Editor’s Corner
I love autumn! Crisper air, that different slant to the sun, the foods of fall—pumpkin, kale, apples, and the last bounty of summer.
I guess it’s the training from all those years of school, but autumn also seems to always herald new beginnings. This fall, my new beginning is a new office in Williamsburg. I am now located at Northern Lights Spa. I had 4 very good years with Refresh! Center for Massage and Healing, but it’s time to move on. Northern Lights is newly opened, and you can learn more about them at www.NorthernLightsSpa.com. Soon I will also know where my new Richmond office will be—stay tuned for that big news!
October is National Non-GMO month, so I am temporarily bumping my essential oil column to highlight the importance of organic, non-genetically modified food. What you eat is critical to your health, and I hope this article will help you find the healthiest food possible.
One last item. I am now a blogger! You can find my blog at http://taygreenbutterfly.blogspot.com/, and visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandston-VA/Green-AcuClinic/320687087145.
Thank you for your support and patronage this year. I hope I have been of service!
Teresa Green, L. Ac.
October is National Non-GMO Month!
A Little About GMOs
I pulled most of this info from www.nongmoproject.org. I also have links to various other articles on GMOs on my Facebook page.
:
- What are GMOs? GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are made with gene-splicing biotechnology. DNA from one species is injected into another species, creating dna combinations not found in nature and that cannot occur as part of natural hybridizing processes.
- How do I know what foods are genetically modified? Those who make and sell GMO products are not required to label these products in any way to differentiate them from natural products. The only way to avoid them is to buy certified organic products, which cannot intentionally contain GMOs, or to buy food with the “Non-GMO Project” Seal. Products with this seal have been independently verified to comply with standards of GMO avoidance.
- Are GMOs safe? Thirty countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, require restrictions on GMO production, or ban them outright because they are not considered safe, and due to fears of cross-polination contamination of other food sources. Human studies have not been done, but in laboratory animals, GMO diets have resulted in stomach ulcerations, liver enlargement, changes in the stomach lining, and poor growth. Some are concerned that those with severe allergies may not be able to determine if a GMO food contains genetic material from the food they are allergic to, thus putting them at risk. In one case of anaphylactic reaction to soy, the victims were not allergic to soy, but were allergic to peanuts, which had been used in genetically altering the soy.
- How Common are GMOs: From the non-GMO Project website: According to the USDA, in 2009, 93% of soy, 93% of cotton, and 86% of corn grown in the U.S. were GMO. It is estimated that over 90% of canola grown is GMO, and there are also commercially produced GM varieties of sugar beets, squash and Hawaiian Papaya. As a result, it is estimated that GMOs are now present in more than 80% of packaged products in the average U.S. or Canadian grocery store.
Limiting your intake of GMO products could be vital to your health!
"It's important to watch what you eat. Otherwise, how are you going to get it into your mouth ?"
— Matt Diamond
Tea Talk-Organic, organic, organic!
Tea itself is not currently genetically modified, but the flavorings used in tea may be. Using organic tea with organic flavorings will avoid GMOs. Buying organic also protects from pesticide residues in tea, since tea is not washed after harvesting because that affects its oxidation. If the tea you drink was grown using fertilizer or pesticides, that’s what you’re drinking!
To buy organic tea, read the label. The tea should be certified 100% organic, flavorings and all. Fortunately, organic tea is not wildly more expensive than the non-organic varieties, so make a good cup of healthy, uncontaminated organic tea and ENJOY!
Herb Corner: Cold and Flu
I’ve already caught my first (and hopefully last) cold of the season, and I hear coughing and sniffles all around me. Here are a few food tips when you are sick, and some of the herbs used to keep you well and prevent colds from occurring in the first place:
Food Cures
Simple Diet: When you first feel a cold coming on, simplifying your diet by eliminating dairy, soy, fatty foods, sweets and processed foods for a few days will allow your body to focus on getting well instead of digesting these complicated foods. Broth-based soups are one of the best choices while fighting a cold.
Special Tips: Drinking a blend of ginger and mint tea, and adding scallions, garlic, and citrus or other fruit high in vitamin C to your diet are also helpful in aiding your body’s defense system. For cough and sore throat, Chinese medicine uses cooked pears sweetened with honey (added after the pears are cooked) to strengthen your lungs and immune system.
Herbal Therapy
Yu Ping Feng San: Also known as Jade Windscreen remedy, this simple formula of three herbs is recommended for long term use to build the immune system in those who catch cold easily or have compromised immune systems. Research on the main ingredient of the formula, astragalus, suggests it has antiviral properties, as well as being beneficial in various conditions, including diabetes, HIV, and the side effects of chemotherapy. It can interact with medications, and can aggravate hypertension in some people.
Ren Shen Bai Du Wan: Classically used to treat colds, this formula is now often also used long-term to prevent colds. Ren shen is the pinyin for ginseng, and in formulas containing ginseng herb-drug interactions can be a concern. Many versions of this formula use dang shen, or codonopsis, which is less prone to interactions. This formula is usually ok for people with hypertension managed by medication.
NAET Info
Katie Larimer has been with Green AcuClinic for several months now, and we are excited about combining Chinese medicine with NAET therapy. NAET stands for Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques. It is a non-invasive treatment that treats symptoms resulting from allergies or sensitivities to a variety of substances, such as foods or chemicals, or even your body’s reaction to beliefs or experiences. We have found that using acupuncture to keep the meridians functioning at optimum levels during NAET treatment has subjects seeing greater improvements more quickly than those receiving either therapy alone. Acupuncture works to make your entire body function better, with the various body systems acting in harmony. NAET therapy then “clears” specific, stubborn reactions that may not respond well to other therapies.
Because of my own NAET treatments from Katie, I have dramatically better energy, tolerate foods better, and have less pain. NAET treatments played a major role in eliminating a problem I was having with kidney stones for the past 2 years.
Katie Larimer is a Certified NAET practitioner with a background in massage therapy and Asian studies. She is at the Green AcuClinic offices by appointment and can be reached at (804) 399-1700.
Northern Lights Spa
My new office at Northern Lights Spa in Williamsburg is offering a special North Pumpkin Patch Mud Treatment for only $70! Contact Northern Lights Spa at (757) 903-4302 for more information
“Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.”
--Thomas Jefferson
That’s it for this issue. Hope to see you soon!
