Natural Awakenings has always been the local go-to source for information about mind and body wellness and inspiration for simple, conscious living. The Emerald Coast Holistic Health Expo, which we will host March 11 and 12 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center and Ross Marler Park, brings Natural Awakenings to life with hands-on experiences, a chance to learn from and interact with local providers, and the latest in global industry advancements. Our mission is to provide whole families an opportunity to learn about, experience and adopt positive lifestyle choices. 

The expo will showcase cutting-edge areas of fitness, yoga, meditation, nutrition, functional medicine, holistic healing and green living, with more than 70 exhibitors onsite both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Among the numerous door prizes will be gift certificates from local practitioners, natural product and essential oils gift baskets, and spa packages.  

Nationally known keynote speaker Linda Sechrist, national senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings, will discuss the different terms for and styles of holistic health care, shedding light on which to use for which situations. Additional lectures, workshops, classes and sessions will be available with a daily or weekend pass, including but not limited to a Functional Medicine Advancements presented by a panel of local physicians, Drug-Free Pain Care by Dr. Sheila Mohammed, Hand Reflexology & Essential Oils with Sarah Holt, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga with Kim DeMoss, Meditative Yoga with Micheal DeMaria, Emotional Aromatherapy with Diana Pereira, and Naturally Simple Hormone Balance with Sheila Tucker, plus CrossFit, Pilates, creative dance, qigong, whole-foods nutrition and community acupuncture. Additional CEU workshops will be available for members of the holistic health industry.

Pre-registration is encouraged, as workshops are expected to fill quickly and only preregistered visitors will receive swag bags. Exhibits and outdoor activities are free. Visitors can also preregister for paid sessions in modalities such as healing body-work techniques, AromaTouch, reflexology, energy healing, ultrasound assessments for joint pain, and Symphony of the Cells, as well as general health assessments. 
Scheduled workshops and classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:10 to 2 p.m. Attendees can choose to attend only two programs or an entire day of them, with a limit of six programs per day. Passes for workshops/classes cost $35 for one day or $55 for the weekend.

Childcare for ages 1 to 5 will be available onsite for an additional $5 per hour. It will include activities such as music, arts and crafts, and games. Children’s Yoga will also be offered as a separate class. Outdoor exhibits and activities will include a fair-trade product or farmers’ market, kayaking, paddle boarding, martial arts demonstrations, a guided nature walk and food trucks. Natural Awakenings will also host a fitness challenge to raise funds for the military community. Teams from area gyms, families and businesses are invited to compete head-to-head with similar teams and raise funds by getting sponsors from the community. The Boot Campaign, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the mental and physical well-being of military veterans and their families, will use these funds to help retired and active-duty military and their family members receive alternative treatments that are not traditionally covered by insurance.

 

For more information or questions, visit EmeraldCoastHealthExpo.com or contact Diana Pereira at [email protected].