Natural Awakenings Charlotte - September 2020 Issue

E E HEALTHY LIVING FR

HEALTHY

PLANET

HERBS that

Spice Up Health

Emotional Well-Being

Self-Care for Tough Times

ADAPTIVE YOGA for Every Body

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church's Dr. Clifford A. Jones

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ever have I connected to a monthly magazine theme as much as this month’s “Emotional Well-Being.”

As I sit to write this letter, I’m reflecting on my evolution with coronavirus, as evidenced by several months of publisher letters. April started on a high note, with my letter reading, “I’ve been impressed by how quickly our communities can respond to an imminent threat; it’s encouraging to see that we can do hard things.” My best friend told me recently that she thought of me when she heard someone talking of people who look for the positive; I was kind of surprised, but I can see it in my April letter. The May/June letter talked about how our household set stay-at-home goals, and how we’d fallen into a companionable routine of long walks, bike rides and family games. Still looking for the positive. July was about my kids’ effort to save a bird, and how they hid it from me because they thought I would tell them that saving it was futile. Things were going a little south.

Then in August, I confessed, “I want desperately to be positive, but I spend at least part of each day feeling anxious, worried, even weak-legged.”

As much as I’d like my April and May/June frame of mind now, that isn’t my reality.

Instead I’m ready and relieved to “practice compassion for myself and others,” which is the last of several “Simple Self-Care Strategies” by Margaret Wyche on page 12. This particular strategy concludes, “Accept the fact that we’re all human. It costs nothing to be kind to yourself and others. This is uncharted water for everyone.” In the same article, Margaret also mentions the Serenity Prayer, so I thought it would be useful to include it here:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Wishing you serenity, whatever this month may bring.

Shannon McKenzie

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Contents

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

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10 EMOTIONAL

12

WELL-BEING IN THE PANDEMIC AGE

Self-Care Strategies for Tough Times

12 SIMPLE SELF-CARE

STRATEGIES FOR TRYING TIMES

By Elemental Healing's Margaret Wyche

14 SPICE UP HEALTH

Using Herbs for Flavor and Medicine

17 CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN

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IMPACTED AT ALL LEVELS

Dr. Clifford Jones talks about hurt, history and hope in a time of crisis

18 YOGA FOR EVERY BODY

Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Immobility

19 MEDICAL THERAPEUTIC YOGA AT ROPER PHYSICAL THERAPY

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 704-499-3327 or email Ads@ AwakeningCharlotte.com. Deadline for ads: the 9th of the month.

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21 NEW {LOVE} CELL-20

Color and Dedicate a Reimagined Virus

DEPARTMENTS 8 news briefs 8 health briefs 9 global briefs 14 consciouseating 17 community spotlight 18 fit body 21 therapy spotlight 22 gaston county

21

natural guide 23 resource guide

September/Early October 2020

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health brief

New Ways to Enjoy Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest

Consider Therapy to Reduce Inflammation

S

ustain Charlotte’s annual Biketoberfest event will return on October 24 and 25 with new developments to enrich the experience even more while also adapting in some ways due to the current health crisis. For the first time, between five and 10 routes in separate areas of Charlotte, to be announced this month, will be able to be transversed in a Choose Your Own Adventure-themed concept.

There will be no starting location, event passports or afterparty this year to prevent large gatherings. The event will still partner with local businesses to help support them.

Sustain Charlotte is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization helping to advance regional sustainability through smart growth. Their dedicated staff and volunteers work collaboratively with local neighborhood organizations, government agencies, nonprofits and businesses to solve the most important challenges to the long-term social, economic and environmental health of our community.

For more information including event times and routes, visit Biketoberfestclt.org. Also visit SustainCharlotte.org. See ad, page 25.

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In exploring the mind-body link that is particularly relevant during the current pandemic, an analysis of 56 randomized clinical studies found that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and similar approaches reduced inflammation and enhanced immunity in subjects, reports JAMA Psychiatry.

University of California, Davis, researchers reviewed studies that included 4,060 participants undergoing behavior therapy (which seeks to help patients understand and change problematic behaviors), cognitive therapy (which teaches patients how to change negative thoughts or mindset), CBT (that combines elements of both), bereavement or supportive therapy, psychoeducation and other therapies such as stress management. Those that received these psychosocial interventions experienced a 14.7 percent increase in positive immune outcomes such as lower viral load and an 18 percent decrease in negative outcomes, including proinflammatory cytokines, compared with those not receiving therapy. The immunity improvements were strongest among patients that received CBT or multiple interventions.

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news brief

global briefs

Take Your Next Step To

Better Health

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STOP

Placing Band-Aids On Symptoms Tasty Trap

Sea Turtles Attracted to Deadly Ocean Plastic

Loggerhead turtles may think they’re biting into a favorite food when they encounter some synthetics, a study of 15 turtles in the journal Current Biology posits. Ocean plastic is often covered with algae and other marine organisms (biofouled), making it smell delicious to them. At least 1,000 die every year because they swallow plastic or get tangled up in it. Exposed to different odors in the lab, the loggerheads responded to the smell of turtle food, distilled water, clean plastic and biofouled plastic. The team found that the turtles had similar responses to biofouled plastic as to their normal food.

Kayla Goforth, a Ph.D. student in biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who worked on the study, says, “So they have to come up to breathe. And we know that they can detect airborne odors. So when they find that there’s an odor of interest in the air, they’ll spend an increased amount of time at the surface with their nostrils out of the water. And we found that the turtles spent more time with their nostrils out of the water when there was this biofouled plastic odor or a food odor.”

Starchy Solution

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Japanese manufacturer Kuraray has introduced a renewable and sustainable starch-based barrier film called Plantic.

The plant-based packaging material can be recycled or composted to achieve a circular product cycle. Conventional packaging made from multiple layers of plastic can cause recovery issues, and perishable food imposes unique demands on wrapping. Plantic packaging washes away or decomposes after use. It includes compostable coffee pouches, as well as a barrier layer to package meat, seafood and poultry products with continuous protection against oxygen and other gases that spoil food. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all produced food is wasted in the supply chain.

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Emotional Well-Being in the Pandemic Age Self-Care Strategies for Tough Times

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by Sandra Yeyati

s the pandemic ravages our country, we are engulfed by a sea of challenging emotions, including fear, loss, anger, disappointment and grief.

Compounding the suffering, past emotional traumas and pent-up desires are surfacing and crying for attention. One way to navigate these treacherous waters is by first enveloping ourselves in self-compassion.

Next, we can gather the courage to face our fears and experience unpleasant feelings in order to heal them and let them go. Then, we search for and internalize positive emotional states to rewire our brains for positivity. This noble voyage promises immense rewards along the way.

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Charlotte Edition

The Cocoon of Self-Compassion

Some of us chase self-esteem like the Holy Grail, yet it eludes us when we need it most. Faced with a failing grade or cruel insult, our self-worth withers. We can’t understand why we lost it or how to get it back. When we attach our self-worth to achievements or comparisons with other people, self-esteem becomes unstable and unreliable.

Enter self-compassion, the life-changing perspective of showing kindness to ourselves in any and all situations—a supportive best friend that lives within us and can be accessed any time, every day. A pioneer and

AwakeningCharlotte.com

expert in this topic, Kristin Neff believes that self-compassion has three components: a decision to be kind to ourselves, a mindful awareness when we are in pain so that we can seek some relief and a sense of common humanity or connectedness.

We already know how to be compassionate, says Neff, an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and co-author of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. “It’s linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a natural part of our organism. We’re tapping into this way of feeling safe, which is through care, bonding and connectedness.”

Finding Confidence Through Unpleasant Feelings

Nobody likes to feel sad or embarrassed. We’d rather have an ice cream cone or turn on the TV. But for Dr. Joan Rosenberg, a prominent psychologist and speaker, uncomfortable feelings present an invaluable opportunity for people to transform into confident individuals that relate to the world around them with authenticity and resilience.

In her book 90 Seconds to a Life You Love, Rosenberg offers a formula—one choice, eight feelings, 90 seconds—to experience and move through eight of the most common unpleasant feelings: sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration and vulnerability.

prostooleh/AdobeStock.com

Encouraging our friends when they’re feeling down or hugging our moms in the morning is hardwired into us. When we decide to be kind to ourselves, it’s easy to think of what we would say: “I’m sorry you failed that test. You’ll do better next time.

How can I help you?” To lend perspective, add a statement about our common humanity, counsels Neff. “This is hard for everybody. You’re not alone.”

We must be aware of our pain before we can comfort it, and many of us try to suppress or resist pain, choosing to numb it with distractions like alcohol addiction or compulsive shopping. Others may get lost in the storyline of what’s happening and succumb to suffering with no apparent way to obtain relief. Self-pity or self-criticism may creep in.

Mindful awareness is the antidote to these emotional extremes, because it helps us become aware that we are experiencing pain and to stay with that pain long enough to make a conscious decision to take care of ourselves. “One easy thing is physical touch,” says Neff. “The first few years of life you have no words, so the body is programmed to respond to touch as a signal of care. Put your hand on your heart or your stomach, or hold your hand. This changes your physiology, activates your parasympathetic nervous system, helps you calm down and helps you feel physically supported. Sometimes, that’s an entryway for people.”

“The choice is to stay aware of and in touch with as much of your moment-tomoment experience as possible and not get lost in avoidance,” she explains, adding that there are more than 30 behaviors, thoughts and emotions that we employ as distractions, including substance abuse, social media, pornography, exercise, obsessive thoughts about body image, humor and denial.

“Be aware of what you’re aware of,” she advises. “If we know that we don’t like feelings, and we know we’ve been engaged in using ways to distract ourselves, then our challenge is to be more awake and aware of those times we do it, and as soon as we start to do the thing and become aware, that’s when we make the decision to stop and ask, ‘What’s really going on?’”

Discoveries in neuroscience suggest that most of us come to know what we’re feeling emotionally through bodily sensations. We might feel heat in the neck and face when embarrassed or a sinking feeling in the chest when disappointed. As feelings get triggered in the body, a rush of biochemicals in the bloodstream activate these sensations and are flushed out of the bloodstream in roughly 90 seconds.

“Most people have the impression that feelings linger a whole lot longer and that they’re going to be overwhelmed by it and never come out of it if they start. But when they understand that what they’re trying to avoid are uncomfortable bodily sensations that help you know what you’re feeling emotionally, and that these are short-lived, most people will start to lean into them,

and once they do, their life changes,” Rosenberg says.

To move through bodily sensations, which may come in multiple waves, take deep, slow breaths. Try not to tighten up or clench the jaw and swallow. Notice the location and nature of the bodily sensations to help identify which of the eight unpleasant feelings it might be, and be curious as to what might have triggered it. All of this will take a few moments. With practice, identification will become faster, easier and more accurate.

“If I have more time, then I can think about whether this is connected to anything else. Is it just one thing that triggered it, or is it like something else that’s hap-

Making Courage a Habit In her book The Courage Habit, life coach Kate Swoboda presents a four-part method for people to face their fears, release the past and live their most courageous life.

Access the body. Practice any body-centric activity like mindful meditation, exercise or dancing every single day to release stress and anxiety, become centered and more present, and clear the mind.

Listen without attachment. When your self-critic offers a warning or criticism, hear the words, understanding that this is fear trying to protect you and deciding that it’s misguided and not true.

Reframe limiting stories or beliefs.

Amend your internalized self-critic’s messages to be more respectful and supportive. If it says, “You’re stupid to try that,” revise it to, “I’m smart because I’m willing to try.”

Create community. Reach out to likeminded individuals that are supportive of the changes you are trying to make.

September/Early October 2020

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pened before?” Rosenberg says. This level of awareness leads to a calming effect, clearer thinking, improved decision making and, perhaps most importantly, an ability to speak authentically.

“If we don’t handle the eight feelings, we don’t feel capable in the world,” she says. The ability to speak adds to that empowerment. “From asking someone to stop a behavior so that you feel safer to telling someone you love them, asking your boss for a raise or letting people know about yourself and your work to garner opportunities and desired experiences—it cuts across every aspect of our lives and is absolutely crucial to our sense of well-being.”

Rewiring the Brain for Positivity

Discoveries in neuroplasticity have revealed that the brain changes throughout life well into adulthood. It’s designed to learn not just ideas and information, but skills, attitudes, feelings and moods. Rick Hanson, a clinical psychologist and author of several books, including Hardwiring Happiness and Resilient, contends that we can develop greater happiness, just like we can develop greater depression.

“There’s a lot of research that shows that through deliberate little practices spread out through the day or sometimes more formal practices like psychotherapy or meditation, we can actually produce physical changes in the brain that are now measurable with things like MRIs,” he remarks.

Hardwiring happiness is easy, pleasurable and doesn’t take a lot of time. “If you take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves,” says Hanson. “Little steps gradually move us forward a breath at a time, a minute at a time, a synapse at a time. Bit by bit, we grow the good inside while gradually releasing the bad.”

“Our power to positively influence who we are in small, genuine ways every day is really important to compensate for the brain’s negativity bias, which makes it like Velcro for bad experiences, but Teflon for good ones,” he says. “We evolved a negativity bias over the 600-million-year evolution of the nervous system.

Learning from negative experiences and mistakes was a critical survival skill, so we have a brain that is designed to scan for bad news, overreact to it and fast-track it into memory. It’s not our fault, but it is our responsibility to deal with it by first, feeling the negative without reinforcing it and second, focusing on the positive and taking it in. Gradually, you can give yourself a brain that’s like Velcro for the good and Teflon for the bad.”

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

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Charlotte Edition

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Simple Self-Care Strategies for Trying Times

by Margaret Wyche Breathe, breathe, breathe. Breathe down in your belly, making sure to take at least four deep breaths every hour. Shallow breathing often signals anxiety, indicating that we’re in our head, listening to our “gremlin,” who projects only worst-case scenarios that rarely or ever happen. So be sure to keep your head and feet in the same day. Stay in the present moment.

Keep yourself grounded. Walk in the grass barefoot, wiggle your toes in the earth, take a stroll and notice nature. Use a weighted blanket. Do something fun and/or creative. Laugh— we all need some comic relief every day. And remember to breathe.

Practice gratitude. Find five things every day to be grateful for, including something related to the pandemic. Gratitude changes the brain in a positive way. Get out of yourself and do something for someone else, no matter how big or small the action.

Practice one day at a time. Make use of the Serenity Prayer— accept what you cannot change (the pandemic) and change what you can (yourself and your mindset). Live one day at a time, one hour at a time or one minute at a time—whatever it takes to help you feel more grounded and less overwhelmed.

When you do feel overwhelmed, take a step back. This is an overwhelming time for many of us. Breathe, take a short break and choose your priority for the moment. When that’s done, move on to the next one. And again, remember to breathe. We can only do one thing at a time. This is where accepting our humanness is of the utmost importance.

Reach out for help and support. Make sure to connect with a friend or loved one every day. Although we are often physically distanced, we can stay in touch virtually, by phone, by text and even snail mail. There’s no shame in asking for help and support; that’s part of our humanness.

Practice compassion for yourself and others. Accept the fact that we’re all human. It costs nothing to be kind to yourself and others. This is uncharted water for everyone.

Margaret Wyche, a licensed professional counselor, is the founder of and a practitioner at Elemental Healing, Charlotte’s largest wellness collaborative, located at 5200 Park Road. For more information, visit ElementalHealingCharlotte.com. To connect with her directly, email MWyche@ ElementalHealingCharlotte.com.

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Vinegars are one of Bellebuono’s go-to methods to incorporate herbs into a diet, infusing fresh or dried herbs into red wine or apple cider vinegar for salad dressings and other uses. “Vinegar is great at extracting minerals from herbs and making them more bioavailable,” she says.

Drying herbs does not diminish their medicinal properties, but rather concentrates their essence, as it removes excess water, according to Bellebuono.

“Dried and powdered herbs are a great way to preserve the garden harvest and add herbs into everyday dishes. You can throw a teaspoon of turmeric, a wonderful anti-inflammatory herb, in spaghetti sauce or oatmeal, and you won’t even notice it,” she says.

conscious eating

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Best Herbal Buddies

SPICE UP HEALTH Using Herbs for Flavor and Medicine

by April Thompson

H

erbs add lush flavor to all kinds of dishes, and they are culinary friends that bring the benefits of helping to restore and maintain health. “Food is medicine, and herbs bring out the medicinal properties of food,” says Kami McBride, of Sebastopol, California, author of The Herbal Kitchen: Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family with 50 Easy-to-Find Common Herbs and Over 250 Recipes. “The spice rack is a relic from another time when we knew how to use herbs and spices to optimize health and to digest our food.”

To get a medicinal dose of an herb, consider making teas, vinegar extracts or pestos, says Brittany Wood Nickerson, the Conway, Massachusetts, author of The Herbalist’s Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing Food for Lifelong Health and Well-Being. “Parsley, for example, is a nutrient- and vitamin-rich herb. If you garnish with parsley, you won’t get a significant amount of vitamin C, as you would if you make a pesto from it.”

Salads can also pack a healthy dose of herbs into a meal, says Martha’s Vineyard resident Holly Bellebuono, an herbalist and author of The Healing Kitchen: Cooking with Nourishing Herbs for Health, Wellness, and Vitality. “So many herbs, including violets, mints and red clover, can just be tossed fresh into a salad, offering both fiber and minerals.”

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While Mediterranean herbs like oregano and basil are often at the front of the spice rack, Nickerson also suggests lesser-used herbs such as sour sumac, anise-accented tarragon and versatile, yet often discarded orange peels, which can be added to soups along with fennel seed and bay leaves for a complex flavor. Thyme is another of Nickerson’s favorites, a hearty herb for fall dishes that’s also a powerful antifungal and aids with digestion, lung health and detoxification.

While some may think of parsley as a garnish, “It offers incredible freshness and livens up almost anything,” says Nickerson. “I use it as a vegetable and make a salad of its leaves or add handfuls of it into a quiche. Parsley is loaded with vitamins and minerals, and has detoxification properties.” Adding it near the end of cooking maintains its vibrant flavor and color, she notes.

McBride loves versatile herbs like mint and coriander that can be used in sweet and savory dishes with antimicrobial properties that help fight colds and flu. She also keeps salt shakers on the table filled with spices like cardamom, an antibacterial, anti-spasmotic and expectorant, to sprinkle onto beverages and dishes. Bellebuono also recommends infusing honey with herbs such as sage or oregano that support the immune system.

Herbal-Aided Digestion

All herbs, whether leafy, green culinary herbs or spices like coriander and clove, are carminative, meaning they help digest food, McBride says. “Digestion can use up to 40 percent of your day’s energy, which is why you often get a nap attack after a big meal. Every meal needs a carminative, even if it’s just black pepper, which is one of the problems with most fast food.”

Pungent and bitter herbs, in particular, support digestion and absorption of nutrients and make them more bioavailable, says Nickerson: “Activating the taste buds dedicated to sensing bitter stimulates the digestive system.” A salad of bitter greens, for example, can help prepare digestion of a heavier meal to come, whereas a postmeal aperitif can help with digesting the food afterward.

“It absolutely adds up when you add small doses of herbs to your meals every day,” McBride advises. “Many Americans suffer from gastrointestinal inflammation from modern diets and lifestyles, and herbs can help reverse that. Your gut gets a little healing every day.”

April Thompson is a Washington, D.C., freelance writer. Connect at AprilWrites.com.

Some Herbal-Aided Delights Leave the sections whole or cut them into bite-size pieces.

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they are lightly browned, have puffed up and begin to pop—4 to 7 minutes.

Combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, shallot, tarragon and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Stir in any grapefruit juice that may have puddled on the cutting board while sectioning the fruit.

Pour the dressing over the spinach. If any dressing is left over, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Toss the spinach well, then add the grapefruit and pumpkin seeds and toss gently again to combine.

Spinach & Grapefruit Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe and photo from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

The floral notes of tarragon in the dressing and the juicy, sour grapefruit invigorate the senses and wake up the digestive processes.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings 8 oz spinach (about 4 packed cups) 1 large or 2 medium-size grapefruits ½ cup pumpkin seeds Dressing ½ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp finely minced shallot 1 tsp finely chopped tarragon Pinch of salt Tear the spinach into bite-size pieces, if necessary, and place in a large bowl.

bonniekittle/Unsplash.com

Cut the top and bottom off the grapefruit so that the flesh of the fruit is exposed so it sits flat on a cutting board. Cut the peel and pith from the fruit using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

Set the grapefruit on one of its flat ends on a cutting board. The sections of the fruit will face up. Cut out the sections, slicing from the outside toward the center of the fruit, just inside the membranes.

Mint and Feta Bruschetta with Chive Blossoms Yields: 4 servings as an appetizer ½ cup fresh chive blossoms (can be substituted with other edible flowers or left out) 1 French baguette ½ lb feta cheese, crumbled, or a vegan alternative 1 cup chopped fresh mint ½ cup minced chives (can be substituted with scallions) 2-4 Tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper September/Early October 2020

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Preheat the oven to 325° F. While the oven is heating, pull apart the chive blossoms, removing the central stem and plucking the tiny purple florets.

Set the baguette in the hot oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are crispy, but not browned.

Mix well.

Meanwhile, combine the feta in a bowl with the mint, minced chives and chive florets. Add enough of the oil to moisten then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the baguette from the oven and slice along the diagonal. Arrange on a platter with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bruschetta mixture on each slice. Drizzle with a little more oil and serve.

Note: For the bread to be crisp throughout rather than soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, slice it on the diagonal to start with, brush each piece with olive oil and bake on a baking sheet at 325° F for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy.

Recipe and photos from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

Cilantro Pesto Yields: about ½ cup 2 Tbsp (heaping) walnuts 2 cups packed cilantro leaves and stems (one large bunch) 2 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper Soak the walnuts overnight in enough water to cover them. (This makes them easier to digest and helps remove some of the bitterness in the skin.)

Drain and rinse the walnuts. Combine them with the cilantro, garlic, oil and salt to taste, and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. The pesto will keep for 5 to 7 days in the fridge or for 6 months or more in the freezer.

Recipe and photo from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

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

16

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

community spotlight

Dr. Jones: [I’m] deeply saddened, and protests are a reaction to a system of racial disparity, injustice and racism. The root causes are the same; the faces have changed and are younger.

NA: What gives you the greatest hope in these tumultuous times?

Dr. Jones: I believe in the principles of our American system—if [they’re] equitably practiced, this can be a land of the free and home for all. I believe in the Christian Church and the teachings of the Holy Bible.

Charlotte Has Been Impacted at All Levels Dr. Clifford Jones talks about hurt, history and hope in a time of crisis

S

ince 1982, Dr. Clifford A. Jones Sr. has been the senior minister of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, a predominantly African American church in Charlotte that is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. Jones earned a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Boston School of Theology. Recently Natural Awakenings caught up with him to get his take on recent events.

NA: We know COVID-19 has disproportionately affected African Americans in Charlotte. How has the congregation of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church been impacted? What do you see as the impact on Charlotte as a whole?

Dr. Jones: FMBC has not been able to gather for worship or have our support youth summer school. All the things we normally do as it relates to facilities usage have been postponed. Charlotte has been impacted on all levels: health care, school system, economically, socially, literally all levels.

NA: Late May also brought protests to cities around the world, including Charlotte, as a result of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. What are your observations of the local protests? You’ve witnessed similar events for years—what’s similar and what’s different with the current situation?

NA: You are a contributor to the book Consuming Passion: Christianity and the Consumer Culture.

What is the main tenet of this book, and do you see any particular parallels with recent events?

Dr. Jones: The main focus is the possible impact of believers who would move systemically and faithfully to use resources to address the economic disparities in our world.

NA: Your website says you are especially proud of the Nelson Mandela Award you received at the National Baptist Convention, USA in 2013. Why? Dr. Jones: That is the highest honor given by the NBC/USA Inc. in recognition of mission outreach globally. It is more of a testimony to FMBC’s commitment to a ministry to the least of these, than it is to anything I have done.

NA: I realize it isn’t really possible to nail down dates, but do you have any plans at this time to celebrate your 130th anniversary? A virtual celebration? Something in a future year?

Dr. Jones: Absolutely! Due to COVID-19 and in the interest of the safety and well-being of everyone, the anniversary celebration as originally proposed will not occur. We recognize the impact that the pandemic has had on families and have shifted our focus for this year’s celebration to solely mission.

The key emphasis will be on significantly increasing support of our annual mission initiatives held in December for children: Angel Tree and the Spirit of Christmas. The Angel Tree initiative is designed for children of incarcerated parents, and the Spirit of Christmas is designed specifically for children who meet the definition of homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act.

We are reevaluating opportunities at later dates where members and friends can fully engage to increase our impact and exposure, as we continue “growing in our faith, relationships and communities.”

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church is located at 3400 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte. For more information or to attend Sunday worship live at 8 or 10 a.m. (currently virtual), visit FriendshipCharlotte.org. FMBC is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. To connect with Dr. Jones, email PastorJones@FriendshipCharlotte.org.

September/Early October 2020

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Krakenimages.com/AdobeStock.com

fit body

Yoga for Every Body Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Immobility

by Marlaina Donato

T

aming chronic pain, restoring energy reserves, improving heart health and relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety are only a few of the science-backed perks of spending

18

Charlotte Edition

time on a yoga mat. However, misconceptions about this ancient practice can make yoga seem intimidating for individuals that could benefit the most from it.

AwakeningCharlotte.com

Adaptive yoga, designed for people challenged by injury, chronic pain, autoimmune disease or debilitating conditions like multiple sclerosis, can foster perhaps unexpected gains through the use of props, chairs, wall space and even countertops. From wheelchair-bound veterans to seniors with compromised balance, adaptive yoga offers new horizons for achieving well-being.

Yoga’s gentle influence goes beyond physical benefits. A 2017 British study published in the Journal of Pain Research found people with spinal cord injuries that took sitting yoga classes twice a week for six weeks were less depressed, more selfcompassionate and more mindfully in the moment than those in a control group.

Empowerment, Not Perfection “Yoga is for any body, no matter the size, shape or color. It’s not about designer clothing, athletic ability, talents or perfection in the pose. Adaptive yoga is a movement to change this misconception and mitigate the anxiety to try yoga,” says Mindy Eisenberg, a Detroit-area certified yoga therapist and author of Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body: Created for Individuals with MS and Neuromuscular Condition and the accompanying Adaptive Yoga Cards. For Eisenberg, the focus is about the internal experience, healing and most of all, “the sense of joy that comes from a regular practice.”

Ora Ramat, owner of the Wagging Tail Yoga Studio, in Bethel, New York, witnesses remarkable, everyday mastery in her students through adapted poses. “Many of my students are 40 to 95 years young, and the range of modification I do with them is endless,” says Ramat, who underscores the importance of listening to the body. “I learned the hard way 17 years ago when I first became a teacher. I am gentle with myself if I am unable to do a pose and embrace the modification. I go deeper in my poses now than when I was younger.”

practitioner spotlight

Freedom Through Support “Our students have a wide range of health conditions including spina bifida, arthritis, MS, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, paraplegia, epiphyseal dysplasia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, chronic back pain and more,” says Miranda McCarthy, CEO of Wavelength VR (WavelengthVR.com), a healthcare company that produces a library of sciencesupported content for pain management without medication.

The London-based creator of Adaptive Yoga LIVE, which offers seated online classes, knows firsthand how yoga can change lives.

“Until I found adaptive yoga, I felt like I was constantly at war with my body,” she says. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 2 and the youngest recipient of bilateral hip replacement surgery in the U.S., McCarthy thought she knew her body inside and out. After 40 surgeries and decades of rehabilitation and medication, she went through a radical shift in perspective. “When I discovered adaptive yoga, I soon realized my relationship with my body had only just begun.”

Eisenberg highlights the internal process that adaptive yoga can catalyze: “The energy and sensation that yoga students feel on the inside is much more important than what the pose looks like on the outside.” Items such as chairs, blocks, straps, blankets and bolsters are used to make traditional postures more accessible to those with physical challenges and to ensure safety. “Using props is not a sign of weakness or inferiority. We even use ambulatory devices such as a cane as a prop. Those who require assistive devices cease to see them as a hindrance.

In fact, they become an accessory,” says Eisenberg.

For McCarthy, the biggest takeaway is simple, yet profound self-acceptance. “I no longer judge myself or compare myself to able-bodied people. I gained a newfound love for my body and a love for myself.”

Eisenberg affirms, “It’s exciting to realize that our bodies are so much more capable than we thought, and we learn that we are not defined by our individual disease or limitations. As my teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn says, ‘As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than wrong.’”

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

Medical Therapeutic Yoga at Roper Physical Therapy

C

hristine Roper, MSPY, PYT, is the founder of Roper Physical Therapy, which offers in-person and virtual medical therapeutic yoga (MTY), an adaptive form of yoga and integrative medicine delivered by experienced, licensed medical professionals. Ginger Garner, MPT, ATC, PYT, developed MTY after years of successfully treating patients with acute and chronic pain that fared better when she used yoga as a primary means for delivering rehabilitation.

MTY utilizes a holistic, biopsychosocial model of care, prescribing yoga in a safe and effective manner. It combines the expertise of a physical therapist with the traditional components of yoga, making it safe for all ages and medical diagnoses.

MTY offers a new model for wellness and rehabilitation that helps clients maintain health in a simpler and more holistic way.

MTY classes at Roper Physical Therapy are taught by a professional Yoga Therapy Institute-trained physical therapist that takes into account specific conditions and can adjust and adapt a program to meet the individual needs of the seasoned or novice yogi.

Roper says, “We lay the foundation for core stability by focusing on breath work and yoga postures that are suited for your body and condition. As physical therapists, we are focused on the best biomechanics to keep you safe and healthy. MTY classes are beneficial for a wide range of medical diagnoses, all ages, and all experience levels. Our classes are offered in a virtual format with three students allowed in the studio to make it a safe and customized experience.”

Roper Physical Therapy is located at 301 E. Tremont Ave., Ste. B, in Charlotte. For appointments and more information, call 980298-6706 or visit RoperPT.com.

September/Early October 2020

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Find additional articles online at AwakeningCharlotte.com. Go to the homepage and explore local businesses, recipes, and articles exclusively from Natural Awakenings. This Month's Guest Blog: Dr. Amber Pederson on Finding Joy by Changing Your Thought Patterns

Emotional Well-Being

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Friendship Missionary Baptist Church's Dr. Clifford A. Jones

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Music Calms the Animal Soul

HAPPINESS HELPERS

Five Ways to Be More Positive

therapy spotlight

New {LOVE} CELL-20 Program for Schools, Communities

creation with friends, she received a call from McMahan and they arrived at {LOVE}CELL-20, #myLOVEcell.

“I had just gotten home from my three-week honeymoon in Bali, when Britoni shared her sketch with me,” says McMahan, a realtor and psychology student. Recognizing how important upholding love was with so many people she encountered during her trip, “I thought this {LOVE}CELL is something [everyone] needs to help feel more connected to each other.”

“I feel overjoyed to have partnered with my bestie, as we embark on a new journey together, with a heart-centered intention, to share and spread love,” adds Burdett.

The duo developed an early childhood educational program and have contacted teachers, administrators, counselors and therapists throughout the country. {LOVE}CELL-20 embodies a fun yet educational and therapeutic way to connect with families, local and distant communities, students and therapy patients in a creative and unique format. By sharing one’s beautifully colored, healthy {LOVE}CELL, it’s people’s way to connect with love, a smile and inspire joy from one’s heart to the world, while social distancing keeps us apart.

People can download for free the #myLOVEcell template at TheLOVECell.com, bring their own {LOVE}CELL to life with color and then dedicate and share it.

“As a child survivor in losing my father to mental illness, I also felt the toll this ‘stay-at- home’ time could take on everyone’s mental health,” says McMahan. “Humans need love, to feel loved, to give love and to exercise using that part of the brain that sparks creativity to counteract depression. Putting this into the hands of teachers and counselors to share with children, young adults and their families became my focus and our first initiative.”

The {LOVE}CELL is currently being conducted at an evergrowing number of schools in eight-plus states with lesson plans

I

n response to the COVID-19 pandemic, artist Britoni Burdett recently designed a “new and improved, love-infused virus,” known as {LOVE}CELL-20. In April, she and her best friend Brooke McMahan co-founded and launched it, a dedicated space online to unite the world, one {LOVE}CELL at a time.

“Together, let’s spread positivity, love and help brighten the days for healthcare workers, seniors, patients and people within our communities, while also giving children, young adults, adults and seniors the opportunity to create with a sense of connection to the world in a positive way,” states Burdett, an artist, Reiki Master, founder and spirit keeper of the{LOVE}CELL.

When Burdett, living in Denver, North Carolina, was first introduced to the image of the coronavirus, she immediately envisioned hearts at the end of each cell’s tentacle. During a restless night’s sleep in March, she sketched her vision while holding an intention to send love out to the world. After several weeks of brainstorming for a proper name for it including sharing her September/Early October 2020

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gaston county natural guide Connecting Gaston County to leaders in natural health, wellness and green living. To find out how you can be included in the Gaston County Natural Guide, email Ads@AwakeningCharlotte.com.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE HEALING PLATFORM

Amber Pederson, DC, CFMP 29 E Woodrow Ave, Belmont 704-755-4088 • HealingPlatform.com Info@HealingPlatform.com We empower people to take control of their health by educating and providing tools that enable clients to implement simple nutrition and lifestyle strategies. In person and virtual visits.

highlighting such topics as what love means to healthy cells, mental health, science, math, writing, art and the art of giving.

Spreading awareness of the mental illness crisis is a shared goal for Burdett, a severe traumatic brain injury survivor. The program “will help people of all ages move through their fears in a different way.”

The {LOVE}CELL is a controlled activity that helps provide mental stability and helps show us, individually, that we have and can be in control of our own health: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually,” adds McMahan.

Future enhancements are expected, including possible partnerships with mural artists in the U.S. and other countries to paint the {LOVE}CELL, as the duo seeks to make an impact wordwide and inspire others to live a heart-centered life based on love, not fear.

“It fills my heart with joy to imagine that anytime someone experiences a {LOVE} CELL, it becomes a keepsake, a gift and a little reminder that all the love we need is within each of us,” concludes Burdett.

ORGANIC MARKET & SUPPLEMENTS ORGANIC MARKETPLACE 1012 S New Hope Rd, Gastonia 704-864-0605 OrganicMarketplaceNC.com

9am -7pm M/F, 9am-6pm Sat. Reliable community partner, local source for education, organic foods, personal care, products, supplements, aromatherapy, organic wine/beer and pet products. See ad, page 8.

Along with the website, for more information, including for teachers, parents or counselors interested in bringing the program into a school, email SpiritKeeper@ TheLOVECell.com. Also visit them on Facebook and Instagram. Color and dedicate template, page 21.

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Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

SPA HC WELLNESS CENTER & SPA 1308 E. Garrison Blvd, Gastonia 704-823-1577 HCWellnessCenterAndSpa.com

Offering traditional and alternative therapies seven days a week to help you achieve optimal health, wellness and balance. Colon hydrotherapy, massage, far-infrared sauna therapy, energizing foot spa and yoni or v-steam.

WEIGHT LOSS CAROLINAS WEIGHT LOSS INSTITUTE Lidia Adkins, CFMP, DC, PKT 216 S. New Hope Rd, Gastonia 704-271-9757 • CWLI.net

Developer of the “40 Day Transformation” system, a physician designed and administered functional approach with programming tailored to the unique metabolism needs of each individual, to provide safe and sustained weight loss. Call for a free consultation.

To place a listing call 704-499-3327 or email Ads@AwakeningCharlotte.com

Visit AWAKENINGCHARLOTTE.COM for 2020 Event Calendar

community resource guide

DIRECT PRIMARY CARE

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@AwakeningCharlotte.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE EMPOWER LIFE CENTER

Camilo Sanchez, L. Ac, MAOM 704-542-8088 EmpowerLifeCenter.com 28 years of experience in acupuncture, Chinese medicine and integrated health. Specializing in identifying and correcting the root cause of your health concerns.

P ain c onditions, digestive disorders, stress, women’s health and chronic disorders. Classes in authentic Qigong, Tai Chi and Taoist yoga.

BIOFIELD TUNING ENERGETIC APOTHECARY

Reiki for Wellness 325 Matthews Mint Hill Rd, Ste 106 704-907-3380 • EnergeticApothecary.com C e r t i f i e d B i o f i e l d Tu n i n g Practitioner using physics-based sound healing technique to help resolve pain, anxiety, depression, grief, overthinking-busy mind, adrenal fatigue PANDAS/PANS, and more. Also offering reiki, medical reiki, and resonance biofeedback/PEMF.

BUSINESS SERVICES Maitri Meyer, Owner 704-296-3435 ActuallyDONE.com

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HAAS WELLNESS CENTER 3315 Springbank Ln, Ste 102 704-837-2420 HaasWellnessCenters.com

Specializing in chronic and difficult cases and holistic and wellness care. We identify and treat the root cause of your health issues. Call today for a free 15-minute consultation. See ad, page 4.

COLONICS HC WELLNESS CENTER & SPA 1308 E Garrison Blvd, Gastonia 704-823-1577 HCWellnessCenterAndSpa.com

Our principle service is Colon Hydrotherapy, but we also offer a wide variety of other services. We o ff e r b o t h t r a d i t i o n a l a n d alternative therapies to assist clients in achieving optimal health, wellness and balance.

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY STANLEY SPECIALTY PHARMACY 3120 Latrobe Dr, Ste 200 704-370-6612 StanleyRx.com

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AB OUT

CONTACT

Charlotte’s CBD experts.

CBD consultations available with a licensed Pharmacist ($50 per ½ hour). Consultation fee applied to any CBD purchase. Professional grade CBD products available in store and online. See ad, page 18.

Charlotte’s most experienced & trusted compounding p h a r m a c y. S k i l l e d pharmacist can prepare custom medications to meet needs of the individual patient. Specializing in women’s & men’s health as well as veterinary medications. See ad, page 18.

DENTISTRY KEMPTER HOLISTIC DENTISTRY

3111 Springbank Ln, Ste F1 1000 Copperfield Blvd, Ste 160, Concord 704-782-0797 KempterDentistry.com Biologically minded family dental office offering 3D digital dentistry, preventative dentistry, safe mercury removal and sleep apnea screenings. In a relaxed and caring environment, all patients are given devoted time. Call the office today to request a new patient consultation. See ad, back cover.

BLUE SKIES FAMILY MEDICINE Katherine Weeks, MD, FAAFP 363 Williamson Rd, Ste 103, Mooresville • 704-663-7819 BlueSkiesFamilyMedicine.com

Monthly fee model supports timely/higher quality appointments at lower overall costs as well as transparency and clear expectations. Ideal for small businesses and individuals with co-op or catastrophic plan coverage. Call for meet-thedoctor appointment.

ECO-FRIENDLY LIVING SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN Claudia Josephine Design 860-796-3415 ClaudiaJosephineDesign.com

Proving that sustainable, ecofriendly design can still be stylish, Claudia creates classic, functional and beautiful interiors. Certified Green Accredited Professional.

Maria Killam True Colour Expert.

EDUCATION CERTIFIED MEDIUM TRAINING

400 N Harbor Place Dr, Ste C, Davidson 704-896-3111 KentCookInstitute.com Fast Track exclusive, unprecedented certification in mediumship. Starting September 2019, this oneyear program will give you full accreditation as a Certified Medium. See ad, page 2.

HOMEOPATHY CAROLINAS NATURAL HEALTH CENTER

Dr Michael Smith 1114 Sam Newell Rd, Ste A 704-708-4404 • CarolinasNaturalHealth.com C h a r l o t t e ’s o n l y d o c t o r specializing in homeopathy – a power system of natural medicine that stimulates your body’s natural ability to heal, without side effects. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavioral issues, eczema, auto-immune disease, hormonal imbalance, and much more. See ad, page 9.

September/Early October 2020

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NATURAL DOCTOR

HYPNOSIS

DARRYL ROBERTS, ND

FOCUS ON PAST LIVES Heidi E. Kent, C.Ht. Marsha G. Cook, C.Ht. 704-896-3111

Change your belief systems and transcend your circumstances.

Spiritual support for all people; focus on past lives, Akashic records, spiritual healing.

Relief is an appointment away. Specializing in smoking cessation, weight loss and releasing fear.

See ad, page 2.

INTEGRATIVE HEALER KATIE SUTTON

Haas Wellness Center 3315 Springbank Ln, Ste 102 704-837-2420 • DoctorDarrylND.com DrDarryl@HaasWellnessCenters.com Heal. Recover. Thrive. Modern wellness for a modern world.

Specializing in emotional and digestive disorders with children and adults using non-toxic treatments. Call today for a free consultation.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN CAROLINAS NATURAL HEALTH CENTER

Dr Michael Smith 1114 Sam Newell Rd, Ste A 704-708-4404 • CarolinasNaturalHealth.com

Intuitive Channel, Guided Meditation Coach 828-246-3335 ZenWithinAcademy.com

Diabetes, Depression, Digestive Disorders, ​A llergies, Autoimmune disease, A ​ nxiety,​ ​ ADHD. C h a r l o t t e ’s o n l y d o c t o r specializing in homeopathy. We focus on treating YOU to uncover the cause of your health condition and empower you to better health!​ See ad, page 9.

Katie synthesizes a unique blend of healing modalities with selfactivation techniques–from sound & vibrational therapy, to intuitive channeling, to guided meditation– in order to deliver healings tailored to each person's needs.

INTEGRATIVE PEDIATRICIAN

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROPER PHYSICAL THERAPY

INFINITE HEALTH, PLLC

Sheila Kilbane, MD 2201 Park Rd, Ste B 704-626-6771 • SheilaKilbane.com Dr. Kilbane is a board-certified integrative pediatrician who specializes in finding the root cause of illness including reflux, eczema, allergies, recurrent ear and sinus infections, asthma, constipation, abdominal pain and more.

Myofascial Release & Medical Therapeutic Yoga 301 E. Tremont Ave, Ste B RoperPT.com 980-298-6706 Our mission is to increase function, restore motion and improve strength and stamina through myofascial release.

Roper PT is privately owned with highly skilled manual therapists who offer patient– centered care.

LYMPHATIC CLEANSE JENNIFER DILLON, DC, CCN 421-B S. Sharon Amity Rd 704-333-9991 DillonNaturalHealth.com

PSYCHICS AND SENIOR TEACHERS

The Light Beam Generator is a non-invasive oxygen based detoxification system helping to restore function and assist the lymphatic system. When this circulatory system is congested, the whole system becomes toxic causing chronic inflammation as well as many other issues. See ad, page 5.

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Charlotte Edition

PSYCHIC 400 N Harbor Place Dr, Ste C, Davidson 704-896-3111 KentCookInstitute.com

AwakeningCharlotte.com

First Saturday each month from 1-4pm. Professional Certified Tarot, Numerology, Palmistry, Medicine Cards, Spiritual Readings.

Fees begin at $60. Call today for an appointment. See ad, page 2.

SPIRITUAL PSYCHIC MEDIUM

Heidi E Kent, M.A. CM, C.Ht. 423-300-8618 • HeidisReadings.com Heidi E. Kent, co-director of The Kent-Cook Institute, is a certified psychic medium, master palmist, spiritual communicator, numerologist, relationship counselor, metaphysical teacher and certified hypnotherapist. Heidi guides you to the place of “what to do, what to do, what to do!” See ad, page 2.

SPIRITUAL CENTERS CAROLINA CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

Rev. Christy Snow, Founder & Spiritual Director AwakeningCarolina.org 980-292-1062 Looking for a spiritual home?

Join us for live positive music, meditation, and a message to awaken your Divine Potential.

We welcome all people and all paths. Youth church, weekly classes and events. See ad, page 6.

HEARTLIGHT SPIRITUAL CENTER Rev. David Hulse, Spiritual Leader 7300 Mallard Creek Rd 704-599-1180 HeartLightCharlotte.org

We are a Spirit-Guided, HeartCentered, Christ-Conscious, Loving Family providing an empowering, universal, Christ-centered message grounded in the teachings of metaphysics. Sunday Service 11:15 am. Email Shine@HeartLightCharlotte.org.

See ad, page 6.

UNITY OF CHARLOTTE

Marty Bacher, Spiritual Leader UnityofCharlotte.org 704-523-0062 Unity features a vibrant, joyous Sunday Celebration Service at 10:30am with terrific music, inspiring messages and a warm, welcoming spiritual community. Offering classes and workshops throughout the week with activities that support your health, wellness and spiritual journey.

SPIRITUAL COACH REV. CHRISTY SNOW

Charlotte & Lake Norman ChristySnow.com 704-516-7113 Christy@ChristySnow.com Sessions are customized for each individual or couple. Christy’s approach is rooted in her metaphysical education and experience. “There’s a spiritual solution to every problem.” Wayne Dyer.

See ad, page 6.

SUSTAINABILITY SUSTAIN CHARLOTTE SustainCharlotte.org

A nonprofit organization working to inspire choices that lead to healthy, equitable and vibrant communities across the Charlotte metro region for generations to come.

Become a member today.

THERMOGRAPHY JENNIFER DILLON, DC, CCN 421-B S Sharon Amity Rd 704-333-9991 DillonNaturalHealth.com

Non-invasive way to visualize the health of a tissue. Identify inflammation anywhere in the body. Detect issues early to allow time to make a change before diagnosis occurs. See ad, page 5.

VETERINARIAN ATRIUM ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Kim Hombs, DVM, CVA, CVCH, CTui-Na 6520 McMahon Dr 704-542-2000 AtriumAnimalHospital.com Comprehensive holistic/ integrative animal medicine practice in the Charlotte region.

Alternative vaccine approaches, double certified acupuncturist and herbalist, cold and class 4 laser, TCM food therapy, Tuina, animal rehabilitation with underwater treadmill.

See ad, page 13.

OCTOBER

Stress Management plus: Joint Health

Readers are Seeking These Providers & Services:

Energy Healing • Life Coaches Spiritual Practices • Advocacy/Peer Groups Relationship Counseling • Physical Therapy ... and this is just a partial list!

WEIGHT LOSS CAROLINAS WEIGHT LOSS INSTITUTE Gastonia • 704-271-9757 Matthews/Ballantyne • 704-243-8560 CWLI.net

Developer of the "40 Day Transformation" system, a physician designed and administered functional approach with programming tailored to the unique metabolism needs of each individual, to provide safe and sustained weight loss. Call for a free consultation.

YOGA THERAPY ROPER PHYSICAL THERAPY 301 E Tremont Ave, Ste B RoperPT.com 980-298-6706

Physical therapists trained and certified in Professional Yoga Therapy qualifying them to Natural Awakenings Awakenings Natural with acute or appreciates teach the clients generosity appreciates the generosity chronic pain and beginner or seasoned yogis with injuries of its its distributors distributors of who desire a safe and effective yoga practice.

throughout the the area. area. throughout Please consider consider supporting supporting Please Natural Awakenings these major major distributors distributors by by these Natural Awakenings reciates the generosity appreciates the shopping there and picking shopping there and picking generosity of its distributors up the the magazine magazine each each month month up of its distributors hroughout the area. from one of of the the racks. racks. from one throughout the area.

Thank you! you!of its ase consider supporting Natural Awakenings the Thank generosity Pleaseappreciates consider supporting se major distributors by throughout distributors thedistributors area. these major by pping there and picking shopping there and picking he magazine each month Please consider supporting these major distributors up the magazine each month rom one of thebyracks. shopping there andone picking upracks. the magazine from of the Thank you! each month from one of the racks.

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THE DIABETES CHALLENGE ISSUE

NOVEMBER

Personalized Diabetes Strategies plus: Skin Care

DECEMBER

Creating Community & Connection plus: Spending Locally

CONNECT WITH OUR READERS THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR & MARKETING PLANNER

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704-499-3327 September/Early October 2020

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Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

NAPUB110

September/Early October 2020

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Are You Looking For A HEALTHY NATURAL Smile?

We Care for More

than Just Your Teeth…

• 3D Digital Dentistry • Preventative Dentistry • Mercury Safe Removal • Biocompatible Implants • Ozone Therapy • PRF - (Platlet Rich Fibrin) • Tongue & Lip Tie Release

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Failing Amalgams (silver fillings) are removed using safe, accredited, protective protocols.

All of our crowns, bridges, and veneers are made in-house with CAD/CAM computer milled technology.

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3111 Springbank Lane, Ste F1 Charlotte, NC

As true Biological/Holistic Dentists, Drs. John Kempter and Eric Kempter combine modern technology & safe protection protocols with advanced knowledge of biological dentistry.

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Kempter Holistic Dentistry • KempterDentistry.com 28