Sitting: Could it be as bad for your body as smoking?
By Dr. Tara Hogan, D.C. • Guest writer According to the Mayo clinic’s experts, sitting too often can cause a…
Read More
Get fit: Challenge asks all in WNC to ramp up activity
This year’s eight-week WNC Get Fit Challenge is set to return Monday, Sept. 10, challenging not just Jackson County residents…
Read More
Nervous to try yoga?
By Jerica Rossi • Guest writer While people were walking into class, I heard a woman whisper to her friend, “I’m…
Read More
Everyone goes Keto: Health experts explain potential risks
It seems like every year there’s a new fad diet people swear is the panacea for quick weight loss. This…
Read More
Journey toward positivity
By Wende Goode • Guest writer Negativity surrounds us, is embodied in us. Until a couple of years ago, I…
Read More
Don’t be confused about CBD
Despite pages and pages of published studies and hundreds or thousands of anecdotes extolling the benefits of cannabidiol, it’s the…
Read More
Out of school and into the pool
Since 2001 the Smoky Mountain Aquatic Club has been geared toward having a nationally recognized aquatics program that develops and…
Read More
Learn to paddle at NOC youth camp
For 15 years Nantahala Outdoor Center instructors have been teaching kids and teens how to maneuver the waters of Western…
Read More
Summer youth events at Lake Junaluska
Church youth groups of all sizes are invited to Lake Junaluska for five Summer Youth Events June 17 to July…
Read More
Jackson launches outdoors camp
With a whole world of mountain beauty to explore, summer leaves no time to waste indoors.
Read More
Waynesville’s Base Camp now offered on the go
In the four years since they first launched, Waynesville’s Base Camp summer programs — day camps packed full of outdoor…
Read More
Camp Watia offers affordable fun for local youth
A YMCA camp in Swain County specifically caters to youth in Western North Carolina by offering an affordable weeklong outdoor…
Read More
Summer camps help kids stay sharp
When the last bell rings and the doors fly open loosing schoolchildren across the nation out into the sunny summer…
Read More
The Catman of Jackson County: Sims reflects on decades of dedication to the feline population
Harold “Catman” Sims grew up in a household full of dogs.
Read More
Jellybean loses sight, finds new home
Jellybean is a 31-year-old blind miniature horse. Not being able to see her surroundings may seem like an insurmountable obstacle,…
Read More
To eat or not to eat, that is the question
Cherished family member, societal parasite, or dinner?
Read More
PAWS director passionate about placing pets
Beth Cline has rescued animals since she was a young child. Her father would scold her every time she brought…
Read More
Western Carolina Dog Fanciers’ annual gatherings attract all shapes and sizes
Several hundred purebred dogs converged at the Haywood County Fairgrounds last weekend to walk the proverbial red carpet in the…
Read More
$1 million pledged for new Haywood facility
In a perfect world, an animal shelter is just a temporary stopover for pets in search of a new owner.
Read More
Connecting displaced cats with FUR-ever families
Jamie Powell has a special talent. She can not only tell the 100 cats living at FUR’s feline sanctuary apart,…
Read More
Macon animal rescue struggling to hold on
Appalachian Animal Rescue was bustling with activity Monday morning. Staff members were getting the shelter back in order following an…
Read More
Saving Preacher
It was a chilly pre-spring day when Olivia Hickman ventured to the Waynesville Recreation Park, looking for nothing more than…
Read More
Health news
Details on Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine The public got its first detailed look at the Mission Hospital for Advanced…
Read More
Big city fitness in the heart of Waynesville
While motivating oneself to wake up early and hit the gym may be a constant struggle for some, whenever that…
Read More
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for health, fitness, self-defense
The Gracie family is well known to martial arts enthusiasts across the world; as perhaps the only martial arts practitioners…
Read More
Maggie Valley Wellness: Finding balance with a healthy mind and body
As a yoga instructor and a massage therapist, Candra Smith knows that staying healthy requires a sound mind and body,…
Read More
Commit to be fit: Franklin Health & Fitness helps community stay healthy
Franklin Health & Fitness has invested a lot in its community, and in return, the community has been able to…
Read More
Grant focuses on building love of outdoors for Cherokee youth
The Nantahala Racing Club is all about ensuring future generations have a love and appreciation for whitewater recreation, and a…
Read More
Fitness by the numbers at 9Round
Enjoy working out like a fighter but hate getting punched in the face? Then a new fitness franchise concept in…
Read More
Flying on faith: Clyde woman finds strength and spirituality in aerial silks
Wearing a leopard-print leotard and suspended 4 feet off the ground in a band of purple silk, Patricia Forgione is…
Read More
Keep moving: Huskey helps women get healthy
Sussy Huskey has learned that life can take you in many directions — some planned and others unexpected — but…
Read More
Treating the spine, easing the pain
A little bit goes a long way. That’s a key philosophy at Blue Mountain Chiropractic Center in downtown Waynesville. Good health…
Read More
Yoga is about stress relief, not acrobatics
By Katie Reeder • SMN Intern It’s a myth that yoga is reserved for only the most acrobatic of people. And…
Read More
Reflexology or massage?
The Mountain Spirit Wellness building in Waynesville’s Frog Level area offers a pair of services that have the same goal…
Read More
Health care resources
Health organizations throughout Western North Carolina offer a variety of programs and services to promote wellness among residents.
Read More
The beauty of what lies beneath
A medical esthetician at Salon & Skin Spa of Hazelwood Village in Waynesville, Darcia Sirianni knows exactly how important skin…
Read More
Naturopathy looks to treat the root of the problem
By Katie Reeder • SMN Intern As a doctor of naturopathy, Michelle Sanderbeck said one of her main concerns is finding…
Read More
Wellness center empowers clients through choices
By Katie Reeder • SMN Intern Jackie Beecher wants clients to feel empowered in making decisions about their health when they…
Read More
Relaxing more than a luxury when it comes to health
By Katie Reeder • SMN Intern Relaxing through methods such as massages and skin care treatments is not just a luxury.…
Read More
The importance of balance
By Katie Reeder • SMN Intern Whether it is teaching a Pilates or karate class or performing massage therapy, much of…
Read More
Reconnecting today’s kids with the outdoors is critical to their well-being
There’s something ingrained in our DNA, something seared into our psyche that triggers a primal sense of harmony when we…
Read More
Wellness program promotes healthy living in Swain schools
Swain County schools are a little bit healthier following the conclusion of a trial wellness program this spring.
Read More
Working toward relaxation: After years of renovation, Fusions Spa relocates to downtown Sylva
After 35 straight days on the job, Jeannine Sowers is sorely in need of a spa day. The irony of…
Read More
Sylva’s homegrown talent
Nestled betwixt the Great Balsam and Plott Balsam ranges not far from Western Carolina University in Jackson County, the town…
Read More
Edwards reflects on culture changes spanning 30 years in the workplace
In Western North Carolina’s travel and tourism community, it’s not too unusual to find women at the helm. But when…
Read More
Passion for fashion
Sarah Miller has a glowing personality and limitless energy when it comes to pursuing her passion.
Read More
Crossroads of art and community
It’s a constant flow. “All day people are coming in and out of the gallery, to wander the shop or…
Read More
Designing your dreams
The “wow” effect. “When we reveal a project to a client and they have that ‘wow’ expression on their face…
Read More
