Natural Awakenings Chicago - December 2019 Natural Awakenings Chicago - December 2019 Chicagoland Holistic Health & Spiritual Expo Seeks Vendors for February Event The Chicagoland Holistic Health & Spiritual Expo, to be held February 1 and 2, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, in Rosemont. Read More » Dental Health Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season With all the sugary treats that’ll be offered, our oral health may surely suffer this holiday season. Here are some simple tips to keep those pearly whites healthy. Read More » LifeWorks Wellness Center Welcomes New Doctor Dr. David Minkoff, founder of LifeWorks Wellness Center, is proud to welcome Dr. Rodney Soto and the Neurology Division to his medical clinic. Read More » Three Weeks of Profound Workshops at Cabo Breath Fest In celebration of Natural Awakenings’ commitment to promoting higher consciousness during the last 25 years, the Cabo Breath Fest will offer many life-changing workshops plus other activities from February 1 to 21, in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Read More » Raden Wellness Offers IV Therapy to Help Stay Healthy Over the Holidays The winter holiday season is filled with tasty food, parties, people, joy, sorrow, stress and unfortunately, colds and flu. Read More » thriveMD Now Owners/Operators of New Vitality MD in Kildeer thrive MD has purchased the New Vitality MD practice in northwest suburban Kildeer, and will continue operations under their name, offering the same trusted services as well as adding more wellness options. Read More » Treat Allergies Without Drugs Individuals can have all of their allergies and sensitivities relieved at the Midwest Allergy Relief Center, in Arlington Heights. Read More » Get Fit EGV Opens in Schaumburg "Coach Ro”, level 1 CrossFit certificate holder and ACE-certified personal trainer Rowena Dziubla, has opened a new Get Fit EGV facility at 1622 E. Algonquin Road, Unit D1, in Schaumburg. Read More » Get a Glimpse of Native Ecology in Chicago Exhibit Native Illinois prairie plants on loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, in Wilmington, will be exhibited through January 11 as Unraveling Modern Living, by Mexico City-based Tatiana Bilbao Estudio. Read More » Film Festival With a Mission Seeks Advisory Members The One Earth Film Fest, to be conducted from March 6 through 15, 2020, is seeking individuals to serve on the Youth Advisory Council. Read More » Declutter for the Holidays and Beyond Megan Spillman, owner of Peace and Tidy, will schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss the challenges of clutter with those feeling overwhelmed by the holidays or thinking ahead to a fresh start for the new year. Read More » Kadampa Offers Events for the Holidays Kadampa Meditation Center Chicago offers a retreat, Eight Steps to Happiness, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., December 27 and 28. Read More » Family-Friendly Holiday Fun at Nature Museum The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is one of Chicago’s most family-friendly science museums for children and adults. Read More » From Grieving to Finding Meaning with David Kessler David Kessler, an expert on grief, will conduct a workshop from 7 to 9 p.m., December 9, at the Infinity Foundation, in Highland Park. Read More » Dancing in the Sky Aerial Dance Chicago will present Road to the Sky, an intimate evening of short dance works created by 10 of Chicago’s most celebrated choreographers, at 7 p.m., December 7 and 8. Read More » Have Great-Looking Skin for the Holidays Antalee Wellness Spa, in Glenview, will host a Glo Skin Beauty Makeup event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., December 6, with complimentary makeovers provided by a Glo professional makeup artist. Read More » Holiday Cheer What is cherished the most by teens during the holiday season? Of course, we love our time off from school to relax with family and friends. Read More » Natural Awakenings Chicago - December 2019 Read Articles from Our Current Issue Read More » Celebrate Winter Squash This Holiday Season The squash family brings comfort to the winter weather that we dread. Pumpkin and other squashes bring heartiness and warmth to the upcoming colder days. Read More » Gluten-Free Holiday Sugar Cookies During the holiday season, it has always been a family tradition of mine to make allergy-safe cookies and put plates together to share with the neighbors and community. Read More » This Month at The Market Recipe From The Illinois Farmers Market Association Read More » Holiday Celebration Recipes In winter, I cherish the additional warm, quiet family and hobby time after an extremely busy outdoor growing season. Read More » Letter from Publisher It’s definitely been a fall to confuse our senses. Chicagoans experienced snow on Halloween (a day which included an incredible migratory rufous hummingbird stopping at my backyard feeder in the midst of the snowfall), record low temperatures, snow a week later and more unseasonably cold weather and cloudy days. Read More » Three Simple Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress Season’s greetings—laughter, delicious food and fond memories—promote good cheer, togetherness and sharing that will last a lifetime. Read More » Cultivating The Next Generation of Conservationists In this era of Internet and social media, the younger generation is facing the realization that environmental concerns illuminated by the media will one day be their responsibility to solve. Read More » Christmas Bird Counts For birdwatchers, Christmas season lasts from December 14 through January 5. That’s when Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) are held throughout the Chicago region, the state, the nation and many other parts of the world. Read More » Balancing Body and Brain When our body and our brain are out of balance, our health suffers. The human body was designed for self-regulation and healing, but lifestyle, environmental stressors and genetics can affect that process. Read More » Animal Rescue: Government Order Reduces Animal Testing The Environmental Protection Agency is moving to reduce the animal testing it has long required to gauge the toxicity of chemicals before they can be bought, sold or used in the environment. Read More » Beyond Calcium: Full-Spectrum Bone Health Calcium strategies, the right balance of mineral-rich foods, supplements and exercises that increase bone density and muscle mass all help to keep bones strong and fall-resistant. Read More » Burn Notice: Safe and Sustainable Fireplace Practices Sustainable, safe and healthy practices for using indoor fireplaces and wood stoves—especially when it comes to maintaining air quality. Read More » Charge It: Electric Vehicles Get Their Own ‘Gas’ Station A Maryland gas station owner has replaced his pumps with electric vehicle chargers, making it the first such exclusive charging station in the country. Read More » Eat a Better Diet to Improve Gut Bacteria Those with higher quality diets have significantly better gut bacteria diversity, a factor linked to reduced risk for a variety of diseases. Read More » Eat Mushrooms to Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer Research finds that consuming culinary mushrooms three times a week can lower the chance of developing prostate cancer by 17 percent. Read More » Eat Nuts to Reduce Odds of Death From Heart Disease Eating nuts, a good source of unsaturated fat, two or more times per week have a 17 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Read More » Extreme Weather Events Affect Mental Well-Being People that experience storm and flood damage to their homes are about 50 percent more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Read More » Heave Ho: Cruise Line Abandons Plastic Bottles As a result of its partnership with Just Goods, Inc., the Norwegian Cruise Line will replace single-use plastic bottles across its fleet by January 1, 2020. Read More » Inhaling the Joy of Life: Conscious Breathwork Mindfully guiding our breath back to its original rhythm helps lower stress and improve vagal tone, easing such conditions as depression, insomnia and pain syndromes. Read More » Lab Steak: Making Meat Without Animals The Alliance for Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation is seeking to create real meat from animal cells without the need to slaughter animals. Read More » Lung Relief: Biosolar Leaf Purifies Air in London Large, solar panel-like structures on the sides of buildings are being used to grow microalgae, phytoplankton and diatoms, purifying the air while generating breathable oxygen. Read More » Maintain a Healthy Diet and Weight to Lower Cataract Risk Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, combined with a healthy diet, can reduce the risk of developing cataracts. Read More » Marry to Halve the Risk of Dementia Researchers find unmarried individuals—cohabiting, divorced, separated, widowed and never married—have significantly higher odds of developing dementia than their married counterparts. Read More » Nature Cure: Forests and Shrubs Lower Medical Costs Higher levels of forest and shrub cover throughout the country correspond to lower levels of Medicare health care spending. Read More » Perfect Pet Presents: Safe and Eco-Smart Toys When picking out holiday gifts for our beloved dogs and cats, follow these guidelines to make sure the toys are safe for the pet and eco-friendly for the planet. Read More » Reduce Blood Pressure and Heart Attacks With Better Gut Bacteria Gut bacteria may affect how hypertensive patients respond to medications and whether cardiac patients are more likely to have heart attacks. Read More » Refresh Holiday Traditions: Making the Old New and Green Eco-friendly, green twists on holiday family traditions to help instill the importance of sustainability in kids. Read More » Repurposing Weeds: Pond Plants Offer Protein Strategy Duckweed, a fast-growing plant that blooms on bodies of water, is a superior protein source relatively free of allergens or endangered by climate change. Read More » Surgeon Mary Neal on Lessons From Heaven Orthopedic surgeon Mary Neal writes about her near-death experiences and the purpose of life in her books To Heaven and Back and 7 Lessons from Heaven. Read More » The Emerging Power of ‘We’: Awakening to the Evolution of Community In this time of climate and societal problems, intentional communities that challenge the “It’s all about me” culture are pointing the way to collective solutions that can save the planet. Read More » The Generous Heart: How Giving Transforms Us When we give to others, whether it’s an act of kindness, generosity or compassion, it helps us live from the heart instead of the ego. Read More » The Merry Vegan: People-Pleasing Holiday Sweets Healthy vegan, gluten- and grain-free holiday treats and desserts, including recipes for peanut butter cookies, no-bake pecan snowballs and peanut butter cup bars. Read More » Train Students in Mindfulness to Reduce Stress and Improve Grades Middle school students who receive mindfulness training experience lower stress levels, less depression and improved academic performance. Read More » Waste-Free Feasting: How to Reduce Holiday Food Waste Eco-friendly holiday waste reduction strategies to apply when planning the family meal gatherings. Read More » In-Print December 2019 Joyful Giving Beyond Calcium Coming Together Eco-Pet Toys