10 Fun Ideas to Add a Spring to Your Step

Spring! A favorite season for many...the warmer days and longer nights makes us feel energetic and hopeful. Let this season of renewal be a time for fun, play, laughter and lightness. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1) Learn something new Think of what would be fun and exciting to learn. The idea is to do it for the fun of it without the pressure of becoming an expert at it. Learn how to play a favorite song on the guitar, a new card game, how to say "I love you" in 10 different languages, how to mix a fun drink or take up knitting.

2) Make a hopscotch board on your sidewalk Challenge your family members and/or neighbors to a competition. Come up with a fun prize for the winner. If the champion is your nine year-old son, plan a play date for him with his favorite friends.

3) Build a garden Check your local library for books on building a garden. You can even involve your neighbors in this activity. If building a garden feels like too big of a project, then get some flower pots and work small.

4) Star in your own video Shoot a fun video and put it up on YouTube. If you are camera shy, you can video-tape yourself making a favorite dessert and just show the steps. Or create a PowerPoint with favorite family photos and embed a background song. Send it to all your family members on a CD. Getting something in the mail is a treat these days!

5) Create a photo book Think of a theme for your photo book. It could be a collection of favorite cartoons, photos of favorite landscapes, a mixture of favorite quotes and photos of spring flowers you found online, or a collection of most memorable childhood photos, etc. Use an online photo book printing service (such as Shutterfly or Snapfish) to create it. You can also do this for someone else and send it as a gift.

6) Host a clothing swap What a wonderful way to clean out your closets and recycle clothes that you don't plan on wearing again! You can spice this party up with a potluck, cocktails or tea and cookies.

7) Volunteer at a kids' non-profit organization No one knows how to have fun more than kids do. Research non-profit organizations for kids or youth and find out if they have any upcoming events where you can volunteer as a "designated adult" and secretly bring your inner child along with you.

8) Take your inner child on a date Call up a childhood friend or an old friend you keep in touch with. Rent a favorite movie from your childhood, make snacks that you loved in those days and take your place on the couch. The movie can stir up some fun childhood stories you can share with your friend.

9) Make your own pizza If making the dough seems like a hassle, buy the ready- made pizza dough at a local grocery store along with the toppings of your choosing. Gather around with friends and /or family members and have fun decorating your pizzas. Bake and enjoy!

10) Head to the zoo Take your kids (or a friend's kids) to the zoo. Look up interesting facts about some animals you know you will see and share these with the kids during your zoo tour. The look on the children's faces as they hear these fun facts will be priceless!

Acupuncture Media Works © 2012 Copyright, All rights reserved. The information contained within the Health WellNews newsletter is only used to educate and inform. This newsletter is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed and registered health care provider. Seek prompt attention for emergencies. Consult a health care provider for specific health concerns, and before starting a diet, cleanse or exercise routine.

Tips for Surviving the Allergy Season

• Clinical research suggests that low magnesium has been linked to allergies. Consider adding salmon, chard, sesame seeds, spinach and sunflower seeds into your diet to support your body.
• Cut back on dairy products if your sinuses are congested as they can cause mucus build up.
• Increase your intake of yellow and orange fruits such as papayas, carrots, mangoes and yams as well as leafy green vegetables as they are rich in beta-carotene, which is an anti-oxidant that supports the respiratory system.
• Limit your wheat intake if you experience allergy attacks, as it can make inflammation worse.
• Take about 1 tsp of local bee pollen in the morning with room temperature water. Bee pollen contains protein ingredients which have the ability to act as histamine blockers.
• In order to avoid transferring pollen from your hands to areas on your face wash your hands frequently. Showering before bedtime may be helpful since it will remove any allergens from your hair and body.
• Use a Neti Pot daily with warm water and sea salt to clear your nostrils and wash away excess pollen and mucus.
• Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine and can aid in clearing up allergies. Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage and melon are some examples of foods rich in Vitamin C.
• Change clothes as soon as you get home. Pollen can easily be tracked into your home via your hair or clothes.
• Using an air purifier in your home or workplace will help remove pollen and allergens from the air. This will help you during the day and while you are sleeping.
• Get an acupuncture treatment to strengthen the immune system and to relieve allergy symptoms. It is best to start sessions before the allergy season. Preventative medicine is the way to go!

Treating Allergies with Chinese Medicine

The birds start singing, the trees start budding, you know spring has arrived. For some of us, we experience signs and symptoms in our bodies such as red, itchy eyes and stuffy noses, wheezing, headaches and fatigue that notify us of the season change.

Our immune systems are the guardians of our bodies. When the immune system (Wei Qi - pronounced "way chee") perceives something as harmful, it puts up a defense against it by producing mucus and becoming inflamed. This "something" can be a harmless substance, such as pollen, which is perceived as a threat by the body. People who have a Wei Qi deficiency can be prone to allergies and frequent colds.

In conventional Western medicine anti-histamines and steroid nasal sprays are used to relieve the symptoms but they can also create side effects and potential health risks. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the cause of allergy symptoms is an imbalance in the distribution of Qi (pronounced "chee"). The goal is to identify and correct blockages, excesses and imbalances in each of the different meridians and organs in order to create a free-flowing environment for Qi.

For example, generally many allergy symptoms are located in the head (stuffiness, headaches, itchy eyes), which indicates that there is a blockage that is preventing the smooth flow of Qi energy between the head and the rest of the body. In this case, your acupuncturist would place needles on the head and the neck to open the Yang channels to allow the energy to flow.

Acupuncture treatments along with adjunct therapies such as massage (tuina), exercise, dietary changes and herbal remedies can help accelerate the balancing process in your body. When the body is brought back to balance, symptoms disappear and health is restored.

Source:
http://www.yinovacenter.com/blog/archives/6667/
http://www.somaacupuncture.com/allergies-spring.html
http://www.suntenglobal.com/news/show.php?ID=320&page=

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Dr. Mehmet Oz's Green Drink Recipe (serves 3 to 4)

This recipe was shared with Oprah by Dr. Mehmet Oz while she was doing her 21-day vegan cleanse. This smoothie can be made in a juicer or a blender.

Organic produce is highly recommended.

• 2 apples (cored, with skin)
• 2 BIG handfuls of spinach
• 1 medium cucumber
• 3 ribs/sticks of chopped celery 1/2 inch or tsp ginger root, peeled
• 1 bunch parsley
• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

If you are not a big fan of green drinks, try increasing the fruit content until you are satisfied with the taste. Increasing the apple, adding a banana, mangoes or strawberries would work. Blend everything together and add desired amount of ice (or none). Enjoy!

Source: http://ahealthykitchen.com/healthy-recipes/healthy-breakfast/healthy-juices/dr-oz-green-drink-oprah/