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It’s that time of year – travel, office parties, tasty food, alcohol, and stress. All of these factors may effect our health in a bad way. People often spend this wonderful time of the year fighting colds when they should be enjoying friendships and family. Now is the time to visit your Acupuncture Physician and Massage Therapist so that they can prepare you for the holidays.

Acupuncture and herbs can be used to strengthen your immune system, stop colds in their tracks and ease the digestive issues that come with overindulgence of food and alcohol. The first and best approach, of course, is to maintain your health year-round. But, sometimes we wait until the last minute to consider taking care of ourselves. Massage therapy is something that everyone one should utilize on a regular basis to reduce their stress levels and to maintain health.

Always check with your primary care doctor (MD, DO, or Acupuncture Physician) before taking herbs with any prescription medication. But, there are simple things you can do, such as taking milk thistle before and after drinking to reduce the damaging effects of alcohol or using a formula like Curing Pills to help with symptoms of overeating and fatty foods. There is, of course, the famous chinese herbal formula called Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian, which can stop a cold in its tracks if taken in the first 24 hours of symptom onset. Bob Linde, Owner of Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, used to get a cold every time he traveled. When he began taking one or two tablets of Yin Qiao before, during and after traveling, the colds dissipated and he now enjoys traveling on a regular basis.

If you want to find out which herbs can help you this holiday season or if you want to optimize your body’s immune system and relieve stress, call 727-551-0857 to schedule an appointment with one of our acupuncture physicians today.

Sara A. Smiley, AP, DOM, recently joined Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies from Boulder, CO. One of her specialties? Menopause. It’s a normal transition for women, but one that some find easier than others. Many women experience severe night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue, depression, and/or irritability. Menopause can also be a time when new medical issues begin to materialize. Sara explains that the combination of careful herbal formulations, acupuncture and simple dietary adjustments can make this transition a simple and pleasant process.

Many women have tried products such as black cohosh, soy concentrate or dang gui with little to no success. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we are careful to take the time to look at a detailed medical history plus some advanced diagnostic techniques such as tongue and pulse diagnostics. These details allow us to create herbal and acupuncture point combinations to address the pattern of symptoms of each woman as an individual. Sara’s experience creates a balance that embodies health and wellness.

Sara further explains that soy is not always helpful. She recommends specific foods based on the unique medical history of each person. However, in general, she finds that eating more root vegetables, in addition to dark green, bitter vegetables, is helpful in reducing the severity of symptoms. Certain foods may trigger an increase in hot flashes such as hard liquor and red wine (yes, that’s right – white wine has less of an effect in many people).

Sara has taken a special interest in menopause and she treated many women in Colorado. She is excited to bring her advanced skills to the women of the Tampa Bay area to help create the necessary balance needed to live more comfortably. To make an appointment at Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, call 727-551-0857 and ask to schedule with Sara Smiley, Acupuncture Physician and national board certified Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

For more information about Sara, visit her Bio.

Sara will be teaching two free lectures in December. For details on upcoming events, visit the Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies Facebook event list.

Join Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies at Shopapalooza on Saturday!

We’re offering:

• $1 per minute massages
• Drawings throughout the day for 10% off services
• Get your gift certificates now – Give the gift of good health!

Shopapalooza is a local alternative to Black Friday. There will be over 100 LOCAL vendors gathered at South Straub Park (Adjacent to Beach Drive, between 1st & 2nd Ave. N.).

Admission into the event is free! Check out more local on-site discounts here.

Schedule:
10-11:30 Band
11:30-noon Entertainment Revue (children’s dance troupe)
12-1:30 Raffles, announcements, etc
12:30–1 Noisemakers
1-1:30 Hot Sauce competition sponsored by Intensity Academy
1:30-2 Entertainment Revue (children’s dance troupe, part 2)
2-2:30 A Surprise!!
2:30 Thrill St. Pete presents check to PARC, from their fundraising event on Halloween
2:30-4 Band
4 — Raffle announcement– prizes include Flexpass to American Stage, family pass to the Mahaffey and more. Raffle benefits the St. Pete Dream Center

For additional details, visit Shopapalooza and the St Pete Chamber.

We are excited to announce our new location, conveniently located across from Baywalk in downtown St. Petersburg. We will be open for business on Monday, August 20, 2012. Stop by to see us and be sure to save the date for our Grand Opening on Friday, September 21, 2012 from 4pm – 7pm. More details coming soon!