuscular massage therapy.

Jin Shin Jyutsu & craniosacral therapy.

ORTHOMOLECULAR NUTRITION & WELLNESS 9225 Ulmerton Rd., Ste. 312, Largo 727-518-9808 OrthoLiving.com.

We address the underlying root cause of disease by using a variety of modalities such as Nutrient IV’s, Chelation, Weight loss, HRT, PEMF, Ozone Therapy and more. To see if you qualify for Medical Marijuana go to OrthoMMJ.com.

APOTHECARY SIX OAKS WELLNESS APOTHECARY Carolyn Zinober, LMT, Esthetician, Clinical Herbalist, Aromatherapist 607 1st. Ave. SW, Largo 727-501-1700

SixOaksWellness.com Clinical herbalist and massage therapist offering consultations, extensive line of Eastern/Western Herbs, Teas, Essential oils, CBD, Supplements, and learning workshops. Visit your neighborhood apothecary today! See ad page 27.

National & state board certified with 15+ years experience in Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Cold Laser & more.

Bio-Puncture and Mesotherapy to treat pain, ADHD, anxiety, depression. Lab testing, most insurances. Free Nutritional Consultation.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

NATURAL LIVING CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER

ASTROLOGY ASTROLOGY FOR YOUR SOUL

Aluna Michaels, M.A., Esoteric Astrologer Dunedin 248-583-1663 AlunaMichaels.com Second-generation astrologer and Soul Evolutionist practitioner. Over 25 years of experience. Insightful, unique perspective on goals and issues. “Together we will unveil your soul’s purpose.”

CHIROPRACTIC GENTLE TOUCH CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTER Dr. Colette Cseszko 10575 68th Ave., Seminole 727-235-3265 Gentle-Chiro.com

Spa-like wellness center offering chiropractic, acupuncture and physical therapy modalities. 18+ years’ experience in treatment of spine-related conditions, including tailbone misalignments, chronic sacroiliac dysfunction, piriformis issues and upper cervical disorders. On site X-ray. See ad page 6.

NATampa.com

COLON HYDROTHERAPY RENEW LIFE

Bonnie Barrett 28469 US Hwy 19 N. #402, Clearwater 727-461-7227 RenewLifeFla.com, Lic# MA14802 MM35406 25 years experience. Expert in colon hydrotherapy using pressure points, abdominal massage, essential oils, and lymphatic drainage. All disposable tubing used.

Very comfortable and relaxing room with private bathroom. See ad page 6.

DENTISTS BEATA CARLSON, DDS

1825 Sunset Point Rd, Clearwater 727-888-6523 NaturalAndCosmeticDentistry.com Natural, Holistic, Aesthetic Dentistry. Careful Silver filling removal. Non-metal crowns and bridges. Be pampered in our Spalike atmosphere. See ad back cover.

CARLO LITANO, DMD

Natural Smiles of Tampa Bay 9087 Belcher Rd., Pinellas Park, 33782 727-300-0044 Natural-Smiles.com Offering Holistic/Biological dentistry. Swiss dental protocols, ceramic implants, safe mercury removal, ozone cleaning and on site sedation. See ad page 4.

To Advertise in the Resource Guide, email Debbey at dwilson@natampa.com or call 727.865.9339.

PAUL T. RODEGHERO, DDS

Clearwater Family Dental 215 S Myrtle Ave., Clearwater 727-442-3363 MyClearWaterFamilyDental.com We are a full service family dental practice that stresses metal free restorations, safe mercury removal, ozone and laser dentistry. We welcome patients of all ages and can handle any concern that you may have. See ad pages 3, 9 & 15.

ROBERT J. YU, DMD

Tampa Bay Dental Implants & Periodontics 6700 Crosswinds Dr., Ste. 200-B, St. Petersburg 727-384-9122 TBPerio.com

The only board certified periodontist and implant surgeon in Tampa Bay offering ceramic/ zirconia non-metal implants.

State-of-the-art treatments include CBT imaging, LANAP and digital intraoral scanner, eliminating messy impressions.

See ad page 33.

HERBALIST

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CHRISTIE MD FUNCTIONAL & AESTHETIC MEDICINE Dr. Heather Christie 2837 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg 727-220-9080 ChristieMDfam.com

Functional, Aesthetic and Intravenous Medicine. Offering hormone therapy; nutritional evaluation and therapy; fatigue and stress management; detoxification; diabetes; cardiovascular diseases; weight control; aesthetics. Out-of-Network Provider. See ad page 17.

ST. PETERSBURG HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Les Cole Kathie Gonzales, ARNP 2100 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg 727-202-6807 StPetehw.com AwakeningWellness.org Functional, Regenerative, Integrative & Preventative Medicine. Treating Thyroid, Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer Support, Natural Hormone Replacement, Stem Cells, Exosomes, PRP and Joint Rejuvenation, IV Nutritional Therapy. See ad page 21.

SUCCESS BY DESIGN INTEGRATIVE THERAPEUTICS Dr. Prudhvi Karumanchi 8320 Stone Run Ct., Tampa 33615 813-322-6171 IntTherapeutics.com

Committed to finding the root cause, Holistic MD offers: IV Nutrition, Regenerative Treatments, Functional Medicine, Heavy Metal Detox, Energy Healing, Weight Loss, Anti-aging and more. Out-of-Network Provider.

9095 Belcher Road, Pinellas Park 727-548-0001 SBDWellness.com A We l l n e s s Center for AgeManagement, Functional Medicine and Medical Weight Loss.

Specializing in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement including Pellet Therapy, Gut Health/Food Allergies, Detoxification, Nutritional Evaluations, Acupuncture, Massage therapy and more. See ad page 5.

ROSE KALAJIAN—HERBALIST

Natural Health Hut Clinic and Herb Farm 813-991-5177 ImHerbalist.com Specializing in growing the herbs used in my clinic practice and in the Herbal Remedies I formulate.

Consultations are available for humans, dogs, cats, and horses.

Promoting health through the use of Herbs. See ad page 24.

HYPNOSIS UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES HYPNOSIS, INC.

Patricia V. Scott, President 727-943-5003 UPHypnosis@yahoo.com, UPHypnosis.com Professional Hypnosis & NLP Certification Training, Weekly classes & Private sessions (Smoking, Weight, Stress, Sports, Habits), Clinical/Medical Hypnotherapy available w/referral. Speaking Services & Corporate Programs.

See ad page 18.

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. ~Maya Angelou

MIND BODY SPIRIT CARE

Ron N. Shemesh, M.D. 12952 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa 813-935-CARE (2273) MindBodySpiritCare.com Integrative & holistic medicine for women & men: Natural Hormone Therapy, Anti-Aging, IV Chelation, Nutritional Vitamin Therapy, Fatigue & Stress Management, Weight Loss, Yoga, Nutritional Counseling. Affiliated with St. Joseph Hospital. Most insurance accepted.

PEAKS OF HEALTH METABOLIC MEDICAL CENTER

YOUNG FOUNDATIONAL HEALTH CENTER

John D. Young, M.D. 7241 Bryan Dairy Road, Largo 727-545-4600 YoungFoundationalHealth.com

tion. See ad page 7.

Author of Beyond Treatment.

Creator of Young Health Products. Offering specialized treatments for chronic diseases.

Therapies include Bio-identical Hormone, Stem Cell, Vitamin IV, Chelation, Ozone. Special Testing and Nutritional Educa-

INTUITIVE HEALING

Tracie Leonhardt, DO 1120 Belcher Rd. S., Ste. 2, Largo 727-826-0838 PeaksOfHealth.com

SOLGARDEN HOLISTIC THERAPY, LLC

Dr. Leonhardt is Board Certified & Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. Offers a personalized program for each individual patient.

Hormone replacement therapy, weight loss, thyroid, GI issues, Diabetes, infrared sauna, IV nutrition, Anti-aging, Chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, and toxicities. See ad pages 11 and 47.

Relax, de-stress and come back to the peace of your Soul with Guided Meditations, Intuitive Healing or Usui Reiki sessions by phone and in-person. With over 25 years’ experience and training, I will help you release energy clutter and shift you to your true light-filled self. Gift Certificates available.

Ellen Mooney, Reiki Master 727-754-4340 EllenMooney7@gmail.com SolGardenHolistic.com

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REFLEXOLOGY REED ‘NAHAM’ MYLES

Certified Reflexologist and LMT 727-543-3048 by appointment Clearwater MA0028171

UNIVERSOULLIGHT CONSULTING Rev. Amanda Segovia, Reiki Master, Certified SRT Personal Consultant UniverSoulLight.com UniverSoulLight@gmail.com

Private sessions using various healing, clearing & spiritual modalities. Akashic Records, Intuitive Medium, Astrologer, Numerologist, Meditation, Chakra-Balancing, Tarot/Oracles, Candles, EOL Transition, Teacher/Mentor & more. See website.

Whether you need d ee p th e r ap y, a tune-up or just a relaxing treatment, I can help you. Just call me.

REIKI

HEALTHY PAWSIBILITIES NATURAL PET WELLNESS CENTER Dr. Cathy Alinovi, DVM 628 Cleveland St., #17, Clearwater 727-510-3665 HealthyPawsibilities.com.

Offering only holistic health options. Nutrition, herbal support, body balancing, canine fitness, reiki and more. See ad page 41.

THERMOGRAPHY GREENPOINT THERMOGRAPHY

MASTERS’ DOJO

Shihan Lynn Montana Freemãn Sun City Center 267-474-4717 LynnMontanaf@aol.com Shihando Reiki Master; 30 years’ experience. Private and group training. Beautiful crystals, candles, incense, books and giftables.

Private healing sessions and shopping by appointment only.

SPIRITUAL INTUITIVE LISA MILIARESIS

Extreme Communication 727-239-0656 Lisa@2Communicate.net 2Communicate.net

John D. Bartone MD Thomas Hudson MD 7901 4th Street North, Suite 316 St. Petersburg, FL 33702 727-576-0100 GreenPointThermography.com

The only physician owned and operated thermography practice in Tampa Bay - serving Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties. Accredited by the American College of Clinical Thermology.

See ad page 33.

Tampa Bay Edition

MEDICINE RIVER ANIMAL HOSPITAL Shawna L. Green, DVM 13495 Gulf Boulevard Madeira Beach 727-299-9029 MedicineRiverAnimalHospital.com

Compassionate health care catered toward the needs of your pet offering preventative medicine, surgery, dentistry, senior wellness, and more. See ad page 41.

FLORIDA MEDICAL THERMOGRAPHY

June Drennon, CCT 2008 JuneDrennon@FloridaMedicalThermography.com 727-729-2711 FloridaMedicalThermography.com Certified Clinical Thermographer 2008. Mindful Wellness with Thermography!

Knowledge is power: Know your risk factors to make corrections and avoid developing pathology. Call for location convenient for you. See ad page 29.

Lisa offers private individual and group channeling sessions, as well as private counseling sessions for those looking for direction in developing their own personal practice.

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VETERINARIAN

NATampa.com

To Advertise in the Resource Guide email Debbey at dwilson@natampa.com or call 727.865.9339

August 2021

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