Natural Awakenings Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Dec 22 Issue

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Germinating Seeds of Goodness

Although many of us lament the hyper-commercialization of Christmas, with deco rations now showing up before Halloween-full-blown by Thanksgiving-and Black Friday sales starting in October, I've begun to realize that there may be a seed of good in it. The term "Christmas" comes from the combination of the words Christ, or "anointed one", the title given to the expected savior sent by God to redeem humankind, and mass. While the holiday has gradually moved away from its strictly religious observance, most people, Christian or not, celebrate it.

With the introduction of Santa Claus, the tradition of gift giving has become so central to the holiday that we often don't appreciate its origins, as outlined in our instruction manual, the Bible. In Matthew chapter 2, the Magi came bearing precious treasures to give to the baby Jesus. Over the centuries, as now, many have used the gift-giving aspect of Christmas to achieve their own ends, which often involve financial gain and/or self-aggrandizement.

But the seed of good which cannot be denied or hidden is that Christmas is inextricably connected to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It germinates when all the commercial ex pressions of the holiday such as the ubiquitous manger scene with the three wise men; bright stars or even paper stars; and gold and silver everywhere inevitably lead us back to specific occurrences and references in the Bible.

That seed will blossom into many seeds as people dig deeper, coming to better understand and then believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ: that He died on the cross and was resurrected to redeem our sins, and that by our faith in Him, we are saved. What a seed of good! I'll take the hyper-commercialization any day if it gets the word out and starts those seeds growing.

Another manifestation of this seed of good is the collective call to love one another and a heightened sense of togetherness as a human family. The Christmas holiday season is an almost involuntary time of uplifting humanity because there are no laws, rules or incentives that make it happen; it just happens. Even more amazing and heartening is that year after year, at least a few lives will be transformed to be more caring toward themselves and others, to reconnect with families and friends, and to begin a lifelong walk with God as a result of this magical time.

I'm so proud that this magazine's December theme is "Uplifting Humanity". Our goal is to bring added value to the discourse at this busy time of year by focusing on the qualities that define our best potential as humans-helping, caring and sharing. These qualities are so fertile within us during the Christmas holidays. They are the reason for the season.

In our feature article, "Togetherness Thinking: Meaningful Conversations That Can Transform Our World," Linda Sechrist explores how to create positive change from different angles and perspectives through the spirit of interconnectedness that we all share. It certainly reinforces my own observation that even involuntarily, (I guess there's something in the air) people are more open-hearted during this season, more willing to hear new points of view, share new information, and try new things. We also show how one North Texas institution, Celebration Restaurant, has been fostering togetherness for more than 50 years now, serving meals family-style in semiprivate rooms; and how another, Break Bread Break Barriers is also leading with food by bringing together North Texas immigrants for employment, service to the community and compassionate care.

Speaking of food (a leading player throughout the holiday season), our Conscious Eating department puts a healthy twist on some favorite holiday recipes, and our own Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Division weighs in with some additional healthy ideas. I've already select ed three of the recipes in this month's issue to be on my family gathering table. Hopefully, you will find some that you can use, too!

As always, we've filled this issue with timely and actionable information that will help you live a healthier life on a healthy planet. We hope that you'll find much that is useful and that you'll experience a meaningful, joyous and healthy holiday season.

Merry Christmas and blessings until next month,

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REGIONAL MARKETS

Dallas Zoo is Ready for the Holidays

Dallas Zoo Lights Zoo lights is open through January 1, 2023, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on select nights as a walk-thru event. Presented by Reliant, the event includes more than a million lights across most of the zoo and new larger-than-life animal lanterns, plus elaborate holiday-themed displays in Zoo North and Wilds of Africa.

Kids will love Santa’s Workshop, with more than a dozen new lighted photo ops and dazzling 3-D lighted sculptures. Along with other festive holiday treats, there are drinks and snacks and nightly musical performanc es on stage at The Grove, with a programmed light show in the amphitheater. Visitors of all ages can enjoy crafts, activities, unique animal chats and after-hours rides on the carousel and mini-train.

Advance purchase of timed tickets is required. Location: 650 R.L. Thornton Fwy., Dallas. For tickets and more information, call 469-5547500 or visit DallasZoo.com.

Holiday Botanical Garden Lights

Heard Holiday Fundraiser Holidays

at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanc tuary will bring the beauty of the holiday season into nature from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., December 9 and 10. Holiday lights and décor accentuate the lovely halfmile Heard nature trail. During this nighttime hike through the woods see the Dinosaurs Live! exhibit along the trail (not animated during the event). Live, festive music will delight audiences under the stars in the Heard outdoor amphitheater.

The nonprofit Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is dedicated to bringing nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore and preserve our priceless environment.

Location: 1 Nature Pl., McKinney. For pricing and tickets, visit HeardMuseum.org/holidays.

Lightscape

will be open at the 120-acre Fort Worth Botanic Garden through January 8, 2023, on select nights, presented by Bank of America. Set along a beautifully illuminated walking trail, it features spec tacular artistic installations that come to life after dark with color, imagination, and sound. Lightscape is produced in associa tion with Sony Music and Culture Creative. The event is closed on December 5, 6, 12, 13 and 25, and January 2 and 3. If weather presents a hazard and a risk to safety, a decision whether to cancel the event will be made at 2 p.m. on the day of the event.

Ticketholders can walk a mile-long path amid suspended strands and tunnels of light, a fire garden, an undulating wave of bluebonnets, singing trees, treetop sculp tures and artistic installations while toast ing marshmallows over a fire and drinking hot chocolate and other seasonal drinks at stations along the trail. Visitors can escape into to a world of color and imagination with captivating illuminations that dazzle the senses.

Location: 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. For tickets and more information, visit fwbg.org.

Holiday Village at the Arboretum

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will debut a brand-new Christmas Village from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through December 31 as part of Holiday at the Arboretum. Inspired by the European Christkindl market, the Pauline and Austin Neuhoff Christmas Village is comprised of 12 charming shops and façades that represent a quaint Euro pean hamlet.

At night, the Christmas Village shops and trees shine bright with more than a million lights. During the weekends and evenings, there are volunteers dressed as a shopkeeper in each store, most passing out a sample of their wares.

Listen to local choirs and ensembles at the Band Stand. Bring a letter for Santa to drop off at the Post Office. See how candy is made at the Candy Shop and get a candy cane. At the Bookstore, receive a specially designed bookmark. At the Flower Shop, get a seed packet. Make some noise at the Music Shop and take home a jingle bell. At the Doctor’s Office, pick up a specially designed Dallas Arboretum Band-Aid. Similar experiences await at all the other shops.

For tickets and more information, visit DallasArboretum.org.

Enjoy a Wonderland of Live Performances

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) takes residents to holiday-themed plays and musical performances that celebrate the wonder of the season.

The Nutcracker (TexasBalletTheater.org) is a muchloved holiday tradition featuring indelible characters such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King, Texas Ballet Theater’s classic production of this seasonal favorite runs to December 4 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, (walkable from Pearl/Arts District station), and from December 9 through 24 at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall. (Take the TRE to Fort Worth Central station and get on the bus route known as The Dash).

Christmas with C.S. Lewis (Tinyurl.com/CSLewis Christmas) follows the great writer’s spiritual journey in a powerful, intimate evening of theater from December 14 to 17 at the Eisemann Center (across the plaza from Galatyn Park station).

A Christmas Carol (DallasTheaterCenter.org) rejoices in the holiday spirit with spectacular sets, flying ghosts and rousing music through December 24 at the Wyly Theater (a seven-minute walk from Pearl/Arts District station).

Irving Holidays at Heritage (Tinyurl.com/IrvingHeritageHolidays) from December 3 through 17, kicks off with a nighttime parade through downtown Irving, followed by the city’s annual tree lighting ceremony, all starting at 6 p.m., then free family events every Friday and Saturday. (a short walk from Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing station on the Trinity Railway Express).

Home for the Holidays, with Marcia Ball, Carolyn Wonderland and Shelley King (Tinyurl. com/DallasHomeHolidays) showcases three of Texas’ finest for a rousing night of holiday music at 8 p.m., De cember 4, at the Kessler Theater. (Take bus route 9).

The Polyphonic Spree Christmas Show (Tinyurl.com/ HolidayPolyphonicSpree) stars Dallas’ only rock band/ choir/orchestra. The world-famous group, led by front man Tim DeLaughter, puts on a rousing holiday show at 7 p.m., December 17 at the Majestic Theatre. (three blocks from St. Paul station).

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland (Tinyurl.com/ CirqueMusica) on December 23 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Audiences will be dazzled by the acrobats, aerialists, and holiday cheer. The show combines the grace and athleticism of world-class circus performers with a musical mix of timeless seasonal favorites. (Take Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth Central station and Trinity Metro to the venue.

A Christmas Carol (Tinyurl.com/GarlandChristmasCarol) gets a somewhat different treatment in its Garland production from December 9 through 17. The Company of Rowlett Performers’ version of the holiday classic lets us see the familiar story through new eyes. The funny and moving performance happens at the Granville Arts Center (next to Downtown Garland station).

For more DARTable adventures, visit DART.org/DARTable. See ad, page 4.

Serotonin Theory of Depression Debunked

The idea that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance specifically, a serotonin deficiency has been popular and influ ential since the 1960s, leading to the wide use of antidepressants. A recent multi-institution study led by the University of Read ing, in the UK, and pub lished in Molecular Psychiatry has debunked this theory. The researchers did a systematic review of studies on the topic and found no convincing evidence of an association between serotonin and depression, and no support for the hypothesis that depression is caused by lowered serotonin activity or concentrations. The serotonin theory of depres sion has historically provided convincing justification for the use of antidepressants and may discourage people from discontinuing treatment, potentially leading to life long dependence on such drugs.

Ultra-Processed Food Linked with Cancer and Mortality Risks

Under-Appreciating the Benefits of Solitude

Getting lost in our thoughts may improve problem solving, increase creativity, enhance imagination and provide a better sense of self-worth. But in the digi tal age, with immediate and satisfying input at a finger’s tap, it is possible to be “solitude deprived,” says Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University and author of Digital Minimalism.

In a recent study in the Journal of Experimental Psy chology, psychologists asked a group of more than 250 university students to sit and wait in a quiet room without doing anything. Researchers found that the students un der-appreciated their enjoyment and engagement of “just thinking” and instead favored technology-driven distrac tions like internet news-checking. The results suggest an inherent difficulty in accurately assessing how engaging just thinking can be, and may explain why people prefer keeping themselves busy rather than taking a moment for reflection and imagination in their daily lives.

These ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat commercial for mulations comprised of little or no whole foods currently contribute 57 percent of the total daily calories consumed by American adults—a rate which has been continuously rising over the last two decades.

Commonly containing high levels of added sugar, un healthy fats and refined starch, ultra-processed foods neg atively impact gut microbiota and contribute to increased risks of weight gain and obesity. Most of these convenience foods are low in nutrients and bioactive compounds; contain food additives, colors and emulsifiers; and can be poten tially carcinogenic when meats are processed with sodium nitrates and heat treatments or when the packaging leaches its harmful components (like bisphenol A) into the food.

A new study supports the public health importance of staying away from ultra-processed foods, finding a significant asso ciation with colorectal cancer in men The study, led by Tufts University and published in August in The BMJ, looked at the diets of 46,341 men and 159,907 women every four years for 24 to 28 years using food frequency questionnaires.

A second recent study in Italy involving 22,895 adults over the age of 35 compared the role of nutrient-poor foods with ultra-processed foods in the development of chronic disease and early death. Researchers found that both types of foods increased the risk of an early death, especially from cardiovascular diseases. When research ers compared the two types of food to see which contrib uted the most to the risk of an early death, ultra-processed foods were associated with poor health outcomes inde pendently of their low nutritional composition, but not the other way around.

Kids Are Not Getting Enough Sleep

The American Academy of Pediatrics has long rec ommended that children between the ages of 6 and 12 years obtain nine to 12 hours of sleep per night for optimal health, yet kids are regularly getting less than this recommended amount.

In a recent study published in The Lancet, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine investi gated how insufficient sleep affects children’s behavioral problems, mental health, cognition, brain function and brain structure over a period of two years. They concluded that children that get less than nine hours of sleep per night have notable differences in brain regions that influence memory, intelligence and well-being compared to those that get more than nine hours. As kids’ schedules get busier and they spend more time in front of screens, their average sleep time has decreased. According to the research ers, such insufficiencies in early adolescence can lead to long-lasting neurocognitive consequences.

Expected Drops in Wind Speeds Promise Climate Disruption

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that average global wind speeds could drop by up to 10 percent by 2100.

Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, in England, says, “Why do we have wind at all on the planet? It’s because of uneven temperatures; very cold at the poles and warm at the tropics. That temperature difference drives the winds, and that tempera ture difference is weakening. The Arctic is warming faster than the tropics.” A slowing in surface winds could disrupt the Gulf Stream, translating to widespread drought and more intense winter storms.

A study published in Nature shows the Arctic has been warming four times faster than the rest of the world since 1979, much faster than scientists estimated. An increase in the number and size of urban buildings that act as a drag on winds is another contributing factor. While temperature data goes back thousands of years, climate wind change stud ies only have 70 years of data to work with. Substantial annual fluctuations make longterm trends difficult to detect, and conclusions leave room for doubt. Yet Gisela Winckler, at the Columbia University Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, writes, “The winds [will be] weaker and stiller.”

Charging Electric Vehicles at Night Poses New Challenge

As electric vehicle (EV) owners learn how to install home chargers, find public charging stations and avoid range anxiety, the demand for power could burden the electric grid in western states at peak times by up to 25 per cent if most charging is done at night, according to one Stanford University study. Unlike filling a car with gasoline, charging an electric car takes time. The fastest chargers on the market today can reach 80 percent in 20 to 30 minutes, but many are slower, taking between two and 22 hours to completion. Thus, around 80 percent of EV charging occurs overnight at home when the driver doesn’t need the car.

That charging pattern challenges the way electricity is generated and distributed. The largest need overall is in the evening from approximately 5 to 9 p.m. Photovoltaic panels produce energy during the middle of the day, so the highest electricity demand comes when solar is dormant.

“Once 30 or 40 percent of cars are EVs, it’s going to start significantly impacting what we do with the grid,” says Ram Rajagopal, a professor of civil and environmental engi neering at Stanford University and one of the study’s authors. One solution is for more EV owners to shift to daytime charging at work or public charging stations.

Tree Roots Adapt to Sequester More Carbon

At the Univer sity of Birmingham in the UK and Bergen, Norway, scientists have shown that atmospheric carbon dioxide pumped into a mature forest at levels predicted to be the norm by 2050 will cause trees to produce more and longer roots, thus absorbing and storing more carbon. Re searcher Angeliki Kourmouli says, “We usually take soil for granted, but it forms a crucial part of many ecosys tems and plays a significant role in carbon storage.”

The study team gathered thousands of images of tiny tree roots assembled over two years at the Birming ham Institute of Forest Research Free-Air CO2 En richment. The images were used to build a mathemat ical picture of the birth, growth and death of roots in an oak forest. Some im ages were taken of roots in situ using a high-resolution camera sent under the for est floor in a set of trans parent tubes, and others came from soil cores.

Professor Iain Johnston, who led the study, says, “It’s obviously hard to view these processes going on beneath the ground. But a combination of innovative engineering and careful field and lab work from our team have helped us shed new light on this behavior and on how confident we can be in our findings.”

Tree Attempts to Achieve Legal Personhood

A legally autonomous black gum tree named Terra0 at the 58th Carnegie International art exhibition on the campus of the Community College of Allegheny County, in Pitts burgh, owns itself and perhaps even the few square feet of land it grows on. As the tree grows, care will be provided by the Carnegie Museum of Art in an attempt to rewrite the rules of conservation on behalf of the entire nonhuman natural world.

Paul Seidler, one of the three artists behind Terra0, says, “We’re interested in how personhood is constructed in legal terms, but also in economic terms. Corpo rations can gain the status of personhood. We asked why is there nothing like this for ecosystems or natural systems.”

They began working with Sohrab Mohebbi, curator of the exhibition, in 2018 to figure out how to realize the project, who says, “The tree has its own legal counsel, the museum has its legal counsel, our partner who’s giving us the land has legal counsel.

It’s kind of amazing.”

The tree was planted in July and Terra0 hopes that as the tree lives on, its legal autonomy will become a touchstone for other nonhuman species to gain their own form of personhood and legal protection.

Human Composting Offers Sustainable Burial

With the passage of a recent law, Cal ifornians will have a new option for the final resting place of those that die beginning in 2027. This makes California the fifth state, along with Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Vermont, to allow human compost ing, and the most populous.

The most common process for human composting, known as natural organic re duction, involves leaving the body in a con tainer with wood chips and other organic matter for about a month to let bacteria do its work, then curing for a few more weeks before being turned over to the family. This process will save about a metric ton of CO2 per body.

Conventional burials expend approximately three gal lons of embalming liquid containing toxic levels of form aldehyde, methanol and ethanol. Cremation creates more than 500 pounds of carbon dioxide from the burning of just one body, and burning uses up the energy equivalent of two tanks of gasoline.

Assembly member Cristina Garcia, who sponsored the bill, says, “AB-351 will provide an additional option for California residents that is more environmentally friend ly and gives them another choice for burial. With climate change and sea level rise as very real threats to our envi ronment, this is an alternative method of final disposition that won’t contribute emissions into our atmosphere.”

World’s Most Dangerous Greenhouse Gas Goes Unregulated

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has de termined that one pound of sulfur hexafluoride, an electrical insulator, heats the planet as much as 25,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has labeled it as one of several long-lived, synthetic, fluorine-containing chemicals released by heavy industry, chemical manufacturers, semiconduc tor manufacturers and electric utilities, noting that once released, they are “essentially, permanent additions to the atmosphere.”

Duke Energy reported leaking nearly 11 metric tons of it into the atmosphere from its electric substations in North and South Carolina in 2020, according to mandatory EPA reporting. Their greenhouse gas equivalency calculator states those emissions amount to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of more than 59,000 automobiles.

The 88 utilities that participate in the EPA emissions reduction program, nearly half of the U.S. electric grid, are looking for ways to completely eliminate sulfur hexafluo ride emissions. Unless they succeed, emissions will likely increase along with growth of the electric grid, which must increase to two to five times its current level by midcentury if the country is to meet its net-zero emissions targets.

Choosing the Best Christmas Tree

When choosing from the forest of Christmas tree options, here are some questions to ask before beginning the search:

Is it going up immediately? If not, keep the tree outside in the shade in water, still trussed up with its string and in the preservative solution until ready to bring it indoors.

Where is it going in the house? Is there enough room? Remember, trees will look smaller outside than in the home.

Is the room cool? Trees last longer in rooms with no direct heat blowing on them from air vents or fireplaces. Whenever possi ble, ensure the tree is out of direct sunlight.

Does the tree usually go in a corner? Then a less-than-perfect tree with a hole in the back could work out just fine. Most trees will have a more sparsely branched area from the side that was north-facing. Give the tree a shake. Some needles dropping, mostly

brown, is perfectly okay.

Is there a properly sized stand? Some trees such as Nobles can get very wide very quick ly at the base.

Is there enough space for decorations? Sometimes a Noble fir or a tree with more open branching is best.

Some favorites are Nordmann, Noble and Fraser firs this year. Each tree variety has distinctive qualities. The Nordmann fir is favored by many because of its attractive foliage, with needles that are not sharp and do not drop readily when the tree dries out.

Noble firs attain the largest dimensions of any of the true fir species. A high-altitude tree, it is a highly popular Christmas tree known for its keepability. The Burton Blue is a distinctive, blue-colored variation on the Noble fir.

The Fraser fir is widely used as a Christ mas tree. Its fragrance, appearance, strong

by Rusty Allen

twigs and ability to retain soft needles for a long time when cut (and do not prick easily when hanging ornaments) make it an excel lent choice.

After making a selection, have a fresh cut make before taking it home. The best way to ensure the tree stays as fresh and green as possible can is to ensure the tree base is always in water with a tree preservative add ed. The tree will draw up water much faster during the first two or three days, so check the level every day, topping it off as needed.

Rusty Allen is education manager at North Haven Gardens. For more information call 214363-5316 or visit NorthavenGardens.com.

Intravenous Therapy at Regen IV

by Sheila Julson

Regen IV Wellness is a functional medicine center offering intra venous (IV) nutrient therapy, medical ozone, bioidenti cal hormone replacement therapy, cellular therapy, peptide therapy and medical services by licensed medical professionals. It was formed by Jose Baldazo, who, while in nursing school, did an internship at a well-known integrative functional medi cine practice in Southlake.

Jose Baldazo

After his internship, Bal dazo worked at two other well-known IV nutrient infusion businesses provid ing medical services in outpatient and spa settings. He noticed how they were owned by non-medical businesspeople and employed staff with little to no medical backgrounds. They didn’t gather a complete intake and history on each client to check for issues such as allergies, nor did they perform a good faith medical exam as required by the Texas Medical Board.

Inspired that he could do better, Baldazo decided to team up with a medical doctor friend and open their own IV infusion busi ness. Baldazo and his wife founded Regen IV Wellness debt-free with money he saved from his working full-time emergency room nursing job.

Baldazo gained in-depth knowledge of IV nutrient infusion therapy by attending training seminars with leading national phy sicians. He also studied all aspects of medical ozone therapy, along with Prolozone and platelet rich plasma injection therapy, under Frank Shallenberger, M.D., president of the American Association of Ozonotherapy.

Since opening Regen IV Wellness in August 2019, Baldazo says the business has grown from a small office space to helping nearly 2,700 people. Taking a function

al medicine approach by addressing root cause issues, patients begin with a free consultation. Next, a nurse practitioner determines if any lab work is needed and which services are appropriate.

Bloodwork is drawn onsite, or for telemedicine visits, lab orders may be sent electronically to the patient’s home. The results are reviewed with patients and then presented with a customized treatment plan.

Regen IV Wellness offers a variety of IV nutrient therapies customized for each patient’s needs, symptoms and goals, in cluding a combination of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to promote hydration, boost energy and support the immune system. “By administering vitamins, minerals and amino acids intravenously, they’re quickly absorbed into the body, with a 99 percent absorption rate,” Baldazo says.

Medical ozone, which has antimicrobial properties, can promote general wellness,

help aid in athletic recovery and improve chronic infections, Baldazo says. “Ozone therapy has since evolved since it was first used as a disinfectant and wound cleanse during World War I. It is now also used to alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases, viral infections and can even support cancer treatment.” Ozone can be administered intravenously, via insufflation, injection or transdermally in an ozone sauna.

Regen IV Wellness also offers bioidentical hormone replace therapy. Standard normal ranges for hormones are not optimal ranges, Baldazo advises. “By supplement ing the body’s own hormone production, patients can optimize their hormone levels and experience improvements such as more energy, stamina and sleep, as well as reduc tion in anxiety and depression.” Regen IV Wellness’ bioidentical hormone therapy is sourced from wild yams as opposed to syn thetic ingredients which mimic the body’s own hormone production and reduce the side effects.

Another service offered is peptide therapy. Peptides are compounds the body makes to regulate many biochemical functions includ ing metabolism. They directly influence hor monal regulation, glucose/insulin regulation, immune balance, gut integrity and metabolic inflammatory signaling. Baldazo says that peptides may help cut off excessive inflam matory signals and rejuvenate health on a cellular level, aiding with weight loss and alleviating chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

The Regen IV Wellness staff is com prised of medical professionals dedicated to providing knowledgeable, courteous service while educating patients about function al health. “Many IV infusion clinics are corporate-owned or investor-supported. My vision as a small family business is to be able to continue to offer out-of-the-box treatment options and more to anyone that is eligible,” Baldazo states. “We hope to continue our growth into a larger space so we can offer more healing arts in one location.”

Regen IV Wellness is located at 5510 Abrams Rd., Ste.126, in Dallas. For more information, call 214-326-0033 or visit RegenIVWellness.com.

Transforming Our World

WORKING TOGETHER FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE

by Linda Sechrist

With all the chaos occurring in the world today, it is challenging to remain centered and not feel over whelmed. Every shocking headline seems to pull the proverbial rug out from under us. Thought leader Laureen Golden explains the dilemma this way: “Psychologically, we were raised, educated and socialized in a world that no longer really exists. We have a new world that we must navigate, and we need a new psychology, a whole new way of being for that world. Reducing, compartmentalizing, separating things in order to understand them no longer works for us. It’s going to take work to get out of this paradigm.”

Drawing from her background in education and social work, Golden ponders, “How does that new psychology develop when all our institutions charged with cultivating consciousness— schools, families, religious institutions and organizations—are set in the 19th and 20th centuries? Since learning is how we go from one paradigm to another, where do we go to learn the skills and the structures we need to be successful in such a complex world? We can’t do it individually. We must learn in collectives.”

The paradigm shift envisioned by Golden offers an opportunity for us to access innovative methods of learning, discovery and connection, such as sociocracy (a self-governance system based

on the equality of its mem bers); systems thinking (an approach to complexity that looks at the whole and ana lyzes relationships, rather than splitting it into smaller pieces); permaculture (exploring natu ral ecosystems as a whole); cir cle methods (thinking things through as a group); and Indigenous wisdom (focusing on the interconnectedness of all things).

All of these methods focus on an ethos of collaboration and teach us how to discern wisdom, which is different than knowledge. By engaging in these conversations and explorations, we learn that if we tug on any one part of the web of life, we tug the whole web—an important analogy for our times.

A Beloved Community Co-Creating an Island of Sanity Through

Collaboration

Instead of shouting, “The sky is falling, and the seas are rising,” in response to a world that is unraveling and expe riencing the growing realities of global warming, residents of St. Petersburg, Florida, are embracing resilience. To prove that the future is born in webs of human conversation, the city is counting on collective intelligence to emerge.

Among the tools city participants are employing is The World Café, developed by Juanita Brown and David Isaac, which allows people to host group conversations around thoughtful questions. The concept is designed to evoke deeper listening and give rise to solutions for today’s challenges in a more conscious, intentional and strategic way. Forty citizens have taken The World Café facilita tion course. Employing a simple and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue, this methodology enables participants to clarify the context, create hospitable space, explore questions that matter, encourage everyone’s contribution, connect diverse perspectives, listen together for patterns and insights, and share collective discoveries.

Other important work being applied is that of bestselling author and longtime community organizer Margaret Wheatley. Her training, which is designed to cultivate what she calls “Warriors of the Human Spirit,” arouses people’s inherent generosity, creativity, compassion and need for community. Known as a big-systems thinker throughout her 45-year career, Wheatley has concluded

that the only opportunity for change is at the local level. Questions that encourage collective learning became integral to creating cohesiveness in St. Petersburg this year.

Dr. Donella Meadows’ “systems thinking” has helped St. Peters burg participants understand that living systems begin as net works, shift to intentional communities of practice and evolve into powerful systems capable of influence. Also instructive has been “complexity theory”, which helped participants recognize human systems as organizations, families and communities.

“The city leaders felt conversations were important enough to invest $20,000 to cultivate a culture of conversational leader ship in the neighborhoods. Another $25,000 was granted by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to research the outcomes. Now, the Florida Council of Churches, University of South Flor ida, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and The Connection Partners have received a Community Vibrancy grant of $14,500 to pilot conversations in three neighborhoods, spreading the skills in creating participatory democracy. Participants will host conversations in their own neighborhoods,” says St. Petersburg resident Sharon Joy Kleitsch, founder of The Connection Partners and a longtime catalyst for applying strategic actions based on the new sciences of complexity theory, strategic thinking and quantum science.

“Those who have used World Café as a tool know that a culture of conversation al leadership offers citizens the opportunity to experience a sense of oneness and connectedness. We’ve explored what happens when we share feelings of care, compassion and appreciation toward a beloved community,” says Kleitsch. “We found that group resonance, profound personal involvement and deeply engrossing, interactive conversation sup ports a City of Compassion and an International City of Peace, which St. Petersburg was chosen to be. I want to be sure that people understand that we do not have answers. Together, we are exploring pathways and listening for the answers to emerge.”

Since 2020, a thoughtfully selected group of Florida activists—including partici pants from St. Petersburg— have been holding weekly on line Zoom conversations that matter. In 2021, they were joined by participants from Ohio to study the Capra

Course, which is based on The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision by bestselling author Fritjof Capra

“What we discovered after only two weeks was that we were ourselves a living system connecting to itself and be coming self-organized,” says Kleitsch. “We became aware that we were learning together. We were sharing what we were learning around subjects such as honoring Indigenous peo ples, local food systems, the human right to clean water, reimaging capitalism and many more subjects. We’ve also bifurcated into a Sarasota [Florida] cohort. The key is, we were not random. We were a self-selected study group learning collaboratively, which is the best way I recommend activists study the Capra Course.”

Argerie Vasilakes, who is re searching outcomes, explains that her work is dedicated to helping teams, communities and organizations become more coherent. “I start with traditional ways of thinking about our relationships with nature that native peoples have never forgotten—humans are part of nature, not apart from nature,” she explains. “To me, human organizations, com munities, families and govern ments are also part of nature and examples of natural ecosystems. So, I naturally look at things from a living systems perspective.” Vasilakes advises, “In a group that is learning together, such as those in the St. Petersburg neighborhoods, group conversations organized around questions specifically crafted for the context and desired purpose of the World Café evoke a deeper kind of listening, the most important factor determining the success of a Café. They spark learning conversations that can produce insights and innovation for meeting the challenges they face. Through practicing shared listening and paying attention to themes, patterns and insights, partici pants begin to sense a connec tion to the larger whole.”

According to Wheatley, the important work is to foster critical connections. She believes it is not necessary to convince large numbers of people to change; instead, she suggests we connect with kin dred spirits. Through these re lationships and tools like The World Café, we can develop the new knowledge, practices and commitment that lead to broad-based change.

Wheatley sometimes opens her interviews with an ancient Hopi prophecy that reads as if it were applicable to our current times: “Here now is a river flowing very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid, who will try to hold on to the shore. They are being torn apart and will suffer great ly. The elders say, ‘Let go of the shore, push off and go into the middle of the river. Keep your heads above the water. Know the river has its destination.’ The elders say, ‘See who is in there with you and celebrate.’ At this time in history, we are to take nothing seriously; least of all, ourselves. Gather yourselves. Everything we do now must be done in a spirit of celebration, for we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Seeing who is in the river of chaos with us, we can choose to re spond with, “How can I serve with what I have, where I am?” This is what any Warrior of the Human Spirit would say because in the same river of chaos, there are also the seeds of transformation. In these turbulent times when all the old boundaries are unravelling and all the old certainties are dissolving, there is a possibility for creative transformation if we work together.

InternationalFuturesForum.

SociocracyForAll.org n Lynn McTaggart’s books, in cluding: Living with Intention: The Science of Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World and The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous En ergies of a Small Group to Heal Others and the World

Linda Sechrist is Natural Awakenings’ senior staff writer.

Local Action Has Global Consequences

by Jin-Ya Huang

Break Bread, Break Borders (BBBB) is catering with a cause. The social enter prise empowers refugee wom en economically through the storytelling of food and culture. Every meal cooked in their global kitchen is making everlasting social impact. Founder Jin-Ya Huang, an interdisciplinary artist, says, “We break bread with the community and break down borders at the same time. Please be a good neighbor, hire our small business, come dine with us, share the work we do. We’re honored to serve our community in more ways than one.”

Jin-Ya Huang

She emigrated from Taipei, Taiwan, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 13. “As descendants of refugees fleeing China from Communism, we came to the U.S. to help my aunt and uncle with the Chinese restaurants family business. Soon there were 16 fran chises in the Southwest,” relates Huang. “My parents decided to purchase one in Dallas. My mom, Margaret Mei-Ying Huang, was the chef. I grew up seeing her do the right thing, be a good neighbor, practice kindness and compassion every day.

She shares, “Her sense of community shined through when she would hire im migrants, refugees and migrants to work in our kitchen and send them onto bigger and better opportunities. Needless to say, I was too young to understand the magnitude of her work. I went on to toil in advertising and showed fine art photography after college. Through transformative events of having a child, getting a divorce and becoming a domestic violence survivor, I found myself migrating towards making social practice

art. This came full circle when my mom passed away from cancer.” Huang wanted honor her legacy, and BBBB was born. Food is a universal language; thus the idea of a community dinner for dialogue between refugee cooks and their neighbors through the sharing of food, culture and storytelling. People asked about catering, and she was faced with a difficult decision. “When the community asks for fire, I cannot bring them water,” says Huang. “I saw ample sustainable global food business models, but none in our own backyard, so I took the plunge. Working with refugee women from war-torn countries has been complex, with many roadblocks, yet incredibly rewarding at the same time. Look ing back, it was a no-brainer. We’ve built a Food for Good business by, with and for the community. Every time the ladies cook, my mother’s spirit comes to life.”

As a culinary workforce training program, the cooks don’t just drop off the food when they cater, they also practice storytelling about racism, sexism and other injustices. Huang states, “We are extremely honored to serve our communities in more ways than one. Knowing we’re continuing my mother’s lifelong work to make more collective impact by economically empowering women in our beloved communities gives us joy. The fact our work is leaving this world a little better than the way we found it for my son to grow up in, just as my mom did for us, makes all of us proud.”

For more information, visit Tinyurl.com/ BreakBreadBreakBorders. See ad, page 38.

Most restaurants strive to offer de licious food, but creating an am biance where guests can tune out the outside world and truly connect with each other takes the dining experience to a whole new level. Since 1971, Celebra tion Restaurant, Catering & Market has remained dedicated to not only serving farm to table food sourced via partner ships with ethical farmers and growers, but also promoting family-style dining experiences for guests to promote togetherness.

Celebration was founded by the late

Farm to Table Pioneer Celebrates Life’s Milestones

by Sheila Julson

dients for his menu—a concept considered fringe for the early 1970s. Lowe’s dedication to sustainable, socially just food systems lives on at Celebration.

“Because of the nature of our business and how close we all are as a team, we’re like a family; we want to take care of our guests in the same manner,” says President Shannon Galvan. “We want customers to feel like they’re coming into our houses. We want them to feel comfortable, like we’re serving them dinner at their table.

Family-style dining entails vegetables served in bowls meant for sharing. Diners are served their entrée and then serve

and one large dining area that can accommo date parties of up to 76 people.

Celebration has hosted the gamut of milestone events—birthday parties, rehears al dinners, anniversaries, baby showers, baptisms, retirement parties and weddings. Rooms can be customized to the type of event. “We work with guests and ask questions about what they are celebrating and if they need special accommodations,” Galvan says. “We also offer the ability to rent a projector and screen if they want to display a video or pictures.”

All of Celebration’s servers are trained to handle large parties. Guests have the option to create a personalized menu that includes entrées off the regular menu and a special header specific to the event. Menus are placed at each seat so guests have a memento of the occasion. “That adds a nice touch to whatever they are celebrating,” Galvan notes.

Ed Lowe, a restauranteur, ecologist and river advocate who rejected quick, processed food and opted for fresh, locally sourced ingre

themselves veggies as in a family dining room. “A large part of our customers come in for the family-style service,” Galvan emphasizes. “It’s what Ed started this restaurant to be: a feeling of eating at mom’s dinner table, with meals being served and everyone breaking bread and enjoying each other’s company.”

Celebration has nine dining rooms among three houses. A few of them can be partitioned with sliding wood doors. A cou ple of private rooms have large, round tables that are great for a more intimate gathering,

Celebration Restaurant founder, Ed Lowe

Galvan adds that Celebra tion’s staff is detail-oriented and trained to offer special touches. “A small detail here or there really makes an im pression on the customer. We try not to overserve or under serve. Timing is everything, such as promptly clearing plates and refilling drinks.”

Celebration’s outdoor dining includes a west patio with 15 tables, a fireplace, a pergola and wisteria growing throughout. The patio can accommodate private parties for 40 or more. There’s also a dog-friendly bar patio with four tables. Both patios have heaters.

Shannon says Lowe’s family still frequents the restaurant. One of his brothers lives nearby and often comes in, along with other siblings, nieces, nephews and Ed’s daugh ters. “Not only are they supporting us, but I’m sure they can’t miss out on family food favorites,” Galvan enthuses.

Celebration Restaurant, Catering and Market supports many local organizations, schools and nonprofits. “We are really fortunate to have the customers we have. A lot of our business is word-of-mouth, which we like to hear. We also realize social media plays a big part, too,” Galvan says. “We’re very grateful for people that want to be part of our family.”

Celebration is located at 4503 W. Lovers Ln., in Dallas. For more infor mation, call 214-351-5681 or visit CelebrationRestaurant.com. See ad, back cover.

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

Living A Lifestyle of Wellness?

Gratitude is the most important human emotion. Are you tired of living life with stress and commotion? It’s time to Live a Lifestyle of Wellness. You have the ability to change direction. Stress management, exercise, nutrition and intermittent fasting is for your protection. How do you start and what should you do?

Follow me on YouTube, FB and Instagram. The Dr. CBD and Nutrition Education Series will teach you. When you’re in the neighborhood stop by our retail store. There’s a plethora of CBD products to see and you can learn so much more. You will be greeted with kindness as soon as you open the door. If your interested in learning about vitamin supplements and CBD then please allow me to assist you on your wellness journey.

I’m Dr. JCHill MD.

ALL SUPPLEMENTS AND CBD ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

Jeffrey Rediger on the Science of Miraculous Recoveries

by Sandra Yeyati

From your studies, who beats the odds and why?

I broke down recoveries into four pillars of healing and well-being that were present in most cases: nutrition, healing the immune system, healing the stress response and healing identity and beliefs.

Can you describe key elements of the first pillar—nutrition?

Board-certified psychiatrist Jeffrey Rediger is an assistant professor at Harvard Med ical School and medical director of McLean Southeast Adult Psychiatry and Com munity Affairs at McLean Hospital, near Boston. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. For almost two decades, Rediger has studied spontaneous healing, pioneering the use of scientific tools like CT scans and lab tests, as well as personal interviews, to investigate surprising recoveries from incurable diseases. His findings are documented in his bestseller Cured: Strengthen Your Immune System and Heal Your Life, and have been discussed on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a TEDx talk and numerous public engagements.

How do you define spontaneous healing?

Science calls these events spontaneous remissions, and doctors are taught they have no med ical or scientific value. On the spiritual side, they’re called miracles. These terms haven’t been examined with the tools of science. The word spontaneous in this context means without cause. Most doctors see inexplicable healings. To assume that there’s no cause for remission is mind-boggling. Everything has a cause. We just aren’t asking the right questions.

People who got better when they weren’t supposed to seemed to have a common understanding of nutrition that centered around whole, plant-based foods and the elimination of processed foods and sugar. In Western countries, we’re taught that most people suffer from over-nutrition and obesity, rather that malnutrition. I believe we have massive malnutrition because of processed foods. When sugar crystals coarse through the bloodstream at high levels—as we see in U.S. diets—it causes little cuts which immune cells repair over and over, creating scab upon scab until you end up with atherosclerosis.

What about the next pillar— healing the immune system?

We need to honor the science of both Louis Pasteur, who proved that germs exist and play a role in disease, and Claude Bernard, who explained that if we take care of the inner terrain (what we now call the micro biome) we won’t get sick. We’re continually surrounded by millions of pathogens, bacteria, viruses—inside and outside of our bodies—that become invaders when some thing breaks down in our terrain. We over use medicines, many of which suppress the

immune system. So, we need to emphasize the magnificent 30-year research about the microbiome and take care of our bodies to avoid leaky gut and other conditions that act as entrance points for disease.

What about the pillar related to stress?

The deep chasm we’ve created between mind and body doesn’t exist. Doctors are taught to find symptoms, make a diagnosis and start a medication. But whether a pa tient comes in for back pain, a heart attack or an autoimmune flare-up, it’s critical to ask them what has been stressful lately and try to get the story of the illness. Usual ly, that will prompt a cathartic recount of stresses that relate to what’s going on physically. Helping people understand the deeper story of their illness and find a path to healing around that can be life-saving.

Can you explain the fourth pillar—healing identity and beliefs?

This is the big one, which people said was the reason they were grateful for their ill nesses. When people are diagnosed with an

incurable illness, although they’re terrified, many (more than you would think) are also relieved. They’ll say, “If I only have six months to live, then I don’t have to take over the family business like dad’s pres suring me to do.” That preparation to die often becomes a doorway into a different life. When you decide to focus on what you need and want, that death of the false self allows the birth of a more authentic self that becomes its own journey to healing.

How does spirituality affect healing?

Spirituality has to do with how we feel about who we are, how we experience our value in the world and what kind of universe we live in. Is the universe friendly and caring or unfriendly and uncaring? If we experience ourselves and others as human beings who have value and bring beauty into the world, that’s very different from feeling alone, defective or not good enough. How a person feels at a deep, con scious or unconscious level about them selves and the universe is a massive factor in terms of their vitality and health.

What can people learn from your research?

Take compassionate and firm charge of your minds, bodies and life. Doctors teach patients to be passive recipients of care, but the possibilities of healing come from with in. It’s not about taking a medication as much as understanding our value, assert ively taking steps to create a community of people who care about us and developing a path towards healing that’s rooted in an understanding of our deeper story.

In Western culture, if someone has a medical problem they’re sent to a physi cian. If they have a psychological problem, they see a psychotherapist. If they have a spiritual problem, they’re sent to the priest, rabbi or imam. That’s helpful, but we also need to stand back and look at the big picture. The people I studied got better be cause they brought mind, body and spirit together and integrated it into an empow ering meaning that made sense to them. The spiritual piece can’t be partitioned. It animates the whole.

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

• 2 Petite Red Navels Gorgeous red esh with berry undertones.

• 2 Petite Golden Navels Snack-sized versions of the beloved classic.

• 2 Pears Juicy, creamy, and perfectly ripe.

• 2 Orchard Fresh Apples Crispy and fragrant with the sweet taste of fall.

Good Vibrations

THE HEALING POWER OF SOUND

by Gayatri Bhaumik

Magic Bowls/Unsplash.com

For centuries, humans have employed sound in an attempt to heal and cure. The ancient Greeks believed in the power of music, using flutes, lyres and zith ers to treat illness and vibrations to allevi ate mental disorders. Even today, military battalions play music to boost morale.

“Research shows that vibrations are the lan guage of the body,” says Kyle Godfrey-Ryan, the founder of TUNE, a New York-based tech system designed to recalibrate the nervous system with sounds. “When we work with sound, we’re working with vibra tions that can rebalance the nervous system and flood the body with endorphins.”

According to Susy Markoe Schieffelin, a healing practitioner at The Copper Vessel, in Los Angeles, “Sound vibrations work on a cellular level to recalibrate the body. Sound shifts vibrations in the body, both through entrainment—a process by which the vibrations of one object transform to match the higher vibration of another ob ject—and by stimulating electric signals in the brain that support healing frequencies.”

Studies suggest that sound vibrations can unlock energy blockages, release tension and create calm and focus. For this reason, sound healing is frequently prescribed to manage conditions like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some practitioners also report anecdotal met abolic improvements, from lower blood pressure and decreased cholesterol levels to improved sleep.

TUNE has worked with the National Institutes of Health and the Mayo Clinic to gain scientific backing for the brand’ s devices. “Our technology reduces stress by 54 percent in 15 minutes,” Godfrey-Ryan claims. “It also has a massive impact on

the circadian rhythm, so we’re able to prove better sleep quality, improved metabolism and reduced stress and anxiety.”

Sound healing can take many forms, and each type has specific applications. For example, Schieffelin explains, “Gongs and Tibet an bowls are very clearing and grounding, while crystal singing bowls feel more uplifting and elevating.” It is up to the individual to find a style that works for them and their intended results.

Singing Bowls

Originating in 12th-century Tibet, these metal bowls come in dif ferent sizes, each producing a specific sound vibration that is said to work on a particular part of the brain or body. Several-sized bowls often are used together to create a holistic healing approach. They can be placed directly on parts of the body to stimulate circulation and relax muscles. Singing bowls made of pure crystal quartz are popular for their pure sounds, and are believed to offer stress reduction, chakra balancing and mental clarity.

Gongs

Used in healing since about 4,000 B.C., gong baths, which combine different tones and melodies to fashion multifaceted vibrations, may positively influence the mind and body by stimulating the vagus nerve. Godfrey-Ryan advises, “Gongs are amazing for trauma release, but gong work is very heavy, so if you’ve never played with sound before, this will be really intense.”

Vocal Toning

Numerous cultures— from ancient Egyptians to Tibetan throat sing ers—have their distinct forms of vocal toning. Hindu mantras can be especially powerful for some people because they harness the energy of specific words and intonations. Among practitioners, seven distinct tones have been linked to specific parts of the body. It is believed that these vibrations can balance the body’s cells and open energetic healing, leading to targeted benefits.

Tuning Forks

While mu sicians use these devic es to ensure that their instruments are set to the correct pitch, they also can be held next to specific parts of the body by individuals seeking healing vibrations, emotional balance and pain relief. “Tuning forks are fun because you can have a very strong somatic reaction within a few seconds—they’ re very power ful,” notes Godfrey-Ryan.

Solfeggio Frequencies

Solfeggio frequencies are musi cal tunes or sound patterns designed to stimulate the brain by syncing brain waves to specific healing fre quencies. Each of the seven most popular solfeggio frequencies sets out to target a certain purpose, from improving relationships and awakening intuition to navigating change and letting go of fear.

Binaural Beats

Binaural beats are soundscapes that create a gap between different frequencies. For example, the tune might have a tone of 210 Hertz (Hz) in the left ear and 200 Hz in the right ear, producing an illu sory tone of 10 Hz, also known as a binaural beat. Brainwaves are thought to automatically align themselves with this auditory tone, which may be useful for improving focus and reducing stress.

Sound healing is finding a permanent place in modern wellness culture as more people experience its rewards. While there are myriad ways to use sound vibrations for healing purposes, it is up to each individual to find the style that resonates with them and achieves the improvements they seek. With regular practice, they may even find relief that is cumulative and long-lasting.

Gayatri Bhaumik is a professional writer and editor. For more information, visit GayatriBhaumik.com.

PICKLEBALL IS BOOMING

GET INTO A PICKLE FOR HOLIDAY FITNESS

by Jyl Steinback

Ron Alvey/AdobeStock.com

Forget the gherkins and dills this holiday season; there’s another pickle in town. This one offers a great way to get in shape, increase happiness and bond with family and friends. It’s pickleball: a simple-to-learn sport that requires less run ning than tennis and can be played both indoors and outdoors. Players use oversized ping pong-style paddles to hit a wiffle ball over a low net on a badminton-sized court.

The Economist , and other media, say pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport. While seniors are particularly drawn to it, it is also catching on with all ages. “The fastpaced games make it easier for kids to stay engaged, as well as socialize with their peers,” says Sarah Ansboury, director of pickleball at Palmetto Dunes, in South Carolina. “Many families do pickleball events for holidays and reunions. Pickleball enables people of all ages to participate.”

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), there are 4.8 million pickleball players in America, with 51 percent between 6 and 34 years of age. At the end of 2021, there were 9,524 pickleball courts across the U.S.

In 2020, Mecklenburg County, in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, opened the eightcourt John Stevens Pickleball Center, the eighth facility in the county where citizens can play the game. Since 2014, the number of public and private courts in the same region has soared from two to more than 100.

The SFIA says growth is happening across the country, with participation spiking 40 percent during the pandemic. In Florida, St. Lucie County unveiled four new courts at its Lakewood Regional Park in September. Even bars are getting into the act, such as Dale Z’s, in Milwaukee, which christened its pickleball court in the same month.

Being a super athlete is not a prereq uisite for playing the game, according to Mac McCullough, a pickleballer in Scotts dale, Arizona. “I used to play other sports, but running and tennis got harder on my knees,” he says. “Pickleball has a lower net and a smaller court, so you aren’t running as much. Still, it gives you a good workout and it’s easier on your joints.”

A 2016 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise c onfirms that pickleball provides a good workout. According to the researchers, average heart rate and peak heart rate were higher during pickleball than when walking. Participants burned 40 percent more calories in 30 minutes of the sport than in 30 minutes of walking. Additionally, the study concludes, “Pickleball is more enjoyable than walking at a self-selected speed.”

Dr. Dennis Pena, a podiatrist from Phoenix, says the game has improved his hand-eye coordination. “The more I play pickleball, the better my balance, coordi nation and movement get,” he says. “It’s a good cardio workout, and I just feel better overall when I play regularly.”

A study from Western State Colorado University indicates that pickleball fosters many health benefits over a wide range of ages. The study followed 15 people between 40 to 85 that played for an hour three times

per week. All participants showed im provement in cardio fitness, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Research has confirmed that exercise boosts endorphins, which reduces stress and improves overall sense of well-being. A 2018 study from a group of researchers in the U.S. and South Korea showed that pick leball can help stave off depression, too. It reported that although depression rates are increasing in the U.S., people involved in “serious leisure” such as pickleball are less prone to depression.

It’s not just older people that can ben efit from the recreational activity. Teen obesity rates have skyrocketed nation wide, much of it due to a lack of exercise. Pickleball could help combat this. It is fun, easy to learn, boosts cardio fitness and can be played just about anywhere. Some colleges are now even offering pick leball scholarships.

Holly Fitzgerald, a physical therapist from Woburn, Massachusetts, gives this ad vice on how to get ready to play the game:

Squats with body mass can help develop and stretch quadriceps and hamstrings, enabling the ability to compress leg mus cles swiftly and consistently. This will help reduce gravitational pull to address the pickleball as it comes at us.

Large arm circles will stretch muscles and prepare them for the considerable movements that occur when striking a ball.

Exercises that develop the core, such as core twisting, are also beneficial.

Places2Play.org provides a search engine to help find a court anywhere in America. Pick leball is a great way to get family and friends together over the holidays and beyond. It is fun, helps nurture relationships and it is a lot healthier than grazing on holiday leftovers while scanning social media.

Jyl Steinback is the executive director of Shape Up US, creator of the Hip Hope Healthy Heart Program for Children, an author and a recipient of a Community Leadership Award from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Reach her at Jyl@ShapeUpUS.org.

SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAYS

EASY TIPS FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY SEASON

by Kirby Baldwin

The holidays are upon us, and that means decking the halls, gathering with loved ones, exchanging gifts and treats— and creating a lot of waste in the process. From Thanks giving to New Year’s Day, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash than at any other time of year. That’s 1 million extra tons each week, primarily due to waste from holiday gifts and décor. Fortunately, there are ways to cut down on consumption to lessen the environmental impact of the holiday season without sacrific ing any joy.

Savor Local Fare

Ditch grocery store lines and instead shop for the holiday meal at a nearby family farm. By participating in the local food move

ment, we will not only enjoy fresh, seasonal ingredients while supporting the local economy, but also sustain farms that build soil health, promote animal well-being and offer a more delicious and nutritionally superior final product. Purchasing food directly from farmers also eliminates the extra packaging and the carbon footprint of transportation that comes with store-bought goods.

In addition to offering fruits and vegetables for holiday pies and soufflés, regional farms can also be good sourc es for locally sourced grains, holiday meats, baked goods and cheeses. Festive cocktails can be purchased from a neighborhood distillery, brewery or winery, many of which source their ingredients from local farmers.

Ronald Mirante, founder of Bone-In Food, runs a weekly food

delivery service that provides only sustainable, nutrient-dense foods sourced from local farm partners. According to Mirante, “Shopping for food locally with your farmers for the holiday helps them move offerings they have raised all season long. This empowers the local food community and makes their operations sustainable by preventing food waste and allowing for economic preparation for next year’s harvest.”

For a state-by-state directory of local farmers of meat, eggs and dairy products from 100 percent pastured animals, visit EatWild. com. A directory of family farms and farmers markets, along with restaurants and grocery stores that feature locally produced food, can be found at LocalHarvest.org.

Gift Greener

Instead of using unrecyclable gift wrapping paper, switch to a recycled alternative or wrap gifts in pieces of fabric, newsprint or kraft paper that can be repurposed or recycled. To eliminate shopping and wrapping altogether, give the gift of an experience, which allows loved ones to create lasting memories.

Cater experiential gifts to the needs and wants of the recipient. An exhausted new parent will appreciate a restaurant gift certif icate or a coupon to pay for a babysitter. Give the budding golfer lessons with a local pro, the theater lover tickets to an upcoming show and the selfless caregiver a spa treatment to help them feel pampered and refreshed. For the person that seems to have everything, make a donation in their name to a worthy cause that matters deeply to them.

According to publishing executive and mother Tacy Quinn, who runs the Instagram account @friluftslivingfamily, “As our kids get older, we love to find outdoor adventure ideas that are fun to do as a family and get us off our screens. One of our holiday gift-giving traditions each year is to purchase or renew a member ship to a local nature organization. Many organizations have great family programs that are included with yearly memberships, so this annual gift means we get a whole year of outdoor experiences to enjoy together. We’ve gone on full-moon hikes, tapped and harvested our own maple syrup, enjoyed solstice bonfire parties and more. Giving a membership gift helps everyone enjoy the out doors and sustain the natural places we love.”

When it’s not possible to gift an experience, shop locally for gifts made of natural materials, such as a beautiful, wooden, cutting board, a cozy pair of wool socks or a piece of pottery handmade by local artisans. Christmas stockings can create unnecessary waste for the sake of filling them to the brim. Try replacing plastic odds and ends with fruits, nuts or handmade treats like cookies or granola for more sustainable—and tastier—stocking stuffers.

Deck the Halls

For the most sustainable holiday tree, opt for a potted or locally cut, native choice. Live trees protect the soil, serve as wildlife hab itats and filter the air during the six to eight years they’re growing. They also create local jobs. After the holidays are over, the potted trees can be planted. Cut live trees should either be mulched or recycled, rather than thrown in a landfill.

Merry and Bright

Making just a few simple swaps in gifting, feasting and decorat ing will ease holiday consumption and lessen its environmental impacts without subtracting any of the joy.

Kirby Baldwin writes for KnoWEwell, the regenerative whole health hub and a collaborative partner of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp.

Katecat/AdobeStock.com

Natural Virus Killer Copper can stop a virus

before it starts

Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast. Now thousands of people are using it against viruses and bacteria that cause illness.

Colds and many other illnesses start when viruses get in your nose and multiply. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it. 99% said copper worked if they used it right away at the first sign of germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.

Longtime users say they haven’t been sick in years. They have less stress, less medical costs, and more time to enjoy life.

Soon people found other things they could use it against.

By Doug Cornell Colds

with a tip to fit in the bottom of the nostril, where viruses collect.

When he felt a tickle in his nose like a cold about to start, he rubbed the copper gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

Hundreds of studies confirm copper kills viruses and bacteria almost instantly just by touch.

That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

“The antimicrobial activity of copper is well established.” National Institutes of Health.

Scientists say copper’s high conductance disrupts the electrical balance in a microbe cell and destroys it in seconds.

The EPA recommended hospitals use copper for touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and other illnesses by over half, and saved lives.

The strong scientific evidence gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made a smooth copper probe

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold never happened. I used to get 2-3 bad colds every year. Now I use my device whenever I feel a sign I am about to get sick.”

He hasn’t had a cold in 10 years.

Users say:

“It works! I love it!”

“I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”

“Is it supposed to work that fast?” “One of the best presents ever.” “Sixteen flights, not a sniffle!”

“Cold sores gone!”

“It saved me last holidays. The kids all got sick, but not me.”

“I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

“Best sleep I’ve had in years!”

After his first success with it, he asked relatives and friends to try it. They all said it worked, so he patented CopperZap® and put it on the market.

Flu

Virus variants

Sinus trouble

Cold sores

Fever blisters

Canker sores

Strep throat Night stuffiness

Morning congestion

Nasal drip

Infected sores

Infected wounds Styes Warts Ringworm Other microbial threats

The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on fingers and hands after you touch things other people have touched.

The EPA says copper works just as well when tarnished.

Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the science teams. He placed millions of viruses on a copper surface. “They started to die literally as soon as they touched it.”

CopperZap® is made in the USA of pure copper. It has a 90-day full money back guarantee. Price $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code NATA33.

Go to www.CopperZap.com or call toll-free 1-888-411-6114. Buy once, use forever.

Statements are not intended as product health claims and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

New research: Copper kills viruses in seconds.

inspiration A Feast of Light

by Marlaina Donato

Despite the whirl wind of our to-do and places-to-go lists, the wheel of the year turns once more, al lowing us to close another chapter of our lives with grace. If we take a breath, we might notice December’s invitation to kick off our shoes, curl up in our favorite chair and drop down into our heart space.

Whether we light scented can dles for ambience, drink cocoa while sitting around a bonfire or continue time-honored spiritual customs, welcoming the light can ignite hope when

we need it most.

By cultivating the inner sun, that place deep within us that blazes with resilience and plen ty, we not only for tify ourselves, but everyone around us. Throughout the year, many of us invest in making healthy choic es, but neglect soul sustenance. Swapping trivial distractions for more face-to-face conversations, an swering someone’s forgotten email or bringing a home

a single candle,” wrote Gautama Buddha, and perhaps we would be astounded to see how far the smallest gesture can travel. Inviting a friend that has no family to a holiday dinner or out for coffee, spending more quality time with a child or buying a gift card for the receptionist at the dental office begets a chain reaction of small joys. When we fill our bellies with everyday magic, slow down to finish a cup of tea, turn off the news and notice the crescent moon nestled in the twilight, we become more inclined to feel blessed.

A few worthy inspirations to pass along:

n Make it a spiritual offering to choose joy today

n Close the year by letting go of a grievance or an outdated belief

n Tell someone how they bring light into your life

n Share a favorite book that is inspiring

n Acquire a new source of light—a lantern or salt lamp—for your favorite room

n Leave an uplifting quote on a loved

Artfoliophoto/GettyImages.com

Merry Brunching

PUT A HEALTHIER TWIST ON FAVORITE RECIPES

by Sheila Julson

When hosting a holiday brunch, it may be tempting to serve breakfast and lunch classics like quiche, eggs Benedict and huevos ran cheros, but many of these dishes can be full of hidden calories, unhealthy fats and too much sodium. With a few easy modifica tions, healthier versions are possible.

According to Jessica Levinson, a New York registered dietitian and author of 52Week Meal Planner, it’s important to read nutrition labels, remove empty calories and introduce nutritious alternatives. As an example, yogurt and granola parfaits may seem innocent, but are often loaded with added sugar. “A serving size of most grano las is only one-quarter of a cup, which isn’t much, so use granola sparingly,” she says, adding that parfaits made with low-fat Greek yogurt and fresh fruit instead of jam are healthier choices.

Traditional quiches are usually made with heavy cream and a buttery pie crust. Levinson recommends a crustless vegetable frittata instead, as it is naturally gluten-free. “

If you don’t want to skip the crust alto gether, look for a pre-made, whole wheat crust or make your own,” she says. To elim inate dairy, consider using non-dairy milk and omitting cheese in the recipe.

For eggs Benedict, Levinson suggests skipping the hollandaise sauce, topping the poached eggs with mashed avocado and using a whole grain bread or English muffin for the base. “Instead of ham, try smoked salmon, which has beneficial ome ga-3 fatty acids,” she says.

Whole grain oats are a heart-healthy option, but oatmeal served brûlée-style is topped with additional sugar, notes Frances Largeman-Roth, a New York registered dietitian and author of Smoothies & Juices.

“It’s better to opt for oatmeal and fruit, with a drizzle of real maple syrup,” she says. Largeman-Roth likes mixing savory and sweet, to add variety and protein to the brunch plate. “Instead of just having a stack of pancakes, split it with your friends or family, and then have a small,

veggie-filled omelet. You’ll feel much more satisfied.”

Planning the Holiday Brunch Spread

When putting together a menu, Levinson advocates incorporating all of the com ponents of a balanced meal: lean protein, carbohydrates from whole grains, fruit and veggies, and low-fat dairy or plant-based substitutes. She says, “If you’re making pancakes or waffles, use whole grain flour when possible, and serve with a side of yogurt, fresh fruit and real maple syrup.” According to Largeman-Roth, egg lovers will enjoy a veggie-packed omelet or frittata with either potatoes or bread on the side, but not both. Watch out for fried foods and use sauces and cream sparingly or find substitutes. If the family is dining out, she cautions that brunch dishes are often served with extra sauces and syrups, adding sodium and sugar. “Try to ask for them on the side,” she advises. “It’s not about completely avoiding them, but it’ s nice to be able to control the amount that you ’re adding to your pancakes or waffles.”

Explore

Explore

Explore • Enjoy • Protect

• Enjoy • Protect

•

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

Looking

Looking for an organization that shares your values of caring for the environment and love of the great outdoors?

Looking for an organization that shares your values of caring for the environment and love of the great outdoors?

Looking for an organization that shares your values of caring for the environment and love of the great outdoors?

Come visit one of Sierra Club’s general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the REI store at 4515 LBJ in Farmers Branch, at 6:30 pm.

Come visit one of Sierra Club’s general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the REI store at 4515 LBJ in Farmers Branch, at 6:30 pm.

Come visit one of Sierra Club’s general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the REI store at 4515 LBJ in Farmers Branch, at 6:30 pm.

Come visit one of Sierra Club’s general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the REI store at 4515 LBJ in Farmers Branch, at 6:30 pm.

Sierra Club is about conservation, outings, outdoor outreach to children, and more. Find out more about activities, outings and our Memorial Day bus trip to New Mexico at dallassierraclub.org

Come visit one of Sierra Club’s general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at Brookhaven College, Bldg H 3939 Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch, at 6:30 pm.

4th of July trip to

Backpack in the Pecos Wilderness

Sierra Club is about conservation, outings, outdoor outreach to children, and more. Find out more about activities and outings at DallasSierraClub.org

Visit dallassierraclub.org for info

Visit dallassierraclub.org for info

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

~James Keller

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regu lar contributor to Natural Awakenings

for an organization that shares your values of caring for the environment and love of the great outdoors?

This healthy dish is a crowd-pleaser any time of year. It’s also glu ten-free and can be modified based on whatever veggies are on hand. Omit the feta cheese for a diary-free option.

YIELD: 4 TO 6

SERVINGS

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 cup diced yellow bell pepper

1 cup diced green zucchini

1 cup diced yellow summer squash

2 large garlic cloves, minced (1 heaping Tbsp)

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp sweet paprika

26-28 oz diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp honey

1 tsp cider vinegar

1 cup corn, frozen, fresh or canned

½ tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese 4 large eggs

Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional) Za’atar, for garnish (optional)

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (straight-sided skillet is preferable). Add onions; sauté 2 min utes. Add Serrano pepper and bell peppers; sauté 4 minutes. Add zucchini and summer squash; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric and paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, cider vinegar and corn; stir in salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced.

Turn off the heat and press the crumbled feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make 4 indentations in the sauce. Crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl and pour into each of the 4 indentations. Carefully drag a spatula gently through the egg whites, being sure not to disturb the yolks. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, gently stirring the sauce and basting the eggs with the sauce. Cover and cook another 3 to 5 minutes for runny eggs. Cook longer for well-done eggs.

Serve with a sprinkling of parsley and za’atar, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Jessica Levinson.

SHEET PAN PROTEIN PAN CAKES WITH BERRY SWIRL

Cooked on a sheet pan, these pancakes make cleanup a breeze and can be prepared the night before. Buttermilk and protein powder add satis fying nutrients.

YIELD: 12 SERVINGS

Cooking spray

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 Tbsp melted ghee or unsalted butter

⅓ cup maple syrup

1¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup vanilla protein powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

FOR THE SWIRL:

½ cup strawberries

½ cup blueberries

½ cup raspberries

1 tsp brown sugar

Powdered sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line an 11-by-17-inch, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray parchment and sides of pan with cooking spray.

Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, ghee and maple syrup togeth er in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients—whole wheat flour and salt. Add the wet ingre dients to the dry in three additions until just mixed. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Blend the berry swirl ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon of water if mixture is too stiff. Add small dollops of the berry mixture to the top of the pancake batter. Drag a wooden toothpick or skewer through the berry mixture to create a swirled pattern.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into 12 squares with a knife. Enjoy warm with maple syrup. Can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Frances Largeman-Roth.

Keeping the Holidays Healthy

Any holiday or celebration can be a time of great anxiety for those trying to keep the holiday table full of healthy choices. The holiday season is very focused on food. By planning, we can reduce our stress level, stay centered on family and enjoy the day. Avoid high-calorie or fried appetizers and have a platter of raw veggies with a low-calorie dip or have a few small pieces of cheese with a few crackers to nibble on.

The best way to compensate for eating a little more than usual is to be active. Taking a walk with the family, playing Frisbee, soccer, catch or touch football with children, grandchildren or the neigh borhood kids are just a few ideas.

Many holiday foods are high in carbohydrates, such as mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing or dressing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and other desserts. Have a reasonable portion of our favorites and pass on the rest. If we really want to try everything,

CRANBERRY SALAD

YIELD 8 SERVINGS

1 (9 oz) can crushed unsweetened pineapple, juice-packed

1 (3 0z) sugar-free cherry gelatin

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup equivalent sugar substitute

1 cup fresh cranberries, ground

1 small orange, peeled, quartered and ground

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup pecans or other nuts, broken into pieces (optional)

Drain the juice from the pineapple and save it. Set the pineapple aside for later use.

Combine the pineapple juice with water to equal 2 cups of liquid.

Prepare the gelatin according to the directions on the package using the juice-water mixture for the liquid.

Once the gelatin is dissolved, stir in the lemon juice. Chill it until it’s partially set.

In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple, sugar substitute, cran berries, orange, celery and nuts. Add this mixture to the partially set gelatin and stir it until blended.

Pour the mixture into a large mold or several smaller molds. Chill until firm.

Nutrients per serving with nuts: Calories: 80; sodium: 27 milligrams; carbohydrate: 11 grams; dietary fiber: 2 grams; protein: 1 gram; fat: 3 grams

Without nuts: Calories: 35; sodium: 27 milligrams; carbohydrate: 10 grams; dietary fiber: 1 gram; Protein: ½ gram; fat: 0 grams.

by Katie Sotzing

take very small portions or “samples” of several dishes. Remember to include veggies. Most menus for celebrations have limited veggies, which come in all colors and are very nutritious. Add a green salad or a side of roasted seasoned veggies such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini and yellow squash. These non-starchy veggies are low in carbs and calories and will help fill us up to keep from overeating other high-calorie and high-fat foods on the table.

Modify recipes by substituting healthy ingredients and using healthy cooking methods (e.g., boil, bake or grill instead of frying) to make those foods better for you.

For more suggestions to help busy families with quick, healthy, cost-ef fective recipes that taste great, visit Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Dinner Tonight at DinnerTonight.tamu.edu.

CRANBERRY SCONES

YIELD 18 SERVINGS

2 cups flour

1 tsp orange peel

½ cup sucralose

3 Tbsp margarine

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup fat-free sour cream ½ tsp salt 1 cup dried cranberries 1 egg

Wash hands with soap and hot water. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sucralose, baking powder, salt and orange peel.

Cut margarine into mixture. Beat egg, add to flour mixture.

Stir in sour cream until blended. Stir in cranberries.

Drop rounded tablespoons onto nonstick baking sheet. With a floured cup or glass, press mixture to flatten slightly. Bake 14-18 minutes until slightly browned.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 107; fat: 2 grams; carbohydrate: 19 grams; dietary fiber: 1 gram; protein: 2 grams; sodium: 119 milligrams.

This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against the planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires and light candles. And we sing.

~Anita Diamant

SWEET POTATO HOLIDAY CASSEROLE MAKES 6 SERVINGS

3 packets non-nutritive sweetener

2 large (1 lb) baked sweet potatoes, peeled

1 (5 oz) can evaporated skim milk

1 egg, plus 2 egg whites

½ tsp vanilla

Topping

2 Tbsp light margarine, melted

1 cup crushed bran flakes

2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash hands with soap and hot water.

Assemble these supplies: measuring cups, measuring spoons, blender, 2-quart casse role, small mixing bowl, rubber spatula and nonstick cooking spray.

Blend the first five ingredients in a blender until they are smooth and well blended. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the topping ingredients in a small mix ing bowl. Spoon the topping over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake the potatoes at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes or until they are bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Nutrients per serving with nuts: Calories: 180; sodium: 150 milligrams; carbohydrate: 29 grams; dietary fiber: 3 grams; protein: 6 grams; fat: 6 grams

Without nuts: Calories: 150; sodium: 150 milligrams; carbohydrate: 28 grams; dietary fiber: 2 grams; protein: 6 grams; fat: 3 grams.

CRANBERRY MIMOSAS

Cranberries put a holiday twist on a classic mimosa. Drier cham pagnes or sparkling wines are lower in sugar. Making cranberry juice from scratch with sweeteners like maple syrup or honey is a natural alternative to commercial cranberry juice. Prepare the cranberry juice the night before serving.

YIELD: 4 TO 8 SERVINGS

4 cups homemade (recipe below) or storebought cranberry juice

1 cup orange juice

1 bottle drier champagne, such as Ultra Brut Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Fill four champagne flutes or glassware of choice approximately halfway with cranberry juice. Add 2 Tbsp orange juice to each glass.

Top each glass with champagne. Garnish with sprig of rosemary. Refill as desired.

Recipe courtesy of Sheila Julson.

HOMEMADE CRANBERRY JUICE

3 cups fresh cranberries

3 cups water

½ cup pure maple syrup or honey

Put fresh cranberries and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the berries soften and pop.

Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the berries and return the juice to the pan. (Use leftover cranberries in smoothies, yogurt or relish.)

Gradually add maple syrup or honey until desired sweetness is achieved. Heat on low until sweetener dissolves.

Pour juice into an airtight bottle and refrigerate.

Recipe courtesy of Sheila Julson.

Dallas-Tarrant-Rockwall counties

calendar of events

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

Crows, the Avian Einsteins – 7pm. Featured Speaker: Connie Sidles, au thor, master birder, member of Seattle Audubon. Learn just how smart our crow friends are. Their ability to rec ognize humans, pass along knowledge to offspring, use of tools, you name it. In-person and online. UNTHSC, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Research and Educa tion Bldg, Rm 100, Fort Worth. fwas.org.

ongoing events

sunday

Carrollton Runners Club Mile + 5K –7:30am. A low-key 5K and 1-mile race every last Sun. McInnish Park, 2335 Sandy Lake Rd, Carrollton. CarrolltonRunners.com.

Sunday Service/Meditation and Purifica tion – 9-11:30am. Participate in meditation, chanting and readings from the Bible and Bhagavad Gita. 9-9:45am, Meditation and Purification; 10-11:30am, Service. Ananda Dallas Meditation & Yoga Center, 4901 Keller Springs Rd, Ste 103, Addison. 972248-9126. AnandaDallas.org.

Meditation Mondays via Zoom – 7-8pm. Meditation Mondays focuses on the practice and the experience of various forms of med itation. Free. Unity of Dallas, 6525 Forest Ln, Dallas. 972-233-7106. UnityDallas.org.

tuesday

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

Sustainability Initiatives in Cedar Hill – 10am-12pm. Presenter: Duy Vu, City of Cedar Hill Texas Environmental Man ager. In-person and online. Vickery Park Branch Library, 8333 Park Ln, Dallas. ntreg.org/events.html.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Online: Dallas Sierra Club – 7pm. The Climate Reality Project. Alex Holland, Vice Chair of Dallas/Fort Worth’s Cli mate Reality Chapter, addresses the dan ger of climate change locally and beyond. Zoom. DallasSierraClub.org.

Gentle Waves – 9:15-10:15am. A healing meditative practice that moves very slow and intentional. Gaia Flow Yoga, 3000 Blackburn St, Ste 140B, Dallas. Register: GaiaFlowYoga.com.

Celebration Service Live – 11am. Medi tation, music and lessons on YouTube live: Unity on Greenville Dallas, TX or Cutt. ly/2tzQx4i. Love offering. Unity on Green ville, 3425 Greenville Ave, Dallas. 214-8265683. DallasUnity.org.

Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club –2:30pm. 4th Sun (Jan-Sept). Each meeting includes a special speaker presentation covering many topics of interest to local gardeners. Free. North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas. 214-363-5316. gdogc.org.

Sunday Meditation – 3:15-4:15pm. With Lynne Patterson. Class offers many medi tation techniques and styles, with a focus on mindfulness and open awareness. $10. Yoga Mart, 2201 Tucker St, Ste 101, Dallas. 214-238-2433. DallasMeditates.com.

Online: Awakening Heart Meditation – 5-7pm. Interfaith mindfulness medi tation, music and message based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Facilitated by Brother ChiSing. Donation accepted. Dallas Meditation Center, 727 S Floyd Rd, Richardson. 972-432-7871. Dallas MeditationCenter.com.

monday

Online: Zen to Go – 12-12:45pm. MonThurs. An oasis in the middle of the day offering walking and sitting meditation fol lowed by brief sharing. Donation accepted. Dallas Meditation Center, 810 We Arapaho Rd, Ste 98, Richardson. 972-432-7871. DallasMeditationCenter.com.

Online: Ananda Yoga Sadhana Practice – 5:15-7:30pm. Also Thurs. Time to reca librate and center through this transforma tional practice based on the yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. Ananda Dallas Meditation & Yoga Center, 4901 Keller Springs Rd, Ste 103, Addison. 972-2489126. AnandaDallas.org.

YES: A Young Adults Meditation Fellow ship – 7-9pm. A meditation series for young adults in their 20s and 30s. Each evening will include a beginner-friendly walking and sitting meditation, Dharma teachings and refreshments afterwards. Donation. Dallas Meditation Center, 810 W Arapaho Rd, Ste 98, Richardson. 972-432-7871. DallasMeditationCenter.com.

wednesday

Hot Yoga 201 on Zoom – 6:15pm. Open to all levels. This flowing-style class links the fundamental asanas (poses) of yoga linking body, mind and breath with music. Yoga4Love Studio Cabin, Ovilla. Yoga 4Love.com.

Online: Meditation for Everyone –7-8:30pm. Classes are great for beginners that want to learn to meditate and great for more experienced meditators that want to expand their meditation. Must register: MeditationInTexas.org.

Online: Metaphysics and Meditation –7-8:30pm. Manifestation and mysticism: 2 sides of the spiritual coin. Let us practice together, while diving more deeply into uni versal principles and spiritual living. Open to all. Free. A Center for Spiritual Living, 4801 Spring Valley Rd, Ste 115, Dallas. 972-866-9988. CSLDallas.org.

thursday

ImpactNights – More info: Inclusive-Econ omy.org/impactnights.

Online: Celebrate Recovery – 6:30pm. A safe community to find support, hope and freedom from the struggles and realities that we all face through transitions, hurt, pain, loss or addiction of any kind. Free. First United Methodist Church, 777 N Walnut Creek Dr, Mansfield. FirstMeth odistMansfield.org.

Dallas Vegan Drinks – 6:30pm. Meets the 2nd Thurs each month at various veg-friend ly locations for fellowship. Currently post poned. Facebook.com/DallasVeganDrinks.

friday

Online: Friday Meditation Happy Hours – 5:30-6:15pm. Sessions begin every hour. Release stress with breath and gentle movements as you withdraw from the external and begin the journey within 15-min guided meditation. $10/session. DallasMeditates.com.

saturday

Morning Bird Walk – 7:30-8:15pm. 3rd Sat. Join Trinity River Audubon Center for a monthly bird walk and enjoy the grounds and our amazing feathered friends. $10. Trinity River Audubon Center, 6500 Great Trinity Forest Way, Dallas. Registration required: TrinityRiver.Audubon.org.

Coppell Farmers Market – 8am-12pm. Year-round market. 768 W Main St, Cop pell. CoppellFarmersMarket.org.

Morning Tai Chi – 8:30am. Join Tai Chi Chuan instructor George Deerfield for this interactive class in developing strength, bal ance, improved breathing. Unity of Dallas, 6525 Forest Ln, Dallas. UnityDallas.org.

Second Saturday Guided Hike – 8:309:30am. Learn about our surrounding hab itat while you enjoy a hike. All ages. Trinity River Audubon Center, 6500 Great Trinity Forest Way, Dallas. Registration required: TrinityRiver.Audubon.org.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, Postpartum and Baby Classes – 6-7pm. Classes are held virtually online lead by our top AID instructors utilizing state of the art visual aids and activities to keep it fun and engag ing while presenting the latest evidenced based material on each topic. $35/class. Childbirth-Classes.com.

calendar of events

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

Webinar: Understanding Your Water Bill – 12-1:30pm. Let us walk you through the process. We’ll also share guidance on customer resources and empowering sustainable behaviors. Register: LiveGreen InPlano.obsres.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

The Little Sit – 7am. If you want to learn how to identify the birds of North Texas, the Little Sit is the perfect way to start. A group of dedicated birders meet once a month at the end of Pad H on the West side of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOfHagerman.com.

Meadow Bird Walk – 7:30-9:30am. Bird ers of all skill levels welcome. A variety of birding habitats explored, and an excellent cross section of North Texas bird species can be counted. Free. Connemara Meadow Nature Preserve, South gated entrance, behind intersection of Bass & Roberta drs, Plano. ConnemaraConservancy.org.

LLELA Nature Walk – 10am-12pm. Naturalist-led nature walk. $5/vehicle. Lew isville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville. Registration required: 972-219-3550 or llela.org.

Pl, McKinney. 972-562-5566. Heard Museum.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

Bird Walk – 7:30-11am. Join an expert birder as we explore prime birding locations on LLELA’s nature trails. Ages 10 & up. $5/person plus $5/vehicle. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville. Registration required: 972219-3550 or llela.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

Tour: Republic Services Recycling Cen ter – 10:30-11:30am. Find out about how the City of Plano’s recycling partner, Re public Services, processes your recyclables for the recycling market. See the facility in action. Learn why it is important to re duce, reuse and recycle correctly. Republic Services, 4200 14th St, Plano. Register: LiveGreenInPlano.obsres.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

Holidays at the Heard – Dec 9-10. 6:309:30pm. Brings the beauty of the holiday season into nature. Bundle up your family, get out of the house, and experience the most unique family-friendly holiday event in North Texas. Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature

Early Bird Walk – 8-9:30m. Master Nat uralist Jack Chiles will lead this Early Bird Walk, weather permitting. Free. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOfHager man.com.

Venomous Snakes – 10am. With Mike Keck. Talk will focus on the identification and natural history of the 6 species, with an emphasis on the three most common species at the Refuge: the copperhead, cottonmouth and timber rattlesnake. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOfHagerman.com.

Zip Line Day – 1-4pm. Guests climb a 23-ft tree to our zip platform then proceed to a 487-ft Zip line. Purchase one ticket ($12 each) for each time you would like to travel down the zip line. Pre-registration required. Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Pl, McKinney. 972-562-5566. HeardMuseum.org.

Denton-Collin-Grayson-Cooke counties

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

Christmas Bird Count – 7am-6pm. Partic ipants will be divided into groups and will explore the birds of the refuge. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOfHager man.com.

Christmas at the Cabin – 10am-3pm. Enjoy a tour of the historic Minor-Porter

counties

Log Cabin, make a corn husk doll or an or nament to take home, create a hand-dipped candle, listen to carols and sip hot cider by the campfire. $5/vehicle. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville. 972-219-3550. llela.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

Thrive Nature Walk – 9-10:30am. A guided walk to connect with nature and the outdoors. All ages. Thrive Nature Park, 1951 S Valley Pkwy, Lewisville. Registra tion required: CityOfLewisville.com.

ongoing events

NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Publisher@NADallas.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

daily

Grapevine Farmers Market – 9am-6pm, Sun; 8am-8pm, Mon-Sat. Eat healthy with locally-grown produce and products. 520 S Main St, Ste 203, Grapevine. 817-5277446. FarmersMarketOfGrapevine.com.

cows are fed, the benefits of grass-crop based feed (silage), the milking parlor, bottle feeding baby calves along with the learning the benefits of drinking raw milk vs pasteurized milk. Everyone gets samples of milk. $7/person age 2 & up. Circle N Dairy, 2074 County Road 446, Gainesville. 940-372-0343. CircleNDairy.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28

Holiday De-Stressing Session – 6-7:30pm. Enjoy adult coloring, DIY bath bombs and no more holiday music. Activities available on a first come, first served basis while sup plies last. Lewisville Public Library, 1197 W Main St, Lewisville. CityOfLewisville.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30

Kid’s Christmas Bird Count – 9-11am. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is the longest-running citizen science project in the world contributing invaluable data to scientists studying bird population trends. Our youth version gives kids ages 5 and up a taste of the real deal. $5/person; $5/vehicle. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville. Regis tration required: 972-219-3550 or llela.org.

classifieds

Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month. To place listing, email content to Publisher@NADallas.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

FUNCTIONAL MD NEEDED FOR NEW WELLNESS-BASED PRAC

TICE: Looking for a Holistic minded Functional MD who is willing to be the medical director of our wellness based practice and lead the IV infusions aspect of the practice. Partnership or % of sales. Please email us: primespa369@gmail. com. Website: WellnessHolisticSpa.co

Star Coyote Events – Monthly events include gong, Tibetan bowl and crystal bowl sound journeys, shamanic journey with a drum dance, kid’s energy and cre ativity events, and a Wed morning class series. Please see the calendar at StarCoy oteSoundTemple.com for the exact dates and times as they change each month or call 469-344-6484.

sunday

Frisco Fresh Market – 10am-4pm. Also Sat, 8am-4pm. Frisco Fresh Market, 9215 John W Elliott Dr, Frisco. 844-776-2753. FriscoFreshMarket.com.

Sunday Celebration Service Agape Center for Spiritual Living – 10am, meditation; 10:30am, service. Noah’s Event Venue, 5280 Town Square Dr, Plano. Rev Lee Wolak: 972-468-1331. AgapeSpiritu alCenter.com.

Sunday Worship: Unity Spiritual Center of Denton Service – 10am, coffee; 11am, service. Unity takes spiritual principles and makes them practical in your life. 6071 New Hope Rd, Krugerville. 214-453-0218. UnityOfNewHope.org.

Sunday Brunch –10am-3pm. Serves up farm-to-table shared plates, 72 taps (wine & craft beer), and a welcoming atmosphere to create a unique dining experience. Craft & Vine, 310 S Oak St, Roanoke. 817-4648181. CraftAndVine.Restaurant.

Horizon UU Worship Service – 10:30am12pm. Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church, 1641 W Hebron Pkwy, Carrollton. 972-492-4940. Horizonuu.org.

monday

Dairy Farm Tours – Mon-Sat, by appt only. Experience life on a dairy farm with an educational tour including how and what

tuesday

Buddhist Sangha Online – 7-9pm. The meeting of Horizon’s Buddhist covenant group. Meditation and study of the 8-Fold Path. Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church: Horizonuu.org.

thursday

Mystic Mandala Meditations – 6:307:30pm. Guided by Vijay Moksha. A non-denominational mindfulness practice to evolve consciousness; to go beyond the mind using the mind itself. MysticMan dalaCenter.com.

saturday

2nd Saturday Bird Walk – Sept-June. 8-9:30am. Helps beginning and intermedi ate birders with bird spotting and identifi cation techniques. Included in general ad mission; free/Heard Museum members. Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Pl, McKinney. 972562-5566. HeardMuseum.org.

1st Saturday Nature Walks – 10am-12pm. Monthly naturalist-led nature walk. Each season at LLELA is different, and we never know what we’ll find. All ages. $5/vehicle. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, 201 E Jones St, Lewisville. Regis tration required: 972-219-3550 or llela.org.

Blackland Prairie Raptor Center First Saturdays – 10am-2pm. Meet raptors up-close. Take guided prairie hikes. Kids activities. Bring a picnic lunch. Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, 1625 Brockdale Park Rd, Lucas. Erich Neupert: 972-442-7607. BPRaptorCenter.org.

community resource guide

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email NAadvertising@NaturalAwakenings.com to re quest our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

ACUPUNCTURE AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CENTER

1320 W. Walnut Hill Ln, Irving 18601 LBJ #501, Mesquite 972-444-0660

DrChapa.com

team of Doctors have trained and graduated from the best Universities and Hospitals in China, S. Korea, Taiwan and Japan. We use the best of Eastern Medi cine using Micro & Laser Acupuncture and herbal medicine for those that are in pain and suffering and have amazing success rates.

NEW STAR CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE

Dr. Zhangping Lu, DC, LAc, MD (China) 425 Maplelawn Dr, Ste 101, Plano 75075 972-519-8488

DFWAcupunctureChiropractic.com

Whole-body wellness center providing chiropractic care, spi nal decompression, allergy test ing, NAET, IMAET, detoxifica tion, weight loss, hormone balancing, wellness programs and more. All-natural healing, no medication, no surgery. See ad, page 29.

BRAIN HEALTH

CERESET PLANO

1033 E 15th St, Plano, 75074 214-892-2273

Plano.Cereset.com

Cereset can help your brain reset itself, restoring your brain’s rhythm naturally, en abling it to manage stress more effectively. Cereset sessions jump start the process of re-balancing your brain, and can help issues leading to trouble sleeping, restlessness and anxiety, inability to fo cus or lack of joy. Periodic “tune-ups” provide ongoing support, ensuring long-term brain bal ance. See ad on page 3.

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

~James Keller

Dr. Barrier integrates mindbody-spirit into his psychothera py practice. He specializes in Daleth Transformational Breath work, Energy Healing tech niques, and Hypnotherapy to as sist clients in releasing old patterns and creating a better life. Dr. Barrier has been a licensed psychotherapist for 30+ years. See ad on page 35.

THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL

11600 Welch Road, Dallas 214- 363-6311 Hockaday.org

Established almost 100 years ago, The Hockaday School provides a college preparatory educa-tion for girls; from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, including Boarding school for grades 8-12. With an approximate enrollment of 1,000 students and a 10:1 student teacher ratio, Hockaday students enjoy a 100% acceptance rate to college.

JESUIT

COLLEGE PREPARATORY

SCHOOL OF DALLAS

12345 Inwood Rd, Dallas 972-387-8700 JesuitCP.org

Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas is a private Catholic insti tution for young men under the di rection of the Society of Jesus. Lo cated in North Dallas, it provides a student-centered education to approximately 1,000 students, grades 9-12. Our students’ average SAT scores exceed the national average by over 200 points.

CHIROPRACTIC

NEW STAR CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE

Dr. Zhangping Lu, DC, LAc, MD (China) 425 Maplelawn Dr, Ste 101, Plano 75075 972-519-8488 DFWAcupunctureChiropractic.com

Whole-body wellness center providing chiropractic care, spi nal decompression, allergy test ing, NAET, IMAET, detoxifica tion, weight loss, hormone balancing, wellness programs and more. All-natural healing, no medication, no surgery. See ad, page 29.

PARKER UNIVERSITY

2540 Walnut Hill Ln, Dallas 75229 800-637-8337/214-902-2429 AskAdmissions@parker.edu Parker.edu

More patients want alternative methods of treatment that are healthy, holistic and non-invasive. Earning your degree from Parker University in Functional Nutri tion, Strength and Human Perfor mance, Integrative Health can put you in position to help them. Offering top level experience and accred ited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Council on Chiropractic Education, and the Commission of Massage Therapy Accreditation.

FARMERS MARKET

EDUCATION

DALLAS COLLEGE

1601 South Lamar, Dallas 214-378-1824

DCCCD.edu

Dallas College has seven campuses, including El Centro, Brookhaven, Mountain View, Eastfield, Richland, Cedar Valley and Northlake. Dallas College serves the region with ac credited one and two year certificates, degrees and core credit courses guaranteed to transfer to Texas colleges and universities.

SAINT MICHAELS FARMERS MARKET

8011 Douglas Ave, Dallas 75225

SaintMichaelsMarket.com

Market opens every Saturday, from 8am to noon, April 17th through September 25th, plus 3rd Sat. of Oct, Nov, and Dec. Locat ed in west parking lot of Saint Mi chaels Church. Local vendors and growers with 100% of products grown or made by them. Vendors adhere to CDC safety protocols. Masks provided; social distancing required.

NORTH HAVEN GARDENS

7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas 214-363-5316

NHG.com

Serving Dallas since 1951, NHG has grown into one of the most re spected horticultural establishments in North Texas by serving our cus tomers with quality and value. Offering gardening and plant education, concierge services, DIY class es, video library, gifts and more.

KOZLOW & ROWELL

Dr. Philip Kozlow

Dr. Josh Rowell 5050 Quorum Dr, Suite 300, Dallas 972-458-2464

DallasDentist.net

HEALTH CARE

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM 1-800-4BAYLOR

BaylorHealth.com/CancerCare

We have a network of comprehensive cancer treatment centers through out Dallas-Fort Worth, offering full range cancer-related and integrative medical services. Whether you want to learn about types of cancer, screenings, prevention, healthy living or support, Baylor is here for you. We offer the expe rience, expertise and technology you can trust.

We strive to provide healthy, green alter natives for our den tal patients by pro viding digital x-rays, mercury safe restor ative options and chemical free dental hygiene products. Committed to total body wellness while avoiding the use of toxic materials, and con tinuing education to ensure treatments are up to date and effective in a kind and caring environment. See ad, page 29.

LYNN DENTAL CARE

Dr. D. Brock Lynn 6190 LBJ Freeway #900, Dallas 972-934-1400

LynnDentalCare.com

Practicing dentistry for over 38 years, specializing in periodontics, Dr. Lynn is board-certified and a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontics and Dental implants. He practices dentistry with a holistic approach and is a member of the In ternational Academy of Oral Medi cine &Toxicology as well as the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. See ad, inside front cover..

HEALTHY HEALING ARTS/HPWWC Cathy Lemmon 469-383-8442 Cathy@HPWWC.org HealthyHealingArts.com

Homeoprophylaxis (HP), a part of Homeopathy, is a major part of Cathy Lemmon’s practice at Healthy Healing Arts. HP has been used worldwide for hundreds of years with a success rate of over 90% to help fight off disease.

Lemmon uses an energetic, non toxic means of promoting immu nity in a safe and natural way. See ad, page 7.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL

DR. CARLOS CHAPA, ND, OMD, L.AC, PH.D

1320 W. Walnut Hill Ln, Irving 18601 LBJ #501, Mesquite 972-444-0660

DrChapa.com

PRIMACARE

13 Locations in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex 888-286-4603

PrimaCare.com

With 13 Urgent Care Centers, PrimaCare serves the medical needs of area families with courtesy, convenience and compassion. Open 7 days a week with extended hours. No appointment neces sary. Most insurance accepted. Use our Call Ahead Service and wait where your want. Open: Monday–Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday–Sunday 8am–5pm.

HOLISTIC DENTISTRY

FLOURISH DENTAL BOUTIQUE

Dr. Toni Engram

415 State St #800, Richardson 75082 469-676-2777

Flourish.dental

At Flourish Dental Boutique, we believe the best dentistry is often the least dentistry. We help your body thrive on its own with thera pies that enrich and empower its natural healing processes. As a ho listic and biological dental prac tice, we choose safe materials and treatment protocols with special attention to your nutrition and overall wellness. See ad, page 5.

SMILE UP DENTISTRY

Dr. Sonya Reddy 3000 FM 307, #300, Bartonville 940-301-0947

SmileUpDentistry.com

Dr.Reddy believes oral health leads to overall health and function has to coincide with form. With 15 years of experience, providing quality and compassionate care for whole family. Dr.Reddy is an ex pert in sleep, apnea, implant and orthodontic care along with regular checkups and cleanings. We provide Smart protocol in removing toxic silver fillings. See ad, page 13.

TMJ PLUS WELLNESS CENTER

Dr. Becky Coats, DDS, MAGD, LVIF, FIDIA, FAACP 2631 Ira E Woods Ave, Grapevine 817-481-6888

TMJPlus.com

Instead of focusing just on your teeth, we also look at dental issues connected with other health prob lems you may be having. We collab orate with Thermography, Lymphat ic Drainage, and Osteopathic Medicine practitioners. Call today for TMJ Pain Relief, Sleep Apnea, Frenuloplasty(Tongue Tie), Biological Dentistry, Physiologic Orthodontics, Headache Relief, Mercury Fillings Removal, Metal Free Ceramic Implants.

Trained in Asia, graduated from a Korean University, Dr. Chapa holds a Naturopathic Doctorate Degree and a PhD in Eastern Med icine specializing in Neurological issues. A former medic/nurse since 1995, this unique training has giv en confidence from many Physicians to refer their pa tients. Dr. Chapa is founder and medical director of AIMC established in 2009.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CENTER

DALLAS

Dr. Elizabeth Seymour, MD 399 Melrose Dr., Suite A, Richardson 214-368-4132

EHCD.COM

A nationally recognized medical fa cility specializing in the relationship of health and disease to environ mental factors. Thorough investiga tion is made to determine the cause and correlation of the patent’s dis ease process to environmental fac tors. A leader in the field treating mold exposure/sensitivity; oil spill, pesticides and chemical exposure; chemical sensitivities, immune dysregulation and much more.

JOHNSON MEDICAL ASSOCIATES

Dr. Alfred R. Johnson, D.O. 997 Hampshire Lane, Richardson 972-479-0400

JohnsonMedicalAssociates.com

Johnson Medical Associates is a state-of-the-art medical clinic offer ing comprehensive medical services aimed at finding the cause not just treating the symptoms. Dr. Johnson is a doctor of internal medicine with 35+ years of experience in areas of chronic illness, toxic exposures, al lergies and the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to address a multitude of conditions. See ad on page 5.

TENNANT INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Dr. Jerry Tennant MD, Medical Director

35 Veranda Lane, Ste 100, Colleyville 972-580-1156

TennantInstitute.us

Providing traditional “standard-ofcare” medicine using prescription as well as complementary medicine. Recognizing that the human body is not simply a collection of indepen dent parts but rather an integrative whole -we treat it that way. Condi tions treated include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, macular degeneration and glaucoma, as well as thyroid support, adrenal support, hormone replacement. essential oil therapy and hyper baric oxygen therapy. See ad, page 47.

WILLOWBEND HEALTH & WELLNESS

Dr. Phyllis Gee, MD

4601 Old Shepard Pl, Bldg. 2, Ste. 201, Plano 469-361-4000

WillowbendHealthAndWellness.com

With 30 years of practice, empower ment and whole health are center pieces of our care. Our goal is find ing and treating the root cause of your symptoms to restore your health utilizing regenerative medical practices. We address functional wellness, sexual wellness, weight management. We do functional health testing. Call for appointment. See ad on page 3.

NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS

BACK2BASICS FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION BY NITI

Niti Shah, PT, MS, CNS, LDN 3365 Regent Blvd., Ste 130, Irving TX 75063 972-514-7956

Back2BasicsFXN.com

Chronic diseases like obesity, di abetes, heart disease, autoimmu nity have reached pandemic lev els. My goal is to shift attention away from suppressing symp toms with drugs—to addressing the root cause of conditions with nutrition, supplementation, life style change. As a Board-certified Clinical Nutrition ist, I will show you the transformative power of a back to basics approach.

PAIN MANAGEMENT

SENERGY MEDICAL GROUP

9901 Valley Ranch Pkwy East, Ste 1009 Irving 972-580-0545

Biomodulator@senergy.us

Senergy.us

We are the exclusive distributor of the patented Tennant Biomodulator® PLUS & PRO. These FDA accepted non-invasive devices are designed to offer an affordable, drug free, us er-friendly option for the indicated use of symptomatic relief for chronic, se vere or intractable pain; and adjunctive treatment in managing post-surgical and post-traumat ic pain. See ad, page 47.

PHARMACY

ABRAMS ROYAL COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

8220 Abrams Rd, Dallas 214-349-8000 4904 W. Park Blvd, Plano 972-599-7700

ARP-RX.com

Family owned and operated since 1980, with more than 135 years of combined experience. Our pharma cists work to provide proactive solutions to restore health and wellness. We work as trusted partners with physicians and patients to develop targeted treatment plans and customized wellness programs for your unique needs. Pharmacy Compounding. Accreditation Board (PACB) certified.

PSYCHOTHERAPY PSYCHOTHREAPY

ENTELECHEA WHOLENESS CENTER

Dr. Tricia Seymour, PhD, EdD, ND, LPC-S 1201 International Parkway, Ste 200, Richardson 972-792-9900 Entelechea.org

Dr. Seymour integrates mindbody-spirit into her holistic psy chotherapy practice. She utilizes rapid psychotherapy methods such as EFT, ETT, Hypnotherapy, and EMDR to assist clients in releas ing old patterns and creating a bet ter life. Dr. Seymour has been a licensed psychotherapist for 30+ years. See ad, page 35.

SPIRITUAL

CONCORD DALLAS CHURCH

6808 Pastor Bailey Dr, Dallas 214-331-8522

ConcordDallas.tv

Concord Dallas is the church that grows people. Their core values are pas sion for Christ, passion for people and catalyst for change. Services are Sundays at 8:00am, 10:00am, 12:00pm and online at Streamingfaith.com. Mid-week service is Wednesdays at 7:00pm. Reverend Bryan L. Carter, Senior Pastor.

UNITY CHURCH OF SACHSE

5502 Ben Davis, Sachse 972-984-8946

UnityOfSachse@gmail.com

UnityOfSachse.com

We teach positive psychology based on Spiritual teachings of Jesus. Services are held Sun days at 11:30am. Join us as we share truths and principles to help along your spiritual journey. Each week’s mes sage and all events are posted on our website for your convenience. Spiritual counseling and positive prayer available.

WELLNESS CENTERS

ROCKWALL COMPLETE HEALING & WELLNESS

2455 Ridge Road, Suite 151, Rockwall 972-771-8900

RockwallColonics.com

Food You Can Feel Good About!

The original farm-to-table restaurant in north Texas, in cluding catering and takeout Market. With a full -ser vice bar, we celebrate years of serving delicious, afford able, locally sourced food. We offer gluten free al ternatives, clean water raised salmon and sustain ably raised seafood, cage free poultry and 100% grass fed beef. Come in today, order in or take-out. See ad on back cover.

This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against the planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires and light candles. And we sing.

~Anita Diamant

“Our goal is to offer our community high-quality wellness services in an ex ceptionally comfortable and healing environment. We know that time-hon ored healing tradi tions-Massage, Young Living Raindrop Therapy, Chiropractic, iV therapy, Juicing and Colonics work. RCW offers all of these things, come visit us and begin your journey to optimum wellness.

YOGA

CRESCENT YOGA STUDIO & ECO-BOUTIQUE

Dawn Harris, RYT500

306 W Ave F, Midlothian 214-817-8597

CrescentYogaStudio.com

Ellis county’s premier yoga studio and eco-bou tique offers a variety of weekly classes, specialty workshops, private yoga and reiki sessions as well as natural health and well ness events. Come feel your stress and tensions away. New student intro offer: 2 weeks unlimited Yoga for $20. Empowering a healthy lifestyle.

Hi, I’m Steve Frank and I suffered from sleep apnea for years. My patent-pending formulation has helped thousands return to sleeping well and I use it every night.

My Mom asked leg cramps Relaxer was the result of my research, and it works for Restless Legs as well!