Direct Primary Care: Putting the Care Back in Healthcare

I don’t have health insurance, but I bet I receive better health care than many people who do. Friends and family often understandably express concern about my lack of insurance, but I marvel at how often they then proceed to share with me the troubling experiences they have with the healthcare system: waiting months to get an appointment with their primary care doctor, not being allowed to share all their health concerns during a doctor’s appointment, and the most troubling of all, life threatening circumstances that result from overlooked diagnoses. Though well-meaning, these loved ones don’t seem to understand the relationship health insurance has to the health care—or lack there of—they are receiving.

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A Place to Breathe: How Emily Adama Found Herself at EarthWell Retreat Center

As far as the eye can see, there are acres and acres of a great nature preserve. Allow yourself to be consumed by it for a moment. Let it envelope you. Let it return you back to the beginning. Maple trees stretch far overhead--taller than any worry could ever be. Streams meander through the land—a burst of movement happening in this otherwise still place. There is a quiet, here, but a quiet that causes introspection. A quiet that feels intentional. A quiet that feels connected to something bigger if only one is willing to stop and listen.

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Sustainable Health: Hypermobility Disorders: An Overlooked Diagnosis

Persistent daily pain is a diagnosis that has unfortunately increased over the past decade in this country. Sometimes the source is known, but oftentimes, the etiology remains a mystery. As physicians, we wondered why some patients skate through life with very little pain and why others find themselves reaching for the Advil every day.

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Breath, Plants, and the Return to Relationship

As I got older, plants again became teachers. First tobacco, then cannabis introduced me to non-ordinary states through ritualized breath. Smoking was never just consumption for me; it was relational. Breaking apart the plant, lighting it, inhaling and exhaling with intention—these acts shaped my nervous system and my awareness.

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Yoga for Life: How to Know If Your Stress Is Out of Control, Plus 6 Simple Yoga Tools to Reduce It

Unless we spend time exploring the underlying causes of our stress, ultimately nothing will change. A yoga practice can help us do just that. One of the gifts of yoga is that it helps us cultivate greater self-awareness. By getting on your yoga mat, you are taking time to slow down, be mindful, and see what you can learn about your body. With ongoing practice, you are better able to listen to your body and give it what it needs on a daily basis.

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An Interview with Psychotherapist on Authentic Masculinity and Embodied Healing

Daniel DeSena is a social worker and psychotherapist who has become active in leading male embodiment and self-mastery workshops locally, and also nationally on Zoom. He is passionate about the intersection of spirituality, meditation, energy work, martial arts, sexuality and embodiment. He and his twin sister, and younger brother, were raised in the Pittsburgh area. Now 52, he’s been in southeastern Michigan for 30+ years.

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Light Therapy: Energy Medicine for Body, Mind, and Spirit

What if healing could be as natural as sunlight on your skin? For centuries, wisdom traditions have spoken of the body as an energetic system—alive with rhythm, resonance, and flow. Modern science is now showing that light itself is medicine. Each wavelength carries a frequency, a vibration, a kind of language our cells understand. When we receive light, we are not just absorbing energy; we are reconnecting with one of nature’s oldest forms of nourishment.

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Herbs for Your Garden: Growing the California Poppy

In Michigan, California Poppy is grown as a self-seeding annual. The entire plant (roots, leaves, and flowers) can be harvested in late summer when the plant is flowering. Preserve the fresh, finely chopped roots in 40% alcohol to make a tincture that will last for years. Flowers and leaves can be carefully dried to make tea. Use one or two teaspoons of dried herb in eight ounces hot water and steep for 45 minutes. To collect seeds, watch for the plants to form long, thin seed pods and wait until the pods begin to turn brown and dry. Collect intact pods into a brown paper bag and allow them to dry. The pods may burst open on their own, or you can gently roll them between your fingers to extract the small, black, round seeds.

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Gardening for Nutrition and Delight

I’ve helped many people start gardens over the years, and my first question is, “What do you want to accomplish with your garden?” The answers vary widely, from “saving money” to “growing exotic ingredients” to my favorite: “The garden is now solely for the delight of the kids.” These are all valid approaches! To help you think about different approaches to gardening, here are some ideas for a simple 4’x8’ raised bed garden.

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Sustainable Health: Perimenopause Hormones Explained: Symptoms, Natural Relief & Self-Care Strategies

Perimenopause brings fluctuating hormones, irregular periods, hot flashes, brain fog, and fatigue—often called the "second puberty." Discover what's happening in your body and explore natural, non-medical ways to find relief through nervous system support, nourishment, blood sugar balance, rest, and radical self-care. No one-size-fits-all—personalized steps to reclaim energy and peace.

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