Natural Awakenings Charlotte - January 2021 Issue

E E HEALTHY LIVING FR

SPECIAL EDITION

HEALTH &WELLNESS IT TAKES A VILLAGE

MORE LOCAL SHELTER PETS ARE SAFE

HEALTHY

PLANET

LOSE WEIGHT

AND GAIN HEALTH IN 2021 TIPS FOR MANAGING

ECO-ANXIETY

INTEGRATIVE

HOSPITAL CARE

January/Early February 2021 | Charlotte Edition | AwakeningCharlotte.com

NEW YEAR, NEW LABEL, NEW YOU!

Take Your Next Step To

Better Health STOP

We have re-branded our private label, look for the tye-dye throughout the shelves for the highest quality supplements!

Placing Band-Aids On Symptoms

START

Treating The Underlying Cause

I-85

I-85 HWY 74

EAST GARRISON

ROBINWOOD

S NEW HOPE

Digestion Disorders Autoimmune Diseases • Diabetes Anxiety/Depression • Women’s Health Wellness and Prevention

ARMSTRONG PARK DR

★

ORGANIC MARKETPLACE

1012 S. New Hope Rd. Gastonia, NC 28054

704.864.0605 www.organicmarketplacenc.com

Direct Primary Care Affordable convenient care that goes beyond an office visit to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Wellness Programs

Obtain overall wellness with our unique and customized 3 and 6 month packages that get to the root cause of disease.

Dr. Michael Smith and Team Naturopathic Physician

Medical Spa All natural products and specialty spa treatments to support your wellness journey while relaxing your body, mind and spirit.

Register For Our Upcoming Seminar

704-708-4404

1114 Sam Newell Road, Suite A Matthews, NC 28105

CarolinasNaturalHealth.com

Empowering People to Better Health Since 2005

Virtual Appointments Available 2

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

Cammy Benton, MD

Dr. Benton has a deep understanding of mainstream medicine and the value of a holistic functional approach.

BentonIntegrative.com | BentonClinical@bimmail.com North Charlotte Location 16415 Northcross Dr. Ste C Huntersville, NC 28078

South Charlotte Location 421 B South Sharon Amity Charlotte, NC 28211

January/Early February 2021

3

We Help You Reach Your Health Goals...

Naturally

Have you tried EVERYTHING and STILL have unexplained health issues?

Better Healthcare Now Available Without A Prescription!

Specializing in Alternative Therapies:

Applied Kinesiology • Detoxification Allergy Elimination • Hormone Balancing Nutritional Testing • Healthy Weight Massage • Energy Foot Baths Laser Therapy • Naturopathic Medicine

Dr. Haas has been in practice for over 35 years He has helped over 15,000 patients return to their highest health potential Does Your Doctor Offer This?

• 2 Hour New Patient Appointments • Personal Health Care Plans • Doctor’s Cell Phone Number Call To Schedule A FREE 15 Minute Consultation

(704) 837-2420 3315 Springbank Ln, Suite 102 • Charlotte, NC

HaasWellnessCenters.com

“I’m amazed with everything that has changed for the better in just 12 weeks. My allergies are totally under control without medication. My foot pain has gone away and I can actually run again.

Plus my energy level is so much better without the help of caffeine! I went in wanting to lose weight, feel better without medication and get my allergies under control. All of this has been accomplished and more.The staff is helpful, friendly and very knowledgeable.

It’s comforting to know that there are healthy alternatives. Dr Haas has been awesome and the past 12 weeks have been a great experience. I would absolutely recommend Haas Wellness.”

- L.H., Charlotte, NC

FR

EE H E A L T H Y L I V I N G

HEALTHY

PLANET

SPECIAL EDITION

HEALTH

&WELLNESS

LOSE WEIGHT

AND GAIN HEALTH IN 2021

LOCAL ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

OVERACHIEVES 2020 SAVE GOAL

TIPS FOR MANAGING

ECO-ANXIETY

INTEGRATIVE

HOSPITAL CARE

VISIT US ONLINE @

AwakeningCharlotte.com ONLINE EXCLUSIVES 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: Terry and Amanda Robertson on the Environmental and Economic Benefits of Green Burials

January/Early February 2021 | Charlotte Edition | AwakeningCharlotte.com

SIGN UP FOR OUR

eNEWSLETTER! Stay informed with our up-to-date articles, local event listings, videos, special offers, insights and more!

And receive a $29 1-hour massage (Limited Time Offer).

STAYING FIT IN 2021

Workout Trends Bend to the Times JOIN US ON FACEBOOK TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS

FRUGAL WELLNESS

Healthy Living on a Tight Budget

HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE AwakeningCharlotte.com/ Businesses

HOUSE BLESSINGS

for Clearing and Protecting Spaces

HEALING PETS HOLISTICALLY

Integrative Vets Treat Root Causes

CALENDAR

Check out the latest events at AwakeningCharlotte.com/ Calendar

HEALING THE WHOLE CHILD

Holistic Pediatricians Go Beyond Meds

January/Early February 2021

5

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

CHARLOTTE EDITION PUBLISHER Shannon McKenzie DESIGN & PRODUCTION Patrick Floresca

AD DESIGN Helene Leininger EDITORIAL Allison Gorman

Randy Kambic Martin Miron Jeanette Watkins

CONTACT US P.O. Box 456 Cornelius, NC 28031 Ph: 704-499-3327 • Fax: 866-632-9118 AwakeningCharlotte.com Publisher@AwakeningCharlotte.com Ads@AwakeningCharlotte.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Free subscriptions are available for our digital issue by emailing Publisher@AwakeningCharlotte.com

letter from publisher

Turning the Page on 2020

T

his month’s letter is going to be short and sweet . . . hopefully. Never have I looked so forward to a New Year. Plus odd-numbered years are luckier

for me in general: I was born in an odd year, as were my siblings and my children.

At the same time, I don’t think things will magical-

ly get better at midnight on December 31. Rather, January 1 is like a new chapter in a book. You know what happened previously, and now you can look forward to discovering more of the story. The New Year helps me bring into focus my varying perspectives on the current-soon-to-be-over year and how I want to think differently moving forward— that is, how this new chapter can be different just by me thinking differently. Most of all, the New Year is a fresh start and full of possibilities, and that is very exciting right now.

NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

Art Director Josh Pope

Layout Gabrielle W-Perillo

Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy

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

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

© 2021 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

So again, and like many of you, I’m really looking forward to 2021.

Wishing you a fresh start and a joy filled year!

Shannon

If You Are Reading This, So Are Your Potential Customers.

Contact us today for ad rates. 704-499-3327

DIRECTORY Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

Find local businesses with ease at AWAKENINGCHARLOTTE.COM

Natural Awakenings is printed with soy-based ink.

6

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

Contents

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 55 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.

12

12 INTEGRATIVE

16

HOSPITAL CARE

Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities

16 CLIMATE ANXIETY Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes

18 IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO KEEP PETS SAFE

18

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Wildly Exceeds the 2020 Goal

20 TERRY WAHLS

on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions

22 LOSE WEIGHT

20

WITHOUT DIETING

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.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@ AwakeningCharlotte.com. Deadline for editorial: the 9th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events on AwakeningCharlotte.com.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best

DEPARTMENTS 8 news briefs 10 health brief 10 local health brief 11 global briefs 16 green living 20 wise words 22 conscious eating 24 resource guide 26 gaston county

22

natural guide

January/Early February 2021

7

Ahlara Creates Center For Singing Bowl Therapy

news briefs

N

The Best Quality for the Right Price

O

rganic Marketplace, a leader in the natural products market for 28 years, understands that it is often difficult to decide which products and supplement brands can best help achieve optimal health. They can help with their experience and high standards.

After extensive research, Organic Marketplace has chosen a manufacturer of products using the world’s best ingredients, innovative formulas and strict quality controls that they are proud to put their name on. Affordable prices bring extra value to consumers.

Location: 1012 S. New Hope Rd., Gastonia. For more information, call 704-864-0605 or visit OrganicMarketplaceNC.com. See ad, page 2.

ow celebrating 15 years of service as a premier spa, boutique, crystal center and center for spiritual awakening, Ahlara International, in Mooresville, has added the talents of Lorraine Meyer to their spiritual offerings. She is a guided meditation master and a vibrational sound healer who began her studies in India with Tibetan bowls. Ahlara now offers a variety of singing bowls and presents this modality every other Thursday and Friday, including January 8, 14, 22 and 28.

Ahlara also presents monthly classes that complement both singing bowl and crystal therapy, including Breathwork with Kimberly Clarke and Sound Healing with Ed Carlton. In addition, special events such as Ahlara’s Mind, Body, Spirit Expo offer 15-minute sessions with the finest holistic healers and intuitive readers for individual fees. The next event will be held from noon to 4 p.m., January 9.

Celebrate the Light takes place on January 24 with three local shamans, Laura McFern, PE Calvert and Salem Wolf Heart. This class, an exercise in self-care, will help cleanse auras, invigorate esoteric energy fields and revitalize life forces. Private sessions are available.

Location: 155 Joe Knox Ave., in Mooresville. For more information, call 704-662-0946 or visit AhlaraInternational.com. See ad, page 21.

SUPPORT LOCAL ADVERTISING HOURS OF OPERATION:

Wednesday-Friday noon-6pm Saturday noon-4pm Sunday-Tuesday closed Face Coverings and Social Distancing required Spiritual, Religious, Metaphysical, New Age Supplies, Gifts & Books, Candles, Incense, Smudge Sticks & Accessories, Gemstones & Crystals, Tarot & Oracle Cards, Pendulums, Herbs, Gemstone Jewelry, Talismans, Egyptian, Hindu, Catholic Statuary Your local source for PASSIVE and ACTIVE marketing to a natural health, wellness and green-living audience.

Contact us today: 704-499-3327 8

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

3010 Monroe Road • Suite 104 Charlotte 704-632-9911

MamaBessiesPlace.net

New Year’s Special on Holistic Services

T

o start the new year with freedom from the limitations of chronic pain, licensed acupuncturist Camilo Sanchez, MAOM, the owner of Empower Life Center with a master’s degree in Oriental medicine, is offering $120 off a six-session acupuncture and holistic treatment package for the relief of chronic pain through January 30.

The package includes acupuncture, soft laser therapy, frequency-specific microcurrent therapy, customized yoga and qigong therapeutic exercises. Sanchez has 30 years of clinical success. The holistic treatment package is designed for correcting the root causes of chronic pain and helping regain the freedom from its limitations.

Location: 14136 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville. For appointments and more information, call 704-542-8088, Info@EmpowerLifeCenter.com or visit EmpowerLifeCenter.com. See CRG, page 24.

New Year, New Energy at Okra Charlotte nced

Special Electronic O Donation & Recycling Event

a

*Adv kra Charlotte has been helping people tion Registra * d live healthy since 2012, garnering many Require awards, including Best Massage, Best Yoga, and Best Specialty Retail in Charlotte over multiple years. Now Okra is introducing a New Year, New Energy 3.5-hour Highest Potential in conjunction with Goodwill Industries.

Triple Reset at an introductory price of $169 that includes a custom session for each client focusingJanuary on resetting the&body, 22nd 23rd,mind and energy systems.

9AM - 12 PM

It starts with a custom Table Thai session, followed by an energy systems reset using powerful and pure Young Living oil blends (including Young Living’s Highest Potential Learnawakening how to RECYCLE RIGHT Blend) for each energy center, along with treatment to support and balancing North Mecklenburg comfort of stress home each center, andRecycling concludes Center with a custom two-hour full bodyfrom reset.the With so much Statesville Rd, renew for a great 2021. during 2020, it is12300 time toN. reset, refresh and January 26th (Tuesday) at 12 noon: Huntersville bit.ly/RecycleRightJan26 Location: 1912 and 1916 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte. For more information, call 704266-1443 or visit OkraCharlotte.com. See ad, page 3.

February 20th (Saturday) at 10am:

date

Learn from Home!

location

*PLEASE NOTE IF YOU MISS THESE DATES YOU CAN ALWAYS DROPOFF YOUR ELECTRONICS AT ANY OF THE FOUR FULLSERVICE RECYCLING CENTERS.

bit.ly/RecycleRightFeb20

March 24th (Wednesday) at 6pm: Out with the Old Gadgets bit.ly/RecycleRightMar24

I

n cooperation with Goodwill Industries, April 22nd (Thursday) at 12 noon: EARTH DAY!!!!

Mecklenburg County Solid Waste will conbit.ly/RecycleRightApr22 duct a post-holiday free electronics take-back event from 9 a.m. to noon, January 22 and 23.

This event will be held at the Huntersville recyFor more information, cling location.

The collaborative effort between go to WipeOutWaste.com the two organizations ensures electronics are reused, if possible, prior to recycling or disposal.

Residents are encouraged to bring primarily working devices such as computers, cell phones, gaming consoles and small appliances that can be donated. All items will be assessed to determine future usability and then refurbished, recycled or disposed of properly.

Year-round electronics can be donated at any Goodwill store or dropped off at any Mecklenburg County full-service recycling center.

Location: North Mecklenburg Recycling Center, 12300 N. Statesville Rd., Huntersville.

For more information, call 980-314-3867, email SolidWaste@MeckNC.gov or visit WipeOutWaste.com. See ad, page 15.

January/Early February 2021

9

health brief

Storyblocks.com

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 seven-point 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 psycho-somatic symptoms.

local health briefs

Platelet-Rich Fibrin Heals Wounds Faster Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is made of fibrin, a non-globular protein involved in the clotting of blood, that accelerates wound healing and contains a number of growth factors that assist in tissue regeneration. It significantly decreases the rate of infection up to 10-fold, especially following molar extractions and prior/during implant placement.

The PRF process is very easy. The patient’s blood is drawn just as during a routine medical physical. The blood is drawn immediately prior to the procedure while the patient is getting numb and then put into a centrifuge. The blood is then separated into three layers, which creates the PRF membrane.

PRF can be used for extractions, guided bone regeneration, implants and cavitation. The advantages of using PRF are faster healing, less pain, decreased swelling and improved natural bone grafting success.

John Kempter is an accredited IAOMT dentist and the owner of Kempter Holistic Dentistry, located at 1000 Copperfield Blvd., Ste. 160, in Concord, and 3111 Springbank Ln., Ste. F1, in Charlotte. For appointments and more information, call 704782-0797, email Info@KempterDentistry.com or visit KempterDentistry.com.

10

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

Storyblocks.com

Avoid Fluoride to Lower Risk of Behavioral Issues in Children Try Ashwagandha for Anxiety 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.

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 Thailand’s Thammasat University. Eighty hay fever patients were given either 500 milligrams of ginger extract or loratadine. After three and six weeks, the ginger group’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.

global briefs

Grateful Giving

kzenon/AdobeStock.com

A new study published in the journal PNAS suggests that people that share more live longer because the act of giving and receiving increases wellbeing. 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.

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 levels—from 270 parts per billion (ppb) in 1750 to 331 ppb in 2018—with the fastest growth observed in the last 50 years, due to emissions from human activities.

petrovich12/AdobeStock.com

Generosity Fosters Increased Longevity

Microscopic Compass

Bacteria Powers Animal Magnetic Sense

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.

January/Early February 2021

11

andrea piacquadio/Pexels

Integrative Hospital Care Medicine Embraces Holistic Modalities

by Marlaina Donato

T

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

Charlotte Edition

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

AwakeningCharlotte.com

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 approaches

hush naidoo/Unsplash.com

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, move-

ment 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.”

hush naidoo/Unsplash.com

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

January/Early February 2021

13

Whole-Patient Cancer Care

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 Natural Awakenings the concept of energy meridians in the appreciates the generosity body—is also offered in many major hosof its distributors pitals to offset the side effects of chemothroughout the area. therapy and radiation.

Acupuncture treatments at the Mayo Clinic are given in a calming atNatural Awakenings Pick up magazines mosphere of soft lighting and music, and ppreciates the monthly generosity at: performed by trained doctors, as well of its distributors as licensed acupuncturists with a firm throughout the area.

TCM foundation.

Integrative health care addresses the lease consider supporting emotions that accompany a cancer diagnosis, and patients undergoing conventional hese major distributors by treatment now have access to not only hopping there and picking Natural Awakenings acupuncture but therapeutic massage, the magazine each month meditation, movement therapy, clinical appreciates the generosity from one of the Natural racks. Awakenings aromatherapy, herbal applications, bioof its distributors feedback and yoga. Millstine says of theThank you! appreciates throughoutthe thegenerosity area.

Mayo Clinic, “We have oncology-trained of its distributors massage providers who are comfortable Please consider the supporting throughout area. with what is and what isn’t safe after these major distributors byhas had a cancer diagnosis and/ someone Please consider supporting Natural Awakenings or treatment.” shopping there and picking these major distributors byhighlights that when given Jonas appreciates up the generosity the magazine each month under the supervision of a doctor and shopping and picking of its distributors from onethere of the racks. conventional cancer care, complethroughoutup the area. the magazine eachwith month Thank you! mentary therapies may help people to from one of the racks. manage cancer symptoms, boost overall Please consider supporting you! well-being, better handle side effects of these major distributorsThank by treatment and reduce the risk of cancer shopping there and picking recurrence. “Integrative cancer care can up the magazine each month help by activating one’s ability to heal and from one of the racks. feel better physically and emotionally,” he Thank you! 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 Center, 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 14

Charlotte Edition

AwakeningCharlotte.com

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 practitioner 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

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

Special Electronic Donation & Recycling Event

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 selfaware 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.

nced *Adva tion Registra * d e Requir

in conjunction with Goodwill Industries.

date

January 22nd & 23rd, 9AM - 12 PM

location

North Mecklenburg Recycling Center 12300 N. Statesville Rd, Huntersville

*PLEASE NOTE IF YOU MISS THESE DATES YOU CAN ALWAYS DROPOFF YOUR ELECTRONICS AT ANY OF THE FOUR FULLSERVICE RECYCLING CENTERS.

Learn from Home!

Learn how to RECYCLE RIGHT from the comfort of home January 26th (Tuesday) at 12 noon: bit.ly/RecycleRightJan26 February 20th (Saturday) at 10am: bit.ly/RecycleRightFeb20 March 24th (Wednesday) at 6pm: bit.ly/RecycleRightMar24 April 22nd (Thursday) at 12 noon: EARTH DAY!!!! bit.ly/RecycleRightApr22 For more information, go to WipeOutWaste.com

January/Early February 2021

15

Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes

by Sandra Yeyati

F

ollowing a record-breaking hurricane season, out-of-control wildfires and a deadly prolonged pandemic, many of us are anxious and fearful, prompted by the growing realization of being in a state of environmental insecurity. These inklings of impending doom are nothing new for members of the youth climate movement—kids in their teens or younger—succumbing to hopelessness, anger and rage as they learn the science and watch leaders do nothing to address it.

Hardest hit are “marginalized communities, including indigenous people, climate refugees, farmers struggling with drought and communities of color, who disproportionately suffer from the health effects of polluting industries,” says Jennifer Atkinson, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Washington-Bothell.

Some of us are affected in more subtle ways. Perhaps we’re noticing slow-moving changes around us, like the gradual loss of bees or a disappearance of trees, and we develop a sense of loss the philosopher Glenn Albrecht coined “solastalgia”, which plays on the concept of nostalgia—a longing for a time or place we can’t go back to.

16

Charlotte Edition

Or, we’re standing in front of a package of blueberries at the grocery store feeling confusion and ambivalence. A desire to be healthy and adopt a sustainable, vegetarian lifestyle is playing tug-of-war with the fact that these blueberries were flown in from South America, are wrapped in plastic and were grown in a monoculture that depletes the soil. It’s hard to know whether to eat or boycott them. “The greater this dissonance grows, the more likely we’ll tell ourselves that the problems are too big.

We decide that we can’t make a difference, so why try? We check out,” says integrative psychotherapist Leslie Davenport, author of Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change.

The first step to alleviate this anguish is to validate and normalize the dark feelings. “It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with you. What’s happening is actually painful and difficult; there’s a lot of loss involved. Eco-anxiety is a natural response to having your heart and mind open, being an attentive and caring person, if you tune in to what’s happening in the world,” says Davenport, adding that good self-care, including mindfulness practices, will expand our tolerance

AwakeningCharlotte.com

for dealing with tough times.

Another powerful antidote can be found in community, according to Sarah Jaquette Ray, associate professor of environmental studies at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California, and author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet. “People feel like they can’t impact the world because they’re only one person.

But when they start to shift the lens toward the collective, it allows them to realize that the positive things that are happening in the world are actually happening at scale, and it allows them to feel like they’re part of some larger purpose,” says Ray.

As we accept climate-related anxiety and seek the company of like-minded people to affect change, surprisingly positive emotions will arise, including joy, laughter, dancing and camaraderie at street protests.

“Those positive feelings help us process grief and anger, engage us in the work long term and help us maintain the stamina we need for sustained work,” Ray says.

“Think of climate anxiety as a kind of superpower, a signal that goes off to tell us something’s wrong and needs to be addressed,” says Atkinson, the creator and host of the climate-anxiety podcast Facing It. She points to grief as a compelling motivator. “You can’t feel grief without love,” she explains. “Grief is an expression of compassion and connection to others and to the pain we feel when those lives are destroyed. Love is far more powerful in motivating us to fight than any other affect.

There’s no limit to the lengths we’ll go to protect what we love.”

We are only limited by a lack of ecological imagination, Davenport proposes.

“Our contemporary Western culture emphasizes the rational, cognitive way of thinking, which is linear and analytical.

But another part of the brain—the imaginative, creative and intuitive part—views the world synergistically and holistically. If we open up to this ecological imagination, we can have a visceral knowing of interconnectedness, making it simpler to act in a way that’s beneficial to all of us.”

Image Courtesy of Josh Pridgen

CLIMATE ANXIETY

saray leal/AdobeStock.com

green living

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer.

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

Holistic approach to personalized healthcare NorthEast Internal & Integrative Medicine combines traditional primary care with evidence-based, alternative medicine therapies to promote wellness.

Shamille Hariharan, MD, MPH Board certified – Family Medicine

We offer: • Acupuncture • Aromatherapy • Massage therapy • Nutritional therapy • Osteopathy • Therapeutic touch

• Yoga • Preventative annual physicals • Treatment of chronic disease • Non-narcotic treatment of chronic pain • Healthy lifestyle changes

James Scheer, DO, MS, FIM

Board certified – Family Medicine Fellow in Integrative Medicine

Sherry Bonds, LMBT

To schedule an appointment, call 704-403-7050.

Most insurance plans accepted.

Massage Therapy

NorthEast Internal & Integrative Medicine | 707 Memorial Blvd. | Concord, NC 28025 | 704-403-7050

Keeping Your Pets Healthy...

The Natural Way Well Wisdom Wednesdays!

Educating people in Animal Health

Integrating Conventional and HOLISTIC Modalities

Atrium Animal Hospital

Kim Hombs,DVM, CVH, CVA, FAAVA & Associates 6520 McMahon Drive, Charlotte (Hwy 51 & Carmel Road)

AtriumAnimalHospital.com

Doing What We Do Best Since 1996

Schedule Your Appointment Today

704-542-2000

We Are GREEN With Passion For Protecting Our Mature Trees And Green Space January/Early February 2021

17

It Takes a Village to Keep Pets Safe

by Martin Miron

T

he Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care & Control (AC&C) operates the Municipal Animal Shelter responsible for serving Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Established in 1944, Animal Control became a free-standing department under the city of Charlotte in 1983 and in 1993 it became a bureau within the Charlotte Police Department. In 2007 Animal Control was renamed as the Animal Care & Control Division to better reflect their community outreach efforts and commitment toward animal welfare and saving the lives of companion animals.

AC&C has many programs that focus on education, intake mitigation, pet management, adoption and animal health concerns.

Communications manager Melissa Knicely says, “AC&C is also here to help educate the public about how to best care for animals and work to keep pets and people

18

Charlotte Edition

safe and together. All stray animals in the community come through our doors.”

AC&C is a Tier 1 level shelter under the Human Animal Support Services national organization model with 80 total employees in enforcement, sheltering, customer service/community outreach, business support and communications.

The field operations team is made up of 31 animal control officers and five supervisors that are dispatched to handle calls for service that come in through 311.

These calls can be anything from a loose dog, a dog bite, a nuisance animal call, suspected animal cruelty, etc. The Emergency Response Team and Large Animal Rescue Team are trained for special response.

A veterinarian and two supervisors manage seven animal health technicians and nine animal care technicians. The customer service manager has 10 customer service representatives that work at the

AwakeningCharlotte.com

shelter and the offsite adoption center located inside Petco in Huntersville. There is also an event coordinator, and animal trainer, a rescue/foster coordinator, and volunteer supervisor. The communications team has a social media coordinator and a temporary employee serving as a development specialist.

There is a monthly free spay/neuter event, free rabies vaccines and $10 microchip clinic. The adoption center is very successful, with a placement rate into homes between 4,000 and 5,000 animals annually. In 2011, only 35 percent of animals entering the shelter were leaving in a positive manner,” says Knicely. “This year, we are currently at 89.4 percent of animals leaving by way of going back home to their owner, being adopted or being transferred to an animal rescue group or organization.

To give perspective, our 2020 goal was 82 percent because we knew the low-hanging fruit had been addressed and every percentage point becomes much more difficult to achieve. To say we are elated with 2020’s results is an understatement.”

Knicely explains that the national animal welfare organizations that help through grant funding, rescue groups that rescue animals with special medical or behavior needs, volunteers, donors, local businesses, the local media and social media followers are all part of the community fabric of support. She says, “2021 will be a pivotal year. We have to continue to work hard and depend on continued support from the community to make sure we can keep Charlotte a sustainable community for pets and people.”

Animal Care & Control is located at 8315 Byrum Dr., in Charlotte. For more information, call 704-336-7600 or visit Charlottenc. gov/AnimalsCMPD. See online article for images of pets in need of adoption.

ADVERTORIAL

The Awakening of Humanity

By Lynne Girdlestone

T

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.

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

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/ January/Early February 2021

19

wise words

Terry Wahls on Taking Control of Chronic Conditions

by Sandra Yeyati

T

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 20

Charlotte Edition

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.

AwakeningCharlotte.com

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.

Your Body Can HEAL Itself If Given the Proper Tools!

Specializing in: Digestive issues • Emotional Wellness Weight Loss • Chronic Pain Non-invasive Therapies: Laser Therapy, Electric Stimulation, Non Needle Auriculotherapy (to treat pain, addictions and internal disorders), Acugraph Scan to measure meridian imbalances and correct them Now Accepting NEW Patients Call today for a FREE consultation!

To book your appointment,

Darryl Roberts N.D.

704-837-2420

Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor

In addition to firmly believing in our bodies’ natural ability to heal, Doctor Darryl is a dedicated father, passionate vegan chef and also hosts his own wellness-focused podcast, The Wholistic Truth.

Offering Virtual and IN Office Consultations

3315 Springbank Lane, Ste 102 • Charlotte, NC 28226 • DoctorDarrylND@gmail.com • DoctorDarryIND.com

Lake Norman’s Premier Spa & Wellness Center

January/Early February 2021

21

Lose Weight Without Dieting How to Eat to Feel and Look Your Best

by April Thompson

O

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, 22

Charlotte Edition

eating better is actually simple, says David 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

AwakeningCharlotte.com

sylvie bouchard/AdobeStock.com

conscious eating

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, 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.

Are You Looking For A HEALTHY NATURAL Smile?

We Care for More than Just Your Teeth….

The Next Step in Spiritual Communities!

We invite you to join a Spirit-Guided, Heart-Centered, Christ-Conscious, Loving Community, and be a part of transforming the world by allowing the Heart-light Presence of God to Shine Through US as US!

David Hulse, Spiritual Leader Wed @ 10AM: Mid-week Inspiration Sun @ 11:15AM: Celebration Service Live Stream: HeartLightCharlotte.org

Wedding & Event Space Available in Newly Remodeled Center!

7300 Mallard Creek Rd Charlotte NC 28262 704-599-1180 info@heartlightcharlotte.org www.heartlightcharlotte.org

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

IAOMT Accredited Mercury Safe Removal Biological/Holistic Family Dentistry in a Caring RelaxedEnvironment Failing Amalgams As true Biological/Holistic (silver fillings) are Dentists, Drs. Eric Kempter, removed using safe Erin Wilbanks and John accredited protective Kempter combine modern protocols. technology & safe protection All of our crowns, bridges, and veneers protocols with advanced are made in-house with CAD/CAM knowledge of biological computer milled technology.

dentistry.

Kempter Holistic Dentistry 1000 Copperfield Blvd, Ste 160, Concord 3111 Springbank Ln, Ste F1, Charlotte

KempterDentistry.com

Accepting New Patients!

704-782-0797 January/Early February 2021

23

community resource guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email Ads@AwakeningCharlotte.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

EMPOWER LIFE CENTER

STANLEY SPECIALTY PHARMACY

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.

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 26.

Camilo Sanchez, L. Ac, MAOM 704-542-8088 EmpowerLifeCenter.com

3120 Latrobe Dr, Ste 200 704-370-6612 StanleyRx.com

DENTISTRY

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

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 26.

CHRONIC & DIFFICULT CASES 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.

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, page 23.

DIRECT PRIMARY CARE 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.

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.

24

Charlotte Edition

ECO-FRIENDLY LIVING RECYCLED COMPOST & MULCH 140 Valleydale Rd • 980-314-3880 17131 Lancaster Hwy • 980-314-3845 MeckMulchMadness.com

AwakeningCharlotte.com

Supports a 360˚ from your yard to our facility and back again.

Mecklenburg County upcycles your yard waste to create highquality STA approved compost and beautiful mulch at a very affordable price. See ad, page 15.

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.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BENTON INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE & MEDICAL SPA 421-B S. Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte 16415 Northcross Dr, Ste C, Huntersville 704-775-6029 • BentonIntegrative.com

Charlotte’s only Integrative MD offering membership based direct primary care. Also safe and natural therapies and skincare as well as healing for mind, body and spirit at MedSpa. 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 2.

INTEGRATIVE HEALER KATIE SUTTON

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

NATURAL DOCTOR DARRYL ROBERTS, ND

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. See ad, page 21.

SPIRITUAL CENTERS 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 23.

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.

SUSTAINABILITY NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN CAROLINAS NATURAL HEALTH CENTER

Dr Michael Smith 1114 Sam Newell Rd, Ste A 704-708-4404 • CarolinasNaturalHealth.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 2.

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.

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 17.

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 teach clients with acute or chronic pain and beginner or seasoned yogis with injuries who desire a safe and effective yoga practice.

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROPER PHYSICAL THERAPY

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.

Coming Next Month FEBRUARY

Heart Health Plus: Eco-Friendly Weddings

January/Early February 2021

25

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.

SPA

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

HC WELLNESS CENTER & SPA

HEALING PLATFORM

Amber Pederson, DC, CFMP 29 E Woodrow Ave, Belmont 704-755-4088 • HealingPlatform.com Info@HealingPlatform.com

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.

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.

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 2.

26

Charlotte Edition

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.

AwakeningCharlotte.com

To place a listing call 704-499-3327 or email

Ads@Awakening Charlotte.com

INDIVIDUAL: USE CODE: PROVIDER: USE CODE:

NAPUB60 NAPC300

January/Early February 2021

27

Click Directory – View All & Click Offers

FANTASTIC LOCAL GUIDES, DIRECTORY LISTINGS AND OFFERS FROM NATURAL HEALTH, WELLNESS AND GREEN-LIVING PROVIDERS AT:

AwakeningCharlotte.com

28