Article in the Dickson Herald - August 3, 2001

By CECILY HAITHCOAT
Staff Writer

For more than 30 years, Linda Woods sat behind a desk and dutifully performed her job as a Certified Public Accountant. She was so fast on a calculator she became famous for setting a 10-key on fire, not telling anyone until later that a tiny screw that dropped into the works had caused the incident. But while she took her job as a "glorified bean counter" seriously, she was failing to make something other than the books balance - she was ignoring her health. She abandoned her number-crunching lifestyle, and is now educating herself and others by interviewing some of the top health experts in the country about alternative and complementary healing techniques for the body and mind. Her show, Windows to Wellness, airs each Saturday at noon on WAMB (1160 AM). "I've come to look at my health in a whole different way and I don't feel so helpless about it anymore," Linda said. "I no longer take over-the-counter medications - when I get a headache I reach for an essential oil, and when I get emotionally upset, I'll use a flower essence. I'm more conscious of how the body works and what happens on a cellular level."

She has practiced over 30 alternative therapies over the last three years and is currently working on a book about her candid exploration of alternative medicine and how it changed her life. "I enjoy sharing my own stories of healing and encouraging others to take responsibility for their thoughts, the nourishment of their body, and to become actively involved in their own healing process," she said. "It's a show to empower, uplift, and inspire people."

Linda performed regularly at Zanies Comedy Club open mike night and enjoyed doing her stand-up routine, but the self-depreciating humor she used was hurting her in both body and spirit. "I stopped doing that routine because I didn't like the way I felt afterwards, even though I would get a laugh," she said. "If I made jokes about my stomach - guess what? - my stomach would always be there so I could make a joke about it."

A committed 15-year vegetarian, Linda uses candor and humor to interview experts about the latest concepts in healing. "But I don't present myself as an expert - I'm like the Oprah of Higher Consciousness," she said, laughing. Over the past three years, Linda has interviewed over 160 guests, and prides herself in knowing "a little bit about a lot of stuff" - from creating sanctuaries in your home to focusing your breath to healing on an energetic level. Today, she considers herself a "healing agent," promoting authors, healers, and others who promote a message of healing, love and empowerment.

She is a freelance writer who has been published in several magazines and writes for The Review Appeal newspaper in Franklin. Linda also founded EarthSave Nashville, a chapter of an international non-profit organization that helps people move toward a healthier diet. "My intuition tells me I shouldn't eat meat, and I stick to my own inner belief system," she said. "When you get your belief system in line with your actions, that's when your life really takes off." This Saturday at noon, Linda will talk with Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Paul DeBaldo and Jennifer Scroggie on the topic of holistic healing for the psyche. Tune in to WAMB (1160 AM) or visit her website, to hear archived broadcasts.

Reprinted with permission

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