December Newsletter

Editor's Corner

So many new things to report! We discussed the new office in Williamsburg in the last newsletter.  Now the new Richmond office is up and running!  Our new office is at 9535 Kings Charter Drive.  The mailing address says Ashland, but we're actually only about 5 minutes from VA Center Commons, in the Kings Charter shopping center. We're sharing office space with Dr. Robert Brown, who has a chiropractic practice, and Tamara Sprinkle, a massage therapist.  Please be patient as we'll be making some improvements to our office, and it might look a little rough for the next few months.  On the plus side, I will have more hours  available.  Appointments are available on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday from 10am to 6pm in Richmond, and on Thursdays from 10am to 1pm.  Tuesdays I am in Williamsburg from 10am to 6pm, and will add a half day on Fridays for the month of December for "spa services"--acupressure and facial acupuncture. 

Now that Katie Larimer,  the NAET practitioner, and I will be in the office simultaneously, I wanted to remind all patients visiting the office to please refrain from wearing any perfumes or strong-smelling deodorants, hair spray, or other body care products.  I see people with chemical sensitivities, but Katie sees even more people with these problems.  For those with environmental allergies, even a tiny exposure to an allergen can cause symptoms ranging from a headache to skin conditions to breathing difficulties or even anaphylactic shock.  Please help us help as many people as possible by avoiding strong smelling body care products.
 
Thank you so much for letting me serve you.  I am excited by the changes this year, and look forward to all the wonderful things 2011 will bring!
 
Teresa

Aromatherapy: Calm

This time of year, many people get carried away with visiting family, shopping, and cooking in addition to all their regular responsibilities.  Aromatherapy can help you keep calm in crowded lines, cooped up driving conditions, and frenetic activities.   I put a couple of drops of one or more of essential oil on a cotton ball and toss them into the trash cans in a room that feels stressed, or add a couple of drops to my bath water. 

Here are a few of the oils I reach for when I feel restless or stressed:

Lavender: one of the "universal oils" it's good for just about any emotional state, and is wonderful in lotions or sprinkled in bathwater to rejuvenate you skin.   I also by buy lavender buds and make tea, adding a little lemon and sugar for extra flavor.

Rose Geranium: one of the most calming oils around, rose geranium was actually shown to immediately lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients with just a whiff.  It is very floral, so a light hand is best.  

Frankincense: this is one of my favorite oils.  It is a tree resin.  In Chinese medicine we use i to move blood for pain conditions, and it seems to soothe Heart function, making it good for anxiety and feeling the need to be "on" for guests.  You can sometimes find the actual frankincense resin, and adding a piece or two to your fire in the fireplace will scent the whole house.  

Herb Corner: Prepare Now for Allergy Season

Now is a great time to prepare your body for allergy season.  Eight weeks of treatment now will greatly reduce your reaction to allergens come spring.  Acupuncture will help your immune system avoid overreacting to allergens, and herbal therapy gives your immune system the nutrition it needs to stay healthy without allergies.

Here are some formulas we use in treating allergies:

Yu Ping Fang San/Ren Shen Bai Du Wan: Highlighted in last month's newsletter, these formulas both build immune system function by increasing the energy available to your body to ward off bugs and evaluate possible pathogens.

Pe Min Kan Wan: This formula is used in the acute stage of allergy to decrease phlegm and congestion.

Xiao Yao San/Gan Mai Da Zao Wan: While not actually for allergies, these formulas help emotional balance, minimizing the effects of stress on your immune system.

Please contact Teresa for more information on herbal therapy to help your allergies.

NAET: Come in now to treat allergies before holiday parties!

If food allergies ruin your ability to chow down at holiday parties, or if environmental allergies make it hard for you to enjoy all scents of winter and cooking, come in and see Katie asap!  For many people, starting treatment now can have you significantly less sensitive to allergens in just a few days or weeks.  Call Katie Larimer at (804) 399-1700.

Northern Lights Spa

Specials this month at Northern Lights Spa (Teresa's Williamsburg office):
 
$30 Winter Wonderland Snuggle Up Heat Treatment
$70 Ginger Bread Massage
 
Call Northern Lights Spa at (757) 903-4302 for more information.
 
New Services (December only):
I will offer Facial Acupuncture ($150 for 1.5hr session) and Acupressure ($40 for 1/2 hour session) at Northern Lights on Fridays from 10am -1pm.  To schedule these appointments, please call me at (757) 561-1258, or schedule through the spa at (757) 903-4302.



Teresa Green, L. Ac. (804) 683-2979 / (757) 561-1258