With Michelle “Mike” Ochonick
Healthy Planet Arts Editor

As flowers explode with color in May, so does the ARTS scene in St. Louis!

One look at the ARTful Happenings calendar will prove how many opportunities to experience the arts fill this month.

The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts presents the first exhibition devoted exclusively to Donald Judd’s multicolored works, opening […]

By Cathy Schram

What vitamins should I start taking first?

Q: I really want to start on a vitamin program, but I am totally overwhelmed as to what I should be taking. What are some suggestions to help me stay healthy?

A: Congratulations! By asking that question, you have taken the first step in staying healthy and guarding […]

by Simon Yu, MD

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and repetitive or stereotyped patterns of behavior. Autism is considered the most severe form of ASD. Milder forms are known as Asperger syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

The causes of autism/ASD are unknown and controversial. Is […]

Now Includes 5K Run & Pancake Breakfast

The Humane Society of Missouri and Purina ONE® present Bark in the Park, the largest dog festival in the Midwest! The annual event will be held Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Cricket Field in Forest Park.

New this year! In addition to the 1-mile Walk for Animals and […]

by Kathleen Logan Smith
Director of Environmental Policy
Coalition For The Environment
www.moenviron.org

Alpha Beta Gamma: Deadly Discrimination Against Females

Apha, beta, and gamma may be the scariest Greek letters on the planet for mothers and daughters.

Alpha, beta, and gamma are types of ionizing radiation released by radioactive materials. When the unstable atoms in radioactive materials fling electrons off, scientists […]

by J.B. Lester
Publisher/Editor Healthy Planet magazine

My 85-year-old father-in-law loves four things, family, friends, work and golf. And even after being diagnosed with cancer more than a year ago, the resilient Kay Inaba still finds time for everything he loves.

My brother Bill and I recently flew out to the Los Angeles area to visit and play […]

by Cassandra P. Hage,
Executive Director, St. Louis Earth Day

In the afternoon of Monday April 8th, history was made as a small committee met to review our first round of Earth Day Action Grant proposals. We received 34 qualified proposals with a total request of $58,000. Budgets ranged from $150 – $10,000. We have awarded […]

Four Muddy Paws is hosting their annual Pet Health & Wellness Fair again this year on Saturday, May 11 from 11 AM – 3 PM in Lafayette Square (1711 Park Avenue). This is their biggest Pet Health event of the season. In fact, it’s so big it takes place on the Fountain Plaza across from […]

Hands-On Workshops and Classes Offered

by Dan Payne, Deborah Payne, and Kella Unnerstall
Environmental Energy Consultants

In the U.S. we overlook some basic, sustainable, inexpensive and energy efficient owner-built building techniques found around the world. Dan’s goal is to teach/provide the resources to individuals to be more sustainable and self-sufficient in constructing homes of local, inexpensive, sustainable materials. […]

Every Sunday
Practice a Medicine Buddha Meditation
KDK St. Louis meets every Sunday at 11am at the Healing Arts Center to practice a Medicine Buddha meditation. All are welcomed to attend. There is no cost. The Healing Arts Center is located at 10073 Manchester Road, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63122. Visit www.facebook.com/KDKSTL or email: kdk.st.louis@gmail.com to learn more.

 May 4
HUGE PLANT SALE EVENT!!
The Webster Groves Women’s Garden Association will offer truckloads of donated […]

Beauties that bask in the hottest, sunniest, driest landscapes.

by Ann Lapides
Sugar Creek Gardens

Sedum Sunsparkler Series Stonecrop, Sedum
From a field trial of over 4,000 different sedums, only three were chosen to be part of the Sunsparkler Sedum series. These perennials were selected for their showcase form and exciting colors. Ideal for green roofs, containers, and living […]

Choose from a huge variety of native wildflowers, ferns, trees and shrubs for home landscaping at the Shaw Nature Reserve’s Wildflower Market on Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual sale offers the widest array of native plants available in the metro St. Louis area, selected by the Reserve’s horticulture staff […]

by Linda Frisch

SHAPE ReClaimed™ is a comprehensive homeopathic glycoprotein complex formula. It incorporates a unique combination of synergistic ingredients specifically chosen to balance and restore vibrant health.

Though many will enter this program for its weight loss benefits only, what you may find even more important is the vast number of benefits gained from doing the […]

by Phylis Clay Sparks

When was the last time you drove on a highway at the speed limit? If you did, you probably felt as though you might get smeared all over the highway by the cars speeding around you. Most of us do everything fast in today’s world. We eat fast food fast, drive […]

by Rosa Kincaid, MD

Many of us are aware of the change that women may go through as they approach their late forties and fifties. These changes usually involve fatigue, low libido loss of muscle mass and, let’s not forget, hot flashes. Many are not aware that men also go through a change. For a man […]

Free Seminar May 8

Medical Thermography is also referred to as Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). This non-invasive form of testing allows practitioners to diagnose and monitor a large number of injuries and conditions. Thermography’s major clinical value is in its high sensitivity to pathology as it relates to inflammation, vascular activity, and lymphatic activity. In […]

by Jon P. Frieda

By working with a pharmacy like Neels that specializes in compounding for animals, veterinarians have more sophisticated tools in their tool box when it comes to medication compliance. Attempting to pill an animal can be a stressful experience for both the pet and owner. Often, bribing your pet by stuffing the tablet […]

Shining Rivers Waldorf School in Webster Groves introduces innovative Movable Classroom concept to Grades 1 and 2, balancing children’s need for movement with their desire to learn creatively.

At Shining Rivers Waldorf School, the most recent innovation in the classroom is decidedly old-school. It doesn’t have any batteries or bells and whistles, and it doesn’t run […]

with Pat Tuholske, Naturalist

Giving Care

Jack was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in ‘02 and January ‘13 began his third chemotherapy regimen. My husband is a fighter and rarely complains. First of March he hefted cinder blocks onto his shoulder, tossed them into his Kia for traction in the deep snow, and hurt his back. With this […]

“End of Life”

The “End of Life” is not the end of “Love”. The end of life is the collection of all the lessons of your life, the celebration of your life’s purpose and the unique meaning of “Who You Are”! 

“Your Life” and “Your Being” are a One of a Kind Definition of Love!

— Chaplain Paul […]

by Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting

At one time urban landscapes were viewed as barren and cold slabs of concrete, asphalt and glass. They were perceived as the opposite of the rural setting, rich in vegetation and greenery. However, throughout St. Louis City, residents are finding a way to reconnect with the natural world through gardening.

Urban […]

by Kari Hartel, RD, LD
Program Coordinator, Cooking Matters, Operation Food Search

It’s well-known that eating a well-balanced diet that includes a wide variety of foods provides a plethora of health benefits. But as you add more candles to your birthday cakes, your nutritional needs change. There are definitely ways to eat well and stay healthy as […]

©2013, Kimberly V. Schneider

And when the time comes
(however untimely)
let go
again
of everything you’ve known.
Be a portal to the possible:
a vessel through which
new realities
may
be born.
~from the poem The Wisdom of Mary,

©2012, Kimberly V. Schneider

Poetry is experiencing a renaissance, in part because modern poets like Mary Oliver, John O’Donohue and David Whyte, authors such as Caroline Kennedy (Poems […]

Celebrating Our 16th Birthday with a Return To Mayberry

I used to turn on the news first thing in the morning while getting ready to go to work. Being a journalist, it is part of my DNA to catch up on the latest events of the day. But lately I have taken a break from […]

by Hope Gribble, Education & Green Schools Coordinator,
USGBC-Missouri Gateway

Quest. A peek in the dictionary reveals a spirited description: 1) a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something. 2) an adventurous expedition undertaken by a knight or knights to secure or achieve something. 3) those engaged in such an expedition.
Are you ready […]

Article courtesy of the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership

As the weather heats up, the risk for poor air quality conditions also accelerates in the region. And at this time of the year, daily air quality forecast updates let us know if it will be a green, yellow, orange or red air quality day. With each […]

with Crystal Stevens

Dandelion, a Wonderful Weed

An herbalist friend once described medicinal weeds as “plants growing in our backyards often times so close to our back door that they seem as though they are just begging to get inside and alleviate what ails us.” Herbalists across the globe are all aware of the powerful medicinal qualities […]

by Cindy Gilberg

A shady woodland garden is a favorite retreat during our hot and humid St. Louis summers. It is puzzling, therefore, why many gardeners scratch their heads and curse the shade. They say nothing grows there, yet a walk in Missouri’s woodlands reveals a diverse bounty of woodland plants. Begin by creating a strong […]

by Amy K. Davis, MD

I am in awe of the human body, and how amazing it is that, by design, it can heal itself. This capability is under fire however. In my years of practice, I see patients with increasing difficulty in maintaining health. The annoying symptoms and chronic health problems just keep growing. I […]

by Dr. Doug Pernikoff, DVM

Every year about this time, pet owners approach me and ask whether pets do indeed suffer spring time allergies, much as we humans do. And, my answer is an emphatic, YES!!! The pollens released from grasses, flowers and trees can impact your dogs and cats.

I often explain that allergies, or the […]

United Way of Greater St. Louis’ free Summer Volunteer Guide for Youth will be online by the end of April. This valuable online guide is full of volunteer possibilities this summer at reputable non-profit agencies throughout the St. Louis region for youth and young adults ages 8-19.

Opportunities are now available online at www.unitedwaystlcares.org.
“This Guide is […]

By Don Fitz

People across Missouri are building ecovillages, revitalizing Dr. Martin Luther King streets and “naturescaping” back yards. May 2013 episodes of Green Time show how Missourians are engaged in making their part of the world more sustainable.

During the first show, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage co-founders Tony Sirna and Rachel Katz describe how 75 people share […]

by Linda Wiggen Kraft

Imagine a medicine so strong that it alone will let you go home a day early from hospital surgery, you will feel less pain and have fewer complaints about it. In fact, there is a medicine that strong which science is now recognizing and measuring. This medicine is simply the power of […]

Laith Naayem, Licensed Acupuncturist

There is very little it can’t do! The World Health Organization acknowledges that acupuncture has been proven to treat hundreds of conditions, from infertility to osteoarthritis. The National Institute of Health conducts and evaluates research on many forms of medicine, including acupuncture and Chinese herbology, and has concluded that it can treat […]

by Beth Reese, LPC, CHom

What is homeopathy? It would take a book, or two, to fully explain what homeopathy is and what it does; however, I will offer a brief, concise picture. Homeopathy is a 200 year-old natural method of healing both physical and mental/emotional complaints by supporting the body’s ability to heal itself. Symptoms […]

Anita Chastain
Founder and Head of School
Chesterfield Montessori School

Choosing a school or educational philosophy for children is one of the most important decisions parents can make. It can be quite a challenge weighing the pros and cons of private vs. public education, and traditional education vs. a more progressive style of education. There are financial considerations […]

by Randy Greene

By this time of year you’ve probably put down a dose of pre-emergent fertilizer and have already had to mow the lawn a few times. Everything looks great! Your yard looks healthy and green and it will stay that way, right?

The reason your lawn looks thick and lush in early Spring is because […]

by Jaime Sanchez, E-RYT 500, ND, founder of West-East Natural Healing Traditional Yoga School

Established in 1996 at Saint Louis University, West-East Natural Healing Traditional Yoga School is the oldest yoga program in the city of St. Louis, MO. We have offered certified 200-hour yoga teacher trainings since 1998 and recently registered its 500-hour program with Yoga […]

by Rev. William Mitchell, CI

Hypnotism can be applied successfully as a tool in psychotherapy, medical and dental pain management, to enhance academic achievement, to overcome fears and stage fright, to improve sleep, to increase athletic performance and other applications, however most people think of Habit Control, smoking cessation, weight loss, nailbiting etc.

When I was first […]