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FEELBETTER~
The Teal Center Newsletter
"Transforming the journey
toward health and vitality"
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Issue 3
August, 2009
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 Dear Friends,
This month we are bringing you information about how massage therapy, acupuncture and good nutrition can help support the special months of pregnancy. If you're not pregnant yourself, please pass this newsletter on to someone who is! And do enjoy the fun summer cooler from Dot: Mango Lime Ice. Her recipe is below.
Many thanks to acupuncturist Kate Quinn Stewart for her contribution in "Acupuncture for Healthy Moms and Families" and to our friend and client Yvonnie Huchison for providing the article about food cravings and healthy snacking. If you would like to contribute a recipe, health tip, or story of how massage therapy, bodywork or acupuncture has helped you feel better, please send it to me at feelbetter@tealcenter.com and we will include it in a future issue of our newsletter.
To your health and vitality in this and every season,
Brenda Teal
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Massage and Pregnancy~
Properly administered massage therapy is safe and healthy throughout pregnancy and it can help
- Cope with stress and fatigue
- Ease aches and pains
- Reduce leg cramps and swelling
- Promote restful sleep
- Prepare for and recover from labor
Your body goes through unique changes as your baby grows and each trimester brings with it new and potentially stressful challenges. A well trained massage therapist will employ adaptations to massage techniques that specifically address the physical issues that accompany pregnancy and recovery after childbirth.
Postnatal massage and bodywork can help
- balance mood swings that may follow the birth of a child
- restore the pelvis to its proper alignment to prevent low back pain
- ease the
shoulder tension that results from nursing and carrying the child in
your arms
What to expect
During your massage your therapist will use pillows and bolsters to make sure that you are supported comfortably while you enjoy your massage in the position that is most comfortable for you. It is fine to inturrupt the massage to use the restroom if needed and you may request more or less cover to adjust to your body's temperature fluctuations.
At Virginia Hospital Center Teal Center therapists are available for labor and delivery support as well as in-room post delivery massage. Call our hospital office at 703-558-5454 for more information.
Massage is also a wonderful way to care for and nurture the
father and father-to-be.
Call our office or ask your doctor if you are concerned or have questions about receiving prenatal or postpartum massage. |
Cravings: Part of the Pregnancy Equation
Hormonal changes of pregnancy cause unusual cravings and the heightened sense of smell during this time can produce newly found pleasures in or dislikes of certain foods.
Cravings are nature's way of bringing the body back to balance. Maybe you need more calories to support the new life that is growing inside. Maybe the craving indicates a nutritional deficiency or emotional void that needs to be filled. Take heart. Regardless of the cause of the craving, there is a guiltless way to quench it.
Five favorites:
- Drink a glass of water. Dehydration can trigger the body into thinking it's hungry.
- Exercise. Cravings can come from too much, too little or the wrong
type of exercise. Pick an exercise that suits you and enjoy the
benefits of the feel-good endorphins that are created.
- Love yourself and love on others. Create a life that is nourishing. Reach out for a hug and hug others often.
- Choose foods that don't come in a plastic wrapper or box. Fresh fruit,
fruit smoothies, crunchy vegetables, homemade trail mix are great
energy boosters.
- Upgrade! Take your snacking to the next level. Consider a savory
piece of dark chocolate over a bag of M&M's. Try a fruit and nut
bar over a candy bar. Replace that bag of chips with as many crunchy
raw vegetables as you would like.
Don't deny your cravings, feed them with love and nutritious foods that will leave you feeling satisfied and energized!
Thanks to our client and friend, Yvonnie Hutchison, for this article. You can learn more about her and her practice as a Holistic Health Counselor at www.wholehealthandfood.com.
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Acupuncture for Healthy Moms
and Families
Did you know that acupuncture
can...
- Promote relaxation and peace of mind for parents and parents to be
- Support fertility in both men and women
- Safely treat nausea, headaches, anxiety, sinus issues, lumbar and hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and other health issues during pregnancy, often avoiding the need for medications with worrisome side effects
- Help breech babies move into proper position
- Encourage the natural onset of labor and help avoid the need for induction with pitocin
We have three licensed acupuncturists at The Teal Center, all of whom are able to help with these pregnancy related issues. Kate Stewart sees clients at both of our locations, Laura Berkebile, who specializes in fertility and women's health, is at Randolph Towers, and Brandon Lee at Virginia Hospital Center.
For more information, please contact us at The Teal Center. It is wise to book ahead, especially with time-critical issues such as breech positioning and induction, as more than one session may be needed.
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Dot Perry, Celebrating 16 Years with The Teal Center!
A former marathon trainer and runner, Dot knows the body from an athlete's perspective. She enjoys working with all types of people, from the physically a ctive to the elderly. Her many pre and post natal clients at our Ballston clinic and at Virginia Hospital Center will tell you she is a master of comfort, making it possible for anyone to relax on her table.
Dot is also a trained oncology massage therapist, providing informed, compassionate care for patients in active treatment for cancer.
Always enjoying life, Dot is a great source for fun and delicious recipes, like this summer delight:
Mango Lime Ice:
2 cups of chopped peeled ripe mango
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons grated orange rind
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Press through a sieve over a bowl. Reserve the liquid and discard the pulp.
Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an
ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
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Thank you all for your continued loyalty and support and for sending your friends and family members to us when they need a little help to feel better and to heal. There is no greater compliment. We pledge always to strive to meet the high expectations you have of us!
Enjoy these warm summer days. And we hope to see you whenever you need to feel better.
Call now to make an appointment. Same and next day appointments are often available, especially for times before noon.
Warm regards,
Brenda and the Teal Center Team
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