Essential Element

01/04/2025

Well .... It's 2025 and time for change. I will be leaving the Co-op the end of January for a long needed, indefinite break. My practice will be put on hold for a bit to take care of some family business. I will keep my license in good standing .... because I expect I won't be able to stay away from bodywork permanently!!!! Thank you all for the wonderful support, both business and personal, that you've given me over these years. Continue to get YOUR bodywork so you can be as healthy as possible! I know I will, too! Cheers to new discoveries and experiences in 2025!

12/11/2024

These aren’t signs of normal aging—they’re your body’s way of saying it’s under stress. Chronic inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and disrupted gut health are often to blame.

Did you know?
- 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy, leading to fatigue, brain fog, and more.
- Over 40% of adults rely on caffeine daily to “fix” energy crashes—but it only masks the problem.
- 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, and digestive issues can ripple out to brain fog, joint pain, and mood swings.

If this sounds like you, chances are you need to take a deeper look at your diet and lifestyle.

These are not just inconveniences, but biomarkers of deeper imbalances. Understanding these warning signs allows us to intervene at the root level.

12/03/2024

11/07/2024

❤️

Here's to the bridge-builders, the hand-holders, the light-bringers, those extraordinary souls wrapped in ordinary lives who quietly weave threads of humanity into an inhumane world. They are the unsung heroes in a world at war with itself. They are the whisperers of hope that peace is possible. Look for them in this present darkness.
Light your candle with their flame. And then go. Build bridges.
Hold hands. Bring light to a dark and desperate world. Be the hero you are looking for. Peace is possible. It begins with us.

~L.R. Knost

Art: ElinManonIllustration

09/30/2024

I just want to take a moment and thank the volunteers at the Spring Creek Fire Department in Madison County, NC! They are providing hot food, water and any other supplies you might need. The firefighters are all weaving through our hollers and creeks looking for folks that might need help or need supplies brought TO them because they cannot get out! And this is going on around the clock! I've been down there a couple of times, and they are putting in the time both out in the community and in the kitchen to be sure there's always food!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING GOOD CARE OF US ALL!!!!!
And if YOU know of someone that cannot get out and needs anything, please call. If you're capable of getting out, please do not take away our resources, but go to the fire house and get whatever you need.

09/29/2024

Our local store and cafe at the bottom of my mountain!

This was Trust General Store & Cafe earlier today. The water has thankfully gone down and our power was restored early this evening.
The water came more than halfway up our doors and flooded the inside of the store. There is still standing water inside and a LOT of mud everywhere, indoors and out. Our parking lot is completely destroyed and hazardous. The two huge dumpsters we had outside are gone without a trace. Parts of our porch railings and supports are gone.
Our fuel pumps seem to be working but we do not know if the fuel has been compromised. People have been getting gas and we think it’s okay but cannot guarantee that.
We will be there when we can safely do so to work on the monumental task of cleaning up. We do not have set hours that we plan to do this, so can’t say exactly what times we’ll be there.
If you can safely reach us, we are giving free ice to anyone who needs it. Bring coolers or containers. Help yourself to any bagged ice in the machine outside on the porch. If you need anything from our store, please call or drive by (but only if it’s safe for you to do so) and if we’re there you can come in to get what you want/need. Please note that if you come onto our property or into our store you do so at your own risk. There are dangers all around and it is a good bet that there are risks we are not aware of currently. The floors, as stated above, have standing water and a lot of slippery mud. We do, however, want everyone to be able to get what they need so will do our best to accommodate.
We are filled with gratitude that things at our place are not worse. When we saw the above photo we had not yet been able to get there to see the state of things in person and thought the store and everything in it was likely a total loss. We were pleasantly surprised to find that it is salvageable although we have a long road ahead of us.
We sincerely hope that you are all safe. We will get through this together. ❤️
Photo credit: unknown. It had made its way around Facebook before we saw it so don’t know who took this photo. If it was you, please let us know so we can credit you appropriately.
UPDATE: Photo credit Lane Gentry