“Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mooooooom!” When my boys were little and needed to gain my attention I would hear that chant accompanied by a tug on my clothing. Now that they are older, it takes a different form. These days I hear my phone ding repeatedly like a bell tower announcing the noon hour. But instead of a cry for attention to point out the latest cool toy, now it is usually a request for money or some other “emergency.”

My boys are in that transition time from dependence to independence. It is a major change for them and for me. As a young woman all my time was consumed by the needs of small children, an all-encompassing job leaving little time to wonder what I would do when they are grown. Now that we are crossing that bridge it is clear that the job of a mother is never done. Moms are always on call for encouragement, counsel, and life skill development training – laundry being a repeated course in my house.

This, of course, leads to thoughts of my own mother and how even now she is still a source of encouragement and support. In this month’s spotlight “The Keys to Women’s Health” we note, “A woman is the glue that keeps the family and community together. She provides a sense of calm and security to the home like no one else can.” That is certainly true in my family, my mother is always there whether it is to help gather information, lend an ear, or help make health choices.

Over the last 13 years of publishing Natural Awakenings, I have been fortunate to personally experience the services and products of many of the practitioners found in our pages. These experts have become my first resource for maintaining the health of my own family. Our community is rich with integrative and natural health experts and this month we are proud to feature them in our local resource guide for women’s health starting on page 24.

In these pages you will also find insight into why vegans and vegetarians are naturally trim [page 26] and what to consider when vaccinating your pet [page 40]. Discover natural approaches for childbirth [page 34] and tips to keep your breasts healthy [page 28]. You’ll also find tips for preventing breast cancer [page 32]. May is a celebration of women and mothers. I hope this month you share it with the women you love.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kris Urquhart, Publisher