Natural Awakenings of Grand Traverse Region Michigan - June 2022

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HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

TRAUMA

RELIEF Emerging Therapies Offer Fresh Hope

HOW TO RAISE EMPATHETIC KIDS

REDEFINING MANLINESS NEW WAYS THAT MEN ARE THRIVING

VOLUNTEERING FOR MOTHER EARTH

Special Edition

MEN’S HEALTH

June 2022 | Grand Traverse Region | HealthyLivingMichigan.comJune 2022

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If you have seen my story, you know my story!

💙

I have struggled my entire life with my weight.

Pills, shots, powders, shakes, anything and everything I have tried it!

(Ended up In the hospital after taking diet pills, I had a heart attack!)

Struggling with thyroid issues, losing weight is HARD!

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Last fall I went to the gym for hours everyday, strictly ate clean and lost 19 pounds in 2 months That was hard!!! (Gained it all back, life happened) Fast forward to February 2nd!

Our company launched a new quad biotic for weight loss.

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To say I was skeptical was an understatement ‍♀ Ok, I’m being vulnerable!

Reduce cravings, control appetite, reduce inflammation, sleep better, lose weight! Ha ok, I will try it, what do I have to lose?

The scale didn’t really move a lot at first, but I did notice

💙the bloating was improving, 💙my stomach didn’t hurt as much 💙 I wasn’t hungry, I don’t know about you, but as soon as my brain knows I’m going on a diet, I wake up starving!!!!! 💙Inflammation GONE!!

Then my clothes started fitting better, the inches were falling off, literally!!! 🙌 🏻 Did you know that our microbiome controls our appetite, our cravings, our stress levels!!! Our ability to store fat vs lose fat! 🤯🤯🤯 Leaky gut? Sound familiar? If you have any sort of autoimmune issues, you know!

Fast forward 90 days Scary photos and I hate them lol

I’m down 37.6 pounds 41 total inches!!!!

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I’m so happy!! Not just because I lost weight, but because I really FEEL BETTER! Did I mention that I haven’t exercised or went to the gym once!!!

Does your story sound a little like mine?

Do you need help losing weight? Do you want to feel better?

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June 2022 ~ Advertorial ~

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from the publishers Charting a New Course

GRAND TRAVERSE REGION EDITION

S

ummer’s here, and it’s time to shine in the bright sun-

Publishers John & Trina Voell III

shine and breathe new life into our current reality! This

time of year is an ideal opportunity to improve our mind,

Design & Production John & Trina Voell III Editor Martin Miron Theresa Archer Randy Kambic

body and spirit. Sail with us on warm summer breezes into a higher way of being and tap into your powerful, innate

A2 Sales & Marketing John & Trina Voell III 734-757-7929

abilities. We invite you to dive into our June issue and

Detroit Sales & Marketing John & Trina Voell III 734-757-7929

share all your insights with the husbands, sons, fathers,

discover healthful tips in our Men’s Health issue and then brothers and friends in your life.

TC Sales & Marketing John & Trina Voell III 734-757-7929

June is also a special month for us, as it marks Natural Awakenings of Greater Ann Arbor edition’s 16th anniversary. We’re more excited than ever, because we now serve

CONTACT US P.O. Box 2717, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 734-757-7929

Detroit/Wayne County and the Grand Traverse region up north, and later this year the Greater Lansing area, with their very own editions of Natural Awakenings magazine.

Publisher@HealthyLivingMichigan.com HealthyLivingMichigan.com facebook.com/NaturalAwakeningsAnnArbor Youtube.com/channel/ UCRIOgIjWHjdMaHeTDeKgARg

growth and service to our community month after month since the beginning. We’ve both learned so much and feel grateful and blessed by the many relationships we’ve made with so many enthusiastic readers and local experts gifted with talent and expertise in natural health, spirituality and sustainability.

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/Founder COO/Franchise Sales Financial Manager Asst. Director of Ops Digital Content Director National Advertising

For us, it’s been a passion-fueled mission with endless opportunities for personal

Sharon Bruckman Joe Dunne Yolanda Shebert Heather Gibbs Rachael Oppy Lisa Doyle-Mitchell

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

© 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.

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

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

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

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

We look forward to continuing to enrich and educate our community about healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices and connecting like-minded people. Empowering folks with useful information makes a real difference in the health of our planet each and every day.

We thank everyone in this wonderful community who have welcomed us with open arms from our first issue through now. It is a pleasure making friends with so many kindhearted people who care for the wellness of others.

We also want to express our gratitude to all of our advertisers that share the vision and enable us to bring practical, life-changing information to you at no cost. They have helped make this venture possible, so please say thank you by shopping at their stores and using their services. When you do, please tell them that Trina and John at Natural Awakenings sent you!

A special thanks to our staff that believes in our mission—we appreciate and are grateful for all you do: our editors, our distribution team, our national headquarter's “mother ship”, and our wonderful leader Sharon Bruckman, we couldn’t do it without all of you!

Be it your toes in the sand or hands tending to your garden, enjoy all the exciting fun summer brings. We encourage you to do whatever it is that helps you recharge to make the most of living an inspired life and continue to expand your horizons.

Lots of love to all the special men in our lives … Happy Father’s Day!

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

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Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue you’ll find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

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Contents 12 THE HEALING OF

18

THE MODERN MAN

Men Redefine Their Emotional Power

17 THE GIFT OF AN

IMPERFECT FATHER

18 HEALING TRAUMA

Emerging Therapies Offer Fresh Hope

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20 UNPLUGGED ADVENTURES

Eco-Tripping for a Digital Detox

22 PLANET-FRIENDLY POURS

The Rise of Sustainable Wine and Spirits

24 HOW TO RAISE EMPATHETIC KIDS

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Simple Ways Parents Can Cultivate Compassion

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings, please contact us at 734-757-7929 or email Publisher@HealthyLiving Michigan.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month.

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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.

26 FRANK BRUNI

on Living with Afflictions

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 11 global briefs 15 therapy

spotlght 16 eco tip 17 inspiration 18 healing ways 20 green living 22 conscious

eating

24 26 28 29

healthy kids wise words calendar farmers markets directory 29 classifieds 30 resource guide June 2022

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news briefs

Fresh Coast Market Has it All

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resh Coast Market, a specialty food store with natural foods, gourmet deli and coffee shop, is sporting a brand-new menu, going from eight to 28 specialty pizzas. Some new options include six veggie pizzas, three dessert pizzas, non-dairy mozzarella and cheddar options, as well as goat cheese for all pizzas. They also carry more than 120 Michigan-based brands, including 9 Bean Rows, M22 and Fustini’s.

Fresh Coast carries a large selection of gluten-free, organic gourmet sandwiches, pizzas and salads, whole-bean coffee, 35 flavors of Moomers Ice Cream, 200 varieties of wines and craft beers, gourmet meals to go and a great kids' menu in the deli.

The Fresh Coast Market mobile app gave out almost $20,000 worth of rewards last year. Customers can order almost anything from the coffee shop, deli and even grocery items up to 14 days in advance and do prepaid re-ordering.

Fresh Coast Market, formerly Fieldstone Market, is well established in Traverse City. Owners Dave and Jen Sears have more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.

Location: 7270 N. Long Lake Rd., Traverse City. Place orders at 231-922-7712 or FreshCoast.Market.

Enliven Expands Services

licensed massage therapist; and Heidi Wilder, owner of H. Wilder Apothecary. Brunk states, “I have expanded my practice to incorporate more wellness therapies and add more healers, thus I have started a wellness center! Our center includes diverse modalities of massage therapy, an apothecary, an infrared sauna, red light and sound therapy. Find your tranquility, rejuvenate and experience natural healing today.”

For appointments and more information, call 231-640-4152. email EnlivenMassagellc@gmail.com or visit EnlivenMassageAndWellness.com.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Uses Renewable Energy

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eoFurnace Heating & Cooling installs and services all brands and models of equipment, including air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps and all heating and cooling equipment, specializing in geothermal systems. For standard maintenance, equipment repair or a complete comfort system, Geofurnace Heating and Cooling has the education and skills to install a solution that uses clean, renewable energy with lower costs for heating, cooling and hot water. Geothermal systems represent a savings to homeowners of 30 to 70 percent in the heating mode and 20 to 50 percent in the cooling mode compared to conventional systems.

A custom home performance evaluation includes a blower door test to measure air infiltration/leakage; comprehensive home energy assessment; health and safety assessment of mechanical equipment; combustion safety test to detect carbon monoxide and gas leaks; energy computer modeling HVAC assessment by staff engineer; infrared camera analysis to locate hidden energy issues; and a proposal for recommended upgrades and improvements.

Location: 886 U.S. Hwy. 31 S., Traverse City. For appointments and more information, call 231-943-1000, email Info@GeoFurnace.com or visit GeoFurnace.com.

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nliven Massage & Wellness (formerly Enliven Massage) recently held a grand opening at 739 Woodmere Avenue, in Traverse City. Owner Hannah Davis Brunk, LMT, CLT, specializes in manual lymphatic drain and complete decongestive therapy, as well as deep tissue/therapeutic, hot stone and cupping. She says, “In my practice, my goal is to customize your experience by tailoring your treatment plan to get you the best results and improve your quality of life. The benefits of massage go beyond the surface of the skin.

Melt away stress, aches and pains while also receiving added health benefits for your body.”

New additions to the practice include John Phillips, AOBTA-CP, owner of Asian Healing Works, LLC; Melissa Clausen, a 6

Grand Traverse Region

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

Living Light has New Location

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iving Light Massage, Traverse City’s leading massage therapy center, has moved to 214 North Division Street. The 13 licensed massage therapists are independent practitioners trained in an array of massage modalities and services. All are state licensed and certified from schools accredited by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

Co-owners Asa Johnson and Beth Stricko say, “We are dedicated to helping clients improve their health and achieve a balanced lifestyle. We offer high-quality massage, flexible scheduling and are committed to providing quality care that begins as soon as

The space features a big, dried flower bar and expanded goodies for the garden, from handcrafted pot brushes to organic seeds, hand tools and garden art. There is even space for wreath-making classes. you walk in the door. Whether you are looking to find a sense of balance and tranquility or relief from chronic pain and tension, we can meet your massage therapy needs.”

For appointments or more information, call 231-995-9697 or visit LivingLightMassage.com.

Moonstruck Gardens has Expanded

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oonstruck Gardens, a gift shop and plant boutique with home décor, botanicals and floral creations, has expanded, and Moonstruck Conservatory is now open at the north end of Building 50 at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Owner Cymbre Foster says, “It’s a very different vibe from Moonstruck Gardens. You’ll find a dried flower bar, garden goods and some really great gifts.”

Location: 800 Cottageview Dr., Ste. 40, 42 and 64, Traverse City.

For more information, call 231421-3251or visit Moonstruck Gardens.net.

Keep Insects Away Naturally

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y Secret Stash is a bohemian boutique collective featuring handcrafted works of Michigan and American artists, makers, crafters and designers. Owner Karen Hilt says, “Warmer weather means the bugs are waking up. We have soy citronella candles and bug spray made in Chelsea, Michigan, that is eco-friendly! Don’t spray chemicals on you this summer, support local and snag these so you’re prepared. We carry a line of Drunk’n Mosquito brand products.”

Drunk’n Mosquito brand eco-friendly, premium, bug sprays

June 2022

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Sunday Zoom Workshop

news briefs and soy citronella candles are safe for the whole family plus dogs, horses and farm life.

In partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources These Goods are Good for Michigan program, a portion of all Drunk’n Mosquito sales supports Michigan state parks, trails and waterways.

Natural insect repellent can ward off bug bites while also protecting our skin and the ecosystems. Traditional bug sprays and insect repellents may include synthetic chemicals such as DEET and picaridin, which can cause irritation to those with sensitive skin.

June 12, 1-4pm ET Happily, Ever After: Couples Communication Discover your differences and reduce triggers that make communication difficult. Learn and practice new, fun tools to renew your relationship!

www.InnerListening.me Rev. Julie Chai, facilitator

231-922-9699

Location: 122 Cass St., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-929-0340 or visit MySecretStash.com.

A BOLD VISION FOR MICHIGAN

lessings B d Fa re

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Sh a

Bringing back passenger rail to Traverse City and Petoskey from Ann Arbor and Detroit is good for Michigan. A2TC.org

Energy Transformation from Within and Beyond

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wner of Energy Transformer from Within and Beyond Pat Bryan is a reiki master/ teacher specializing in distance energy healings.

She advises, “Animals pick up on our emotional energy and even receive images from us. The most healing energy they can receive from us is the unconditional love and acceptance. It is very important to offer this same healing energy to ourselves.” She offers a full body scan and full body distance reiki for your pets.

Bryan states, “I am certified in EFT/TFT Pat Bryan tapping, have a certificate in telepathy healing and also am a certified chakra master and medical intuitive. Animal communication, alive or in spirit, is something that keeps wrapping itself back to me. I also have abilities to read energy of people, places, pets and things. I use my ability of remote viewing to help with finding people, pets and items that are lost. I love helping people, opening their minds to possibilities, as well as to give a little nudge to those that are on the right path.”

Location: 710 Centre St., Ste. 102, Traverse City. For appointments and more information, call 231-463 5866, email YourSoulTourGuide@gmail.com or visit PKBryan.com.

Sustainable Alpaca Yarn for Sale

Fresh Milk Herd Shares 231-743-2286

We are a family farm focused on healthy soils to produce healthy animals so they can produce healthy raw milk for your good. Taste to know the difference. Order your family’s today!

Natural • A2-A2 • Grass-Finished Beef Available Too!

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Grand Traverse Region

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

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t Rainbow Valley Family Farms, yarn from their 18 alpacas is available for purchase. The Alpaca hobby farm in Traverse City, owned by Bob and Becky Sanford, is open by appointment for personalized visits.

They say, “Alpacas are curious, gentle, quiet and often humorous to watch. We love taking care of them and are grateful to have the opportunity and responsibility to increase their health, fiber and happiness.”

Alpaca fur is incredibly warm, sustainable and buttery soft.

The farm is named after the guard llama, Rainbow, that watches over her herd like a protective mom.

Location: 6040 Culver Rd., Traverse City. For more information, call 231-943-1214 or visit RainbowValleyFamilyFarms.com.

Individualized Pain Relief Strategies

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trengthRx and Mindful Performance Therapy has opened at 1414 Trade Centre Drive, Suite E, in Traverse City.

Owners Chad and Diana Volant are ready to help people combat pain and chronic disease using functional strength training, nutritional coaching, small group training classes, personal training and remote individualized strength programming.

Diana, the lead therapist of Child and Family Services of Northwest Michigan, focuses on “enhancing the mental, physical and emotional health of children, teens and adults by teaching them how to utilize exercise as a coping skill, in combination with therapeutic techniques” through Mindful Performance Therapy.

For appointments and more info, call 989-402-2760, email Mindful PerformaceTherapy@hushmail.com or visit StrengthRxGym.com.

KUDOS

Oryana Community Cooperative has won the Hagerty Scaling Business Award as part of the 2022 Scale Up North Awards, a way of bolstering and encouraging the scalability of businesses in the Grand Traverse Region, as well as a tool to recognize and celebrate the vibrant and varied companies doing business up north, their achievements and their impact on the community and economy.

The Hagerty award honors established businesses that are scaling and growing. A business qualifies for the award if it has been operating for five years or more, has upwards of $500,000 in annual revenue and up to 150 employees. Finalists this year included Grand Traverse Distillery, Oryana and Truly Free. Oryana won the top prize, $5,000 cash, and a bundle of in-kind services and benefits valued at more than $41,000.

Gain more awareness, knowledge and support during your pregnancy.

A Birth Doula will support you mentally, physically and emotionally, during your preganancy, labor, birth and postpartum.

What is a Birth Doula?

A birth doula encourages a birthing mom and her support partner to explore their birth options, develop a birth plan and establish goals to help achieve their birth wishes.

"Hi, I am Jeneé Claridge. I am a proud mama to seven amazing children. And just as each child is different, so were each of my birthing experiences. Each of these experiences ultimately inspired me to begin a journey to bring more awareness, knowledge, and support to the birthing community.

My passion for health and wellness and joy of being a birth doula will help you carry your birth story with you forever!"

Contact me for your FREE consultation today!

231-300-2229 JeneeClaridge@gmail.com Hospital Births & Home Births

GROW

YOUR BUSINESS

Secure your ad space!

Contact us today.

734-757-7929

For more information, visit Oryana.coop.

June 2022

9

health briefs

Cut Back on Booze to Protect the Brain It is widely known that heavy drinking harms the brain, but even drinking as little as a few beers or glasses of wine per week will reduce brain volume, according to a new study of 36,000 adults.

Researchers led by a University of Pennsylvania team reported in Nature Communications that alcohol consumption even at modest levels may carry risks to the brain, shrinking it in ways similar to the aging process. The study was conducted using the UK Biobank, a dataset from 500,000 British middle-aged and older adults that includes genetic and medical information, including white and gray matter volume in different regions of the brain.

The researchers found that the more alcohol people consumed on average, the greater the brain damage. Going from zero to a daily average of one alcohol unit (half a beer or half a glass of wine) is linked with the equivalent of a half a year of aging in 50-year-olds. Drinking an average of two units a day (a pint of beer or glass of wine) produces changes in the brain equivalent to aging two years. The difference between zero and four units (two beers or glasses of wine) was equal to more than 10 years of aging. “It’s not linear,” says study co-author Remi Daviet. “It gets worse the more you drink. There is some evidence that the effect of drinking on the brain is exponential.

That means that cutting back on that final drink of the night might have a big effect in terms of brain aging.”

Pump Iron to Boost Sleep For the one in three Americans that are sleep-deprived, working out with resistance exercises to strengthen muscles may produce longer and deeper shuteye than aerobics, new research from the American Heart Association shows. In a 12-month study, researchers randomly assigned 386 inactive, overweight adults with high blood pressure to one of several groups that worked out for an hour three times a week. A resistance exercise group did three sets of eight to 16 repetitions on 12 machines; the aerobics group used treadmills, bicycles or elliptical machines; a combo group used both; and a control group did no supervised exercise. Among the 42 percent of participants that were not getting at least seven hours of sleep at the study’s start, sleep duration increased by an average of 40 minutes for the resistance exercise group compared to an increase of about 23 minutes in the aerobic exercise group and about 17 minutes in the combined exercise group.

“If your sleep has gotten noticeably worse over the past two stressful years, consider incorporating two or more resistance exercise training sessions into your regular exercise routine to improve your general muscle and bone health, as well as your sleep,” says study author Angelique Brellenthin, assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, in Ames.

Try Neem and Walking to Ward Off COVID-19 Symptoms Two new studies suggest that neem (Azadirachta indica), a plant used for centuries in India to treat malaria, intestinal ulcers and skin diseases, may offer protection against COVID-19 and future variants. At the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, researchers found that neem bark extract tested on COVID-infected human lung cells proved as effective as a preventive drug. It targeted a wide range of viral proteins and also decreased virus replication and spread after infection.

In an Indian double-blind study of 190 healthcare workers or relatives of COVID-19 patients, researchers at the All India Institute of Ayurveda, in Delhi, found that those given a neem extract of 50 milligrams twice daily for 28 days had a reduced risk of 55 percent for infection compared to the control group.

For people dealing with the lingering symptoms of long COVID such as fatigue, brain fog and muscle pain, a solution may be daily exercise of at least 30 minutes, because it lowers inflammation and blood glucose levels, suggest Louisiana State University researchers in the journal Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. “If you can only walk 15 minutes once a day, do that. The important thing is to try. It doesn’t matter where you begin,” says article author Candida Rebello, Ph.D. 10

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global briefs

Off Limits

National Parks Enacting New Regulations Because our national parks and protected areas are feeling the pressure of increased demand for outdoor recreation, the National Park Service (NPS) has cracked down on some recreational activities to better manage the human impact on natural environments.

In 2021, the national park system hosted nearly 300 million recreational visits, and 44 parks set visitation records.

The high number of cars creates congestion, pollution and collisions with wildlife. Overcrowding on trails can lead to higher risk of hiking accidents and illegal off-roading.

Two Utah national parks will start requiring reservations. At Zion, Rocky Mountain and Glacier national parks, guests need a permit to hike certain routes. Arches National Park guests will have to book timed entry tickets during the high season. Acadia and Zion announced the temporary closure of some popular climbing sites starting this month to ensure that peregrine falcons can nest without disturbance.

In 2021, the NPS gave park superintendents the authority to ban e-bikes if they adversely impact natural resources or other visitors, as well as scenic air tours at dawn or dusk or within a half-mile of the ground. Biologically important behaviors for many species occur during sunrise and sunset such as foraging, mating and communication.

The hours of operation provide quiet periods of the day during which visitors can enjoy natural sounds and preserve opportunities for solitude in designated wilderness areas.

Ban Plastics in National Parks

Our national parks are places of unparalleled scenic beauty and wildlife for all of us to enjoy. These national treasures are being threatened by plastic trash. Nonprofit Free the Ocean is circulating a petition to Get Single-Use Plastic Out of U.S. National Parks. Sign it at Tinyurl.com/PlasticParkPetition.

Shady Solution

California Canals Gain Solar Panels To both conserve water and generate clean energy, Project Nexus, an innovative pilot project from the University of California-Merced, will install solar arrays over 25-foot- and 100-foot-wide canals in the Turlock Irrigation District so operators can monitor and evaluate their impact on water quality and evaporation, as well as assess maintenance and logistical issues. External Affairs Department Manager Josh Weimer says, “In today’s world and how we are operating our system, saving every possible drop of water for future beneficial use is something that we are really trying to focus on.”

In Europe, canals are lined with tree cover, while India has already started using solar panels. Project partner Solar AquaGrid, LLC, recognized the untapped opportunity to curtail evaporation and advance California’s Solar Over Canal initiative. CEO Jordan Harris states, “Research and common sense tell us that in an age of intensifying drought, it’s time to put a lid on evaporation. Our initial study revealed mounting solar panels over open canals can result in significant water, energy and cost savings when compared to ground-mounted solar systems, including added efficiency resulting from an exponential shading and cooling effect. Now is the chance to put that learning to the test.”

Access Denied Don’t Fence Me In

A group of biologists in the northern Rockies published a paper in 2018, “A fence runs through it: A call for greater attention to the influence of fences on wildlife and ecosystems.” In 2020, a meta-analysis in BioScience looked at all the studies of the effects of fences and found that their profound impacts are often ignored or greatly underestimated. The impacts extend far beyond blocking animal migration routes and include furthering disease transmission by concentrating animals, altering the hunting practices of predators and impeding access to key areas of water and forage. Fences are going up rapidly as border barriers and livestock farming increase.

In the case of the U.S./Mexico border wall intended to prevent illegal immigration, “The main threat ... is the landscape-level impacts of curtailing or completely precluding wildlife movement and eliminating landscape connectivity at large scales,” says Aaron Flesch, a wildlife biologist at the University of Arizona, who has studied the wall’s impacts.

Bighorn sheep and jaguars are cut off from their kind on the other side of the border. That means that the genetic interaction needed to keep small populations of jaguars or ocelots healthy may be affected. It also means bighorn sheep in Mexico may not be able to migrate north to escape a hotter and drier climate.

June 2022

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The Healing of the Modern Man Men Redefine Their Emotional Power

by Marlaina Donato

Thanks to guy-friendly mental health resources, virtual and in-person support communities and diverse options in the alternative health field, more men are taking responsibility for their well-being.

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or generations immemorial, men have been builders of culture, solid providers and inspired adventurers, but gender roles and sometimes-conflicting cultural expectations have taken a heavy toll on both the individual and community.

The pervasive “tough guy” paradigm has denied half the human race its full emotional expression, resulting in amplified stress levels, compromised physical health, toxic aggression, broken families and a higher risk for addiction. According to research published in the American Journal of Men’s Health in 2020, death by suicide among men is almost four times higher than that of women and is partly attributed to the stigma of seeking treatment for depression. African American men carry the additional burden of racial and economic inequality, and their depressive symptoms are often more persistent and incapacitating.

Contrary to common myth, men are deeply emotional and responsive beings by nature.

Centuries overdue, restrictive cultural definitions are slowly shifting to a broader psychosocial view of authentic manhood. Thanks to guy-friendly mental health resources, virtual and in-person support communities and diverse options in the alternative health field, more men are taking responsibility for their well-being and learning how to embody emotional freedom. They are stepping up to the plate as strong, sensitive leaders, something our world needs now more than ever.

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Breaking the Chains and Choosing Authenticity The masculine expectation and requirement have been for most boys to “buck up and tough it out” during childhood and adolescence, and this overt or sometimes very subtle conditioning can promote disproportionate power plays, homophobia and resistance to emotional intimacy well into adulthood. “Every society has ‘feeling rules’ that govern how emotions can be expressed publicly,” says psychologist Michael Reichert, executive director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives at the University of Pennsylvania and author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men. “Research tells us that boys are born as emotionally expressive as girls, but in a short time receive constant messages from their loved ones, schoolmates and TV shows that only certain emotions are okay for boys.” Such emotional restrictiveness has a profoundly negative impact on male development, he says.

For Todd Adams in Elmhurst, Illinois, cofounder of MenLiving.org and a Tony Robbins-certified life coach, recognizing societal trappings is key. “The first step is to have the awareness that we have been lied to for as long as we can remember about what it means to be a man. We have been conditioned to stay in the ‘man box’, which means if we show any type of vulnerability, our value from the outside, as well as from the inside, plummets.”

Reichert concurs. “My belief is that tragic outcomes—addictions, violence, suicide and premature mortality—are a reflection of how men’s human natures are thwarted by cultural norms. Being confined to a man box is hazardous. We humans, including men, are built to express our hearts in close connections to others we love and who love us.”

The notion of going the distance solo is discouraged by Adams, whose organization helps men from all walks of life find support and connection through online meetings and adventure outings. “Once the awareness is there, I would invite family, partners, et cetera, to invite us to show up in a more authentic and human way,” he says.

Stress and the Physiology of Feelings For many men, emotions—other than “socially acceptable” anger and irritation—rarely see the light of day and instead morph into physical maladies such as digestive trouble, headaches, chest pain and high blood pressure. Unmanaged stress can also zap any zing in the bedroom. “I’m certainly not a doctor, but I’m sure there is a correlation for some about their emotional/mental/financial well-being being related to erectile dysfunction.

The men that I work with often have a habit of not taking good care of themselves, and that lack of self-care ripples

“

ment I went to the appoint itating bil de th wi e the first tim just five shoulder pain, and in ved pro treatments I have im Dr. of e tiv cia 50%. I am appre the d an ge led ow Moran’s kn nate method used to elimi mend om my pain. I highly rec dy ea alr ve ha Dr. Moran and ers. oth to him ed recommend teran ~ John, Michigan Ve

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into other parts of their life, including their sexual life,” observes Adams. In spite of the fact that many others are struggling with the same condition, out of shame, it is often kept in the shadows. “My advice is that men find safe spaces to discuss these challenges with others. My hope is that men can discuss sexuality and intimacy as openly as women do.”

Josh Beharry, project coordinator of HeadsUpGuys.org, in Vancouver, Canada, an online resource hub for men battling depression, has spearheaded online stress assessment tests for more than 26,000 men over the age of 18 and found surprising consistency. “The results suggest that the two most common stressors faced by the men are a lack of meaning and feelings of loneliness, followed by financial strain, relationship difficulties and problems at work,” he says.

According to data gathered by Tulane University, human connection boosts immunity and wards off cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. For men especially, social bonds are critical in coping with life stresses. Forging new alliances and maintaining old ones can be challenging with or without a pandemic, but online communities offer additional support, camaraderie and nonjudgmental sharing, which can be especially helpful for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction and depression.

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Male depression can be hidden in plain sight, disguised as hitting the bottle to “relax”, or by working compulsively, engaging in high-risk behaviors or easily flying off the handle at loved ones. Beharry knows firsthand how insidious the disease can be and why seeking help sooner than later is vital. After miraculously surviving a horrific suicide attempt, he unexpectedly found hope and the will to live through walking, breathwork and human connection.

Being honest with others, as well as himself, was a turning point in his recovery. “For a lot of men, talking about dealing with depression feels like an admission of weakness or something to feel guilty about,” he says. “Try to think of emotional pain like physical pain. If you get cut, you bleed; that’s part of being human. Then you do something to treat the wound. Or if it’s deeper, you go to a doctor or a hospital.

Denying painful emotions is like trying not to bleed when you get cut or trying to pretend you’re not bleeding.”

For family members or friends concerned about a man’s mental health, he advises, “Vague assertions like, ‘You seem depressed,’ can make a guy feel attacked or put on the spot. Instead, it’s helpful to start by pointing out specific observations you’ve had about changes to his mood or behavior, such as, ‘You seem stressed out,’ or, ‘You haven’t been eating much,’ or, ‘You’ve been isolating yourself from friends or turning down plans more than usual.’”

It is estimated that 4 percent of men suffer from the physical and psychological consequences of trauma, and PTSD is certainly not reserved for combat veterans.

While traditional therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are excellent for treating depression, other modalities offer light at the end of the tunnel for men plagued by traumatic overwhelm.

Somatic Experiencing, developed by PTSD psychologist Peter Levine during the last 50 years, targets trauma stored in the nervous system and gently helps a person to increase their tolerance for difficult physical sensations and buried emotions. It is also highly useful in addiction recovery.

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Therapeutic massage, yoga and regular exercise are all allies for men to combat stress, anchor into their bodies and access unconscious feelings.

In the end, little things add up to a whole lot of change for a man. “You are not alone.

Take your responsibility in how you experience life. Empower yourself with resources—podcasts, books, therapy, coaching— whatever support might look like for you,” advises Adams.

There is no better time than now for the masculine to rise to a new level of greatness. “There is ample evidence that we are in a paradigm-shifting moment in the history of manhood,” says Reichert. “When I speak with parents, I say that there has never been a better time in all of human history to raise a son.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and multimedia artist. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

HELPFUL RESOURCES MenLiving, MenLiving.org A national program of virtual and in-person opportunities for men to forge healthy and nourishing connections.

EVRYMAN, Evryman.com An online men’s community group.

Good Men Project, GoodMen Project.com Includes articles on many topics including relationships, dads and families, advice and confessions, and ethics.

HeadsUpGuys, HeadsUpGuys.org A program at The University of British Columbia that provides support for men to prevent and manage depression.

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Tapping Gets to Hidden Roots of Disfunction

by Julie Chai

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ary Craig simplified a healing method called Thought Field Therapy in the 1990s and introduced Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), known today as tapping. Since then, its popularity has grown enormously, as has the scientific evidence that tapping works. Tapping draws upon other healing modalities such as acupressure, cognitive and behavioral psychology and exposure therapy. Tapping helps to reduce the emotional reactions associated with traumatic memories, experiences, conditioning and perceptions, and the U.S. Veterans Administration has approved tapping as a treatment for the relief of PTSD. When circumstances in our environment or our mental thoughts and imaginings cause us to feel unsafe, our fight-orflight response is triggered. Messages are sent to our genes to express cortisol and adrenaline throughout the body. Our digestion and immune systems stop functioning,

The U.S. Veterans Administration has approved tapping as a treatment for the relief of PTSD. our heart begins to pump faster and 70 percent of the blood in our brain drains out of it to other parts of our body, such as our arms and legs, giving us the ability to fight or flee. By removing the emotional reactions triggered by feeling unsafe, our bodies can return to their normal functioning of cellular healing, immunity, digestion and balanced thinking.

We might tap any time we notice an emotional reaction, are dealing with a difficult situation, feel anxious, stressed, off balance, are in self-avoidance or want to take out the emotional sting from a phys-

ical injury. Tapping can help uncover our triggers, make sense of them, bring insight and help us feel a greater sense of compassionate well-being.

All of us have our go-to neurological pathways; our negative emotional ruts, and some of them are pretty deep. Every time we “go to” them, the ruts get deeper, and it seems more difficult to change our behavior. Our negative habits and emotions, when practiced enough, will predominate, no matter how good our intentions. Tapping on these negative habits and emotions will affect our neurological pathways. It makes the old negative impulses less strong and creates new, more positive pathways.

These can be our new go-to. The more we use them, the stronger they will get.

By tapping on an issue that brings up feelings of unsafety and tapping in a safe environment, we are telling the body that it is safe and there is no need for our genes to express cortisol and adrenaline. Instead, they can return to a healthy normal, expressing the cellular repair and longevity hormone DHEA, the motivational hormone dopamine and the happy hormone serotonin. For very deep issues, it would be wise to seek out a tapping professional.

We can tap for physical injuries. EFT Universe’s Dawson Church noted in a talk that a woman with a broken arm was able to reduce her pain with tapping by 80 percent. The other 20 percent, he noted, was probably the real pain of a broken arm.

By removing 80 percent of her pain with tapping, the woman would be able to report to her medical doctor the real measure of her physical pain uncomplicated by the emotions previously attached to the injury.

This could result in a need for less pain medication and fewer complications.

We can tap on anxiety, stress, grief, physical injuries and past-life memories.

The more specific we are in the details of what troubles us, the better the tapping outcome. We may be amazed to see how the energy changes when we tap on it.

Rev. Julie Chai offers Inner Listening sessions and online workshops. For more information, call 231-922-9699 or visit InnerListening.me, JulieChai.com, eftuniverse.org and TheTappingSolution.com. See ad page 8.

June 2022

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eco tip

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elping nature while enjoying the great outdoors is a classic win-win opportunity. Here are a few ideas to join the fun while contributing sweat equity.

Corral the Cleanup Crew. Becoming a weekend cleanup community leader can be as

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Liberate yourself from suffering.

Gnosis is the practical, fact-based knowledge of consciousness that guides us to our full potential and innate happiness.

simple as gathering family, friends and neighbors to beautify the surroundings and save animals from suffering. To improve water quality, pay special attention to beaches and rivers. Get permission from local authorities, arrange a special trash pickup and equip the crew with gloves and garbage bags. Afterwards, stand together proudly before the enormous hill of discarded plastics, fishing lines, beer bottles, aluminum cans, fast-food containers and other refuse. Congratulate the team and take pictures to post on social media. For more tips, visit Tinyurl.com/trashteam.

Get on the Community Gardening Bandwagon. Community gardens are

springing up on school grounds, at hospitals and correctional facilities, on rooftops and balconies, and in unused public spaces and underserved communities. Researchers have proven what we suspect: Gardening is a great workout and leads to improved heart health and weight loss, while breathing fresh air and helping things grow in kinship with like-minded people is a surefire mood enhancer. Reaping the benefits of locally grown, fresh produce; beautifying a neighborhood with flowering plants or shade trees; and providing food and refuge for pollinators and other wildlife is not too shabby, either. Now is the time to join an existing group or start a new community garden.

For inspiring examples and how-to ideas, visit FoodIsFreeProject.org and OneTreePlanted.org.

Lend a Helping Hand at a Park. Local, state and national parks rely on volunteers to

Experience is better than belief.

Learn more at GnosticTeachings.org

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conduct tours and maintain green areas and facilities. Even artists and scientists are welcome to lend their expertise. Consider combining a park visit with purposeful assistance. The National Park Service runs a Volunteers-in-Parks program (nps.gov/getinvolved/volunteer.htm) that offers one-time service projects and longer-term positions at parks throughout the country and in U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. Visit Volunteer.gov for tasks like a campground host at the Rocky Mountain National Park or climber steward at Joshua Tree National Park. Many state park systems and municipal parks and recreation departments use websites to manage their volunteer opportunities, such as Volunteers.

FloridaStateParks.org or tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/help-parks. All it takes is an internet search of the name of the state or county plus “park” and “volunteer” to find local openings.

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inspiration

The Gift of an Imperfect Father

by Marlaina Donato

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or many of us, Dad was the first person to throw us a ball, take us fishing or treat us to ice cream after a game. If we were fortunate, he was the one who made a bad day better, was a strong protector who kept the metaphorical wolves from the door and, by example, secured our place in the world. Fathers give us many “firsts”, and for some of us, that also means a broken heart.

Parents, like all human beings, are fallible, learning as they go, never quite getting it right, but doing the best that they can. Sometimes their “best” is tangled in a net of unre-

solved personal trauma, addiction or mental illness, and we learn to bear the bitter with the sweet. “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift,” wrote poet Mary Oliver, and her words can be a beacon as we journey through healing the father wound.

Once we come out the other side of childhood, it might be difficult to love someone that destroyed our trust and even more difficult to love ourselves. This “gift” might take decades for us to unwrap.

Children of difficult dads sometimes blossom like lotuses into more compassionate beings from the mud of absence, cruelty or indifference. Perhaps with a shift in perspective, we may realize how their weaknesses might have given us survival tools and resilience. Flipping the coin to examine what they have done right and giving credit where it is deserved can also help us to open that dead-bolted door to forgiveness. Taking inventory, both positive and negative, can encourage us to become a different kind of parent.

In a black-and-white world, the heart’s gray areas can teach us how to lean into our own healing. We inherit a lot from our wounded fathers, including an energetic opportunity to change the familial emotional code, and it can be beautiful.

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

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healing ways

Healing Trauma Emerging Therapies Offer Fresh Hope

by Ronica O’Hara

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efugee children with tear-stained faces, the frail elderly being wheeled away from floods or fires, the sobbing families of gunshot victims—the faces of trauma are seen in every heartbreaking newscast. And the faces are even closer to us than that, walking down the street: a woman that recoils from touch, a child that has withdrawn into himself, a man with incoherent bursts of anger.

The trauma of death, cruelty and destruction has always been part of the human experience. In the U.S., surveys show that as many as 60 to 70 percent of people report being traumatized by sexual assault, accidents, violence, war combat or other causes, and as many as one in 11 may be diagnosed in their lifetime with the more severe post-traumatic 18

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stress disorder (PTSD).

The encouraging news is that in the last few decades, a revolution has occurred in the recognition of how widespread trauma is and how deeply embedded it can be, not only in our behaviors but in our bodies. That, in turn, has led to effective and ever-evolving approaches to heal what’s been broken.

“Although trauma and PTSD are visible in the culture everywhere now, from films to popular literature and from legal to mental health fields, until 1980 the topic was virtually non-existent,” says San Francisco psychologist, PTSD researcher and author Harvey Schwartz, Ph.D., who has treated trauma clients in clinical practice for 35 years. “After it became a legitimate diagnosis in 1980, long-overdue research and development of

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clinical protocols occurred, and today, almost every tradition and subculture within the mental health field has its own model of how to treat trauma.”

Shaping the ongoing dialogue has been the research of Boston psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, whose 2014 book, The Body Keeps the Score, has occupied the top rung of The New York Times bestseller list for three years. In magnetic imaging studies, he found that when a person is thrust into a terrorizing incident, the cognitive functions in the brain’s temporal lobe shut down and activity shifts to the self-defense mode of the amygdala. When the person responds by fighting, fleeing or freezing, physiological reactions kick in, which armor the body and trap emotions and thinking in that fraught moment, distorting future perceptions and experiences. He argues that any true healing of trauma must include “bottom-up” modalities focusing on the body rather than only mental “top-down” insights. He also insists that no single treatment alone is likely enough and no combination of treatments will be the same for every person.

Christine Songco, a Los Angeles dental hygienist and wellness coach, used cognitive therapy, journaling and meditation to relieve the trauma of a grueling bout with cancer, but hearing loud and angry voices still made her panic. What ultimately proved healing was an hour-long session of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), in which she followed a therapist’s prompt to move her eyes back and forth while memories surfaced.

“It got to the root of my fear and anxiety and the source of my trauma without hours of therapy talking sessions, but I do think the other work I did set the stage for EMDR to be effective for me,” she says.

Schwartz says that two major approaches to treating PTSD have emerged: cognitive

“Cognitive approaches help survivors learn how to become an expert of themselves so that they can respond to their trauma in a healthier way.” and experiential. Cognitive, or “talk therapies”, supported by academic research and insurance companies, emphasize mentally processing painful memories to manage such symptoms as nightmares, flashbacks and explosive anger, often using anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. They can include such strategies as narrative recall, slowly increasing exposure to the traumatic material, mindfulness training and deep breathing exercises.

“Cognitive approaches help survivors learn how to become an expert of themselves so that they can respond to their trauma in a healthier way,” says psychologist Sabina Mauro, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, author of The Mindfulness Workbook for PTSD. This type of therapy can take months to years and effectively treats about half of PTSD sufferers.

Experiential approaches, which have been researched less, but have engendered substantial therapist enthusiasm, do a “deep dive” to work through traumatic patterning embedded in a person’s mind, body and psyche. “They help people restore not only their nervous systems, but their capacity for self-trust and self-forgiveness and their capacity for connection to their bodies and others,” says Schwartz.

These modalities mostly focus, at least at first, on physical sensations rather than intellectual comprehension. For example, Somatic Experiencing defuses deeply held, fear-based contractions in the body by integrating those sensations with peaceful alternatives.

EMDR, once an outlier but now practiced globally and endorsed by the World Health Organization, uses eye movements to lower the emotional charge of a traumatic memory. Internal Family Systems repairs a wounded psyche by relating a person’s deeply felt, damaged “child parts” to their essential goodness.

To re-inhabit parts of the body frozen in the past by trauma, patients may be encouraged to use somatic meditations, trauma-informed yoga, acupuncture, massage and martial arts, as well as art, music, dance and other forms of expression. Psychedelics, which if used carefully can open a trauma sufferer to a larger sense of purpose, may become a legal option in a few years. In a recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase 3 clinical trial on MDMA (previously called ecstasy), 67 percent of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD after three therapist-guided sessions.

Says Schwartz, “It can feel like a supermarket of options out there, so people need to read, become informed consumers and combine treatments at times. We have to think of the mind, the body and the spiritual as all needing attention and integration.”

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

June 2022

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green living

Unplugged Adventures Eco-Tripping for a Digital Detox

ondreicka/AdobeStock.com

by Sheila Julson

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martphones come in handy for emergencies or checking directions while traveling, but a brief glance at a website or social media can quickly turn into a lengthy scroll session, distracting us from why we go on vacation in the first place. For those that want to truly unplug, unique off-grid, eco-options beckon.

Remote and Quirky Camping. The National Park Service has many afford-

able campgrounds at parks, forests and lakeshores with little to no cell connectivity, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in nature. Listings of wilderness/backcountry camping sites, as well as front-country sites easily accessible by vehicles, can be found at nps.gov/ subjects/camping/campground.htm.

State parks offer closer-to-home refuge from the digital world. California’s Hendy Woods State Park, in Philo, is brimming with old-growth redwoods. “A lot of people head way up north to Sequoia National Forest to see old-growth redwoods, but there are also redwood forests closer to Sonoma and Mendocino counties, and similarly along the coast,” says Milwaukee-based travel writer Kristine Hansen, contributor to Fodors.com, NationalGeographic.com and other travel outlets. “Standing beneath these towering trees, you can’t help but feel like a small part of this large and wild world.” Hendy Woods’ proximity to wine country allows explorers to drop by a winery or creamery and put together a quick picnic, she notes.

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Locally owned campgrounds can offer an escape to a pre-cellphone era. Camp Wandawega, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, has a storied past of hosting both sinners and saints, opening in 1928 as a speakeasy and later becoming a Catholic youth camp. The historic charm remains intact. “Spending a night here is like dialing it back to the 1950s. Think The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s upstate New York summer camp,” Hansen says. “You can climb into a treehouse or a glamping tent to completely unplug.”

Immersive Getaways. River rafting tours provide an escape from the virtual world, says John O’Brien, a scientist and environmental advocate who, with his wife, Kellie, owns Fairbanks Trails and Rivers

Tour Company, in Fairbanks, Alaska. “The moment that we shove off from the shore, we’re immediately on what we call ‘river time.’ It’s best at that point to put your phone and camera in airplane mode. We’re often in areas where there is no cell coverage,” he says. “There’s something to be said about just unplugging and being in the moment.”

Eco-activities such as river rafting might conjure up images of young, physically fit adventurers in rafts slapped by wild waves, but O’Brien notes river rafting is suitable for all ages and abilities. In tours with frame-style rafts, the guide does all the rowing. “If you are able to stand, walk and climb into and out of a raft, even with some assistance, you can go river rafting,” he says.

Trekking is another proven eco-trip strategy. Sometimes confused with hiking, it involves a long journey across a large swath of land that often requires participants to pare down to the absolute basics, which means ditching the cell phone and charger. There’s often little to no service in these remote stretches.

North American treks include Canada’s the Long Range Traverse, a 22-mile, unmarked, backcountry trail in Newfoundland with moose, bears and caribou. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,100mile stretch that takes explorers through 14 states. Stretching from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine, the trail passes through the

diverse terrain of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Hikers of all levels can take advantage of day hikes or longer treks.

Getting Our Hands Dirty. For an immersive nature experience that also does good, the American Hiking Society offers the Volunteer Vacations program, in which people join in public land stewardship projects. Working in small crews of six to 15 people, volunteers handle a variety of land conservation and trail maintenance needs. Project access ranges from backpacking to day-hiking, and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins.

“Some of our Volunteer Vacations are remote backcountry trips that are only accessible via foot, and some are offered at local, state and national parks as well,” says program manager Ellie Place. “There is a Volunteer Vacation for everyone, whether you want to sleep in a cozy cabin with amenities or sleep under the stars miles away from it all.”

The American Hiking Society has more than 35 Volunteer Vacations planned this year; more information can be found at AmericanHiking.org.

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.

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conscious eating

Planet-Friendly Pours The Rise of Sustainable Wine and Spirits

by Sheila Julson

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conic food and beverage magazines such as Bon Appetit and Food & Wine affirm that sustainable and socially responsible wines and spirits are becoming a major force in the market, yet consumers wanting to pour an Earth-conscious tipple need a sobering amount of research to sort through what’s truly eco-friendly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require wine makers to list ingredients on labels or regulate the use of terms such as “natural” and “sustainably grown”.

“There are more than 70 additives that are allowed in wine that don’t have to be disclosed on the label,” explains Brad Kruse, who with his wife, Allie, owns Nonfiction Natural Wines, a Milwaukee-based specialty wine retailer. “The only real requirement relating to additives is the declaration of sulfites, which makes it trickier, because even wines with no added sulfites have to have the warning on the label because some naturally occur in the wine.”

Some wine labels tout that they’re made with organic grapes or grapes that are farmed sustainably. “But those may still have a host of other additives or lots of added sulfites,” says Kruse.

Certifications can act as a shortcut to locate eco-friendly wines.

Demeter USA, for example, certifies vineyards that follow strict biodynamic rules for how the wine is farmed and processed, including limiting sulfites. But many small producers that operate naturally don’t bother obtaining certification.

Independent wine shops with knowledgeable employees can help consumers choose wisely. Kruse recommends looking for the name 22

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HealthyLivingMichigan.com

of the importer on the back label, saying, “If you learn a handful of importers that focus on naturally made wines, such as Louis/Dressner, Zev Rovine or Jenny & Francois, it can be a quick way to find a good option.”

Sustainability in the Vineyards Rudy Marchesi, the former chairman of Demeter USA, practices biodynamic farming at his vineyard, Montinore Estate, in Forest Grove, Oregon. “We view our farm as one whole organism, below and above the ground,” he says.

Biodynamic farming, founded by philosopher Rudolf Steiner a century ago, requires using nutritionally rich compost teeming with microbiology of fungi and bacteria, as well as synchronizing specific farming practices with the seasons. These practices help the vineyards buffer droughts and weather swings, resulting in a consistent product that reflects the region. “Wine connoisseurs and collectors look for wines that have a sense of place and tell the story of where they’re from,” Marchesi says.

Distillers Move Toward Sustainable Practices Alcohol is an agricultural product, so producing a sustainable spirit starts with the grain itself, says Herman C. Mihalich, founder and distiller of Mountain Laurel Spirits, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. “Rye is a much less resource-intensive grain to grow compared to crops like

corn,” he says. The recipe for the company’s signature Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey calls for malted barley and rye, but no corn. “Rye doesn’t need much fertilizer and few, if any, pesticides. It’s easy to grow and it preserves soil because it’s a fall planting crop that helps prevent erosion,” he says.

Their grains are sourced from a nearby farmer, and they save water by capturing cooling water from the still’s condenser and storing it in a tank, then using it to clean tanks and make spent mash that can be used for livestock feed. The bottles are made locally by Stoelzle Glass, in Monaca, Pennsylvania.

When seeking sustainably produced spirits, customers have to do their due diligence, Mihalich says. “It requires a little digging and asking the right questions: What grains are you using and from where? How are you using water?”

When Extreme Chef host Marsh Mokhtari and his wife, Jan, founded Gray Whale Gin, they rotated proprietorship with two existing distilleries instead of using land and resources to build a new one.

A vacation in Big Sur inspired the couple to “capture California in a glass” and make a product with ingredients found along the gray whale migratory route between the Baja Peninsula and Oregon.

They hired a professional forager to collect juniper berries along the coast. “Juniper for most gin is sourced from Italy or Macedonia,” says

Mokhtari. “We predominantly use juniper berries from California, which are light purple and larger, with a cedar component.” They also source mint and limes from sustainable farms in California.

Gray Whale Gin gives back through a partnership with the environmental nonprofits Oceana and 1% for the Planet. They recently joined with Oceana and former California governor Jerry Brown to support responsible swordfishing practices off the California coast.

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.

WHALE HELLO THERE 2 oz sustainably produced gin ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz agave syrup Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lime juice, lemon juice and agave. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass, or over a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve immediately.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Gray Whale Gin.

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DIRECTIONS

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature 1/2 Cup White Sugar 1/2 Cup Granulated Brown Sugar 1 Large Egg 1 Teaspoon Premium Vanilla Extract, Madagascar 1 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Sea Salt Flakes 1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate, chopped 1 Tablespoon Smoked Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and regular salt in medium bowl. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Mix in dark chocolate pieces.

Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving

about 2 inches of room between cookies. Sprinkle generously with Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salt.

Bake cookies until just golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

231-947-7423 • SpiceMerchants.biz • 145 E Front St, Traverse City June 2022

23

healthy kids

How to Raise Empathetic Kids

Simple Ways Parents Can Cultivate Compassion

by Carrie Jackson

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mpathy is the foundation of a caring society. While we are all born with a certain amount, cultivating it is a skill that can be strengthened with practice, and it is critical that the learning process start early, say childhood educators. An empathetic child can better manage their own emotional responses and understand how someone else might be feeling. Studies show that children that practice empathy are less likely to bully and better suited to collaborative environments, setting them up for academic and professional success.

According to educator Traci Baxley, of Boca Raton, Florida, empathy in children is developed over time and with repetition.

“The earlier we begin to model empathy with our children, the more they will mimic the characteristics associated with the awareness and care of others. Teaching and modeling empathy early supports children’s emotion regulation development and contributes to creating safe spaces in our homes for children to feel nurtured, valued and cared for,” she says.

As a speaker, coach and author of Social Justice Parenting: How to Raise Compassionate, Anti-Racist, Justice-Minded Kids in an Unjust World, Baxley uses empathy as a tool for fostering civic-minded awareness. “Empathy is foundational to achieving social justice and creating a

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world where everyone has a fair chance to live a full, productive life. Social justice requires us to see each other’s perspectives, circumstances and lived experiences through the lens of empathy and compassion. It’s the only way to live in the space of active hope that we can create a world free from inequities and injustices,” she says.

One innovative program, Toronto-based Roots of Empathy, began in 1996 after a mother brought her baby into a kindergarten classroom for children to relate to. With the aid of an instructor, they were encouraged to understand the baby’s needs and feelings, and to take the baby’s perspective. So successfully did the interaction reduce bullying behavior that the program has since spread globally, reaching 1 million children in K-8 classes. “In school, students are taught to read, but if we don’t teach them to relate, then we can expect failed societies,” says founder Mary Gordon.

“By interpreting the feelings of the tiny baby and sharing when they had the same feelings, the students develop emotional literacy and awareness. This enables them to build connections and healthy relationships, which leads to inclusion and integration.”

By parents modeling empathy and vulnerability around their children, the foundation is laid for open conversations, she says.

“At the dinner table, say, ‘Today I felt embarrassed when I was called on at work and felt unprepared.’ Identifying and normalizing feelings is the best way to show them it’s something you value and encourage their natural instincts. Kids learn best through observation rather than instruction.”

At The Children’s Museum, in Oak Lawn, an Illinois nonprofit, play is an essential part of childhood development. Executive Director Adam Woodworth says the institution focuses on kindness and gratitude to build a foundation of empathy. “Helping children find their empathy for others develops strong friendships built on trust and understanding. Parents can incorporate empathy into explanations for everyday interactions such as sharing toys. Instead of focusing on the negative of giving up their toy for someone else, talk about how happy the other child would feel,” he suggests.

Empathy often starts with listening. “Teaching children how to listen for context is a skill that is developed over time. Parents can help by asking open-ended questions while reading, such as, ‘Why do you think Frog didn’t want to invite Snake to the party?’ This helps cultivate both understanding and empathy, acknowledges their feelings as real and validates them in a way that they know we care,” he says.

Baxley stresses that it is imperative for parents to model the behaviors they want to cultivate in front of their children. “The way we show up for our children is how they will show up for others,” she says. “We have to pour these habits of empathy and compassion into our children in the privacy of our homes if we expect them to know how to show up for others in that way out in the world.”

Carrie Jackson is a Chicago-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.

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Mycelium Mysteries: Women’s Mushroom Conference September 22, 23 & 24, 2022 featuring Suzanne Simard, Pat Armstrong and Barbara Ching

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June 2022

25

wise words

Frank Bruni on

Living with Afflictions

by Randy Kambic

O

ne day in late 2017, Frank Bruni, a writer for more than 25 years for The New York Times—including as a White House correspondent, op-ed columnist, Rome bureau chief and restaurant critic—woke up with partial loss of sight in his right eye. He found out that his condition was non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy caused by loss of blood flow to the optic nerve. While he began treatment, he started writing a memoir to document how he was dealing with his setback and to present the stories of family, close friends, previous interviewees and others that have also encountered and dealt with medical challenges.

His new book, The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found, is a wise, inspiring and moving account that displays human perseverance and optimism in navigating

26

Grand Traverse Region

Nebraska senator and wounded Vietnam War veteran Bob Kerrey; and Juan Jose, a Mexican diplomat dealing with retinitis pigmentosa, which causes progressive vision loss.

Bruni, author of three previous bestsellers, is now a full-time professor at Duke University, teaching media-oriented classes in the Sanford School of Public Policy. He continues to write a weekly newsletter and occasional essays for The New York Times. trauma and afflictions. Some of the people he describes are his mother, who battled uterine cancer; a college friend that has Parkinson’s disease; Cyrus Habib, a blind Rhodes scholar who became the lieutenant governor of the state of Washington;

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

How is your eyesight now? Did writing The Beauty of Dusk help you better cope with your condition?

My eyesight is stable, but compromised. I have to read and type more slowly in larger

“Try to view what you are going through as a test and you can allow yourself a full measure of pride in passing that test.” fonts. Writing the book helped me cope in many ways including by showing me that with the proper adjustments, I could very much continue with my writing career.

How can we implement “taking deliberate, concrete steps to move beyond sadness” with our afflictions in practical terms?

The first step I think is recognizing how many people confront or live with affliction. That helps dilute the self-pity part of sadness. But another crucial step is realizing that what’s gone is gone, what’s lost is lost and you only compound your sadness by dwelling emotionally on what’s unchangeable versus embracing what you still have.

Can you explain how a “sandwich-board theory of life” can be helpful?

If each of us walked around wearing a list of the pain we carry or the struggles we have survived, struggles that are usually invisible, then few of us would ask, “Why me?” We’d ask, “Why not me?” And that’s the truer, healthier question.

Can a health struggle be termed as an experience, not an ordeal?

Oh, absolutely. Not with the most extreme hardships, but with some of them, many of them, I think, you can become a student of your hardship. You can at least try to view that what you are going through is a test

and you can allow yourself a full measure of pride in passing that test.

Is there one person in your book that stands out the most to you?

I’m always thinking about David Tatel, a distinguished longtime judge, including with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, who retired last year, who never let his blindness impede him. And he once said to me of the human capacity for adjusting and adapting, “Starfish can grow new limbs, but that’s nothing compared to what people can do.” I hold tight to his words and to his example.

Randy Kambic is a freelance writer and editor in Estero, Florida.

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calendar of events

231-378-4963. CrystalMountain.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 Leelanau BirdFest 2022 – June 2-5. Choose from 10 different field trips on both Fri and Sat. More info: MIBirdFest.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Beach Blanket Belly Dance Class – Fridays, June 3-24. 6-7pm. The June Goddess Workout Beginner Belly Dance class will feature the Dick Dale version for some “fun in the sun” belly dancing. For absolute beginners of all ages, sizes, shapes and ethnicities. $40/4-wk series, $15/drop-in. Also live on Zoom.

Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. AmiraHamzarRaks.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 2022 Empire Asparagus Festival – 10am-6pm.

Includes a fun run/walk, recipe contest, food and drink vendors, music and more. Downtown Empire.

EmpireChamber.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 Rainbow Valley Family Farms Summer Open House – 12-4pm. 6040 Culver Rd, Traverse City.

231-943-1214. RainbowValleyFamilyFarms.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 Blooming Art Workshop – 5-8pm. With Cristi Ellen Zarvas & Wendy McWhorter. Design a seasonally inspired floral centerpiece and then use your arrangement as a subject for your very own watercolor painting. Charlevoix Circle of Arts, 220 Clinton St, Charlevoix. CharlevoixCircle.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9 Thai Favorites – 6-7pm. Learn how to craft some signature Thai dishes with Chef Nancy Allen, author of Discovering Global Cuisines. $10. Via Zoom.

Register: Oryana.coop.

Cooking Class: Eat Beautiful – 6-8pm. Series with Rafina Grove: fish dish. All materials and supplies included and no experience necessary. Charlevoix Circle of Arts, 220 Clinton St, Charlevoix. CharlevoixCircle.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 Wild Orchid Walk – 10am-12pm. Join Education Director James Dake in an exclusive presentation and off-trail expedition to see rare orchids and other amazing plants. $10/person. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire. Must register: GrassRiver.org.

Birdwatching Hike – 8am. Join Michigan Legacy Art Park’s executive director and birding guide Angie Quinn on a birdwatching hike through the Art Park. $5, free/age 17 & under. Michigan Legacy Art Park, 7300 Mountainside Dr, Thompsonville.

28

Grand Traverse Region

Landscape Oil Painting Class – 1-4pm. Local artist Dirk Martin will guide you through the principles of landscape oil painting. Designed for the novice, create a landscape painting from start to finish using impressionist techniques. Charlevoix Circle of Arts, 220 Clinton St, Charlevoix. CharlevoixCircle.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12

Saving Birds Through Habitat Open House – 11am-3pm. Learning about birds and their habitat.

Activities for kids. 11:15am bird hike. Free. Charter Sanctuary Discovery Center, 5020 N Putnam Rd, Omena. 231-271-3738. MIBirdFest.org.

Wellness Day at The Garden – 10am-5pm.

A day dedicated to wellness-inspired activities and programs. From meditative arts and yoga to herbal teas and the psychological benefits of green spaces, you’re sure to discover something new and leave feeling refreshed and full of healthful vitality. Free. The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, 1490 Red Dr, Traverse City. The BotanicGarden.org.

Online: Happily, Ever After: Couples Communication – 1-4pm. Discover your differences and reduce triggers that make communication difficult.

Learn and practice new, fun tools to renew your relationship. Rev. Julie Chai, facilitator. Via Zoom.

231-922-9699. InnerListening.me.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 Women Can/Women Do Charlevoix County – 11am-1:30pm. Luncheons are instrumental in raising essential funds to benefit thousands of local women, children and individuals who rely on programs and services provided by the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix. wrcnm.org.

Online: De-stress Workshop – 12-1pm. Join a licensed professional counselor for an interactive workshop to define stress and discuss the sources of stress in our lives. Will discuss the challenges of maintaining self-care practices. Practice simple self-care strategies. $10. Harmony2C.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Elberta Summer Solstice Festival – 4-11:30pm.

Includes local music, a beer garden, games for kids, food trucks and more. Music starts at 5pm; lineup includes Elizabeth Landry, Blake Elliott, Barefoot, Bill Frary and the Frequency and Soul Patch. $10/ adult, $5/ages 13-18, free/under 13. Elberta Outdoor Amphitheatre, 1120 Furnace, Elberta. 231-8829510. GrowBenzie.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Summer Bird Walk – 8-10am. The birds that call Grass River home are now nesting and singing.

Learn to ID birds by song and habitat on a guided bird walk. $5/person. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire. Register: GrassRiver.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22

SATURDAY, JUNE 11

THURSDAY, JUNE 23

Pride Carnival – 11am-2pm. Will host the Unconditional art installation by Roger Amundsen.

Expect vendors providing food as well as slides and a climbing wall. Family friendly. Come for live music and to view the interactive art exhibit. The Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College Campus, 1410 College Dr, Traverse City.

UpNorthPride.com.

Online: Coping with Race-Related Stress – 121pm. Stress and race-related stress can contribute to varying risks to our health and well-being. We will explore the signs and symptoms of stress, race-related stress, and ways to manage. $10.

Harmony2C.com.

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 25

TUESDAY, JUNE 28 Fairy Garden Make and Take Class – 6-7:30pm.

Create your very own miniature garden to lure in fairies, dragons and garden gnomes. Taught by a Master Gardener and include soil and 1 miniature plant to get you started. Bring own container, be creative. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix.

CastleFarms.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 The Omena Garden Walk 2022 – 11am-4pm. Tour 7 unique Omena gardens which include the private gardens of several Omena residents. $20 cash or check only. The Gardens in Omena along West Bay Shore Drive (M-22) and other nearby roads. 734657-1897. OmenaPreservation.org.

ongoing events

daily Pets & Parents Reiki Session – 9am-9pm. Sessions for wellness, critical care and end of life transition.

Actively experience the use of reiki touch with your pet. Learn additional tips for helping your pet. Virtual 40-min appt. $20. 231-590-0001. tcdesoto@ gmail.com.

Sacred Lights Collective Events – A digital platform and virtual community for seekers and facilitators to walk the spiritual path together offering daily classes, groups and workshops. With Aria Mae Everts. Virtual. 774-578-2762. Sacred LightsCollective.com.

sundays Interlochen Farmers Market – Thru Oct 30. 9am2pm. Local produce, baked goods, flowers and more.

Free admission. Interlochen Corners, US 31 S at J. Maddy Pkwy, Interlochen. 231-378-4488.

Men’s Circle: Stories in Council – 6:30pm. 1st Sun. An open group of men who come together in a safe, confidential space to share and gain from each other’s experience and presence. Free. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com.

mondays Free COVID-19 Testing – 10am-2pm. Pre-registration not required but helpful. The Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital Wellness Workshop, 411 Bridge St, Charlevoix. Charlevoix.org.

Farmers Market at the Village – Thru Oct. 2-6pm.

Presented by The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Free admission. South Historic Front Lawn, 830 Cottageview Dr, Traverse City. TheVillageTC. com/farmers-market.

Cancer Care Support Discovery Call – 6-6:30pm.

For those looking to incorporate a holistic, functional element of care into their cancer treatment plan by working in conjunction with your oncologists, surgeons, primary care physician and physical medicine practitioners. More info: MIHolisticMed.com.

tuesdays Wildflower Walk – Thru Aug. 10am-12pm. Go for a relaxing stroll on the trails with GRNA docents Julie Hurd and Phil Jarvi each week to find and identify the beautiful and unique wildflowers. Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire.

Register: GrassRiver.org.

Empowerment Circle – 10:30-11:30am. With Heather Zigler. By bringing new light to an ancient and traditional tool used by indigenous people around the globe. Circles are a place to transform ME to WE as a space where the principle of sharing power with each other exists instead of having power over one another. 1st class free. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. 231499-8595. HeatherZigler.com.

Turntables and Tacos – 4pm-close. Stone Hound Brewing Company, 3593 Bunker Hill Rd, Williamsburg. 231-421-5010. StoneHoundBrewing.com.

The Goddess Workout Beginner Hula Dance Class – 6:30-7:30pm. For absolute beginners of all ages, sizes and shapes. Learn basic hula moves and combinations. $80/8-wk session, $15/drop-in. First Congregational Church, 8066 W State St, Central Lake. AmiraHamzarRaks.com.

Red Tent: Women’s Circle – 7pm. 2nd Thurs. Meet local women, share your journey and grow together.

Hosted by Aria, Red Tents are a gentle introduction to women’s sacred circles. Free. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com.

Community Night – 7-9pm. 4th Thurs. Each month we will host a different theme for connecting with your fellow Bellaire community members. Movie nights, potlucks, cacao and conversation, etc. Everyone welcome, including families; do not need to practice yoga. Yoga Bellaire, 216 Portage Dr, Bellaire. YogaBellaire.com.

fridays Bellaire Farmers Market – Thru Oct. 8am-12pm.

ASI Community Center & Park, 102 Maple St, Bellaire. BellaireChamber.org.

The Goddess Workout Beginner Belly Dance Rhythms: Maksoum – 6-7pm. Learn to play the finger cymbals in a beginner belly dance class taught by certified GoddessLife instructor, Amira Hamzar.

For absolute beginners of all ages, sizes and shapes.

In-person & Zoom. $40/mo, $15/drop-in. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City.

231-499-8595. AmiraHamzarRaks.com.

saturdays Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market – Thru Oct. 7:30am-12pm. Parking lot B, southwest corner of Cass & Grandview Pkwy, Traverse City.

DowntownTC.com.

wednesdays Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market – Thru Oct. 8am-12pm. Parking lot B, southwest corner of Cass & Grandview Pkwy, Traverse City. Downtown TC.com.

Kingsley Farmers Market – Thru Sept 28. 3-7pm.

Brownson Memorial Park, 205 S Brownson, Kingsley. TraverseCity.com.

Empowerment Circle – 5:30-6:30pm. See Tues listing. Pure Essence Wellness Center, 1240 E 8th St, Traverse City. 231-499-8595. HeatherZigler.com.

Wine Down Wednesdays at Castle Farms – 6-8pm. Visit 1918 Cellars for live music, food, wine and more. No tickets necessary to enjoy the music. Check their lineup to see who’s going to be performing this summer. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix. CastleFarms.com.

thursdays Weekly Facebook Live with Dr. McSwain – 5:306pm. More info: MIHolisticMed.com.

farmers markets directory

SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET

Between Cass and Union streets, Traverse City 231-922-2050 June-October Saturdays, 7:30am-12pm Wednesdays, 8am-12pm

FARMERS MARKET AT THE VILLAGE & GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS

830 Cottageview Dr, Ste 101, Traverse City 231-941-1900 Traverse City's only year-round indoor market.

Mondays, May-October, 2-6pm Saturdays, November-April, 10am-2pm

EMPIRE FARMERS MARKET

10234 W Front Street, Empire 231-866-0922 Saturdays, June 11-September 3, 9am-1pm

GROW BENZIE FARMERS MARKET

5885 Frankfort Hwy, Benzonia 231-882-9510

INTERLOCHEN FARMERS MARKET

classifieds EDUCATION/WORKSHOPS SUMMER CLASSES NOW OPEN for registration. Learn skills you can apply in one of our online, live workshops. Bioinformatics. Constitutional Law. Join the IPAK-EDU community of advanced learners. Find us at ipak-edu.org.

HELP WANTED LOOKING FOR DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE DISTRIBUTOR / SALES OF ALL- NATURAL PRODUCTS. This is not a MLM, this is based on product sales of retail and sales to the public. This will include contacting the public as well as outdoor and indoor events. Calling on stores and businesses. Must be passionate about healthy living and helping others be healthy. Michigan-made products. We are a licensed, insured, certified company. Please contact U.P. Chaga Connection 906-282-0787 (Serious inquiries only).

2112 M 137, Interlochen 231-970-1340 Sundays, 9am-2pm

GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET

6394 Western Ave., Glen Arbor 231-866-0922 Tuesdays, June-September, 9am-1pm

LAKE LEELANAU FARMERS MARKET

112 W Philip Street, Lake Leelanau 231-866-0922 Sundays, June 14-September 6, 9am-1pm

NORTHPORT FARMERS MARKET

105 Bay Street, Northport 231-866-0922 Fridays, June 7-September 13, 9am-1pm

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER ARTISANS & FARMERS MARKET

461 East Mitchell Street, Petoskey 231-347-4337 October to June, 10am-1pm June 2022

29

community resource guide ADVANCED WELLNESS

SPICE & TEA MERCHANTS

EARTH LABS

317a E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-1490 EarthLabsHeal.com Subtle modalities including sound, light, frequency and thermogenic therapies to enhance and transform your quality of life. Our techno-therapy will reduce pain and restore energy. See ads page 19 and back cover.

CBD PRODUCTS

145 E Front St, Traverse City 231-947-7423 SpiceMerchants.biz/traverse-cityspice-store Providing the world’s best herbs, spices and teas for your kitchen. We carry over 200 spices from everyday use to the most exotic as well as over 120 different teas.

See ad page 23.

FRESH MILK HERD SHARES

MY CBD

SHARED BLESSINGS FARM

Kelly Young MyTCBD.com All-Natural CBD p r o d u c t s . We source from only organic, environmentally socially responsible companies that believe in cruelty-free testing. Life is too short to feel anything less than your personal best. Ask about our distributor options where you can be your own boss. See ad page 27.

We are a family farm focused on healthy soils to produce healthy animals so they can produce healthy raw milk for your good. Taste to know the difference. See ad page 8.

GIFT CERTIFICATES URBAN OASIS SALT SPA

UrbanOasisSaltSpa.com

U.P. CHAGA CONNECTION

906-282-0787 MidnightSpcl_59@yahoo.com UPChagaConnection.com

Freshest, cleanest, wildest organic Chaga available in the Upper Peninsula. State certified. Immune-Boosting Superfood. For centuries, people have used chaga mushrooms for medicinal purposes.

Packed with antioxidants, its extract may fight cancer, chronic inflammation, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

COACHING & COUNSELING ARIA MAE EVERTS

Coach, Facilitator, Healer Aria@AriaMae.com AriaMae.com Spiritually integrative coaching, healing and retreats for Conscious Leaders. In-person and virtual personal development for those who envision a world where all life is honored. See ad page 26.

Grand Traverse Region

7291 18 Mile Rd, Marion 231-743-2286

13709 S. West Bayshore Dr, Traverse City 231-938-6020

CHAGA PRODUCTS

30

COOKING & TEA BREWING

Give the gift of health and beauty this holiday season.

Treat a loved one to our dry salt therapy, massage, detox, organic facial services, or exclusive salt room made from 15,000 pounds of Himalayan pink salt that supports overall health and wellness. See ad page 17.

HALOTHERAPY URBAN OASIS SALT SPA

13709 S. West Bayshore Dr, Traverse City 231-938-6020 UrbanOasisSaltSpa.com

Dry salt therapy, massage, detox, organic facial services, exclusive salt room made from 15,000 pounds of Himalayan pink salt supports overall health and wellness. See ad page 17.

HealthyLivingMichigan.com

HEALTHY PET SQUARE DEAL COUNTRY STORE

900 Woodmere Ave, Traverse City 231-946-5030 SquareDealCountryStore.com

Our knowledgeable staff is here to help you find the best food, treats and

products for your pets.

HOLISTIC MENTAL WELLNESS KELLIE ZIEHM

Kellie.Amare@yahoo.com 734-344-2339 AmareMentalWellness.com Come join my team with this ground floor distributor opportunity with the only holistic mental wellness company in direct sales. I’m also looking for healthcare professionals to join our influencer program. See ads, pages 3 and 24.

LESS ANXIETY NATURALLY EARTH LABS

317a E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-1490 EarthLabsHeal.com Advanced technologies in the sound and light lab ease anxiety and relieve chronic pain. Enhance your mood and bring balance to the limbic system. See ads page 19 and back cover.

MEDICAL/CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS WHOLE HEALTH TRAVERSE CITY

3639 Cass Rd, Traverse City 231-943-2100 WholeHealthTC.org

We help people suffering with chronic joint and muscle pain, and peripheral neuropathy to decrease pain, increase quality of life, and maximize their competitive edge. See ad page 13.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 East Broadway St, Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info

Educational programs offered: Natural Health Program: four years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program: one year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program: six months (one weekend a month). Individual classes available. See ad page 7.

PERSONAL & SPIRITUAL GROWTH WORKSHOPS

RELIEF FROM TRAUMA, ANXIETY & DEPRESSION ACT ABSOLUTE CHOICES TODAY COUNSELING NANCY WARNARS LPC

OperationAbleNancyW@gmail.com 248-845-0513 AbsolutChoicesTherapy.com

Virtual Teletherapy for all ages.

Immediate appointments available. Accepting most insurance. Office in East Lansing.

Change happens when you take responsibility to create thinking that supports ways to feel better. Family of origin, groups, and media can have a profound effect on your inner being. Letting go of the negativity is critical to co-create new pathways toward hope, peace, and love for the life you have a choice to envision.

SCHOOL / EDUCATION NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 East Broadway St, Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info

Educational programs offered: Natural Health Program: four years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program: one year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program: six months (one weekend a month). Individual classes available. See ad page 7.

INNER LISTENING™ WORKSHOPS

Rev. Julie Chai 231-922-9699 InnerListening.me

LIST YOUR BIZ HERE.

Inner Listening™ workshops for compassionate self-awareness, presence, serenity, love, and joy, offer you the theory, practice, and support to move beyond emotional reactions and into deep healing, compassion and empowerment. See ad page 8.

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