Healing Charlotte Podcast

Today's conversation is with Melanie McIntyre, the owner of Tru-Nectar, an e-commerce business selling CBD products. She started the business officially in February 2020 but had been working on researching the product and setting it up for a year prior. Tru-Nectar sells tinctures, gummies, topical, soft-gels, and dog treats all made with CBD. Melanie has always been interested and passionate about natural health for her own issues and found CBD. She did her own research on companies, tried various brands, and began to discover the benefits for herself.

Charlotte's Web Company helped put CBD on the map without the stigma when in 2018 a Farm Bill was passed that made the cultivation of hemp legal in all states. Stipulations for how much THC, how it's grown, and how it is cultivated. CBD comes from the hemp plant which is the same as marijuana. The difference is in how it's cultivated. CBD can have up to .3% of THC(which is the psychedelic) and marijuana has 15-20% of THC. This product is not regulated currently by the FDA, so some CBD companies will do 3rd party testing to discover any possible pesticides or chemicals, the amount of CBD that is on the label is reflected in the product, and if there are any added ingredients. Not all CBD companies are the same so it's important to research them and look into their 3rd party testing. Tru-Nectar products have a QR code to see the testing results for that particular batch and all have 0% THC.

Studies have shown that CBD can help with sleep issues, anxiety, stress, muscle and joint pain to name a few. For dogs, the products may help with anxiety; everyday or situation specific, and arthritis. Each of our bodies have an endocannabinoid systems that helps create overall balance. Our body produces it and sometimes could use more of it for balance which is where CBD supplements come in. Realm of Caring is a non-profit dedicated to research and findings regarding CBD products.

"It's considered to be a supplement because our body already produces these chemicals but we may need a little more because we are in a high stress environment or we are struggling with sleep or we just have anxiety because we have a chemical imbalance or it's just lifestyle so it just provides that extra support to create more balance."

Melanie has been influenced by the Charlotte's Web company which was started to support their daughter who had multiple seizures a day and found some relief with CBD. For natural health in general, Melanie has enjoyed information from Emily Schromm, a nutritionist with her website and podcast, Meathead Hippie. Melanie wants to heal Charlotte as she has been here for 16 years and see how high stress the environment is here.

"CBD is a product that can help that because it just helps to bring balance and that's part of what Charlotte needs. You know people in Charlotte, we just need to find that balance between doing but also resting. Taking time for ourselves and not being all about this one thing but really paying attention to self."

A healer in Charlotte who inspires her is Dr. Eric Goodman at Greenapple who is a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist. Use code "healclt" at Tru-Nectar to take advantage of the 25% discount.

In this episode, we meet Crystal Emerick, the founder and Executive Director of Brave Step, a non-profit that focuses on supporting those affected by sexual violence; survivors or loved ones. This 5-year old non-profit strives to empower adults impacted by sexual violence in 3 ways; personalized care(individual counseling, group therapy, peer support groups, empowerment groups), Brave public conversations, and to cultivate Changemakers. Once a survivor or loved one reaches out, their case manager completes a thorough intake and then lays out the options. The options they currently offer are individual counseling with a highly vetted therapist and will provide financial assistance if needed for up to 26 sessions, 12-week group therapy led by a licensed therapist, peer-led support groups, empowerment groups focused on coping skills, or "Finding Your Voice" programs including storytelling, art classes, etc. They meet the survivor or loved one where they are in their healing journey. Crystal has put together a diverse group on her Advisory Board who are all trained in various trauma treatment modalities so that Brave Step can offer a combination as well as have the understanding of all offered.

"Sexual violence doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care what faith you are, what financial status you are, what color you are, or what culture you are. It welcomes everybody with open arms. Until we can truly embrace that and the fact that each of us is impacted in one way or another, I don't know how we convince people of how detrimental this is to our community."

Crystal shares her own story of surviving childhood sexual abuse. She recognized the guilt, shame, and blame that was growing inside her and told her mom about it at the age of 13. As she grew older, she turned towards what she could control which manifested into unhealthy behavioral patterns. When she moved to Charlotte in 2001, she asked her doctor for help and was referred to a therapist, Sue Anne Wrenn. During her work with her therapist, she realized that she could not turn away from how prevalent sexual assault was in the world and in 2011 was challenged to "do something about it." She spent a good 2 years trying to figure out her role in doing something about it. In November of 2014, Brave Step officially became a non-profit and she started assembling her Advisory Board and Board of Directors. She recognized that there was not a lot of representation of adult care of sexual violence survivors. When she started the non-profit, she was running her own business in communications and public relations. She kept feeling the tug to give her all to the non-profit, so 2 years ago she closed down her business and moved over full-time. Last year, 60% of their funding came from individual donors and they continuously apply for grants. She would like to create in the future more specific programming for the loved ones of survivors but in the meantime, they can access services through Brave Step.

She has been influenced by Nancy Brinker's book, "Promise Me." As the founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, this book provided Crystal inspiration for changing people's tolerance for talking about the difficult topics such as breast cancer and sexual violence. She wants to heal Charlotte to help those survivors either crack open or bust down the door to their healing because she understands the negative impacts on survivors, family members, communities. She wants to do this work to help future generations. Her advice for sexual violence survivors is as follows; take 1 brave baby step at a time, fight for yourself, and find community with people like you. She is inspired in Charlotte by Sue Anne Wrenn, a therapist and all of the members of her Advisory Board.

"It's my obligation now. It's to turn my pain into a purpose and as long as I can keep doing that and do it effectively, then I'm here to stay."

In the short term future, Brave Step will be releasing the "Change Makers" program this year that will focus on education around sexual assault and will be diving deeper on supporting loved ones.

Visit Brave Step's website for more information or to get help, donate, or volunteer. You can reach Crystal directly at [email protected] or 704-361-5230.

Kent Crawford is our guest on the podcast today. Neurofeedback, Brainwave Biofeedback, or EEG Biofeedback is a modality he has been practicing for 18 years. He describes neurofeedback as a technique that frees us up from our neurology. It's a non-invasive treatment that works with the non-conscious part of the brain and frequencies we ask the brain to exercise. On a simple level, while training, the person is watching a movie with sensors on their head and the screen gets larger and smaller based on what the brain is doing in that moment. Kent has practiced many different versions of neurofeedback but enjoys the Othmer Method the best based on the quickness and depth of results. Kent says neurofeedback can help with an unlimited number of things including; depression, anxiety, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. There are a minimum of 20 sessions to achieve completion and remission of symptoms but one will see results before then. Kent mentions that some conditions will need more than 20.

"It's like our thoughts and even our emotions are a plant growing out of the soil. That is the neurology of our brain and if that soil is in a negative place, then that's the kind of thoughts you're are going to have."

Kent discusses Alpha-Theta training which is another portion of the work in that it can get people to the theta state of brainwave activity that can take weeks instead of a long-term dedicated meditation practice. He says that people tend to get along with others better, care about others more, and are generally happier. Alpha-theta gets more into the emotional and spiritual space.

Kent's journey to Neurofeedback training began after reading a book about different brain techniques and was really drawn to it. He then found a training with the Othmers and began practicing. He continues to be so impressed with the affects and how quickly success came to those he trained. Over the last 18 years, Kent estimates he has trained thousands of people's brains and typically receives word-of-mouth referrals. Kent emphasizes that the process is non-invasive and that side-effects will happen somewhere along the course of treatment. He discusses that the side-effects are within your past range of experience and if somethings gets thrown off, he can correct it.

"It {Neurofeedback} has a foot in both camps; it has a foot in the standard healthcare camp and that camp is a 'we've got a problem, let's fix it' kind of thing. Neurofeedback also has it's foot in the preventative healthcare practice of making ourselves healthier so that we don't get whatever the problem is, psychological or physiological."

Kent is from Charlotte and enjoys the location in between the mountains and the coast. He likes the green spaces we have and that Charlotte is a financial and energy capital for the country. Visit his website or call 704-527-0071 to book an appointment or for more information.

Today's discussion is with Susan Hughes, a 500-hour teacher focused on Therapeutic Yoga. The two provide information on different types of Yoga, hands-on assisting, finding a teacher, and other topics to help you find your Yoga home. Susan's advice when starting your journey is to try different studios and notice how the space makes you feel.

"You get a feeling right away I feel like when you go someplace that feels like home to you. You meet teachers who feel like they have the same interests as you, you feel comfortable in that location physically and with the people that are there."

Levels of Exertion for Styles

Power - This is a strengths based class, that includes even more flow than a vinyasa and students will usually end up very sweaty at the end of class as this is one of the more athletic styles.

Vinyasa(Flow) - Will move faster and links one breath per movement. It's more athletic but not necessarily more advanced. The teacher will offer modifications and variations(helps make the pose more accessible for your body), and the flow is sequenced around "sun salutations." Classes typically start with breath and centering, on to a warmup, moving into the flow where the heart rate increases, next to the cool down, and them some stretching at the end.

Basics or Beginner - Typically for beginners or anyone wanted to break down each shape for their body. The purpose is for people to learn and be able to get into poses safely. The class pace is usually really slow and may include workshopping poses or a theme. The student will learn about engagement and modifications/variations. This class is not necessarily gentle.

Gentle - This class will not have a flow state and is more athletic. Will usually explore the 6 movements of the spine(forward and back bends, twisting, lateral stretches), many poses will be from the floor with less overall exertion, and will move slowly in between shapes.

Yin(Deep Stretch is similar and different) - All poses will be on the ground and will use many props(blankets, blocks, bolsters) to hold poses for 3-5 minutes where the student will get into a meditative state. The props are to hold the body up so that it can get into a state of not totally relaxed but not totally pushing/activating. Works to help put the fascia back into place.

Restorative - Will use even more props(blankets, blocks, bolsters, eye covers, chairs) to hold the body up in a position of comfort and relaxation. In this class, there are no demands or exertion and will include a few poses. Poses are typically held anywhere from 5-7 minutes up to 20 minutes or more. The student will be able to get into a deeper state of relaxation and meditative. The classes may be warm, dark, still, and quiet.

Therapeutic - Typically done one-on-one with a highly trained teacher who will complete a whole-human reading including the injury or ailment the student entered with and will explore sleep, social support, past traumas, a spiritual practice, etc. The teacher will put all the pieces together to help the student heal.

Trauma-Sensitive - The purpose of this class is to create an environment that is as safe as possible for someone who has experienced trauma to heal. Not necessarily the only place to heal from them but an important one. The classes may not include any hands-on assisting, will offer options for poses and ways to make the poses as accessible as possible. Helps to create more interoception(noticing sensations in the body) so that the student can take good care of themself. Teachers trained in this can also help the student reframe relationships they will practice boundary setting, autonomy, and being seen in a space.

Susan and Katie discuss some other aspects of Yoga including:

Sanksrit - This is the language of Yoga. Each poses has a Sanskrit name. Some teachers will use this in class and most likely will use the English translation as well.

Safety - You can hurt yourself in Yoga and especially with repetitive motion if not done mindfully. Everyone's bone structures are different and it's important for a teacher to be highly trained to understand this.

Hands-On Assisting - May happen in Yoga class. The purpose of these generally speaking are for safety reasons as well as help the student deepen their experience. It's good to know that they are not usually to correct you in a pose. Touch can be healing but sometimes it doesn't feel safe to students. This is why it's important to know if the teacher provides hands-on assisting and if they ask permission each time. It gives the student autonomy and choice.

Most Yoga teachers are 200-hour certified which means they have graduated from a Registered Yoga School through Yoga Alliance and have the basic knowledge of teaching Yoga. Some teachers go through an additional 300-hour program to become 500-hour certified which means they have completed more specialized training and have taken a deeper dive with understanding Yoga. During her 300-hour program, Susan recognized her passion was to help give students their power back in a yoga class.

"Giving the power back to the student is teaching them that trauma-sensitive way in an effort to let the student know that it doesn't matter what I say, it doesn't matter if I want your foot here and you put it here. If you are getting the experience out of the posture, you're doing Yoga. If you're with your breath and you are moving, you are doing Yoga."

Katie and Susan agree that when choosing a Yoga Instructor, students look for a teacher who is at least 200-hour certified. A 500-hour certification or specialization in that style is even better. Make sure your teacher has been practicing awhile and notice how you feel in the space with that person.

Susan and Katie met at Noda Yoga when they were going through Bella Vita Yoga Teacher Training. Susan loves that she has always been recognized and acknowledged by name at Noda Yoga. The physical space is comforting to her and she appreciates Jillian's dedication to accessible yoga. Accessible means that the space offers Yoga that everyone can participate in, the use of props, and attend to the socio-economic status of all students. Both agree that the variety of styles offered is amazing. Katie thinks the experience the teachers have is unmatched in the city.

Lastly, do you have to be flexible to do Yoga? Absolutely not! It can increase flexibility and that may not even be the intention of starting a Yoga practice.

"I think that the accessibility like representing the broad spectrum of types of people that there are in the world via our teachers and making the studio a welcoming place to every type of person is part of what makes it home for me."

You can join Susan for a class through the Noda Yoga website or book a private session through her Instagram page.

On today's episode, we meet with Kristine Kaoverii Weber, who created the program "Yoga Ethics for Transforming Racism" with Kiesha Battles. Kristine is an internationally recognized Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher trainer who has presented internationally and founder of the Subtle Yoga, the first training for behavioral health professionals in the country. Kristine has trained thousands of people around the world since 2003. Her journey with Yoga began in middle school when she joined the "Yoga Club" that one of her teacher's provided. She remembers the transformational experience she had. Yoga continued to be a constant in her life when she moved to Washington, D.C to San Francisco, and on to Japan to teach English. From there, she was drawn to explore Yoga even more and decided to tour India for 2 years. After her experiences in Ashrams and with her teachers, she knew she had to share what she learned to those struggling with mental health upon returning to the States. Subtle Yoga was born in 2006 and in 2009, she began presenting at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville. Kristine is married to a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist so many of their conversations have centered around the intersection of Yoga and Mental Health. Back then, Yoga wasn't as trauma-informed as it is today and she found a niche in training Mental Health professional Yoga to bring to their clients. In 2012, she started her first 200-hour training that was also supported by a major continuing education provider. She continued to find how powerful it was to put Yoga training in the hands of professionals who were already trauma-informed and had strong ethics. It has been her mission to bring more professionalism to Yoga. She began offering courses online 2 years ago and her reach continues to broaden.

Kristine's Subtle Yoga is accessible, person-centered, low-risk, and low-cost as an intervention. It can be applied in a therapy space, Yoga studio, gym, etc. One of her teacher's, Gary Kraftsow(Viniyoga), has influenced her development of Subtle Yoga. There are lots of repeated poses and moving with the breath. Kristine thinks about sequencing poses in regards to the nervous system.

"I think about my sequencing in terms of where do we want to take the nervous system; do we want to go in the direction of energy and nourishment, do we need to stimulate the system a little bit, do we need to go in the direction of letting go and lightening or helping folx to feel more relaxed."

Fast forward to 2016, Kristine was asked to speak at an Integrative Health Conference in Charlotte, NC right after Keith Lamont Scott was murdered. She found that no one was talking about the protests and what was happening right outside the conference. She decided to speak to social, economic, and environmental determinants of health that account for the majority of health outcomes.

"I've felt very passionate about social justice for a long time and I see it as intimately connected to the Yoga process."

Earlier in 2020 when the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum, Kristine reached out to Kiesha Battles, a former student of hers, and asked if she would be willing to collaborate on a course regarding racism as viewed from the lens of the Yamas and Niyamas, the yoga ethical principles.

"Where they really shine is when you operationalize them and you think about them in terms of a particular problem, in this case racism, and then really how do I use these ethics to take right action in the world?"

In her career, Kristine has been influenced by Gary Kraftsow, the founder of Viniyoga, Susan Andrews, a Yoga teacher in Brazil, Gabor Mate's book "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts," Bessel Van Der Kolk's book, "The Body Keeps the Score," Barbara Frederickson's book, "Love 2.0," and her husband Brett Sculthorp. In Charlotte, Kristine is inspired by Kiesha Battles, a Yoga Instructor, Samantha Leonard of Davidson Yoga Therapy, Sherry Lyerly Tarner, of Pure Wellness and Healing, all of the owners of Yoga Studios navigating COVID-19, and Dr. Lisette Holland, a Physical Therapist.

Kristine wants to help others heal because she has received so much from Yoga and for her, there is no other choice but to give it back. Her advice to those seeking healing is to find a good therapist and trust yourself. Find more about her program, "Yoga Ethics for Transforming Racism."

In this episode, we have the pleasure of talking with Kiesha Battles of I Am Yoga and co-creator of the "Yoga Ethics for Transforming Racism" program with Kristine Kaoverii Weber of Subtle Yoga.

"It's the conversation that we hope that people are open to having because with this Yoga, you know it's more than doing, it's taking action and what we are trying to do is take that action of just sharing more of the tools and the practices that can benefit us in this world. We both have this understanding that there are many paths to Yoga, and not all of them focus on the ethical principles. So what we want to do is share with people that they are there."

Her Yoga journey began when she found a flyer in the hallway of her graduate program in Asian Studies. She started out studying the Iyengar method and after moving to Charlotte, began practicing more Vinyasa and Power Yoga. She's completed two 200-hour Yoga Teacher programs, the first being with Kristine and the second with her mentor Maya Breuer. She's also completed a 300-hour program with Maya and is currently in another with Embodied Philosophy. Presently, she is the Yoga Director at Charlotte Family Yoga and founder of I Am Yoga where she leads Yoga Teacher Training programs and provides Accessible Yoga.

Kiesha is a full time Yoga teacher with over 20 years of experience. Before COVID, she was teaching 20 classes a week to over 300 students. During COVID, she found herself with more time on her hands by not driving from class to class. This intersection paired with the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement provided the opportunity to co-create with Kristine. Kiesha's study of Yoga Philosophy began when developing her research paper for Kristine's 200-hour Training Program on "Why Don't African Americans Do Yoga." This research led her to Maya Breuer, her "Grandmother of Yoga." She attended her Yoga Retreat for Women of Color and began private studies with her afterwards on Living Yoga. She studied intimately with Maya for years going deeper and deeper with the Yamas and Niyamas(Ethical Principles of Yoga). She then began practicing with Kelley Palmer in Charlotte who was integrating the Yoga principles more directly. This partnership with Kristine reminds Kiesha of Yin and Yang. Not only by the styles they teach, Kristine teaching more of an active style and Kiesha teaching Yin, but by who they are as women. Each present the Yamas or Niyamas as it relates to racism, humanities, and ethics, paired with a physical practice. All proceeds go towards scholarship foundations for BIPOC organizations; Black Yoga Teacher Alliance and I Am Yoga. After 1 month of offering the program, they have been able to contribute $3k to each organization. She believes this program gives the participant a path to change and understand racism through the lens of the ethical principles of Yoga.

"What are your values? What are the values that you hold true that you would stand your ground for, that you would fight for, that you would be willing to die for. For some people in our path, it could be God, it could be Spirit. For some people it's love and for some people it's country. But what are you holding true as a value outside of who you vote for?"

Maya Breuer has been influential in Kiesha's work and from her she found T.K.V Desikachar's book "The Heart of Yoga" which has done the same for her. Candace Jennings, her partner in I Am Yoga was influential in developing her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Kiesha enjoys working with everybody as she believes working with everybody provides her an opportunity to learn. She wants to Heal Charlotte because she is a loyalist. She moved to the Carolinas during her adolescent years and is now so embedded in the community here, she wants Charlotte to be well.

In Charlotte, she's inspired by Candace Jennings, her business partner and bodyworker, her Mom as she has found healing in the extra time spent with her after surgery, interactions with her friends during COVID, and Key Baldwin, her Reiki Master. Dr. Tony Peters is another bodyworker in Charlotte who Kiesha appreciates.

"If you are looking for healing, ask for it, there are so many resources out there and there's no one right way of healing."

Learn more about "Yoga Ethics for Transforming Racism."

This episode, we meet Lisa Moore of Harmony Health Yoga and Ayurveda. She's been a therapeutic yoga teacher for 15 years, facilitates many workshops, seminars, retreats, does energy work as a Shamanic practitioner, as well as an Ayurveda Consultant. She describes Ayurveda as the sister science to yoga and the oldest medical system in the world, and was banished in India when the British invaded. It combines energy medicine, diet and lifestyle changes, and the interplay of the mind for wellness. In Ayurveda, everyone has a constitution which is a system of doshas that are categories people fall into based on their elemental makeup assigned at conception. It focuses on digestion and high functioning tissues and organs. In Ayurveda, the goal is for people to live in sattva which is a pleasing and neutral state. Each dosha is made up of 2 elements; ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Vata is made up of ether and air and these people move a lot in space, are creative, and intelligent. Pitta is made up of fire and water and this is the energy of transformation and these people are natural born leaders. Kapha is made up of water and earth and is the energy of structure as these people tend to be compassionate, loyal, and stable.

Lisa's work begins with an assessment where she will look at digestion, stress, unprocessed trauma, sleep and meal times, exercise, and quality of relationships. A physical analysis will be done on the tongue, fingernail, hair, skin, among other things. She's going to look into someone's energy patterns as well such as prana and apana. After the constitution is determined and imbalance is discovered, understanding the root problem including possibly eating the wrong foods or eating at the wrong time as well as developing a plan for supporting their constitution is developed. Digestion is a major focus of the beginning work of Ayurveda. Lisa mentions that getting digestion under control for each person is paramount. From here, she will create a maintenance plan taking into account the season and help each person understand when to eat, the types of food to eat, hydration, exercise, sleep time, the right type of yoga, meditation, and breathwork to support their constitution. After everything is in balance, Lisa will prescribe herbs based on what organs and doshas were out of balance.

"It's a process that unfolds because you want it to be a lifestyle. I don't want it to be novel that someone is going to try and then say 'oh it didn't work, so I'm going to move on to something else."

Lisa became inspired to get into this work after the health issues that she encountered about 10 years ago. She believed she had a stellar diet and had all types of intense symptoms. Her doctors ran invasive tests and determined that nothing was wrong. She knew something was not right and was introduced to Ayurveda. She realized she was eating the wrong foods for her dosha and within months felt grounded for the first time in her life. From there she spent many years training and obtaining her certification. Lisa enjoys working with people who are curious, motivated, and want to truly understand the root causes. She is motivated by people who want to break out of patterns, understand the role of nature in their health, and are ready to inspect relationships they have in their life.

Lisa moved to Charlotte in 2001 from Arizona and was interested in finding a local Naturopath. At the time, there was only 2, so she called up one. He became a mentor to her with energy work. She's also be influenced by Steve Nelson who was an Astrologer and Shaman as well as Dr. Vasant Lad, who is the head of the Ayurveda Institute in New Mexico. "The Doctor from India" is a documentary about him and his work.

"I would like to heal Charlotte in terms of people getting expansive, people being more compassionate, people being more open to other cultures and systems of beliefs, and let those things interplay with one another, and a deeper connection to yourself at the core level."

As the former editor of Natural Awakenings magazine for 10 years, Lisa is inspired in the Charlotte community by so many healers it's hard to name just one. She finds herself most inspired by nature. Connect with Lisa through her website or by calling her at 704-277-3887.

On this episode, we meet Alissa Getz Waller, owner of Charlotte Movement Arts Studio and the only Master Trainer of GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® movement methods in Charlotte. She is a student of founder Juliu Horvath, who was a dancer and involved with yoga when he developed the method. These movements were born out of classic ballet, yoga, principles of physical therapy, swimming, and martial arts. Alissa says it's best to watch a video to truly understand before starting the method. GYROKINESIS® are movements made up of floor work, seated, and are the building blocks of the equipment work. These movements can be practiced at home or done in group settings. GYROTONIC® is performed on equipment and helps direct and support the movement much like being in water. The movements can be expanded and one can go deeper in GYROTONIC®. Hands-on assisting is used to help with alignment and form.

Alissa describes GYROTONIC® as a movement system on equipment where weight can be added and allows the joints to move circularly and is not jarring. The weight support is smooth through the motion. It's similar to pilates as it emphasizes the core, it's therapeutic, and there are equipment and non-equipment approaches. It's different than pilates as GYROTONIC® uses Eastern principles, approaches the body deeper than muscles(bones and joints), uses imagery to awaken the energy systems in the body, uses circular vs. linear movements, and works from the deepest part of the body and out. Teenagers to seniors can utilize the method.

"GYROTONIC® has remained true to it's core principles of circular versus linear movement, movement that starts on the deepest part of the body and then from there comes out. There's a focus on join articulation which is why it's so healing for any type of joint dysfunction or joint injury."

Alissa started training in classical ballet at the age of 4. When she was a teenager, she started having aches and pain from her intense dance schedule. Alissa's mom got her involved with a Pilates trainer and in college, she took Pilates training. During her time in New York, a friend of Alissa's introduced her to GYROTONIC®. She became so excited about the method and fascinated with the way the body could move, she signed up for teacher training with Juliu Horvath. From there, she opened up a studio outside of Chicago in 2002. Eventually she sold the studio and moved to Charlotte where she opened her boutique studio in Myers Park. Outside of training at her studio, Alissa is also a faculty member of the Charlotte Ballet Academy where she enjoys working with mid-adolescent dancers as well as pre-professional dancers.

"It {physical empathy} feels to me like putting myself in their nervous system and then my nervous system can help guide them in a new way."

Alissa loves working with clients who are open-minded about how they approach their body and relationship to exercise and movement. Her parents, who were both teachers, has influenced her work as well as a ballet instructor, Rosemary Floyd, growing up who told her that the "goal should be quality." All of Alissa's movement instructors gave her gifts of understanding how to relate to people and how to empathize with bodies(emotional and physical). Juliu Horvath and his brother Paul Horvath, who focused more on the therapeutic and rehabilitation side of GYROTONIC® have been influential in her work. Alissa loves Charlotte as she sees this as a place still in development where she can be a guide for people in their own healing and to show them the way to heal themselves. She attended a training in Charlotte with Phillip Beach who is from New Zealand and works with the muscles and meridians to research why we experience what we do when we move the body. Her advice for starting a practice of GYROTONIC® or GYROKINESIS® is to watch a few videos and commit to 2-3 sessions to give it a fair chance. Visit GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® website here.

On today's episode, we meet Jalah Clayton, the President of The Black Light Foundation. The Foundation is a digitally-based, non-profit to raise awareness about mental health by educating, empowering, and enlightening Black and Caribbean communities. She founded this organization with her sister Mahogany and cousin Tristan to honor their mother and aunt, Claudia Clayton who was lost to suicide in May 2019. Claudia dealt with mental health challenges in her life but used her role to help others. She was vocal about her own struggles and what helped her manage them. The family wanted to find a way to uphold her legacy and continue the work that she was doing. Their ideas started off as a scholarship fund for someone seeking treatment but grew to what it is now with the help of the communities Claudia created. In July 2019, The Black Light Foundation was formed. With this platform, Jalah and her family members hope to raise awareness by having conversation and education around how to take care of mental health, how to support those with mental health challenges, eliminate the stigmas, and be a resource for diverse communities. Their programming has a physical activity component to navigate mental health as Claudia was a runner and cross fitter.

"To challenge ourselves to think differently about what mental health means to different communities especially minority communities and just considering the access that different communities have to mental health resources."

Jalah Clayton is based in Charlotte, NC and currently works as a Fitness Coach at Crossfit Vitality. She also works with companies to implement Employee and Worksite Wellness programs. Moving her body has been a constant in her life since being a dancer for 14 years, getting a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sports Science, and now getting a Master's Degree in Public Health. Her focus with others is on nutrition, recovery, movement, and mindset. Mahogany Clayton lives in Miami, FL and works full-time in Marketing as well as managing those efforts for the foundation. Tristan Marrow is based in Portland, OR, works for Nike, and also supports contributes to the physical activity component for the organization.

The Foundation recently sponsored a "Miles for Mental Health" challenge through the Nike app where they raised $1,450 to donate between the groups, Therapy for Black Girls and Therapy for Black Men. The Black Light Foundation will be putting future efforts towards creating a scholarship for those seeking treatment.

"Knowing that you can use your physical health to navigate your mental health. Whether you are the type of person that needs that intense workout to just burn off some steam and help you decompress at the end of the day or if it's the person that likes yoga or walking, meditation, stretching. We really want to provide resources like that and explore those tools within the foundation."

The Black Light Foundation was founded by Jalah, Mahogany, and Tristan, but not without help they are grateful for from Alana V. Allen from Alana Knows Non-Profits, Kim Honeycutt from ICU Talks, and Vitality Fitness. They want to Heal Charlotte because they are all personally connected to Charlotte and grew up here. The advice they have for those seeking healing:

• Learn Yourself
• Practice Self-Awareness and Vulnerability as it helps with our connection to others
• Be Patient and Open on your journey
• Understand that life will take you through valleys and mountaintops

"Seeing all of what mom did and having that understanding of her story being her family on this side of it. It challenged us to ensure that while we are still here on Earth that we can work in the way that she did."

In Charlotte, the group is inspired by healers, Kim Honeycutt and Shamyra Parker who is also involved with ICU Talks, and is a self-care advocate as well as helps leaders with self-care. If you would like to support The Black Light Foundation as a volunteer or financially, click here.

In this episode, we are talking all things nutrition with Hannah Anderson. She is the Registered Dietician for the dining program at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Hannah wears many hats with this role and really enjoys working with students around wellness. In high school, she developed an interest in healthy eating, exercise, and experimenting in the kitchen. She discovered that she could study Public Health in undergrad and became fascinated with the nutrition aspect during a project researching chronic illnesses. The class found that all chronic diseases had a direct correlation to obesity and diet. During the same time, she developed a chronic illness that took over her life. She began noticing gastrointestinal symptoms that she later found were related to the long term use of antibiotics prescribed by her doctor. She later struggled with environmental allergies and sinus issues and then diagnosed with uveitis, an auto-immune disorder that presents like pink eye and can eventually lead to blindness. After exhausting her options with traditional medicine and finding little relief, Hannah started working with a Functional and Integrative medicine practitioner. She describes Functional and Integrative medicine as a modality to help find the underlying causes of disease for optimal health. These modalities believe in the body's innate ability to heal itself. Hannah reports that 50% of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with 1 chronic illness. Most find little relief in traditional medicine and are just told to deal with the symptoms or given a prescription for the pain associated.

Hannah goes into depth for understanding of the microbiome as it is a part of the entire picture of health. She says our body is home to trillions of micro-organisms(bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc) that all have a placement and purpose. The gut microbiome are the ones residing in the digestive system and can weigh anywhere from 2-5lbs! These organisms help regulate hormones, create neurotransmitters, among other purposes. A healthy gut microbiome has a delicate balance between the two and can be thrown off by medication, lack of sleep, and environmental factors. A dysbiotic state is when there are more bad bacteria than good and commonly called "leaky gut."

"We can't just look at our diet alone without looking at our sleep, and our social relationships, and our stress management, and our connection with nature. All of these things really do such a profound job at impacting how our gut functions and in turn they way we are able to prevent disease or not."

Hannah discusses how food and nutrition is just one part of the overall picture and that other areas are worth exploring as well. She talks about balance with sleep, stress management, movement, and diet. She talks about the "Standard American Diet," or S.A.D. that is made up of mostly processed food or food that lacks the nutrients we need by the time it reaches the table. Many people are deficient in Vitamin D, which could look similar to depression, B12 which causes fatigue, memory loss, and depressive symptoms. Adults need 8-9 hours of sleep and are not getting that which could cause insulin resistance, cardiovascular and immune issues, hormonal imbalance, and mood swings. Effective and regular stress management can lower inflammation. Moving the body consistently can increase insulin sensitivity, brain health, and enhance detoxification.

Some suggestions Hannah offered:

• be your own "Health CEO"
• buy from local farms
• eat more whole foods in their natural state and a large variety
• pay attention to packages; reading labels for ingredient(fewer is better, ones you can pronounce) and check for added sugar which is pro-inflammatory
• add more fiber
• utilize adaptogens(class of plants that can reduce stress response in the body). Mushrooms(lions mane, rishi), Ashwagandha, Ginseng, and Maca, to name a few.

Other resources Hannah recommended:

• Dr. Mark Hyman(Website, Instagram, Podcast, "Food Fix")
• Dr. Jeffrey Bland(Website, Instagram, Podcast, "The Disease Delusion" )
• McKel Kooienga(Website, Instagram)
• Erin Holt(Website, Instagram, Podcast)
• Chris Kresser(Website, Instagram, Podcast)
• "The Healthy Deviant" by Pilar Gerasimo

Documentary mentioned:

"The Biggest Little Farm"