Natural Awakenings Fort Myers/Naples- July 2022

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E HEALTHY LIVING E R

HEALTHY

HEALTHY FOOD EDITION

BESTTASTING EDIBLE FLOWERS NATURAL STRATEGIES FOR RADIANT SKIN SUMMER TREATS TO BEAT THE HEAT July 2022 | Collier/Lee Edition

PLANET

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

COLLIER / LEE EDITION

Acupuncture Center of Naples CUSTOM PRESCRIPTION HERBAL MEDICINE for all your health concerns Dr. Cen has more than 25 years experience in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Arthritis • Chronic Pain • Injuries • Insomnia • Stress Menopause • Stroke Recovery • Shingles • Anxiety Migraines • Fibromyalgia • Well-being • Bell’s Palsy & More 5683 Naples Boulevard • Naples, FL 34109 Dr.Xiu Qiong Cen A.P., D.O.M Licensed Acupuncture Physician

239-513-9232

www.AcupunctureCenterOfNaples.com

Be happy for this moment.

This moment is your life. ~Omar Khayyam

Publisher Sharon Bruckman Editors Linda Sechrist

Martin Miron

Randy Kambic

Theresa Archer Design & Production C. Michele Rose

Lisa Avery Contributing Writers Linda Sechrist

Sandra Yeyati Sales & Marketing Christine Miller

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CONTACT US 4851 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 200 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-350-0141 • Fax: 239-434-9513 swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

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©2022 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.

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July 2022

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Free cOnsULTaTiOn

letter from publisher

Summer’s Sweet Gifts

The Universe is 98% energy! everything found in, above and under has its own dynamic energy!

Our entire body continually vibrates at a subtle level, moving energy and information through our connective tissues.

The L.i.F.e. sysTem

scans nearly 7,000 energy patterns. By identifying which energy vibrations are out of balance, the system can put them back into harmonic balance, allowing your body to return to a state of rest and healing.

Lisa DOyLe - miTcheLL • Certified Biofeedback Specialist by the natural Therapies Certification Board #5771

I have fond memories of mixing up a batch of Kool-Aid on hot summer days as a kid. It was simple: Grab the old metal pitcher, a few cups of water, a cup (or two) of sugar and a packet of Kool-Aid mix and give it a good stir with the big wooden spoon. Voila! A refreshing drink to share with siblings and friends was at the ready. For an extra treat, we poured the brightly colored concoction into ice cube trays and stuck in toothpicks to make DIY popsicles.

On special days, I remember hearing the tinkling bell of the ice cream truck, begging my mother for change and dashing out to score an icy confection. The best part of my childhood innocence was the absence of any concern over the amount of sugar and other unhealthy additives in these tasty treats. It never occurred to me that something so delectable could be bad for me.

By the time I had kids, I knew more about good nutrition. Getting creative in the kitchen with ingredients we had on hand, my children loved making frozen pops by mashing fruits and other healthy ingredients in a bowl, then pouring the mixture into molds and freezing them. I think the satisfaction of making their own creations made them taste even better. In this month’s Healthy Kids department, “Cool Treats for Hot Days: DIY Recipes that Even Kids Can Make,” you’ll find some great ideas to create your own goodies like Rainbow Fruit Kabobs, Mixed Berry Pops, Orange Cream Pops and Vegan Watermelon-Beet Pops starting on page 32.

Our Healthy Food Edition also highlights the rising consumer interest in locally produced, healthy comestibles. In our feature story, “The Healthy Food Movement: Pandemic Trends Are Shaping Better Local Food Systems,” Bob Benenson reports that supply chain disruptions and food insecurities have led to a booming interest in local farmers and regionally produced foodstuffs. Perhaps more encouraging, e-commerce entrepreneurs have been developing innovating solutions to get nutritious provisions into more hands and neighborhoods—a welcome silver lining, for sure. Read more on page 24.

After reading “Flower Power: Edible Blooms Add Flavor and Color to Summer Fare” on page 28, you may start looking at flowers differently. April Thompson inspires us to add fun and color to dishes by decorating ice cubes or homemade chocolate bars with pansies and violets, tossing marigolds into scrambled eggs, adding nasturtiums to a salad for peppery pop or flavoring vinegar with wild violets and chive blossoms. Get creative yourself with the Flower Spring Rolls and Magnolia Salad Cups recipes starting on page 29.

Summer is officially here, along with the boom and sparkle of Fourth of July fireworks.

What will you do to experience some summer delight this month? I love sitting at the beach long after sunset, paddleboarding with frequent swims to cool off and lounging by a window with a good read during a summer storm. Pay attention to the sweet little offerings from life this month and perhaps linger a little longer.

Happy Summering,

239.851.4729

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Sharon Bruckman, Publisher

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Natural Awakenings is a family of 50+ healthy living magazines celebrating 27 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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Contents 19 THE ART OF

19

DOING NOTHING

20 THE NATURAL GLOW

Radiant Skin with Fewer Health Risks

22 HEALTHY SUMMER SKIN Local Experts Share Tips

24 THE HEALTHY FOOD MOVEMENT

Pandemic Trends are Shaping Better Local Food Systems

28 FLOWER POWER Edible Blooms Add Flavor and Color to Summer Fare

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32 COOL TREATS FOR HOT DAYS

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DIY Recipes Even Kids Can Make

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE

To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, contact Christine Miller at 239-272-8155 or email ChristineM@ NaturalAwakenings.com for Collier County or Lisa Doyle at 239-851-4729 or email LisaD@NaturalAwakenings.com for Lee County. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

36 JEFFREY SMITH

on the Threat of Gene-Edited Microbes

40 INTUITION

The Language of the Soul

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS

Email articles, news items and ideas to: NAeditor@NaturalAwakenings.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. Or visit: swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com/ Resources.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

Submit print and online events at swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com/ pages/calendar-listings. Email NAMCalendar@Natural Awakenings.com with any questions.

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.

DEPARTMENTS 10 news briefs 16 health briefs 18 community

36 wise words 38 reader

19 20 28 32 35

41 44 47

spotlight inspiration healing ways conscious eating healthy kids action alert

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spotlight business spotlight calendar resource guide classifieds July 2022

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news briefs

Duarte Offers Private and Group Coaching Sessions

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aples-based Certified Life and Divorce Coach and former family therapist Nancy Duarte now provides private live, virtual online life coaching courses, a six-month life coach training program and presentations for corporations and organizations. Each forum is based on the core elements of life coaching principles developed through her 23 years as a therapist.

Virtual courses help participants Nancy Duarte restructure their lives to easily attract the people and opportunities they want, providing practical advice and real-world strategies for overcoming the challenges that people are facing. The sessions are “bold, intense and incredibly rewarding” that “identify hot topics that seem to come up again and again that people are most struggling with, that keep them up at night,” she says.

Duarte also customizes such topics as Women, Invaluable Personal Growth Laws, Mastering Mindfulness: Creating Calm in Chaos, Raise Your Emotional IQ Instantly and Gain Success, Parenting/Teens/Marriage/Relationships/Co-Parenting, Using The Secret Laws of Attraction to Get the Life You Want and more in bilingual keynote presentations and coaching in group workshops and seminars.

For appointments or more information, call 954-445-3077, email NancyDuarteLifeCoach@gmail.com or visit LifeCoachNancy.com.

See ad, back cover.

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Baksh Offers Advice for a Healthy Morning Routine

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areema Baksh, president of Reset FX Nutrition, based in Estero, is now offering special suggestions for following a healthy morning routine. Available for downloading on her website or via email, the comprehensive set of helpful tips can be followed by enrolling in her 10-week, virtual Reset Lifestyle and Metabolic ProKareema Baksh gram to achieve weight loss and other health improvements.

Users can start every morning with increased energy, lose stubborn weight, balance hormones and jump start metabolism in three to five days by implementing steps that include getting early-morning sunlight, drinking water and practicing gratitude, joyful movement, intermittent fasting, breathwork, meditation and more. Other helpful resources, including apps, websites and books, are provided as well. The routine and program both contain “helpful information for practicing a new shift for changing to a healthy lifestyle,” says Baksh.

For more information, including cost and registration for 10-week program, call 239-322-6363, email KareemaBaksh1953@gmail.com or visit ResetFXNutrition.com. See listing, page 46.

Breath Empowerment Events in Fort Myers

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andace Tranter, owner of Supreme Health, and Christin Collins, author of Her Phoenix Rising, will lead a special Breath of Freedom – Breath Empowerment ceremony in honor of our nation’s independence from 5:30 to 7 p.m., July 25, at the Collaboratory, in Fort Myers. “July is the month of freedom, and taking in a big breath of life creates freedom in our minds, body and spirit,” says Tranter. “This is the freedom we are all seeking in these times right now.” Tranter will also lead breath empowerment sessions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., July 3 and 10, at Sol of Life, also in Fort Myers.

“Proper breathing is very smooth, continuous, gentle and effortless which brings the mind and heart into coherence,” says Tranter “When we are in coherence, we create the freedom we desire by choice and not settle for or survive a life we are given.

Cost for both events: $45. Location: Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St.; Sol of Life, 2400 First St., Ste. 100. For more information or to register, call 239-745-2860, email CandaceTranter@gmail.com or visit Tinyurl.com/BreathEmpowerment. See listing, page 47.

Got Chronic Disease?

Get A Functional Medicine M.D. Evaluation!

There are hidden causes to your disease.

Dr. Torres will help you find them and get rid of them.

This will allow your body to finally heal!

Zorayda “Jiji” Torres has 17 years of experience and knows the limitations of conventional internal medicine.

Adding functional medicine to your treatment will surely enhance the healing process.

Zorayda “JiJi” Torres, Md, aBiHM Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine Diplomate, American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine Certified Practitioner, Institute For Functional Medicine

Visit www.upstreammd.com for more information.

(239)444-5636 27499 Riverview Center Blvd., Suite 255 Bonita Springs, FL 34134

Memberships Available for Foundation of Wellness Program

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r. Noah Segal, based in Boca Raton, offers elite concierge health care that can be conveniently accessed in Southwest Florida and elsewhere.

His comprehensive Foundation of Wellness Program can be conducted by telephone or online via Zoom , along with optional visits to the practice.

Following an initial call to set outcome goals, the method includes Dr. Noah Segal a baseline assessment and collection of hair, blood and other samples for analysis; initial diet and fitness tips; a review of micronutrient or microbiome results for designing the best protocol; monitoring progress; consultation with a holistic nutritionist; and deciding on future health goals.

“Immediate benefits to members of the program is reducing symptoms of disease and getting the energy and quality of life back that is deserved,” says Segal, a chiropractic physician who specializes in functional testing. “Our members experience an improvement in their quality of life, baseline wellness and reduction of symptoms of disease.”

Cost: $250 a month with a six-month minimum commitment. Location: 950 Peninsula Corporate Cir., Ste. 103. For more information, call 561-220-1989, email Team@DrNoahSegal.com or visit IFoundWellness.com.

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news briefs

Michele Durham 239-776-2211

info@accessholistichealing.com www.accessholistichealing.com

& Hypnosis

FREEDOM AND LOVE with Qhht ACCESS

Bars & Bioscan Energy Work 840 111th Ave N Suite 8 Naples FL 34108

Healing Artisan Jewelry

Classes & Events

Sage & Incense

Psychic Development

Aura Photos

2 Monthly Psychic Fairs

Crystals

Goddess Gatherings

Readings/Healing

Energy Healings

Inspirational Gifts (239) 228-6949 600 Goodlette Road N. Naples FL 34102

www.goddessiam.com

If you have questionable amalgam restorations that need to be replaced, removal should be done with caution.

Dr Pint uses IAOMT protocols which provide layers of protection to minimize oral exposure to Mercury He is experienced with full mouth revisions and complex restorations providing a personal approach and excellent result He uses the latest technology available to ensure a pleasant, positive office visit

Read more at www.bonitadentalstudio.com

Roger J. Pint, Jr. MPH DMD

Conservative Biological Approach Mercury-Safe Protocols

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Collier/Lee Counties

239.676.8730

9200 Bonita Beach Road Suite 111 Bonita Springs, FL 34135 (In the Sunshine Professional Building)

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Davenport Leads Free Yoga at the Beach

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obbie Lee Davenport has begun leading free community yoga classes at 8:15 a.m. each Thursday at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, in Naples. These are multilevel sessions and all fitness levels are welcome from Bobbie Lee Davenport beginner to advanced; many modifications will be shown so that all can be successful.

“This is a beautiful location and a perfect way to ground and become centered again while doing an incredible practice with like-minded people,” says Davenport, a well-known area yoga teacher with multiple certifications in yoga, as well as other fitness modalities, and 30 years of teaching experience and as a natural health consultant. “This is my way of giving something back to the community. Early morning is a pretty time of day for a yoga practice on the beach. The air is cool and it’s very quiet, with only the sounds of the waves and the natural world.”

Location: 11135 Gulf Shore Dr., parking lot #1. For more information, call 239-777-0186, email BobbieLeeDavenport @gmail.com or visit NaplesMedicineWomanHolistics.com.

coming in august

Self-Empowerment

Free Webinar on Eyeread Iridology Services

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yeread will conduct a free, live, one-hour webinar about their iridology services at 8 p.m., July 21. The company provides a natural and holistic, affordably priced solution for health conditions not readily available in most parts of the country.

Iridology, the study of the iris of the eye, is used as an assessment tool. According to the company, the iris reveals individual genetic Jessica Halpern, predispositions which are the root Dip.H.Ir, CCI, INHC, causes of all health concerns. Once with Eyeread a person’s eyes are read, Eyeread can help with lifestyle changes, including personalized diet recommendations, along with addressing other health issues and providing emotional support.

For more information or to register (required at least 24 hours in advance), call 833-240-1065, email Info@EyeRead.net or visit MyEyeRead.com or EyeRead.net.

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news briefs

Kris & Kate Organics Line at Seed to Table

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he entire product line of Kris & Kate Organics is now available at Seed to Table, in Naples, including their new Freedom soap, just in time for Independence Day. The company’s offerings are 100 percent organic, contain no potentially harmful oils like palm, soy or peanut, and are thoughtfully handcrafted from scratch in Naples.

According to co-founders Katherine Rice and Kristen Demattia, “What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body,” and skipping chemicals by using their clean, healthy personal care products can greatly benefit families.

Use code 239FAM for 20 percent off entire orders on website.

Seed to Table location: 4835 Immokalee Rd. For more information, call 239-351-1239, email Info@KrisAndKateOrganics. com or visit KrisAndKateOrganics.com. See listing, page 46.

PsychotheRAPist LocAteD in nAPLes

Jennifer Vear Hoy MS, MS

Specializing in: • Depression • Anxiety • Grief • Addictions • Anger Management • Relationship Problems PEACEFUL SUMMIT COUNSELING, LLC. 1048 Goodlette rd north Suite 201 naples, fL 34102

cALL JennifeR veAR hoy | 239-450-8090 14

Collier/Lee Counties

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Barraco Resumes In-Person Tarot Workshops

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rofessional psychic/medium, teacher, author and owner of The Mystical Moon, Laurie Barraco, is bringing back her in-person Tarot 101 workshop for the first time in more than two years from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., July 24. She will guide attendees through the process of creating a sacred space for readings, opening up their psychic channels Laurie Barraco and creating a solid foundation for reading the traditional tarot deck by learning to read the cards and different spreads.

“A lot of people are curious about the tarot and searching for insight for themselves or as a way to help others,” says Barraco.

“The tarot is a fun and exciting way to receiving that guidance while learning to trust one’s own intuition.” Each person will need a Rider-Waite deck to work with during the session, which is limited to 12 participants.

Cost: $111. Location: 8951 Bonita Beach Rd., Ste. 255. For more information or to RSVP, call 239-301-0655, email Info@TheMysticalMoon.com or visit TheMysticalMoon.com. See ad, page 6.

Brownson Joins CasaShanti Emporium

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shley Brownson, an intuitive energy healer who works with healing touch, reiki, tuning forks, qigong, yoga, inner child healing, neuro-linguistic programming, tapping, breathwork, meditation and energy transmutation to help others heal and teach them the tools that they need to heal themselves, has joined the staff of The CasaShanti Emporium, in Fort Myers.

Also a natal chart astrologer, BrownAshley Brownson son teaches a class for beginners at 5 p.m. on every other Sunday. It’s the “start of your journey to interpret your natal chart and unlock the secret language of the sky,” she says.

Brownson will also lead meditation classes at 10 a.m. on every other Saturday. “It’s designed for those who need to deeply relax and restore both body and mind through stillness and breath work,” she explains. Participants should bring a blanket and anything else that allows them to feel comfortable during meditation. Each session is intuitively guided and may include sound vibrational frequencies through crystal bowls.

Cost for classes: astrology $20/ meditation $15. Location: 2052 Cottage St. For more information or to register, call 239-208-9872, email PamelaMcCoyFisher@gmail.com or visit CasaShanti.us. See ad, page 31.

Essay Contest for Free Medical Marijuana Certifications

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ompassionate Healthcare of Florida (CHF), based in Naples and Cape Coral, will conduct an essay contest throughout this month on how cannabis may have improved our health or why we would like to try it. Two winners will be chosen to each receive a free medical marijuana certification, either new or renewal, on August 1.

The program is part of an effort to share experiences on the benefits of cannabis on health. Participants need not be current cannabis medical users to make submissions. All CHF medical marijuana doctors are board-certified physicians dedicated solely to cannabinoid medicine.

Brief essay submissions can be sent by Jul. 30 to Contest@FlmmjHealth.com. Locations: 5600 Trail Blvd., Ste. 10, Naples, and 2612 Santa Barbara Blvd., Ste. 9, Cape Coral. For more information, call 833-6333665 or visit FlmmjHealth.com. See ad, page 16.

2590 Northbrooke Plaza Dr Suite 106 Naples, Florida 34119

(239) 350-4900 (833) 902-3605 (fax)

info@integrativedpc.com

Creating new smiles every day :-) • Mercury Free & Mercury safe • Holistic Approach • Ceramic Restorations • Gentle Laser Treatment of Gum Problems and Cavities • Ozone for Cavities

• Nitrous Oxide Gas, Oral Sedation • Orthodontics • Cosmetic Dentistry • Northeast Trained • It’s Worth the Trip!

Laser Dentistry Dr. Gerald Lorino and Dr. Suzanne Lorino

C a L L to Day F o r a n a p p o i n t M e n t 239-936-5442 | www.FortMyersLaserDentist.com 1550 M at t h e w D r i v e | F o rt M y e rs, F lo r i Da 33907 July 2022

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Our ozone sauna safely and powerfully detoxifies the body.

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ElizabEth, avE Maria, Fl

$50 Try it today!

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www.SparkHealthTechnologies.com 11983 Tamiami Trail N • Suite 150 • Naples, Fl

Practice Sitting Tai Chi to Recover from a Stroke Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, typically involves moving the arms and feet in intricate, slow patterns, but a new study in the American Heart Association journal Stroke found that doing the hand and shoulder movements while sitting in a chair produced significant physical and mental benefits for stroke survivors.

Researchers at the Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in China, found that after 12 weeks of performing sitting tai chi, 69 stroke patients had better hand and arm function, better sitting balance, a wider range of shoulder motion, less depression and a better quality of life compared to 65 people in a standard stroke rehab program. More than half of those doing the sitting tai chi continued to practice it after the study ended, with continued improvement.

Elnur/AdobeStock.com

Are you reAdy to feel greAt?

health briefs

Try Music and Muscle Relaxation to Lower Surgery Anxiety

sasirin pamai/EyeEm/AdobeStock.com

Surgery often activates high levels of anxiety in patients, but a Chinese pilot study of 116 women undergoing operations for gynecological cancer found that simple strategies dubbed “expressive arts therapy” can help. In the study group, women were encouraged to dance and do handicrafts while listening to music the day before the surgery. They practiced progressive muscle relaxation and listened to music immediately after the surgery, and on the day before their release, they were invited to write and draw to express their emotions. The researchers found that women in the therapy group experienced significantly less anxiety during their operations than women in a placebo group, although the effects didn’t continue after discharge. Ninetyeight percent of the women found the therapy beneficial.

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Although most Americans eat only one-third of the recommended amount, nutrient-rich, whole grains already have been shown to play a key role in safeguarding against obesity and metabolic syndrome. Two new studies establish their positive effect on cardiovascular and liver health, as well. Researchers from Columbia University that followed 4,125 older adults for 25 years found that lower inflammation and fewer cardiovascular incidents were correlated with higher amounts of fiber in the diet— particularly from wheat, barley, oats and other grains—rather than from fruits and vegetables. And a Chinese study in The Journal of Nutrition Researchers tested the blood of 1,880 people, half of which had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, to look for markers of whole grain consumption. The subjects that ate more whole grains had a significantly reduced risk of developing the liver disease.

Diabetes is rampant in the world today, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, but it was also a health condition many centuries ago among Tibetan, Mongolian, Miao, Dai, Uygur and Yi people in East Asia. To identify which diabetes medicines were effective in those indigenous medical systems, Chinese researchers examined medical databases and ethnic medical books. They found evidence of 112 such medications—105 plant-based, six coming from animals and one with fungal origins. The most commonly used were Astragalus membranaceus, now available in many contemporary immune-system formulations; Pueraria lobata, known as arrowroot or kudzu, and considered an invasive plant in North America; and Coptis chinensis, Chinese goldthread, whose main compound, berberine, is used in the West to treat bacterial and viral infections. “Ethnic medicine has abundant resources in diabetes treatment and has excellent development prospects, which is worthy of further exploration and modern research,” conclude the authors.

Anna Pou/Pexels.com

Consider Herbs from Traditional Asian Medicine for Diabetes

Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels.com

Eat Grains to Reduce Inflammation and Liver Disease Risk

July 2022

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community spotlight

How Should I Wear My Hair?

IntroducIng

Facial Symmetry analySiS

A half hour long beauty consultation that analyzes a series of facial measurements to help determine the moSt Flattering hair Style that you can wear now.

Betty Ann Murphy • Master Stylist • Color Expert • Advanced Volumation Eyelash Extension Expert Trained and certified by Xtreme Lash

bam0309@gmail.com 501 Goodlette Road, Suite B-104 Naples, FL 34102 18

Collier/Lee Counties

House of Spirits A Little Bit of Everything for Everyone

by Linda Sechrist

A

it was normal. When desire to create I was young the only a bilingual time I generally got community for into trouble was when anyone interested in I didn’t listen to my inexploring the philosotuition and ancestorial phy of metaphysics, an whisperings. After all, explanation of the if it wasn’t for my wise inherent or universal ancestors, I wouldn’t be elements of reality not here,” says Rippe-Arjoeasily discovered or na, who prior to openexperienced in daily ing the shop was in life, led Shari Rippethe business of making Arjona to open the special occasion, threeHouse of Spirits Mystidimensional cakes. cal Botanika, in Fort Myers. The decision to Enthusiastic about people learning to open wasn’t only about Shari Rippe-Arjona trust their instincts offering a broad selecand intuition, Rippe-Arjona advises, tion of items that support the explora“People can come here for advice, but tion, such as intuitive readings, tarot and oracle decks, oils, incense, candles, books, at the end of the day, it’s about following their intuition, which is how to statues, crystals, reiki, monthly psychic strengthen it. It’s like any muscle. Withfairs, seances, classes and more. out regular use it atrophies. The good Rippe-Arjona’s intention is for everyone news is that it can be rehabilitated.” that walks through her door to feel welIn addition to metaphysical items, House comed and sense the peace that permeates of Spirits offers BioMat therapy, a unique her retail space. “My dream was to have a bilingual shop where you would find a little natural approach to pain management and bit of everything for everyone,” says Rippegeneral improvement of overall health and Arjona, who notes that the shop is for well-being. The BioMat is a revolutionlong-time metaphysical practitioners, as ary healing technology that combines the well as beginners and anyone that is simply power of infrared rays and negative ions curious about metaphysics. conducted through amethyst, jade and The Lehigh Acres resident explains that tourmaline crystals to deliver targeted pain she’s always had an interest in metaphysrelief, blood circulation and support for the ics, particularly intuition, the spirit world, immune system. meditation, and the world’s religions.

“My gift of communicating with ancestral House of Spirits Mystical Botanika is located spirits is something I inherited. Growing at 12995 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste. 108. For up, I knew that my mom and grandma more information, call 239-362-0628 or visit saw spirits, listened to their intuition and HouseOfSpiritsShop.wixsite.com. See listing, followed it. We didn’t talk about it because page 46.

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inspiration

The Art of Doing Nothing

by Marlaina Donato

find clarity & perspective Clear out emotions that are no longer serving you.

Reiki | Psychic Readings Empowerment Workshops Meditation Coaching in-person or remote session

by appointment only Rita Davis

StanislavAdobeStock.com

M.Ed., Reiki Master

www.SoulSessionsWithRita.com Call or Text 941-275-2859

ACUPUNCTURE

M

ost of us can remember having the glorious ability to do absolutely nothing of practical significance as children. We rolled in the grass, laughed ourselves silly with friends on the street corner and happily squandered away Saturdays.

Somewhere along the line, someone planted a seed in our brains that programmed us to believe that we must earn our existence. We became self-conscious perfectionists that equate leisure and “be-ing” with laziness. As adults, we see “non-doing” as something trivial, something forbidden, unless we become ill or injured, and only then can we shrug off the societal guilt trip. Somehow, well-being has become a luxury, and our physical bodies are paying for it. We feel old before our time and suffer Monday morning blues every day of the week. The Yiddish proverb, “The hardest work is to go idle,” rings truer than ever.

We envy our beloved pets when they stretch out in a patch of inviting sun or dream away rainy days, not realizing that we, too, can curl up with the idea of doing nothing. Even foxes and squirrels pause in the survival game to soak up an hour of summer. Unplugging brings us back to our breath, aligns us with our true North and prompts our blood pressure to drop a few numbers. Taking a little time to exhale and watch the clouds overhead can also kickstart our immune systems. If need be, we can appease the to-do lister inside of us by scheduling half an hour of inactivity into the weekly calendar, and when we realize how much we like shooting the breeze, we can increase it to an hour.

Consider the last time we gave ourselves permission to sip a little freedom and watch the grass grow. Poet Winifred Druhan noted, “Wasting time is being free.” We won’t win any accolades for doing nothing, but we’ll surely be happier.

Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

FACELIFT

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healing ways

That Natural Glow RADIANT SKIN WITH FEWER HEALTH RISKS

by Marlaina Donato

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or basic hygiene and improved appearance, we wash, slather, hydrate, scrub and cover up, often forgetting that our skin is our largest organ and much of what we expose it to can be absorbed and accumulated in the body over time. If we are using products with potentially toxic additives, we are putting ourselves at a higher risk for hormone disruption, reproductive cancers and allergic reactions.

Many chemicals that have been banned or controlled in Japan and some European countries are still being used on an unregulated basis in the U.S. Even products labeled “organic” and “natural” can have harmful elements alongside the good stuff. Recent research from the University of Vermont Cancer Center has linked phthalates, the “forever chemicals” used as bonding agents in many personal care products, to a higher risk of cancers in children. The encouraging news is that with a little savvy preparation, these hazardous ingredients can be avoided, and we can have glowing skin with fewer health risks.

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Knowledge is Power

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Being an informed consumer is important when it comes to what goes into the body, and reading labels is just as vital for what’s applied on the outside. “The beauty industry can become fascinated with chemical-based ‘quick-fixes,’ but so often what you find is that these interventions can have long-lasting effects that may actually damage the skin,” says Tammy Fender, founder of Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Liver-compromising and potentially cancer-causing formaldehyde, phthalates and parabens are plentiful in shampoos (including baby shampoo), soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, body lotions and moisturizers, and have been linked to breast cancer and other malignancies, kidney damage and depression. While some sources claim these substances to be low-risk due to minimal amounts in skin care products, looking at the broader picture can be disturbing when we consider long-term use and the number of products used daily.

On a superficial level, the skin just responds better when it is exposed to fewer toxins. “Our skin is our biggest organ and absorbs up to 60 percent of whatever you put on it. When you eat healthy, your body feels great. The same goes for your skin,” says Shannon Reagan, owner of Glimmer Goddess Organic Skin Care, in Frisco, Texas.

“Throughout my life, I’ve tried just about every product in the stores looking for something that wouldn’t irritate my skin. I found that the cleaner the products, the better my skin looked and felt.”

What Our Skin Loves

An outstanding resource for information about a particular product’s safety is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database at EWG.org/skindeep, which evaluates and grades more than 88,000 personal care products for toxicity. When shopping online or in a store, nixing any that have long, difficult-to-pronounce ingredients is key. Any label that simply lists “fragrance” is also a red flag for hundreds of possible chemicals. Instead, opt for skin care products with Latin botanical names for herbal and essential oil-based scents.

“Natural products may cost a bit more than store brands, but the benefits far outweigh the incremental cost. They contain vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants and flavonoids that help heal, rejuvenate and protect skin,” says Reagan.

Fender, a holistic aesthetician and pioneer of clean skin care, concurs, “There is so much care that comes through the plants. Nature is generous.” Her favorite go-to ingredients in her organic skin care line range from white lily to citrus. “I love rose for its powerful rejuvenating benefits. I also love chamomile, an ancient calming and soothing remedy, which is so beneficial for sensitive skin.”

Fun in the Sun

Chemicals found in conventional sunscreens such as avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, oxybenzone and PABA activate free radicals in the body, but natural sunscreens offer total protection without the elevated cancer risk. Reagan, whose products offer broad-spectrum sun protection, explains, “Chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin while natural sunscreens (mineral-based) sit on top of your skin, blocking the sun’s rays at the surface. Natural sunscreens such as zinc oxide and non-nano titanium dioxide are usually thick like a body lotion texture. They work by reflecting UVA/UVB rays away from the skin and start to work right away.”

Essential oils like red raspberry seed and carrot seed are also reliable ingredients to look for in any natural sunscreen, and may even be helpful for certain types of precancerous skin lesions caused by UVA/UVB rays.

Overall, healthy skin comes from a well-balanced lifestyle. For Fender, it is truly a holistic approach. “I love how inspired and educated my clients are these days. They come to the treatment room with insightful questions, and they understand that caring for the skin is not separate from caring for the soul.”

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HEALTHIER SUMMER SKIN

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TIPS FROM SHANNON REAGAN, OWNER OF GLIMMER GODDESS ORGANIC SKIN CARE Our skin needs hydration all year round, but most especially in the hot summer months. The keys to keeping our skin soft, healthy and hydrated is to drink plenty of water, wear lip balm with sun protection and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen throughout the day.

For ultimate summer goddess skin, be sure to not over-wash your face, which would dry out our skin. Instead, use a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water in the morning and night. Use a sunscreen during the day and a body lotion or body butter at night.

Shea butter is a great moisturizer for all skin types and is packed with skinnourishing vitamins. Almond oil is an all-around gem when it comes to skin health. As a child, my mom would melt down shea butter and mix it with almond oil to soothe my eczema. These two natural ingredients have become a staple in my line of natural and organic skin care products.

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Healthy Summer Skin Local Experts Share Tips

by Linda Sechrist

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arrying out a good skincare routine to maintain the skin’s natural beauty might seem to an individual like the concept of the comedy film Groundhog Day. We wake up, perform the same ritual every morning and repeat at night. Additionally, while sleeping, the body carries out its own repetitive functions to repair its largest organ. For keeping skin supple and glowing during Southwest Florida’s hot and humid summers, Natural Awakenings queried local day spa estheticians, as well as a licensed dietician and functional medicine nutritionist, Dee Harris.

D-Signed Nutrition, Bonita Springs

As much as the health of our skin depends on how we care for it externally, skin tone, firmness and smoothness also require good nutrition, enough sleep and reduced stress.

“What we eat and how we live determines how we look,” says Harris, who shares the beauty secrets she offers her clients.

“Hydration, eat good fats, eat in color, take the appropriate supplements, avoid simple carbs and sugary items, exercise, sleep, protect the skin against UVA/UVB rays with 22

Collier/Lee Counties

sunscreen, practice stress management and never smoke.”

Regarding supplements, Harris advises, “Nutritionally, glowing skin is as easy as drinking plenty of water, eating protein (amino acids), healthy fats and foods containing vitamin C, B, A and E, as well as the minerals zinc, copper and selenium. A fresh complexion is largely due to antioxidants which decrease the skin’s sensitivity to the sun.”

A seasonal change with more intense UVB sun rays, which have a harsher effect on the outer skin layers, causes the skin to burn and appear tan, causing aging of the skin. This shows up as brown spots, loss of skin elasticity and wrinkling. To counter these, Jennifer Alvarez Linguidi, owner of Purely You Spa’s two locations in Naples, emphasizes the importance of sunscreen.

She offers several sunscreen tips.

Jennifer Alvarez Linguidi, Purely You Spa, Naples

“Always use a sunscreen with a minimum of a 30 Sun Protection Factor (SPF) to protect you from the UVA aging and UVB burning rays of the sun. It’s important to

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reapply every 40 minutes to truly protect your skin from the sun. Additionally, ensure that your makeup isn’t too heavy, as it is excessively hot and humid outside and your skin needs to breathe,” says Linguidi, who recommends a daily routine of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. To take the skin to the next level, she recommends adding exfoliating at least three times a week, followed by a customized and targeted masque for five to 10 minutes. Then apply a daily serum before moisturizing.

Connie Didier, Organic Skincare & Bodyworx, Naples

Southwest Florida’s hot and humid summers and sweating go together like Wonder Woman and justice. “When we sweat, the skin produces more oil,” says Connie Didier. “Using a foaming cleanser and refreshing herbal toner with rose or calendula to provide a layer of protection helps to keep skin cool, fresh and hydrated. All products should be alcohol-free, organic and plantbased. It’s also important to protect and moisturize the eyelids and under the eyes— areas sensitive to sun,” says Didier, who also recommends wearing a hat to protect the scalp. “Instead of a lotion sunscreen that must be reapplied every 2 hours, we sell minerals that protect the skin all day. There are only four ingredients in the minerals and you can go into the pool or ocean with them on. They won’t come off if you don’t rub a towel over your face.”

Ranita Kirshon, Trim & Tone Med Spa, Naples

Although sunshine helps the body produce vitamin D, boosts mood and strengthens immunity, protection from damaging UV rays that can cause skin cancer is necessary. “Every day of the year I use a tinted liquid mineral SPF 50 daily sunscreen with zinc oxide that creates a sunscreen barrier blocking UV rays by absorbing and reflecting them away from my skin. Once, mineral sunscreens left a thick, white residue. Today’s mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide are gentle, lightweight and non-greasy,” says Kirshon.

While most individuals avoid skincare procedures during summer months,

Kirshon recommends a monthly facial, as well as a BioRePeel series that doesn’t cause photosensitivity, especially on tender skin. “It’s a safe peel, which can be done once a week to reduce lines, wrinkles and dark spots, as well as increase luminosity,” she advises.

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Freshening up before a summer special under the stars event can be done with just one session under the Lumiere lamp. “The Lumiere system offers the best results after a series of sessions. A once-per-week treatment is all it takes to trigger the collagen production process, promote DNA repair and help the skin appear stronger and more resilient,” says DeStefano, the owner of Root Causes. The system decreases fine lines and wrinkles, detoxifies the skin, evens out pigmentation, increases serotonin levels, minimizes facial pores and moisturizes dehydrated skin so that skin can retain moisture naturally—something it really needs during summer months.

Protecting the skin and getting a gorgeous summer glow is not an oxymoron.

Simply following the advice of experienced estheticians and a wise nutritionist make both possible at the same time.

Local Resources

D-Signed Nutrition, 3531 Bonita Bay Blvd., Ste. 300, Bonita Springs; 239-676-5249, DSignedNutrition.com. See ad, page 37.

Organic Skincare & Bodyworx, 13240 Tamiami Tr. N., Ste. 207, Naples. 239-5144494. OrganicSkinCareAndBodyworx.com.

See ad, page 3.

Purely You Spa, 3066 Tamiami Tr. N., Ste. 30; 7935 Airport Rd., Ste. 207, 210, 211, 213, Naples. 239-331-8266.

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July 2022

23

THE HEALTHY FOOD

MOVEMENT

Pandemic Trends are Shaping Better Local Food Systems

by Bob Benenson

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ike so much else on the planet, the two-year coronavirus pandemic turned the health food world upside-down.

“I found myself thinking real dystopian and wondering if people would be able to survive if grocery stores crumbled,” recalls Diana Mondragón, of Rockford, Illinois. “That scary thought train reminded me that I want to learn how to be more self-sustainable.” Her once-occasional drop-bys to farmers markets are now an essential weekly ritual. “I want to support local farmers and food producers to help communities grow stronger and healthier,” she says.

When the long supply chains of the conventional food system became disrupted, many Americans found themselves feeling insecure about food availability for the first time in their lives.

The industrialized food system that had operated so efficiently for many generations had relied on long and complicated supply links; when they broke down or became gridlocked, the result was empty supermarket shelves and long waits for home deliveries.

Add the economic repercussions and job losses, and about one in nine households lacked enough nutritious food to sustain a healthy life, report researchers from New York University.

Faced with the system’s shortcomings, a noteworthy outcome has been a surge in demand for healthier food production using sustainable and humane practices. Unable to drop by a nearby grocery store and get whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it, many consumers began buying locally grown produce for both practical and environmental reasons. After two high-growth decades, farmers markets initially took a hit during pandemic closures, but they have since bounced back with renewed energy. A wide range of innovative solutions are being pursued by e-commerce entrepreneurs and food-equity advocates to get healthier local food into more hands and more neighborhoods.

Surging Concerns

Sales of natural and organic products in the U.S. grew by about 10 percent in 2020, the year of the COVID-19 outbreak, and by another 8 percent in 2021, reports SPINS, a Chicago-based data research firm, in Nutrition Business Journal. Sales growth in that sector was six to seven times larger than for conventional products, which experienced barely any sales growth at all.

Helping spur the trend, cheap food at supermarkets isn’t so cheap anymore, making organic food look better by comparison. The research company Data Weave reported in March that conventional food prices jumped by 11 percent in the previous 12 months of the pandemic, while prices for organic food increased by a relatively modest 2 to 4 percent.

The price pressures on conventional food “will continue to go up rapidly,” says Matt Tortora, co-founder of WhatsGood, a Rhode Island-based food e-commerce company. “The war between Russia and Ukraine is going to exacerbate that issue. And it seems like most of what’s going on in the world is going to affect our global supply chains even further, and in more profound ways than just our gas pump.”

Food-to-Table Creativity

The dominance of supermarkets and big-box stores in the years following World War II greatly diminished supply and demand of farm-fresh local food. A back-to-the-future trend that started taking hold a generation ago spurred a five-fold increase in the number of farmers markets across the nation, along with a proliferation of farms selling community supported agriculture subscriptions that delivered weekly batches of fresh produce to members.

These increased sales enabled many small farmers to offset the body blow from business lost due to pandemic-related restaurant shutdowns; a number of them thrived, with record sales.

The signs for the 2022 outdoor market season have been encouraging. Green City Market, widely regarded as Chicago’s premier farmers market, reported more than 13,000 visitors in a six-hour span on May 7, even though the weather was still on the cool side and few spring crops were in season after a chilly and wet April.

At the same time, a previously little-used conduit for local health food sales—e-commerce—shows signs of spurring long-term growth. Some individual producers nimbly built out their webbased product sales by also providing home delivery, previously a rarity in the local food scene. For example, the e-commerce site Avrom Farm (AvromFarm.com), of Ripon, Wisconsin, sells not only its own products, but also goods from other farmers, and Three Sisters Garden, of Kankakee, Illinois, which raises specialty vegetables, has converted entirely to e-commerce and home delivery.

Taking this concept to the next level is WhatsGood, which in 2014 began providing home delivery and pickup services for farmers markets in several cities. In the pandemic, the company became a lifeline to connect farmers with consumers at a time when stay-at-home orders and social distancing concerns hampered or closed farmers markets.

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Late last year, WhatsGood introduced a new business model that bypasses farmers markets to allow consumers to order goods online directly from farmers for home delivery.

SourceWhatsGood.com now operates in 21 states. Tortora estimates that demand for local food is about 12 times greater than it was before the pandemic, even as supermarkets again start stocking more faraway-grown, conventional produce.

Even Better for the Planet

While the pandemic created a sense of urgency about healthier eating, it also elevated concerns about the health of the living environment. An April 2022 study issued by New York University’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business found that products specifically marketed as sustainable had a 17 percent share of the market for consumer-packaged goods, up from 13.3 percent in 2015. Nearly half of all products introduced in 2021 touted sustainability benefits, up from 28 percent in 2017. Organic food sales in 2021 amounted to $51 billion; 30 years earlier, that market was estimated at a mere $1 billion, says the SPINS report.

Now there is growing support to take stewardship of the land to the next level through regenerative agriculture practices which focus on building and maintaining the health and biological vitality of the nation’s soils, and in some cases, means restoring soils stripped of their vitality by conventional farming practices. It has been most heavily promoted by the Rodale Institute, based in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, which has developed standards for a Regenerative Organic Certified food label.

The sustainability issue resonates deeply with people like Katlin Smith, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Simple Mills, a 10-year-old company that’s widely recognized as the preeminent natural baking mix brand nationally. “I started the company after seeing what a huge impact food has on all of our bodies, and I realized how much we had processed the heck out of our food. And it was really undermining people’s health,” she says.

In the last two years, the company has expanded its focus to work with farmers to improve soil health and biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It recently joined forces with the frozen smoothie company Daily Harvest and glutenfree frozen pizza maker Capello’s to advance regenerative soil practices in almond growing. “Regenerative agriculture is really just growing food in a way that leans into nature and builds a healthy ecosystem for all who are involved,” says Smith.

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Supplying Underserved Communities

Local food communities around the country are also playing an increasingly dynamic role in addressing food equity, access and security issues. Less than a decade ago, fewer than half of all farmers markets nationwide accepted federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for purchases. Today, backed by U.S. Department of Agriculture funding, most do, with many markets accepting state-backed debit cards. To further increase access to locally produced food for lower-income families, many states provide matching shopping funds up to a certain limit, as do programs run by nonprofit organizations such as California’s Market Match and Double Up Bucks, run by the Michigan Fair Food Network.

To get healthy produce to people that live in urban “food deserts”, nonprofits are pioneering creative approaches. The Urban Growers Collective operates eight farms on 11 acres of land on Chicago’s Southside that combine education, training and leadership development with the growth of organic crops, which are then driven in a “Fresh Moves” bus to local community and health centers, and churches. Founded by food justice advocates Laurell Sims and Erika Allen, the Collective worked with a coalition of nonprofits during the pandemic to deliver boxes of free food to households in underserved neighborhoods across the city. The pandemic “forced us to do some of the things we’d been talking about, but said we don’t have time yet.

We just dived in,” Sims says.

The dramatic impact of the COVID-19 crisis drove up local interest in the Collective’s community gardens, with the number of volunteers jumping from 10 to 50. “It made a lot of people realize this ain’t no joke. People close to us were passing away,” says farm manager Malcolm Evans, who started volunteering for the Collective a decade ago as a teenager growing up in a nearby public housing project. “People wanted to really know how to grow food. We’ve been doing it for years, trying to bring this to folks’ attention. Everybody needs to understand food and know where it comes from.”

Bob Benenson is publisher and writer of Local Food Forum, a newsletter that covers all aspects of the local food community in the Chicago region. He can be contacted at Bob@LocalFood Forum.com.

Shopping Tips for Healthy Eating

by Lisa Brown

H

ealthy eating starts with healthy shopping. These tips can keep individuals on track while grocery shopping and moving toward a healthier lifestyle. n Be successful by planning in advance of shopping. Make a list and stick to it. Take a few minutes to plan out meals for the week and always create a shopping list before heading to the grocery store to avoid getting sidetracked.

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n Never shop hungry. Science demonstrates that shopping on an empty stomach propels shoppers to purchase way more than needed and make less healthy decisions. n Shop the perimeter of the store first.

Spending most of the time in the produce section will ensure the selection of fresh, unprocessed wholefoods including leafy greens, vegetables and fresh fruits. Aim to fill the cart with at least 50 percent fresh produce, if not more. Make sure to grab whole grains, nut butters beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well.

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n Read ingredient and nutrition labels. If it isn’t pronounceable, don’t buy it. Avoid items with high sodium, dyes, harmful additives and preservatives, trans fats or hydrogenated oils, added sugar of any kind, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners, MSG and refined grains.

WE’rE iN ForBES

n Try new things. Explore new, innovative recipes and incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to prevent boredom.

Lisa Brown is a plant-based chef, educator and owner of Free Flowing Health. For a free consultation and more information, call 646-642-0083 or visit FreeFlowingHealth. com. See listing, page 47.

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conscious eating

Flower Power EDIBLE BLOOMS ADD FLAVOR AND COLOR TO SUMMER FARE

by April Thompson

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photo courtesy of Marie Viljoen

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ruits, leaves, stems and roots are commonly eaten as part of a plantbased, farm-to-table diet, but until recently, the only flowers on the table were in a vase. Today’s health-conscious foodies are finding edible flowers to be a fantastic way to eat the rainbow, adding fun flavors and colors to all sorts of dishes.

Urban homesteader Holly Capelle turned her family’s backyard in the Portland, Oregon, suburbs into expansive edible gardens, enjoyed by their flowereating chickens and children alike. “We grow everything from seed, including 15 to 20 edible flower varieties, from spring through fall,” says Capelle. “I love to grow edible flowers for two reasons: one, to eat, and second, for the natural pest control they provide. I think of flowers as a beautiful army that I can eat along the way.”

Capelle’s favorite edible flowers are pansies and violets, as they “pop up again and again all growing season and make a beautiful garnish without overpowering flavor.” The home gardener likes to freeze the fresh flowers in ice cubes, press them on the outside of herb butter or dry them between pieces of wax paper to later add to the tops of homemade chocolate bars, along with dehydrated strawberries, lemon balm, mint or other botanical flavors.

The family’s fowl get in on the flower fun, too. “We make frozen treats for the chickens out of edible flowers, corn and strawberries, which they love in summer.

We also add dried flowers like marigolds to their nesting boxes,” she says, adding that marigolds, with their bright orange hues and distinct flavor, are great in scrambled eggs or as a substitute for saffron.

For larger blooms like sunflowers, Capelle recommends pulling off the often-hard centers. “I often see whole zinnias on edible cakes, but no one wants to eat an entire zinnia. With daisies, for example, I will pull off the petals and recreate the flower on top of a dish, using peppercorns or chocolate chips in place of the center,” she says.

Capelle also loves chamomile for its distinctive, apple-like flavor that has the “feel of fall,” and dianthus, with a slightly spicy taste like cloves. “Nasturtiums are another super defender in the garden, with a delicious peppery flavor and nice orange pop of color in a salad,” she adds.

“Flowers brighten any dish up, especially hors d’oeuvres, omelets and soups. Pea soup is an ugly soup, but sprinkle some microgreens and a viola on top and it’s beautiful,” says Jan

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photo courtesy of Jan Bell

Bell, of Gilbertie’s Organics, in Easton, Connecticut. The 34-acre farm, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, grows herbs, vegetables and microgreens in 24 greenhouses, including a microgreen blend with nasturtium and viola flowers. “If you pick the flowers on herbs, the plant will grow better and last longer,” Bell adds.

Flowers like wild violets, chive blossoms and common milkweed can add bold color and flavor to vinegar with pinkish purple hues that power up salad dressings. Bell also likes to dry chive flowers to use year-round. “They are a nice purple sprinkle to add to dishes when things are boring in winter,” she says.

Marie Viljoen, a New York City forager, chef and author of the cookbook Forage, Harvest, Feast: A Wild-Inspired Cuisine, incorporates numerous wild and cultivated flowers, including tree flowers like magnolia and black locust, into her hyperlocal, seasonal meals.

Even common garden roses can add a delicious dimension to dishes and drinks, according to Viljoen. “I like to ferment roses into a simple soda, using organically grown rose petals, honey or sugar and tap water. It’s ready within a few days, or else you can leave to ferment a few months to make a sipping vinegar,” she says. “You can also combine really fragrant rose petals with a neutral honey like clover, then strain after a few days for a rose water essence you can add to yogurt or other dishes.” Viljoen also uses rose petals as edible garnishes for deviled eggs or as edible plates for goat cheese balls on her gourmet picnics.

Some flowers are for the eyes only, however. Many can be poisonous, so it’s important to ensure a particular species is edible before digging in. Viljoen also advises carefully distinguishing between poisonous lookalikes when foraging: A delicious daylily and a toxic true lily look similar, but are in different plant families, for example. She also says to look for organically grown flowers that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.

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

FLOWER SPRING ROLLS WITH TAMARIND AND PEANUT SAUCE

by Tara Lanich-LaBrie Spring rolls are a great way to eat all the fresh veggies, flowers and fruits of the season, and they look like little paintings with flowers on the outside and different colors and textures throughout. In the summer months, our bodies naturally gravitate toward eating more raw vegetables and fruits to cool our system and attune to the season of lightness. The grounding aspect in these petal rolls comes from the root veggies and the piquant, velvety peanut sauce. They are easy to make with whatever veggies and fruits we have on hand and are a great meal to take on the trail. Gather whatever ingredients sound delicious at the local market or farm, forage some delicacies if you have the time and put on your favorite music to inspire making these rolls.

Package of spring roll wrappers/rice wrappers 2-3 cucumbers or summer squash, cut into lengthwise strips Edible flowers (optional) such as scarlet begonias, nasturtiums, rose petals, calendula, dandelion petals, sweet alyssum, radish flowers, bachelor buttons, violets, violas or pea flowers 1 bunch mint (about 1 cup) 1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup) Combination of fresh root vegetables in

an assortment of colors, such as turnips, radishes and carrots, sliced in thin sticks Spinach, nasturtium leaves or other tender green leaves to create a background for your petals 1 avocado, sliced thin (optional) Asparagus, sliced in thin sticks Red pepper, sliced thin, lengthwise 10-oz pack of thin rice noodles Snap peas, purple or green, sliced lengthwise

All of these ingredients are recommendations or suggestions meant to inspire, but they are merely ideas. Use what is available. Spring rolls are excellent with almost any combination of fresh ingredients. I use a general framework of one-third each of crunchy or harder ingredients, like cucumber, squash, radish and carrot; softer ingredients like avocado, peach, mushroom and iceberg lettuce; and flowers, herbs, leaves such as rose petals, calendula, basil, mint and squash blossoms.

First, prep all the ingredients and set up a space to roll and see all of the ingredients. It isn’t necessary to cut everything perfectly, and tearing lettuces or other leaves is a great way to save time and create texture. I like to have my ingredients separated by type or color to create the rolls like a painting, using a palette.

Have a bowl with water that is large enough to dip the spring roll wrappers. Next to this, have a plate that is large enough to hold the wrappers. Have bowls or plates or a large cutting board with all the ingredients laid out to access everything easily and quickly.

July 2022

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Quickly dip a rice wrapper into the water and place it onto the plate. Add flowers or individual flower petals to the wrapper.

Layer the petals to about a half-inch of the edge of the wrapper. There is really no wrong way to create these rolls.

Starting in the middle of the roll, on top of the petals and background leaves, make a line of crunchier or “harder” veggies like carrot, cucumber or radish sticks. Add up to nine sticks about two to three inches long each to make a line in the center. They can be close together and on top of one another.

Next, add softer veggies or fruit (peach/mango/mushrooms/ avocado) next to or on top of the line of harder veggies. Now sprinkle on the cilantro/mint/basil (roughly 1 to 2 tablespoons total per roll, unless you love these flavors and want to add more). Add leaves, lettuces, sprouts or spinach on top of this center line. It doesn’t need to be perfect at all, so let things spill out and over.

Try to work as quickly as possible while adding ingredients; it will get faster as you make them. Then begin to lift one side of the roll using both hands and carefully pull up into the center of the roll toward the line of filling. Use your thumb to tuck the ingredients under and your fingers to bring more of the wrapper across over the line and then roll it all so the top goes under. You will need a small amount of the wrapper clear of ingredients at the end so it can seal with the roll you have made. (I don’t tuck the sides at all because doing it this way is faster and generally holds together better.)

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TAMARIND AND PEANUT SAUCE 1 cup crunchy peanut butter (no oils, sugar or additives) 1 can full-fat coconut milk 4 Tbsp maple syrup 2 Tbsp (heaping) tamarind paste 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated ½ tsp sea salt, to taste Sprinkle of cayenne pepper Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low and stir or whisk until all ingredients are blended well.

If you like a thinner sauce, add water, a tablespoon at a time, but wait a few minutes until it is incorporated fully. Peanut sauce thickens more as it cools.

For more information, visit @themedicinecircle on Instagram or TheMedicineCircle.com.

photo courtesy of Marie Viljoen

SPICY MAGNOLIA SALAD CUPS

YIELD: FOUR APPETIZER SERVINGS All magnolia petals have a strong, gingery flavor with a hint of cloves or menthol, depending on the variety. Blooming through summer, North American southern magnolia flowers (Magnolia grandiflora) are the size of dinner plates. Their substantial, fragrant petals make beautiful edible cups for assertively flavored salads or ceviche. Here, blandly creamy avocado, crisp peppery radish slices, quick-pickled onion and a kiss of high-quality soy sauce fill the luscious petals with complementary textures and flavors. Pick the whole petal up like a taco and bite to get the full effect in a mouthful.

1 ripe avocado, cubed 3 radishes, very thinly sliced 2-3 Tbsp quick-pickled red onion rings 2 pickled Japanese knotweed shoots (optional) ¼ tsp chili flakes 2 tsp soy sauce (like organic Ohsawa nama shoyu) Roasted sesame oil

Any

Time,

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Where

ENERGY HEALING

QUICK-PICKLED ONION The heavy seasoning is important to make these pickles pop. Leftover pickles keep indefinitely in the refrigerator, and the flavorful brine is delicious in salad dressings. ½ cup white wine or rice vinegar ¼ cup water 1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp sugar 2 small red onions, thinly sliced into rings In a Mason jar, combine the vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Close the lid tightly and shake to dissolve the seasonings. Add the onions. Allow the mixture to sit in the brine for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

To assemble the magnolia cups, arrange the avocado cubes, radish and pickled onion between the four petals. Season lightly with chili flakes and soy sauce. Add a few drops of the roasted sesame oil. Serve at once and inhale.

Recipe courtesy of Marie Viljoen.

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healthy kids

Cool Treats for Hot Days DIY RECIPES EVEN KIDS CAN MAKE

by Sheila Julson

M

any of us have fond childhood memories of cool confections from the neighborhood ice cream truck on sultry summer days. By creating homemade, hot-weather treats with our kids, we get to enjoy the delights of fresh, seasonal produce and inventive flavor combinations, while also providing our kids with kitchen fun, healthy fare without unwelcome additives and summertime memories of their own.

“There are plenty of frozen treats from the grocery store that are in the natural or organic categories, but sometimes those still have levels of sweeteners, sugar or other preservatives that we don’t want or need,” says Annie Wegner LeFort, a Milwaukee-based chef and founder of the healthy living business EatMoveMKE.com.

She has been making frozen pops for her 13-year-old daughter Vera since she was a toddler. Anything that is homemade is more economical and has less packaging, Wegner LeFort says. Pop molds can be used over and over, and even cups can be used and reused as molds to reduce waste.

galitskaya/AdobeStock.com

Crafting Cool Treats

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swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

Making frozen pops can be as easy as mashing fruits and other ingredients in a bowl, pouring the mixture into molds and freezing them. A blender or a food processor can be used to make a smoother mix, with parents supervising younger kids.

Older children that know how to use small appliances can safely blend—and clean up—without supervision. Wegner LeFort notes that young kids might enjoy straightforward flavor combinations, but older kids with more developed palates can experiment with herbs or exotic concoctions.

Jenifoto/AdobeStock.com

Parents can deftly blend vegetables and herbs into frozen pops and refreshing summer smoothies without being detected by finicky eaters. She recommends adding spinach to fruit blends with berries or dark-colored fruits: “You don’t even really see the greens. They are overtaken by the blue and purple fruits.”

Beets or beet juice, which is high in iron and vitamins, also add a beautiful color to berry blends. Cooked and mashed sweet potatoes lend a vibrant orange to red and yellow blends made with strawberries or pineapple.

Gwen Eberly, a Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based chef who teaches cooking to kids and teens through the Zest! cooking school, recalls making healthy, decadent, frozen orange cream pops with her mother and enjoying them on her farmhouse porch on hot summer days. “The original orange cream pops recipe came from a cookbook called More With Less, a compilation of recipes offered by Mennonite women in the 1970s,” Eberly says. She made them with her own children when they were young, and they became a family favorite. Now, as teenagers, they make the treats themselves all year long.

Other simple cool snacks include monkey tails—frozen bananas rolled in melted chocolate. “That’s a simple and healthy treat that can be topped with nuts or seeds. If you use dark chocolate, that helps cut down on sugar,” Wegner LeFort advises. Ice cream sandwiches can be made with either store-bought or homemade cookies and ice cream. “Those have endless options for creativity and different flavor combinations.”

Jessi Walter Brelsford, founder and “Chief Bud” at the cooking school Taste Buds Kitchen, based in New York City, recommends putting a fun twist on fruit salad with Rainbow Kabobs, which parents and kids can make together. “Our recipe uses fresh, summer favorites like strawberries, cantaloupe, kiwis and blueberries, but depending on your family’s preferences, you can easily make these with any fruit sturdy enough to go on the skewers,” she says. “Kids love helping out, so get them even more excited to be involved by using cool tools together, like a melon baller or crinkle cutter. It will help them practice fine motor skills and pattern recognition by threading the fruits onto the skewers in specific patterns.”

With a little encouragement and experimentation, kids will be proudly and happily creating their own delicious and healthy summer snacks.

ORANGE CREAM POPS YIELD: 8 SERVINGS 1 banana 1 cup vanilla yogurt, whole milk 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice 1 Tbsp honey Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour blended mixture into molds, leaving ½ inch for them to expand.

Freeze until hard, about 4 hours. When ready to eat, run under warm water and remove from the mold.

Variations: omit bananas or substitute milk with full-fat coconut milk.

Ms VectorPlus/AdobeStock.com

Recipe courtesy of Gwen Eberly, adapted from More With Less.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.

VEGAN WATERMELON-BEET POPS YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

iStock.com

¾ cup vegan vanilla yogurt ½ cup non-dairy milk 2 heaping cups frozen or fresh watermelon cubes 1 red beet, cooked, peeled and chunked 1 small frozen or fresh banana ½ lemon, juiced Add all ingredients to a blender and process on high until smooth.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze solid.

Recipe courtesy of Annie Wegner LeFort.

July 2022

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MIXED BERRY POPS YIELD: 8 SERVINGS 2 cups mixed berries (frozen or fresh) 1 ripe banana ¾ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice 1 cup milk 1 cup plain yogurt 1 Tbsp honey Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour blended mixture into molds, leaving ½ inch for it to expand. Freeze until hard, about 4 hours. When ready to eat, run under warm water and remove from the mold.

Variations: omit bananas or substitute milk with full-fat coconut milk. For smoothies, add 2 cups of ice to the recipe and pour the blended mixture into a glass.

Recipe courtesy of Gwen Eberly.

RAINBOW FRUIT KABOBS YIELD: 18 SERVINGS 18 4-inch bamboo knot picks 9 strawberries, cut in half 6 oz cantaloupe, cut into balls or ½-inch cubes 1 banana, cut into half-moons 2 kiwis, cut into half-moons 18 blueberries 18 purple grapes Prepare fruit for kabobs. Cut strawberries in half. Cut cantaloupe into ½-inch cubes or use a melon baller to make balls. Cut bananas and kiwis into half-moons. Leave blueberries and grapes whole.

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Thread fruit pieces onto bamboo knot picks, placing fruit in the rainbow order of color: strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, kiwis, blueberries and purple grapes. Skewer the grape last, so that it can be used to cover the pointy end of the stick. Put one piece of each fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit kabobs decoratively on a serving platter.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste Buds Kitchen.

photo courtesy of Taste Buds Kitchen

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action alert

New Legislation May Reduce Supplement Dosage

A

well-organized, coordinated campaign from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Big Pharma is threatening access to the supplements we depend on.

Using the premise that supplements are unsafe, the FDA is working to gain more power over their regulation in order to further solidify the corporate monopoly on medicine. These efforts must be opposed. Write to Congress and tell them to oppose efforts to establish a “mandatory filing” for supplements.

The Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to approve its FDA user fee bill with mandatory dietary supplement product listing. Lawmakers need to hear that this is a bad idea. Requiring supplement companies to register all

their products with the FDA sounds innocuous, but will have farreaching, negative effects on supplement access.

The policy is being spearheaded by Senator Dick Durbin (DIL). Alliance for Natural Health believes Durbin’s ultimate goal is to eliminate higher dosages of supplements as is being done in Europe. Read about the damage this policy will do to supplement choices in ANH articles at ANH-usa.org.

This policy that will restrict consumer choice must be opposed. The ANH expects the bill to receive a full Senate vote soon, so it is critical to write to Congress immediately and tell them to oppose mandatory product registration for supplements. An example letter is in the Action Center of the ANH website, ANH-usa.org/action-center.

July 2022

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wise words

Jeffrey Smith on the

Threat of Gene-Edited Microbes

by Sandra Yeyati

W

hen most people didn’t know what a GMO (genetically engineered organism) was 25 years ago, Jeffrey Smith, the founder and executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, was one of the leaders of a global movement that helped consumers understand the dangers of genetically engineered foods. The success of these efforts prompted significant swaths of the population to reject GM comestibles, leading food manufacturers to develop non-GMO alternatives. His most recent efforts focus on gene-edited microbes.

courtesy of Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy

Why do you believe that unregulated releases of gene-edited plants, animals or microbes could devastate our planet?

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First, GMOs can persist forever in the gene pool. They’re self-propagating. Second, the most common result of genetic engineering is surprise side effects. Third, gene editing is so inexpensive that virtually everything with DNA can be a target. You can buy a do-it-yourself CRSPR kit online for less than $200. Already, it’s being used in high school biology labs. Nature’s gene pool is up for grabs with no real safety net, and the impact can last for thousands of years from a single release.

What are the world’s most dangerous organisms to gene edit and why?

The microbial ecosystem known as the microbiome. It is a basis for human and environmental health. Experts say we’ve outsourced about 90 percent of our meta-

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

bolic and chemical functions to our microbiome, and imbalances in the microbiome are precursors to about 80 percent of diseases.

The microbiome is essential for soil health and health in virtually every ecosystem. If you release a genetically engineered microbe, it might travel around the world, mutate and swap genes with thousands of other microbes. These, in turn, can travel and mutate with unpredicted side effects and changes in function. This can potentially damage or collapse ecosystems around the world.

How can we stop this threat?

We need to disallow any release of genetically engineered microbes through legislation and international treaties. Without such laws, we could see a million GM microbes released in this generation, which could destroy the nature of nature, and all future generations would be forced to grapple with our mistakes. We also should restrict access to these technologies and ban so-called gain-of-function enhancement of potentially pandemic pathogens, even in so-called bio-secure laboratories, because over 1,000 recorded accidents show that bio-security isn’t reliable enough to create and house pathogens which, if released, could lead to another pandemic.

How did you help build a movement that led to widescale rejection of GMOs?

I’ve spoken in 45 countries, counseled politicians and leaders, written two books, made five movies, trained 1,500 speakers and helped organize over 10,000 activists in more than a hundred groups. We exposed the dangers of GMOs and the

We need to disallow any release of genetically engineered microbes through legislation and international treaties. corrupt practices by the biotech industry and regulatory agencies. Now, 51 percent of Americans and 48 percent of global consumers correctly believe that GMO foods aren’t safe. This was designed to influence purchasing choices to put economic pressure on food companies to remove GMO ingredients. The tipping point of consumer rejection is underway.

How are you mobilizing a movement against GM microbes?

How can people help?

I invite people to visit ProtectNatureNow. com, sign up for our newsletter and watch the 16-minute film Don’t Let the Gene Out of the Bottle. We post action alerts for people to reach out to elected officials and local papers, and we’ll have plenty more opportunities for people moving forward, including training programs and a global advocacy network.

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

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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Our choices in supermarkets won’t stop the release of genetically engineered microbes, so we need to focus on enacting new laws in individual countries and international treaties. But we can’t rely on consistency of government laws. We need to build a popular movement so that everyone in the world realizes we have now arrived at an inevitable time in human civilization where we can damage the streams of evolution for all time, and that we need to become far more responsible in our relationship with nature. We need to institutionalize the choices in academia so that everyone growing up, just as they now learn about climate change, also learns about the dangers of genetic technology and what we need to do as a civilization to protect nature’s gene pool forever.

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Meet Sandra Plazas Cape Coral resident

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Work: Program manager for Community Education at Goodwill Industries SWFL Proudest Achievement: I began my career with Goodwill SWFL in 2013 as accounts payable coordinator. I learned about the mission services offered to the community and I wanted to be more involved.

In 2016, I became the coordinator of MicroEnterprise and started working with participants who were changing the direction of their lives to be more independent and create a legacy for their children by completing the MicroEnterprise program. In 2018, I was promoted to program manager of Community Education. My goal since then has been making the communities we serve aware of the MicroEnterprise program and services offered at Goodwill SWFL which can enhance an individual’s life by them becoming more self-sufficient through entrepreneurship.

Expectations for the future: The MicroEnterprise Institute is in its 12th year of offering six-week training program in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties. To date, 983 individuals have graduated from the program that has resulted in more than 500 business started/strengthened. I want to continue to expand and grow the program and reach those individuals that have a passion or hobby that they can turn into a business to create opportunities for them and their families.

Favorite Websites: Goodwillswfl.org is a great resource for the community to locate all our retail stores for job opportunities, donations, partner agencies and the programs and services available to the community. It includes the schedule of MicroEnterprise classes in each of the counties we serve.

Favorite thing about Natural Awakenings: The magazine has wonderful articles on health and wellness that all ages can benefit from. The most recent article I read was about Earthy Day celebration and all the ways we can make little changes which will have positive impact on our planet.

- JULY POSE OF THE MONTH ✹ sun saLuTaTion ✹ Join us in saluting the sun all month long

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Collier/Lee Counties

Where I pick up my copy of Natural Awakenings: I read Natural Awakenings online.

Most frequented healthy food restaurants: I am always on the run, but when I am in Collier County, I stop by and get a pressed organic juice and a healthy snack at Juicelation, in Naples. Alexandra, who graduated from our program in 2014, opened Juicelation, which serves cold pressed, organic, juices smoothies, bowls and raw desserts.

How I support my community: Every opportunity I have, I am sharing the successes of the MicroEnterprise program and highlighting the businesses in the community that were started and strengthened after taking the class, connecting resources to our clients about opportunities to grow their businesses and educational workshops for small business.

Favorite inspirational quote: The decisions we make, dictate the life we lead. ~Unknown.

What I am doing to be the change I want to see in the world: My parents instilled in me to always treat people with respect and kindness, regardless of economic status. I’m helping to educate and assist people in developing their fullest potential. I never judge.

I listen first.

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

business spotlight

Artful Exteriors

Plant Nerds Really Are the Best

by Linda Sechrist

W

hile few individuals describe themselves as a “plant nerd”, Artful Exteriors’ owner Chad Brunette proudly uses the words that might best describe this nationally recognized botanical expert’s superpower and that of several members on his award-winning team. Perusing the photo gallery on ArtfulExteriors.com, the company’s website, to view examples of the full-service gardening and landscaping company’s aesthetically pleasing designs will confirm for anyone the talents of Brunette and his experienced crew’s abilities to create custom designs that bring enhanced beauty to any residence.

Nationally recognized for their work on designing botanical gardens, landscapes for city parks, interior and exterior commercial projects, as well as numerous residential escapes, Artful Exteriors is flexible and can design plans for any budget. Their meticulous gardeners also ensure that all gardens look their finest all year long. “Our staff has worked on projects throughout the United States in every climate and geographic region, and our designers are available to create custom designs anywhere in the world,” says Brunette.

“My background in botanic gardens, as well as our head designer’s, Lowry Douglas, who also worked at botanic gardens across the country and in England, benefits any client. For example, if someone tells us that they like every color but yellow, they’re only in the home in the summer and want an evening-scented garden, our brains instantly start thinking of all the different plants to use. If you have in mind that one particular thing you must have— fragrant orchids, a theme garden where you only want green and white or a riot of color, and even a container garden—we know exactly how to put the pieces together to match the dream for your garden. I think our plant nerdiness and our passion for plants and design is what sets us apart from other companies,” advises Brunette, who notes that a client’s dream of a garden designed with native and drought-resistant plants can also be easily fulfilled.

Artful Exteriors is a design, installation and maintenance company that offers mowing, tree trimming and irrigation.

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Artful Exteriors is located at 2338 Immokalee Rd., Ste. 358, in Naples. For a free consultation and quote, call 239-221-8385. See ad, page 37.

July 2022

39

INTUITION

The Language of the Soul

H

by Lenka Schulze

ave you ever you asked yourself why you are here and what your purpose might be? What is the meaning of life and how you can you sustain your health, vitality, happiness, and joy? In our search for answers, there are many external influences all around us and experts to consult. Yet the answers we seek will not be found in India, Tibet, or in some spiritual retreat. Nor will they be found in spiritual seminars or metaphysical books. These attempts are in the domain of the intellect. And there, the real answers we seek do not materialize because the answers to these questions lie deep inside of us, within the soul.

The soul is the true essence of the self. It is all-knowing and can access any information desired, yet the soul does not speak in mundane words. It speaks the language of Intuition and is based on a 40

Collier/Lee Counties

very advanced pathway that we all have within us. To find these answers and the path of empowerment, abundance, peace, or joy, we must simply learn to communicate with our souls.

The concept of intuition was originally theological, meaning “spiritual perception”.

Now, Webster’s dictionary defines intuition as a natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence: a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without understanding why.

Scientists at the HeartMath Institute have been collecting data over 25 years that demonstrates the ability to know information without knowing the source. They have demonstrated that our hearts give us signals about certain situations seconds before we actually encounter them. They also discovered that the heart has its own

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

intricate neural network of over forty thousand neurons able to independently process information to make a decision. Simply put, the heart “knows”, and it supersedes the capacity of the mind to perceive.

Intuition is the only language that is universal. Our souls are capable of communicating with other souls without our intellectual understanding or intellectual consent. And, because it governs and guides our lives, the power of the soul ultimately overrides our egoistic wishes and demands.

As we are trained to force, push our ego/ personality forward in life to get, consume, conquer, or control, we completely ignore the voice of our soul.

We often say our lives are full of happiness and meaning. But have we honestly looked within for that answer, or are we just pretending? How do we really know?

One way our souls speak to us is through the language of feelings. If we live our lives with joy and a happy outlook on life, our bodies are vibrant with healthy energy, vitality, and genuine joy and peace. If we are not in these high states of consciousness, we have not been listening to our intuition.

We are ignoring the existence of the soul and are simply serving our egos.

The soul does not consider money, positions of power, or fame worthy of a meaningful life or a sustainable form of vitality, health, joy, or happiness. We are spiritual beings having human experiences. The soul deeply yearns to experience, to be acknowledged, and ultimately to have a way to express itself. It seeks to know why we exist, what our purpose is and how much our existence matters in the vast universe.

The soul is the essence of our true selves.

It never dies, and ultimately transforms back to the Source that we all came from.

It is our time to speak the language of intuition… the soul language.

WAYS TO RECEIVE INTUITION

Clairsentience: Being clairsentient means we feel or sense things. Our primary language is through direct body experience, physical or emotional sensations such as temperature changes, air pressure, gut feelings, or sudden bliss or euphoria. Crowds and parties can be overwhelming quantities of energies to process.

Clairaudience: Our inner voice is guiding us with an auditory sense of knowing.

Messages come into mind via words, sounds and music. These messages stand out in that moment and will replay later in the mind. Being clairaudient means being very sensitive to music and sound and having low tolerance for static or irritating sounds.

Clairvoyance: Clairvoyants see things differently and enjoy symbolism and signs. Clairvoyants can often see auras, images, flashes of insights in visual form that come and go in seconds. The third eye is strongly developed and the world is perceived with wonder.

Claircognizance: Being claircognizant means having deep, unexplained knowing.

It also means being a quick thinker, appearing to know everything without prior knowledge of a subject.

calendar of events The events described in this section were scheduled to take place at the time we went to press. Please check ahead to confirm their status. we cruise to watch them. Each year, Fort Myers Beach puts on one of the more majestic and aweinspiring fireworks performances in Southwest Florida. $75. Adventures in Paradise, 14341 Port Comfort Rd, Fort Myers. 239-472-8443.

AdventureInParadiseInc.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 5

FRIDAY, JULY 1 Bob Zottola and the Jazz Simpatico – 6-9pm.

Jazz music. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222. FoodAndThought.com.

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30-7:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. Feel yourself unwind and de-stress. align your chakras. $10. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

8 KEYS TO DEVELOP INTUITION

SATURDAY, JULY 2

n Use it or lose it. Intuitive muscle needs to be trained and trusted.

SUNDAY, JULY 3

If you are not sure, or don’t consider yourself to be intuitive, here are eight keys to begin developing your intuition:

n Be aware. Intuition doesn’t come screaming. It is subtle communication that comes and goes. It is essential to pay attention to your surroundings. n Trust is an important element. When we doubt our intuitive guidance, we doubt ourselves. n Explore with a pendulum, cards or crystals. n Journal and chart your progress and acknowledge your milestones. n Find time to be still. n Listen and let your soul speak to you. n Have fun.

Lenka Schulze is an author, speaker, educator, medical Intuologist and founder of the Wellness Energy Institute, a nonprofit 5013c Spiritual Center located at 5435 Park Central Court, in Naples. To contact, call 239860-6977 or visit WellnessEnergyInstitute. org. See ad on inside front cover.

Animal Reiki Clinic – 9am-12pm. With Pattie Carney, animal reiki master. $45-$60. Held outside at Lotus Blossom Clinic, LLC, 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 2-3, Fort Myers. To register, Pattie: 774-209-9393.

LotusBlossomClinic.com.

Breath Empowerment Session – 11:30am12:30pm. Also July 10. With Candace Tranter. Take a journey using the breath empowerment technique into their minds and bodies that will set them free from unwanted energies that are holding them back.

Sol of Life, 2400 First St, Ste 100, Fort Myers.

239-745-2860. CandaceTranter@gmail.com. bit. ly/breathoffreedom. See ad on page 47 and news brief on page 11.

MONDAY, JULY 4 Fourth of July Cruise – 7:30-9:30pm. The Fort Myers Beach fireworks are on. Join us as

All Faiths Climate Action Team: Lee County – 1:30-3pm. Dedicated to engaging, informing and motivating members of both our congregation and the larger community to take action to address the impact of climate change on our lives and the world. Free.

To register, Joan Marshall: jfmdbm@yahoo.com.

Digging Deep with Jodi – 7-8:30pm. Topic: Clearing Your Energy. A contemplative practice that suits your lifestyle using tools such as meditation, oracle cards, animal totems, literature and art. $15. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6 Group Acupuncture Clinic – 6-7pm. Join Tenelle Wilson, acupuncture physician, for this group experience that supports health and wellness. The acupuncture session requires 30 mins for full benefit and includes 5 small, sterile, disposable needles placed on the ears. $30. CasaShanti, 2052 Cottage St, Ft Myers. 239-208-9872. RSVP: CasaShanti.us.

Lee County Chapter of Climate Reality – 7-8:30pm. Open to anyone interested in learning more about climate change and what can be done to save our planet. Free. Via Zoom. Register: ClimateReality.LeeCountyChapter@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 7 Psychic Development – 6:30-8pm. Every month, Laurie Barraco offers a different topic to enhance your intuitive practice. July’s topic will include a meditation and strategy for safely exploring astral travel and projection. $25. The Mystical Moon Ft Myers, 8890 Salrose Ln, Ste 107, Ft Myers.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

Your Market is Our Readers.

Let Us Introduce You to Them!

239-272-8155 July 2022

41

Psychic Fair – 11am-4pm. Mini-readings with experienced psychics and healers. Services include mediumship, tarot, reiki, angel, past-life, chakra balancing, intuitive, body scanning, oracle and more. $30/20 min. Goddess I AM 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949.

GoddessIAM.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 8 Psychic Fair – 11am-4pm. Mini-readings with experienced psychics and healers. Services include mediumship, tarot, reiki, angel, past-life, chakra balancing, intuitive, body scanning, oracle and more. $30/20 min. Goddess I AM 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com.

Pendulum Workshop – 2pm. Learn how to choose, cleanse and work with a pendulum. House of Spirits Mystical Botanika, 12995 S Cleveland, Ste 108, Fort Myers. Preregistration required: 239-362-0628.

HouseOfSpiritsShop.wixsite.com/my-site.

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30-7:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. Feel yourself unwind and destress. align your chakras. $10. The Mystical Moon Ft Myers, 8890 Salrose Ln, Ste 107, Ft Myers.

239-939-3339. TheMysticalMoon.com.

Robin and Dean – 6-9pm. Live music. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-2132222. FoodAndThought.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 9 Garden Talk: Vines and Trellises – 10-11:30am.

Learn how to grow and care for vines in their home landscape with Edison Ford horticulturists. Receive a 20% off coupon for use on plant purchases in the Garden Shoppe. $10/member, $15/nonmember. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers. 239-335-3670.

EdisonFordWinterEstates.org.

Dino’s Trio – 6-9pm. Live music. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222.

FoodAndThought.com.

SUNDAY, JULY 10 Light Code Activations – 9-10:30am. Channeled energy, activations and messages. These activations can be shortcuts to ease and grace, healing and prosperity. $22, Goddess I AM 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com.

Breath Empowerment Session – 11:30am12:30pm. Also July 3. With Candace Tranter. Take a journey using the breath empowerment technique into their minds and bodies that will set them free from unwanted energies that are holding them back.

Sol of Life, 2400 First St, Ste 100, Fort Myers.

239-745-2860. CandaceTranter@gmail.com. bit. ly/breathoffreedom. See ad on page 47 and news brief on page 11.

Reiki Circle – 5-6pm. Experience an atmosphere of healing while using reiki energy to remove blockages by balancing the many chakra energy channels.

Great for healing emotional and physical pain, noninvasive. $10. Goddess I AM 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 12 Digital Discussion: Joshua Chamberlain and the Civil War – 10:30-11:30am. Thomas Edison

TUESDAY, JULY 19 worked as a traveling telegrapher during the Civil War. Free. Via zoom. Edison & Ford Winter Estates: 239-335-3670 or EdisonFordWinterEstates.org.

THURSDAY, JULY 14 Fort Myers/Naples Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby – 5-6pm. We are a nonpartisan, non-profit organization covering Lee and Collier Counties focused on national policies to address climate change. Free. Via Zoom. Register: FtMyers@CitizensClimateLobby.org or cclnaplesfl@gmail.com.

Digging Deep with Jodi – 7-8:30pm. Topic: Yoga Nidra. A contemplative practice that suits your lifestyle using tools such as meditation, oracle cards, animal totems, literature and art. $15. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 21

Goddess Circle – 7-8:30pm. With Pam Bzoch.

A time to explore and connect with the energy of the divine feminine. June: Honoring the goddess Lakshmi. $25. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs.

239-301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

Webinar: Eyeread’s Iridology Services – 8-9pm.

Iridology is used as an assessment tool. Once a person’s eyes are read, Eyeread can help with lifestyle changes, including personalized diet recommendations, along with addressing other health issues and providing emotional support. Free. Register

by July 20: 833-240-1065, Info@EyeRead.net, MyEyeRead.com or EyeRead.net. See news brief on page 13.

FRIDAY, JULY 15

FRIDAY, JULY 22

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30-7:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. Feel yourself unwind and de-stress. align your chakras. $10. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 16 Animal Communication – 11am-1pm. Jennifer Crumbliss can help you take your relationship with animals to a whole new level by learning to bridge the communication gap. $40. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

Hat Trick – 6-9pm. Live music. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222.

FoodAndThought.com.

Defining Tarot – 7pm. In this class, share with others your personal meaning of each tarot card.

We will pick a card and dig deep into the symbolism, colors and much more. $15. House of Spirits Mystical Botanika, 12995 S Cleveland, Ste 108, Fort Myers. Preregistration required: 239-362-0628. HouseOfSpiritsShop.wixsite. com/my-site.

Reiki Circle – 7pm. With Pam Bzoch. Each month the circle focuses on one of the chakras. Meditation and healing on the crown chakra. $25. The

change can do you good Join the Natural Awakenings Franchise Family

For more info, visit: NaturalAwakenings.com

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Collier/Lee Counties

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. 239-301-0655.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 23 Shanti Serenity Spa Saturday – 10am-5pm.

Choose from a reading, reiki session, facial, ionic detox footbath or any combination of services at special Spa Saturday prices. Recommend reserving sessions in advance to get the self-care experience you need. $35-$45/session. CasaShanti, 2052 Cottage St, Ft Myers. 239-208-9872. CasaShanti.us.

Introduction to Wicca – 1pm. Learn what Wicca is; concept of deity; altars; holidays; magick and more.

Free. House of Spirits Mystical Botanika, 12995 S Cleveland, Ste 108, Fort Myers. Preregistration required: 239-362-0628. HouseOfSpiritsShop. wixsite.com/my-site.

SUNDAY, JULY 24 Tarot 101 Workshop – 11am-3:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. Learn the process of creating a sacred space for readings, opening up psychic channels and creating a solid foundation for reading the traditional tarot deck by learning to read the cards and different spreads. $111. The Mystical Moon Bonita Springs, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs.

239-301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com. See ad on page 6 and news brief on page 14.

MONDAY, JULY 25 Breath of Freedom: Breath Empowerment Ceremony – 5:30-7pm. With Candace Tranter. Learn special breathing techniques that will allow you to create balance, ease, flow, peace and strength, empowering you to overcome any obstacles you may face. $45. Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St, Fort Myers. 239-745-2860. CandaceTranter@gmail. com. bit.ly/breathoffreedom. See ad on page 47 and news brief on page 11.

SATURDAY, JULY 30 Essay Contest for Free Medical Marijuana Certifications Deadline – Compassionate Healthcare of Florida is conducting an essay contest on how cannabis may have improved our health or why we would like to try taking it. 2 winners will be chosen to receive a free medical marijuana certification, either new or a renewal, on Aug 1. 833-633-3665. Brief essay submissions: Contest@FlmmjHealth.com. FlmmjHealth. com. See ad on page 16 and news brief on page 15.

ongoing events

sunday Sunday Celebration Service – 10-11:15am.

Spiritual inspiration at Unity of Naples Church, 2000 Unity Way. UnityNaples.org. Livestream at Facebook.com/unityofnaples or YouTube.com/ unityofnapleschurch.

Beginner Natal Chart Astrology Class – 5-6pm.

Learn to interpret and understand your natal chart, what the signs and houses are and what they mean. $20. CasaShanti, 2052 Cottage St, Ft Myers. 239208-9872. RSVP: CasaShanti.us. See ad on page 31 and news brief on page 14.

monday Monday Morning Yoga – 8:30-9:30am. With Elizabeth Beltz. Start your week off right by tuning into your body with breathing and yoga asanas (stretches and postures). All levels welcome. Bring props if you have them. Some props available onsite; walk-ins welcome. $20. Lotus Blossom Clinic, 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 3, Fort Myers. To register: 239-277-1399. LotusBlossomClinic.com.

Grief Group Counseling – Thru Aug. 2-3pm. With Jennifer Bear Hoy, MS. Receive help and share memories in a group setting. Peaceful Summit Counseling, 1048 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 201, Naples.

239-450-8090.

Spiritual Enlightenment Circle – 7-8:30pm. With Jennie Martin. Get messages, spiritual therapy and meet with like minds to explore your journey and change your perception. $15. The Mystical Moon Ft Myers, 8890 Salrose Ln, Ste 107, Ft Myers.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

tuesday Live Online Course in The Method of Spiritual Awakening – 2-4pm. 2nd Tues. Learn who you really are personally and spiritually, how to fulfill your meaning and purpose, how to overcome the “human condition” that causes all your stress, blockage, limitations and fear. Free. 239-2873458. PureMeditation.org.

wednesday A Search for God Edgar Cayce Study Group – Thru Dec. 6-8pm. Weekly study group meeting based on the Edgar Cayce readings. New members welcome. 850-556-7604 or JanEselman@gmail. com. In-person or Zoom. Free. Unity of Fort Myers Sanctuary, 11120 Ranchette Rd, 1120 Ranchette Rd. UnityOfFortMyers.org.

thursday Free Yoga at the Beach – 8:15am. With Bobbie Lee Davenport. Multilevel sessions and all fitness levels welcome; many modifications shown.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, 11135 Gulf Shore Dr, parking lot #1, Naples. 239-777-0186. BobbieLeeDavenport@gmail.com. NaplesMedicineWomanHolistics.com.

Tai Chi with Dee – 1-2pm. Also Mondays, July 11 & 25, 6-7pm. With Denise (Dee) Duquette.

Experience readily available qi (life force) through guided breathing and gentle, graceful movement. All levels. $12 (Special June Pricing).

Lotus Blossom Clinic, 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 2 & 3, Fort Myers. To register: 239-851-5415.

LotusBlossomClinic.com.

friday Live Music – 6-9pm. Rotating list of local artists entertain guests in the courtyard. Free. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-2132222. FoodAndThought.com.

saturday Meditation Class – 10-11am. Ashley Brownon leads an intuitively guided meditation class to start the weekend off on a good note with clarity, focus and grounding, often incorporating sound healing. $15. CasaShanti, 2052 Cottage St, Ft Myers. 239208-9872. RSVP: CasaShanti.us. See ad on page 31 and news brief on page 14.

Live Music – 6-9pm. Rotating list of local artists entertain guests in the courtyard. Free. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-2132222. FoodAndThought.com.

Psychic Fair – 10am-4pm. With well-established gifted psychics and healers in both English and Spanish. Tarot readings, reiki, rune casting, mediumship, astrology, Biomat, soul chart progression, chakra cleansing and alignment. $25/25 mins.

House of Spirits, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. RSVP: 239-362-0628 or HouseOfSpiritsShop. wixsite.com/my-site.

Crystal Healing Master Workshop – 12-4pm.

Learn absolutely everything about crystals and their uses in one afternoon. Gain ancient insights and techniques on the uses of crystals for healing and magick. Crystal grids, casting circles, aura viewing, scrying and so much more. $300. Goddess I AM 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949.

GoddessIAM.com.

Dino’s Trio – 6-9pm. Live music. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222.

FoodAndThought.com.

July 2022

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community resource guide

COLON THERAPY

Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email NAMadvertising@naturalawakenings.com to request our media kit.

AYURVEDA

ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE CENTER OF NAPLES Dr. Xiu Qiong Cen, AP, OMD (China) 5683 Naples Blvd, Naples 34109 P: 239-513-9232 • F: 239-513-9293 DrCenAcupuncture@gmail.com

Licensed acupuncture physician with 28 years experience in acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Experienced in pain management, women’s health, insomnia, migraines, digestion issues and much more. See ad, page 6.

FORT MYERS ACUPUNCTURE & MASSAGE

Brian Healy, AP, DOM, LMT, CKYT 16680 McGregor Blvd, Ste 2, Ft Myers 33908 239-437-9355 FortMyersAcupunctureMassage.com 28 years experience treating orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, shoulder and knee using acupuncture, bodywork, Chinese herbal medicine, yoga and meditation.

Free phone consultations.

LOTUS BLOSSOM CLINIC

Acupuncture – Oriental Medicine David Martin, AP, DOM Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita 239-277-1399 • LotusBlossomClinic.com Offering treatment for many health issues: pain, anxiety, stress, PTSD, fertility, heart, strokes, digestive and immune disorders. U.S. veterans: no cost with a V.A. referral.

PHYLLIS C. WEBER, AP

Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine 6249 Presidential Ct, Ste E, Ft Myers 33919 239-841-6611 • GulfCoastAcupuncture.com Specializing in pain, chronic disorders, overall wellness, allergy treatments (NAET) and kinesiology.

Acupuncture stimulates the body’s ability to heal all on its own! AP771.

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Collier/Lee Counties

CHRISTINA CARLIN, AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER

Ayurveda Clinic, Massage & Yoga Therapy 501 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, Ste A107, Naples 34102 • 239-450-6903 Practicing holistic medicine since 1987. Professional Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, specializing in highly personalized Ayurvedic treatments and lifestyle consultations, Massage and individual Yoga sessions for chronic and acute problems. Pancha Karma, Shirodhara and skin care. Ayurveda and Yoga Study program available. MA0023929, MM0008584, FB0716888. See ad, page 6.

RB INSTITUTE, INC.

C. Robyn Berry, LMT, CRR, CCT, CLDT 13550 Reflections Pkwy, 5-502 & 5-503, Ft Myers • 239-939-4646 • RobynBerry.com Since 1994, gravity-enclosed UV/ Oxygen/Ozone sterilized medicalgrade water colonics, therapeutic, relaxing, chair, sports, prenatal massage, Craniosacral/SER, Heart Centered therapy, manual lymph drainage & XP2 System, visceral manipulation, HALO Photonic Blue-Violet Laser Botanical System, Asyra/Quest4 MSA Bio Meridian Stress Analysis, ear candling, Lakota YLEO Raindrop Therapy, Tuning Fork/Crystal/Bowls Therapy, reflexology, MPS, cupping, ozone steam cabinet and applied ozone therapies, infrared sauna, ionic foot detox by AMD, BEMER sessions, Power Plate, Hyperbaric Chamber, PER 2000 PEMF and notary. MM7376. See ad, page 17.

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY UPTOWN CHEMIST

ART OF HOLISTIC MASSAGE Est. 1991

Pharmacy, Compounding, Wellness Norman Ruiz-Castaneda, PharmD, Owner/ Pharmacist 2700 Immokalee Rd, Ste 24, Naples 239-431-4217 • UptownChemist.com

CDC guidelines followed (mask etc). Zero Balancing, Process Acupressure, Reiki. Webinar classes all discounted; call for registration. Reflexology, SEVA Stress Release, Insomnia, MT’s get CEs. Free self-massage video at AOHMassage.com.

DENTAL HEALTH

BODYWORK Alvina Quatrano, LMT FL MA 50896 For Info or Appt: 732-266-5276 AOHMassage.com

PAULA TERRY, LMT

239-821-3088, by appt. (Collier & Lee) Trained at the Upledger Institute, Paula utilizes CranioSacral Therapy combined with Heart-Centered Therapy, Somato Emotional Release™, Lymphatic Drainage, love and nurturement to foster the healing your body needs. Doula services.

MA35358.

CHIROPRACTOR NETWORK CHIROPRACTOR Dr. Michele Pelletiere 3411 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 302, Bonita Springs • 239-949-1222

N.S.A. Practitioner level III. “Healing waves” release tension throughout the body, increasing wellness and quality of life, promoting new strategies for a healthy spine and nervous system.

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

Norman is a licensed pharmacist with 15+ years of experience, specializing in compounding. He offers a personable approach in consultation, practicing with integrative medicine and fostering a relationship with the prescribing doctor; creating a “hometown” pharmacy for all of our patients.

THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR DENTAL EXCELLENCE

Yolanda Cintron, DMD 2021 E Commercial Blvd, Ste 208 Ft Lauderdale FL 33308 • 954-938-4599 GoNaturalDentistry.com All phases of dentistry for optimum health, holistic, bio-compatible dentistry. Sedation dentistry. Removing of toxic metals, replacing them with bio-compatible materials. Laser dentistry for painless surgeries and extractions. Zirconia/ceramic implants. Natural bone augmentation/plasma rich growth factor. Oral DNA testing. Add gums to receding gums.

ROGER J. PINT, MPH, DMD

9200 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 111 Bonita Springs, 34135 • 239-676-8730 BonitaDentalStudio.com Dr. Pint can join your health journey and play a role in minimizing toxicity; this includes protection while removing dental materials plus consultation. All X-rays are digital and minimal. See ad, page 12.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Dr. Lindsey Berkson, MA, DC, CNS, DACBN, CAN 800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 34102 229-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com Dr. Lindsey Berkson is a hormone scholar and functional medicine specialist focusing on hormones, anti-aging and medical nutrition at Naples Center for Functional Medicine. See ad, page 47.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR & MARKETING PLANNER

august

self-empowerment

NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Eduardo Maristany, MD 800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 34102 239-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com Eduardo Maristany, M.D. is a board-certified internal medicine physician trained in functional/integrative medicine, genomic interpretation, and anti-aging. Dr. Maristany incorporates genomic intelligence and cutting-edge tools to provide his patients with comprehensive genetic health risks and benefits, and a personalized health plan for optimal wellness. See ad, page 47.

NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

september

Carol L. Roberts, MD 800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 34102 239-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com

inspired living

Carol L. Roberts, M.D. has practiced functional/integrative/holistic medicine for 25 years. She provides patients with testing to uncover causes of chronic illness, guidance in resolving health issues and education to assist the patient in her own healing. She is Medical Director at the Naples Center for Functional Medicine, formerly the Hughes Center. See ad, page 47.

ZORAYDA “JIJI” TORRES, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

Internal Medicine, Functional Medicine Office: 239-444-5636 • UpstreamMD.com Dr. Torres is a board-certified internist with over 17 years of experience and knows the limitations of conventional internal medicine. She is among the few Certified Practitioner M.D.s, trained by the Institute For Functional Medicine. See ad, page 11.

october healthy planet

learn about marketing opportunities at:

239-272-8155 | NaturalAwakenings.com July 2022

45

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION KAREEMA BAKSH, CFNC, AADP, D PHARM (TT) Reset Fx Nutrition 239-322-6363 Serving Lee & Collier Counties resetfxnutrition.com resetfxnutrition.com/bookcall

Providing a 10-week virtual lifestyle program supporting Caribbean menopausal women living in America with hormonal imbalances, blood sugar fluctuations, weight-loss challenges. “The doctor of the future is the patient.”

HEALTHY DINING FOOD & THOUGHT ORGANIC FARM MARKET & CAFÉ

2132 Tamiami Trl N, Naples 239-213-2222 • FoodAndThought.com Open: Mon-Sat, 7am-9pm; and Sun, 8am-4pm. Florida’s only 100% organic market and café.

Fresh produce delivered daily.

Homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner. See ad, page 10.

HOLISTIC CENTER

METAPHYSICAL STORE COSMIC CONNECTIONS

Gathering Space and Metaphysical Store 1929 Winkler Ave, Ft Myers 33901 239-313-7107 cosmicconnectionsftmyers@gmail.com FB @cosmicconnectionsftmyers We offer crystals, jewelry, unique gifts, incense, apothecary, clothing, books, and organic coffee, teas and snacks, tarot, reiki, Healy Biofeedback, Apollo Neuro and Itovi sessions.

HOUSE OF SPIRITS

12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers 239-362-0628 HouseOfSpiritsShop@gmail.com Visit us on Facebook & Instagram Intuitive readings, tarot/ oracle decks, oils, incense, candles, books, statues, crystals, reiki, monthly psychic fairs, seances, classes and BioMat therapy. A warm atmosphere and positive energy with unique and unusual items to purchase. Se habla Espanol.

NATURAL & ORGANIC MARKET

ACCESS HOLISTIC HEALING & HYPNOSIS

Michele Durham, CHHP, AANWP, CH, MBA 840 111th Ave N, Ste 8, Naples, 34108 239-776-2211 • info@accessholistichealing.com AccessHolisticHealing.com

ADA’S NATURAL MARKET

7070 College Pkwy, Ft Myers 33907 Mon-Sat: 9am-8pm, Sun: 9am-7pm Ph: 239-939-9600 • Fax: 239-288-6210 AdasMarket.com

Certified Holistic Health & Hypnosis Practitioner specializing to rebalance the mind/body/spirit.

Offering sound and light therapy for pain, medical-grade dry salt and infrared sauna, crystals, books and more. See ad, page 12.

Natural and organic produce and grocery items. Vitamins and supplements. Organic juice and smoothie bar. New Green Leaf Café. Market-prepared foods.

1000s of gluten-free items. See ad, page 13.

NATURAL & ORGANIC PRODUCTS ANATTA

447 Broadway, Ste 204 New York City, NY 10013 347-762-1268 • AnattaMarket.com Anatta is a global online marketplace for natural, organic and raw products from farmers worldwide.

The newly-formed company’s products include a variety of essential oils and waters, and its unique business model eliminates overhead costs by connecting customers directly with farmers.

MAGNETUDE JEWELRY

MagnetudeJewelry.com/LisaDoyle ljbluestar@hotmail.com 239-851-4729 We use the strongest Neodymium bio-magnets (4000 gauss) to attach our “‘tudes” to our bases.

These bio-magnets help to overcome the harmful effects of EMFs by increasing cellular energy and vitality. Interchangeable, beautiful and most are designed with powerful gems with your health in mind. See ad, page 8.

NUTRITION D-SIGNED NUTRITION, LLC

Dee Harris, RDN, LDN, CDE Bonita Bay Executive Center 3531 Bonita Bay Blvd, Ste 300, Bonita Sprgs 239-676-5249 • D-SignedNutrition.com Nutrition is our lifeblood. Healing with food starts with a personalized plan to address inflammation, nutrient insufficiencies, toxic burden and imbalances in the body.

See ad, page 37.

MARCY HESS, BS

501 Goodlette Rd N, Ste C208, Naples 239-231-6028 ThePerfect10Strength@gmail.com Looking and feeling strong and healthy is the first reason for working with a nutrition coach.

Let me help you get back on track for life without dieting! See ad, page 34.

ORGANIC SKINCARE KRIS & KATE ORGANICS

239-351-1239 Info@krisandkateorganics.com krisandkateorganics.com @krisandkateorganics Kris & Kate handcraft 100% organic soaps, scrubs, body butters, lotion bars, lip balms, and more, without any of the bad stuff. Serving all of SWFL.

Summer is singing with joy, and the beaches are inviting you with dancing waves. ~Debasish Mridha 46

Collier/Lee Counties

swfl.NaturalAwakenings.com

PLANT-BASED CHEF & CATERING LISA BROWN

Plant-based Chef & Educator 646-642-0083 FreeFlowingHealth.com Chef Lisa offers customized, personal, plant-based chef services and catering to busy professionals and individuals looking to eat healthier and feel better.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST

classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $25 for the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word. Must be pre-paid. Email listing, include billing contact info, by 10th of month prior to publication to: NAMClassifieds@ NaturalAwakenings.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home-based business complete with comprehensive training and support system.

New franchises are available or purchase a maga-

zine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com/mymagazine.

SERVICES THE FIDDLE FLOWERS FIDDLE GRAM – by JamesSteven Farnsworth. A wonderful gift of one dozen beautiful roses in a vase and gift card, plus a lovely mini-concert of violin or fiddle music. Special intro price: $85 local delivery.

Call/text: 510-292-7786, JsfViolin@gmail.com.

TheHealingViolin.com.

PEACEFUL SUMMIT COUNSELING Jennifer Vear Hoy, MS 1048 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, #201, Naples, 34102 • 239-450-8090

Specializing in grief/loss, assertiveness training, anxiety, anger management, addictions, depression and relationship problems.

See ad, page 14.

TRANSFORMATIONAL WORKSHOPS SUPREME HEALTH AND WELLNESS Transformational Workshops Candace Tranter, MA, CQI Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita, Naples 239-745-2860 EmbraceTheDragonflyEffect.com

Energy transformer, women's workshops, classes and retreats. Emotional, physical and spiritual Empowerment through prayer, breath, movement, nutrition and nature.

YOGA MEREDITH MUSICK, LMT, E-RYT 2000 239-269-8846

Master Yoga Teacher and massage therapist with 28 years experience, serving Naples since 1999. Sundamaged skin repair clinician, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage, sports and neuromuscular therapy, cranio facial and TMJ relief, heal injuries. Improve posture: alignment-based yoga and posture classes.

July 2022

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Get ready for Nancy’s coaching.

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AccelerAte Your life With coAching

As a former therapist, NANCY has heard it all. For the past 23 years, she’s listened to people talk about their problems, their fears, their hopes, and their dreams. And out of all those conversations, Nancy has identified certain “hot topics” that seem to come up again and again. These are the issues that people are most struggling with, the topics that keep them up at night.

Nancy has taken her knowledge of these hot topics and turned it into something new: LIVE VIRTUAL COURSES that help people restructure their lives to easily attract the people and opportunities they want.

Through her courses, Nancy provides practical advice and realworld strategies for overcoming the challenges that people are facing.

You’ve got to be ready to dive in. And get to work. This will be bold, intense, and incredibly rewarding.

·

Life Without Limits

·

Personal Growth

·

Parenting

·

Divorce

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Co-Parenting

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Single Parents

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Marriage

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Relationships

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Toxic Relationships

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Blended Families

What happens when you go all-in on your dreams and really show up for yourself? Contact Nancy Duarte today and begin the journey!

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