OPEN HOUSE FOLLOW-UP

Our First Anniversary Open House on October 16th was a great success!  We had a wonderful turnout. Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated with us.  The love and support were evident - and greatly appreciated.  A big thank you as well to:

- Karma Road, Bridge Creek Catering, The Cheese Plate and In Good Taste for the fantastic hors d'oeuvres and wine;

- The Green Cottage, for the beautiful black calla lillies;

- Karma Road, Bodymind Massage Therapy and Jenkinstown Day Spa for donating raffle prizes;

- And the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the beautiful Michael Gold photograph of Skytop.

It was a perfect way to mark our first year, and set the tone for the next one.  Thanks again to all!

In last month's newsletter, we talked about supporting your qi (your life force) to support your health.   Qi takes various forms in the body, fulfilling different functions.  Wei qi (pronounced "way chee") is our defensive qi, or immune system.

Wei qi circulates in our bodies 50 times every 24 hours (25 times during the day and 25 times at night).  It protects us from exterior pathogens which lead to colds, flu, or infections.  Like our primary qi, our wei qi is affected by the food that we eat, the liquids we drink, the air we breathe, and the lives we lead.  All of these factors have an impact on the organs - our lungs, kidneys, stomach and spleen - which create and replenish our defensive energy.  Taxing these organs with things like poor nutritional choices (eating foods that are processed, refined, greasy, etc), stress, exhaustion, and negative emotional states (unresolved grief or sadness) detracts from their ability to nourish our wei qi.  In turn, when our wei qi is depleted, it's harder to fight off pathogens, or the effects of negative forces like cold and wind. 

To make sure that our wei qi can respond effectively and efficiently to the things that can potentially make us sick, it's essential to take good care of ourselves.  Here are some ways that you can give your immune system some love:

Try to stay away from raw foods and salads during the cold months; eat warm, nourishing foods like soups and stews.  Whenever possible, try to eat high-quality, nutrient-rich, organic food.

Reduce or eliminate dairy, as it can cause phlegm in the body.  If you do decide to have it in your diet, try to only use organic dairy products.

Get plenty of rest.  We need more of it during the winter months.  There's a reason for that; pay attention to it.

Drink lots of good quality water (filtered or spring).  A little lemon in it will support your liver in detoxing. 

If you are prone to sinus infections and colds, try using a neti pot to clear out your nasal passages (see instructions below).

Use a humidifier in your room while you sleep.  The winter months can be very dry, which taxes our nasal passages and lungs.  A humidifier in the house can help to rectify this.

Incorporate stress reduction into your daily routine.  Just a couple of minutes of focused relaxation goes a long way: a few minutes of meditation or yoga; deep breathing techniques that you can do discreetly throughout the day; taking a hot bath at night.   As we get into the holiday season, this is really important.  The holidays are fun, but they can also be stressful, which taxes our immune resources.  Try to take a few minutes each day to recharge.

Okay, I'm about to sound like my mother:  Bundle up!  Seriously.  Keep yourself warm and dry, especially your head, neck, chest, upper back, lower back and feet.  Don't give cold a chance to get into your body.  Wear your scarf, mitts, hat, and warm boots whenever you go outside.  If it's drafty or cool indoors, wear a lightweight scarf, and layers. And remember to wear your slippers please.

And, of course, regular acupuncture treatments help to support and tonify your immune system, and to calm your nervous system for stress reduction.

Take care of your wei qi and it will take care of you!

• Fill the neti pot about half full with lukewarm salt water or premixed saline solution.  Make sure to test the water beforehand, to ensure that it's not too hot.
• Be sure to stand over a sink or bathtub.
• Relax -- this is a very important step.
• Keep your mouth open and breathe through your mouth; this helps keep the solution from going down your throat and reduces the drowning sensation.
• Tip your head slightly to the side and gently pour the solution into one nostril.
• Let the solution flow through your nasal and sinus passages and out the other nostril.
• Repeat with the other side.
• Remove any remaining solution by blowing the nose.
• Clean your neti pot using warm soapy water, making sure to rinse thoroughly.