Natural Awakenings April 2019 Tampa Bay Edition

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

POWER SWITCH Taking a House off the Grid

THE HEALING

ARTS

Creative Therapy Eases Anxiety, PTSD

Raising Kitty Right

12

Musts for New Pet Parents

Celebrate

Earth Day

April 2019 | Tampa Bay-Edition | NATampa.com

Aren't you ready to ďŹ nally be as

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Dr. David Minkoff

Allergies Cancer Crohn’s Chronic fatigue Diabetes EBV Fibromyalgia Fib Heart disease Heavy metals High blood pressure IBS Inammation Joint aches and pains Low libido Lyme disease Menopause symptoms Migraines Rheumatoid arthritis Thyroid issues 2

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April 2019

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

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PUBLISHER Debbey Wilson

Editor Cheryl Hynes Design & Production Patrick Floresca contributing writers Eleanor Bailey sales & marketing Debbey Wilson CIRCULATION MANAGER Dean Wille accounting Susan Hoffman website Rachael Oppy

OPERATIONS Amy Hass

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Contents 22 EARTH DAY SPOTLIGHTS SPECIES

22

Protection Is the Focus of 2019 Campaign

32 POWER SWITCH Taking a Home Off the Grid

34 OCEAN ROBBINS ON Personal and Planetary Health

36 THE ART OF HEALING Creative Therapy Aids Recovery

34

38 POTLUCK FOR

THE 21ST CENTURY

Breaking Bread, Building Community

40 INTO THE WOODS

Hiking for Health and Happiness

43 SACRED SPACE

Bringing Bliss to Every Room

44 NATIVE INTELLIGENCE

36

Planting an Eco-Friendly Yard

46 LOVING NATURE

Outdoor Adventures for Kids

48 BRINGING UP KITTY

Get Off on the Right Paw

DEPARTMENTS 12 news briefs 16 health briefs 20 global briefs 24 eco tip 34 wise words 36 healing ways 38 conscious eating 8

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40 fit body 43 inspiration 44 green living 46 healthy kids 48 natural pet 51 calendar 56 resource guide

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

32 38

46

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.

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April 2019

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letter from publisher

M

oving on to April, we are pleased this month to include a celebration of Earth Day 2019. Since its official inception in 1970, the Earth Day environmental movement has become a rite of spring; an effective tool for spreading awareness of the critical nature of sustainability in the survival of life on this planet.

“Power Switch: Taking a Home Off the Grid” (page 32), by writer Jim Matavalli, looks at sources of alternative energy, costs, technologies and other special considerations. That includes various options, such as making a partial transition to green power, without leaving the grid entirely.

What we eat, how and with whom also contributes to the idea that we’re all in this together. Wise Words to that effect are found in “Ocean Robbins on Personal and Planetary Health” (page 34), by freelance writer April Thompson.

To kick start innovation, this month’s issue includes enlightening and innovative suggestions for connecting with like-minded people here at home and across the planet. Consider a plunge into extraordinary outdoor adventure; establish a sacred space; explore creative art therapies; plant an eco-friendly landscape; use your imagination.

Celebrate and promote progress in species sustainability efforts by supporting any of the many local Earth Day 2019 events this month in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. (See our wide-ranging calendar of local Earth Day events on page 22.)

As always, open your heart and mind and read on.

April 22, 2019 10

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news briefs

Clinical & Transpersonal Hypnotherapy Training at the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy

T

he Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy is pleased to offer a summer 2019 class for those interested in training or even a career in Clinical Hypnotherapy. The institute is Florida’s first and currently only school licensed by the Department of Education to offer career diplomas as a Hypnotherapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist.

Trainings happen online and in their Tampa location. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify and no prior degrees are required. Many people take the training for personal and spiritual growth, and many go on to have rewarding and fulfilling careers being of service to others.

The institute is passionate about helping those who are already in the healing arts to enhance their skillsets and love helping those who want a new career to find what they have always been looking for. The next class begins June 25th.

Location: 2901 W. Busch Blvd., #806, Tampa. For more information, call 800-551-9247 or visit InstituteOfHypnotherapy.com. DOE License #3448. See ad page 15.

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14th Annual National Herb Day Celebration in St. Petersburg

F

rom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on May 4, herbalists and plant people around the world come together to celebrate the importance of plants in health with the 2019 Herb Day St. Pete. Herb Day Coalition, a national group of nonprofit herbal organizations dedicated to herbal education, research, quality control, plant preservation, and the responsible use of herbs in human health, created this day and several local herbal events will take place throughout the nation.

Herb Day St. Pete is hosted by Traditions School of Herbal Studies and Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies, in benefit of the West Coast Chapter of the American Herbalists Guild, Florida Herb Society, and Herbalists without Borders Tampa, featuring local vendors, including Willow Herbal Delight Garden and Mother Kombucha.

Enjoy free lectures by local herbal experts, free samples, raffles, music and more. Locally grown medicinal plants will be for sale along with participation from numerous local vendors all related to herbs. Anyone interested in learning more about herbs, herbal medicine and herbal safety should definitely attend.

Cost: Free. 2520 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. For more information, call 727-551-0857 and/or visit AcuHerbals.com and TraditionsHerbSchool.com. See ad page 29.

Medical Aesthetician Joins Young Foundational Health Center

T

he Young Foundational Health Center, in Largo, welcomes Medical Aesthetician Lesa Caryl as the newest member of their team. Caryl’s statement, “The importance of overall healthy skin cannot be overstated,” is truer than ever.

Specializing in micro-needling, Caryl performs the procedure with three different mediums: Hyaluronic acid and vitamins A, C & E; client’s own Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP); Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells. These are innovative, groundbreaking treatments.

According to Caryl, she has found her true place and purpose as a medical aesthetician focused on education, correction and optimal restoration of her client’s skin at a highly customized level.

She is passionate about staying up-to-date researching and receiving training regarding effective modalities of treatment. In addition to micro-needling, she offers custom facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning and chemical peels.

Attend a free Skin Care Workshop, at 5 p.m., April 11, where Caryl will discuss micro-needling and its amazing benefits for your skin. Seating is limited; reserve a seat by calling 727-545-4600.

Cost: Free. Location of workshop: 7241 Bryan Dairy Rd., Largo.

(Caryl is in Ste. B just around the corner.) For more information and appointments, call 727-307-9394 or email LesaSkincare19@gmail. com. See ad page 7.

Happy Feet Plus Brings Health from the Ground Up

H

appy Feet Plus has been supplying the Tampa Bay area with healthy comfort footwear since 1985. Starting with a kiosk at Tyrone Square Mall, founders Jacob Wurtz and Jane Strong continue to build upon their message of health and now feature 12 stores across the west coast of Florida as well as a national e-commerce business.

Their hand-picked selection of sandals, shoes, clogs and sneakers from brands like Birkenstock, Finn Comfort, Brooks, Dansko, Aetrex and Vionic is specifically designed to offer foot, knee, hip and back pain relief with an eye toward quality and craftsmanship.

The company’s pinnacle brand, Kenkoh, the original massage sandal, combines elements of traditional Japanese reflexology with orthotic arch support to offer foot pain relief and relaxation. Scientific studies have shown increased circulation as a result of wearing Kenkohs, a point that has, in part, caused recent use by current and former pro athletes as an after-sport recovery sandal.

Locations in Tampa, Carrollwood, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Countryside, Largo, St. Pete, Sundial, Ellenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples and online at HappyFeet.com or KenkohRelief. com. For more information, call 1-800-336-6657. See ad page 5.

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April 2019

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Heal Your Life Teacher Training in Tampa April 2019

I

f you are longing for a career with meaning and purpose, you can now train as a Heal Your Life teacher in Louise Hay’s life-changing philosophy. Her bestselling book, You Can Heal Your Life, has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide. The certification program takes place from April 20 to 27, in Tampa, and offers in-depth experience with Hay’s techniques, healing lives on the deepest levels.

Attendees strengthen their own personal growth and deepen their intuition with inner child work, emotional release and awareness exercises. They receive complete instruction and facilitator guides to prepare them for leading up to 14 different workshops. Included are comprehensive marketing techniques, business builder practices and personalized attention, plus extensive follow-up after training.

Course leader Sandra J. Filer, MBA is the U.S. teacher and coach trainer appointed by Heart Inspired Presentations, licensed

by Hay House. Pre-registration is required. Class size limited to 20.

Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 5312 Avion Park Dr., Tampa. For more information, call 713-201-2020 or visit TheHappyGoddess. com. When you call, mention you are a reader of Natural Awakenings and save $400. See ad page 45.

film brief

Our Planet

Netflix Series Reveals Its Fragile Beauty Ten years after the groundbreaking documentary Planet Earth, an eight-part sequel, Our Planet, shows even more rapturous scenes of our planet’s most precious species and fragile habitats.

Premiering globally April 5 on Netflix, it was filmed during four years in 50 countries across every continent, involving more than 600 film crew members and 3,500 days spent in such habitats as the remote Arctic wilderness, the vast landscapes of Africa and the diverse jungles of South America.

The series, narrated by world-renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough, is a joint venture of Netflix, the World Wildlife Federation and Silverback Films, whose director Alastair Fothergill was the creator of the critically acclaimed original Planet Earth and Blue Planet series.

“Our Planet will take viewers on a spectacular journey of discovery showcasing the beauty and fragility of our natural world,” says Attenborough. “Today, we have become the greatest threat to the health of our home, but there’s still time for us to address the challenges we’ve created, if we act now. We need the world to pay attention.”

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The Institute of Interpersonal

Hypnotherapy Raising the Standards of Hypnotherapy and NLP Training State-Licensed Hypnotherapy Training Diplomas backed by the US Department of Education Earn your Hypnotherapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist Certifications through Florida’s first and currently only State-Licensed Hypnotherapy School with Matthew Brownstein and Staff.

• State-Licensed Diplomas/Certifications Next • IAIH Credentialing and Advocacy Start Date • 500+ Hours of Online and In-House june 25 Training • Financial Aid is available for those who qualify • No prior degrees are required • Ask about our online Certified Hypnotist Training

NeuroLinguistic Programming Training Basic and Master Level NLP Certifications Amplify your skills as a Hypnotherapist or simply learn about the powerful ways that NLP can improve your life, your relationships, and your career.

NLP Certification In-House Training • Basic NLP – July 18 to July 21: 40 Hours • Master NLP – August 29 to September 1: 40 Hours

May 24-26 Matthew Brownstein Institute Founder and Lead Instructor Department of Education License #3448

IAIH Annual Hypnotherapy Conference Open to Graduates and to the Public May 24-26 Conference Title: Creativity, Consciousness and Peace of Mind: The Healing Power of Hypnotherapy • 3 Days, 12 Presenters: $199 • Tampa Hilton Airport Westshore Hotel • Learn from Master Teachers and Industry Leaders

Interpersonal Hypnotherapy Clinics The Institute is proud to promote its successful graduates through our In-House Clinic and our referral program. If you are looking for a highly qualified Hypnotherapist with IAIH Credentials, over 500 hours of training and State-Licensed Diplomas, then call our Clinic directly at 813-461-0188.

InstituteofHypnotherapy.com • 800-551-9247 or 813-463-0264 2901 West Busch Blvd. #806 Tampa, Florida

The heavy use of household cleaning disinfectants may contribute to changes in infant gut bacteria and weight gain, reports a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. University of Alberta researchers collected fecal samples and studied the gut health of 757 babies between the ages of 3 and 4 months; then restudied the children at 1 and 3 years old. They found that children in households that used disinfectants at least once a week had higher body mass index (BMI) scores and elevated levels of Lachnospiraceae, gut microbes linked in other studies to insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. Babies in households that used vinegar or other eco-friendly cleaners had lower BMI scores and much lower levels of a family of bacteria that includes E. coli.

By mixing food additives with human gut microbes in petri dishes, scientists at the Czech Republic’s Institute of Microbiology found that gut microbes with antiinflammatory properties were highly susceptible to being harmed by additives, while microbes with pro-inflammatory properties were mostly resistant. “We speculate that permanent exposure of human gut microbiota to even low levels of additives may modify the composition and function of gut microbiota, and thus influence the host’s immune system,” wrote the authors.

Twin Design/Shutterstock.com

Household Cleaning Products Affect Babies’ Guts and Weight

Gut Susceptible to Food Additives

Smoking Bans Lower Blood Pressure Non-smokers that live in areas that have banned smoking in public spaces such as restaurants, bars and workplaces have lower systolic blood pressure. In a Northwestern University study reported by the American Heart Association, blood pressure readings of 5,115 adults ages 18 to 30 in Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland were taken over a 30-year period and correlated with changes in local laws that banned public smoking. A meaningful decrease in systolic blood pressure readings was found in non-smokers when no-smoking laws were enacted, indicating a reduction in heart disease risk.

Vdant85/Shutterstock.com

health briefs

Sperm counts have plunged by half in the last 40 years among American and European men, according to a recent review of scientific studies. In a new doubleblind study of 56 infertile men, researchers at Iran’s Qazvin University of Medical Sciences found that curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, can boost sperm counts.

Each day for 10 weeks, half of the men took 80 milligrams of curcumin nanomicelle, in which curcumin is better absorbed; the other 28 were given a placebo. The researchers found that the curcumin significantly boosted sperm count and motility.

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Boonchuay1970/Shutterstock.com

Curcumin Boosts Fertility in Men

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Sugary Drinks Linked to Kidney Disease Drinking lots of sugar-sweetened sodas and juices significantly increases the risk of chronic kidney disease, reports a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Using health questionnaires for 3,003 African-American adults in Jackson, Mississippi, covering a 13-year period, the researchers found that the top third of subjects, those consuming the most sugar-sweetened drinks, were 61 percent more likely to develop kidney disease than those in the bottom third.

Probiotics Ease Bipolar Disorder Research on 66 patients with bipolar disorder found that patients receiving probiotic supplements were three times less likely to be rehospitalized than those given a placebo.

The study from the Sheppard Pratt Health System, in Baltimore, gave half of discharged patients a placebo and the other half a capsule containing two probiotics, Bifidobacterium lactis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG).

Within 26 weeks, 24 of the 33 people that received the placebo returned to the hospital, but only eight of the 33 on probiotics were readmitted. The probiotic treatment was especially effective for those experiencing considerable inflammation, say researchers.

Master1305/Shutterstock.com

Stress May Be Worse in the Evening Acute, late-day stress may be harder on our bodies, say researchers at Japan’s Hokkaido University. They measured the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in 27 young, healthy volunteers, and then put them through 15 minutes of stressful events that included making a speech and doing mental math. Half of the volunteers were tested two hours after awakening, the other group 10 hours after awakening. The subjects’ levels of cortisol, which helps provide the body with energy in the face of a perceived need for fight or flight, rose strongly in the morning, but not in the evening, suggesting that the human body is more equipped to deal with stress early in the day and becomes more vulnerable later.

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action alert

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

Support Citizen Action Against Plastics Every minute, the equivalent of an entire garbage truck of plastic gets dumped into our oceans, reports the World Economic Forum. Many of the materials are disposable, single-use plastic products like straws, bags and Styrofoam containers, which some cities and towns have banned. This type of citizen action is increasingly blocked by the Plastic Industry Association (PIA), which has spent big money to successfully ban plastic bag ordinances in 10 states where 70 million Americans live. This means local communities are prohibited from taking effective action that could reduce the plastics that litter our streets and pollute our waterways.

The Sierra Club is calling on nine major corporations that are members of the PIA to withdraw from it with an online petition. So far, two have indicated they will not be renewing their memberships this year: Clorox (which owns companies like Burt’s Bees, Brita and Glad) and the Ascena Retail Group (which includes Ann Taylor and Loft).

To participate, sign the online petition at Tinyurl.com/PlasticPollutionPetition.

Other action steps, including tweeting and involving friends, are also detailed.

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Worldwide Worry

global briefs

Under final rules released by the current administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national labeling standard for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) completely exempts foods made with highly processed ingredients grown with GMOs, including sugar made from sugar beets, high-fructose corn syrup and refined soybean and canola oils. The change will allow 78 percent of products containing GMOs to avoid disclosure, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Companies don’t have to comply until January 1, 2022, and the new labels will use the term “bioengineered” instead of more common identifiers like “genetically engineered” or “GMO”. Small businesses, to-go food prepared at grocery stores, and meat, eggs or dairy from animals that are fed GMOs, which involves virtually all livestock not certified organic, are exempt from the labeling requirements.

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GMO Labeling Diluted

Over Dose

Citrus Crops to Receive Human Antibiotics

Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressed concern over a recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that opens the door to widespread use of the antibiotics streptomycin and oxytetracycline to spray commercial citrus crops. The antibiotics, which are often used on people, can kill insects that transmit a bacterium that causes citrus greening, which renders fruit small and bitter. But the EPA ultimately ruled that the economic benefits outweigh concerns about antibiotic resistance and potential harm to the environment, people and wildlife. The USDA says the amount of antibiotic exposure to people who eat fruit or juices still will be far less than what people are exposed to when prescribed antibiotics by their doctor. The antibiotics will have to be sprayed repeatedly over years just to keep the trees alive and producing fruit until they succumb to citrus greening. Public interest groups are protesting the action.

Vadarshop/Shutterstock.com

Muddled Message

Environmental risks are the top three concerns among the 1,000 global decision-makers surveyed in the latest Global Risks Perception Survey of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

For the third straight year, “extreme weather” ranked first, followed by “failed climate change mitigation” and “natural disasters”. The survey was part of a WEF annual report produced in advance of the recent confab of global leaders in Davos, Switzerland. The World Bank has calculated that the real cost of natural disasters to the global economy is $520 billion per year.

a katz/Shutterstock.com

Environmental Risks Register as Top Threat

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Fuel Folly

Nuclear Waste Disposal Remains Elusive

A new report issued by environmental watchdog Greenpeace details the growing global dangers of accumulating nuclear waste that will remain hazardous for hundreds of centuries. Several of the designated storage facilities in the seven countries surveyed are nearly filled to capacity now.

Unresolved safety issues across the industry include fire risk, venting of radioactive gases, environmental contamination, failure of containers, terrorist attacks and escalating costs. More than 65 years after the start of the civil use of nuclear power, 250,000 tons of highly radioactive spent fuel exists in 14 countries, and underground storage, seemingly the most viable option, has encountered major obstacles.

Balancing Act

Endangered Species on the Rebound

idreamphoto/Shutterstock.com

The Endangered Species Act seems to be working, with more than 75 percent of marine mammals and sea turtles protected by the act recovering, according to a new peer-reviewed study by scientists at the Center for Biological Diversity published in the academic journal PLOS ONE. North Atlantic green sea turtle nests on Florida beaches have increased by more than 2,000 percent and Hawaiian humpback whales more than 1,100 percent between 1979 and 2005.

April 2019

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EARTH DAY SPOTLIGHTS SPECIES Protection Is the Focus of 2019 Campaign

by Ronica A. O’Hara

O

n April 22, eco-conscious citizens will come together again in communities across the country to celebrate Earth Day and work for the planet’s healthy, sustainable future. This year, the Earth Day Network (EDN) is asking people to join its Protect Our Species campaign to raise awareness of the crucial roles that plants and animals play in the ecosystem and the current threats faced by many of them.

The nonprofit cites that the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction in 60 million years because of human activity, including climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and pesticides. But the good news, EDN says, is that the rate of extinctions can be slowed, and many of our declining, threatened and endangered species can still recover if we work together now. This will necessitate a united global movement of consumers, voters, educators, faith leaders and scientists that demands immediate action.

EDN is asking people to advocate for government policies that protect species and their habitats, and to continue to build on the worldwide efforts that embrace the value of nature.

It is also asking people to undertake such individual actions as adopting a plant-based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use. More information, including teach-in toolkits and facts on threatened 22

Tampa Bay Edition

species, from whales to insects, can be found at EarthDay.org.

Help Tampa Bay celebrate and promote progress in species sustainability efforts by participating in these local Earth Day 2019 events.

2019 EARTH DAY MILE RUN/WALK CHALLENGE Apr. 1-30 Individual runners, walkers, joggers (all shapes & fitness levels) commit to run at least 2 miles a day for the month (collectively make it once around the equator [24,901 miles]). FMI: Official Earth Day Challenge Facebook group 10TH Annual ECOFEST TAMPA BAY 2019 Sat., April 13, 10am-3pm A community celebration of businesses, organizations and individuals dedicated to Principles of Sustainability, Ecology, Equity & Economy. Organized by Learning Gate Community School, City of Tampa, USF Health. Free admission. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N. Blvd., Tampa.

FMI: Ecofest@LearningGate.org or 813948-4190 ext 313 St. Petersburg 6th Annual Earth Day Festival Sat., Apr. 13, 10am-4pm Local people celebrate along with others NATampa.com

planet-wide, demonstrating reverence & respect for our fragile planet. Hosted by Chart 411, the city & other environmental and civic organizations. Free event.

Historic Williams Park, 350 2nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg FMI: EarthDaysp.com Earth Day Paddling Trip Sat., Apr. 13, 1-4pm Guided, feel-good community paddle of 4-mile South Paddling Trail (weather & tide-dependent); stops to appreciate the beauty of coastal habitats & native wildlife.

Weedon Island Preserve Cultural & Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. FMI: lCarnahan@ufl.edu or 727-453-6522 ISLAND EARTH DAYS Sat.-Sun., Apr. 13-14, 11am-5pm Live birds, sea turtle displays, exhibits, nature walks, children’s activities, live bands both days, food vendors. Honeymoon Island State Park, 1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin Free event with $8 parking. FMI: IslandEarthDays.com Annual Tampa Bay Marathon Swim Race Sat., Apr. 20 First staged in 1998, this annual 24-Mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim celebrates Earth Day, drawing competitors from around the globe. One of the world’s longest marathon swims.

FMI: 727-531-7999 or DistanceMatters.com Keep Pinellas Beautiful & Sea Turtle Trackers Sat., Apr. 20, 9am-noon Volunteer effort to help eliminate local impact of marine & terrestrial debris. Meet at Paradise Grille, 6850 Beach Plaza, St. Pete Beach. FMI: Sellington@kpbCares.org or 727-533-0402 Global 2019 Campaign: protect our species Mon., Apr. 22 The Earth Day Network, a worldwide environmental movement, inspires actions supportive of a healthy future for our planetary home. This year’s theme pro-

motes species sustainability, eco-conscious activities.

FMI: EarthDay.org or 1-202-518-0044 Celebrate Earth Day in Dade City Mon., Apr. 22, Noon-3pm Seminars; booths; pet adoptions; free trees; native flowers; mosquito control; gardening recycling information & more. Free parking. One Stop Shop, Stallings Bldg., 15029-14th St., Dade City FMI: eurquiola@PascoCountyfl.net, 352-521-1254 or eSantiagoGomez@PascoCountyfl.net, 352-521-1255 CLEANUP GANDY BEACH Sun., Apr. 28, 9:30-10:30am Help reduce local impact of marine & terrestrial debris on our coastline. Organized by Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Taste of Science, USF Marine Science Advisory Committee. Meet south side of US-92 (East Kayak launch) FMI: Sellington@kpbCares.org or 727-533-0402

Find out which specific foods & supplements your body actually needs to: • Increase Energy • Get Restful Sleep • Lose Weight • Resolve Digestive Issues ... and much more Bring in the supplements and foods you are taking to find out if they are helpful or harmful to your body.

Visit: www.GrangerHealth.com The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for payment for any other service, examination, or treatment that is performed as a result of and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted fee, or reduced fee service, examination, or treatment. For new patients only.

205 S. Myrtle Avenue Clearwater, FL 33756

Call 727-248-0930

Discount for new patients

Annual Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Event Sat., Apr. 27, 9am-noon (check-in begins 8:30am) Creating more sustainable communities.

Focus this year on activities impacting individuals in need, aesthetic community improvements & environments. Choose from more than 80 different locations throughout Hillsborough County.

FMI and to sign-up for a specific location, call 813-221-8733 or visit KeepTampaBayBeautiful.org.

GREEN THUMB FESTIVAL Sat.-Sun., Apr. 27-28, 9am-4pm Exhibits & vendors, diagnostic soil/water sample clinic, recycling, children’s programs, garden wagon parade, free mulch, plant auction, 1000s of trees for sale ($5), free butterfly plants, tool sharpening booth, entertainment, various environmental programs, food court. Free parking.

Walter Fuller Center, 7891-26th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. FMI: 727-893-7441, StPeteParksRec.org/Greenthumb April 2019

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eco tip

Healthier Dry Cleaning

tomas garcia/Shutterstock.com

Non-Toxic Ways to Lower Risks

Chemicals used in dry cleaning clothes have long been linked to health concerns for both people and the environment. Perchloroethylene (“perc” for short) is most commonly used in this process. Federal regulatory agencies have documented myriad negative effects from exposure to the petroleum-based solvent.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration links it to dizziness, blurred vision, loss of coordination and other nervous system effects, including memory loss. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls perc a likely human carcinogen “by all routes of exposure.” The EPA also warns that the chemical can leak into the ground, contaminating water supplies, and react in the air to form smog, which has been associated with respiratory effects.

Earthtalk.org suggests there are safer alternatives through products and processes used by independent “green” dry cleaners nationwide.

These include a biodegradable liquid silicone—essentially liquefied sand—which doesn’t chemically react with fabric fibers. It’s safe to use on delicate garments like beads, lace, silk and cashmere, and won’t cause 24

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shrinkage. GreenEarthCleaning.com includes a store locator function.

Another good option is wet cleaning, whereby fabric is laundered in a computer-controlled washer and dryer that uses water—along with specialized soaps and conditioners instead of solvents—and spins its contents much more slowly than a typical home washing machine.

Because wet cleaning is free of hazardous volatile organic compounds like those in perc, it eliminates health and safety risks, as well as environmental hazards associated with traditional dry cleaning, according to GreenAmerica.org. As an added benefit, the equipment and operating costs are lower. While the biggest disadvantage to wet cleaning is that it produces waste water, it’s still a highly energy-efficient method.

Another method is liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning, in which some commercial cleaners use the pressurized gas in combination with other gentle cleaning agents to dissolve and remove dirt, fats and oils in clothing instead of using perc; or consider simply handwashing delicate clothes and fabrics in a mild, non-toxic detergent, and then hanging them outside to dry.

April 2019

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50New 30 is the

by Les Cole, MD

H

ormone replacement therapy (HRT) has expanded into the future of medicine. We are now able to replace more than 60 hormones (called peptides) that decrease with age. Until recently, we have only been able to replace sex hormones which has been a boon for improving symptoms and quality of life, treating disease, healing sexual tissues and function, and extending healthspan and lifespan. You may have heard of the peptide known as growth hormone, now being used by (some) anti-aging practitioners but frowned upon by the FDA and having negative long-term side effects.

Recent research has opened up a whole new knowledge base of specific and safe peptide hormones now available to you. These peptides serve many important functions in the body, and just like sex hormones, they decrease as you age. The loss of these peptide hormones accelerates the aging process by decreasing both healthspan and lifespan. A simple yet elegant experiment demonstrates this: A young mouse and an old mouse were sewn together so they shared a blood supply and put on an immunosuppressant so they would not reject each other. The older 26

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mouse made the younger mouse older and the younger mouse made the older mouse younger. The younger mouse’s peptides caused the older mouse to grow younger while the older mouse’s lack of peptide production could not sustain the younger mouse’s youth.

There are now over 60 peptides available that can help with a multitude of symptoms or simply make you feel better.

Here are some of the benefits associated with just two of these peptides: • Weight loss • Sleep • Bone density • Muscle mass • Immune function • Libido • Sexual function • Mood • Motivation • Memory • Cognition • Cardiovascular capacity • Lipid profile • Inflammation • Oxidative stress • Nitric oxide NATampa.com

• Endurance • Exercise capacity • Energy • Pancreatic islet cell function • Glucose utilization • Blood cells • Skin and hair • Blood vessels • Kidney function • Wound healing • Telomerase activity • Stem cells This is just a partial list.

Legend tells us that Ponce de León searched Florida for the Fountain of Youth.

Whether he found it or not, it is now clear that the loss of both sex and peptide hormones contributes to aging and diminished health.

To learn more on how to increase your healthspan, lifespan and quality of life, attend a free seminar from 6 to 7:30 p.m., April 16, at St. Petersburg Health & Wellness, 2100 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. For more information and to make an appointment, call 727-202-6807.

See ad right.

Everyone has a responsibility to take an active role in life— participating in one’s family, community and society. I care about life, justice and equality. It’s not a political thing, it’s common sense.

artist spotlight

photo by Kane Hibberd

~John Butler

The Journey to Home John Butler Inspires Hope and Awareness

by Meredith Montgomery

W

hen singer-songwriter John Butler sees a performance that gives him chills, he leaves the show feeling like he could do anything. “If I can give that feeling to one person at every gig I play—because of what that experience gives to them, what it gives to me and in turn, what it gives to the world—if I can be a vehicle of that energy, then I’m doing my job.”

But Butler, who is now Australia’s highest selling independent artist of all time, never thought this would be his job. “I thought I’d be in Special Forces, a professional skateboarder, an artist or a teacher, never a musician,” he says.

Butler was 11 when his family moved from Los Angeles to Pinjarra, Australia. He lived a Huckleberry Finn-like life in this beautiful but isolated riverside town, but he also experienced xenophobia and racism firsthand. “It seemed my skin was the right color, but I had the wrong accent. Things could change really quickly when I’d begin to speak—like suddenly I was getting chased,” he recalls.

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These experiences have kept him humble and down-to-earth through his musical success, but they’ve also helped fuel his outspoken and impassioned advocacy efforts for peace, environmental protection and global harmony.

“We live in an opulent society where everything is done for us. Our trash gets taken away—we put it in a bin, put the top on it and it’s like putting the top on your mind. We don’t know what hole it’s going in and there’s no sense of responsibility once it leaves our hands. And the opportunity to pollute and use plastic is getting easier and easier. It’s a convoluted situation,” he reflects.

His activism efforts are currently focused on the anti-fracking movement in Western Australia and speaking out against plans for the world’s largest coal mine to be built in North Queensland (which poses a threat to the Great Barrier Reef). A portion of his ticket and album sales often benefit charitable organizations, meet-and-greet experiences include a reusable water bottle and the band has utilized Globelet’s system to eliminate single-use plastic at some of his concerts.

Butler carries his own straw, utensils and water bottle and has a garden and rain catchment system at home, but he wishes it was easier to do more, noting, “If we’re sending people to Mars, we should be able to have greater access to green energy.”

As a parent, Butler is careful not to discourage the future stewards of our earth, so he keeps his fatherly advice simple—treat others as you wish to be treated, and recognize that everything has a cost. “When our kids say ‘I want this’ or ‘I want that’, I remind them to think about the cost of having those things. What resources were used to make it? How does that affect the environment? Is it worth it?”

He also encourages his son and daughter to find a form of self-expression that they love as they navigate their teen years. “I want them to have a friend in something they can do on their own,” he says. “Whether it’s making something with their hands, playing music, sewing—there’s something really beautiful about escaping with yourself and your tools, something you can’t get with anybody else.”

For Butler, his guitar is that unwavering companion. While making his latest album, Home, a flood of emotions and anxieties surfaced once he stopped touring. “Bringing a song into the world is an enlightening process, and each one demands different things from me,” he says. He worked through intense introspection, which was challenging yet therapeutic and productive.

“Throughout the years that it took to make this album there were tears and frustration, confusion and chaos. But, there was family and friends, honesty and vulnerability, gardens and harvest, service and surrender. And amongst it all, ultimately, there was joy,” Butler reflects.

To balance the demands of his career, Butler leans on family and friends for love

and laughter, plus skateboarding, running and meditation to clear his mind. He regularly seeks solace in nature and is also very spiritual. Traveling with a portable altar while on tour, he carries a collection of tokens from his ancestors, candles, photos, feathers and sage—bits and pieces that represent the tapestry of his faith. “I am struck by spirituality’s ability to bind cultures in story, song, ethics and morals for generations to come, so we can somehow make life a little bit more doable,” he says.

Butler’s music and actions have a similar effect on the audiences it touches.

The band’s deep layers of chant-like vocals and heart-pounding drums can bring a sea of strangers together in song and dance, while the words he speaks and the life he leads inspire reflection and action by multiple populations. He’s doing more than his job—he’s cultivating hope and awareness on a global level.

Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/ Mississippi (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet. com).

photo courtesy of Nettwerk

Centered around John Butler’s virtuoso guitar stylings and powerful, progressive lyricism, the John Butler Trio draws upon a remarkable variety of musical genres, spanning folk, blues, funk, classic rock ‘n’ roll and beyond.

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Improve Your Emotional Well-Being

by Improving Overall Brain Health

by Gus Vickery, MD

O

ur thinking and feeling states are based in the function of our brain. For the mind to work properly, the brain must be healthy. For us to create accurate interpretations about reality and to manage our emotions, it is important for our internal signaling processes to work properly.

Our brain uses electrical energy and chemicals called neurotransmitters to create our thinking and feeling states. Our brain also sends signals to our body using chemical messengers called hormones. It’s more complex than I am describing but the main point is this: In order to function properly, we must have the right balance of neurotransmitters and hormones.

Our moods (how we feel) are strongly influenced by the availability and balance of various neurotransmitters. Good mental health and feeling emotionally healthy are foundational to good health and living our best life.

Depression is a negative emotional state that can present with many different symptoms: • Depressed mood • Reduced level of interest or pleasure in activities • Changes in weight or appetite • Sleep disturbances • Fatigue • Thoughts of worthlessness or guilt • Reduced ability to think or concentrate • Frequent thoughts of suicide or death, or suicide attempts 30

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The last item on the list is perhaps the most devastating.

Suicide rates increased in the U.S. by 25 percent from 1999 to 2016, according to studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depression is absolutely a risk factor for suicide.

Major depression is a serious medical illness affecting up to 16 million American adults or approximately six percent of the adult population in a given year. Unlike normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss or passing mood states, major depression is persistent and can significantly interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood, activity and physical health.

There are many potential contributors to major depression.

Neurotransmitter imbalances significantly influence depression.

Also, chronic stress and other factors can significantly influence the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or HPA axis. This is one of the major signaling pathways from the brain to the body. Over time, hyper-stimulation of the HPA axis can cause changes in this signaling pathway that can influence our mood as well as our energy.

Historically, we have addressed mood disorders with medications and psychotherapy. While these treatments have been helpful, there are additional resources that can help individuals improve their mental and emotional health.

If neurotransmitters and hormones are major influencers of how we feel, then it makes sense that optimizing these chemical messengers can help us with our mental health. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are made from nutrients called amino acids. Amino acids are the

building blocks of proteins. We get amino acids by eating protein.

Our body can make some, but not all, amino acids. The ones our body cannot make, meaning we must get them in our diet, are known as essential amino acids. The amino acids that are used to make the above neurotransmitters are essential aminos.

This means we can actually become deficient in the key building blocks of the neurotransmitters that regulate our moods.

Nutrient deficiencies can be a primary influencer of depression and other mental health disorders.

The good news is that there is hope. There are accurate tests that can provide information about a person’s neurotransmitter balance and HPA axis function. With this knowledge, a person can use a holistic approach to restoring neurotransmitter balance and restoring normal function of the HPA axis. This can result in a person feeling physically and mentally much healthier. If a person is deficient in key neurotransmitters, then supplementing with the amino acids and other nutrients that build those neurotransmitters can improve their levels.

It is important to note that medications cannot provide the nutrients necessary to support normal mood function. Medications may help by increasing or decreasing certain neurotransmitter functions in the brain, but they cannot provide the building blocks for those neurotransmitters. For medications to be effective, our brains must have the right balance of nutrients.

That is why treatment of mental health has to be holistic.

Nutrition, sleep, gut health, stress and other lifestyle factors need to be addressed to optimize mental health. Our mind and body

are responding to all the different messages being received based on these lifestyle factors.

In order to experience your best health, you need to provide your body with the right information. In the past, we could not always find out what pieces of information needed to be addressed to feel our best. Thankfully, we can now objectively assess these needs through a variety of tests. Urinary neurotransmitter testing and salivary hormonal assessments can provide clarity about what the body and mind need to function well.

With this information, the targeted use of supplements such as essential amino acids and other nutrients and targeted lifestyle interventions can be utilized to improve physical and mental health. If we embrace this approach, perhaps we will begin to see rates of depression and other mood disorders reduce. We all benefit if we are all healthier.

Sanesco International (SanescoHealth.com) provides urinary and salivary testing resources to healthcare providers to measure their patients’ neurotransmitter and hormonal balance. Dr. Vickery uses these tests to help his patients improve their health.

Dr. Gus Vickery is a board-certified physician, keynote speaker and the author of Authentic Health (MJ Publishing, 2018). He specializes in a holistic approach to health and wellness. Find more information, including free resources, at HealthShepherds.com. For more information and to learn where you can get tested please contact Lorri Franckle, PA at 727-804-7754, LorriFranckle@gmail.com.

Sleep Apnea Relief

Natural solutions FOR ALL YOUR HEALTH NEEDS • Sleep Apnea • Bruises, Strains, tissue damage • Sinus Infection • Skin Rash Designed for my family, Shared with yours.

Order online at MyNaturesRite.com or call 800-991-7088

Helps ensure deep, steady breathing throughout the night, improving the efficiency of the lungs and relaxing muscles to address sleep apnea.

Injury Repair Ankle sprains, bruises, painful elbows and shoulders all need help during repair. Bruise, Strain & Tear Repair clears the bruising and keeps the healing process going for as long as you apply it. Get a complete repair naturally.

Sinus Infection Sinus Relief offers a nasal spray that is both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial in a convenient spray bottle. Super Neti Juice offers the same antimicrobial power with soothing, subtle peppermint. Powerful tools to combat germs.

Rash Relief This powerful herbal lotion is designed to relieve the pain and itch of eczema. while correcting the cause and repairing the skin. A healthy and natural approach to correcting skin rash without dangerous drugs.

April 2019

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It’s turned out to be one of the best investments we’ve ever made—financially and environmentally.

Power Switch Taking a Home Off the Grid

by Jim Motavalli

J

esse Stafford and Alyssa Craft quit their jobs in 2015, bought five acres of remote land far away from utilities and began building their 36-foot-by-36-foot timber frame home from scratch. Next up was a septic system, then a clean water source and, of course, alternative energy.

Their rooftop solar panels are backed up by a reliable Honda generator.

They had some setbacks, which is to be expected. Now they’re blogging about it. “We didn’t want corporate jobs, we didn’t want to live in the city, commute to work or have a mortgage payment,” they write in their online homestead journey at PureLivingForLife.com.

Off-the-grid living has become downright fashionable, especially for the eco-conscious. But leaving the rat race isn’t easy, and it’s not for everyone. Yet, anyone that wants to become more energy-independent can succeed without moving to an isolated cabin; and there’s never been a better time, because prices keep coming down and technology keeps improving. Choosing the best option depends on several factors, including the specific residence, climatic zone, town and neighborhood.

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Preliminary Considerations Power source: Choose from among

solar ($12,000 to $50,000, depending on the system’s size), wind ($6,000 to $22,000, including installation) or geothermal ($20,000 to $25,000).

Ample resources: Find out if there’s

steady wind, plentiful sun, a place to install geothermal pipes and whether the home is properly oriented for solar without obstruction by trees or tall buildings.

Electricity needed: Get a quick average

by adding up the wattage of all appliances, and then add 50 percent. The American average is 10,000 kilowatt-hours annually, although frugal folks can make do with less.

The local utility company can also estimate energy needs based on past usage.

Realize that alternative energy doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing proposition.

For instance, a solar system doesn’t have to power the whole house. A smaller and cheaper array with battery backup can be connected to essential services like the water heater, refrigerator and electric stove, with the grid handling heavier loads. Ad-

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vantages are lower upfront cost and access to the grid when needed.

Connecting to the grid makes sense for all alternative power sources, because wind and solar are intermittent, and don’t always provide power. Also, most states offer net metering, which requires the local utility to pay for the electricity a homeowner puts back into the grid.

Solar: Plunging Costs Solar panels for electricity, usually made of silicon, consist of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into direct current (DC). Their cost has come down dramatically in recent years. In January, the average solar panel cost $3.14 a watt, a bottom line of roughly $18,000 with a six-kilowatt system big enough for most homes. The price fell 6.5 percent from January 2018, reports EnergySage.com, a solar vendor pricing source. A federal tax credit covers 30 percent of the cost, so the out-of-pocket cost for a system would be approximately $13,000 if installed before year’s end, when the full residential tax credit is available. Partial tax credits will be available until they are phased out in 2022.

Ron Blumenfeld, a retired doctor in Fairfield, Connecticut, serves on his town’s sustainability task force and “went live” with his rooftop installation six years ago.

“It’s turned out to be one of the best investments we’ve ever made—financially and environmentally,” he says.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is working toward residential solar to generate power at just five cents per kilowatt-hour by 2030, which means it will be far cheaper than grid electricity.

Consumers can either buy a system outright or—as a popular alternative—lease the system with no upfront costs. Leasing companies like SolarCity (now part of Tesla) pioneered this approach, in which consumers agree to buy electricity from the system installed on their roof.

Herr Loeffler/Shutterstock.com

~Ron Blumenfeld, a six-year solar convert in Fairfield, Connecticut

Worldpics/Shutterstock.com

Whether to add the extra expense of battery backup is important. A pair of Tesla Powerwalls will cost about $14,000 installed and store enough electricity to power a home for seven days. It’s suitable for people looking to go off the grid because the sun doesn’t always shine, and power generated on sunny days can be stored and used when it’s overcast.

Off-the-grid solar is not just for those living in sun-rich states. Installers can look at a property—often remotely, through applications like Google Earth—and determine if solar is appropriate. Sometimes a few trees will have to be sacrificed, but the benefits are manifold, and not just because there will be power during grid blackouts.

Wind: If the Resource is Right Wind power accounted for the largest share of renewable energy growth in 2017, reports the International Energy Agency, but it’s in its infancy for homeowners, partly due to an average cost of $48,000 to $65,000 per installed project. Residential turbines have been installed in all 50 states, but many parts of the U.S. have marginal resources. Check the Department of Energy wind resource guide for local data at WindExchange.Energy.Gov.

The best-case scenario is strong winds plus few neighbors close to a large property (and lenient zoning laws). Wind may work for the 19.3 percent of the population that lives in rural areas and the 21 million American homes built on properties of an acre or more.

However, it isn’t for everyone. James Weston, of Greene, Maine, installed his turbine 10 years ago, and considers his rooftop solar panels a better investment. “By the time you put up your 100-foot tower to get the tower above the tree line and optimize the wind resource, the return isn’t there,” he says, noting that his savings from the turbine amount to a few hundred dollars a year.

Bergey WindPower, maker of the 10-kilowatt BWC Excel 10 turbine ($31,770), recommends that a property have at least a 10 mph average wind speed, coupled with high electricity prices of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour or more. Also consider the neighbors: The system’s turbine is typically installed on an 80-to-100-foot tower, and so-called “viewshed” objections

Residential wind power is in its infancy in the U.S. have taken down many projects (including Cape Wind, in Massachusetts).

With annual maintenance, the DOE reports that small wind turbines should last about 20 years, the same basic lifespan as solar panels. The federal production tax credit for wind is available this year, but won’t be available afterwards. Some states offer incentives. A useful small wind guidebook can be found at WindExchange.

Energy.gov/small-wind-guidebook.

Geothermal: Available Anywhere

Some common misconceptions about home geothermal are that consumers need to live in one of the planet’s “hot spots” (think Iceland, California or Utah). But the truth is the Earth’s temperature just below the surface almost anywhere is a constant 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Northeast and Midwest have the highest geothermal adoption rates.

Geothermal doesn’t necessarily require a large piece of property. Local geology will be a factor in siting and sizing the system.

Geothermal systems use underground pipes filled with refrigerant that absorbs warmth from the ground through a heat exchanger. In summer, that same underground temperature can be tapped to cool

a home, combining heating and air conditioning in one system.

While it necessitates a relatively high upfront cost, low operating costs mean the systems can pay for themselves in less than 10 years. Most include a ground-source heat pump with a 50-year warranty. For a 2,500-square-foot home, an average offthe-electrical-grid system will cost $20,000 to $25,000 to install. Bill Martin, in Quincy, California, runs an efficient three-ton geothermal system installed in 2014. “It’s been a very good experience,” he says. “I’m ecstatically happy.”

The same 30 percent federal tax credit that applies to solar also applies to geothermal for systems installed by 2020. States also provide incentives. A detailed guide on availability is available at Tinyurl.com/ GeothermalHeatPumpListing.

Special Considerations

Buildings, especially older structures, are usually sieves in terms of energy loss, so before investing in a system, check to see if the local utility provides free energy audits.

Even if it’s not free, it’s worth finding out if the home needs new windows or strategically applied insulation.

There are scammers in every field, and alternative energy is no exception. Ask providers for references to previous customers and check for online cautions from the Better Business Bureau, Yelp and others.

Alternative energy in any form can save money and precious resources. Explore the options thoroughly and choose wisely before pulling the plug.

Jim Motavalli, of Fairfield, CT, is an author, freelance journalist and speaker, specializing in alternative energy, clean automotive and other environmental topics. Connect at JimMotavalli.com.

If a Stream Runs Through It

P

roperties with moving water have a fourth sustainable power source available to them: hydroelectric.

If opting to harness the energy in a nearby flowing stream or river, 10-kilowatt microhydropower systems can power even large homes. They combine piping from the water source to a turbine, pump or waterwheel with an alternator or generator, regulator and wiring.

According to Home Power magazine, a fully installed hydro system for the average use of a modern household might cost $20,000 to $100,000.

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33

wise words

Ocean Robbins on

Personal and Planetary Health

F

ood revolutionary Ocean Robbins has dedicated his life to inspiring others to rethink their food choices to transform both personal and planetary health. It’s a path forged in part by his father, John Robbins, who walked away from the family ice cream company, BaskinRobbins, to become an acclaimed health advocate and author.

Together, father and son founded the 500,000-plus-member Food Revolution Network, an online education and advocacy platform that works for healthy, sustainable, humane and delicious food for all. Ocean launched Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!) at age 16, and directed the organization for 20 years.

Ocean’s new book, 31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World, aims to help individuals revamp their diets, and in turn, themselves and their communities.

It distills his lifetime of knowledge and wisdom on food, health and activism into an accessible how-to guide. Learn more at 31DayFoodRevolution.com.

What connections do you see between personal and planetary health?

In many situations in life, we have to compromise—but when it comes to food, the 34

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choices that are best for us personally also happen to be best for the planet. Eating a plant-based diet, organically grown when possible, is not only linked to the best statistical outcomes for long-term health and well-being, it also helps ensure healthy topsoil, water and a stable climate for future generations.

In what ways have you seen members of the Food Revolution Network transform their communities?

We hear incredible stories from members all over the world who are seeing radical changes in their health—reversing heart disease, losing weight, gaining energy and mental clarity. And we also hear inspiring stories of people turning food deserts into wonderful oases of healthy living; for example, Ron Finley, in South Central Los Angeles, who is known for saying that drive-throughs kill more people than driveby shootings in his neighborhood.

He planted vegetables for the community in the curbside dirt strip in front of his home—and got cited by the city for it. He ended up getting the laws changed, and has since started The Ron Finley Project to create an urban community food hub where the community can come together to plant, learn and nourish themselves.

photo by Lindsay Miller

by April Thompson

In many situations in life, we have to compromise—but when it comes to food, the choices that are best for us personally also happen to be best for the planet. ~Ocean Robbins

What are some ways busy people can connect with like-minded individuals to support healthy lifestyle and diet changes?

Start by finding out if you have loved ones who do share your food values, and nurture those relationships. Lean into those healthy relationships; you might be surprised how many people around you are also quietly trying to achieve similar goals.

You can also ask friends and family to be a food ally; even if they are not a full participant in your health regimen, they might be a fan or friend. That can mean preparing particular foods if you come for dinner or simply checking in on how you are doing with your goals and commitments.

You can widen your circle of healthy eating through meal swaps or other shared meal programs. It’s always easier to cook in larger quantities, and there is the added benefit of greater social connection with shared meals.

If you are looking for new friends and allies, it helps to connect to organizations that are already promoting healthy food hubs. There are many listed in the back of 31-Day Food Revolution.

So many people struggle with loneliness, and some are afraid they will feel even more isolated if they step out into a healthy eating regimen. On the contrary, you can become a magnet for people who care about their world and aren’t content with the status quo. These friendships can often become deeper and more valued than ever.

What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in living a lifestyle against the societal grain, and how have you overcome it?

Impatience. I grew up eating all-natural food; my parents almost named me Kale, and I ate a lot of it growing up. At a certain point, I saw that I had become judgmental and dogmatic when encountering people whose choices did not align with my own, though as Martin Luther King Jr. said, we have no moral authority with those who can feel our underlying contempt. I have since developed a profound respect for each individual’s unique values, needs, experiences and priorities.

I advocate for people’s right to make their own choices about what they need. My goal is to help facilitate people’s choices, and to do so with compassion.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

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A 2015 study at Butler University, in Indianapolis published in the Journal of Speech Pathology & Therapy shows the significant effects of theater arts on individuals with autism spectrum disorder. “Creative arts therapy can be successful in supporting children with autism, especially ways to practice social skills,” says Marshall. “The drama therapist uses role play, improv and games in order to facilitate interpersonal communication.”

RossHelen /Shutterstock.com

healing ways

Dopamine and Creating Art

THE ART OF HEALING Creative Therapy Aids Recovery

by Marlaina Donato

F

or decades, creative expression has been a valuable tool in healing, and expressive arts therapy—the integrated application of two or more art forms—is now considered a life-changing modality for veterans and anyone else struggling with anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Also called creative arts therapy, this form of psychotherapy helps patients to process and express what is often beyond verbal language using music, art, dance, theater and writing as its primary modes of communication. “Individuals need no previous arts experience in order to benefit from working with a certified creative arts therapist,” explains Azizi Marshall, founder and CEO of the Center for Creative Arts Therapy, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence—an outpatient clinic specializing in traumatic brain injuries at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland—ranks creative arts therapy among the top five most effective approaches in helping veterans.

A study of combat veterans and creative arts therapy conducted at Concordia University, in Montreal, reported considerable progress, especially in areas of expressing emotions resulting from trauma and gaining

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understanding of symptoms such as depression, thoughts of suicide and insomnia.

Psychotherapist Cathy Malchiodi, Ph.D., has authored several books, including The Art Therapy Sourcebook, and uses expressive arts therapy in her Louisville practice. “I’ve worked with soldiers for the past 10 years, and find that much of their healing comes about through telling their stories on stage or participating as an actor within a play or improvisation.” Malchiodi also incorporates mindfulness practices, visual arts, music and some simple forms of yoga in her sessions.

Creative Arts Therapy for Multiple Diagnoses

Expressive arts therapy is also making a positive impact on those suffering from panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addictions, eating and attention disorders, dementia and chronic physical illness.

“Creative arts therapy can be used across life challenges; for example, dance or movement therapy has supported women with breast cancer and eating disorders,” says Marshall, who has also witnessed the power of drama therapy to help reduce feelings of fear in clients diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD. NATampa.com

The multitasking neurotransmitter dopamine is one of the brain’s natural antidepressants and plays a key role in feeling pleasure and reinforcing habits. It reaches its highest levels during the initial stages of love, observing something of beauty or creating art.

A recent Drexel University study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy shows the neurological effects of drawing, coloring and simple doodling. Increased circulation in the area of the brain correlating to pleasure and reward was evident, and this dopamine-dominant response is responsible for decreasing symptoms of anxiety and increasing feelings of joy and accomplishment.

Psychotherapist Doreen Meister, in Oakland, California, encourages her clients to focus on the process of creating, rather than the result. “Expressive therapies are an extension of the self-discovery continuum.

I often hear, ‘I draw like a 2-year-old.’ To this I say, ‘Great! Draw like a 2-year-old!’ I believe that somewhere, many of us are told that creative expression must be a certain way. Creativity is a natural state, a human quality that we are born with, and the product of creation is not as important as the process.”

Creativity from a clinical perspective allows for new emotional vantage points, distance from situations and viewing experiences through a different lens. “Bringing in creativity offers a wider palette of tools or access points, and gives us another way to understand ourselves,” says Meister. “Creativity as a life force is accessible to all of us.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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~Jared Gold, co-founder of MealTribes

POTLUCK FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Breaking Bread, Building Community

by April Thompson

A

mericans are eating alone more than ever, with adults going solo for nearly half of all meals, according to consumer research consultants at the Hartman Group. Yet, fellowship-minded foodies are bucking the trend by finding new and unique ways to bring strangers, colleagues and friends together for healthy, home-cooked meals.

Meal sharing not only builds community and camaraderie; it can also save time and money and minimize food waste.

Eating with others can also encourage mindful consumption, a boon to physical and mental health. A number of emerging ideas and platforms from around the block to across the globe are helping singles and families young and old connect over food.

Linking Diners Through Technology “I wanted to find a place to create more meaningful conversations and meet new people than bars where people often meet up, and thought home is that place. Who 38

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doesn’t like dinner parties or potlucks?” says Jared Gold, co-founder of MealTribes, in Washington, D.C.

Within two years, MealTribes has grown to more than 200 members that can host or join potlucks via a private Facebook group open to area residents in their 20s and 30s. To encourage participants to be fully present, the group encourages guests to leave their phones in their bags.

Instead of strict food do’s and don’ts, MealTribes encourages attendees to bring a contribution that makes them proud. However, guests are discouraged from bringing alcohol in lieu of a food dish to avoid it becoming the focus of the table.

“Lasting friendships and business opportunities have come from our potlucks,” says Gold. “Even skeptics have come away from events feeling like they got the best-case scenario; nice people, homey environment, with good food and conversation.”

Jay Savsani, co-founder of Meal Sharing, in Chicago, got the idea for the NATampa.com

“Airbnb of meals” after seeking out a home-cooked dinner while backpacking in Cambodia. He was invited to a farm feast in the countryside, connecting with local hosts over great conversation and delicious food. “I returned home wanting to find a way to use technology to recreate that serendipitous moment,” says Savsani.

Today, the platform uses technology to connect curious diners with affordable, home-cooked meals in 150 countries. “The concept is open; we encourage hosts to make whatever they believe in,” says Savsani. “That can be a top chef serving nine-course meals or a simple spaghetti someone offers for a few bucks or even free.”

Savsani says the meal becomes secondary to the deeper social interactions that can manifest through these gatherings. “We even got an inquiry from a local fire department interested in hosting meals to get to know people in the community better.”

Organically Grown Gatherings Lilia Fuquen, who directs the Food and Community project in Virginia, participates in several gatherings intended to nurture community through food. Fuquen’s project aims to bring people across the state together to document, celebrate and share traditional, contemporary and emerging foodways, initiating a deeper conversation about and the connections between food, place, culture and community.

Last fall, the project convened more than 200 people around a feast celebrating indigenous foods, people and foodways in Virginia. The meal was prepared from locally farmed and foraged ingredients representative of the diverse native culinary traditions of the region, including greens,

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

Even skeptics have come away from events feeling like they got the best-case scenario: nice people, homey environment, with good food and conversation.

conscious eating

Cabeca de Marmore/Shutterstock.com

TampaBayThermograpy.com JuneDrennon@TampaBayThermography.comRe We even got an inquiry from a local fire department interested in hosting meals to get to know people in the community better. ~Jay Savsani, co-founder of Meal Sharing mushrooms, wild rice and fish sourced from fields, forests and streams.

On a more grassroots level, an intergenerational family potluck dinner “helps create community and a sense of family among people who often live far from blood relatives,” says Fuquen, who lives on a small farm outside Charlottesville, Virginia.

The workplace can also be a great place to break bread together, says Fuquen.

Her office enjoys hosting the Souper Club, where co-workers each bring a key element like salad fixings, a loaf of bread or a pot of soup to enjoy together—away from their desks.

Rebecca Shaloff, a fundraising consultant in Washington, D.C., has participated in work lunch swaps, which she says promote camaraderie, new food discoveries and healthy eating. She also takes part in a closely knit monthly supper club of four young families in her neighborhood.

“We all value each other’s friendship and company, but there’s something about coming together for dinner that makes us feel more like family than friends,” Shaloff says.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

April 2019

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Alexander Raths/Shutterstock.com

fit body

Into the Woods

Hiking for Health and Happiness

M

by Marlaina Donato

any of us Walking and hiking Individuals in the study equate fitness that walked six hours a balance the body with going week lowered their risk through natural moveto the gym, but a good of dying from cancer ment, oxygenation hike in a natural environand cardiovascular and ment can foster unique respiratory disease. It of the cells and the benefits for both body also shows that just two use of our muscles and psyche. as they were designed hours of walking per

Hiking or walking week could significantly to be used. outdoors not only proimprove health. motes heart health, help“Walking and hik~Dami Roelse ing to balance both blood ing balance the body sugar and blood pressure, it increases hip through natural movement, oxygenation bone density to help reduce fractures, of the cells and the use of our muscles according to research on postmenopausal as they were designed to be used,” says women from the ongoing Nurses’ Health Dami Roelse, of Ashland, Oregon, author Study. Navigating uneven terrain also of Walking Gone Wild: How to Lose Your necessitates lateral movement, which can Age on the Trail. “Walking is in our genes; strengthen core muscles and improve balDNA molecules need to be stimulated ance more significantly than working out regularly to express themselves, and walkon a treadmill or cycling. ing does just that. It also improves mood and cognition.”

The beauty of hiking is that it offers Walk and Live Longer a tailored experience according to ability Any kind of walking can be a great boon and personal interests. Day hikes, whether to health. Recent research by the Ameriin the countryside or in urban botanical can Cancer Society involving 140,000 gardens or parks, are uplifting and ideal for older adults correlates a lower mortality any fitness level. rate with even short intervals of walking.

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NATampa.com

Longer or overnight treks with a backpack of supplies offer healthy challenges and opportunities for total immersion in nature. Bringing the kids on a hike offers family fitness time and a healthy way to unplug from technology and sneak in a fun learning experience about local flora and fauna.

Trek for a Healthier Brain

Exercise stimulates feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, but getting a workout in a natural setting fortifies the whole nervous system. A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science led by Stanford University researchers shows that walking in nature for 90 minutes decreases activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain most affected by depression. In contrast, individuals that walked in an urban environment did not reap the same results. Another 2015 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology shows that nature walks improve memory and decrease anxiety in teens.

The Japanese philosophy of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”, woven into Japanese Shinto and Buddhist traditions, has become an important part of science-based health care in Japan.

A significant 2009 study by Japanese researchers published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine shows that just 20 minutes of walking in the woods decreases stress hormones.

Forest bathing has also been shown to speed postoperative healing, improve concentration in children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and fortify immunity with an increased number of NK, or natural killer cells.

Naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley, in Washington, D.C., knows about Mother Nature’s therapeutic gifts firsthand. “I participated in some of the health research both in the field and the lab during a forest bathing trip to Japan,” says the author of The Joy of Forest Bathing: Reconnect with Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life. “My vital signs were checked before and after shinrin-yoku walks, and in the lab my brainwaves were measured while viewing urban and forest scenes. My blood pressure was lower after every walk, and my brainwaves calmed while viewing forest scenes.” Choukas-Bradley emphasizes that forest bathing doesn’t require a forest setting, noting, “You can

forest bathe in the desert, at the beach or even an urban park during a lunch break.”

Hitting the trails can also help us see life from another perspective. “Forests are living, breathing organisms. Mountains transcend my humanness,” muses Roelse. “It’s both a humbling and uplifting experience.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books on spirituality and clinical aromatherapy. She is also a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Helpful Links and Inspiration National trail guide resource: AllTrails.com 13 best hiking apps: AtlasAndBoots.com/best-hiking-apps Hiking with the kids: Tinyurl.com/HealthyHikingWithKids Beginning with day hiking: SectionHiker.com/10-tips-forbeginner-day-hikers Backpacking tips for beginners: REI.com/learn/expert-advice/ backpacking-beginners Practical advice, inspiration and tips for women hikers: GirlsWhoHike.net Walking to stay fit: VeryWellFit.com/walking-4157093 Library of forest bathing articles: TheForestLibrary.com/forestbathing-online-articles

April 2019

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by Maya Whitman

acred space is most often associated with places of worship, but it can be any place that connects us to meaning or joy.

In the blur of daily living, nooks of inspiration and beauty provide spiritual sustenance, remind us of our dreams or celebrate lovely memories. Having “bliss corners” in the home or workplace is a wonderful way to stay connected to the positive.

Most parents or grandparents can confess to having a bliss corner on the refrigerator door where drawings and accomplishments of young family members are proudly displayed. Having a place of inspiration in any room doesn’t have to take up much space and can easily add to the décor. It can be as simple as a wedding veil hanging on a bedroom wall or a bowl of shells, sea glass or sand from a beach vacation in the bathroom. It can be sentimental with dried flowers from a momentous occasion or a small table dedicated to loved ones with framed photos or letters and a piece of cloth that holds special memories.

Corners of bliss fulfill their purpose best in places where they can remind us to follow our heart’s “true north” or help us to foster inner peace during busy days. Such places are office desks and bedroom nightstands near an alarm clock. The kitchen is an ideal room in the house for sacred space; designating a corner to light a candle during meal prep; filling an old teapot with fresh flowers every week; and displaying the photo of someone who once nourished us are all beautiful ways to bring more meaning into our relationship with food.

Cultivating bliss can be a form of active meditation, simple rituals that can include prayer or other forms of mindfulness. On more practical levels, it can be an opportunity to bond with loved ones. Creating a bliss corner can be a creative and fun activity for teens to express a passion, whether it be a hobby, sport or favorite singer. Many of us have boxes of mementos or nostalgic things from childhood taking up space in a closet. Making a bliss corner is the perfect way to remind us why we kept them in the first place.

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To empower individuals to live a healthier lifestyle on a healthier planet.

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To connect readers with local wellness resources and events, inspiring them to lead more balanced lives.

Maya Whitman writes about natural health and living a more beautiful life. Connect at Ekstasis28@gmail.com.

April 2019

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may

green living

Coming Next Month

wk1003mike/Shutterstock.com

Healthy Vision

Plus: Mental & Emotional Well-Being

Women’s Health ISSUE

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE Planting an Eco-Friendly Yard

M

To advertise in our next issue, call

727.865.9339 44

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by Avery Mack

aintaining a grassy yard or ornamental shrubs can be time consuming and less than ecofriendly. That’s why conservation-minded gardeners are turning to lush, native landscaping as an aesthetically pleasing alternative to spartan, water-free xeriscaping.

Native plants not only save water, they enhance local ecosystems by providing food and shelter for birds, bees, butterflies and wildlife. “Indigenous plants build healthy soil and retain and replenish ground water,” says Michael Fleischacker, chair of landscape architecture and environmental sciences at Delaware Valley University, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Accustomed to the climate and nutrients in their habitat, they don’t need the extra fertilizer required by exotic transplants. Natives are also better equipped to fend off harmful insects, reducing the need for pesticides.

“When pests did show up, I used insecticidal soap and neem oil. Both are great ecofriendly remedies,” says Kimberly Button, an Orlando-based freelance journalist and author of The Everything Guide to a Healthy Home: All You Need to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Hidden Household Dangers.

NATampa.com

A genuine indigenous plant in the U.S. predates European settlement. These natives grew in the wildlands of the regions where they evolved and adapted over hundreds or thousands of years.

However, what’s wild isn’t necessarily native. These days, the woods and forests are rife with alien species that escaped from non-native gardens or were planted to perform some specific purpose that went awry.

Kudzu, for instance, was imported from Asia and installed along roadways to prevent soil erosion. The perennial vine, which can grow up to a foot per day, has become the plague of the South, rooting out native plants and toppling trees under the sheer weight of its smothering foliage.

In 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a report summarizing numerous studies that concluded that non-native plants disrupt the food web and present a growing problem for “organisms that depend on native plants for food, shelter and places to rear their young.”

Natives vs. Nativars

While the harm caused by many invasive plants that evolved in a foreign habitat is

photo by Kimberly Button

Native varieties have longer growing seasons, a decades-long lifespan and tight plant groupings to prevent weed growth. ~Michael Fleischacker

well-documented and profound, the ecological impact of plant variations derived from native species—known as cultivars or nativars—is sometimes more subtle.

Cultivars have been developed to highlight specific traits, like larger blooms or longer bloom times. They may be bred for a stronger scent, or have the scent bred out of them in pursuit of another trait, making them less enticing to pollinators and wildlife.

One drawback to cultivars is what those “improved” traits can affect. “The native serviceberry (Amelanchier) has small, bright red berries birds love to eat,” Fleischacker says. “Because they add color to a winter yard or are used for wreaths and décor, cultivars were bred to produce larger berries. Birds choke on the bigger berry, unable to swallow them.”

A current, multi-year research project at the Mt. Cuba Center’s native botanical gardens in Hockessin, Delaware, is seeking to determine whether certain cultivars are as attractive to insects as their native counterparts.

What’s certain, say the experts: A gardener can’t go wrong with indigenous plants. “Native varieties have longer growing seasons, a decades-long lifespan and tight plant groupings to prevent weed growth,” Fleischacker says. Despite the perception by some that natives are boring, they can be showier than their cultivar

cousins and also thrive in their region’s unique conditions.

“I keep my yard as natural as possible to co-exist with my neighbor, the Hiawatha National Forest, and its small animals and birds,” says Monica Cady, co-founder of the Herbal Lodge and a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa tribe in Hessel, Michigan.

Going Native

Transitioning to native landscaping isn’t as daunting as it might seem. Small changes can make a difference, and local plant nurseries can assist. Some may have a staff horticulturalist to help distinguish the natives from the nativars and to steer gardeners clear of invasive, water-guzzling, nutrient-needy non-natives that will spread quickly and overwhelm the landscape.

Going native isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition, says Fleischacker. “Consult a local nursery or landscaper about adding natives to the mix. There are plants that love shade or sun, dry areas or damp.”

When planning, look past what’s trendy. “The ecosystem is set up to protect and promote beneficial insects and pollinators,” says Button. What was old can be new again.

NATIVE PLANT RESOURCES Tinyurl.com/GardeningWithNativePlants Tinyurl.com/AboutNativePlants Tinyurl.com/NativePlantFinder Tinyurl.com/NativePlantsForPollinators Tinyurl.com/ChickadeesAndNativeTrees

Connect with freelance writer Avery Mack at AveryMack@mindspring.com.

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April 2019

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healthy kids

guidebooks or online to learn the critters’ names and traits.

all about people/Shutterstock.com

All kids like creating special places, going on adventures, befriending animals, following maps and paths, and so on. ~David Sobel

Engage in real-life tweets. Show them how to listen carefully for bird songs and count how many different ones they hear. See if they can imitate the tweets or find words that describe them. Check out a bird-song beginner’s guide at Audubon. org/news/a-beginners-guide-common-birdsounds-and-what-they-mean.

Create mud art. “Make a batch of mud

and use it to create sculptures, paint a masterpiece or just use it to jump in and get messy with,” suggests MaryEllen Mateleska, director of education and conservation at the Mystic Aquarium, in Connecticut.

Make dolls and critters. Kids can use

LOVING NATURE Outdoor Adventures for Kids

by Ronica A. O’Hara

G

etting kids off the couch and into the great outdoors can be a challenge when they tend to be better acquainted with the popular Angry Birds video game characters than with the real warbling ones. Unfortunately, studies show that digital devices, parental work overload and media-stoked fears of the outside world are currently making our kids nature-deprived.

Yet, they have an instinctive love of the outdoors, experts agree. “When given free access to nature, children’s play follows the same patterns all around the world,” says prominent environmental educator David Sobel, author of Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors. “All kids like creating special places, going on adventures, befriending animals, following maps and paths, and so on.”

The more we encourage them, the more likely they’ll discover the thrills of the natural world—and numerous studies show that they’ll then be calmer and less stressed,

better able to concentrate and less likely to be obese. Kids also are more “responsive and connected” when they are talking outdoors with adults than talking indoors, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

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Tampa Bay Edition

Here are some simple ideas to get started:

Build fairy houses. In a park, forest or backyard, ask the child to find a quiet spot, like the base of a tree or under a bush, and build a tiny house using only their imagination and natural materials such as sticks, bark, grass, pebbles, feathers and pinecones. “The fun is ageless and connects you to nature in magical and memorable ways,” says Tracy Kane of Maine, whose website, FairyHouses.com, offers ideas and books.

Befriend a bug. Help them look for

bugs and crawling things in the dirt and on leaves, then ask them to draw them. Back home or at the library, kids can search in

hibiscus or hollyhock flowers and toothpicks to make dolls with flowing skirts. Or they can collect leaves of different shapes and sizes and glue them together to create leafy creatures. “You can take it an extra step by inventing a story and creating a one-of-a-kind storybook,” says Mateleska.

Grow a garden. Using a kid-sized plot of

land—it can even be a big pot of dirt—give them a trowel, a watering can and easy-togrow seeds such as radishes and carrots. Not only will they get exercise, a Texas A&M University study shows gardening makes kids more likely to choose veggies for snacks.

Invent a cozy hideaway. Under the

limbs of a big tree, old blankets and pillows can be used by a child to build a “secret” hiding place, stocked with lemonade, apples and fun books.

Incorporate digital delights. Rather than competing with digital devices, integrate them into the nature experience.

“A phone app like iNaturalist lets kids take a picture and will identify the creature or plant for them,” says science teacher Jemma Smith, of The Education Hotel, a UK-based tutoring service. “Or have them take three artistic pictures of nature.”

Try geocaching. This game for older kids requires them to use their phones as a GPS

Time It. Simply set the timer for an hour,

open the door into the back yard and let the kids “go at it,” as does writer Attiyya Atkins, a mother of four in Pompano Beach, Florida. “Mostly it’s self-play, but I come out sometimes and teach them about nature, or we do art projects with leaves, rocks or dirt. It’s always naturally fun, and they’re pretty tired afterwards!”

Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based natural health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@ gmail.com.

EVEN MORE IDEAS

Dmitry Naumov/Shutterstock.com

to find tiny treasure boxes that have already been hidden all over the countryside. “Most boxes have small trinkets to swap and a tiny book to sign their name,” says Smith.

Maker Lab Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects, by Jack Challoner Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less, by Jean Potter Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder,

by Richard Louv Introduce Kids to the Geocaching Adventure Game: Tinyurl.com/ GeocachingGameInstructions

April 2019

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Olhastock/Shutterstock.com

natural pet

BRINGING UP KITTY Get Off on the Right Paw

by Karen Shaw Becker

T

here’s nothing as endearing as a bigeyed kitten hopping sideways across the floor or curled into a small ball of fluff on our lap. Getting a new kitten started off on the right foot will ensure they grow up to be a healthy and happy companion.

1

Prepare a sanctuary for the family’s new kitten.

When bringing a new kitten (or adult cat) into their new home, it’s best to separate the new addition in a little bed-andbreakfast-like setup of their own for at least a week. Put their litter box, bedding, food and toys in their space and keep noise, confusion and foot traffic to a minimum.

2

Provide warm, snuggly sleeping quarters.

If you think eating

organic is expensive, have you priced cancer lately? ~Joel Salatin 48

Tampa Bay Edition

Felines, especially tiny ones, like their environment warmer than what humans generally prefer. Look for bedding that hasn’t been treated with flame-retardant chemicals such as PBDE; Swedish scientists have linked the chemical, commonly found in foam, to hyperthyroidism in cats. The best choice is wool, which is naturally flame resistant.

NATampa.com

3

Consider crate training.

Most cats fight being put into a carrier because it only happens when someone’s about to take them to a place they don’t want to go to. That’s why it’s a good idea to set up a carrier for a kitten on their first day home. Entice them to enter on their own using food treats, toys and comfy bedding.

4

Go slow with family introductions.

Introduce other members of the household to the new kitty one at a time. Ideally, introductions occur in a neutral location, like the living room, when the kitten ventures out to investigate.

5

Offer this tiny carnivore the nutrition they were born to eat.

To provide the very best start in life, feed the little one either a homemade or commercially available, nutritionally balanced, fresh food diet (preferably raw) designed for cats at all stages of life.

6

Help the kitten learn to love their personal litter box.

Most kittens can use a litter box at about four weeks. Just make sure its walls are low enough that they can hop in and out on their own. If a kitten or cat is avoiding the box, there’s likely a reason: location, type of litter or failure to clean it often enough.

7

Provide appropriate climbing and scratching surfaces.

Climbing and scratching are natural feline behaviors. Try burlap, cardboard and carpeted scratching surfaces, placed vertically and horizontally to meet all preferences. Keep the scratchers in areas where the kitten hangs out.

8

Train kitty to use the scratching post.

Initially, it might help to apply catnip or attach a feather toy to make the scratching area especially appealing. Discourage any feline

from scratching on inappropriate surfaces by attaching double-sided tape or inflated balloons to rugs or furniture that are off limits.

9

Offer toys that bring out the feline hunter.

Think like a cat and buy or create toys that draw out their hunting instincts. A piece of string wrapped around the end of a stick dragged on the ground will bring out the stalker in almost any cat. So will ping-pong balls or small wads of paper flicked across the floor.

10

Indulge most kittens’ love of boxes.

When cats in the wild feel threatened, they head for trees, dens or caves for safety.

Domestic kitties don’t have that option, so their obsession with hiding in boxes may be an adaptation. Providing “hidey holes” may also help a kitten acclimate faster to their new home and family.

11

Provide easy, safe access to the outdoors.

Indoor cats need time outside. Consider building or buying a safe, secure, outdoor enclosure (catio) for them to hang out in when the weather is nice.

12

Consider adopting two kittens at the same time.

One of the best ways to avoid many common behavioral problems is to adopt a pair of kittens. Because they crave stimulation and interaction, adopting two provides instant playmates to occupy each other’s time.

Karen Becker is a proactive, integrative doctor of veterinary medicine who consults internationally and writes for Mercola Healthy Pets (HealthyPets.Mercola.com).

April 2019

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Copper in new device prevents cold and flu last holidays,” she said. “The kids had colds going around, but not me.”

Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

Some say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Copper may even stop flu if used earNew research: Copper stops colds if used early. ly and for several days. Lab technicians ew research shows you can went away completely.” It worked again placed 25 million live flu viruses on a stop a cold in its tracks if you CopperZap. No viruses were found alive every time he felt a cold coming on and take one simple step with a soon after. he hasn’t had a cold since. new device when you feel a cold about People have used it on cold sores He asked relatives and friends to try to start. and say it can completely prevent ugly it. They said it worked for them, too, so Colds start when cold viruses get in outbreaks. You can also rub it gently he patented CopperZap™ and put it on your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you on wounds, cuts, or lesions to combat the market. don’t stop them early, they spread in infections.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it your airways and cause misery.

The handle is curved and finely texand given feedback. Nearly 100% said But scientists have found a quick tured to improve the copper stops way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. colds if used withcontact. It kills in 3 hours after the Researchers at labs and universities germs picked up first sign. Even up agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills on fingers and microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, to 2 days, if they hands to protect still get the cold it just by touch. you and your That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyp- is milder and they family. tians used copper to purify water and feel better.

Copper even heal wounds. They didn’t know about Users wrote kills deadly germs Sinus trouble, stuffiness, cold sores. that have become viruses and bacteria, but now we do. things like, “It Scientists say the high conductance stopped my cold right away,” and “Is it resistant to antibiotics. If you are near of copper disrupts the electrical balsupposed to work that fast?” sick people, a moment of handling it ance in a microbe cell, destroying it in Pat McAllister, age 70, received one may keep serious infection away. It may seconds. as a gift and called it “one of the best even save a life.

Tests by the Environmental Protecpresents ever. This little jewel really The EPA says copper still works tion Agency (EPA) show germs die fast works.” Now thousands of users have even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of on copper. Some hospitals tried copper stopped getting colds. different disease germs so it can prevent for surfaces like faucets and doorknobs.

People often use CopperZap preserious or even fatal illness. ventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci This cut the spread of MRSA and other CopperZap is made in the U.S. of used to get colds after crowded flights. illnesses by over half, and saved lives. pure copper. It has a 90-day full money Though skeptical, she tried it several The strong scientific evidence gave back guarantee when used as directed times a day on travel days for 2 months. inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” he felt a cold coming on he fashioned each CopperZap with code NATA10.

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N

ADVERTORIAL 50

Tampa Bay Edition

NATampa.com

calendar of events 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.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Plant-Based Mylks, Creams + Cheezes – 6:30pm.

Venus DeMarco, A Healthy Life Made Simple.

Making homemade mylks, creams and cheezes from seeds and nuts is so much simpler than you ever thought. Venus will even take one cheeze base recipe & show you how to transform it into several different tasting options! Having so many choices has never been more fun. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 Skincare Workshop – 5pm. Meet Lesa Caryl, medical aesthetician and newest member of the team at Young Foundational Health Center. She will discuss micro-needling using varied mediums and its many benefits. Free. 7241 Bryan Dairy Rd., Largo. RSVP 727-545-4600 or email LesaSkincare19@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 Demystifying Hypnosis – 1pm. What is hypnosis? How does it work? What is it good for? Lora Humphrey, certified hypnotist, will address each of these questions in this fascinating seminar where she will clarify and discuss the practical applications of hypnosis. She will debunk common misconceptions as well as answer any other inquiries you may have to find out if hypnosis is right for you. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 8 Household Cleaning with Essential Oils – 11amnoon. Learn how to create your own cleaners with essential oil. We will go over basic understanding of essential oils and how to rid your house of toxic chemicals. You will mix up a take home cleaner.

Sunshine Health Foods, 6989 Seminole Blvd., #4, Seminole. Info, 727-397-5333, DonnaMansbart@ gmail.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 Tai Chi Class at the Preserve – 9-10:30am.

Steve Contes, instructor and founder of the Chen Taiji Center / Travel New China, began training in the martial arts over 50 years ago. Join him for this outdoor group class, any body, any age. Free.

Heartwood Preserve, 4100 Starkey Blvd., Trinity.

727-376-5111. HeartwoodPreserve.com.

One-Bowl Entrées – 11am. Whole-Food PlantBased Chef Michelle Odiorne will prepare a sweet potato black bean bowl replete with an enchanting mix of flavor, color and texture, topped with a smooth chipotle cream. Enjoy the simplicity of cooking a one-bowl entrée that’s perfect for any busy weeknight. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

Sip N Shop Happy Feet Plus Brandon – Noon3pm. Join our Brandon store staff for complimentary beer and wine, relaxing foot massages, a raffle for a free pair of Kenkohs, and discounts on select Kenkoh styles. 1924 W Brandon Blvd., Brandon.

Info 813-662-5354.

Beginning Gong Technique – 1:30-4:30pm. Adele (Joti Nam Kaur) Giotta, DC, Florida licensed chiropractic physician, RYT 200 and a 200 hour Kundalini Yoga instructor, gong practitioner and gong master practitioner. Learn techniques to play a gong well. Create a zone of relaxation and healing for yourself and others. Learn to care for your gong so it will last a lifetime. No prior musical training required. $49/3-day advance purchase; $59/day of event. Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater.

727-712-1475, Info@AYogaVillage.com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

The Pankaus, while on vacation in Key West from Braunschweig, Germany, shared this pix of 17-year-old Molly who, it is reported, loves tuna!

Metabolic Medical Center. 1120 Belcher Rd. S, Ste. 2, Largo. RSVP 727-826-0838, rsvp@PeaksOfHealth.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 Licensed Tampa Hypnotherapy Training – Join Matthew Brownstein and staff for a 70 to 500+ hour journey which can change your life forever and give you legitimate professional credentials in the field of hypnotherapy. Train for personal growth or for a new career. Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy, 2901 W Busch Blvd., Ste. 806, Tampa. Info and registration, 813-463-0264 or InstituteofHypnotherpy.com.

Satay Stir Fry – 6:30pm. Here is a dish you’ll be looking for excuses to make again and again. John Van Vlaardingen, JvVHealth, demonstrates how to make a nutty whole-food, plant-based Asianinspired stir fry rich in flavors & finished with an amazing satay peanut sauce. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-4436703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 Vegan Seitan Steak – 6:30pm. Seitan is a key ingredient to give any plant-based recipe the perfect meat-like texture. Brad Meyers, The Vegabond Chef, will teach you how to create a juicy and tender vegan steak that’s packed with protein & laden with flavor! Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11 Skin Care Workshop – 5pm. Young Foundational Health Center introduces their newest team member, Lesa Caryl, medical aesthetician, specializing in micro-needling. Lesa will be discussing microneedling and the amazing benefits of what it can accomplish for your skin. 7241 Bryan Dairy Rd., Largo. Seating is limited; must reserve a seat. Call 727-545-4600.

Brain Health Seminar – 6pm. Alzheimer’s & Advanced Testing for Early Detection, presented

by Jeanne Bangtson, DC. Free. Peaks of Health

Harvesting the Transformational Force of Our World-Sorrow – 8:30am-4:30pm. Facilitator Rebecca Blanco. Especially for those who: feel heartbroken by the widespread harm being done to the planet, culture and self; grapple with the maladies passed on by our misguided dominant society; want to develop a transparent and fertile relationship with world-sorrow; seek a renewed and enriched sense of inspiration. $95. Forest Center. Info and reservations, 813-416-3069, Forest-Center.com/upcoming.html.

Labyrinth Workshop – 9am-noon. Presented

by Pat Daly, this workshop will include labyrinth history, examples and how and when to use the labyrinth as a tool for meditation and prayer. Every participant will receive a finger labyrinth to use during the class and then take home. Registration is required so that enough labyrinths will be available.

Class size is limited. $5/Love Offering. Revello Medical Center, 10213 Lake Carrol Way, Ste. D, Tampa. Reservations must be made before April 10, Pat 727-397-2932 or email Nifty33@verizon.net.

Sneaky Solutions for Picky Eaters – 11am. Do you struggle with meal prep ideas due to picky

April 2019

51

eaters? Demos to Di For, NFP Demo Specialist Di will show you how to incorporate and disguise nutritious vegetables into every meal, even for kids and fussy diners. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

Sip N Shop Happy Feet Plus Fort Myers – Noon4pm. Join our Fort Myers store staff for complimentary beer and wine, relaxing foot massages, a raffle for a free pair of Kenkohs, and discounts on select Kenkoh styles. 9902 Gulf Coast Main St., Ste. D125, Fort Myers. 239-337-9810.

Intuition, Awareness & Practice – 1:30-4pm.

Lisa Miliaresis, psychic medium and author. This class will introduce you to tools you will use to tap into your intuition. Join us to practice interactive exercises to awaken your awareness and the light within. Learn how to connect with and trust the voice within. $35/by April 11; $40/day of event.

Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater. Register, 727-712-1475, Info@AYogaVillage.com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

Basic Skincare with Essential Oils – 11am-noon.

Donna Mansbart, oncology trained esthetician, shows how to create your own skincare products with essential oils. Get results without chemicals or injections. Learn which oil is best for anti-aging, acne, rosacea, wrinkles, skin tightening. You will create your own beauty oil to take home. Info, 727397-5333, DonnaMansbart@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16 Feel Good, Look Good and Have Great Sex – 6-7:30pm. How to improve sexual desire. It’s in the peptides. Presented by St. Pete Health and Wellness, 2100 Dr MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. Info, call 727-202-6807.

MONDAY, APRIL 15 Reiki I & Reiki II – 9:30am-1:30pm, April 15 & 16. Class Certification when completed Reiki II and also Reiki III and CEUs available for LMT, Provider Number MCE 50-13619, for Reiki credits. Reiki is a noninvasive, practical tool for regeneration, transformation and healing. Rev. Maria Antonieta Revello, Reiki, Karuna & Qigong Master, Light Therapist & Samassati. Love donation. Call or text 813-334-7424 Maria or email ReikiShrine@ gmail.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

Free Hypnosis Live Online Webinar – 7:30-8pm.

Join us for this live event, discussing Hypnosis Fundamentals with Certified Master Trainer Patricia V. Scott. With 27 years’ experience as a Clinical & Medical Hypnotherapist, Patricia will demystify hypnosis and answer your questions on this live Zoom webinar. Call or send e-mail by 4/15 to receive log-in details, 727-943-5003, UPHypnosis@ Outlook.com. UPHypnosis.com.

Science and Energy Work with Dr. James Oschman – 7-8:30pm. Dr. Oschman is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Foundation for Alternative Medicine. This is the only organization that sends scouts throughout the world searching for alternative therapies with the goal of subjecting these methods to scientific investigation and reporting the results to the American public on its web page: nfam.org. $20/Love donation; $25/after April 10. Revello Medical Center, 10213 Lake Carrol Way, Ste. D, Tampa. Call or text for reservations, 813-334-7424 Maria or email ReikiShrine@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

Spring Time Detox – 6-7pm. Join Carolyn Zinober, clinical herbalist and aromatherapist for resetting your metabolism through a detox cleanse workshop.

Learn some techniques and tools for a successful cleanse. Free. Six Oaks Wellness Apothecary, 607 1st Ave. SW, Ste. B, Largo. Register, 727-501-1700, SixOaksWellness.com.

Tired of Being Sick and Tired? – 6pm. It could be your thyroid! Presented by Tami Horner, MD. Free.

Success by Design, 9095 Belcher Rd., Pinellas Park.

RSVP 727-548-0001.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 Herb-Crusted Lamb Leg Roast – 1pm. There’s no more traditional Easter meal than an herb and mustard crusted leg of lamb. Join chef Parker Stafford, Peninsula Foodservice, for the perfect springtime roast made with a dried fruit pan gravy and gluten-free kugel (noodle pudding) to give this old favorite a refreshing twist! Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-4436703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

Heal Your Life Teacher Training – April 20-27.

Train as a Heal Your Life teacher in Louise Hay’s life-changing philosophy, with Sandra J. Filer, MBA, U.S. teacher/coach trainer appointed by Heart Inspired Presentations, licensed by Hay House. The certification program offers in-depth experience with Hay’s techniques, healing lives on the deepest levels. Pre-registration is required. Class size limited to 20. Hilton Garden Inn, 5312 Avion Park Dr., Tampa. For more information, call 713-201-2020 or visit TheHappyGoddess.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Breaded & Baked Tofu Triangles – 11am. Debby DeGraaff, natural food chef & author, prepares this entrée using vegan-friendly ingredients, like nutritional yeast, to transform the ever so versatile tofu into a culinary delight. Pair this crispy dish with a tangy apricot sauce or a spicy jalapeño cheeze dip.

Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

Energetics of Food: Food as Medicine – 6:30pm.

Dr. Paul Reynolds DOM AP & Cara Reynolds, The Reynolds Kitchen. What you put at the end of your fork is more powerful medicine than anything you will find at the bottom of a pill bottle. Learn how to prepare vegan, gluten-free meals that nourish your body according to the energetics of food. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25 Native Plants: Landscape Diversity – 6:30pm.

Theresa Badurek, UF/IFAS Extension. Have you ever wondered what you can do to help our native plants and animals? Surprisingly enough, there’s a lot you can do in your very own garden. Come learn some techniques to become more diverse and sustainable in the landscape while supporting local wildlife. Free.

Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Land really is the best art. ~Andy Warhol

52

Tampa Bay Edition

NATampa.com

Mindful Living – 11am. Sandee Nebel, MS LMHC, White Picket Fence Counseling. Mindful living is the key to a balanced lifestyle. With it you can solve daily challenges with food, exercise, stress management and clear thinking. This seminar will give you tools to help you follow through on meaningful change in your life for a positive future. Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

Sip N Shop Happy Feet Plus Tampa – Noon4pm. Join our Tampa store staff for complimentary beer and wine, relaxing foot massages, a raffle for a free pair of Kenkohs, and discounts on select Kenkoh styles. 109 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa.

813-873-3690.

You’ve Been Hypnotized! – 11am-12:30pm. Patricia V. Scott, PhD, Certified Medical Hypnotherapist & Master Trainer, explains how we’re conditioned/ hypnotized throughout our lifetime, especially before age 5, and how we can change any negative programming to create new positive behaviors using the power of our unconscious mind. $20 or $15/ UPHI Members. Must pre-register by 4/26. Dunedin location. 727-943-5003. UPHypnosis.com.

perspective doulas. $150. Natural Health Hut, 26403 Chianina Dr., Wesley Chapel. Info and sign-up, 352-942-2427, HerbalBirthkeeping@gmail.com.

2019 Herb Day St. Pete – 10am-4pm. Hosted by Traditions School of Herbal Studies and Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies, anyone interested in learning more about herbs, herbal medicine and herbal safety should attend this local version of the national event. Enjoy free lectures by local herbal experts, free samples, raffles, music and more. Locally grown medicinal plants up for sale. Free. 2520 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. For more information, call 727-551-0857 and/or visit AcuHerbals.com and TraditionsHerbSchool.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 14

SUNDAY, APRIL 28 Raw Carrot Cake – 4pm. Brad Meyers, The Vegabond Chef. Enjoy a sweet and creamy vegan treat to help you beat the springtime heat! This signature carrot cake is made from raw, wholesome ingredients that will have you hoppin’ for more.

Free. Nature’s Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, NaturesFoodPatch.com.

PLAN AHEAD SATURDAY, MAY 4 Herbal Doula Training – 8am-5pm. Supporting women in different birth scenarios, including placenta education, herbal uses and basic nutrition. For

may

Chronic Fatigue & So Much More – 6-7:30pm.

Learn about the Nature of Ozone. Free. St. Petersburg Health & Wellness, 2100 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-202-6807.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14 Radiant Child Yoga Teacher Training – 8:306pm. June 14-16. Lisa Danahy, Radiant Child Yoga facilitator, mentor and 200-Hour instructor, conducts children’s yoga trainings around the country, including co-teaching workshops and coauthoring publications with RCY founder Shakta Khalsa. This foundational course prepares you to start teaching yoga to children right away. Ideal for

Women’s Health

teachers, therapists, parents, caregivers, and everyone who wishes to rediscover the child within and share the benefits of yoga with children. $795/by May 1; $855/after. Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater. 727-712-1475, Info@AYogaVillage. com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22 Hypnosis International Certification – 6 Weekends (All Sat./Sun.-not consecutive) Internationally recognized. Grads receive two certifications: International Assoc. of Counselors & Therapists & UP Hypnosis Institute. Learn basic & advanced techniques, medical uses, regression, parts integration, Time-Line, NLP & more. Enroll by 6/5: $3095; $2895/UPHI Members; After: $3395/$3095.

Re-certify or Upgrade skills (call for info). Dunedin location. 727-943-5003. UPHypnosis.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25 Clinical and Transpersonal Hypnotherapy Training – Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy, 2901 W Busch Blvd. #806, Tampa. 800-551-9247.

InstituteofHypnotherapy.com.

I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them. ~Phyllis Diller

june

Brain Health

plus: Healthy Vision

plus: Green Building Trends

local food ISSUE

Readers are Seeking These Providers & Services:

Energy Healing • Life Coaches Spiritual Practices Retreats/Workshops • Relationship Counseling Natural Eye Care • Natural Health/Vision Supplements Senior/Sports Eye Care Specialists ... and this is just a partial list!

july

Urban & Suburban Agriculture plus: Gut Health

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community at: 727.865.9339 April 2019

53

on going events

sunday Almost Hot Sunday-Funday Flow – 9-10:15am.

With Heather Benton E-RYT500, find your flow!

Prepare to ignite your inner fire with a balanced, flowing practice as Heather guides you on this almost hot devotion in motion. Kick your asana into gear to some rockin’ tunes and prepare for a deep meditation.

Bring your mat, water and a towel. Not for new practitioners. Yoga4All, 8836 Seminole Blvd., Seminole.

Info, Heather 727-480-3004, Yoga4All.com.

25 Years of Teaching Meditation – 10:30-11:30am Sun; 6:00-7:15pm Weds; 6-7pm Fri. Learn three unique pre-Buddhist approaches to practicing meditation; techniques used by the earliest Yogis designed to awaken into the freedom and fullness of yourSelf. Practice the fundamentals, avoid common pitfalls, and get guidance creating a practical, sustainable, life-changing practice.

St. Petersburg Yoga, 2842 Dr. MLK St. N., 727-8949642, info@stpeteyoga.com, StPeteYoga.com.

monday

tuesday Functional Movement through Dance – 12:30pm Tues, Thurs, Sat. This specialized class is designed for people with mild movement / coordination disorders such as Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy or stroke. Must be able to stand for extended periods and explore movements in dance. $10. Kinesis, The Movement Studio, 4760 East Bay Dr., Ste. D, Clearwater. Info & Class Booking, 727-331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Beginner Bungee – 3:30pm & 6:30pm, Tues & Thurs.

9:30am Sat. Enter the world of weightlessness. Experience a feel for every aspect of the bungee and engage your core while being suspended. Beginner class is for everyone from the unfamiliar to professional dancers. $20. Kinesis, The Movement Studio, 4760 East Bay Dr., Ste. D, Clearwater. Info & Class Booking, 727331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Kids Mindful Yoga – 4-5pm. Also Thurs. Kids ages 5 to 9 can learn the fundamentals of Mindfulness in body, breath, mind & life through yoga. Taught by our Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Yoga Instructor, and Mom of two. Parents can relax at the same time in their own separate Restorative class. 4-5pm, St. Petersburg Yoga, 2842 Dr. MLK St. N., 727-894-9642, info@stpeteyoga.com, StPeteYoga.com.

Core Bungee – 3:30pm Mon, Weds, Fri. 2pm Sat. Engage your core in a gravity defying workout. Practice static movement combinations that strengthen and balance your core. Inversions on the bungee assist in spinal decompression and allow expanded range of movement. $20. Kinesis, The Movement Studio, 4760 East Bay Dr., Ste. D, Clearwater. Info & Class Booking, 727-331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com

Acupuncture & Cupping with Amparo – 4:307:30pm. 30-minute sessions with our certified Florida licensed acupuncturist, Amparo Parades. $30. Awakening Wellness Center, 6161 MLK Jr. St. N, Ste. 100, St. Petersburg. 727-289-4747. AwakeningWellness.org. Text Amparo 727-287-8350.

Ki Hara – 5:30pm. Stretch and strengthen your muscles in this eccentric resistance stretching technique focused on improving strength and length of full ranges of motion while correcting muscular imbalances. $15. Kinesis Movement Studio, 4760 E. Bay Dr., Clearwater. Info & Class booking, 727331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Flight Club – 5:30pm, Tues & Thurs. Aerial Bungee fitness movements targeting coordination and balance through dynamic core movements.

Learn to leap and fly into the air safely in a low impact workout. Support joint health through training proper mechanics in your legs and core. $20. Kinesis Movement Studio, 4760 E. Bay Dr., Clearwater. Info & Class booking, 727-331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Life Balance Yoga – 6-7:15pm. Alignment-based class emphasizing poses that help students balance out the effects of daily life. Props and individualized attention are used and options are offered to help each student practice at their desired level of challenge. Created by Stacy Renz OTR, C-IAYT. $18/class. Living Room Yoga, 8424 4th St. North, Ste. G, St. Petersburg. Register, 727-826-4754, LivingRoomYoga.biz.

Acupuncture Intern Clinic $25 + Cost of Herbs – 6-8pm. Students spend about an hour or two using the Chinese medicine system of evaluation to see what herbs and herbal formulas to recommend for you. They are supervised by one of our experienced acupuncture & herbal practitioners. Appointments only. Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, 2520 Central Ave.,St. Pete, 727-551-0857, AcuHerbals.com.

Sound Bath Healing Meditation – 6:30-8pm.

Relaxing meditation and sound healing with the Tibetan and crystal bowls with Lindy Romez.

Open your chakras to deeper levels of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance. No registration needed. $10. Awakening Wellness Center, 6161 MLK Jr. St. N, Ste. 102, St. Pete. 727-289-4747.

AwakeningWellnessCenter.org.

54

Tampa Bay Edition

Health and Weight Loss Club Cooking Class – 6-7pm. Join us for a fun evening with Dr. Kevin Granger and Chef Trevor Granger while eating a delicious dish, and attain the skills to prepare healthy, tasteful meals that will help you lose weight. $5/per person. Granger Health, 205 S. Myrtle Ave., Clearwater. Info & registration, 727-248-0930, GrangerHealth.com.

Roll & Renew – 6:30pm. Yoga for Stress with Stacy Renz, E-RYT, PYT, OTR. Spend the hour on the floor luxuriating in breath, long stretches and self-massage. Learn to use the foam roller and yoga

NATampa.com

According to her human, Olga May Starr, Miss Kitty, an 11-year-old native of Gulfport, likes to stand up on her hindquarters, paws hanging down, like a little bear! tune-up balls to alleviate trigger points and stimulate meridian lines. $16. Living Room Yoga, 8424 4th St. N, Ste. F, St. Pete. 727-826-4754, Schedulicity. com/scheduling/LRYQK9/classes.

Open Hatha Yoga Class – 6:30-7:45pm. Barney Chapman, certified in Hot and Sivananda Yoga, presents a nurturing practice of breath and form with a variety of postures to enhance overall range of motion and flexibility. Infused with yoga philosophy, become more aware of the possibilities of your practice and more responsible for inner experience. First come, first served. $15. Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater. 727-712-1475, Info@AYogaVillage. com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

Minding Your Weight: Create Your Ideal Healthy Body – 6:30-8:30pm, 2nd Tues. monthly. Patricia V. Scott, Ph.D., teaches hypnosis & NLP techniques for achieving and maintaining a fit, healthy body & lifestyle. Guided hypnosis included. $25/One class or Buy five/get one class free. UP Hypnosis Institute, Terrace Plaza, 1810 S. Pinellas Ave., Suite G, Tarpon Springs. 727-943-5003. UPHypnosis.com.

Sound Bath Healing Meditation – 6:30-8pm.

Relaxing meditation and sound healing with the Tibetan and crystal bowls with Lindy Romez.

Open your chakras to deeper levels of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance. No registration needed. $10. Awakening Wellness Center, 6161 MLK Jr. St. N, Ste. 102, St. Pete. 727-289-4747.

AwakeningWellnessCenter.org.

Beginner Ballroom Group Classes for Adults – 7pm. Learn all the popular ballroom dances, including Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Swing, ChaCha, Rumba, Foxtrot, Tango and more. You don’t need a partner to attend the class and reservation in advance is not required; simply show up! $10/ per group class. Fred Astaire Dance Studio St. Pete Central, 7019 Central Ave., St. Pete. Hours of operation Noon-9pm, Mon.-Fri. Info 727-347-7700.

wednesday Reiki Share – 10am-2pm. Experience the most profound, powerful and gentle relaxation technique and feel renewed and lighter. Reiki helps re-establish healthy frequencies of cells and your whole vibrational field, bringing back health to tissues and organs. Complements any form of therapy.

Carrollwood Revello Medical Center, 10213 Lake Carroll Way, Ste. D, Tampa. Call or text 813-3347424 Maria or email ReikiShrine@gmail.com.

Breakdance Fitness – 5:30pm Wed & Fri. Learn breakdancing moves in positions targeted from the fitness standpoint. Gain mobility and strength by conditioning different techniques done by B-Boys / B-Girls. All ages and fitness levels welcome. Must be comfortable putting weight on hands for periods of time. $15. Kinesis Movement Studio, 4760 E. Bay Dr., Clearwater. Info & Class booking, 727331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Core Bungee – 6pm. Engage your core in a gravity defying workout. Practice static movement combinations that strengthen and balance your core. Inversions on the bungee assist in spinal decompression and allow expanded mobility. $20. Kinesis Movement Studio, 4760 E. Bay Dr., Clearwater. Info & Class booking, 727-331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

Herb Student Clinic $10 + Cost of Herbs – 6-8pm.

Students spend about an hour or two using the Chinese medicine system of evaluation to see what herbs and herbal formulas to recommend for you.

They are supervised by one of our experienced acupuncture & herbal practitioners. Appointments only. Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, 2520 Central Ave.,St. Pete, 727-551-0857, AcuHerbals.com.

Mindfulness Meditation & Practice – 7-8:45pm. In the spirit of Thich Nhat Hanh. Mindfulness practice helps to cultivate compassion, develop inner peace and experience joy in daily life. UU St Pete, 719 Arlington Ave N, St Petersburg, Info floridamindfulness.org.

Open Restorative Yoga with Sandbags Class – 7:30-8:30pm. Andrea Seiler, 200 RYT hatha yoga teacher, 200 KRI certified kundalini yoga teacher, certified in restorative yoga. First come- first serve; no advance reservations available. Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater. 727-712-1475, Info@ AYogaVillage.com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

thursday Beginner Ballroom Group Classes for Adults – 7pm. Learn all the popular ballroom dances, including Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Swing, ChaCha, Rumba, Foxtrot, Tango and more. You don’t need a partner to attend the class and reservation in advance is not required; simply show up! $10/ per group class. Fred Astaire Dance Studio St. Pete Central, 7019 Central Ave., St. Pete. Hours of operation Noon-9pm, Mon.-Fri. Info 727-347-7700.

Yin Yoga – 7-8:15pm. Presented by Barbara Allen, LMT, RYT. Emphasizing how a pose feels versus how it looks. Yin is a delicious, slow, long hold practice that addresses connective tissue, bones, tendons, ligaments and collagen, applying gentle pressure to an area to facilitate deepening in the pose. $18/class. Living Room Yoga, 8424 4th St. North, Ste. G, St. Petersburg. Register, 727-8264754, LivingRoomYoga.biz.

friday Free Yoga Class – 9-10:15am. Beginners always welcome. If you are new to yoga or to Yoga4All, a Pinellas County resident and want to check us out, please join us for this or any one class at the studio for free (limit one). New student discount on passes for everyone. Yoga4All, 8836 Seminole Blvd., Seminole. Info, Marty 727-392-9642. Yoga4All.com.

Achieving Wellness through Healthy Habits Part I – 6-8pm. 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th Fridays. Modules 3–6.

Karampreet, Kundalini Yoga Teacher. Join the Yoga Village Community in any class in this 16-week program on how to apply yoga to your life. Begin or deepen your practice of yoga, meditation, pranayama and the process to heal limiting habits so you can recover your soul. $18/class; $108/reserve for 8. Yoga Village, 2760 Daniel St., Clearwater, 727-712-1475.

Info@AYogaVillage.com, AYogaVillage.com/events.

Beginner Bungee – 6:30pm Mon/Wed/Fri; 9:30am Sat. Enter the world of weightlessness. Explore movements on the bungee and build core strength while engaging the bungee. Aerial bungee is for all levels of fitness, featuring progressive and modular movements. From the unfamiliar to professional dancers, all are welcome. $20. Kinesis Movement Studio, 4760 E. Bay Dr., Clearwater. Info & Class booking, 727-331-0751, KinesisMovementStudio.com.

saturday Yoga – 8:30-9:30am. First and third Sat. Yoga will extend your health and life, keep you flexible with poise and is also excellent for emotional balance, with She Toles. Love donation. Info & RSVP by Friday, She 813-546-3754, YogaShe@hotmail. com. YogaQiVibration.com.

Awakening Wellness Center Affordable Saturday Clinic – 9am-4pm. Treat yourself to any of our services at a reduced price! Includes Tibetan Bowl Relaxation Therapy, Nutritional Counseling, Acupuncture, Cupping, Sound Therapy, Individual Yoga Instruction. 50 minute sessions with our certified professionals are $25. Awakening Wellness Center, 6161 MLK Dr., Ste. 102, St. Petersburg. Call for appointment, 727-289-4747. AwakeningWellness.org.

Lorri Franckle of Tierra Verde shares this pix of her 5-month-old Minnie who loves to watch TV. Yoga for Scoliosis – 10:30am-12:30pm. 2nd Sat. monthly. Stacy Renz, occupational and yoga therapist, shows the proper application of yoga to stretch the muscles that are over-tight and strengthen the muscles that are weak, offering relief from back pain. Living Room Yoga, 8424 4th St. N, Ste. G, St. Petersburg. Info & registration, 727-826-4754, LivingRoomYoga.biz.

Now Playing Saturdays: The Dr. Tracie Show – 3-4pm. Listen Live on iHeart Radio to “Your expert in Integrative Medicine.” NewsRadio WFLA 970.

The Power of 8 Meditation, Healing and Sharing Circle – 4pm-5pm - Led by John DeRugeris, Dr. of Medical Qigong. Discover how to tap into the extraordinary human capacity for connection and healing, using the miraculous power of group intention. When individuals in a group focus their intention together on a single target, a powerful collective dynamic emerges that can heal longstanding conditions. Free event, donations accepted. Awakening Wellness Center, 6161 MLK Street Ste 100 St Petersburg.727- 289-4747 AwakeningWellness.org.

The future will either be green or not at all. ~Bob Brown Email your favorite pet picture to Debbey at dwilson@natampa.com for inclusion in the magazine.

Seasonal Qi Gong & Meditation Classes – 10am. Come learn powerful meditation techniques and life enhancing qi gong exercises as taught by Dr. Stephen Belmore that will make a profound impact on your mind, body and spirit. $5/suggested donation. Blue Dragon Healing Center, 4431 Park Blvd. N, Pinellas Park. Info and Registration, 727685-1390, BlueDragonHealingCenter.com.

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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 Jade Tree Wellness Center Tom Elman, AP, LMT 3039 - 49th St. N, St. Petersburg 727-344-8690 JadeTreeWellness.com

Professional Herbalists Training Program

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 29.

Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

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

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.

Orthomolecular Nutrition & Wellness

We address the underlying root cause of disease by using a variety of modalities such as Nutrient IV’s, Chelation, Weight loss, HRT, PEMF 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 18.

LIFEWORKS WELLNESS CENTER

Specializing in natural hormone replacement therapy: the natural, bioidentical way and other safe, natural nutritional solutions for menopause symptoms, including weight loss, acupuncture, chelation and allergy elimination.

See ad inside front cover.

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Tampa Bay Edition

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.

colon Hydrotherapy Body Flow Wellness

Susan Deren, RN, LMT, CT 50 S Belcher Rd, Ste. 124, Clearwater 727-560-6103 BodyFlowWellness.com, Lic# MA85290. MM38270 Body Flow Wellness uses the state of the art, Angel of Water open system, providing a more private, comfortable and odorless experience. A healthy colon is essential to the overall wellness of the body. See ad page 24.

9225 Ulmerton Rd., Ste. 312, Largo 727-518-9808 OrthoLiving.com.

alternative medicine Dr. David Minkoff Sue Morgan, ARNP and Karima Redouan, ARNP 301 Turner Street, Clearwater 727-466-6789 LifeWorksWellnessCenter.com

Natural Living Chiropractic & wellness center

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

Happy, Healthy, Whole! Acupuncture, Herbs and Massage to help you feel better. We treat everything from asthma to emotional issues, from Acid Reflux to Fibromyalgia. Free Consultations!

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

chiropractic

astrology Astrology for Your Soul

Aluna Michaels, M.A., Esoteric Astrologer Dunedin 727-239-7179 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.”

NATampa.com

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 23. .

dentists Beata carlson, DDS

2701 Park Dr. Suite 4, Clearwater 727-712-3837 NaturalAndCosmeticDentistry.com Natural, Holistic, Aesthetic Dentistry. Careful Silver filling removal. Non-metal crowns and bridges.

Be pampered in our Spa-like atmosphere. See ad back cover.

Every drop in the ocean counts. ~Yoko Ono

David F. Doering, DDS

Doering Family Dental 1201 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa 813-933-5365 TampaDentalCare.com Cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Conservative approach to periodontal (gum) treatment. See ad page 6.

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 page 4.

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 35.

herbalist 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, dog, cats, and horses.

Promoting health through the use of Herbs. See ad page 34.

Time passes irrevocably. ~Virgil

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.

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

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 page 11.

Success by design

9095 Belcher Road, Pinellas Park 727-548-0001 PoundsAwayTampaBay.com A Wellness Center for Age-Management, 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 19.

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

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 Education.

See ad page 7.

physical therapy Karen Gonzalez, PT

Physical Therapist 4760 East Bay Dr. Suite D, Clearwater 727-331-0751 KinesisMovementStudio.com

Certified Ki-Hara Master Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Level 1 USATF Track & Field Coach. Specializing in musculoskeletal issues and pain management, including Thai-Mashiatsu or “Mashing” (releasing tight connective tissue and stimulating inactive, weak muscles). Traditional Medicare Part B and private pay accepted. See ad page 21.

spiritual intuitive Lisa Miliaresis

Extreme Communication 727-239-0656 Lisa@2Communicate.net 2Communicate.net 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. See ad page 45.

thermography GREENPOINT THERMOGRAPHY 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 35.

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thermography Tampa Bay Thermography

June Drennon, CCT 2008 JuneDrennon@TampaBayThermography.com 727-729-2711 TampaBayThermography.com

Certified Clinical Thermographer 2008. Prevention is better than early detection.

Knowledge is power: Know your risk factors to make corrections and avoid developing pathology.

Call for location convenient for you. See ad page 39.

weight loss MEDICALLY SUPERVISED DIET LifeWorks Wellness Center Sue Morgan, ARNP 301 Turner Street, Clearwater 727-466-6789 LifeWorksWellnessCenter.com

Experience this revolutionary, medically supervised weightloss program, where patients lose 14-20lbs in 24 days.

See ad inside front cover.

Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail. ~Kinky Friedman

veterinarian 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 48.

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

Feed Your Resolution Eating vegan, paleo or gluten free? Following Whole 30?

We’ve got you covered.

Visit wfm.com/resolutions for recipes and inspiration.

58

Tampa Bay Edition

NATampa.com

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www.SunshineGlobalHealth.com April 2019

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