** Please share this information with anyone who might benefit**
 
This Wednesday, March 10 from 5:30-7:30pm will be the first Veterans Acupuncture Care clinic in Worcester.
 
The walk-in clinic provides free stress-relief acupuncture to veterans, active military, and their families.  It runs on the 2nd Wednesday of each month and is located at:
Dodge Park Rest Home (rear entrance)
101 Randolph Rd.
Worcester, MA 01606
 
For more information call: (508) 890-8899

Many of my patients have seasonal allergies. Sometimes the allergies are just a minor annoyance, other times they really interfere with the person’s daily life. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be helpful for many allergy sufferers, even if they have tried a number of different treatments (like prescription medication, homeopathy, etc.) without results.

If you experience severe allergies, there are several things you can do to increase the likelihood that your acupuncture treatments will be successful. Below are some of my top recommendations.

· Scheduling acupuncture treatments: It is always best to begin treatment before allergy season. For people with year-round allergies, you can start treatment at any time, but preferably before the season that is worst for you. Plan to start acupuncture treatments once a week for 2-3 months (depending on the severity of your symptoms) before your allergies normally begin. During allergy season, increase your treatments to twice a week, if necessary.
· Nasal rinse: For almost all of my patients with allergies, I recommend that they use a neti pot nasal rinse. This can be helpful even if you don’t generally have sinus symptoms because the nose is the way most environmental allergens enter your system. Neti pots are a safe, natural product (just like acupuncture!). To be effective, neti pots need to be used regularly during allergy season. You can find them in most drug stores. Neti pots are not the same as nasal mists, which only moisturize the sinuses without getting rid of the allergens. Experiment with the level of salt you use in the net pot, to find what is comfortable for you. Many people find that it is easier to use their neti pot in the shower.
· Chinese herbs: There are several herbal formulas that can help with seasonal allergies. Jade Windscreen is a formula that needs to be started several months before allergy season to be effective. It helps to prevent allergies rather than just treating the symptoms. There are also short-term herbal formulas that can alleviate nasal congestion and itchy eye symptoms temporarily. Some formulas I carry in the office, others can be special ordered.
· Food journaling: If you have food sensitivities, they can make your seasonal allergies worse. Foods like dairy and citrus can be mucus-producing in some people. Other foods are relatives of common allergens (for instance, the apple family and birch family are related) and may set off allergies. By keeping a food diary where you track what you eat along with your symptoms, you can get a sense of which foods are triggers for your allergies.

Now you know how to get the most out of acupuncture for seasonal allergies. The time to start treatment for spring allergies is now, before the pollen begins. Contact us to make an appointment.

On Sunday, February 28 from 11am-1pm, we will be participating in the open house at Generations Healing Center in Oxford. I will be offering free stress-relief ear acupuncture for anyone who would like to try it.

This event is the kick-off for a new collaboration between River Valley and Generations. Once a month, on a Friday evening starting at 6:15pm, I will be at Generations to give “Start the Weekend Off Right” stress-relief ear treatments. These relaxing treatments will take place in a group setting and will cost $15 for 30 minutes. The upcoming dates are March 26, April 23, and May 21.

I will also be giving two acupuncture lectures and demonstrations in April. On Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00pm I will be presenting about the benefits of community acupuncture with fellow community acupuncturist Tess Bois at the Worcester Holistic Moms Network. On Tuesday, April 20 at 6:00pm, I will be speaking at Worcester Physical Therapy about acupuncture for pain management.

And don’t forget about the veterans acupuncture clinic, Veterans Acupuncture Care Worcester. The next three dates will be: March 10, April 14, and May 12. Some of the VAC volunteers will also be giving treatments at the There and Back Again women’s veterans event in Bolton in March (details to come).

Not only was February 14 Valentine’s Day, it also marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year). This year is the Year of the Tiger.

What does this mean for you? Check out this great summary from our friends at Sarana Community Acupuncture.

The Chinese believe that whatever you do during the first weeks of the New Year represents what the rest of your year will be like. If you want your year to be healthy and relaxing, contact us for a treatment!

I am pleased to introduce two new members of the River Valley community. Laura Faulkner and Jessie Pelletier will be joining the office as part-time receptionists on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. These smart and friendly women are on hand to offer you assistance and to help you have an enjoyable visit.

Please extend a warm welcome to Laura and Jessie the next time you see them. The Invisible Receptionist will continue to be on duty during the rest of the week.

I would also like to give a belated introduction to Bill Stendrup of Pro Green Cleaning Company. If you have ever wondered how the office stays so fresh looking, it is thanks to Bill and his environmentally-friendly cleaning products.

I’m going on vacation! The office will be closed from Friday, January 22 through Monday, February 1. I will not be able to return calls and emails until I get back. The office will re-open for normal business hours on Tuesday, February 2. Make an appointment for that week to have the benefit of a relaxed and refreshed acupuncturist!

I’m excited to announce that we have found a site for the veterans clinic! Veterans Acupuncture Care (VAC) Worcester will open February 10, 2010 and will run on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 5:30-7:30pm. We will be located at Dodge Park Rest Home, 101 Randolph Road in Worcester.

VAC provides free acupuncture to veterans, active military, and their families. It is especially geared toward stress reduction for those suffering from anxiety, PTSD, sleep disturbance, irritability, etc. The acupuncture is done in a quiet group setting using ear points.

Please spread the word to anyone who may benefit from this program. No appointments are necessary and no personal information is collected.

VAC Worcester is made possible with help from VAC Metrowest and Acupuncturists Without Borders.

For more information, call : (508) 890-8899

This week I celebrated one year as a community acupuncturist (though I had been practicing acupuncture for several years before that). I marked the occasion with a successful 2 for Tuesday– I treated 20 patients in 3.5 hours, including 16 new patients. It was exciting for me to introduce so many new people to acupuncture. I am very grateful to my returning patients who brought friends and family with them.

I hope to continue growing and bringing acupuncture to many more people in 2010. And I wish you all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous year!

We will be open normal office hours Monday-Wednesday this week and next. Happy Holidays!

Next month marks the one-year anniversary of River Valley Acupuncture as a community acupuncture practice. To celebrate, on Tuesday January 5 (one year exactly from when we opened the James Street office) we will be having a Two for Tuesday event from 3:30-5:30pm.

On this day, all new patients get treated for free. If you are an existing patient and you bring a new patient with you, you will get treated for $10. That’s treatments for two people for less than the cost of one regular visit.

Space is limited and appointments are strongly recommended. Call us today to reserve spots for you and a friend!