Niwot Natural Medicine's Dr. Janine Malcolm steals the show at NBA meeting

Cimmini's was packed last Tuesday for the monthly Niwot Business Association meeting. It might have had something to do with the refreshments provided by the popular Italian restaurant, and it might have had something to do with the speaker for the evening.

NBA president Eric Bergeson began by welcoming new NBA members, including Lisa Nesper with Cross Country Mortgage in Niwot Square and Kristin Dura with Una Vida in Cottonwood Square. Bergeson then shifted to announcements and a number of community members spoke up:

Carissa Mina of The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop asked for more members to respond to the educational outreach program she and co-owner Jerilyn Patterson are helping coordinate. They hope to establish partnerships with local schools, with more information to come as they receive feedback and develop plans.

Keith Waters of Inkberry Books, co-manager of the Niwot Jazz Festival said, "It's going to happen June 25th and we have a great lineup." The festival is sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA), with significant funding from the Local Improvement District (LID), but they're still looking for other business sponsors to offset costs for the free event. Waters noted that Quemondo, a popular salsa band, will return to close out the evening, and that they had secured a singer from the nationally known group Manhattan Transfer to perform.

Tony Santelli announced that the Niwot Tavern would be donating fifty meals to the homeless for Easter, and also reminded those in attendance that the tavern accepts clothing donations.

Ann Postle of Osmosis Art & Architecture briefly talked about the First Friday Art Walks, which resumed April 1 after being postponed by the pandemic. Postle reported that the art walks would continue now that Covid-19 infections appear to be in decline. She also said the Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show awards ceremony will be held the first Friday in September, and artist entries are open until June. She asked that if any business is interested in hosting art to be displayed, they can reach out to her. Both the art walks and the juried art show are sponsored by the NCAA.

Pat Murphy of The Niwot Group at Compass said, "Thank you to my community," and talked about the Easter weekend activities, including the pancake breakfast and the 41st edition of the community Easter Egg Hunt. Murphy said she could not do it without her many volunteers, including Bert Steele and Niwot Market. This year marks the return of the event after the pandemic caused cancellations the past two years..

Kathy Trauner of Fly Away Home reminded attendees that there is still time to sponsor Rock and Rails, sponsored by the NCAA and the NBA, which kicks off June 2. The deadline to sign up to be a concert sponsor and get full advertising exposure is April 29, there are still many sponsor level packages available. She noted that NBA members pay half of the normal cost. Vicki Mauer of the Left Hand Valley Courier, co-manager of the event, also said that she's still needing volunteers for both the beer tent and front gate. "It's a lot of hard work, but it's so much fun," she said with a smile. Those interested in volunteering at the front gate should contact Alison Steele at Niwot Market, and those interested in becoming trained alcohol servers should contact Maurer at the law office of Warren, Carlson & Moore.

Catherine McHale announced that Dancing Under the Stars will once more be happening this summer starting in July–with the majority of nights being salsa and swing.

Finally, Deb Fowler of Colorado Landmark Realtors announced that Niwot Around the World day will be May 14. At the event, there will be a grand silent auction in the Niwot Emporium with proceeds going to the Small Town-Big Heart Marshall Fire Fund. Donation jars to help people of Ukraine will also be available throughout town, with businesses "adopting" a country for the day.

Bergeson then turned attention to Janine Malcolm of Niwot Natural Medicine. "I love Niwot," she said, beaming and thanking the NBA for inviting her to speak.

Malcom went to University of California, Berkeley to study Psychology with a pre-med focus before attending Bastyr University, where she graduated with a doctorate degree in both naturopathic medicine and acupuncture. She opened her holistic medical practice in 2000 and later relocated to Niwot, opening her 2nd Avenue storefront in 2018. In addition to her practice, she has also taught at Bastyr, Naropa University, and the Northwest Institute of Medical Herbalism in addition to presenting at various professional conferences.

Malcolm explained that through her training and practice, she has seen that people can heal themselves, but that medicine is more than just treating maladies. "I treat the cause, not the symptoms," she said. Much of her focus over the years has been chronic illness, which is where western medicine often falls short.

She was very engaging with the audience, asking them for suggestions about how to be "healthy" or how to "slow down." Malcolm also gave some basic suggestions, such as stopping for a mindfulness moment before eating, which she said could greatly improve digestion. She also said that exercise doesn't have to be intense, and that hot baths and a sauna are great ways to improve one's health.

"The best thing you can do is slow down," she said.

Then, she turned it on the NBA members, asking how as employers, they can provide their employees with opportunities to better their health. The room was quiet, curious to hear Malcolm's suggestions, some of which included bringing in lunch to share as a staff and giving adequate time off.

Shifting gears, Malcolm then focused largely on nutrition. "Try to eat food as nature provides it... go back to the basics," she said. Malcolm encouraged eating in season and supporting local farmers. But it's not just about what you eat, Malcolm said. How you eat is equally important.

She said that people ought to have positive, thoughtful energy, especially when eating. While she did admit that some foods are better than others, she said that if you're going to choose the "unhealthy" option, like a cookie, it's better if you enjoy it. "Your mental idea [around the cookie] is very important."

In essence, Malcolm encourages a holistic approach to health–slow down, be mindful, eat local and get sleep. With her practice, she says it's very individualistic, and she sometimes spends hours with a patient upon initially meeting them. "I call it the 'one stop body shop,'" she grinned. "I do Chinese herbs, western herbs, acupuncture. I really work a lot with nutrition and digestion.

Throughout the whole presentation, the audience was very engaged. Various people called out answers, laughed at Malcolm's jokes and asked questions. At the end, Malcolm handed out business cards and some general immune advice–like taking vitamins C, D and zinc for immune boosting.