Natural Awakenings Dallas - Forth Worth Metroplex Magazine May23 Issue

STRESS SUCCESS Finding Calm for Health

Gardening for Health

The Divine Messiness of Motherhood

North Texas

Women in Wellness Lead the Way

WOMEN’S WELLNESS

Willowbend Health & Wellness

Willowbend Health & Wellness welcomes you inside one of Plano’s most comprehensive holistic health & wellness centers that provides integrative health services to men, women, and adolescents Here, we address all aspects of health from a functional and integrative medical perspective to identify the root cause of client complaints rather than just treating their symptoms.

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Restore Your Health 360 Wellness Transformation

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Full Body Lymphatic Massage Therapy

Nonsurgical Urinary Incontinence Therapy

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Contact Us:

469-361-4000

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Thank you to our Community Sponsors

Celebrating Mother Earth

We celebrate Mother's Day this month, and while I was working on our May theme of Women's Wellness, my mind kept coming back to the mother of us all, Mother Earth, and the origins of the name. Our planet is magnificent-multifaceted and perfectly tuned-reflecting the master creator, God. So why don't we call our planet Father Earth, Lord Earth or something else? Why is the name Mother Earth so perfect and suitable?

To find answers to my question, I started where all scholarly searches begin: I Googled it. What I learned wasn't surprising, but it reminded me why we should cherish and respect Mother Earth as we do our own biological mothers. In the articles that turned up in my search, there was almost a universal focus on the lifegiving and supportive aspects of nature, personified in feminine form. Earth gives birth to many sources of life-plants and animals, as well as people. Just as a mother does for her children when they're young, Mother Earth nurtures us and gives us what we need to live. In this case, though, she continues to do so all our lives, even providing us a final resting place.

Like all women, Mother Earth reserves the right to change her mind, hair and clothes as often as necessary and still arrive on time. No one can hurry perfection; when she's ready to make her debut, everything miraculously comes together. As one writer remarked, she's 75 percent water, has a fabulous change of seasons, sustains trillions of life forms, both human and nonhuman, yet manages to maintain her fabulous figure.

There is much to be learned from nature's lessons. Mother Earth knows what to do and when to do it. It's not our job to question her or tell her how to run her life. We cause harm and create chaos when we interfere with the natural order of things by adding our two cents. If we're all re going to share this place harmoniously, we need to love our mother, embrace her order and authority and seek our answers from her-and never, ever forget that she was created to be self-sustaining, along with all that is in her.

Here are some things we can do this Mother's Day to honor Mother Earth:

• Learn more about local environmental issues. Some good places to start are Healthy Living Healthy Planet Radio (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanetRadio.com); the Dallas Sierra Club (DallasSierraClub.org); Texas Campaign for the Environment (TexasEnvironment.org); and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF.org).

• Share a helpful article or discuss a topic with your family, friends or coworkers.

• Identify an issue that you're passionate about or that directly affects you, find out who's working on it, and then join the conversation or organization.

• Call your elected state or federal representatives to make your opinion known.

• Sign online petitions through groups like Change.org to make your voice count.

• Make every day Earth Day.

Here at Natural Awakenings, we celebrate Earth Day every day, too, but May is a special opportunity to recognize not just Mother Earth, but all the important "women" in our lives, including the wonderful women making our communities stronger and healthier. We profile several in this month's feature article, "North Texas Women in Wellness Lead the Way," featuring some of the top integrative, holistic and functional medicine professionals in our region. These providers have long labored toward the shared goal of making North Texas one of country's the top spots for excellence in wellness.

This Mother's Day, show all the women in your life that have loved, nurtured and provided for you-including Mother Earth-how much we appreciate them. Then, nurture yourself by checking out this month's offerings on how to reduce stress in your life, a top wellness issue for women.

Our heartfelt thanks to you, our readers, for all you do to make to make Dallas-Ft. Worth and all of North Texas a better place to live. We hope you'll continue to support Natural Awakenings, your go-to resource for green, healthy and sustainable living.

Mother's Day blessings to my Little Mother and Mother Earth!

April Shows on Earth Day Month on Investing in Our Planet

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CONNECTING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES & HEALTH IMPACT

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Phyllis J. Gee

Toni Engram Lin Ellis Jennifer Engels

Susan Attel Elizabeth Rohe Cathy Lemmon

Sonya Howeth Margaret Christensen

Roxanne Pero

Run for the Melons

The Plano Melon Dash, on June 10, offers a 10K, 5K and Fun Run race for families and individuals at the Oak Point Nature Preserve, with plenty of free parking and an excellent afterparty with music by DJ Dame. Contestants and spectators can enjoy activities for kids, sponsored village goodies, ice-cold beer, and mouth-watering watermelon.

Here is the schedule: 6:30 a.m., packet pickup and race day registration opens; 7:45 a.m., fun run starts; 8 a.m., 10K starts; 8:05 a.m., 5K starts; 8:30 a.m., time for melons; and 9:15 a.m., awards.

The race beneficiaries include the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Animal Rescue Crusaders of North Texas, Girls on the Run DFW, Tarrant Regional Water District, Hands of Hope, and Friends of the Katy Trail.

For more information and locations to register, visit Runproject.org/events/ melon-dash-race.

Dallas Arboretum Summer Concert Series

The 26th summer season at Dallas Arboretum features a spectacular view of the sunset over White Rock Lake and a dance floor. Gates open at 6 p.m. and concerts start at 7:30 p.m.

The May lineup is May 4: Santana Tribute; May 18: Tribute to Dolly Parton; and May 25: Tribute to Bruce Springsteen (Tinyurl.com/ArboretumSingleTickets). The lawn will be split into two sections, with the area closest to the stage reserved for beachstyle lawn chairs that do not exceed four inches in height from the ground. Chairs with seats higher than four inches are welcome further back on the lawn, while picnic blankets are welcome anywhere.

Pre-order food and snacks online. For more information, call 214-515-6255 or visit DallasArboretum.org.

It Takes a Village to Save Nature Nonprofit

Texan by Nature (TxN) has selected participants in the 2023 TxN Conservation Wranglers, an accelerator program that catalyzes science-based, Texan-led conservation projects occurring in the state that demonstrate a positive return on conservation for people, prosperity and natural resources.

The Wranglers will receive 12 to 18 months of support in program management, strategic planning, marketing strategy, metrics capture and analysis, including the production of United Nations Sustainable Development Report Cards, professional content creation and partnership development.

This year’s Wranglers are American Bird Conservancy - Stopping Plastics and Litter Along Shorelines; Caddo Lake Institute; Ducks Unlimited - Chenier Plain Restoration; Hill Country Alliance - Hill Country Night Sky Program; and Texas Wildlife Association.

Texan by Nature, founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, unites conservation and business leaders that believe the prosperity of Texas is dependent on the conservation of its natural resources.

For more information, visit TexanByNature.org

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

(972) 863-7775

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Light Therapy for Autoimmune Symptoms

Fatigue is often reported as the most disabling symptom for people with autoimmune disorders, significantly impairing their physical, mental and social quality of life. Autoimmune researchers in Denmark, noting previous studies wherein bright light therapy significantly reduced fatigue related to traumatic brain injury and cancer, devised a study involving multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The study was conducted as a randomized, sham-controlled trial of 26 people with MS that reported a Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) score greater than 36. Participants received either bright light therapy or a dim red light sham intervention for 30 minutes each morning for two weeks. The bright light therapy decreased FSS scores over the course of the study. However, this benefit occurred in the sham control group as well, highlighting the need for more research on the effects of light therapy on fatigue.

Fran.Vila/ShutterStock.com

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes With Diet

A Type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosis is often regarded as a lifelong sentence and typically treated as such, requiring an increasing number of drugs. However, sustained remission of T2D is now well established.

In a recent primary care-based cohort study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, advice on a lower-carbohydrate diet and weight loss protocols was offered routinely to 9,800 patients with T2D between 2013 and 2021. Overall, remission was achieved in 51 percent of the patients that adopted a low-carb lifestyle, with individuals diagnosed with T2D within the previous year more likely to achieve remission (77 percent) than those that had been diagnosed for longer (20 percent for patients with a T2D duration greater than 15 years). Additionally, about 97 percent of the patients experienced improvements in blood glycemic control. Average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and systolic blood pressure decreased, and there were also significant financial savings on drugs.

A low-carb diet may give hope to those with T2D as a practical, manageable way to achieve remission, as well as substantial health and financial benefits. Even for those with poorly controlled T2D that may not achieve remission, improvements in diabetic control may be within reach.

Benefits of Water Immersion During Birth

Seniors Avoid the Hospital With Nature

New research has found that exposure to natural environments may reduce the risk of hospitalization for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and Parkinson’s disease. The cohort study included approximately 62 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older that lived in the contiguous United States from 2000 to 2016. Researchers looked at ZIP-Code-level greenness, percentages of park cover and blue space (water) cover, as well as hospitalizations. They found that exposure to greenness, park cover and blue space cover reduced hospitalizations for patients with Parkinson’s. Greenness—but not park or blue space cover—was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization due to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Water immersion during labor is an increasingly popular birthing option for healthy women that experience a straightforward pregnancy, labor spontaneously at full term and plan to give birth in a midwifery-led care setting. The process involves immersion in a birth pool to achieve relaxation and pain relief during the first and possibly part of the second stage of labor. The mother exits the pool for the actual birth, allowing the infant to emerge outside of the water. This method is different from a water birth, during which the woman remains in the pool as the infant emerges into the water and is then brought to the surface to initiate breathing.

In a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Open, researchers compared the interventions and outcomes of water immersion, water birth and no-water-immersion births. After reviewing 36 studies encompassing the experiences of about 150,000 women, researchers found that water immersion significantly reduced the use of epidurals, injected opioids, episiotomy, maternal pain and postpartum hemorrhage. There was also an increase in maternal satisfaction and improved odds of an intact perineum with water immersion. Water births were associated with increased odds of the tearing of the umbilical cord from the placenta, making delivery of the placenta difficult, although the absolute risk remained low (4.3 versus 1.3 per 1,000). There were no differences in any other identified neonatal outcomes.

Ashwagandha May Improve Women’s Sexual Experience

Poor sexual function affects about 40 percent of women and may worsen their quality of life. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a known adaptogenic herb that has been reported to improve sexual satisfaction, sleep and quality of life in women. Researchers in Mumbai set out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of standardized ashwagandha root extract in improving sexual function in healthy females.

A randomized, placebo-controlled study of 80 women between the ages of 18 and 50 with hypoactive sexual desire disorder and no other hormonal imbalances were given either 300 milligrams of ashwagandha root extract twice daily or a placebo for eight weeks. Sexual function, quality of life and safety were assessed. In comparison to the control group, the ashwagandha participants experienced statistically significant improvements in sexual desire, arousal and satisfaction; improved lubrication and orgasm; and less pain.

Ruslan Huzau/ShutterStock.com

Ground Picture/ShutterStock.com

Indian Food Images/ShutterStock.com

Scientists Invent Battery Made of Paper

Scientists have developed a water-activated, disposable, paper battery, according to a proof-of-concept study published in Scientific Reports The developers believe that their invention could be used to power a variety of low-power, single-use electronics, such as smart packaging, environmental sensors and medical diagnostic devices, thereby reducing their environmental impact.

The single-cell battery consists of one square centimeter of paper treated with salts. One side is printed with ink containing graphite flakes, which serves as the positive terminal, and the other side is printed with ink containing zinc powder to create the negative terminal. Another layer of ink containing graphite flakes and carbon black is applied over that, linking the battery’s positive and negative ends to two wires secured by wax.

When a few drops of water are added to the paper, the salts dissolve, releasing charged ions that spread across the paper to activate the battery. In tests, researchers were able to reach a stable 1.2 volts. (The voltage of a standard AA alkaline battery is 1.5 volts.) The battery’s performance decreased significantly after an hour when the paper dried. However, after two more drops of water were added, the battery maintained 0.5 volts for an additional hour.

Exploring the Doomsday Glacier

Roughly measuring the size of Florida, the Thwaites Glacier is one of the most rapidly melting ice formations in Antarctica, having retreated more than eight miles since the 1990s. Scientists refer to it as the “doomsday glacier” due to concerns about its collapse, which could raise global sea levels by more than a meter, causing devastation along coastal cities and communities.

According to two papers published in the journal Nature, researchers are learning more about the driving forces behind the glacier’s rapid retreat, thanks in part to a robot deployed through a 600-meter-deep borehole in the glacier. Although melting has increased beneath the ice shelf, the current melt rate is slower than many computer models had estimated. A layer of fresh water between the bottom of the ice shelf and the ocean below slows the rate of melting along flat parts of the shelf.

Scientists discovered that the melting had produced a stepped topography across the bottom of the ice shelf, resembling a staircase, as well as cracks in the ice where rapid melting was taking place. “Our results are a surprise, but the glacier is still in trouble,” says Dr. Peter Davis, oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey and lead author of one of the papers.

photo courtesy of newatlas

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Sulfur Shortage Predicted

Fir Trees Die in Record Numbers

According to a study in The Geographical Journal led by University College London, a shift away from fossil fuels and an increase in agricultural demand will cause the demand for sulfuric acid to increase considerably from 246 to 400 million metric tons by 2040. The result is an annual supply shortfall of between 100 and 320 million metric tons, or between 40 and 130 percent of the current supply.

Sulfur is a byproduct of processing crude oil and natural gas. As the world decarbonizes in response to climate change, there will be a diminished supply of both fossil fuels and sulfur. Sulfuric acid is required for the manufacture of phosphorus fertilizers used in global food production and for the extraction of rare metals from ores crucial to the transition to a green economy, such as cobalt and nickel used in batteries.

Unless action is taken to reduce the need for this chemical, the study authors warn, environmentally damaging mining will be required to fill the shortfall.

According to unpublished research by the U.S. Forest Service reported by Columbia Insight, fir trees in Oregon and Washington died in record-breaking numbers in 2022. Labeled “Firmageddon” by researchers, the event involved more than 1.23 million acres across the two states, with Oregon being hardest hit. In some areas, an estimated 50 percent or more of fir trees died.

Surveys of more than 69 million forest acres (over 100,000 square miles) in Oregon, Washington, and small sections of California and Idaho were conducted using a combination of fixedwing aircraft, helicopters, drones and satellite imagery. Although fir die-offs have been recorded as far back as 1952, when surveys began, Firmageddon dwarfs all previous accounts. The causes are believed to be drought compounded by insects and fungal diseases working together to weaken and kill trees. Extreme heat, including a record-breaking heat dome, is also being investigated as a possible factor. The dead fir trees pose a major fire risk, especially during the next two years while the trees hold onto their dried-out needles.

Using Algae for Industrial Carbon Capture, Food, Fuel and Plastic

In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Honda is experimenting with the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii class of algae they have nicknamed “Dreamo”, which can eat twice its weight in carbon dioxide in three to five days, depending on the time of year. Developers are growing Dreamo on the roof of a car factory in Tochigi, Japan, where it can absorb CO2 emissions from manufacturing. It has been genetically modified to grow hardier and five times faster than ordinary microalgae, allowing the growth solution to last months instead of weeks.

The development team is also exploring additional uses for Dreamo. After serving its pollution-fighting role, the algae can be harvested, dried and turned into food, fuel or plastic. Depending upon the amount of nitrogen applied to the algae, its cellular composition can be modified to be either predominantly carbohydrate- or protein-based. When the algae is mostly protein, an enzyme can be added to easily extract the starch to be used as food or as a raw material in animal food, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. When the algae is mostly carbohydrate, it can be extracted as glucose and ethanol to be converted into plastic resin or jet fuel.

erome LABOUYRIEShutterStock.com

Tomasz Klejdysz/ShutterStock.com lazaalaexa/ShutterStock.com

North Texas Women in Wellness

multi-specialty clinic that works as team to help patients achieve optimal health. They have the most IFMCP-certified functional medicine practitioners in the country, collaborating together to personalize care. Meeting weekly, they create a plan of care with input from multiple areas of expertise, including M.D.s, NDs, NPs, dieticians, naturopaths, acupuncturist and a functional neurologic chiropractor.

The collaborative addresses autoimmune disorders, brain health, cancer support, chronic fatigue and mystery illnesses, chronic pain, digestive issues and gut problems, environmental illness, heart and metabolic health, healthy longevity and anti-aging, hormone imbalances, mood disorders, and performance (visit Vimeo. com/328671385).

All human bodies have a torso, four limbs and a head, but males and females differ in many important ways. Women can have babies, but men cannot, and their hormones are much more complex because of that. Thus we have doctors that specialize in women’s medicine and just as importantly, women’s preventative health.

Cereset Plano was founded March 2019. Owner Sonya Howeth holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and is a licensed technician for Cereset Technology, a brainbased business that uses a non-invasive, cutting-edge, unique neurotechnology using only brain-initiated sound to relax the brain, allowing it to reset itself and free itself from freeze-fight-or-flight states.

Cereset supports the brain to relax in order to rebalance and reset itself for optimal regulation. A balanced brain is a better brain and sustains a more healthy person in every way. Howeth says, “My passion is to help people who are suffering regain their best selves in a non-invasive way!”

Carpathia Collaborative was founded in 2014 in Dallas built upon the previous practice of Margaret Christensen, M.D., FACOG, IFMCP, ABOIM, CFMHC, since 2002. She graduated from Rice University, received a medical degree from the Baylor

College of Medicine and residency at Baylor University Medical Center, in Dallas.

As a certified functional medicine practitioner (IFMCP), she currently serves as an associate faculty member for the Institute for Functional Medicine teaching physicians and healthcare practitioners nationally and internationally on the role of environmental toxicants, epigenetics, nutrition and lifestyle exposures on hormonal health and chronic complex disease. She is board certified in integrative and holistic medicine through the American College of Physicians and Surgeons. (ABOIM)

Her current interest has turned toward the realm of certified functional medicine health coaching (CFMHC). Focusing on a person’s strengths, values and what is right with them that helps achieve their long-term health goals.

Carpathia Collaborative is a unique,

Christensen says, “At Carpathia, we use our expertise to find the root causes of illness instead of just treating your symptoms. With your active participation and our collaboration, we will help you build resilience, vitality and well-being for a lifetime of vibrant health.”

Services at the Wellness Center include Detox Foot Soak, Emerald Laser, PhotonX, Low Light Laser Therapy, IV Vitamin Therapy Drip – Immune Boost,Ozone: IV or Bladder and Vaginal, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and BEMER Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF). They identify root causes of hormone imbalances from lifestyle, nutrition, genetics, toxins and other factors.

“We believe that the body has incredible capacity to heal itself!” says Christensen. “The challenge is to identify and replace what is missing while removing what is no longer healthy!” She founded Carpathia Collaborative on the belief of participatory care where the client is an instrumental partner in returning their body back to health or keeping it healthy), not predetermined ideas about a diagnosis without a full understanding of a client’s situation.

Roxanne

Pero,

M.D., FACOG, DIPABLM, with Carpathia Collaborative,

Sonya Howeth

Margaret Christensen

Roxanne Pero

graduated from Louisiana State University, received a medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center of New Orleans and subsequently completed a residency at the University of Texas at Southwestern/Parkland Memorial Hospital, in Dallas.

She completed board certification for the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, followed by 11.5 years of private practice in the field of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Infertility. Her expertise is in endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, spirituality in healing, mood disorders and hormonal imbalance.

She is a diplomate/fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle medicine certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle changes to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions.

As a board-eligible functional medicine practitioner (IFMCP) through the Institute of Functional Medicine, she understands the desire and true need for a whole-systems, root cause analysis-based approach to truly thriving in our lives.

Pero specializes in women’s health and is a client’s biggest advocate, educator and ally on her journey to root cause discovery of disease processes, having personally had her own health struggles that holistic medicine has helped her overcome. She works tirelessly to help her clients find that inner source of self-healing and self-compassion, saying, “Empowerment in what we can do together—the provider and the patient—when we are equal participants, is the most meaningful way to regain a resilient life.

Susan Attel, APRN, MSN, FNPBC, IFMCP, with Carpathia Collaborative, graduated

from Baylor University with a bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1999 and a master’s from the University of Texas Arlington in 2003. She says, “I provide an open and intentional listening for what’s primarily at issue, offer discernment in prioritizing concerns, and help co-create a health journey based in those priorities. I believe in the inherent wisdom of the body, mind, spirit and one’s story, with guidance and support, to align towards wellness.”

Registered Nurse Elizabeth Rohe, IFMCP, received a bachelor’s degree in business from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 2008, a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Nova Southeastern University in South Florida in 2012 and became a certified functional medicine practitioner from The Institute for Functional Medicine in 2018.

She says, “A place of healing: Carpathia Collaborative is a second home to me, and I’ve been on the team for eight years. The environment is inviting and homey. I often refer to the waiting room as ‘the living room.’ It is not a cold and sterile environment as compared to other medical practices. We want everyone to feel like this is a place of healing.”

She advises, “I want to encourage clients that they have the power and ability to heal themselves. I recommend personalized comprehensive testing and then offer my suggestions based on those results and based off our conversation of their health history. I hope to lead them in their own healing journey. Each person is unique and thus should be treated that way. I want women and people overall to feel well. To know there are other options out there for their health in a more natural way. I want to help women and couples conceive and have a healthy pregnancy. For women to have balanced hormones and live a life of vitality. For our immune system to work properly and decrease inflammation.”

Dr. Cathy May Lemmon founded Healthy Healing Arts in 2013. She has

done extensive work and research in homeopathy, focusing primarily on the long and successful tenure of homeoprophylaxis (homeopathy as a preventive medicine or immunization against serious infectious diseases). She notes, “I have also been trained in the homeopathic treatment of vaccine damage.” She holds a bachelor’s degree in music, a postgraduate licentiate in homeopathy and a Ph.D. in homeoprophylaxis.

Homeopathy covers all things healthwise, physical, emotional and mental. “I am not a medical doctor or surgeon—I am not going to cut anyone open—but I will work with people to help them resolve issues that may have been concerning them for a short time or a long time. I cannot take many patients, as I am very busy with the demands of my immunization focus, but I am always open to helping people learn about and get going with homeoprophylaxis.”

Through her nonprofit organization Homeoprophylaxis – A Worldwide Choice for Disease Prevention (HPWWC), Lemmon has presented at many conferences about homeoprophylaxis throughout DFW, the U.S. and the world. She says, “I work with people and practitioners locally and worldwide to help them learn about and get going with homeoprophylaxis, either for themselves or, for practitioners, for their practice. I do provide practitioner training for homeoprophylaxis.”

She explains. “I work to keep my practice positive and focused. I like to help each person seeking my help individually— something key to homeopathy. There is no cookie-cutter approach to things in homeopathy, and because I’m not able to take a lot of patients, I want each person who comes to see me to feel they are very important to me because they truly are.

Lemmon advises, “My motto for my organization (HPWWC) has for years, been, ‘Education is Key to Change.’ I like to let this trickle into my homeopathic practice. I tell each person who comes to see me, ‘I don’t want to keep seeing you—I’m not looking

Susan Attel

Elizabeth Rohe

Cathy Lemmon

for a permanent customer—I want you well!’ Working with fine-tuning the mind, helping the person become excited about the fact that he or she is in control of his or her wellness, I want them to be excited about this.”

She shares, “Some cases provide more of a challenge because some cases are deeper, but I strongly and firmly believe that the key to being well is first acknowledging that they desire to be so. I am also one who will say, as much as I love homeopathy, this does not have all the answers, so I keep my doors open and will refer patients on if I feel that will be in their best interest.”

Lemmon lives on a small farm that has been working organically for years. “I am very passionate about things such as nonGMO, no artificial sweeteners and additives, preservatives. Growing your own food can be key to health, if for no other reason than the joy of working in your own garden, she says.,

Phyllis J. Gee, M.D., established Willowbend Health & Wellness in 2019. As a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist for nearly four decades, she decided to change her practice focus to integrative functional medicine. “I saw what was happening to my patients and their declining health over time—similar to what I had personally experienced 20 years ago,” says Gee. “I witnessed the failure of conventional medicine to provide the education and support they needed to survive whatever their current health problems were and begin to thrive again.”

Gee earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from Cornell University, graduated from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, in Detroit, and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. She worked in 1986 as a staff physician for CIGNA HMO, in Garland, prior to starting a solo private practice in Dallas.

At Willowbend Health & Wellness, Gee and her team provide integrative functional medicine services to men, women and adolescents with the goal of identifying the root

causes of their symptoms through advanced diagnostic laboratory testing and functional health assessments. Using advanced medical technology like Trifecta Red Light Therapy, Flowpresso Lymphatic Massage Therapy and BEMER PEMF Therapy, they assist patients in restoring their health.

Gee has developed a comprehensive cardiometabolic program that has successfully improved or resolved metabolic disorders including obesity, prediabetes, diabetes, fatty liver, metabolic syndrome and hypertension via active weight loss and detoxification combined with lifestyle medicine. Gee has recently incorporated regenerative medicine into her services with a primary focus on urinary incontinence, sexual wellness, hair restoration and aesthetics.

Willowbend Health & Wellness was founded upon the principle of patient empowerment and whole person health. This philosophy stresses prevention and patient education instead of disease management by combining the most current clinical research, Western and Eastern medicine, and a unique “lifestyle prescription”. She explains, “I’m passionate about educating patients about what we do and why so they understand the value of receiving integrative care and to empower them to want and demand it for themselves, whether it is with us or another provider.”

Toni Engram, DDS, of Flourish Dental Boutique, integrates holistic principles such as nutrition and prevention into her biological dentistry services. This type of care involves choosing safe, biocompatible dental materials along with a focus on nutritional and overall wellness, so patients can maintain a healthy mouth and healthy body. After overcoming her own health challenges from an autoimmune disease, she began practicing biological dentistry and opened Flourish Dental Boutique in 2020.

“Holistic dentistry focuses on underlying causes,” states Engram. “I discuss diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent oral issues like gum disease.” A Texas native, she

grew up in a family of healthcare professionals. After graduating from Texas Christian University, she received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Baylor College of Dentistry and certification as an integrative health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Flourish offers traditional dental services such as teeth cleaning, fillings, crowns and gum disease treatment, along with nutrition, stress management and other natural modalities such as dental ozone therapy to disinfect the mouth and promote healing after dental procedures. Instead of using mercury-amalgam fillings which contain toxic metals such as mercury, she uses dental composite materials. Engram is certified in Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique protocols to remove mercury-amalgam fillings and replace them with safer alternatives.

“My practice philosophy embodies many of those natural principles,” Engram says. “I focus on nutrition and prevention, seeing mouth as part of whole body and finding the root cause of problems when they do arise.” Engram’s journey is similar to many wellness entrepreneurs that were inspired to pursue a career in holistic health after a personal experience or trauma led them into the holistic arena. “Your own experience can be a powerful tool to help other people along their healing journey.”

“Greener is better,” affirms Lin Ellis, of Eco Friends Organic Pest Control. She uses natural, plant-based pest control products in residential and commercial settings being licensed and certified applicator through the Texas Department of Agriculture, and Integrated Pest Management certified through the state of Texas.

Because prevention is a large component of holistic approaches toward both human and environmental health, Ellis educates her clients about pest prevention measures. Ellis has found that being upfront and realistic is often the best approach. “For example, you can’t resolve an ant problem

Phyllis J. Gee

Toni Engram

Lin Ellis

by just spraying the baseboards and calling it day. We have to find the colony, and we also have to find what is contributing to the problem, such as food being left out. We work with clients to address those issues.” She notes that common household pests can carry diseases including Lyme, west Nile virus and others that can cause illness and contaminate food.

Ellis’ approach includes precise application at points of entry to prevent over-spraying. She believes in transparency, and provides the material data safety sheet for her products, so clients can see what is being used in their homes. Ellis and her team research and field test new products before offering them to clients.

Before forming Eco Friends Organic Pest Control in 2009, Ellis worked in animal medicine. After suffering from an adverse reaction to synthetic pest control products, she became interested in botanical pest control. She and her husband, Mike Ellis, work closely with Dr. Ray Thompson, their staff entomologist, to offer the best botanical pest control options for clients. “I will never recommend anything for my clients before using it in my own home first,” she avows.

Jennifer Engels, M.D., founded We Care Frisco after a years-long transition from a radiologist to a functional medicine practitioner. She became intrigued by functional medicine after attending lectures focused on optimizing nutrition, cardiovascular fitness and preventive medicine strategies.

Engels originally trained as a diagnostic

radiologist specializing in women’s health. She received a bachelor’s degree from Emory University in 1992, and graduated with a doctorate in medicine in 1997 from the University of Texas Medical Branch.

“I practiced as a radiologist in Dallas for about 12 years before I decided to make a career change and become a functional medicine doctor,” she says. Engels has advanced training and certification in several areas, including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BRT) and anti-aging medicine.

Through We Care Frisco, a membership-based functional medicine clinic formed by Engels in 2020, she helps middle-aged people balance their hormones, lose weight and replenish their nutrients through diet and lifestyle changes so that they can feel like themselves again and live the second half of their lives to their greatest potential.

Engles’ approaches include BRT via compounded creams, patches and pellets. Her personalized treatment plans may also include medically supervised weight-loss programs and peptide therapy, which uses natural, non-invasive supplements to reduce inflammation and promote hair growth and weight loss. “Patients leave my office with a personalized treatment plan that they can put into action and start their healing journey,” she says.

As a small, private practice, Engles and her team at We Care Frisco strive to offer personalized wellness care with a whole person approach to address endocrine and hormonal disorders, gastrointestinal issues, skin conditions and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

“We try to peel back the layers of each patient’s unique situation and give them rec-

ommendations about how to heal their body from the inside-out,” she says. “It is very rewarding for me to see how much some of the diet and lifestyle recommendations, as well as hormonal therapy recommendations I give to patients can significantly improve the quality of their lives.”

Cereset Plano

214-892-2273

Info@Plano.Cereset.com

Cereset.com

Carpathia Collaborative

214-773-1395

Media@CarpathiaCollaborative.com

CarpathiaCollaborative.com

Healthy Healing Arts

469-383-8442

Cathy@HealthyHealingArts.com

HealthyHealingArts.com

Willowbend Health & Wellness

469-361-4000

PGeemd@WillowbendHealth andWellness.com

WillowbendHealthandWellness.com

Flourish Dental Boutique

469-676-2777

Info@Flourish.Dental

Flourish.Dental

Eco Friends Organic Pest Control

972-484-7287

Lin@EcoFriendsPestControl.com

EcoFriendsPestControl.com

WeCare Frisco

972-668-2636

WeCareFrisco@gmail.com

WeCareFrisco.com

Jennifer Engels

Skin Fitness

DAILY ROUTINES FOR A RADIANT APPEARANCE

by David J. Sautter

While many of us work out to tone our muscles, we may be neglecting the largest organ in the body: our skin. Every day, it is exposed to a variety of irritants, including ultraviolet rays, air pollution, extreme weather and highly processed foods. Stress can also cause skin irritations and conditions. To serve its important functions and look healthy, our skin needs a fitness regimen. With a few daily routines, lifestyle modifications and coping strategies, a radiant appearance is within reach.

Skin Conditions Exacerbated by Stress

ACNE: When we are stressed, our body releases cortisol, a hormone that stimulates the production of pore-clogging oils, which can lead to the formation of acne. Stress also triggers inflammation, which can worsen existing acne.

PREMATURE AGING: Stress can accelerate the aging process by reducing the skin’s elasticity and causing wrinkles and fine lines. It triggers the production of free radicals, precipitating damage to collagen and elastin fibers, which are responsible for keeping the skin firm and supple. When they are damaged, the skin becomes saggy.

CHRONIC CONDITIONS: Stress can trigger or worsen skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea, which are characterized by inflammation, dryness and itching.

Lifestyle Tips to Improve Skin Health

GET ENOUGH SLEEP. A good night’s sleep is essential for skin health. It also helps reduce the impact of daily stress. Aim for no less than seven hours of shut-eye each night.

EXERCISE REGULARLY. Getting our bodies moving is essential to reduce stress levels and improve skin health by increasing blood flow, nutrient delivery and oxygenation to the skin.

EAT A HEALTHY DIET. “An anti-inflammatory diet full of fruits, veggies and healthy fats like those from seeds and nuts will help to keep skin healthy,” says Jennifer Scheinman, a registered dietitian and nutrition coach. “Foods rich in omega-3 fats like salmon and walnuts are great for skin health since they have natural anti-inflammatory properties, and the fats help to keep skin moisturized.”

PRACTICE STRESS-RELIEVING TECHNIQUES. Engage in activities that help manage stress, such as yoga, meditation or deep-breathing exercises.

APPLY SKIN-CARE PRODUCTS DESIGNED FOR THE PERSON’S SKIN TYPE. According to Dr. Trevor Cates, author of Clean Skin From Within and Natural Beauty Reset, “The most important care tip is to find skin care with mild acidity [4.5 to 5.4 pH] and natural actives [plant-based extracts] that support the skin microbiome. A healthy skin microbiome means less chance for breakouts,

blemishes and premature aging.”

According to Dr. Anne Marie Fine, author of Cracking the Beauty Code, “Air pollution has been demonstrated to prematurely age the skin and cause age spots. This is why you want to make sure to consume antioxidants and use antioxidant-containing, clean skin-care products.”

Therapies to Enhance the Skin

RED-LIGHT THERAPY DEVICES use infrared light to stimulate collagen production, improve circulation and promote healing. This reduces wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and other signs of aging.

MICROCURRENT FACIAL TOOLS use low-level electrical currents to stimu-

late facial muscles, helping to tone, reduce puffiness and promote a youthful appearance.

LASERS DESIGNED FOR HOME

USE offer a safe way to treat various skin issues such as wrinkles, acne scars, sun damage and pigmentation problems. They can also help even out skin tone by stimulating collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin.

GUA SHA is an ancient Chinese technique that involves gently scraping the surface of the skin with a special tool to increase blood flow, promote healing and reduce puffiness and inflammation.

OXYGEN TREATMENTS infused into pores using a special device can help

nourish skin cells, decrease inflammation, reduce wrinkles and improve overall complexion.

FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE involves inserting tiny needles into specific points to stimulate energy flow, which may improve circulation, reduce tension and promote smoother skin.

FACIAL MASSAGE reduces wrinkles by stimulating collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin. It promotes circulation, drainage and toning.

David J. Sautter is a certified personal trainer specializing in fitness nutrition and sports conditioning, as well as a professional fitness writer. Learn more at WriteFit.com.

Natural Hormone Balancing at BeBalanced

by Sheila Julson

BeBalanced centers specialize in holistic hormone balancing. Through coaching and lifestyle strategies, women learn to identify lifestyle triggers that lead to hormone imbalances that result in weight gain, low energy, insomnia, depression and low libido. Clients are taught how to balance hormones naturally through supplements, lifestyle changes and emotional support.

“These physical changes might not be your fault—maybe it’s your hormones,” says Paget Rhee, a multi-unit franchisee who owns BeBalanced centers in Harrisburg East, Harrisburg West and York, Pennsylvania. While serving for nearly two years as Director of Operations for BeBalanced, Rhee had the opportunity to purchase three BeBalanced centers in Texas—Plano, McKinney and Frisco—from the previous owner.

With those Dallas metroplex locations now under her guidance, Rhee encourages people to take a second look at the BeBalanced synthetic-free hormone balancing program. She is enthusiastic to lead her Texas locations down the same path as her successful Pennsylvania centers.

Personal Success and the Quest to Help Others

Ten years ago, things weren’t going so well for Rhee. In her mid-40s, she had experienced work and family stressors, significant weight gain, depression and difficulty sleeping. Regular visits to the gym and dieting yielded no results. Through a friend, Rhee learned about BeBalanced. After going

through the BeBalanced program, she lost 60 pounds. She regained physical and mental stamina. When she learned that BeBalanced was preparing to franchise, Rhee wanted in so she could help others experience the same satisfaction that she had. Rhee opened the first BeBalanced franchise in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and today, there are 25 independently owned BeBalanced centers throughout the country.

Hormones control weight, body temperature, sleep and mood, Rhee explains. “We are different in that we’re not a synthetic hormone replacement option. Our program is a very natural hybrid of coaching, food supplementation and strategy, with a whole person approach.”

Clients begin the BeBalanced program via consultation with a wellness coach to determine if the program is a good fit. The coach looks at gut health, food sensitivities and stress levels. “Stress comes from many sources other than family and work,” Rhee

says. “It can come from electromagnetic fields from smartphones, artificial lighting and preservatives and additives in our foods.”

The BeBalanced program typically lasts 14 weeks. For the first month, wellness coaches work with clients to remove elements that trigger hormone imbalances and introduce natural progesterone, relaxation techniques and foods to improve gut health, insulin levels and blood sugar. Clients are counseled on proper exercise levels. Rhee says during the first month, women typically lose 15 to 20 pounds as they better understand their bodies and naturally balance their hormones.

In the following weeks, the client begins a rebuilding process that introduces foods and lifestyle habits to support natural hormone balance. The last four weeks of the program take a deep dive into nutrition, which includes determining whole foods that best support hormone health, understanding carbohydrates and guidance on supplements. BeBalanced carries their own line of professional-grade food and herbal supplements.

The wellness coaches go through rigorous hormone balance training through the BeBalanced home office. All staff participates in monthly science training with a medical advisor. Rhee notes that many of their wellness coaches have backgrounds in nutrition or healthcare prior to joining BeBalanced.

Rhee observes how there are many synthetic hormone replacement options available, but the BeBalanced approach offers natural ways to boost the body’s own ability to make hormones at any age.

“We want to see our clients thrive and live their highest-quality of life at any age,” Rhee says. “This is a challenging program, and it’s never easy stepping out of your comfort zone. But when you overcome it, you can focus on your next dream or purpose. Because of this program, I’ve done things I wouldn’t have done before—my daughter and I climbed Machu Picchu. It allows me to live a life that I probably wouldn’t have if I had continued on the trajectory that I was on.”

BeBalanced is located at 3610 W. University Dr., Ste. 150, in McKinney, (214-592-8889); 7130 Preston Rd., Ste. 200, in Plano, (214501-4402); and 3290 Main St., Ste. 204, in Frisco, (214-308-9974). For more information, visit BeBalancedCenters.com.

Paget Rhee

Taking Control of Our Hormones

NUTRITIONAL TIPS TO SUPPORT THE DELICATE BALANCE

by Sheila Julson

Think of hormones as the body’s messengers, sending signals that affect a host of functions. Produced by the pancreas, thyroid and other endocrine glands and organs, hormones drive our metabolism, impact mood, regulate blood pressure, manage our sleep cycles, influence sexual function and more. Key players are insulin, cortisol, thyroid and growth hormones, adrenaline, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Keeping these hormones in proper balance is critical for health, and imbalances can lead to a wide range of effects, including diabetes, thyroid disease, unintended weight fluctuations, skin problems, fatigue, mood swings and infertility. While inactivity, stress, age and genetics impact hormone production, our food choices can significantly tip the scales.

Dr. Ann Lee is a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. When treating hormonal, thyroid and adrenal imbalances, she says it is important to focus on foods that provide the minerals and vitamins that support those systems. For women of all ages, she recommends blueberries, asparagus, lettuce, celery and papaya. Teens and women in their 20s can also benefit from apples, bananas, mangoes, avocados, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and most lettuce varieties. The nutrients in these vegetables and fruits become even more important as women reach 30 and for those dealing with menopause, so Lee recommends more frequent consumption of these fresh, whole foods to support the adrenal and thyroid glands.

According to Lee, it is equally important to avoid foods that interfere with hormonal nutrition. She advises women over 50 to lower their caffeine intake. Dairy products contain naturally occurring hormones that can impede human hormone balance and should be eaten in moderation. “ The less external hormonal exposure you have, the easier it is for your own hormones to balance,” Lee explains.

Despite the popularity of intermittent fasting, Lee believes that the trendy eating pattern can deny the body the vitamins and minerals it needs, causing it to produce more adrenalin and cortisol to make up for the loss. “People do intermittent fasting because it might feel good to have more adrenalin, and thus more energy, but it does come at a price—your hormones,” she says.

Most of the foods Lee recommends are low in calories. “In order to curb hunger, you have to eat them regularly, and that goes against intermittent fasting. People that do intermittent fasting often focus on

KALE AND TEMPEH TACOS

In this yummy, low-carb taco recipe, cabbage leaves substitute for the tortillas and are filled with a mixture of protein-packed tempeh, veggies and lots of great spices. Compounds in tempeh called isoflavones serve as a natural remedy for menopausal relief.

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 oz tempeh, cubed

½ tsp sea salt or more, to taste

½ tsp black pepper or more, to taste

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 cups stemmed and chopped fresh kale

4 to 6 large, green cabbage leaves, dipped for 30 seconds into hot water to soften

½ avocado, sliced

1 radish, sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ lime, cut into wedges

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and tempeh and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika and cayenne, stir, then add the

broth and kale. Stir again to combine and cook until the broth thickens and reduces by at least one-half. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Spread the cabbage leaves open on a large plate. Spoon the kale mixture into the center of the leaves. Add some of the avocado, radish slices and cilantro, then fold in the sides like a taco.

Serve with lime wedges.

Adapted from MenuPause. Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Anna Cabeca. Used by permission of Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

cabe/Courtesy of Random House

proteins and fats, so they don’t have to eat for a long time, but that can cause adrenal burnout because the body is not getting what it needs,” she explains, noting that avocados and potatoes tend to help people feel full longer.

Jaclyn Downs is a functional nutrigenomics practitioner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and author of Enhancing Fertility Through Functional Medicine: Using Nutrigenomics to Solve ‘Unexplained’ Infertility. She notes that for hormones to be produced by the body, nutritional cofactors or “helper nutrients” are required. “Magnesium, zinc and B vitamins are a few of the spark plugs that move these processes and keep the wheels spinning,” she emphasizes. “Grass-fed beef liver or capsules contain all of these.”

According to Downs, menstrual problems can be an indicator of eventual fertility issues. To support female reproductive hormones, she recommends cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. These foods also support liver detoxification pathways due to their high concentrations of vitamins and sulfur. “ The liver helps clear used or ‘dirty’ hormones,” she notes. Downs also recommends pomegranates, which are rich in antioxidants and fight inflammation-producing free radicals. Healthy fats from cold-water, wild-caught fish support pregnant women and growing fetuses. “Folate is often emphasized as a nutrient for pregnant women, but choline is just as important for everybody, regardless of life stage or gender,” Downs notes. Choline is found in egg yolks, sunflower lecithin and shiitake mushrooms. For 50-plus women, Downs prescribes fish or high-quality fish oil, which can benefit brain, liver and hormonal health.

VANILLA AND FIG SCONES WITH PISTACHIOS

A great dessert or breakfast treat, a scone is a baked good usually made with wheat flour and butter. This recipe calls for almond flour instead to reduce the carbs and increase the nutrition. The pastry has been enjoyed in Scotland since 1513, and its name probably derives from the Dutch word for bread. Figs and pistachios sweeten the scones and give them a bit of crunch.

YIELD: 6 TO 8 SCONES

2½ cups almond flour

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp baking soda

⅓ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup honey

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup chopped dried figs, plus some for garnish

½ cup pistachios, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until thoroughly combined. Fold in the ½ cup of figs and the pistachios.

Place the dough on the baking sheet and shape into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut into squares and then cut the squares diagonally into triangular wedges. Separate the wedges so they are about 1 inch apart to allow for even cooking. Press a few pieces of fig into the top of each wedge.

Bake for 12 to 17 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in a scone comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet, then serve.

Adapted from MenuPause. Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Anna Cabeca. Used by permission of Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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

Photo courtesy of Dr. Anna Cabeca

While inactivity, stress, age and genetics impact hormone production, our food choices can significantly tip the scales.

The Divine Messiness of Motherhood

by Marlaina Donato

The pitter-patter of little feet is one of life’s most beautiful blessings, but motherhood has always been a challenging role. In today’s world, the calling is more complicated than ever, and the average Mama Bear has a lot on her many plates. Despite support systems, juggling it all is often an obstacle course moms navigate behind closed doors.

It’s okay to not be okay. Society tends to impose unnecessary guilt upon mothers for voicing what most parents feel at one time or another. Feelings are human, and so too is being overwhelmed. Self-care enables us to nurture others, and it begins by being gentle with ourselves as we weave a tapestry of work, soccer games, homework and bedtime baths. Even when the threads are haphazard and tangled, it is healing to surrender to the realization that sometimes we cannot do it all, and it is not a sign of failure. Showing only the good days on social media or going on autopilot can add pressure, instead of peace.

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one,” says author Jill Churchill. Being a good mother begins by being good to ourselves, and it doesn’t require a miracle to make it happen. A few minor routine adjustments can renew sanity and energy:

n Take one minute to run comfortably hot water over your hands and relax into the stream. Hot

water helps the body release dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for inducing joyful feelings, lessening pain and lifting anxiety.

n Instead of scrolling through social media, take 10 or 15 minutes to do nothing. Lie down on the floor, close your eyes and just breathe. Surrender completely to letting go; begin by relaxing facial muscles and work your way down to your toes.

n Play a favorite song and dance with your kids.

n Avoid overscheduling and “shoulds”.

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

Beaunitta V W/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock.com

SOLVING STRESS

HOLISTIC TIPS FROM LIFESTYLE DOCTORS

by Linda Sechrist

Medicine is changing as a new class of doctors endeavors to treat the whole person rather than the symptoms of disease, helping their patients achieve optimal health with lifestyle changes, medicine, herbs, supplements and modalities tailored to the individual. No longer reaching for a prescription pad as often, these functional and integrative physicians are spending

an average of 45 minutes per office visit. Using their sleuthing skills and innovative skillsets, they ask probing questions about a patient’s current lifestyle and history, pinpoint the root cause of a problem and craft customized solutions.

To help someone manage stress, a functional or integrative doctor may suggest a daily dose of herbal tea, nightly entries in a gratitude journal, a visualization practice,

brisk walks, gardening, art therapy, mindful meditation, a nutrient-rich diet that reduces food allergies, yoga poses and regular sessions of qigong or tai chi. Armed with an extensive list of better-for-you choices than addictive, prescription sleeping pills or tranquilizers, individuals are empowered to improve their health and eliminate stress. Studies suggest that 75 to 90 percent of illnesses are stress related. Getting to the

root cause before it escalates into cardiovascular disease, depression or diabetes is what curious and compassionate doctors do.

“Because sleep is a great resolution to almost anything, it’s one of the first things I consider,” says Carrie Jones, a functional and naturopathic doctor in Portland, Oregon. “Stress can be physiological, caused by parasites, viruses, bacteria and toxins, as well as blood sugar imbalances. Not getting enough sleep, or poor sleep, is stressful to the body, which is on alert all the time.”

According to Jones, finding ways to coax the body into feeling safe can help people relieve stress and get a good night’s sleep. “People rarely realize that basic things such as joy, play, laughter and a community of supportive people have anything to do with feeling safe enough to sleep deeply. It’s why I inquire about those things,” she explains.

Tips for Sounder Slumber

n Turn the thermostat down in the bedroom. A cool temperature combats insomnia.

n Snuggle under a weighted blanket. The gentle pressure signals the autonomic nervous system to go into rest mode.

n Install blackout shades. Light decreases melatonin, the sleep hormone.

n Avoid alcohol before bed, as it can disrupt the sleep cycle.

n Stop using electronics, including social media, television and phones, two hours before getting under the covers. The blue light emitted by screens restrains the production of melatonin.

Connecting and spending quality social time with friends helps to alleviate stress. Anna Cabeca, a triple board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, advises, “Every day, stress causes the stress hormone cortisol to go up and oxytocin, the connecting hormone, to go down, lessening the desire to connect. It’s a double whammy for women in perimenopause and menopause, because hormones are declining, and stress overloads the already overtaxed endocrine system.”

Rebecca Hunton, personalized medicine doctor and founder of Radiantly Healthy MD, in Melbourne, Florida, coaches her patients to modify unhelpful habits. “I’m always looking for that one thing that patients can easily change. Sometimes it’s teaching them the difference between stress resilience and stress avoidance. A stress avoidance activity is spending two hours playing a game on your phone that leaves you beating yourself up and feeling like, ‘Why did I waste all that time?’ If, on the other hand, an activity leaves you feeling energized and wanting to tackle the other things on your to-do list, you just did a stress resilience activity,” says Hunton.

Stress Resilience Activities

n Meditation

n Prayer

n Chanting a mantra

n Expressing creativity, such as cooking or painting

Carol Penn is a dual board-certified physician and movement coach in New Jersey. While observing her 87-year-old father practicing qigong, a form of meditation in motion, she had an epiphany and saw a powerful life lesson occurring before her eyes. “Moving with strength and grace through his practice so close to the end of his life, it occurred to me that he was role-modeling what it would be like for me to be kind to my future self. I teach my patients from this perspective, visualizing their future selves full of health, vitality, wonder and awe,” says the author of Meditation in a Time of Madness.

Qigong has psychological and physical components, regulating the mind, body movement, breath and posture. “It balances and calms the autonomic, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems so that you feel less stress upon completion of the practice. Movements are designed to build longevity on a cellular level,” Penn explains.

According to Lorraine Maita, a board-certified functional and integrative doctor in New Jersey, “The body sends out hormonal fight-or-flight signals when it’s distressed. In the initial stages, there’s a release of adrenaline, followed by cortisol, keeping your body on high alert. To most people, stress is just worry, and they’re thinking they’re handling it, but stress can be like a viral program running in the background all the time. It’s still there whether you’re reacting to it or not, whether you’re stuffing it under the surface or not. It’s why you go to therapy with mental stress, or why you need someone to talk to for processing it.”

Maita is a proponent of alternative modalities that help people modulate the stress response. “I recommend HeartMath to my

patients, which is self-regulation technology based on more than 32 years of scientific research on the psychophysiology of stress, resilience and the interactions between the heart and brain,” says the author of Vibrance for Life: How to Live Younger and Healthier.

Jaquel Patterson, a naturopathic physician and medical director of Fairfield Family Health, in Connecticut, might determine if her patient is suffering from chronic stress by testing their saliva for cortisol levels in the morning and evening. Noting that her

R WC

I V

s i n o u r h e a r t h e a l t h i v t r e a t m e n t a r e a i m e d a t l o w e r i n g u n w a n t e d , h i g h c h o l e s t e r o l l e v e l s , h i g h b l o o d p r e s s u r e , m i t i g a t i n g r i s k s o f c a r d i a c a r r e s t , h e a r t a t t a c k , a n d s t r o k e I f a t a l l p o s s i b l e , t h e o b j e c t i v e o f o u r h e a l t h y h e a r t i n f u s i o n i s t o m i t i g a t e c a r d i o i s s u e s o v e r a l l , a n d i d e a l l y , e l i m i n a t e

favorite teas for sleep and relaxation are chamomile and passionflower, she explains that passionflower is for someone that can’t fall asleep because there’s a radio playing in their head. “For dealing with stress, I like adaptogens, such as Siberian ginseng, rhodiola rosea, ashwagandha, holy basil and L-theanine. The stress response requires a lot of B vitamins, along with magnesium and vitamin C,” she says.

Citing Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle , Patterson recommends starting every day with a set of stress-relieving rituals Elrod calls “Life S.A.V.E.R.S.” She explains, “S is for silence, like meditation. A is for affirmations. V is for visualization, so you can visualize how your day is going to be. E is for exercise. R is for reading, and S is for scribing, writing things in a journal.”

Pointing out the differences between stress and anxiety, Patterson notes that anxiety is a continual rumination of thoughts, second-guessing and overthinking. Anxiety can cause stress, but stress can occur without anxiety. People with high anxiety sometimes have heart palpitations. Some stress is good for us. Without any stressors, Patterson cautions, we are unmotivated, lethargic and lacking in enthusiasm.

Technological Solutions to Quiet the Anxious Mind

n Reflect Orb: This handheld biofeedback device can help an individual self-monitor their body’s physiology and learn to control the involuntary body-mind connection.

n Meditation apps: Insight Timer, Calm and similar apps offer guided meditations, relaxing music videos and meditation instruction for newbies and experienced practitioners.

n YouTube videos: Look for musical compositions with energy frequencies and binaural beats that encourage relaxation, promote positivity and decrease anxiety.

Linda Sechrist has been a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings publications for almost 20 years.

Earth-Friendly Delights for Mom

by Marlaina Donato

This year, consider putting an ecological spin on Mother’s Day by showering her with gifts that honor Mother Earth. Here are some sustainable gifting ideas.

Flower Power

Lavish her with an eco-friendly bouquet. Conventional blooms that are flown in from South America can be riddled with fungicides, carcinogen-laden floral foams, sheens and other hazardous chemicals, not to mention the huge carbon footprint required to bring them here. Locally grown, organic flowers at farmers markets, sustainable florists and small-business greenhouses are produced with fewer or no chemicals, support pollinators and require no jet fuel to get to mom’s doorstep.

Choice Chocolates

Satisfy mama’s sweet tooth with organic, fair-trade chocolate that helps cocoa farmers earn a living wage and does not promote deforestation. Opting to buy ethical chocolate prevents child and slave labor and provides women equal pay as well as opportunities to own a business. Look for certified, fair-trade labels as well as nonGMO and organic certifications.

Bling Blessings

Adorn her with ethically sourced and sustainable jewelry created from recycled precious metals, Fairmined Ecological gold and conflict-free gemstones. Beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations can be found at local artisan fairs or online from eco-conscious jewelers. Look for sellers with sustainable jewelry certifications and those that use recycled, upcycled or reclaimed materials.

Climate Café

Fill her cup with bird-friendly, shade-grown, fair-trade coffees and teas that offer a healthier caffeine fix while protecting bird populations and canopy cover. Choosing products labeled Rainforest Alliance Certified or Bird Friendly helps to ensure the habitat for 40 species of migratory songbirds that winter in plantations.

Local Luxuries

There are so many ways to support the local economy while treating mom to an unforgettable experience that makes her feel extra-special. Give her a gift certificate for a massage, aromatherapy session or makeover at an organic salon. Treat her to a fabulous dinner at a vegan restaurant. Subscribe her to receive a monthly produce box from a community-supported agriculture outlet. Pack a healthy picnic and spend the afternoon together at the park. Create a gift basket of goods made by local artisans, including beeswax candles, pottery or body treats like handmade soaps and lotions.

Natalia/AdobeStock.com

Gardening Therapy

HEALING MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT IN THE YARD

by Sheryl DeVore

Gardening outdoors adds color and texture to yards and neighborhoods and, with the right plants, attracts pollinators, whose numbers are declining. It also can improve human health. The exercise, sunshine and fresh air promote mental and physical health, and so does our contact with soil microbes and the harmonious patterns of nature.

HollyHarryAdobeStock.com

“Being in the sunlight is a great way to get vitamin D, which is linked to mood and well-being. We spend so much time inside, where our perspective and thoughts can close around us. Getting outdoors can improve mindfulness and the sense of being in the moment, especially when we leave our phones inside,” says Pennsylvania-based psychologist Seth J. Gillihan, author of Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope and Peace.

In a study of the health and well-being benefits of allotment gardening published in the Journal of Public Health, researchers measured the mood, self-esteem and general health markers of people given plots for gardening versus those that didn’t garden at all. The scientists found that the gardeners displayed significantly better self-esteem and experienced less depression and fatigue. The top three reasons participants gave for enjoying their time tinkering in the soil were: being outdoors and having contact with nature (70 percent); feeling a sense of achievement (50 percent); and having the opportunity for restoration and stress relief (35 percent).

Cultivating our outdoor space also gives us a healthy perspective, helping us to accept our limitations and better understand our place in nature. “It’s easy to see in the garden how many things are outside of our control, such as rain, temperature and pests. We can do our best, but at some point, we need to let go,” Gillihan notes, adding that learning to let go is a lesson we can apply to other aspects of our lives.

When he faced a long-term illness coupled with depression, Gillihan built raised garden beds and planted herbs and vegetables.

“I knew I needed to get more involved in something that would bring me a sense of reward and engagement. All of that creative effort really helped to bring me back to life,” he recalls. “In a garden, you’re exercising, but it’s not a repetitive thing like running, so that can make it more fun and seem like less of a task.”

“Digging, walking, carrying and squatting circulate our blood and release dopamine and endorphins in our brains,” says Karen Hugg, author of Leaf Your Troubles Behind: How to Destress and Grow Happiness Through Plants. “We feel more energetic and happier. Similarly, puttering in the garden or designing an ornamental bed is really about playing, and playing is integral to mental health.”

By merely observing greenery we can find peace and clarity. “A tree’s subdividing branches or the whorled arrangement of leaves are patterns that can calm the nervous system. If you look at plants during even a five-minute break, either indoors or out, you’re practicing a kind of relaxation therapy,” Hugg affirms.

A little bit of earth under our fingernails is good for us. “When you get your hands dirty, there are beneficial microbes in the soil that improve your health and well-being,” says Charlie Hall, professor of horticultural studies and department chair at Texas A&M University, who has researched the physiological, psychological and social benefits of plants.

According to Hall, horticultural therapy reduces stress and anxiety, enhances memory and attention span and can improve quality of life for those with physical, mental

or cognitive challenges. Citing the example of disabled adults helping to run a garden center and greenhouse at the Brookwood Community in Brookshire, Texas, he notes, “Working together in a garden builds a sense of belonging. Even those who are not physically able to participate in those activities benefit. Just being in the garden can dramatically reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.”

Gardening Tips to Improve Human and Planetary Health

n Choose a modest space outdoors or purchase small containers.

n Keep it simple and start small with just a few plants.

n Read books to learn about plant needs by region.

n Talk to nurseries that sell native species.

n Think of the garden as a refuge, a place to smell flowers and watch plants thrive.

n View gardening as a fun exercise.

n Join a community garden to cultivate flowers and vegetables in a social setting.

n Grow houseplants, herbs and lettuces to bring in the outdoors.

n Volunteer at a nonprofit that propagates vegetables for food pantries.

Sheryl DeVore is a frequent contributor to national and regional publications and has authored six books on science, health and nature. Learn more at SherylDeVore.wordpress. com.

Alexander Raths/AdobeStock.com

The Texas Master Gardener program is designed for those passionate about maintaining lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. After completing a training course and fulfilling their volunteer commitment, participants become certified

Become a Texas Master Gardener

master gardeners.

Known for their enthusiasm, willingness to learn, help others and communicate with diverse groups of people, one distinguishing feature of master gardeners is their special training in horticulture. As part of the program, individuals receive training and contribute their time as volunteers in exchange, providing horticulture-related information to their communities through a local extension office.

A potential master gardener should want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of many types of plants; be eager to participate in a practical and intense training program; look forward to sharing knowledge with people in the community; and have time to attend training and complete volunteer service. They may contact their local extension office to see if there is a master gardener program in their county. Not all counties have a program.

If a program is available, obtain an application from the master gardener coordinator at the office. The course provides a minimum

of 50 hours of instruction that covers topics such as lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insect, disease, weed management, soils, plant nutrition, vegetable gardening, home fruit production, garden flowers and water conservation.

Classes are taught by Texas AgriLife Extension specialists, agents and local experts at different times and locations throughout the year. Check with a county extension office for specific details. Participants are required to volunteer at least 50 hours of service within one year following the training. The type of service varies according to community needs, abilities and interests. Examples include answering telephone requests for gardening information, staffing plant clinics or displays, speaking to local groups, conducting workshops, establishing community garden projects, working with 4-H youth and assisting agents with news or radio releases related to gardening.

For more information, visit Mastergardener. tamu.edu/become.

Carol Penn ON FINDING CALM IN A CHAOTIC WORLD

by Sandra Yeyati

Dr. Carol Penn, double board-certified in family and obesity medicine, is a movement, meditation and mindset coach who teaches people to prioritize self-care to achieve their best and highest selves. She is certified in mind-body medicine, fitness and personal training, yoga and qigong, and draws inspiration and wisdom from a previous career as a dancer and dance educator with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Penn is the author of Meditation in a Time of Madness: A Guidebook for Talented Tweens, Teens, Their Parents and Guardians Who Need to Thrive.

Why did you write your book?

Because I was heartbroken after speaking to an 8-year-old in Parkland, Florida. I asked him, “Are you looking forward to going back to school?” not realizing his older sibling was one of the teenagers murdered in the Stoneman Douglas school shooting. He responded, “I feel like something bad could happen, and no one will be able to help me—not my parents, not my teachers, not even the president.”

An 8-year-old shouldn’t be afraid to go to school, and if that’s what our society is becoming, then children need resiliency skills, a way to self-soothe, and so do their parents. The book is a response to gun violence, but it also applies to the pandemic and other unprecedented events that cause that kind of internal chaos and disorientation that leads to mood disorders, depression, anxiety and suicidality. Whether it’s meditation, yoga, journaling or something else, mind-body skills can get you back to your center so you can function at a higher level from a place of calm and relaxed awareness, versus out of fear and nervousness.

Why do you define meditation as relaxed awareness?

Many people think that you have to sit in a certain posture and have no thoughts to meditate, but that isn’t true. We have 60,000 thoughts a day, and we don’t pay attention to most of them. Meditation allows you to slow your thoughts so they’re not as overwhelming and don’t interfere as much. When thoughts slow down and there’s space between them, your body also begins to slow down. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins are released in the brain, and you feel their downstream effect, which we call relaxation

What is soft belly breathing?

Many times, you get into this rigid kind of breath where you’re holding your belly in and your shoulders are thrown back. People think they look better if they have a flat, tight belly, and that’s how they’re moving in the world, but they’re not getting the full experience of the breath. Soft

belly breathing relaxes the torso, particularly that area just below your navel. This type of breathing allows the diaphragm to push down and massage everything beneath it, improving digestion and elimination processes and allowing the lungs to fill out from their bases where you pick up all the oxygen and nutrients that need to be carried throughout the body. As you inhale, say the word “soft” to remind yourself to soften and let go of any muscle tension. As you exhale, say “belly” to be reminded not to hold that part of the body in a rigid way.

Why do you say that movement is medicine?

Motion is synonymous with life. There’s always something moving, even when we’re asleep. Even gentle movement helps the body release endorphins, which elevate our mood, reduce pain and bring us pleasure. We want to bring that flow and fluidity into our lives so that we can tap into it on purpose. Have you ever noticed the less you move, the harder it is to move? Movement needs to be encouraged throughout the lifespan.

What movements do you recommend?

One starts in a standing position. Notice how the rib cage moves as you soft belly breathe. Soften the knees, drop the chin to the chest and as you inhale, lift the arms and feel yourself float away slightly from the body to create a gentle undulation

of the spine. This stimulates the “mu” receptors that cause our brain to release pain-reducing endorphins.

Another is to shake it off, like when a dog is walking along and all of a sudden their back twitches, they shake and then continue along their merry way. If we’re bothering them, dogs will literally shake it off. They don’t let it anchor in the body, in their muscles and in their nervous system the way that humans do. Some people wake up tired. Their jaw hurts because they were clenching their teeth all night. By shaking off that tension for one to three minutes, you loosen the tight ligaments where we habitually hold tension.

What is “taking your seat on your throne,” and how can it help us?

I came up with that when teaching women how to meditate from a seated position. Women wear so many hats that life can feel weary, so asking them to sit down as if they’re taking a seat upon the throne of their own well-being gives them a way of sitting that’s different than just plopping down and collapsing because they’re exhausted. It shifts the energy and mental picture. You are more than the exhausted mother, executive, wife or caretaker. There’s a regal elegance, calm and quiet strength inside, and we’re going to meet her in our time of meditation.

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of Natural Awakenings

Bringing the Bounce Back

INTEGRATIVE TREATMENTS FOR PETS WITH MOBILITY ISSUES

by Ruth Roberts, DVM

All pet owners want to see their animals live long, healthy lives filled with activity, but sometimes our furry friends find it difficult to move comfortably due to aging, injuries and other ailments. While vets often suggest surgery for certain debilitating conditions, less invasive treatments might be just as effective with considerably less risk, particularly for animals that cannot tolerate anesthesia.

For example, a 2013 University of Minnesota study focused on large-breed, overweight dogs with torn knee ligaments. Half of the dogs were treated with medical management consisting of weight loss, pain medication and physical therapy, and the other half received surgery to repair the torn ligament, followed by the same medical

management. After a year, 75 percent of the dogs treated with surgery and medical management were considered treatment successes, based on leg function, quality of life and gait analysis. Surprisingly, 63.6 percent of the dogs that did not have surgery and received only medical management were also deemed successful cases.

Before considering surgery or other invasive treatments, integrative pet mobility and rehabilitation (IPMR) might be a good way to help a pet regain its vitality without going under the knife. It is a holistic approach to helping pets recover from injuries, manage pain and improve mobility that combines various techniques to provide a comprehensive and personalized plan for each pet.

“It is all about educating pet parents and

preserving the best quality of life for my patients,” says Dr. Joyce Gerardi, of Synergy Integrative Veterinary Clinic. “Over time, my special interests have grown to include platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate, adipose-derived and allogeneic amniotic stem cell therapies, acupuncture, food therapy, cold laser, herbal medicine, tuina massage, ozone and physical rehabilitation services.”

Here is a look at a few such modalities.

LASER THERAPY uses light energy to stimulate tissue repair and reduce pain. The procedure involves the application of laser light to the damaged area using a handheld device. The severity of the ailment and the location being treated determines the length

and frequency of treatments. The patient will feel a gentle, warm sensation as the laser technician or veterinarian moves the device over the affected area. Pets usually relax and take pleasure in the calming warmth of laser therapy, which is painless.

PHYSICAL THERAPY is an essential component of IPMR. It involves exercises and stretches that help pets regain strength and flexibility in their muscles and joints. A trained physical therapist can customize a plan that targets specific areas of concern such as the hips, knees or spine. This can help reduce pain and improve mobility, allowing pets to move around more easily and enjoy their favorite activities.

ACUPUNCTURE involves inserting tiny needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the nervous system and promote healing. Acupuncture can help relieve pain, reduce inflammation and improve

circulation, all contributing to improved pet mobility.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE involves manipulating the spine to correct misalignments and improve overall function. This can help pets with hip dysplasia, arthritis or spinal injuries.

MASSAGE involves gentle pressure and strokes to relax muscles, reduce pain and improve circulation. Massage can also help pets with anxiety or stress, which can contribute to muscle tension and pain.

NUTRITION: A well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet can help with healing, inflammation reduction and overall health. A qualified veterinarian can recommend a diet plan tailored to each pet’s needs.

Easing a Pet’s Pain While in Treatment

Reducing a pet’s discomfort with full-spec-

trum cannabinoids or, if needed, prescription pain medications offers better comfort and recovery time. Another option is to reduce a pet’s stress by balancing its adrenal stress hormones.

Ruth Roberts is a holistic veterinarian and certified pet health coach with more than 30 years’ experience.

Dallas-Tarrant-Rockwall counties

calendar of events

MONDAY, MAY 1

Texas Tough Plants – 6:30-8pm. We’ll cover our Rooted In “top 100” landscape plants; perfect for safeguarding your landscape against even the toughest conditions. Free. Virtual. RootedIn.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 6

Native Plant Sale – 10am-2pm. Features a large variety of Texas Native Plant species good for our soils and climate. River Legacy Park, 701 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Elm Grove Pavilion, Arlington. TXNativePlants.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 Purification – 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. 972-248-9126. AnandaDallas.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.

tuesday

Online: Ananda Yoga Sadhana Practice – 5:157:30pm. Also Thurs. Time to recalibrate and center through this transformational 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.

Native Plants and Prairies Day – 11am-4pm. A fun, free event for families to celebrate our Blackland prairies here in North Texas. Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E Lawther Dr, Dallas. Details: ntxnppd.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 9

Dallas Sierra Club Meeting – 7pm. Meeting topic TBA. Zoom. DallasSierraClub.org.

THURSDAY, MAY 11

Butterfly Gardening: Flitter, Flutter, Flowers – 6-7:30pm. Learn easy and practical tips to create butterfly habitat in your landscape. Will also cover resources for selecting the right plants as host species for caterpillars. Free. Botanical Research Institute of Texas 1700 University Dr, Fort Wort. RootedIn.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 16

Native Plant Design: Blending Beauty and Function – 6-7pm. Learn how to cultivate key strategies from natural systems to control your landscape while still enjoying their dynamic, natural beauty. Free. Virtual. RootedIn.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

Cool Off with Shade Gardening – 6-7:30pm. Learn about the many native and adapted plants that not only survive, but thrive, in shadier spots, along with tips and tricks to create beautiful shade gardens that beat the Texas heat. Free. Virtual. RootedIn.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 20

Grow Native: Plants for Texas – 9-11am. Learn how to grow our favorite native wildflowers, trees, shrubs as well as perennials with lush vibrant colors and textures to make your garden the envy of the neighborhood. Free. Virtual. RootedIn.com.

Celebration Service Live – 11am. Meditation, music and lessons on YouTube live: Unity on Greenville Dallas, TX or Cutt.ly/2tzQx4i. Love offering. Unity on Greenville, 3425 Greenville Ave, Dallas. 214-826-5683. 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.

YES: A Young Adults Meditation Fellowship – 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. Yoga4Love.com.

Sunday Meditation – 3:15-4:15pm. With Lynne Patterson. Class offers many meditation 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 meditation, 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. DallasMedita tionCenter.com.

monday

Online: Zen to Go – 12-12:45pm. Mon-Thurs. An oasis in the middle of the day offering walking and sitting meditation followed by brief sharing. Donation accepted. Dallas Meditation Center, 810 We Arapaho Rd, Ste 98, Richardson. 972432-7871. DallasMeditationCenter.com.

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

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 universal 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-Economy. 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. FirstMethodistMansfield.org.

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

calendar of events

SATURDAY, MAY 6

Wonders of Water – 10am-12pm. This family-friendly, come-and-go event is a great opportunity to learn how to protect the watershed all year long. Free. Environmental Education Center, 4116 W Plano Pkwy, Plano. 972-7694130. Register: LiveGreenInPlano.obsres.com.

StrEATs Food Truck and Music Festival –11am-8pm. Features gourmet food from the best food trucks in the DFW metroplex, live musical acts, a unique shopping experience, craft beer and wine, and countless children’s activities. Free admission. The Rail District- Frisco Texas, 6959 Main St, Frisco. FriscoRailDistrictMer chants.com/streats.

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.

Night Hike – 8pm. Explore the thrilling sights, smells, and sounds of night with Heard Trail Guides. $12/member, $14/nonmember. Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Pl, McKinney. 972-562-5566. Heard Museum.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 7

Meadow Bird Walk – 7:30-9:30am. Birders 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.

SATURDAY, MAY 13

Early Bird Walk – 8-9:30am. Led by Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, weather permitting. Free. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOf Hagerman.com.

Spring Family Campout – May 13-14. 4pm, Sat-9am, Sun.Campout activities include a group night hike to help you learn more about our local wildlife, a scavenger hunt, a live animal show, games and more. Bob Jones Nature Center, 355 Bob Jones Rd, Southlake. 817-748-8019. Expe rienceSouthlakeTexas.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 14

Meet the Meadow Introductory Trail Walk – 3-4pm. An introductory trail walk which is appropriate for families and those new to The Meadow. Led by Texas Master Naturalists and Meadow Volunteers. Free. Details: Connemara Conservancy.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 20

The Refuge Rocks – 10am. Ages 5-10. Busy Bees. Free. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. Registration required: 903-786-2826 or FriendsOfHagerman.com.

Urban Wildlife – 11am-12pm. Join Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Biologist, Rachel Richter, to learn more about urban wildlife in DFW. Bob Jones Nature Center, 355 Bob Jones Rd, Southlake. 817-748-8019. ExperienceSouthlake Texas.com.

Coppell Farmers Market – 8am-12pm. Yearround market. 768 W Main St, Coppell. CoppellFarmersMarket.org.

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

Second Saturday Guided Hike – 8:30-9:30am. Learn about our surrounding habitat 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 engaging while presenting the latest evidenced based material on each topic. $35/class. Childbirth-Classes.com.

Zip Line Day – 9am-12pm. 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.

Second Saturday Presentation at HNWR –10am. Butterflies with Laurie Sheppard. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman. 903-786-2826. FriendsOfHagerman.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 27

Zip Line Day – 9am-12pm. 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.

planahead

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

A Walk in the Park – 9am-12pm. Rain date, June 10. See which plants endured our winter weather and will continue to thrive in the heat of our Texas summer. Children’s activities and demonstrations as well. Myers Park & Event Center, 7117 CR 166, McKinney. ccmgatx.org.

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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. 817-527-7446. FarmersMarketOfGrapevine.com.

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. 940-3720343. CircleNDairy.com.

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

Star Coyote Events – Monthly events include gong, Tibetan bowl and crystal bowl sound journeys, shamanic journey with a drum dance, kid’s energy and creativity events, and a Wed morning class series. Please see the calendar at StarCoyoteSoundTemple.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, 8am4pm. 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. AgapeSpiritualCenter.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. 214453-0218. UnityOfNewHope.org.

Sunday Brunch –10am-3pm. Serves up farm-totable shared plates, 72 taps (wine & craft beer), and a welcoming atmosphere to create a unique dining experience. Craft & Vine, 310 S Oak St, Roanoke. 817-464-8181. CraftAndVine.Restaurant.

Horizon UU Worship Service – 10:30am-12pm. 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 cows are fed, the benefits of grass-crop based feed (silage), the

Mystic Mandala Meditations – 6:30-7:30pm. Guided by Vijay Moksha. A non-denominational mindfulness practice to evolve consciousness; to go beyond the mind using the mind itself. MysticMandalaCenter.com.

saturday

The Little Sit – 6am. 1st Sat. 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.

Facebook.com/NADallasmag

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club

2nd Saturday Bird Walk – Sept-June. 8-9:30am. Helps beginning and intermediate birders with bird spotting and identification techniques. Included in general admission; free/Heard Museum members. Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Pl, McKinney. 972-562-5566. 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. Registration required: 972-219-3550 or llela.org.

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?

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 Brookhaven College, Bldg H

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.

3939 Valley View Lane 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

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: 972442-7607. BPRaptorCenter.org.

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

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

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

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

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 request 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, spinal decompression, allergy testing, NAET, IMAET, detoxification, weight loss, hormone balancing, wellness programs and more. All-natural healing, no medication, no surgery. See ad, page 23.

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, enabling 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 focus or lack of joy. Periodic “tune-ups” provide ongoing support, ensuring long-term brain balance. See ad on page 4.

Dr. Barrier integrates mindbody-spirit into his psychotherapy practice. He specializes in Daleth Transformational Breathwork, Energy Healing techniques, and Hypnotherapy to assist clients in releasing old patterns and creating a better life. Dr. Barrier has been a licensed psychotherapist for 30+ years.

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, spinal decompression, allergy testing, NAET, IMAET, detoxification, weight loss, hormone balancing, wellness programs and more. All-natural healing, no medication, no surgery. See ad, page 23.

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 accredited one and two year certificates, degrees and core credit courses guaranteed to transfer to Texas colleges and universities.

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 institution for young men under the direction of the Society of Jesus. Located 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.

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 Nutrition, Strength and Human Performance, Integrative Health can put you in position to help them. Offering top level experience and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Council on Chiropractic Education, and the Commission of Massage Therapy Accreditation.

FARMERS MARKET

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. Located in west parking lot of Saint Michaels 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.

No one comes from the earth like grass. We come like trees. We all have roots.

~Maya Angelou

GARDEN CENTERS

NORTH HAVEN GARDENS

7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas

214-363-5316

NHG.com

Start Your Victory Garden

for a Lifetime of Health & Wellness

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

Plant For Fall Harvest:

HEALTH CARE

KOZLOW & ROWELL

Dr. Philip Kozlow

Dr. Josh Rowell

5050 Quorum Dr, Suite 300, Dallas 972-458-2464

DallasDentist.net

We strive to provide healthy, green alternatives for our dental patients by providing digital X-rays, mercury safe restorative options and chemical free dental hygiene products. Committed to total body wellness while avoiding the use of toxic materials, and continuing education to ensure treatments are up to date and effective in a kind and caring environment. See ad, page 23.

BAYLOR

SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH

CARE SYSTEM

1-800-4BAYLOR

BaylorHealth.com/CancerCare

We have a network of comprehensive cancer treatment centers throughout 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 experience, expertise and technology you can trust.

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 necessary. 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 therapies that enrich and empower its natural healing processes. As a holistic and biological dental practice, we choose safe materials and treatment protocols with special attention to your nutrition and overall wellness. See ad, page 4.

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 International Academy of Oral Medicine &Toxicology as well as the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. See ad, page 2.

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 problems you may be having. We collaborate with Thermography, Lymphatic 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.

HOMEOPATHY

HEALTHY HEALING ARTS/HPWWC

Cathy May Lemmon, Ph.D. Hom, LCPH, BA 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, nontoxic means of promoting immunity 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

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

CARPATHIA COLLABORATIVE

Dr. Margaret Christensen M.D. Meadow Center, 10260 N Central Expy #210, Dallas CarpathiaCollaborative.com

469-729-6460

Dr. Christensen founded Carpathia Collaborative, a unique multi-specialty clinic offering personalized care for optimal health. Carpathia Clinic has the most IFMCP-certified Functional Medicine practitioners in the country, collaborating to address chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, cancer support, mood disorders, and more. Services include detox foot soak, IV vitamin therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and BEMER pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CENTER DALLAS

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

EHCD.COM

A nationally recognized medical facility specializing in the relationship of health and disease to environmental factors. Thorough investigation is made to determine the cause and correlation of the patent’s disease process to environmental factors. A leader in the field treating mold exposure/sensitivity; oil spill, pesticides and chemical exposure; chemical sensitivities, immune dysregulation and much more.

HOLISTIC INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

John D. Gonzalez DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, ANP-C

HolisticIntegrativeHealth.net

info@holisticintegrativehealth.net

469-312-0355

As a Texas based telemedicine practice, we work to identify and treat the root cause of chronic illness. Services and conditions we treat include HIV Prep prescription, Nutrition Counseling, Integrative Health Coach sessions, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, obesity, autoimmune, hormonal imbalances, gastrointestinal issues, and brain health.

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 offering 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, allergies 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 independent parts but rather an integrative whole -we treat it that way. Conditions treated include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, macular degeneration and glaucoma, as well as thyroid support, adrenal support, hormone replacement. essential oil therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

WE CARE FRISCO

Dr. Jennifer Engels M.D. 9555 Lebanon Rd Ste 701, Frisco WeCareFrisco.com

972-668-2636

Dr. Engels founded We Care Frisco, Functional Medicine Clinic, to help patients improve hormonal balance, lose weight, and replenish nutrients through personalized treatment plans including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, medically supervised weight-loss programs, and peptide therapy. With a whole-person approach, addressing various disorders & improving patients' quality of life through diet and lifestyle recommendations and hormone therapy.

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, empowerment and whole health are centerpieces of our care. Our goal is finding 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 5.

MASSAGE

ENERGY FREE FLOW

Michelle Dominique, BA, CHC, Lmt MichelleTheHealthCoach@gmail.com

469-726-9511

Energy Free Flow uses reflex points, healing energy, declarations, essential oils, and your natural gifts to restore alignment and clear energy flow. Clearing your energy allows you to learn from past experiences let go of negative emotions, helps overcome emotional obstacles and move forward with clarity. Schedule a No Obligation session today to experience the benefits.

THAI MASSAGE

Suzanne Miller, LMT, CYT, APP 670 W Arapaho Rd, Ste 12a, Richardson 972-768-2210

TexasThai.massagetherapy.com

Suzmil.livingbalanced@gmail.com

Thai Massage is a unique combination of stretching, acupressure, massage and energy work. Benefits include: reduced muscle tension, improved flexibility, increased circulation and relaxation. With 23 years' experience, Suzanne welcomes the opportunity to be a part of your health journey.

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, user-friendly option for the indicated use of symptomatic relief for chronic, severe or intractable pain; and adjunctive treatment in managing post-surgical and post-traumatic pain.

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 pharmacists 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. PSYCHTHERA-

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 psychotherapy practice. She utilizes rapid psychotherapy methods such as EFT, ETT, Hypnotherapy, and EMDR to assist clients in releasing old patterns and creating a better life. Dr. Seymour has been a licensed psychotherapist for 30+ years.

RESTAURANTS CELEBRATION RESTAURANT

4503 West Lovers Lane, Dallas 214-351-5681

CelebrationRestaurant.com

Food You Can Feel Good About!

Dallas’ ORIGINAL farm-to-table restaurant

• Local, free-range, 100% grass-fed beef from Springerhill Ranch

The original farm-to-table restaurant in north Texas, including catering and takeout Market. With a full -service bar, we celebrate years of serving delicious, affordable, locally sourced food. We offer gluten free alternatives, clean water raised salmon and sustainably raised seafood, cage free poultry and 100% grass fed beef. Come in today, order in or take-out. See ad, page 30.

• No antibiotics ever, vegetarian fed, cage-free chicken from Perdue Farms

• Verlasso salmon raised in the clean waters of Patagonia

Restaurant

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SPIRITUAL CONCORD DALLAS CHURCH

we want to thank our friends and customers for your loving and loyal support!

6808 Pastor Bailey Dr, Dallas 214-331-8522

ConcordDallas.tv

Concord Dallas is the church that grows people. Their core values are passion 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 Sundays at 11:30am. Join us as we share truths and principles to help along your spiritual journey. Each week’s message 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

“Our goal is to offer our community high-quality wellness services in an exceptionally comfortable and healing environment. We know that time-honored healing traditions-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. See ad, page 30.

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-boutique offers a variety of weekly classes, specialty workshops, private yoga and reiki sessions as well as natural health and wellness events. Come feel your stress and tensions away. New student intro offer: 2 weeks unlimited Yoga for $20. Empowering a healthy lifestyle.

JASMINE M. HUNT, RYT 200, CDP, MA

@iamjasminehunt

LifeOnAMat.com

Jasmine Hunt is a Yoga and Wellness instructor, educator, and practitioner that has worked relentlessly to establish a diverse and decolonized voice across the wellness spaces. Jasmine integrates holistic strategies for enhanced mindfulness, empowerment, and maximized performance potential through Yoga. Available for on-site company wellness engagements. See ad, on page 43.

Jaclyn Chasse, ND Stress and

Anne Marie Fine, ND Cracking the Beauty Code

Trevor Cates, ND Stress Impact on Skin

Carrie Jones, MD, FAAP

Jaquel Patterson, ND, IFMCP Sleep, Cortisol and Its Relation to Stress

Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG Stress and Libido

Arti Chandra, MD, MPH Healing Your Gut

Carol Penn, DO Aging Gracefully

Kela Smith, PhD, DNM Stress and Fertility

Jyl Steinbeck, Women’s Health and Homeopathy