Letter from Publisher
Peggy Malecki
May is an enchanting month, enveloping all of our senses with the lushness of spring. Throughout the year, I eagerly await the warmer May mornings when I can open the windows to birdsong and delight in each new flower and leaf that opens to the season. The freshness we’ve
dreamed about through the long Chicago winter is finally here, and it’s time to savor every day. I was delighted to find the robins have already returned to last year’s nest outside my kitchen
window, and with any luck, will be busy raising their first brood by the time you read this letter.
This is the most active month of spring bird migration, and with it comes a glorious chorus at dawn and then again just before dusk. As the month progresses, all of our familiar summer birds return while winter avian visitors like juncos and red-breasted nuthatches migrate to their more northern summer locales. On that journey, we’re fortunate in the Chicago area to see so many colorful warblers, thrushes, sparrows and other songbirds passing through as they follow their
millennia-old migration paths. Whether you live in the city, suburbs or a more rural area,
nature’s chorus is one to take delight in!
We’ve dedicated our May issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago to women’s wellness, focusing on whole-body approaches to women’s health in all of its facets. In our lead article, “Integrative Women’s Wellness,” Ronica O’Hara takes a practical look at the top five health issues facing women today and integrative approaches to meet their challenges. As we salute moms of all types this May, we explore holistic approaches to a healthy pregnancy, natural homemade baby food and creating a family first-aid kit with a homeopathic component. And as we also celebrate Mother Earth this month, author Sheryl DeVore updates us on monarch butterfly migration and how we can all help to monitor and support this iconic species.
We’re excited to present a very special 2021 inaugural Women in Wellness feature highlighting some of the incredible integrative and natural health professionals and business women in the Chicagoland area, and celebrating women everywhere that make wellness a priority and a passion in their lives. We hope you enjoy this section in our print issue, and invite you to join us throughout May at NAChicago.com and our social media outlets (Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn) for extended content, video podcasts and more.
