Natural Awakenings Chicago ~ December 2022

A Healthy and Green Holiday Gift Guide for Chicago

With the holiday season just around the corner, we offer ideas to help you find the perfect gifts that help support a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Shop local and support small businesses with items ranging from holistic skincare to clothing, books, fun and creative toys, wellness packages and more! Read More »

Comfortable Support for the Holidays

Their biggest sale of the year is coming up with the 12 days of Christmas, and they carry a full line of bras in almost all cup and band sizes from AA to P and bands 28 to 56. Read More »

Eisenstein Clinic Now Located Solely in Arlington Heights

They provide both well and sick visits through a holistic lens for health care as well as a wide variety of products to help boost immunity and maintain health during this winter season. Read More »

Feeding Our Humanity

Being inspired to use one or all of these tools to support the naturally human nature and kindness elements within us sets the foundation to do good works in the family, neighborhood, community and house of worship. Read More »

FuFluns’ Foods Introduces New Adaptogenic Blend Supplement

Northfield-based FuFluns’ Foods has launched Energize and Balance Adaptogen Blend, a new adaptogenic formula of botanicals and mushrooms that help support sustained energy and vitality and also aid the body and mind adapt to stress. Read More »

Gemz and Boardz Café Opens in Chicago’s Avondale Neighborhood

Gemz and Boardz, a 90s-themed café, selling crystals, jewelry, skateboards and skateboard parts, with coffee which is included in one of their membership plans. Their natural products include soaps, deodorants and skin care. Read More »

Give the Gift of Klean Eating This Year

The Klean Kitchen approach focuses on how the food we eat impacts our physical, behavioral and emotional well-being. Read More »

Health Benefits of Feeding the Gut Throughout The Lifecycle

Babies are born with a very underdeveloped gut microbiome, but with each day, environmental exposures help shape the bacteria in the gut. Read More »

Holiday Reads for Nature and Environment Lovers

Looking for some Christmas ideas for the nature lover in your life? Read More »

Kudos ~ McHenry County Conservation Foundation

The project will restore habitat communities to support grassland bird species and threatened or endangered species, including the monarch butterfly and the rusty patched bumblebee. Read More »

Letter from Publisher

May you find opportunities to celebrate and take inspiration in the little pleasures of the season, find moments of blissful inner stillness, and be surrounded by love and kindness. Read More »

Morton Arboretum Going Solar

As one of the world’s leading tree conservation organizations, The Morton Arboretum is actively pursuing transformative, environmental sustainability throughout its operations. Read More »

North Shore Gets One-Stop Shop for Holistic Wellness and Esthetics

Lumiere will offer specialized facials, injectables and fillers, glycolic and fruit acid peels and microblading, as well as laser techniques to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation from sun damage, redness and discoloration and minor skin lesions that appear as skin ages. Other services include natural teeth whitening, specialized massage therapy and lymphatic techniques, and bodywork. Read More »

Philosopher’s Stone Apothecary Blends Natural Remedies

The center is a hybrid retail boutique that also offers various healing services. Clients can choose acupuncture, reiki, yoga, meditation, life coaching and somatic healing in one location. Read More »

Recipe: Butternut Squash Stuffed with French Lentils and Walnuts

Squash is a fabulous storage crop that offers filling, sweet, comforting fall and winter fare. Read More »

Recipe: Holiday Butter Board

After a savory dinner or holiday lunch, the Holiday Butter Board is a heart-healthy snack with a bit of sweetness, which pairs perfectly with a warm cup of dark, organic coffee. Read More »

Sacred Ground Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

Modalities include numerology, Akashic records, angel communication, mediums, a Peruvian shaman, reiki, angel card readings, henna art and more. Read More »

Somatic Practices For Healing Trauma This Holiday Season

Here are four somatic practices to add to a healing toolbox to help cope with stress and trauma this holiday season: Read More »

Special Online Offers by Joann Lysiak Gems

Joann Lysiak helps clients release and transmute stuck energies, patterns, triggers or dysfunctional habits. Read More »

Visit Two Green Bookstores in McHenry County

Our bookstores are the perfect place to find unique holiday gifts, including puzzles, pop-up Christmas cards, ornaments and a wide selection of Christmas books for children and adults. Read More »

A Feast of Light

When we fill our souls with everyday magic, we become more inclined to feel blessed and pass blessings along to others, creating a feast of light during all seasons. Read More »

Charging Electric Vehicles at Night Poses New Challenge

The demand for power to charge electric vehicles (EVs) could burden the electric grid in western states at peak times by up to 25 percent if most charging is done at night. Read More »

Cranberry Mimosas

This festive recipe for mimosas using homemade naturally-sweetened cranberry juice puts a holiday twist on the classic brunch beverage. Read More »

Easy Turkey Jerky for Pets

This easy turkey recipe is a healthy snack for a cat and a great dog-training treat for the clever pooch. Read More »

Expected Drops in Wind Speeds Promise Climate Disruption

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that average global wind speeds could drop by up to 10 percent by 2100. Read More »

Good Vibrations: The Healing Power of Sound

Research-supported sound healing is finding a place in modern wellness culture as more people experience its benefits, from improving mental health to decreasing cholesterol levels. Read More »

Healthy Cranberry Muffins for Pets

These muffins are full of flavor and nutrition, and are healthy for both dogs and cats. Read More »

Holiday Treats for Cats and Dogs: Easy-to-Make Festive Recipes to Delight Pets

Homemade pet treats using healthy ingredients make great holiday gifts for dogs, cats and pet-loving friends and family. Read More »

Holiday Volunteering: The Gift of Giving

The holiday season is the time for giving. Get into the spirit by volunteering time and treasure to meaningful causes and underprivileged individuals with these thoughtful ideas. Read More »

Human Composting Offers Sustainable Burial

With the passage of a recent law, California will be the fifth state, along with Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Vermont, to allow human composting, beginning in 2027. Read More »

Jeffrey Rediger on the Science of Miraculous Recoveries

Psychiatrist Jeffrey Rediger has studied spontaneous healing for almost two decades, and breaks down recoveries into four pillars of healing and well-being that were present in most cases. Read More »

Kids Are Not Getting Enough Sleep

Children are regularly getting less than nine hours of sleep per night, which can cause notable differences in brain regions that influence memory, intelligence and well-being. Read More »

Merry Brunching: Put a Healthier Twist on Favorite Recipes

With a few easy modifications, serve up healthier versions of tasty brunch foods over the holiday gathering season. Read More »

Pickleball is Booming: Get into a Pickle for Holiday Fitness

The holidays are a perfect time to discover pickleball, America's fastest growing sport that is bringing people of all ages and athletic abilities together for fun and fitness. Read More »

Serotonin Theory of Depression Debunked

A recent study is debunking the long-held theory that depression is caused by a serotonin deficiency. Read More »

Shakshuka

This healthy, gluten-free dish is a brunch-time crowd-pleaser, and can be modified based on whatever veggies are on hand. Read More »

Sheet Pan Protein Pancakes with Berry Swirl

Cooked on a sheet pan, these satisfying protein and buttermilk pancakes with a berry swirl make cleanup a breeze and can be prepared the night before. Read More »

Sustainable Holidays: Easy Tips for an Eco-Friendly Season

The holidays generate a lot of waste. Here are ways to cut down on consumption to lessen the environmental impact of the holiday season without sacrificing any joy. Read More »

Sweet Potato Gummies

These gummies made out of sweet potatoes are a tasty treat for cats. Read More »

The Best Gift of All: Teaching Children the Spirit of Giving

Whether through donating material things, sharing time or freely conveying love and kindness, here are ways to teach kids the value of generosity. Read More »

Transforming Our World: Working Together for Meaningful Change

In these turbulent times when all the old boundaries are unravelling and all the old certainties are dissolving, there is a possibility for creative transformation if we work together. Read More »

Tree Attempts to Achieve Legal Personhood

A legally autonomous black gum tree named Terra0 on the campus of the Community College of Allegheny County owns itself and perhaps even the few square feet of land it grows on. Read More »

Tree Roots Adapt to Sequester More Carbon

Atmospheric carbon dioxide pumped into a mature forest at levels predicted to be the norm by 2050 will cause trees to produce more and longer roots, thus absorbing and storing more carbon. Read More »

Ultra-Processed Food Linked with Cancer and Mortality Risks

Consuming ultra-processed foods has been associated with colorectal cancer in men as well as the development of chronic disease and early death. Read More »

Under-Appreciating the Benefits of Solitude

Getting lost in our thoughts may improve problem solving, increase creativity, enhance imagination and provide a better sense of self-worth. Read More »

World’s Most Dangerous Greenhouse Gas Goes Unregulated

One pound of sulfur hexafluoride, an electrical insulator, heats the planet as much as 25,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years. Read More »

Lighted Trails for the Season

Hikers, skiers and snowshoers can take an evening excursion on solar-lit trails in the forest preserves. Read More »