JEFF BURKHART CAMPAIGN EVENT

Jeff Burkhart & Cindy Greene

John Dawson & Jorge Padro

Story & Photography by Tony Centonze

Residents in the Woodlawn community were invited to the Dotsonville Community Center for Jeff Burkhart’s campaign kick-off and BBQ.

Burkhart is running for State Representative in Tennessee’s 75th District. He is a lifelong resident of Clarksville who has served as a firefighter, city council member, and board member of several community organizations.

As supporters enjoyed BBQ provided by Wayne and Kevin Abrams, Burkhart talked with them about his platform, which includes - Support smart growth and infrastructure planning, advocate for more efficient government, and work to improve public safety. Jeramiah Garrison & Frank Schlernitzauer

Joni Hargroves & Carol Hamby

Jeff Burkhart & Mike Oliver Krista Kiepke & Cindy Greene Kyong & John Dawson Lauren, Jaxson, & Kody Hathcock

Josh Wikholm & A.C. Big Sarge Lopez Ken Moore & Mike Oliver Ronnie Kinkennon & Rylee Edlin Sherri Speers & Terri Everett

VOTED BEST CAR WASH IN CLARKSVILLE!

CLARKSVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Laurel Judd has spent much of the last two decades working as a therapist, and for the last nine of those years, she’s worked at Fort Campbell treating the service members that have given so much in the name of our country. But she’s since taken a new direction in life: last November, she opened Pure Sweat + Float Studio in Clarksville, a wellness destination for state-of-the-art, full-spectrum infrared saunas and floatation therapy. Her reasons for shifting away from traditional therapyw and towards sauna and floatation therapy come from both the desire to continue serving the military and the impact it’s had on her own life. “My husband is a Green Beret and I come from a military family, so I have been living the military lifestyle pretty much my whole life. I have always told my clients to go float, and another reason I opened it was because I healed from the infrared saunas at Pure Sweat + Float Studio,” Judd told VIP. Several years ago, she began having mysterious symptoms that weren’t traceable back to any specific illness. After many visits with doctors, she realized what it was: Breast Implant Illness. She was also diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s that attacks the thyroid system. “I finally realized what it was, as most doctors didn’t even know,” Judd said.

She had her implants removed in November of 2019, and then was advised to go to an infrared sauna. “There were none in Clarksville at the time, so I started going to Pure Sweat + Float Studio in Belle Meade. I literally — by the fourth session — felt my joints unhinge. Up until that point, they had been so tight I couldn’t even twist my neck to the right,” Judd said. She stopped needing the medication she was on, and said she’s now in full remission. The infrared saunas utilize three different wavelengths that benefit the body by reducing inflammation, speeding up the healing process for external bruising and wounding, promoting better sleep to lessen periods of insomnia, and detoxing the body of metals, mold, and chemicals like those that come from implants. “I have to continually use the saunas at least three times a week, but I’ll take that over taking medication, and it’s my happy place.”

But the saunas and floatation therapy options don’t just assist those dealing with auto immune disorders or Breast Implant Illness. Including Judd’s new location, there are five Pure Sweat + Float Studios in Middle Tennessee, and she has been incredibly passionate about bringing this type of therapy directly to Clarksville and the military community. “It really helps, especially for people who don’t want to see a therapist and they’re like, ‘I need to quiet my mind but I don’t want to talk to someone,’” Judd said. “The benefits of floating, specifically for the military, are numerous. They were originally created by veterans for PTSD treatment, but they are good for anyone.” Floating benefits the mind, body, and spirit, Judd said. “You’re essentially in the Dead Sea, floating in thousands of pounds of magnesium salts. You know how you put a cup of Epsom salt in your bath? Well, multiply that by 1,000. Our standard float cabins are 1,200 pounds, and the deluxe is 1,500 pounds of magnesium salt,” Judd continued. The physical benefits of floating come from the magnesium concentration: the water’s magnesium inhibits ACTH, a hormone that drives your adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol. Magnesium also improves sleep quality, which contributes to feeling less stressed. In a study published by the Journal of Applied Physiology, people who floated eight times over a

two-week period saw their cortisol levels decrease by 21.6 percent. That amount of salt also allows for a weightless floating experience. “It’s the only time you don’t have pressure on your joints. Even when you sleep, there’s pressure on your joints. You are getting a dose of magnesium, which most Americans are deficient in, and it’s a forced meditation. It’s probably the only time you don’t have your phone on you,” she added.

Judd also made sure to curate a completely relaxing, spa-like environment with candlelight ambience, meditative music, and calming colors. Above all else, Judd said she hopes that by offering this alternative therapy locally, that more will opt for these therapies over medications that can sometimes do more harm than good. “It’s about teaching the Clarksville community how to not only detox and do healthy things without the use of medication, but learning to just detach from outside stimulus. I wanted to provide a place that’s not only the most beautiful place in Clarksville, but that’s community-based and all about the experience,” Judd said. “My whole goal is to heal the community, and with Pure Sweat + Float, I can do that on a larger scale instead of just with one person in my office as their therapist.”

Pure Sweat + Float is located at 2670 Madison Street in the Village Plaza in Sango. Visit their website at https://www.puresweatfloatstudio.com/ clarksville for information on hours and sauna and floatation packages.

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Daniel Ingram 931-263-5390 1767 Wilma Rudolph Blvd, Clarksville geico.com/clarksville ¡Hablamos Español!

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