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Classes
Forming
Now! | |
Begins May 7th
RESTORATIVE YOGA
with Karla Cott
Read more here... | |
Begins May 14th
BEGINNER PILATES
with Maria Kimos
Read more here...
SPACE IS LIMITED!
CALL 410-296-5160 TO REGISTER TODAY!
May 19th
YOGA NIDRA
7:00-8:30PM
Read more here...
CALL 410-667-0468
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Mother's Day
is May 12th  | |
Mother's Day is right around the corner - do you have a gift yet? Show your Mom how much she means to you by treating her to a relaxing massage!
You can schedule an appointment for her or buy a gift card that she can use anytime!
Another idea...get her a gift certificate for acupuncture! Not only for her aches and pains but for the ultimate in relaxation.
In fact, schedule acupuncture followed by massage and your Mom will thank you!
Call 410-296-5160 today! | |
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May Superfoods
We Love! |
STRAWBERRIES
The strawberry, a true symbol
of warmer weather, is coming into its own this month. One serving of the low-calorie fruit packs more vitamin C than an orange and offers protection against heart attacks, cognitive decline and damage to the skin from UV rays. The high antioxidant content has also been credited with increasing HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
PEAS
One of spring's tiniest veggies
is also one of its most
nutritious. Peas are loaded
with fiber and vitamins A, C
and K, which is important for healthy blood and bones.
APRICOTS
Just one single apricot in all
its sweet and juicy glory contains a good amount of
your daily vitamins A and C, plus some fiber and potassium all for just 17 calories. It also offers some iron, which, in the presence of that vitamin C, is absorbed more effectively by
the body. A perfect on-the-go snack, apricots can also be chopped or blended into parfaits or smoothies. Try them sliced with peanut butter for a fresher take on the classic PB&J.
CAULIFLOWER
People think about staying
away from white-colored foods but cauliflower is the exception.While it doesn't
often get the praise its relative broccoli gets, it's worthy of it. Both come from the same cruciferous family of vegetables, well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Often thought of as a cooler-weather veggie, cauliflower is ripe for the picking in a number of states this month, offering possible protection against cancer and stroke. Beside enjoying it raw with a little dip, try using it as
a low-calorie substitute for potatoes, either baked or mashed. Or try roasting it with some Indian spices like turmeric, she says, with some garbanzo beans for protein
and fiber.
MOREL MUSHROOMS
Sure, these guys are pretty funny looking, but they boast
a unique flavor and are a true sign of spring, prime morel hunting season. In the same family as truffles, they can be pricey, but they do pack some benefits, like potassium and B vitamins. Research in animals suggests morel mushrooms may have benefits for liver function and, like other mushrooms, they are a
decent source of vitamin D.
Tasty raw in salads, they're
also yummy in stir fries, or simply sautéed or grilled with
a little olive oil, garlic, salt
and pepper.
BOYSENBERRIES
Seeing as this gem is a cross between a raspberry and a blueberry, it's not surprising
that it packs similar brainpower-boosting benefits, antioxidants and vitamins are also rich in fiber. Although they're less common, boysenberries can
be enjoyed just like any other berry: just as they are, or in salads, smoothies, or even on top of pancakes, she says.
Look for them at your
farmer's market this month.
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Acupuncture Clears Up Seasonal Allergies
While the best thing about spring may be open to debate: the warmer weather, beautiful flowers, picnics; the worst thing is nearly always unanimous: seasonal allergies. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are widely available, but do nothing to help overall health and prevention of allergies, plus come with a host of side effects. Natural remedies such as acupuncture, however, not only clear symptoms of allergies, but they also help the body come into balance: clearing the underlying condition causing allergies and improving overall health.
Seasonal allergies occur when someone reacts to the pollen of flowers in trees, grasses and weeds, and causes symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue.(1)
Although western medications are available, even over the counter, they come with their own host of side effects, one being temporary loss of smell and taste. Other side effects include headache, fatigue, wheezing and abdominal pain.(2) Plus, medications do nothing to improve health and prevent further allergies.
Allergies are a sign of an imbalance in the immune system. Balancing and strengthening the body can be the best thing to decrease or even rid oneself of seasonal allergies altogether.
How Acupuncture Helps Treat Allergies
Acupuncture is a great way both to treat symptoms of seasonal allergies, and to bring the body into balance so one need not suffer seasonal allergies in the future.
Acupuncture helps the sufferer of allergies in two main ways:
-Alleviates symptoms such as itchy eyes, stuffiness,headaches and fatigue, and
-Brings the body into balance.
Symptom Treatment
Acupuncture is excellent at treating symptoms of allergies. Many allergy symptoms are located above the neck, that is, in the head (stuffiness, headache, itchy eyes, etc.) This means the energy is not flowing smoothly from the head into the rest of the body, and vice versa. All the yang meridians flow from the hands up to the head, or from the head down to the feet. We need to open the channels in the neck and shoulders and allow the energy to flow.
Acupuncture can also treat the symptoms very locally: by placing small, sterile needles right on points of pain or symptoms like the head or side of nose, allowing the stuck energy to dissipate and move more smoothly throughout the body.
Root Treatment
Secondly, though most importantly, acupuncture helps balance the body in general. This is done by taking a complete intake and doing a complete assessment of every client who comes for treatment. Acupuncturists treat very specifically and individually, making sure the underlying cause of allergies (and any other symptoms) are cleared. When the body is in balance, symptoms disappear and health is restored. This is the main benefit of acupuncture: bringing a person into balance so that the body may heal itself of any ailment physically, mentally or emotionally.
While allergies can put a damper on enjoying the best the season holds, there is natural relief for allergy sufferers. And the relief need not be temporary. In fact, when the body is brought to a higher level of health, we enjoy renewed energy, flexibility and joy of living.
Some natural tips include:
Eat local, seasonal foods. This keeps us in tune and in balance with the natural cycles around us.
Eat local honey, and - if you do not have a reaction to it, test by having only a tiny granule at first - local bee pollen. The local honey and bee pollen is made from pollen of local flowers, in a form that is utilized by the body. Thus, when the body is later exposed in the environment, the immune system does not see it as an invader and react against it.
Take a regular multivitamin/mineral supplement year round to ensure that your body is functioning at its best.
Eat more raw foods, especially in the warmer months. This puts us in tune with the seasons, and helps our body function at its best.
Take a homeopathic allergy remedy. Homeopathic medicine works by matching the vibration of your symptoms to a particular remedy. When the vibrations match, they cancel the symptoms out and improve overall health.
Receive acupuncture.
(courtesy of www.naturalnews.com) |
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5 Foods to Avoid
In Honor of National High Blood Pressure Month and National Arthritis Awareness Month
1) Cut out the white stuff. Yes, salt.
Too much salt in your diet negatively impacts your blood pressure. Salt causes your body to retain water and the extra water your body stores raises your blood pressure. The higher your blood pressure, the greater the strain on your heart, kidneys, arteries and brain. High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease. The amount of salt you eat has a direct effect on your blood pressure. Adding insult to injury is that if you have too high a salt intake, it may mean that some blood pressure medicines (such as diuretics) don't work as well as they could. While you may already know to push away the potato chips, salt lurks stealthily in other foods including processed meats and cheeses, frozen food, pizza and even breakfast cereals.
2) Bacon is not your friend.
About one in three adults in the U.S. suffers from arthritis or a related chronic joint problem and there are certain foods that will only serve to aggravate the problem. Researchers have learned that COX-2 enzymes are more active and cause more joint inflammation when you eat more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. High up on the Arthritis Foundation's list of no-no foods is bacon, along with meats, egg yolks, corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean and cottonseed oil, margarine and pretty much anything fried.
3) The third glass of wine.
Yes, we all cling to those studies that show a moderate amount of wine is good for our hearts. The problem comes in the definition of moderate. Nobody is calling a half-bottle a night "moderate." Light-to-moderate alcohol use means having two to seven drinks per week, according to the National Institutes of Health. Heavier drinking can hurt your heart and liver. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in people who abuse alcohol.
4) The evil side of sugar.
Most people avoid sugar to avoid gaining weight. But that's only part of the sugar story. Researchers have found that too many sweets can make you age faster in a number of ways. When you eat sugar -- whether in the form of a pint of ice cream, a candy bar or the carbohydrates in a basket of dinner rolls -- your body converts that sugar to glucose. One major health issue linked to high blood glucose is diabetes. The Mayo Clinic says diabetes itself is dangerous enough, but it can also lead to further health problems such as cardiovascular disease, kidney damage or nerve damage. Diabetics can also experience skin, mouth and bone problems that make the body look and feel older than it should.
5) Soda.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people limit their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages to help prevent diabetes. A 12-ounce can of regular soda has about 150 calories and 40 grams of carbohydrates -- the same amount of carbohydrates contained in 10 teaspoons of sugar. Throw energy and sports drinks in the same kettle, or at least read the labels to see how many carbs you are ingesting. And for the record, you don't need a sports drink just because you spent four hours walking around the mall. |
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