January 2021 Jacksonville St. Augustine Natural Awakenings Magazine by Jacksonville St. Augustine Natural Awakenings Magazine

E R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

TERRY WAHLS SPECIAL EDITION

HEALTH &WELLNESS

TRENDS SHAPING 2021 WORKOUTS

ON RECLAIMING HEALTH FROM AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS

HOSPITALS GO HOLISTIC

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE GAINS GROUND

HOLISTIC PEDIATRICIANS

TREAT THE WHOLE CHILD

SIMPLE WAYS TO

BLESS A HOME

January 2021 | Jacksonville / St. Augustine | NAJax.com

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letter from publisher

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

he year 2020 has ended, thankfully. It was a challenging year, with trauma and revelations that threaten to follow into this new year. Typical new year’s resolutions will fall flat against the potential challenges of 2021. If there’s one lesson learned from last year, it’s the importance of connection. Our amazing ability to adapt and overcome barricades to connecting in person made Zoom the product of the year in 2020. We learned to use technology to remotely work, connect with friends and family. Internalizing the many changes thrust upon us caused a collective awakening to the power of connection with self. Self-observation or introspection is the examination of one’s conscious thoughts, feelings and soul. Connection with self joins intellect with intuition, resulting in a powerfully accurate filter of discernment. Simply trusting your gut when external voices conflict is a skill that we all must develop to face the coming challenges. Intuitive development will be featured in future editions this year, with supplemental material on our website. Reader Recipes is another new feature beginning this spring. Check our Facebook page for an invitation to submit your favorite healthy recipe. Your January edition includes valuable information to improve your physical health. In Wise Words, Terry Wahls describes how she overcame a diagnosis of MS through diet, exercise and meditation. Her book was a tremendous help to me after a diagnosis of autoimmune disease. Integrative care is coming to America’s top hospitals, and our community as well. Alternative therapies like acupuncture, reiki, homeopathy, touch therapy, yoga and aromatherapy are joining the traditional template of tools, for a more complete healing process. Making healthy food choices for weight loss without dieting is the topic of Conscious Eating. The power of high-quality food has an immediate effect on your immune response and mental attitude, along with accumulative health benefits. Fitness trends for 2021 include things we didn’t think about until this year. Our Fit Body pages cover ways to stay active and maintain a positive mindset. Our Inspiration page explains how to clear and protect treasured space with house blessings. This simple and deliberate practice brightens any space and helps to maintain energy that supports a beautiful life. Learn about holistic pediatricians treating precious children with a whole- body approach, integrating natural options into mainstream methods in Healthy Kids. Be sure to check the calendar for this month’s events, with many in-person and online events. Welcome to 2021, let’s make it a great year together!

Rebecca Young, Publisher

JACKSONVILLE / ST. AUGUSTINE EDITION

Publisher Rebecca Young Publisher@NAJax.com

Writer Erin Floresca

Editor Sara Gurgen

Calendar Editor Sara Peterson

Design & Production Melanie Rankin

Graphic Design Wendy Wilson

Distribution Dan Dickerson

CONTACT US Natural Awakenings Jacksonville / St. Augustine Office: 386-736-3838 Ads@NAJax.com P.O. Box 731466 Ormond Beach, FL 32173

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January 2021

Natural Awakenings is a family of 50+ healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

Contents 12 INTEGRATIVE

HOSPITAL CARE

Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities

15 TERRY WAHLS

on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions

16 STAYING FIT IN 2021

Workout Trends Bend to the Times

18 LOSE WEIGHT

WITHOUT DIETING

How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best

20 HEALING THE WHOLE CHILD

Holistic Pediatricians Go Beyond Meds

22 GOOD HEALTH STARTS WITH A HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM

23 HOUSE BLESSINGS

for Clearing and Protecting Spaces

25 FRUGAL WELLNESS ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise in Natural Awakenings, please call 386-736-3838 or email Ads@NAJax.com.

Healthy Living on a Tight Budget

26 HEALING PETS HOLISTICALLY

Integrative Vets Treat Root Causes

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email calendar events to: Editor@NAJax.com. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets. Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com. NAJAX.COM 4

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DEPARTMENTS 5 news briefs 7 community spotlight 8 health briefs 10 global briefs 15 wise words 16 fit body

18 conscious

eating 20 healthy kids 23 inspiration 25 healing ways 26 natural pet 28 calendar 30 resource guide

news brief

Dr. Sarah Thomas Has Joined the Staff at A Way of Life Acupuncture

arah Thomas, DACM, AP, Dipl. OM, is now a staff member at A Way of Life Acupuncture, in Jacksonville, and is currently accepting new patients. Thomas is a Florida licensed doctor of acupuncture and Oriental medicine and acupuncture physician with board certification by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She is also certified in injection therapy and Sarah Thomas advanced facial acupuncture with rejuvenation. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture from Dragon Rises College, in Gainesville. Thomas then earned her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science. One of the services Thomas provides is Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture (FCA), which was found documented in history books dating back to 1121. This long history seems to prove that even centuries ago, facial appearance was important. Not much has changed in the way of wanting to put our best face forward. Although many topical treatments have come and gone, FCA remains tried and true. FCA is not just for youthful rejuvenation of the face, improvement of fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, turkey neck, dark spots, scars or furrowed brows. It is also a powerful tool for treating facial skin and neuromuscular conditions. FCA works with the body to bring qi and blood to the tissues and muscles. This action brings the vital nutrients to the delicate facial tissues to improve circulation, balance hormones, reduce inflammation, increase immunity, and stimulate the cells to produce elastin and collagen. Collagen production will increase at the site of needle insertion along with wound healing. All these important reactions are useful in the reduction of a double chin, can help facelifts last longer, decreases fine lines and wrinkles, and improves emotional well-being by reducing the signs of facial expressions lodged on the face. Location: 4337 Pablo Oaks Ct., Bldg. 200. For more information or to make an appointment, call 904-373-8415 or visit AWayOfLife Acupuncture.com. See ad, page 5.

January 2021

event briefs

Celebrate New Beginnings at Open House Celebration

he team at Mind Body and Beyond Center in Jacksonville is excited to announce an Open House celebration being held January 11. “We’re starting the new year off right with a festive event showcasing all of our services that can be found under one roof,” shares Founder Melissa Fenton, Ph.D., LMHC. Megan Weigel, DNP, owner of First Coast Integrative Medicine, will be one of the participating Melissa Fenton practitioners. This holistic nurse practitioner specializes in neurological care, supporting patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, dementia, headaches, neuropathies, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, insomnia, anxiety and depression, fatigue, memory loss and much more. “The interplay of physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual elements contributes to your overall wellness,” says Weigel. “By listening to your story, I can provide tools and treatment plans that empower you to optimize your well-being.” Skin care specialist Ashley Smowton, PA-C, owner of Concierge Cosmetics, will also be in attendance and offering consultations and aesthetic injections. “We’ll have many party deals happening during the Open House,” she assures, including discounts on the Restylane Lyft, an FDA-approved dermal filler used to repair lost volume in the cheeks. “As we age, volume loss in our cheeks become more noticeable. This treatment lasts a year and will leave you looking more lifted and refreshed.” In addition, brow lifts with Dysport will be on special, along with customized skincare consultations with ZO Skin Health products. To receive party pricing, purchases must be made during the event. Location: 14215 Spartina Ct., Ste. 200 in Jacksonville. For more information, visit MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com, call 904-9929930 or visit FirstCoastIntegrativeMedicine.com or find Concierge Cosmetics & Aesthetics on Facebook.com.

Exploring and Awakening the Chakras

he team at Mind Body and Beyond Center, in Jacksonville, is excited to announce The Energy Body: Exploring and Awakening the Chakras. This two-part workshop, facilitated by Irene Schrank and Chris Calvelli, is being held from 3 to 4:15 p.m. January 10 and February 7 at the center. “The chakras hold the key to energetic information that is beyond the perception of our five senses,” says Schrank, a spiritual Irene Schrank intuitive, international healer, reiki master and instructor at Mind Body and Beyond Center. “When we are healthy, chakras allow the flow of energy throughout our physical body. This flow can be interrupted by our negative thoughts. The chakras slow down and get blocked.” The first session will focus on the lower three chakras, which includes the muladhara (root), svadhishthana (sacral) and manipura (solar plexus). “We will also do some exploration of the anahata (heart) chakra,” explains Schrank. “During the second session, we will concentrate on the sahasrara (crown), ajna (third eye) and the vishuddha (throat), and then return to the heart chakra.” “Each chakra has a vibrational pattern that corresponds with the colors that we can see. For instance, our first chakra is red, and it is in this part of ourselves that we are part of the Earth. This is the foundation on which everything we do rests,” explains Schrank. “When we are in the state of being grounded, good decisions are made, and worries go away. Being grounded is the foundation for all else that we may do.” Mind Body and Beyond is the only mental health and holistic wellness center in Northeast Florida offering a nurturing, multidisciplinary approach to well-being that combines Western and Eastern practices under one roof. Their mission is to provide a comprehensive healing environment that advances each person mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually through a synergistic, integrative methodology. Cost: $90/per person for both sessions. Location: 14215 Spartina Ct., Ste. 300. For more information or to register, call 904-992-9930 or visit MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com. See ad, page 19.

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community spotlight

Yoga Den World Golf Village Your Neighborhood Yoga Studio

by Erin Lehn

he moment you step into the Yoga Den World Golf Village studio, in St. Augustine, you’re immersed in a nurturing, friendly, soul-soothing atmosphere. And that’s exactly what studio owner Jennifer Williams envisioned when designing the aesthetics. “I call it my Pinterest studio,” she says. “I absolutely love being in the space.” The studio, which has been offering classes to World Golf Village and surrounding St. Johns County neighborhoods since 2016, is an inviting neighborhood business. “The vibe is there. Everyone feels it the moment they walk in. All of the tribal energy of our community is infused into every element.” Williams, a passionate yogini, couldn’t imagine a more suitable career for herself. “I began my relationship with yoga in 2001 when one of my friends kept encouraging me to go,” recalls this charismatic practitioner, who eventually took that first class. “I loved it the minute I stepped into Yoga Den Mandarin. However, as a young mom with three kids, I had a hard time committing to a practice at that time.” Although Williams intermittently popped into the Mandarin studio for classes, it wasn’t until 2013 that yoga truly began transforming her life. “When I found yoga again, everything in my life flipped,” she explains. “Being back on the mat was so therapeutic. I wanted to share the benefits

of yoga with others, so I signed up for the teacher training course.” Williams said she learned a lot about herself during that training. “It was interesting to watch the evolution of my yoga practice. Initially, I was attracted to power yoga classes. Over time, I began having a greater appreciation for restorative-style classes. They’re so good at grounding and soothing the nervous system.” She also notes that the teacher training transformed the way she related to yoga. “It really opened my eyes to so much. I remember when it clicked just how important the breath is in yoga—even more important than the pose. Once you discover the breath patterns in a pose, so much more opens up to you. It’s magical!” After graduating from teacher training, Williams taught yoga at the Fleming Island Yoga Den when a Yoga Den franchise opportunity for the World Golf Village studio dropped into her lap. “The studio location was ideal. Plus, the Yoga Den family and philosophy resonated so much with me; it was a perfect fit,” she recalls. “For me, it’s always been Yoga Den.” According to Williams, there are eight limbs to yoga, and each of her classes focuses on several of the guiding principles— especially asanas (or poses), pranayama (breath patterns) and pratyahara (the art of letting go of outside influences so we can focus on our inner selves). “We also laugh a lot in my classes,” she enthuses. “Why always take life so seriously? Laughter is so healing. Plus, it’s just plain fun.” Williams and her team of Yoga Dencertified instructors are all passionate about providing a safe space for students to experience yoga. “Our studio is a place where people know that they can show up, no matter how they are. There are no expectations,” she affirms. “Yoga is your practice.

Jennifer Williams Your mat is your safe space. If it’s not a down dog day, and it’s more of a child’s pose day, great. Just show up as you are.” Whether you’re seeking a restorative mind-body class, a mixed-level yoga sculpting class, or an intense power flow class, Yoga Den World Golf Village has something for everyone. “Our classes are amazing, and our instructors are so passionate. They really put a lot of thought and attention into their asana choices, music playlists, and the vibe for each class,” explains Williams. And for those that still mistakenly believe that you can’t get a beneficial cardio workout with yoga, think again: “We have plenty of classes geared toward working up a sweat.” While Williams finds the day-to-day business operations of running a yoga studio invigorating, there’s something that lights her up even more. “What gets me out of bed every day is knowing that I’m helping others improve their lives in so many positive ways. I’m always humbled when one of my students tells me how much coming to the studio has changed their life. It’s an amazing feeling. We have such a wonderful community of teachers and clientele here at our studio. Whatever you need for body, mind and spirit, you can get here. And you’re always welcome to come as you are.” Yoga Den World Golf Village is located at 196 Capulet Dr., Ste. 1, in St. Augustine. For more information, call 904-315-8372 or visit Yoga-Den.com. See ad, page 17. January 2021

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A downside of the rising number of caesarean (C-section) births is that it deprives babies of contact with bacteria from the mother’s gut microbiome, which impoverishes the baby’s own microbiome and raises the risk of allergies and obesity later in life, as studies show. Previously, researchers swabbed C-section babies’ mouths with vaginal bacteria, but it had no effect. In fact, the valuable gut bacteria are released in the mother’s fecal matter during the messy process of birth. In a pilot study, doctors from the University of Helsinki tested 17 mothers that were about to need C-sections and chose seven that had fecal matter free of pathogens and antibiotics. After the babies were born, doctors used a syringe to feed the infants a tiny amount of the previously harvested fecal matter mixed with breast milk. The babies had no negative responses. Within three weeks, those babies’ gut flora came to resemble more strongly the gut flora of babies born vaginally than that of those born through C-sections.

Vitamin D Important for Reducing Risk of Preeclampsia Something as simple as a mother’s vitamin D level can have a future impact on her children, a study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows. Researchers examined 20 years of health data from 754 Boston-area mothers and their children and found that preeclampsia—abnormally high blood pressure during pregnancy— was linked to a higher systolic blood pressure in the children during their early and teen years. However, the effect was minimized or even eliminated among children exposed to higher levels of vitamin D in the womb, as measured by blood levels in the umbilical cord. 8

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Fluoride is added to public water supplies to reduce tooth decay, but its effects on health are contentious enough that only 38 percent of Canadian and 3 percent of European public water supplies are fluoridated, compared to 74 percent in America. Its effects on neurodevelopment in children are a particular concern: a meta-analysis correlated high levels of fluoride in water with a sevenpoint drop in children’s IQ scores. Two new studies have linked fluoride exposure to ADHD and other behavioral issues in children. Canadian researchers that collected urine samples and tap water information on 1,877 children between ages 6 and 17 found those that lived in areas with fluoridated water had 2.8 times the incidences of ADHD diagnoses, as well as increased symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention. The effect was most pronounced in teenagers, suggesting a cumulative effect over time, wrote the authors in the journal Environment International. In a Chinese study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 325 children between ages 7 and 13 were studied, and higher levels of fluoride exposure were correlated with rises in behavioral issues, especially psychosomatic symptoms. Storyblocks.com

Fecal Transplant Helps Caesarean Babies

Avoid Fluoride to Lower Risk of Behavioral Issues in Children

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health briefs

Try Ashwagandha for Anxiety

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In just the first month of the 2020 pandemic, the use of antianxiety medications increased by 34 percent among Americans, according to pharmaceutical surveys. Because select serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in particular tend to lose their effectiveness over time, some sufferers may take heart in a new study in Current Clinical Pharmacology. Iranian researchers gave one gram of ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) each day for six weeks to 22 patients with generalized anxiety disorder and a placebo to a second group of 18. People in both groups were also put on SSRIs. Anxiety scores for the ashwagandha group improved by week two and kept improving during the study, significantly outperforming the scores of the control group. The extract was considered safe and free of side effects.

Schisandra chinensis, an ornamental, woody vine with pink leaves and bright red berries, has long been used as an adaptogen in China and Russia to lower stress, improve immunity and enhance energy. Korean researchers in a new study in Phytochemical Reviews report it may also be a boon for aging muscles. They tested 45 post-menopausal women that were given 1,000 milligrams of Schisandra chinensis or a placebo for 12 weeks. Compared to the control group, the Schisandra group had significantly increased quadriceps muscle strength and lower lactate levels, indicating greater endurance.

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Improve Muscle Strength with Schisandra

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Try Ginger Extract for Hay Fever For people suffering from the miseries of allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, ginger extract can be just as effective as the popular pharmaceutical product loratadine (Claritin), concludes a study from Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thammasat University. Eighty hay fever patients were given either 500 milligrams of ginger extract or loratadine. After three and six weeks, the ginger groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s improvements in nasal symptoms and quality of life matched those of the loratadine group, but those taking ginger had fewer side effects such as drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness and constipation. January 2021

Microscopic Compass

global briefs

Bacteria Powers Animal Magnetic Sense

Generosity Fosters Increased Longevity

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A new study published in the journal PNAS suggests that people that share more live longer because the act of giving and receiving increases well-being. The recipient benefits directly from the gift, while the giver benefits indirectly through emotional satisfaction. Co-authors Fanny Kluge and Tobias Vogt found a strong relationship between a society’s generosity and the average life expectancy of its members. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, in Rostock, Germany, conclude that people are living longer in societies where members support each other with resources. Residents of African countries such as Senegal and South Africa share the lowest percentage of their lifetime income and have the highest mortality rate of the countries studied. Western European countries and Japan transfer more to the youngest and oldest, and their mortality rates are lower. Kluge notes that the relationship between generosity and lifetime income doesn’t depend on whether the benefits come from the state or from the wider community.

A new paper in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B may explain why some animals, including birds, fish and lobsters, are able to sense the Earth’s magnetic fields. It allows sea turtles to return to the beach where they were born. Researchers hypothesize that this ability comes from a symbiotic relationship with magnetotactic bacteria that are influenced by magnetic fields, including the Earth’s. In support of this theory, Robert Fitak, assistant professor at the University of Central Florida Department of Biology and co-author of the paper, drew from one of the largest genetic databases of its kind, the Metagenomic Rapid Annotations using Subsystems Technology, to identify the presence of these magnetotactic bacteria in animal samples. The researchers are working to develop a genetic test to help with further study. They have not yet identified exactly where the bacteria live in the animals, although they theorize that it could be associated with nervous tissue like the eye or brain. Learning how organisms interact with magnetic fields could facilitate our use of them for navigation, while also understanding how human modifications of magnetism—such as constructing power lines—might be affecting biodiversity. This knowledge may also help develop therapeutic drug delivery systems. petrovich12/AdobeStock.com

Grateful Giving

Surf’s Up

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Some Beaches Can Survive Rising Sea Levels

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An international team of coastal scientists from the United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. has disproved the theory that half the world’s beaches will become extinct over the course of the 21st century (see Tinyurl.com/SandyCoastlinesUnderThreat) in a paper published in Nature Climate Change. The team re-examined the data and methodology underpinning the original study and published their rebuttal in the same journal, after concluding that it is impossible to make such global and wide-reaching predictions with the data and numerical methods available today. The new report sees potential for beaches to migrate landward as sea level rises and shorelines retreat. Beaches backed by hard coastal cliffs and structures such as seawalls are likely to experience “coastal squeeze”, resulting in decreased width, and eventually be submerged because they are unable to migrate, but those with space to move inland will retain their overall shape and form. As such, removal of coastline structures or beach nourishment may be the only methods to safeguard at-risk beaches.

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Techno-Threads

Winning Grins

Scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology have developed a material that works like a luminescent solar concentrator for producing energy directly where needed that can even be applied to textiles. Because people are constantly on the move and dependent on a power supply to recharge smartphones, tablets and laptops, the needed electricity will come from our clothing by means of the new polymer applied on textile fibers, jackets and T-shirts. Based on amphiphilic polymer co-networks already available on the market in the form of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses, this new material is permeable to air and water vapor, as well as flexible and stable. The luminescent solar concentrators capture and transfer diffuse ambient light to a solar cell that converts it into electrical energy. By adding two different luminescent materials to the gel tissue, the solar concentrator becomes flexible, preventing the textile to which it is attached from becoming brittle or susceptible to cracking, or accumulating water vapor in the form of sweat.

According to research from the University of South Australia published in Experimental Psychology, the act of smiling and moving facial muscles can trick our mind into taking a more positive attitude. The study evaluated a real smile as well as an artificial one induced when participants held a pen between their teeth, finding that in either case, this facial muscular activity alters our perception of facial and body expressions and generates more positive emotions. The research found that the practice of forcefully smiling will stimulate the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, which releases neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state. By inducing the brain into perceiving stimuli as happy, the mechanism could potentially be used to boost mental health.

Smiling Makes for More Positive Thoughts

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New Fabric Generates Solar Energy

Ill Wind

Nitrous Oxide Hastens Global Warming

Rising nitrous oxide (N20) emissions are jeopardizing the climate goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, according to a study published in the journal Nature, which was spearheaded by professor Hanson Tian at Auburn University, and included scientists from 48 research institutions in 14 countries. Researchers report that the growing use of nitrogen fertilizers in worldwide food production is causing the alarming increase in atmospheric concentrations of this greenhouse gas, which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and remains in the atmosphere for more than 100 years. N20 is considered the most significant human-induced agent depleting the stratospheric ozone layer. Notably, the study shows that the colorless gas has risen 20 percent from pre-industrial levelsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from 270 parts per billion (ppb) in 1750 to 331 ppb in 2018â&#x20AC;&#x201D;with the fastest growth observed in the last 50 years, due to emissions from human activities. January 2021

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Integrative Hospital Care Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities by Marlaina Donato

hirty years ago, hospital patients were treated for symptoms based on the Western medical model, and holistic modalities were excluded, largely due to a lack of reliable scientific studies. More recently, because of promising research, the traditional template is expanding. The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health encompasses 75 university health centers and health systems that offer integrative approaches—a remarkable seven-fold increase in 21 years. America’s top hospitals, including the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic, the Duke University Medical Center and the Yale New Haven Hospital, now offer therapies such as acupuncture, reiki, homeopathy, touch therapy, yoga, clinical aromatherapy and chiropractic. 12

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According to a report in Advances in Medical Education and Practice, nearly half of Americans receiving medical care use alternative medicine (although 80 percent don’t inform their doctors) and physicians agree on the importance of further research and training in such modalities. A 2017 University of California survey published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that hospital patients of all ages were willing to pay out of pocket for healthier food, therapeutic massage and energy work.

Disease: The Big Picture

“Research has repeatedly shown that even with full medical access and optimal medical treatments, a population’s health improves by only about 15 to 20 percent. The rest comes from lifestyle, environment and

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the social and personal determinants of health. Even factors like emotional health, what you feel is your purpose in life and what motivates you to be healthy plays a role,” says physician Wayne Jonas, in Alexandria, Virginia, a clinical professor of family medicine at Georgetown University and former director of the World Health Organization Center for Traditional Medicine. As executive director of Samueli Integrative Health Programs, which aims to make integrative health regular and routine, Jonas emphasizes that patients become healthier and medical costs are reduced when they are engaged in the healing process. For Jonas, the shift toward integrative health care has become most evident during the current opioid crisis and the search for non-pharmacological ap-

proaches like acupuncture and therapeutic massage therapy for pain management. “The evidence body for many of these approaches has grown tremendously over just the past five years, and has shown a spotlight on what works and what doesn’t. These approaches are now recommended in national guidelines as mainstream for chronic pain.” Denise Millstine, integrative physician and internal medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, concurs: “The opiate crisis is an example of the need to broaden our clinical toolbox to incorporate care strategies that are less risky. I believe this change has been multifactorial, based on patient demand and more awareness of the importance of lifestyle management.” Patient demand is also fueled by a desire to avoid medication side effects. In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 106,000 hospital deaths take place each year from adverse reactions to prescription drugs. With more than half of Americans already taking a pharmaceutical drug, and three being the average, adverse side effects can easily mount in a hospital setting. For Millstine, integrative medicine offers many solutions. “We might recommend the best medication or provide cutting-edge therapies, but without considering stress management, resilience, movement and what people ingest, it’s hard to get optimal results. Integrative medicine expanded my approach to include nutrition, exercise, mind-body (connection), spirituality and other medical philosophies like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the patient’s therapeutic plan.”

of soft lighting and music, and performed by trained doctors, as well as licensed acupuncturists with a firm TCM foundation. Integrative health care addresses the emotions that accompany a cancer diagnosis, and patients undergoing conventional treatment now have access to not only acupuncture but therapeutic massage, meditation, movement therapy, clinical aromatherapy, herbal applications, biofeedback and yoga. Millstine says of theMayo Clinic, “We have oncology-trained massage providers who are comfortable with what is and what isn’t safe after someone has had a cancer diagnosis and/ or treatment.” Jonas highlights that when given under the supervision of a doctor and with conventional cancer care, complementary therapies may help people to manage cancer symptoms, boost overall well-being, better handle side effects of treatment and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. “Integrative cancer care can help by activating one’s ability to heal and feel better physically and emotionally,” he says. “Lectures on nutrition, yoga classes and support groups for cancer patients are now common.” The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program, launched by American fashion designer Donna Karan in 2009 after her husband died from cancer, partners with heavy hitters such as the American Cancer Society and the Beth Israel Medical Cen-

ter, in New York City. In many hospital settings, Urban Zen is creating “Zen dens”, calming nooks where staff can discuss cases with colleagues, take a break for selfcare or talk to their patients in a nurturing environment. Urban Zen’s dedication to healthcare integration is international and promotes therapeutic applications of reiki, essential oil therapy, nutrition and other contemplative care.

Energy Medicine Goes Mainstream

“Alternative therapies are no longer considered ‘alternative’ when conventional medicine adopts them—for example, using calcium and vitamin D supplements, which are a standard consideration,” says Millstine. “With high-deductible plans, many patients are accustomed to paying out of pocket for care, thus making payment for alternative providers possibly more palatable.” Reiki, a Japanese form of energy medicine once considered alternative, is now offered at major hospitals like Yale New Haven, where it’s given free of charge to cancer patients. Many hospitals are also offering classes in energy work to families of patients, hospital staff and the community. “A medical doctor introduced me to the practice when my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer,” says Denise Baron, a Philadelphia-based reiki practi

Whole-Patient Cancer Care

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A 2016 meta-analysis by Taipei Medical University published in the journal PLOS ONE concluded that certain applications of acupuncture reduce pain and opioid use on the first day after surgery. Acupuncture—an ancient modality based on the concept of energy meridians in the body—is also offered in many major hospitals to offset the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Acupuncture treatments at the Mayo Clinic are given in a calming atmosphere January 2021

tioner who works with referrals from clients and wellness professionals. “A hospital does not hire me directly, but the staff know I am available. I’ve worked on patients post-surgery, during and after births, people with cancer and people in hospice. I would say 96 percent of clients walk away with a deep experience of peace, harmony and lower stress levels.” Most recently, she has seen an increase in nurses asking for support during stressful times, with many wanting to learn how to practice reiki themselves. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, reiki is more effective than a placebo and activates the parasympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve. Results include lower blood pressure and less anxiety and depression. Other research shows that the modality also reduces nausea, improves appetite and lessens fatigue.

Holistic Nursing’s Role

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Collaborating with physicians and holistic practitioners, nurses play a key role in integrative hospital care. “We all work together to facilitate the client towards a higher level of well-being. Each profession brings something to the table,” says Margaret Erickson, in Cedar Park, Texas, CEO of the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. The nurse’s role in a patient’s healing journey is an intimate one, and holistic nurses ensure that the whole patient is tended to. “The roots of holistic nursing, grounded in holism, were

verbalized over 150 years ago by Florence Nightingale,” says Erickson. “She believed in the mind-body-spirit-emotion connections and that all aspects need to be nurtured in order for people to heal.” Due to increased demand, more nursing schools are creating educational programs grounded in holistic philosophy, she says. “What makes a nurse holistic is not the skills or alternative therapies she/he/they do, but rather how they show up in their interactions with others. They value and recognize that they are gifted with sharing a person’s most vulnerable moments, and that this shared space is sacred.” Some holistic nurses may use healing therapies such as guided imagery, aromatherapy, energy work, bodywork, deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation to help both their clients and other healthcare providers. Those in the field of integrative medicine agree that the future of medicine is now. “People are becoming more self-aware and taking responsibility for their health and life. Consciousness is growing [by] leaps and bounds,” says Baron. Jonas, drawing on 40 years of experience, agrees. “By working as partners with our patients to help find the care that works for them, we can help them achieve better health and quality of life.” Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com. 14

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wise words

Terry Wahls on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions by Sandra Yeyati

wenty years ago, University of Iowa Clinical Professor of Medicine Terry Wahls was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Conventional treatments didn’t work, and her health deteriorated to the point where she was wheelchair-bound and facing a progressively grim future. Through rigorous scientific study and clinical trials, she developed a groundbreaking diet and lifestyle protocol that allows people to take control of their health, reversing many chronic disease states, including her own. She is the author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, as well as an accompanying cookbook, The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life.

What is your personal journey with multiple sclerosis?

In 2000, I had problems walking, which led to the MS diagnosis. After consulting the best doctors and taking the newest drugs, I went downhill anyway. At my lowest point, already in a tilt-recline wheelchair, I realized that conventional medicine wasn’t going to stop my decline into a bedridden, possibly demented state with intractable face pain due to trigeminal neuralgia. My physicians introduced me to the work of Loren Cordain, who developed

the paleo diet, so after 20 years of being a vegetarian, I went back to eating meat; gave up grains, legumes and dairy. I also studied the basic science for animal models of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and ALS, and decided that mitochondria—the organelles that generate the energy that cells use to run the chemistry of life—were leading to my early loss of myelin and brain cells. I also discovered The Institute for Functional Medicine and took their course in neuroprotection. Based on the science, I devised a supplement program to support my mitochondria. My decline slowed. Then came my “Aha!” moment: What if I redesigned my paleo diet, combining ancestral health with functional medicine principles, relying less on supplements and more on food to support my mitochondria? I did that, and my pain, brain fog and fatigue resolved. I began to get stronger, started walking. In three months, I was able to go for a bike ride with my family around the block for the first time in six years. It felt miraculous. It changed the way I think about disease and how I practice medicine. I now talk to patients about diet, lifestyle, exercise, toxics exposures and stress management, and I’m able to stabilize, reverse and greatly improve their blood pressure, blood sugar, pain and chronic diseases that I was struggling to manage using the latest drugs.

What have you learned about resilience?

People who maintain a sense of control have more robust immune function and are generally healthier. Many of my patients say that their diagnosis ended up being a tremendous gift because it allowed them to take stock of their lives and understand their priorities. That’s true for me. If I eat gluten, dairy or eggs, or I’m exposed to too much stress or toxins, my trigeminal neuralgia will turn on and I’ll have horrific facial pain, but I consider it to be a tremendous gift, because that’s my barometer for the inflammation levels in my brain, which reminds me to look at my triggers and recommit to my self-care. We teach patients how to track their biosensors.

Are you cured of MS?

No. I still have the genetic vulnerability and lesions in my spinal cord, and will always be sensitive to gluten, dairy and eggs. If I become severely stressed or don’t sleep, I’ll probably have a problem again. I caution all of my patients: If you go back to your previous diet and lifestyle, your disease states will return.

Isn’t it easier to just take a prescription drug for symptoms?

It’s a smaller level of effort, but they’re not cures, either. The underlying disease state progresses, so people typically need higher doses of their medications. They also develop co-morbid diagnoses that require new medications. Conventional medicine is effective for some symptom improvements, but it has never been evaluated for improving global health, whereas studies have shown that improving diet quality and incorporating exercise and meditation will improve multiple chemical pathways in the body, gene expression and your microbiome, and dramatically improve health outcomes across many disease states. For more information, including diet protocol guidelines and online courses, visit TerryWahls.com. Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. January 2021

FEBRUARY

Coming Next Month

Heart Health

fit body

Staying Fit in 2021 Workout Trends Bend to the Times by Marlaina Donato

or 2021, fitness will be more about better health and inner peace rather than weight loss. Gyms and studios will be on the top of their game adhering to hygiene standards and offering safer environments with smaller class capacity and vitamin D-enhanced outdoor sessions. From remote coaching to cost-effective wellness apps, the workout will get a fresh makeover.

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Pandemic repercussions in 2020 amped up client demand for alternatives and also inspired trainers to get more creative. “I’ve enjoyed working with private clients virtually through FaceTime and Zoom. It has required me to create more precision with my training programs depending on what each client has at their home or home gym,” says Hollywood, California, fitness trainer Ridge Davis. “Results have been going through the roof because my clients are more likely to dive into healthy routines and meal plans with my daily guidance.” For those that cannot find local, inperson fitness provisions, subscriptions to streaming-fitness websites like DailyBurn. com and OnePeloton.com provide plenty of NAJax.com

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Plus: Eco-Friendly Weddings

guides to workouts from yoga to musclebuilding. Health apps can tailor individual wellness strategies for the new year. “Fitness and health apps are becoming more popular, and trainers are able to interact with clients all over the world. If you are like me, you need accountability if you cannot meet your trainer directly,” says Dominic Kennedy, a personal trainer in Los Angeles and creator of the newly launched fitness and nutrition app Dominic Effect. “Nutrition is also going to be key now more than ever. Apps will help keep you in check and on track with your food and goals, helping to set up monthly meal plans, as well as recipe suggestions.” Wearable tech in the form of watches and smart clothing will be another hit in 2021, providing accurate readings on calories burned, number of daily steps and even heart rate and blood pressure.

Virtual Variety, No Pressure Having the option to work out at home might motivate more people to begin a fitness routine without the pressure of comparing with others. Sampling classes online can help them find what they like before they sign up at their local gym or

studio. “Virtual fitness classes provide an opportunity for people to test out different instructors at different times all around the country and even the world,” says Paris Alexandra, co-founder of the BK Yoga Club, in New York City. “People are now realizing the things we can control is our breath and our bodies. Because of this, there’s an appreciation of our capacity, challenging ourselves to try something new.” Even with gym cutbacks, there is a silver lining. “One of my private weight-loss clients has loved our FaceTime workouts so much that she swears she will never go back to in-person training with a coach,” says Chicago-based Stephanie Mansour, host of the weekly national PBS show Step it Up With Steph. “Even on vacation or while traveling, people can still get in their workout because everything is virtual. Trainers also win because they can still do their job, but at a distance.” Me-time with a private virtual coach will offer a tailored regimen for those that prefer a one-on-one experience. Mansour muses, “Private fitness and health coaching sessions will be the hottest trend in 2021. By now, many people’s excitement toward their ‘pandemic workout’ is waning, and they’ll be looking for a totally customized approach to kickstart their motivation and goals.”

with this pandemic; on-demand meditation classes will be huge.” Mansour concurs, “Focusing on finding inner peace, meditating and positive programming are all huge trends that have emerged due to COVID. By getting your head in the game, you’re 75 percent of the way to your goal.” Mostly, 2021 will be a year for self-care. “I think growth mindset is everything right now,” says Kennedy. “We need to fill our minds with positive affirmations, thoughts or whatever it is that makes you light up inside.”

Allies for Body and Mind

n Safer small groups, especially for seniors

Davis predicts there’ll be greater appreciation for stress-recovery tools such as massage guns for percussive self-treatments, foam rollers to release muscle tightness and stretching apps, noting, “There’s so much noise, uncertainty and anxiety that has come

n Less-crowded yoga classes with BYO mats and props

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

Other Fitness Trends on the Rise n Outdoor classes from yoga to strength training n Boutique and micro-studios with specialty clientele n Broga yoga, with a focus on strength training, cardio and muscle toning for men n Mind-body fitness

January 2021

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conscious eating

Lose Weight Without Dieting

How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best by April Thompson

ne of the top New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, and to that end, millions of Americans go on a diet each year. As we look to reset after holiday indulgences, nutrition experts say it’s a great time to cultivate healthy, longterm eating habits rather than unsustainable diets that lead us in circles. “A ‘live it’ is better than a diet: small, manageable changes you can live

with over time,” says Lisa Mallonee, a registered dietician and professor at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry, in Dallas. “People get focused on losing 15 pounds, but once they get to the finish line, they don’t have a plan for after and often end up regaining the weight.” While navigating the labyrinth of nutrition information can be tough, eating better is actually simple, says David

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Katz, M.D., founder of both the YaleGriffin Prevention Research Center and the nonprofit True Health Initiative, and co-author of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered. “There are two general shifts to make: first, to less processed foods, and second, to more plant-based foods,” says Katz. In making such shifts, Mallonee suggests applying the 80/20 rule to food. “If 80 percent of the time you are making healthy choices, and the other 20 percent of the time you allow splurges, you’re less likely to feel deprived and revert to old ways.” Katz agrees that small shifts are more likely to stick, in part because of our adaptable palates. “If you commit to improving your diet little by little, you will find that taste buds are adaptable fellas that will learn to love the foods they are with. For example, try something as simple as switching from regular soda to diet to seltzer to water over time.” The good news for dieters with questions, suggests Katz, is there is no one superior diet. “You can have a highquality diet whether you are flexitarian, pescatarian or vegetarian, low-carb or high-carb,” he says. For Jill Weisenberger, a registered dietitian nutritionist, in Yorktown, Virginia, and author of The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition, a healthy diet comes down to three meals a day, each with a good source of protein and fiber. “When losing weight, it’s especially important to eat enough protein so you don’t lose muscle mass with the fat,” she says, suggesting a target of 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day,

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achieved through a diverse diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables and legumes. Katz, Mallonee and Weisenberger all caution against a diet like keto that restricts many nourishing foods only because they contain carbs. “There is no evidence of long-term safety or benefit of keto,” says Katz. “A truly keto diet cuts out a lot of highly nutritious foods like fruit, grains and beans, all associated with better health and longer life. I think a diet excluding these foods would be a colossal mistake.”

Weighing In

While it’s not healthy to obsess over numbers on the scale, it is important to understand the health risks of carrying extra weight, particularly around the middle. “Belly fat is a concern for co-morbidities like pre-diabetes, diabetes, increased blood pressure and even sleep apnea,” says Mallonee, stating that women should aim for a waist circumference of less than 35 inches and men of less than 40. Katz advises that the effects of abdominal fat can vary. “Certain ethnicities are extremely vulnerable to excess weight around the middle, which can result in insulin resistance and metabolic mayhem. However, many people can gain considerable amounts of weight and show no metabolic effects,” he says, suggesting that a comprehensive health checkup can clear up any doubts. Physiologically, it is hard to keep weight off, says Weisenberger, but people should not get discouraged if they fall short of their goals. “If you are overweight, you will get an enormous boost from the first 5 to 10 percent of weight loss—it’s much more important than that last 5 to 10 percent.” While weight loss is an exercise in delayed gratification, the power of highquality food is immediate, advises Katz. “You can improve the quality of your immune response with a single meal. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, too, as those positive health benefits accumulate over time.” Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com. January 2021

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first c hapter is New Year’s Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Jacksonville / St. Augustine

Healing the Whole Child Holistic Pediatricians Go Beyond Meds W

by Ronica O’Hara

hen Jackie Jones’ 4-year-old daughter had a persistent runny nose and cough, three visits to the pediatrician proved fruitless. “He would see us for two minutes, listen to her chest, saying she had ‘a cold’, and yet still prescribe an antibiotic and steroid that would just trash her immune system,” the Atlanta mom says. “She ended up developing pneumonia in both lungs that landed her in the hospital.” This propelled Jones to switch her children’s care to a holistic pediatrician. “He actually listens to me and takes time with his patients, and recommends vitamins and supplements to keep them healthy, in comparison to just handing out antibiotics,” she says. On the first visit, he queried Jones about family use of shampoos, soaps and cleaning products that might contain chemicals. “Definitely not a conversation I had with my old pediatrician!” she related. Jones, who dispenses pregnancy

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advice at PisforPregnant.com, benefitted from a growing trend among pediatricians. The number of doctors that self-identify as holistic by joining the integrative medicine section of the American Academy of Pediatrics has grown from a dozen in the early 1990s to more than 400 today, says Kathi Kemper, M.D., an Ohio State University pediatrics professor who founded the section and authored The Holistic Pediatrician. “Holistic pediatricians are interested in helping children and families meet their health goals, not just diagnosing and dispensing drugs,” she says. “We use an evidence-informed approach, including all appropriate therapies and therapists, with a strong emphasis on healthy lifestyle behaviors such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, social and emotional skills, spirituality and a healthy environment.” Many pediatricians report they want to know more about integrative approaches because of their frustration in treating the chronic conditions in one-quarter to one-half

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healthy kids

of the children they see, as well as to answer questions posed by Google-savvy parents. Yet most pediatricians have limited training in natural health and are wary to suggest such approaches, and parents are often reluctant to disclose their use of natural methods. Holistic pediatricians, on the other hand, typically get additional training in healing modalities that allows them to integrate natural options into mainstream methods. Unlike many pediatricians in busy clinics that can see a child only briefly, holistic pediatricians typically take longer. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all conventional approach,” says holistic pediatrician Elisa Song, of Belmont, California, who blogs at HealthyKidsHappyKids.com. For a child with asthma, for example, Song checks for environmental, dietary or social triggers, including mold, food allergies or sensitivities and stress. She looks for underlying biomedical imbalances such as nutritional deficiencies, abnormal gut microbes and signs of a leaky gut. “Based upon clinical and laboratory findings, an

initial treatment plan may include elimination of food sensitivities, supplementation with a 3-6-9 fish oil and magnesium, and mindfulness exercises that incorporate diaphragmatic breathing,” she says. Pediatric naturopaths are another option for parents. These doctors typically start from a natural medicine perspective, are trained in herbs and nutrition, and collaborate with bodyworkers, physical therapists and counselors. “Really, anything that helps a child thrive,” says pediatric naturopath Kathryn Purvis, of Tempe, Arizona. “We use treatments that are gentle and safe, but are also trained to use conventional treatments if necessary.” Naturopaths undergo a four-year postgraduate medical education like pediatricians, but do not complete an additional three years of pediatric residency, although they can do internships and take courses for certification. In 26 states, they can prescribe pharmaceuticals and administer vaccines. Purvis is the primary care provider for about 75 percent of the children she sees and provides adjunctive care for specific condi-

tions with the rest. For example, one child with chronic ear infections was facing ear tube surgery on the advice of a pediatrician; after his parents followed her advice to take him off dairy and give him certain supplements and a homeopathic remedy, the condition cleared up. Chiropractors that specialize in pediatrics, although not usually a child’s primary doctor, correct misalignments of the cranium, spine and pelvis using extra-low force, “like checking the ripeness of a tomato,” says pediatric chiropractor Kaleb Scroggin, of Savannah, author of the children’s book C is for Chiropractor. For example, treating a constipated, breast-fed baby usually produces immediate results, he says, adding that adjustments can also help infants with latching issues, painful gas, reflux and general irritability. “My goal is to see how healthy I can help your child become,” he advises. Ronica O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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Questions for Pediatricians

When seeking a pediatrician, integrative or not, holistic pediatrician Natalie W. Geary, of Miami, founder of vedaHEALTH (VedaHealth.com), says, “My best advice is to look for a pediatrician that has open communication skills, that listens well and that has the confidence to engage in a Q&A without getting defensive and ruffled. There are several questions to ask that will help guide you.” In addition, she provides tips on what to look for in the answers.

Pediatricians trained in integrative medicine recognize that children’s health is fundamentally grounded in what they eat. They need to recognize the impact of poor nutrition on a baby’s growing and developing brain, especially in the first three years of life, and be patient in helping parents navigate food intolerances—not just food allergies—as well as developmental stages and feeding behavior. 2. How do you feel about adjunct therapies such as craniosacral massage, acupuncture and Ayurveda?

The important thing here is not that they necessarily offer these things, but that they are informed about their benefits and are not dismissive or judgmental, and that they are open to working with the other healers and practitioners involved. 3. What are your thoughts on antibiotics? Some pediatricians may be defensive about this, but it’s worth asking politely to see if they are open to a conversation about when alternatives might be useful, especially for things like ear infections.

1. Will you be talking to us about our baby’s nutrition in detail? January 2021

Good Health Starts with a Healthy Nervous System

spine make a drastic turn during delivery. This can cause injury and misalignment of the cranial bones and spinal column, as well as the nerve bundle called the brachial plexus in up to 80 percent of infants. Here are a few signs that your infant should be assessed by a chiropractor: n Vomiting n Irritability n Sleeplessness n Colic n Nursing on only one side n Inability to latch onto breast or painful latching n Torticollis n Unequal arm mobility or use

by Kristy Harvell

t Health by Design, we often get the questions from inquisitive parents, “Why would an infant need chiropractic care?” In order to answer this question, it is important to understand that chiropractic care is much more than a treatment for neck pain, back pain and headaches, like so many still believe. Chiropractic care is the care of the nervous system through the spinal column. Yes, it is great at treating pain, but the benefits don’t end there. The widespread benefits of receiving chiropractic care are explained by the effect of a spinal adjustment on the nervous system. Your nervous system controls every other system in your body. Think of the spinal cord as a highway transmitting signals from your brain to every organ and every cell at the speed of 275 mph. Your body then sends feedback to the brain to let the brain know what adjustments to make in your heart and breathing rate, if you need to digest something, if more energy

needs to be produced or hormones need to fluctuate. This is all happening automatically without you even knowing it or needing to know. Your body is miraculously and intelligently designed. From conception, the nervous system is the first system to start to develop after just seven hours. The rest of the systems can’t develop without the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Ted Koren, the most widely read chiropractor today, once said, “The journey through the birthing canal is considered one of the most dangerous journeys we will ever take.” What Koren was describing refers to the process of what happens to the infant’s cranial bones and spinal canal in order to be delivered. Did you ever wonder why an infant’s cranial bones are soft? This is part of the divine design. The cranial bones are flexible in order to allow the bones to move and overlap to allow the passage of the skull through the birthing canal. Additionally, the baby’s head and

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Chiropractic adjustments frequently result in immediate quieting, cessation of crying, muscular relaxation and sleepiness. In fact in our office, it is common for babies to fall asleep and have a good bowel movement directly after an adjustment— sometimes before they even get out of the door! Additional benefits of infant adjusting include higher Apgar scores, increased alertness, successful breastfeeding and latch on both sides, and sleep for longer duration. Here are some additional times that all children should be assessed: n After the birth process n When baby starts to hold head up n When baby sits up n When baby starts to crawl n When baby starts to stand n When baby starts to walk What we know is that taking care of the spine and nervous system from birth can be protective against what commonly later become the chronic diseases and health challenges in pediatrics, teens and even adulthood. Beyond infancy, the ongoing care of your nervous system is equally important. Children that regularly see chiropractors for care are less likely to experience reflux, ear infections, food allergies, issues with digestion or regular infections. They

reportedly have less sick care visits to their medical doctors, consume fewer prescription and over-the-counter medications, and have overall improved growth and development scores. Here are some benefits of pediatric adjusting:

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inspiration

HOUSE BLESSINGS for Clearing and Protecting Spaces

n Better immune system/less infections n Less bedwetting n Fewer food allergies n Less asthma n Better moods/less discipline or behavioral problems n Less anxiety n Higher than average grades and IQ (intelligence quotient) n Fewer learning disorders, including dyslexia, and less inability to concentrate n Decreased likelihood of ADD/ADHD (attention-deficit disorder or attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder) n Decreased incidence of autism n Improved endurance and reaction time in sports n Fewer antibiotics and other medications The list goes on and on because taking care of your nervous system takes care of every other system! Dr. Kristy Harvell is the owner of Health by Design, located at 2002 Southside Service Rd., in Jacksonville. For more information or to make an appointment, call 904-363-3374 or visit HealthByDesignFL. com. See ad, back cover.

by Marlaina Donato

oving into a house, office or any new space prompts us to envision bright days ahead filled with hope and joy. Perhaps this is why, from first-century Christians praying to dissuade evil influences to the Mayans smudging herbs to welcome positive energy, the act of blessing a house is such a time-honored tradition. Whether held in private or with a group of kindred souls, with or without religious elements, blessing a new dwelling takes the concept of housewarming to a sacred level. A house blessing can temper the hair-pulling stresses of a move and be a wonderful way to restore harmony after life gives us a jolt, be it a job loss, a broken relationship, a loved one’s passing or an illness. Simple gestures of intention, sprinkled with some beauty, enable us to claim our space and sow a new beginning. Arranging seasonal blooms in jeweltoned vases, scattering fresh rose petals over the threshold or misting the air with ethereal scents consecrates what might otherwise seem mundane. Singing a favorite song, whispering a spontaneous prayer or reciting a Buddhist chant during the flurry of unpacking invites calm and attracts benevolent influences. Pungent smudges of

dried, white sage, sweetgrass, pine or lilac flowers help dissolve unpleasant memories and energetic imprints from the past. Honoring the four elements of earth, air, fire and water can create balance and celebrate ancient customs. Adding one or more essential oils to a spray bottle filled with distilled water or culinary rose water is an easy way to mist the air and the space inside drawers, closets and cupboards before filling or refilling them. Hanging fresh evergreens, leafy branches or tufts of blossoms over doorways evokes what 10th-century mystic and healer Hildegard of Bingen called veriditas—the greening energy of the Earth. Employing a crystal or Tibetan singing bowl, beating a shamanic drum or playing an instrument in select rooms can charge the atmosphere with fiery hope. Opening windows, even briefly during cooler seasons, invites in the fresh air of possibility. Stepping into a new life—or revitalizing an existing one—is one of the most beautiful acts of caring for soul and self. Blessing our spaces is also an expression of gratitude, something that can make any life wonderful. Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com. January 2021

ADVERTORIAL

The Awakening of Humanity By Lynne Girdlestone

oday we are all experiencing one or more of the negative effects of an incredibly destructive ‘agent of change.’ Although horrific things happen every day on this planet, they usually affect other people elsewhere. COVID-19, however, can potentially reach anyone, anywhere, upending our lives in a multitude of ways. The obvious questions—how do we stop this virus, will a vaccine help, will the global economy recover—are all unknowns. They occupy our thoughts and emotions with every newscast. For some, the crisis is merely an inconvenient interruption in their ‘business as usual.’ For others it has created new ways to profit at the expense of others. But for most, it’s an amplified survival issue. We know that nothing happens by chance: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” and “As you sow, so shall you reap.” What is happening today has its roots in everything that has gone before. When dysfunction reaches a tipping point, something extraordinary happens to get our attention. This pandemic may be saying “STOP... NOW ... look at the world you’ve built ... untold suffering amidst obscene excess ... all life forms and the planet itself in mortal danger!” The slowing and isolation are giving us the opportunity to consider these issues deeply and emerge with a better Plan B. That so many people are getting the message is an incredibly hopeful sign. Neighbors are helping each other; service organizations are expanding their roles and methods; scientific organizations around the world are sharing their research findings on possible treatments and vaccines; governments are trying to lift the financial burden of their citizens.

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What would happen if this behavior were to continue post-Covid-19? Could it lead to treating a recovering planet as a ‘global village’ and its citizens as the one human family it is? It would take time, but we can start by demanding of our ‘leaders’ that we all push the ‘reset’ button and begin to move in that direction! Fortunately, at this very time, a little-known cosmic event is also taking place. As we move into the Aquarian age, characterized by energies of synthesis, unity and cooperation, the spiritual custodians of human evolution—the Masters of Wisdom—have once again sent one of their great ones into the world to act as a teacher for the coming time. Some of the past teachers we have known historically as Confucius, Krishna, Buddha, the Christ and Mohammed. Major world religions all expect another great teacher at some future time, and his imminent appearance has been foreseen by some writers since the late 1800s. For more than 40 years, British esotericist and lecturer Benjamin Creme informed the world of a coming change— of the collapse of our old structures to make way for the new. He served as a herald for the World Teacher for this age, Maitreya—the one expected by many and longed for by millions (consciously or not), who has come now to guide us through this perilous time and into a cleansed and transformed new world. Maitreya has advised humanity to make the needed changes to put our world on a saner, fairer path: “He [Maitreya] will show that essentially men are one, no matter the colour or the creed, that the bounty of Earth belongs to all, and that sharing of that

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bounty is the key to man’s future. Only sharing, and the justice which it will bring, offers hope to man. Only justice wrought out of sharing will end the plagues of war and terror. Only sharing and justice can bring men to that Brotherhood which is their true inheritance. When men see this they will rise to the challenge and tackle one by one the many problems which daunt us now.” (Benjamin Creme’s Master from ‘Transformation,’ Share International magazine) Maitreya and his group have worked behind the scenes for millennia to guide our human family. Now, with these powerful, incorruptible allies openly in the world for the next 2,000 years and beyond, we have the opportunity to build a new world that works for everyone. Will we take it? In response to today’s injustices, we are marching. We are protesting. We are sharing resources and helping others. We are agitating for change. We are on the right track! Let’s not even consider returning to ‘business as usual.’ For free information: Share-International.us 888-242-8272 info@share-international.us

In The Awakening of Humanity, Benjamin Creme leads us on a journey of hope for the joyful world-changing events that are on the way. Free download at: https://share-ecart.com/ the-awakening-of-humanity-pdf/

FRUGAL WELLNESS Healthy Living on a Tight Budget by Yvette C. Hammett

iving healthy on a tight budget may seem like a daunting task, but by setting up a self-care plan, prioritizing and shopping smart, the barriers can seem not quite so tall. With so many people unemployed or under-employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for workable options is more important than ever. A sports and nutrition company, My Protein, did a study that shows the average American spends $155 per month on health and fitness. That’s $112,000 over a lifetime. There are, however, strategies that can lower these costs. Jen Smith, a financial writer and cohost of the podcast Frugal Friends, often talks about ways to spend less, save money and be in control of our spending. “You may spend more up front or more on the things you really care about, but cutting out the waste or things that are not so necessary can be a huge cost savings. This is not just for a penny-pinching, stay-athome mom. Being frugal doesn’t mean you are a cheapskate, but being wise with the limited resources that you have.”

Smith says she had a pricey membership to a cross-fit gym, but in the long run, staying in shape can greatly reduce the costs of health care and prescriptions. “Any way you can stay active is what you need to do. Spending money in any way that gets you to commit to and consistently move your body is the answer.” Focus on eating good food and moving your body, Smith says. “When emphasis is placed more on that and on selfcare, you save more money.” The National Institute on Aging recommends several ways to eat healthy on a budget: use coupons, consider purchasing store brands, know that convenience costs more, focus on priority foods, buy store-brand organics and forgo fresh for frozen organics. Sotiria Everett, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine at the Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine, in New York, agrees. “One thing to consider is seasonality. If out of season and organic, that will increase the cost. If you want clean living and healthy eating for the planet, that doesn’t make sense

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healing ways

either, because of the cost of fuel and the pollution involved.” Everett recommends frequenting farmers’ markets because they offer seasonal, fresh, local, organic produce that is easier on the wallet and better for health. Her favorite tip is, “Learn how to plant foods. You don’t need a lot of space, but do need sun and water access. You can keep it organic. A couple of seeds can give you a whole season’s worth of produce.” Jody Gatewood, assistant state nutrition program specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and a registered dietitian, works with people on tight budgets through the university’s Spend Smart Eat Smart program. “We do a lot with families with young children,” she says. “They are on a budget and concerned about having enough food to eat. One thing we teach a lot, and it helps with a budget, is to plan your meals. Look and see what is on sale at the grocery store. If there’s a big meat sale, buy it then and use it throughout. I think what happens is if we don’t plan, we go to a restaurant or get convenience foods which can really add up.” Fresh, frozen, canned and dried foods can all have a part in our diet, she says. “I use a lot of frozen vegetables. If you use frozen, you just heat it up and it is ready to go. Protein can be expensive, so have some meals where black beans or lentils are the source of protein. Have that balance.” As for healthcare costs, Smith recommends to those that cannot afford typical insurance or costly prescriptions in their budget to consider using manufacturer discounts and a service like GoodRx.com, which details how much prescriptions will cost at different pharmacies. Consider using a “sharing ministry” for other costs, Smith says. With Liberty HealthShare, for example, people pay in every month and are billed like a cash payer when they have a medical bill while Liberty pays the cash. “When a doctor or hospital is billing an insurance company, they try to get as much as they can, but cash payers pay a lower amount,” she says. Yvette C. Hammett is a freelance writer from Valrico, Florida. She can be reached at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com. January 2021

natural pet

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OPEN

Healing Pets Holistically Integrative Vets Treat Root Causes

Call Rebecca at

386-736-3838 and see just how easy it is to bring our readers to your door

• NO COST • SPECIAL BENEFITS

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by Julie Peterson

mma, a mini-schnauzer mix, was 4 years old when she started acting like a senior lacking zest for running or playing. After being treated by an integrative veterinarian for one month, she regained vibrancy. “She’s 6 years old now, and she’s her normal, barky, running, zig-zagging self,” says Yvonnda Agent, a volunteer with animal transport rescue operations, near Rockvale, Tennessee. Agent’s practitioner determined Emma had kidney issues that were slowing her down. Upon deeper investigation, these problems were found to be the only visible symptom of a tick-borne illness. Once given immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory and liver-detox herbs, the dog made a full recovery.

tend to treat the symptoms, versus treating the root cause of disease, which is why a majority of the time, the symptoms return when the drug is finished,” says veterinarian Katie Woodley, in Fort Collins, Colorado, who blogs at TheNaturalPetDoctor.com. “With a holistic approach, we look at the nutrition, gut health and how all the systems are connected … and resolve the imbalance.” Holistic veterinarians may specialize in acupuncture, herbal medicine, kinesiology, chiropractic, laser therapy or any of many other natural modalities as an adjunct to conventional medicine. They first must earn a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree and then may pursue optional holistic training. Following this path can take a great deal of time.

Expanded Options

Natural Nutrition

Getting to the root cause of the condition is what integrative veterinarians are known for. They combine both conventional and holistic medicine, may use fewer drugs and limit vaccinations. “With conventional medicine, we 26

Jacksonville / St. Augustine

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At the Franklin Road Animal Hospital, in Brentwood, Tennessee, Mark C. Ingram, DVM, has found inadequate nutrition from low-quality foods at the root of most health problems. High-quality food helps animals absorb nutrients needed for

optimal well-being. “The first ingredient should always be meat, and we like limited-ingredient foods due to the numerous allergies we see,” says Ingram. “Every case of cancer that we have seen in the last 20 years has food allergies. Every torn cruciate and every paralyzed dog with disc problems has food allergies. It is also the most underlying cause for ear infections and cystitis.” This was the case with Gabby, a 3-year-old mini-schnauzer that Agent rescued about a year ago. “She came to us with a bottle of ear solution and a history of green pus in her ears,” says Agent. Gabby’s medical history indicated that the ears, in addition to digestive problems, had been unsuccessfully treated with antibiotics and changes in diet. “Our holistic vet recommended a raw diet with no grains and no starchy vegetables. Gabby hasn’t had a single instance of ear irritation since,” says Agent, who believes that whole foods served as medicine and now serve as prevention for her pets.

Vexing Vaccinations

There is ongoing debate whether pet vaccination boosters that may be required by law or strongly recommended by vets provide increased protection or are harmful. Mounting evidence says that they are often overdone: for example, both five-pound and 100-pound dogs receive the same dosage. Yet vaccinations do prevent some serious diseases. “We do not like to over-vaccinate, but provide appropriate protection by minimal vaccination and encourage titers,” says Ingram. Titers are blood tests used to determine if a pet’s antibodies are high enough from a previous

vaccination to warrant a booster shot for the specific disease. “Many of the core vaccines that your pet needs to be protected from diseases like parvovirus and distemper actually provide lifelong immunity with one vaccine,” says Woodley.

Choosing a Veterinarian

Commonly, people seek holistic veterinarians after they have had success with human integrative medicine. But finding such a provider isn’t simple. “My clientele regularly travels one to four hours for a consultation,” says Ingram, who fully understands that demand is outstripping supply for integrative veterinary care. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, which has 1,500 members, has a search-by-state feature that also lists the modalities practiced by each veterinarian at ahvma.org/find-aholistic-veterinarian. In addition, Woodley, Ingram and others offer telehealth or long-distance consults. In lieu of finding a vet that is listed as holistic, pet parents can call clinics to ask questions about alternative treatments. Some facilities are more flexible than others. Choosing a veterinarian is a personal decision for owners. “I feel that traditional versus holistic care is simply sick care versus well care,” says Agent. “Their quality of life is so important to me and they’re solely dependent on the choices I make for them. I’m going to choose well care.” Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin and has contributed to Natural Awakenings for more than a decade. Contact her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

January 2021

calendar of events To submit calendar listings, or for more information about submission requirements, please email Publisher@NAJax.com.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 Healing Event – Noon-3pm. Meet the practitioners and experience different healing techniques. $15 love offering goes to St. Jude’s hospital. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com. Lemurian and Light Beings – 1:30-3:30pm. Rev. Judi Weaver will lead a Living Channeling with a focus on Lemurians and Light Beings for participants to receive group messages and ask questions. $30. Andrew Davis Jackson Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: or 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi. Weaver@gmail.com. Talking Stick Circle – 5pm. Join for a Native American gathering to share ancient teachings as channeled from our Elders. Follow the tradition of cleansing and synchronize our souls through the sacred practice of drumming. Bring your instruments, family, friends; children welcome. Handmade gift exchange (bring two). Andrew Jackson Davis Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Yoga for Absolute Beginners – With Chris Calvelli. This workshop is the perfect opportunity to start a practice or explore yoga. Variations and props provided for all fitness levels or flexibility. Classes will be slow paced, giving all participants guidance and time to find variations that work for them. General information on all eight limbs of yoga. $75/person (3 sessions). Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930.

Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

Transcendental Meditation – Noon. Introductory talk by video teleconference. The TM technique is a uniquely simple, natural, effortless procedure that is scientifically proven to reduce stress, maximize mental clarity and improve health. This video conference gives all the information needed to make an informed decision about learning the TM technique. Register: 904-375-9517 or Jacksonville@TM.org.

MONDAY, JANUARY 4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

Virtual Death Café of NE Florida – Community gathering hosted by Nada Frazier, Founder of The Sacred Servant. Join people from across the nation and talk about life/death. See Death Café of NE Florida’s Facebook page, Deathcafe.com, MeetUP, and TheSacredServant.com for more info. Register: Nada@TheSacredServant.com for Zoom meeting.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

Jewelry Show – Jan 9-10. Sparkle and shine rare crystal gem jewelry. There will be gemstones, vintage-inspired, sterling silver, symbols, and more. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com. Ask Your Angels – 9am. An angelic workshop opportunity to meet one of your many angels. Rev. Judi Weaver, an intuitive channel, will alter her state of consciousness to a higher vibration so each participant can receive an inspirational message of guidance and have an opportunity to ask a question of their angel, thereby expanding self-knowledge. Individuals are encouraged to audio record their guidance messages. $35. Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev. Judi.Weaver@gmail.com. Manifesting Vision Board 2021 Workshop –11am1pm. With Karen Whisperer. Join to set intentions for what we desire to bring into the New Year! This workshop is designed to help you focus on what you want to attract into your life by setting intentions and taking the action step of creating the vision board to represent your desires. $85/person. Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/ register: 904-992-9930. Making Predictions Using Mediumship – 3-5:30pm. Online class. $36. Hosted by International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. Info/ register: 407-247-7823. ifsk.org.

Jacksonville / St. Augustine

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. The Energy Body: Exploring and Awakening the Chakras – 3-4:15pm. Two-part workshop with Irene Schrank and Chris Calvelli. First session will focus on the lower three chakras; Muladhara (root), Svadistana (sacral), and Manipura (solar plexus), plus Anahata (heart) chakra. The second session we will concentrate on the Sahasrara (crown), Anja ( third eye) and the Vishudda (throat) then return to the heart chakra. $90/per person (both sessions included), Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 Yoga for Absolute Beginners – With Chris Calvelli. This workshop is the perfect opportunity to start a practice or explore yoga. Variations and props provided for all fitness levels or flexibility. Classes will be slow paced, giving all participants guidance and time to find variations that work for them. General information on all eight limbs of yoga. $75/person (3 sessions). Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Live Channeling Circle – 5pm. Jan 24 & 31. Join Rev. Judi Weaver to discuss what is transpiring in the Universe and how the energies are affecting each of you. She will then elevate her consciousness to provide trance Channel messages and guidance from Universal Light Beings for the betterment of mankind and your own personal development. Questions are encouraged. $25. Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr, Holly Hill. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20 Private Healing with Elka Boren – Jan 20-25. 10:30am-6pm. $75/half-hour, $125/hour, $175/90 mins. Spiritual Uplifts 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com. Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25 Past Life Circle – 7-9pm. Discover your past lives and how it affects the present. $40. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Yoga for Absolute Beginners – With Chris Calvelli. This workshop is the perfect opportunity to start a practice or explore yoga. Variations and props provided for all fitness levels or flexibility. Classes will be slow paced, giving all participants guidance and time to find variations that work for them. General information on all eight limbs of yoga. $75/person (3 sessions). Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930. Light Language – 10:30am-9:30pm. Get certified for level one. $325. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

plan ahead SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Elka Goddess and Gods Circle – 7:30-9:30pm. Learn how to work with the goddess and gods while receiving a healing from Elka Boren. $40. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park, 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

Talking Stick Circle – 5pm. Join for a Native American gathering to share ancient teachings as channeled from our elders. Follow the tradition of cleansing and synchronize our souls through the sacred practice of drumming. Bring your instruments, family, friends; children welcome. Handmade gift exchange (bring two). Andrew Jackson Davis Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Making Predictions Using Mediumship – 10:30am-1pm. Online class. $36. Hosted by International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. Info/ register: 407-247-7823. ifsk.org.

The Energy Body: Exploring and Awakening the Chakras – 3-4:15pm. Two-part workshop with Irene Schrank and Chris Calvelli. First session will focus on the lower three chakras; Muladhara (root), Svadistana (sacral), and Manipura (solar plexus), plus Anahata (heart) chakra. The second session we will concentrate on the Sahasrara (crown), Anja ( third eye) and the Vishudda (throat) then return to the heart chakra. $90/per person (both sessions included), Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

Wealth Manifesting Circle – 7:30-9:30pm. Learn how the mandala can balance your life and bring wealth. $40. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Light language Level II – 10:30am-9pm. Get your light language certification level two. $325. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com. Heart 4 Souls Spiritual Guidance – 2pm. A virtual monthly event on the 4th Sunday. Guests receive an overall group message from the heart, followed by a live channeling session where Universal Light Beings provide guidance and answer questions for spiritual wisdom and support you with the expansion of your soul. Universal Light Beings may be messages from the God Source, Great Spirit, Arch Angels, Masters, Spirit Guides, Lemurian’s, etc. Free on Facebook Live virtual gathering on Heart4Souls. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.Weaver@ gmail.com or SpiritualServices.online.

ECKANKAR

The Path of Spiritual Freedom All ECK events are currently suspended. For strength, peace, and calm . . .

“Sing HU once or twice a day for ten or fifteen minutes to spiritualize your state of consciousness.” —Harold Klemp, The Sound of Soul

904-725-7760 • www.TheSoundofSoul.org

Live Channeling Circle – 5pm. Also Feb 14, 21 & 28. Join Rev. Judi Weaver to discuss what is transpiring in the Universe and how the energies are affecting each of you. She will then elevate her consciousness to provide trance Channel messages and guidance from Universal Light Beings for the betterment of mankind and your own personal development. Questions are encouraged. $25. Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr, Holly Hill. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

PLANS CHANGE

Call Ahead

January 2021

community resource guide

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

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 email Ads@NAJax.com to request our media kit.

GROCERY

ACUPUNCTURE

NATIVE SUN

A WAY OF LIFE ACUPUNCTURE

1585 3rd St North, Jacksonville Beach 904-853-5497 NativeSunJax.com

4337 Pablo Oaks Ct, Bldg 200, Jacksonville • 904-373-8415 Dr Christine Yastrzemski, NCCAOM, AP AP2255 NCCAOM Board Certified Acupuncture Physician specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. We offer the highest quality of care while customizing treatments that best suit your needs. See ad, page 5.

BE PAMPERED FOOT SPA

4130 Salisbury Rd #1020, Jacksonville Tuesdays in St. Augustine By appt: 904-768-0022 bepamperedfoot.com Foot detox, therapeutic pedicure, deep foot massage, Medi-pedicure, great for seniors, nail whitening and toenail restoration. Kathy Griggs, Certified Master Pedicurist FV0572994.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER

Comprehensive. Integrative. Transformative. Strategies for developing awareness and understanding. Harmonize the mind and the body and spirit will follow. Find greater intuitive and creative ability, have a fuller expression of love, enhance your sense of self-worth and bring spiritual qualities into your life. #MM35640 See ad, page 19.

HERBS LAURENCE LAYNE, LMT, HERBALIST Healing Waters Clinic & Herb Shop 26 Clark St, St. Augustine 904-826-1965 • HealingWatersClinic.com MA0010746 MM005595

JACKSONVILLE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER Dr Jon Repole, DC, CFMP 9957 Moorings Dr, Ste 403 Jacksonville (Mandarin) 904-268-6568 • DrRepole.com

Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. Find the cause of your health challenge. Our office will create a doctor supervised custom-tailored health program that will include the following: meal planning, supplemental prescriptions, detoxification guidance, food/lifestyle coaching, exercise prescriptions, accountability, on-line patient portal, and more. We utilize the most advanced diagnostics testing available to aid both our diagnoses and treatment. See ad, page 21.

Jacksonville / St. Augustine

HEALING CENTER 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com

FOOT SPA

J a x B e a c h ’s community organic grocer, local food and essential items. Order online for curbside p/u.

A holistic center specializing in pain relief and chronic health issues. Certified in neuromuscular and deep tissue bodywork, myofascial therapy, craniosacral balancing, east-west herbalism. Offering attunement energy healing since 1978. See ad, page 29.

HOLISTIC WELLNESS SPA

FIRST COAST INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Megan Weigel, DNP 14215 Spartina Ct, Jacksonville 904-543-3510 FirstCoastIntegrativeMedicine.com A holistic, heart-centered and evidence-based approach to care for people living with neurological conditions and symptoms. Dr Weigel has nearly 20 years experience in neurology and neurological care. See ad, page 5.

MASSAGE CARING PALMS MASSAGE AND REIKI Brian Dean, LMT MM40693, MA36835 476 Osceola Ave, Jacksonville Beach 904-246-2206 • CaringPalms.com

Professional massage and energy work. Many styles of massage, Reiki, meditation, mediumship, massage & Reiki classes. Continuing education for Florida LMTs. See ad, page 29.

MEDITATION TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION CENTERS

• Karen & Herb Bandy, Certified Teachers 904-375-9517 • Jacksonville@TM.org • Regine de Toledo & Richard Pinto, Certified Teachers 904-826-3838 • StAugustine@TM.org The TM technique is an effortless, non-religious, evidence-based practice for eliminating stress, increasing well-being and expanding consciousness. Certified Teachers give individual instruction and ongoing support. See ad, page 14.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD CERTIFIED MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTORS

SEVENTH WONDER HOLISTIC SPA

10695 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville 904-299-5300 2085 A1A S, St. Augustine 904-299-7373 CMMDR.com

A true sanctuary away from the stresses of the world since 2002. Offering: Ayurveda consultation and services, natural alternatives to facelift, massages, facials, eyebrow threading/tinting, reiki, pranic healing, ear coning, sauna, and a Himalayan salt room.

Patients with a qualifying medical condition can become a Florida medical marijuana patient in two easy steps and gain access to Florida Medical Marijuana Dispensary discounts, deals and special savings. License number OS8874. See ad, page 27.

4236 St John’s Ave, Jacksonville 904-381-8686 • Seventh-Wonder.com

NAJax.com

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER Melissa Fenton, PhD, LMHC 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com

Dr. Fenton, licensed psychotherapist, offers traditional individual and family therapy to adults. Individual and couples, E M D R / E F T, m i n d f u l n e s s , meditation, loss/trauma, stress management, women’s health, sexuality. Tele-health sessions available. See ad, page 19.

METAPHYSICAL STORE SPIRITUAL UPLIFTS

2186 Park Ave, Ste 102, Orange Park 904-292-4555 SpiritualUplifts.com Metaphysical services, including life coaching, spiritual readings, energy work, crystal healings, biomat, aura photography, chakra and astrology reports and more. World-renowned speakers and demonstrations to further your spiritual journey. See ad, page 11.

SPIRITUAL CENTERS UNITY CHURCH FOR CREATIVE LIVING IN ST JOHNS 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns 904-287-1505 • UnityInJax.com

Unity offers positive, practical teachings that support spiritual evolution and abundant living. They take an extremely positive approach to life, emphasizing our Oneness in God and the goodness in people and all life. Join to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. See ad, page 9.

SPIRITUAL MENTOR/COACH SPIRITUAL MENTOR/COACH/ END-OF-LIFE DOULA

Nada Frazier, End of Life Doula 904-402-7061 • TheSacredServant.com Spiritual mentorship and coaching; Illuminating new perspectives on life and death. Non-medical, holistic certified end-of-life doula services. Support, planning, and guidance through times of transformative change.

YOGA YOGA DEN

Mandarin | Fleming Island | Southside | Avondale | World Golf Village | San Pablo | Bayard | Crossroads | Oakleaf Yoga-Den.com Founded in 2002, all Yoga Den teachers are graduates of YogaDen’s nationally accredited 200hour TT Program. Members may use their key tags at all locations with Passport Membership. Hundreds of weekly classes. Our philosophy is No Judgement, and all levels will feel welcome. See ad, page 17.

MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER

14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyandBeyondCenter.com Private or semi-private, tailored to your needs. Chair, Restorative, Yin n Yoga Nidra, Breathwork, Meditation, Sound Healing, Chakra Opening, Breathwork and or a combination. Call to schedule your individual or small group class. See ad, page 19.

NUTRITION/KINESIOLOGY HEALTH BY DESIGN

Dr Kristy A Harvell 2002 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville 904-363-3374 • HealthByDesignFL.com Nutrition Response Testing™ gets to the underlying cause of your condition by testing for food sensitivities, heavy metals, and chemical toxins. A Clinical Nutrition Program will be designed for your individual needs. See ad, page 32.

PSYCHIC CHANNEL REV JUDI WEAVER

Heart 4 Souls Inc, Ormond Beach Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com 386-503-4930 • Heart4Souls.com

energy distance.

Channeled spirit messages, crystal light healer, divine personal guidance, shamanic practitioner, spiritual counseling, guided meditations, home/property blessings, vision quest journeys. For individuals or groups—in person, virtual/on-line, phone or

January 2021