We are opening up our facility throughout the month of February for those who provide services and would like to utilize a room in our facility for a day. You would be responsible for booking your own clients, promoting yourself (although we’ll put you on our social and a special newsletter as well) and you can set up and utilize during our business hours (between 9-4)

Most people carry smartphones, we use computers and wi-fi in our homes. These very devices we use to connect us to our friends and families comes with a price. The impact of "all things" digital are draining our energy and effecting our well-being. In these sessions you will discover a holistic wellness solution that will protect your body from harmful e-smog and electromagnetic radiation. The $10 fee will place you in a drawying to get 2 FREE Sauna Sessions OR $100 Supplements/Skin Care Products.

To understand cardiovascular health, one must understand the role of nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide plays a key role in aiding blood vessel function, blood pressure regulation, and overall heart performance. Erectile dysfunction, hypertension, changes in vision, depression or changes in memory is a sign that this may be an issue for you. Here are ways for you to learn how to shift this back to the positive! Dietary Nitrate-Rich Foods: Include nitrate-rich foods in your diet, such as leafy greens (spinach, arugula), beets, and celery.These foods are converted into nitric oxide in the body and can contribute to improved blood flow. Do NOT confuse this with nitrates in processed meats! Those are bad for you. Consume Foods Rich in L-Arginine: L-Arginine is an amino acid that serves as a precursor to nitric oxide. Incorporate foods like nuts, seeds, poultry, dairy, and legumes to boost L-Arginine levels. I prefer to not use L-arginine supplements to do this. Food is best! Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Oxidative stress can reduce nitric oxide levels. Consume fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants to combat oxidative stress. Berries, citrus fruits, and colorful vegetables are excellent choices. Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, as exercise stimulates the production of nitric oxide. Both aerobic exercises (e.g., jogging, cycling) and resistance training can be beneficial. Sun Exposure: Sunlight exposure triggers the release of nitric oxide from the skin, promoting cardiovascular health. Aim for moderate sunlight exposure, especially during the morning. Manage Stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact nitric oxide production. Practice stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. Adequate Sleep: Ensure you get enough quality sleep, as sleep deprivation may impair nitric oxide synthesis. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Honor the circadian rhythm!  Go to sleep between 10-11 and up by 6 am.  That truly matters to honor our biological clock. Moderate Alcohol Consumption: Moderate alcohol intake may have a positive effect on nitric oxide levels. This means 1 daily drink for women and no more than 2 for men. However, excessive alcohol consumption can have adverse effects, so moderation is key. Quit Smoking: Smoking is known to reduce nitric oxide levels. Quitting smoking can improve overall cardiovascular health. Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration is essential for cardiovascular health and supports the production of nitric oxide. Add in Celtic Sea salt while hydrating to support your cellular health.  It has three forms of magnesium that is critical for cardiovascular health! Avoid Mouthwash: Mouthwash kills all the germs in your mouth.  A healthy microbiome supports nitric oxide production. In conclusion, prioritizing heart health involves making lifestyle choices that promote the production of nitric oxide. By incorporating the above suggestions and adopting other healthy habits, you can contribute to better cardiovascular function. For heart health, we at Benton Integrative Medicine also recommend to practice daily gratitude, prayer, meditation, joy, child’s play, see and feel the sun daily, touch the Earth with your hands and feet, and LOVE yourself and your tribe. Sincerely, Dr. Benton Benton Integrative Medicine 704-775-6029 Huntersville and Denver Locations

Do you love your spouse but just don’t have the desire to have sex?  There are many reasons as to why this happens; hormones, traumas, lack of interest, body image, and even micro-agressions. In this blog we will explore a few of the various challenges that could be contributing to this dilemma. Micro - Aggression "Micro” anger, or what is called “micro-aggressions” are small things someone does that make us angry and we hold that anger inside. For instance, when you say things like this about your partner: “can she just close the toothpaste lid?”, or “can he just help with the dishes sometimes?”, or “can she be more organized?” or “can he stop snoring”? Sometimes we just hold on to these resentments without realizing.  We meet with our friends and complain about our partner and lose sight of the reason we loved them in the first place.   They are still attractive, they aren’t mean so why don’t we want to have sex?  Well if we have subconscious anger, then why would we have libido? If we speak less than love about our love, then those words have power. We create our reality with words!! Now if you have a toxic marriage, then get counseling and leave if it can’t be repaired. If it isn’t beyond repair then really consider the words you use about your spouse. Start speaking love about them and to them.  Create that reality that you desire and remember why you loved each other in the first place! Parent Alone Time Now what about kids? I truly believe that it is important to have mommy and daddy private time once they are old enough. The children will feel your sacred connection and without knowing why, they will see you model a healthy marriage.  Then once or twice a month, get a baby sitter and have an extra long time to meditate into each other’s body. The “Love Sandwich” may be a solution to your low libido issue.   Set a time on your calendar daily to have a quick 10 minute love sandwich where you set intentions on the gratitude you have for your partner. Then you bring up something bothering you. The partners need to hear each other and not be defensive and maybe try to come up with a solution. Then give each other gratitude and love.  If this isn’t working then it may be worth seeing one of the many amazing therapists for relationships and sex in the area. There are therapists who help with wound healing and trauma in the most beautiful ways. Hormone Imbalance Sometimes you may have hormone imbalances that affect mood and lubrication for women and erectile dysfunction for men.  So many men put their full energy into their erections that represent their “manhood”.  When women have vaginal dryness or they are no longer fertile, they often lose their sensuality. More Than The Action Sex is so much more than intercourse!!  Sex is massage, sweet sticky notes, cooking together, cuddling during a movie, and so much more!  Foreplay all day!!  Once we recognize that our whole bodies can be sexual and sensitive, then we can continue to have amazing sex even when our bodies aren’t “performing” like when you are twenty years old. We hope some of this discussion can help you have a more fulfilling, loving and sexual life with your spouse. If you have concerns about your health or are suspicious you have hormone issues, come see us at Benton Integrative for our affordable hormone program. We also have an excellent nutrition reboot program to help people get their health on track (did you know certain foods can even lower your libido?!). We also have specialized sexual health services to naturally enhance sexual satisfaction and address various intimate health concerns for both women and men.   Also stay tuned for more of our Adult Sex Ed programs with myself and my beloved, Kyle Hall, to help bring connections to each other and learn to be creative in the most sacred way. Sincerely, Dr. Benton Benton Integrative Medicine 704-775-6029 Huntersville and Denver Locations

Women come to me frequently for low libido and sexual dysfunction. Yes, it can be hormone related and yes there are illnesses or medications that can totally kill libido. More commonly there is a self love issue. That is when it gets really complicated! 81% of women and 43% of men report some form of sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. Healing Sexual Dysfunction Both women and men often have their own lasting wound for various reasons but for this blog, let’s focus on women. Our sexuality and anything related is extremely personal and is a foundational safety issue for anyone! In the hippie world, this relates to the sacral and root chakras which are related to safety and sexual vitality. Those who have been violated sexually almost always have years, if not a lifetime to overcome that primal wounding. If you have fear and trauma related to this, we highly recommend various therapies to include hypnotherapy, EMDR, brain spotting, somatic experiencing or whatever aligns with you and your belief system. Many people go on to have healthy sexual lives and it is best to work on your healing to enjoy the sexual vitality you want. Loving Your Partner Sometimes I find that women (quite frankly men as well) don’t either love their spouse anymore or they feel their spouse doesn’t love them. For great sex, it helps to love the person you are with or at least have amazing chemistry together. Go to individual AND marriage therapy to get to the bottom of this if you want to get past this quagmire. Marriage therapy often does not help without deep individual work. These generations are breaking generational traumas and conditioning like no other in modern history! Work on yourself and your marriage to get that wild abandoned sex! Trust In Your Partner Trust is key for adventurous sex and trust can be diminished in many ways. You can have your own personal trauma with cheaters (either partners or watching your parents) that keeps you from trusting your honest non-cheating partner or maybe your gut is correct that your partner is cheating. Unless you have the agreement to be polyamorous, then this lack of trust can totally ruin the libido and trust to explore. Also make sure you don’t agree to polyamory if you really don’t want to. Be true to yourself! Loving Yourself You need to love yourself. I find that women are their own worst enemy. Women are often ashamed of their body and they won’t even look at themselves. If you have stretch marks or scars from childbirth, I encourage you to look at your body in the mirror, naked and look at yourself and declare your love for this human body for birthing another human. Recognize with admiration the miracle that worked through your body. If you have loss related to scarring on your body, speak love to that part of you that taught you hard things but that you are still here strong and amazing! If you hate that flabby skin or that cellulite, just know that magazines are airbrushed and most people have that too. Tell your whole body that you love it and when you put lotion on after your shower, speak love through your hands into your body from your toes to your head! It is hard to feel sexually adventurous when you don’t love yourself. Remember that there is literally no one like you in the whole universe, yet God chose to make one of you to be here to do important things in this world. Get a mirror out and love yourself radically! Bedroom Set and Setting If your room is full of clutter and dirty laundry, it is hard to feel sexy. I encourage you to keep your room clean, avoid working in there. Avoid watching TV or anything stressful on your phones. If we are watching the stressful news that is meant to keep us afraid and angry, it will be hard to relax. Light some (non-toxic ) candles. Make your bed. Dim the lighting or have fun LED lighting. Play some funky music or some soulful music or some calming music. Consider your setting when planning for a fun date night! If you need ideas, there is an entertaining show on Netflix called “ How to build a sex room” for conservative couples all the way to the most exotic explorers! And sure, check your hormones if you are concerned. If you have severe vaginal dryness, we can help you with that. We provide natural therapies for hormone health and have modalities like Femiwave to help women with the physical side of things like dryness, pain, and decreased sensitivity. Those procedures and treatments do amazing things but always consider the basics and you will have way more success having fun in the bedroom! The resources are limitless! We believe the Creator made our bodies for Divine connection as our bodies are also made for Divine healing. Reach out to Benton Integrative Medicine for Women's Sexual Health and Men's Sexual Health. We are here to help. Sincerely, Dr. Benton Benton Integrative Medicine 704-775-6029 Huntersville and Denver Locations

Publications & Podcasts Meet Cammy Benton, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP I graduated from Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina in Greenville, NC in 2000. With plans to do Family Medicine, I opted to do an additional Transitional Year in Baltimore due to personal beliefs that it should be a four year residency. I completed the three years of Family Medicine residency at UNC Chapel Hill in 2004. Once working in a group practice, I realized there must be more to medicine as I felt I was doling out pills just for an ill. The list of pills were growing to cover up side effects of other pills. After my first conference for the American Board of Holistic and Integrative Medicine, I decided to go for board certification which I did successfully in 2013. For my specialty under the holistic umbrella, I completed my functional medicine certification with the Institute of Functional Medicine in 2016. Functional medicine searches for the root cause of disease and determines a solution by looking at all the systems in a person using the latest in science. I also have some training in Ayurveda. This practice from India is four thousand years old and is similar to the eastern version of functional medicine. State Licenses North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, California, New Mexico ​ What Our Patients Say

Join Direct Primary Care - Become a Member This form is for joining us as a monthly member of our Direct Primary Care program. Please make sure to review our membership info in the links provided. Please know that while we have numerous amazing perks above and beyond your traditional doctor's office, we do not currently accept insurance . Please allow up to 48 hours for a response from one of our team members to enroll. Thank you First Name Last Name Phone Number Email Address City and Zipcode What type of Direct Primary Care membership are you interested in? How many members will be on your plan and their ages? Please share your reason(s) for joining or any questions you may have * For your security, kindly do not send personal medical information with this form. Indicate your preference to be contacted If your preference is Phone, please tell us the best time of day to call How did you hear about us? In addition to our paid Direct Primary Care memberships, we also have numerous other services to help support health and wellbeing. Please check below if you are interested in any of our other services. Functional Health Weight Loss Programs Nutrition Reboot Health Coaching Joint Health Post Surgical Care Breast Health Sauna Packages GAINSWave FemiWave Sexual Health Hormone Health Medspa Services Group Programs By submitting this form, you agree that you have read over all the information regarding Direct Primary Care. ​ I have read about DPC Membership Fees I have read about DPC Benefits I have read about DPC Services I have read about Insurance I want to subscribe to the newsletter. Submit Thank you! We received your form. You will get a email shortly confirming your interest in DPC.

Business Spotlight Benton Integrative Medicine is excited to support our awesome BIM community and would like to promote local businesses owned and run by our patients. You can learn more about these businesses below. ​ If you are a patient of BIM and have your own business and would like to be highlighted, please email your name, name of your business, and contact information to klux@bimmail.com. We will select a business each month to interview and promote your business on our social media and our mailer. We are so thankful for all of you and we want to give back! God Bless! FEBRUARY BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT The Burgin Family Owner: Aaron Burgin Our Businesses Mountain Spring F arms The Farmer's Fre ezer Wood For Warriors Goldendoodle A doptions Meet Aaron Burgin of Mountain Spring Farms. This family runs multiple businesses and non-profits. Mountain Spring Farms: The Farm produces local, pasture raised meat. Antibiotic and vaccine free. No medicated feed, just good Ole fashioned farmers raising meat the way it should be. We have pork and beef available at all times. See The Farmer's Freezer for meat pricing. Wood For Warriors: Wood for Warriors is a 501 c(3) non-profit that focuses on cutting, splitting and delivering wood to local veterans for no cost to them. It was started 2019. Carolina Relief: Carolina Reef is a 501 c(3) that focuses on bringing relief to families in need after natural disasters on the East Coast. Started in 2022. Both of these non profits are solely fueled by us and the funds that we receive by donors. We have registered with state, federal and have bank accounts for each. Goldendoodle Adoptions: We raise Goldendoodles. We have been raising them in home since 2012. We focus on Mini and all information can be found on our website: prices range from 2000-3500. NOVEMBER BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Beautycounter Owner: Devan Oddman Phone: 412-443-5438 Email: devan.oddman@gmail.com Social Media: @Devan Oddman I am a PA-C, mom of 4, and Beautycounter Brand Advocate. My business with Beautycounter allows me to combine wellness and beauty - two things that should go hand in hand, but oftentimes do not. Unfortunately with the lack of regulations in the personal care industry here in the United States, many of us are exposed to harmful chemicals in our skin care, soaps, lotions, makeup, sunscreens, and more. Beautycounter set out to not only make safe, effective skin care, makeup, and body care, but they set out to change the industry! My mission with Beautycounter is to raise awareness around the harmful toxins and chemicals in our everyday personal care products, and advocate for safe products for everyone. OCTOBER BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Spinal Fusion Yoga Owner: Stacy Joyce Website: spinalfusionyoga.com Phone: 917-544-5102 Email: stacyjoyceyoga@gmail.com Social Media: yogawithstacy Spinal Fusion Video page >> Due to severe scoliosis, at 16 years old I had an 11-vertebrae spinal fusion with Harrington rods. Two years after my surgery, I tried yoga and kept practicing because it felt safe and reconnected me to my body. I eventually learned how to tailor a yoga practice to benefit my back in the long run, and take better care of my unfused vertebrae while being mindful of my scoliosis. I now focus on teaching yoga to students with scoliosis, spinal fusions, or other back conditions. My teaching focuses on connecting to our breath to regulate our nervous system, maintaining the neutral curves of the spine, spinal elongation, strengthening the limbs and back in order to help support the spine, the use of numerous props to assist in making poses more accessible and beneficial, improve posture and alignment, and ultimately build the proprioception to get out of our movement patterns that reinforces our asymmetries. I teach virtual group classes, as well as private sessions. JULY BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Fisher Electric LKN Owner: Ildiko & Gabor Halasz Website: https://fisherel.com/ Phone: (704)-740-9225 Email: cs@fisherel.com Social Media: @fisherelectriclkn Communication, tech industries and their captured regulatory agencies significantly downplay the harmful effect of EMF. Even though, extensive independent scientific research consistently confirms that Dirty Electricity and EMF are extremely harmful to human cells. We, at Fisher Electric LKN are very passionate about helping people significantly lower these invisible harmful radiations (EMF and Dirty Electricity) in their homes and offices. We test the living/working space for EMF and Dirty Electricity then design custom solutions to lower radiations. We educate and teach new habits to customers so that they can use their electronics in a mindful and healthy way. We design and wire computer networks so that the home and office can operate without WIFI and Bluetooth. We install whole house and plug in dirty electricity filters to mitigate the on-going dirty electricity exposure. MAY BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Autograph Kitchens Owner: Scott & Chelsea Holcombe Website: autographkitchens.com Phone: 704-880-9494 Email: Hello@autographkitchens.com Address: 18605 Starcreek Dr., Suite 106, Cornelius, NC 28031 My name is Chelsea, and my husband (Scott) and I own Autograph Kitchens, a local kitchen and bath design and cabinetry center. Every one of our projects starts with you. Each year, for every kitchen we sell, we donate a cabinet toward a kitchen for a family less fortunate. We are all about designing kitchens around health and wellness! We collaborate with you to learn your goals and ideal vision for this room while knowing what we can do for you within your budget. APRIL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT TorchBearer Tachyon Chamber Owner: Adrienne Craighead Website: www.TorchBearerTachyon.com Phone: 980-689-1803 Address: 20200 Zion Ave, Suite 11 Cornelius, NC 28031 Adrienne Craighead is a seeker, a mom, a sister and a friend. She’s the Starseed daughter of a Marine Corps helicopter pilot who enjoyed being part of a military family because she loved meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new things - even as a child! After she finished her undergraduate degree at the Honors College at the University of South Carolina, she took off for Auckland New Zealand as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in 1995. Her overseas experiences reinforced her passion for travel and adventure as well as teaching and public speaking (as her commitment to Rotary included giving speeches all across NZ about life in the USA - and similarly to Carolinas based Rotary chapters about her time living as a Kiwi Down Under.) Adrienne spends her days as the Director of Financial Development for a nonprofit called Apparo (which is Latin for “to assist, to prepare, to make ready.” The mission for Apparo is to help other nonprofits operate more efficiently and effectively by leveling up their business processes using technology. Founded over 20 years ago, Apparo has served over 750 nonprofits to date, from as many mission areas as you can name including hunger and homelessness, animals and the arts, cancer and Alzheimer’s, and the list goes on. As the agency’s leading fundraiser, she oversees a team that generates an annual operating budget of almost a quarter of a million dollars via individual donations, grants and corporate donations and sponsorships. Adrienne's passion project is being the owner and founder of TorchBearer Tachyon in Charlotte, NC. She first learned about the healing properties of tachyons on a weekend visit to Waynesboro Virginia in the spring of 2021. Her serendipitous meeting of Dr. Joe McNamara introduced her to the science behind these subatomic particles, but it was her actual EXPERIENCE within his tachyon chamber that convinced her of the merits of them. She opened TorchBearer Tachyon in the fall of 2022 to bring the experience to friends and neighbors in the Lake Norman area of Charlotte (and the reviews that they’ve received from early adopters are incredibly encouraging!) Check them out yourself and book your own experience on their website. Use promo code BIM30 to save 30% off your first experience. MARCH BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Abode Wellness Lounge Owner: Christian Hunsbedt Website: www. abodewellnesslounge.com Phone: 704-401-7428 Address: 610 Jetton Street, Suite 210 Davidson NC 28036 Founded February 2020 by Christian Hunsbedt, Abode quickly became a safe space for Charlotte locals. Hunsbedt, a wife and mom to seven, originally designed Abode to house her fertility work and a place for Lifestyle Wellness: however Abode is now a growing community garden of family - focused Wellness Providers, lifestyle couches and clean living enthusiasts. From the moment you step in Abode, the collaborative environment welcomes you warmly. From the plant wall, a Scandinavian interior beautiful Salt Lounge with Halo Therapy, and an Infrared Sauna, Abode is the ideal space to “be well”. Abode is open to Holistic Practitioners or Wellness providers who want to add a location around the Lake Norman area.