Natural Awakenings Chicago ~ December 2021 Welcome to our December 2021 Issue Become an Allergen-Sensitive Elf This Holiday Season More than just a gift guide, this healthy, lifestyle-focused booklet features resources for those in the allergen- and gluten-free community, holiday gift suggestions, recipes, exclusive giveaways, coupon codes and more. Read More » Gluten-free Recipes: Make These Holiday Hits at Home Gluten-free mint chocolate crinkle cookies and vintage drinks (with or without alcohol) make great additions to your holiday entertaining! Read More » Holiday Gardening Pop-Up In Historic Edgewater Location The iconic former Granville Pictures storefront in Edgewater is getting a second life as a holiday pop-up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through December 21 from local gardening business City Grange. Read More » Iannotta Offers Sculptural Lifting Massage as Alternative to Botox Holistic skin expert Paulina Iannotta is offering a new facial massage that combines unique and advanced transbuccal, osteoplasty and myoplasty techniques which stimulate biological and aesthetic regeneration of the face. Read More » Inspired By Justeen Opens in Edgewater Neighborhood Shoppers may choose from affordable clothing, accessories, shoes, bath items for big and little girls, and unique jewelry, as well as myriad clever holiday stocking stuffers. Read More » Kadampa December Buddhism Workshop Participants will learn to let go of painful attitudes and patterns; live lightly and adapt creatively to our world; and be of genuine benefit to others. Read More » Kudos - Lake County Forest Preserve District The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning honored the Lake County Forest Preserve District through its Regional Excellence Awards program. Read More » Learn of Advances in Treating Hormone Imbalances Heal n Cure will host a complimentary lecture, along with a dinner at 6:30 p.m., December 16, at the Heal n Cure Medical Wellness Center, on the topic of how hormone imbalances can affect sleep cycles, carbohydrate cravings and fat burning, and why “counting calories” doesn’t work for belly fat. Read More » Letter from Publisher On behalf of everyone at Natural Awakenings Chicago, I wish you a peaceful December season filled with laughter, warmth, hope, love, gratitude and all things that bring you joy. Read More » Maintaining a Healthy Immune System Our immune system is on constant guard to protect against viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. This system also keeps us free of cancer. Lupus, rheumatoid issues and other autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks its own healthy cells, occur due to immune dysregulation. But there are many things we can do to boost our immune systemsthis winter! Read More » Nature and Environment Book Groups Inspire Readers Nature books make great holiday gifts for friends and family. Joining a local book group makes reading even more fun. Of Bogs & Books is one of a few book discussion groups in the Chicago region that focuses only on nature and the environment. Read More » New Book on Gut Health Peter Kozlowski, M.D., has written a new book, Unfunc Your Gut: A Functional Medicine Guide. This research-based fusion of Kozlowski’s medical insights and mind-body wisdom acquired through his own experience of addiction recovery and treating patients in his clinical practice could be more simply called gut health. Read More » One & Done Hair Treatment for the Holidays Organic Roots Eco Salon is introducing One & Done, a vegan and cruelty-free smoothening hair treatment designed to revitalize hair for up to five months, providing a sensational look for the holidays. Read More » Organic Herbal Remedies by Jane Hurst at JanesHerbs.com This formula has been used for sinus congestion, sinusitis, eye strain, eye infection, cataracts, glaucoma, headaches, excess mucous, colds and conjunctivitis. Read More » Plant-based Recipes: Jolly Treats Can Be Healthy As colder temperatures are settling in, what’s better to do than cozy up on the couch to watch a movie with a hearty bowl of plant-based pumpkin chili, a hot cup of decadent sipping chocolate and a plush, warm blanket. Read More » Reader Feedback Helps Us Grow Your participation takes just five minutes and you could win a $100 gift card. Read More » Start New Fitness Habits with the January Burn Challenge A 31-day Burn Challenge, hosted by Get Fit EGV, will replace old habits with new ones to level up our lives for better health. Read More » Watch Eagles Soar Bald eagles are spotted regularly at Four Rivers and the surrounding McKinley Woods area each winter as the birds migrate to open water. Read More » Winter is No Time to Hibernate Like the trees conserving energy by dropping leaves or flowers hunkering underground to await spring, we too are invigorated by exercising intentionally in winter. Read More » Winter Lights Illuminate The Season Light festivals at some of Chicagoland’s most prominent attractions bring families and friends together to embrace the darker days, get outside and share holiday experiences. Our Chicago area zoos and gardens offer extraordinary natural backdrops to highlight the beauty of nature in the winter. See more about what's happening at Morton Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo. Read More » Winter Walking Trails Illuminated Guided by small, solar-powered lights, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can enjoy evenings along the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville and a 1.65-mile hilly section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the Winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Read More » Women’s Wellness Series Starts in January - Midwest Women’s Herbal Virtual Event Midwest Women’s Herbal presents In Our Own Hands: Women’s Wellness Series, a unique virtual event, with workshops and a virtual talking stick ceremony and intention-setting for spring to stay grounded and connected to the Earth all winter long. Read More » ZoeGoes’ Sustainable Fashion Collection at One Of A Kind Show Fashion designer Karyn Pettigrew has created a fashion line called ZoeGoes, a six-piece, sustainable capsule collection that allows women to do more with their wardrobe with fewer items. Read More » A Dietician’s Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark This festive dark chocolate bark recipe is holiday-themed with red, white and green toppings of dried cranberries, shredded coconut and pistachios. Read More » Amp Up Immunity: Proven Boosters for Good Health Enhance immunity with specific adaptogens and mushroom powders. These study-proven substances perform specific functions in the immune system that boost our resistance to illness. Read More » Avoid Antibiotics to Lower Colon Cancer Risk A clear link exists between taking antibiotics for six months and developing colorectal cancer in the next five to 10 years, report researchers. Read More » Baked Apples This sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan recipe for stuffed baked apples is a healthy holiday dessert, perfect for those with dietary restrictions. Read More » Baklava Cookie Cups A healthy recipe twist on baklava using natural sweeteners instead of sugar. Read More » Circles of Healing: The Power of Gathering in Community Small support groups, such as wisdom circles, story circles, power of eight intention circles, prayer circles and dialogue circles, are creating experiences of wholeness and belonging. Read More » Coral Reefs May Soon Be Just a Memory Half of the world's coral reefs have been lost since the 1950s, with 14 percent diminishing between 2009 and 2018 alone, due to climate change, overfishing and pollution. Read More » Drink More Water to Help Prevent Heart Disease Researchers report that people that drink sufficient water every day have a reduced risk of the thickening of the heart’s left ventricle. Read More » Eat an Avocado Daily to Redistribute Belly Fat The deep visceral fat that surrounds internal organs is a major indicator of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, but it can be decreased in women by eating an avocado each day. Read More » Eat Walnuts to Reduce Bad Cholesterol and Heart Disease Healthy older adults that ate about a half cup of walnuts every day for two years gained a modest reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad cholesterol”, reports a study. Read More » Forever Chemicals in Indoor Air A new technique for measuring the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in indoor air has found them in kindergarten classrooms, offices, laboratories and homes. Read More » Greening the Holidays: How to Celebrate Sustainably Sustainable modifications to the holiday dinner, eco-friendly decorating tactics and green gift ideas to celebrate the season in ways that are less harmful to the planet. Read More » Holiday Zen: Stress-Free Fitness and Self-Care Despite our best efforts, holiday time can frazzle our nerves. These simple, self-care fitness tips can help to relieve holiday stress and break the cycle of seasonal overindulgence. Read More » Honey Lavender Cookies Skip the sugar cookies this holiday season and opt for healthier treats made with honey, lavender and whole wheat flour. Read More » Ideas for Starting and Maintaining a Circle No matter the purpose of gathering, here are tips on how to start and maintain a small group or circle of individuals supporting one another. Read More » Large-Scale Solar Power Cost Plummets A report finds a significant decrease in the cost of renewable energy sources compared to 2020, with solar leading the pack by a wide margin. Read More » Native Americans Win Historic Water Battle The Indigenous Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have reached a historic $1.9 billion water rights settlement, resolving thousands of tribal claims to waterways in Montana. Read More » Planting 500 Billion Trees A UK tech company claims their drone can plant two trees per second using artificial intelligence for guidance, with a goal of planting 500 billion trees by 2060. Read More » Season of Light: Celebrating the Soul of Winter Winter has its own jewel-toned beauty that rivals summer’s most dazzling hour if we pay attention. Read More » Sustainable Kitchen: Advice for Buying and Storing Food Sustainability can begin at home, starting in the kitchen. Here are some zero-waste lifestyle tips we can apply when shopping for and storing our food. Read More » The Best Books for Kids: Gift Choices that Can Open Up Worlds Gifting kids books is a perfect way to encourage childhood reading. Here are tips for selecting the best children's books. Read More » The Sweet Danger of Sugar: Ways to Enjoy Healthier Holiday Fare Low-sugar eating strategies and dessert recipes to protect our physical and mental health this holiday season. Read More » Thomas Moore on the Art of Soulful Listening Bestselling author and psychotherapist Thomas Moore explores deeper connections through soulful listening in his latest book, Soul Therapy: The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations. Read More » Tips for Selecting Safe Dog Toys Recommendations to help in choosing toys that will keep a dog not only happy, but safe. Read More » Tips to Eat Less Sugar Expert advice from dietitians on ways to reduce our sugar intake including healthier food alternatives and supplements to help. Read More » Toyland for Pooches: Choosing Safe Playthings a Dog Will Love Veterinary advice on what to consider when selecting toys for dogs that are safe, stimulating and long-lasting. Read More » Try Damask Rose Extract to Boost Liver Function A new study has found that Damask rose (Rosa damascene) extract can boosts liver function in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Read More » Try Garlic to Relieve Endometriosis Pain For women suffering from pelvic and back pain associated with endometriosis (uterus growth), garlic may help. Read More » Wind Energy Can Be a Climate Change Hero Research indicates that advanced wind energy strategies could reduce atmospheric average temperatures of about 32 to 33 degrees Fahrenheit by 2199. Read More » In-Print Womens Health mens health kids health Healthy Chicago Pet Health Childrens Health healthy pets
