Natural Awakenings Chicago ~ March 2022

Bircher-Benner 2 Manual for Patients with Liver and Gallbladder Conditions

Sponsored Content A fundamental goal of the Maximilian Bircher Foundation is the promotion of research work to bridge the gap between conventional medicine and scientifically based regulatory naturopathy. Read More »

Win a Weekend Pass to the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference

Join the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference for a gathering of the feminine with a wide spectrum of acclaimed herbalists and speakers, pre-conference immersions, more than 50 workshops, plant walks and talks on holistic immune support, storytelling, herbal traditions from around the world, wise woman ways and more. Read More »

Celebrate Orchids Untamed at the Chicago Botanic Garden

The exhibit focuses on how orchids grow where many other plants cannot, emphasizing how their irrepressible spirit reflects hope, resilience and beauty in an unpredictable world. Read More »

Chicago's Whitney Young High School Students Practice Fair Trade Activism

Chicago Public Schools Whitney Young High School Fair Trade Club recently opened a coffee shop with help from Metropolis Coffee and Chicago Fair Trade. They sell Metropolis fair trade coffee and tea, plus fair trade hot chocolate to students and will donate any profits to mental health and workers rights organizations. Read More »

Deerfield's Healthworks Offers Organic Hormone Support for Women

Dr. David Zeiger at Healthworks, in Deerfield, is offering a full line of Femmenessence natural, organic, maca products to balance hormones for regular periods, fertility, menopause symptoms, heart and bone health. Read More »

Experience the Equinox in Virtual Community Program

Attendees will participate in simple, but potent exercises; discover sacred equinox alignments; explore healing rituals from ancient times; prepare charged healing water, a secret guarded by the alchemists; and feel the beauty of the equinox sun and expand their spirituality. Read More »

Healthful Fenugreek Seeds Available Online

Fenugreek seeds have been used for centuries as an herbal remedy. The organic seeds contain every essential and non-essential amino acid and are high in protein, minerals and vitamins. Read More »

Holistic Health Fairs Coming to Northbrook and Pleasant Prairie

Attendees can explore holistic health and metaphysical wonders, amazing vendors, speakers and energy workers with a wide range of crystals, sound healing, psychics, mediums and intuitive readers, jewelry, skincare, reiki, animal communication, herbs, candles and more. Read More »

Illinois Ranks at Top of Green Building List

The 2021 U.S. Green Building Council list of top 10 states for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) compliance prominently features Illinois, with 87 projects certified, representing more than 40 million square feet. Read More »

Improve Dream Sleep for Better Overall Health

The connection between sleep and dreams is a mystery that has persisted across time and culture. Recent studies suggest important connections between sleep and dreams that significantly impact our health. If you want to sleep better, dream better. Read more here. Read More »

Leading-Edge Personalized Health Care in Wheaton

Forum Health, LLC, is a nationwide provider of personalized health care. Steeped in the powerful principles of functional and integrative medicine, its practitioners take a root-cause approach to care—listening and digging deep, exploring lifestyle, environment and genetics to help each patient achieve their ultimate health goals. Read More »

Letter from Publisher

It’s time to celebrate the new season! And while March in Chicago can be a time of wild swings in the daily weather forecast, the signs of spring are all around us. Read More »

Local Blogs Beckon Armchair Naturalists to Investigate Midwest Nature

Nature blogs offer armchair naturalists a chance to go exploring. Local writers help nature lovers discover everything from the wildlife to the natural wonders of the Midwest. From the Great Lakes to the Great Plains, nature is never far away. Read more here. Read More »

Maple Syrup Programs On Tap in Lake County

Stop by the Lake County Forest Preserves in March for Maple Syrup Hikes through the Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods, IL, near Chicago. Great outdoor family event to ease into spring. Read More »

March Virtual Gardening Festival Offers Tips and Know How for Gardeners of all Experience Levels

The Great Grow Along is a free, 10-day, virtual garden festival held online from March 11 through 20 to connect a diverse audience with lifestyle tastemakers, plant gurus and cutting-edge designers. Read More »

Recipe: Spicy Spring Harvest Pickled Radishes

Pickled radishes are a bright, beautiful and tasty treat. Add them to spring rolls, top tacos, or just eat them like a snack. This radish recipe by Tiffany Hinton is so easy to make and only takes a few ingredients to prepare. Read more here. Read More »

Sacred Ground Store Offers Goods for the Soul

Sacred Ground, in Arlington Heights, is a unique shop where customers can find an assortment of items to soothe the body, mind and spirit, featuring products that are ethically sourced and crafted, and they feature artisans that produce small batch, organic and fair trade. Read More »

Spring is the Perfect Season to Detox

Spring is an ideal time to detox the body. It is not just about losing weight or improving health. It's about feeling good, feeling healthy and feeling in control of your life. Read More »

Spring Natural Wellness and Self-Care Fair in Northern Suburbs

Learning tips and practices for improving body, mind and spirit with simple self-care techniques will help attendees feel calmer, happier and healthier. Activities for kids will be held in a separate room. COVID-19 precautions include masking. Read More »

Turn the Tide on Climate Change at 2022 One Earth Film Festival

The One Earth Film Festival will highlight the urgency of the global climate crisis and the need for individuals and communities far and wide to take action on changing the planet’s catastrophic course. Read More »

Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Evanston and Online

This year’s films include the story of how Indigenous leaders fought to remove four dams to restore the Klamath River; the hunt to find and stop the spread of the infamous “murder hornet”; how one man’s dream to connect Black communities with nature led to the creation of Camp Yoshi; and more. Read More »

Will County Forest Preserve District Offers 95-Mile Spring Challenge

Help the Forest Preserve District of Will County celebrate its 95th anniversary by walking, running or biking 95 miles in the district’s 127 miles of paved, crushed limestone and natural surface trails from March 1 through June 30 and you can win a prize. Read More »

Ann Armbrecht on the Business of Ethical Botanicals

Writer and anthropologist Ann Armbrecht explores the relationship between humans and the planet, notably through her work with plants and plant medicine. Read More »

A Weekend Warrior Survival Guide: Prevention, First-Aid and Recovery

Weekend warrior injuries can be serious, taking months and even surgery to be resolved. With prevention, simple exercises and minimal investment of time, most suffering can be avoided. Read More »

Bacteria May Become Plastic Pathfinders

A study has discovered that microbes in oceans and soils worldwide are evolving to eat plastic. Read More »

Beyond Kibble: How to Shop for the Healthiest Pet Food

There are better quality kibble and canned pet foods available today than in the past, along with frozen raw and freeze-dried raw foods. Here's what to look for in healthy dog and cat food. Read More »

Beyond Picky Eating: Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders

Children of any gender and age can be afflicted with anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other conditions unique to younger kids, but holistic solutions can help with childhood eating disorders. Read More »

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

This healthier version of buffalo wings is meat-free and baked instead of fried, but full of flavor and spice. Read More »

Burnout Recovery: Ways to Reset and Find Balance

Burnout, once primarily a workplace concern, is turning into a societal norm and causing health issues to arise. Here are helpful strategies to find balance and healing. Read More »

Drink Coffee and Tea to Reduce Dementia and Stroke Risk

Study finds that drinking both coffee and tea in the course of a day correlates with a lower risk of stroke and dementia compared to drinking either one exclusively. Read More »

Easing into a Vegan Lifestyle: Clever Meat Substitutes that Please the Palate

How to start adapting a plant-based diet using vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds to create balanced textures and flavors for meat-alternatives. Read More »

Eat Alpha Lipoic Acid-Rich Foods to Live Longer

A high dietary intake of foods containing alpha lipoic acid (ALA), a plant-based amino acid essential to the body’s metabolism, is associated with reduced risks of death from various causes. Read More »

Environment Damaged by Winter Road Salt

The salt used on roads to combat snow and ice in the winter is wreaking havoc on the environment and our drinking water. Read More »

Flip Side of Melting Glaciers May Benefit Salmon

More than 300 melting glaciers between British Columbia and Alaska have the potential to create 3,800 miles of new salmon habitat by 2100. Read More »

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Now Labeled as Bioengineered (BE)

The labeling rule for food products altered at the genetic level was finalized and implemented on January 1 to uphold the integrity of labeling claims and increase marketplace transparency. Read More »

Journaling to Access Inner Wisdom

When we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, we can find the inner wisdom we need with these simple journaling steps. Read More »

Kids’ Eating Disorders

Signs of anorexia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), pica and other childhood eating disorders common in children 12 and under. Read More »

One-Pan Skillet Eggplant Parmigiana

A vegan version of this delicious Italian favorite using plant-based mozzarella. Read More »

People of Faith Find Deep Connection to the Environment

Most of the world’s organized religious sects contain a doctrine or reference to preserving the environment. Read More »

Plant-Based Foods Go Mainstream: Healthy Eating Gets Easier with Innovations

Vegans have no shortage of options as plant-based eating and lifestyle choices go mainstream with creative, sustainable products and services that are better for the planet and our health. Read More »

Run 10 Minutes for a Brain Boost

New research shows that a mere 10 minutes of moderate-intensity running boosts cognitive function. Read More »

Sustainably Coping with Sea Level Rise

In the coastal nation of the Netherlands, houseboats able to cope with rising seas or rain-induced floods are being constructed. Read More »

Take Vinegar to Lower the Blues

Researchers found a reduction in self-reported depression scores in study participants who consumed daily amounts of vinegar. Read More »

The 411 on Styrofoam: Why We Should Just Say No

The harm Styrofoam causes to human health and the planet outweighs its convenience. Here are safer, eco-friendly alternatives. Read More »

The Bounty of Farmers Markets: Buying Local Boosts Health, the Economy and the Planet

Farmers’ markets offer the freshest fruits and veggies around, encourage organic and seasonal eating, support local farmers, and lower the carbon footprint of buying and shipping produce. Read More »

Tips to Prevent Injury

Simple stretches and warmups to help prevent injuries before participating in a workout or physical activity. Read More »