A note from Dr. Stram

Welcome to our first email Newsletter. As founder and medical director of the Center, I want to thank you for your continued support of integrative medicine.

My hope for medicine is that integrative care becomes the standard of care; that all medical practices will incorporate the multitude of successful complementary healing modalities in the care of their patients. I believe we are on our way to changing medicine in this country. Through grass roots movements, patient education, and physician education, demands are made every day to consider alternatives to pharmaceuticals and procedural medicine; and to utilize instead when appropriate, lifestyle modifications including proper nutrition and exercise, supplementation therapies, and noninvasive procedures such as acupuncture to prevent and treat illness. But much work still needs to be done; patients need to take charge of their own health and demand this kind of care of their physicians and healthcare insurance companies.

Patient Case in Point: Recently my services were sought by a 50 year old who had been told by a gastroenterologist that diet or the chronic use of antibiotics was not a factor for the gradual  onset of  colitis. After 12 weeks of dietary changes and supplementation therapy, the symptoms of colitis stopped. The return visit to the gastroenterologist revealed no pathological evidence of colitis. This is an example of appropriately utilizing a natural approach to illness and avoiding the dependence and potential harm of pharmaceuticals.

Education is the key to successfully changing medicine. Tell your friends about your own personal successes with complementary care and don't be intimidated to tell your doctor how you have been helped by alternatives to pharmaceuticals. Keep the movement to change medicine alive! Together, we can change our healthcare system.

Introducing: Community Service Pay-What-You-Can Week

In the spirit of service and our commitment to facilitating wider accessibility to complementary and holistic healthcare, The Center is proud to announce our new "Community Service Pay-What-You-Can Week." Starting in May and the first week only of every month following, each of our doctors and practitioners will accept what is offered for payment of their services. A limited number of appointments are available and are subject to a first-call, first-serve basis. If you know someone who has always wanted to try acupuncture, or have a naturopathic consultation, for instance but cannot afford it, spread the word! Educating our community about the benefits and choices of complementary care is part of the mission of the Center.  Our new program is a way to help achieve that goal.

Please note that this offer is only good for patients who are new to the Center.

New Classes

Reiki II Class with Dr. Beth Netter: Sunday May 17, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This Reiki II Certification Class is for students certified in Reiki I.

The fee is $150. Pre-registration is required by calling the Center: (518) 689-2244.

The Center also offers Kripalu Yoga and free Meditation classes every week. Please check out our new site for details: www.cihh.net.

From the Front Desk: Insurance News

For acupuncture services, the Center will now accept MVP Trivantage, MVP Gold and GoldAnywhere, and Blue Shield of Northeast NY's FitBlue, FitBlue Plus, Aqua Health and Wellness, and Lifestyle Benefit Programs.

Medicare patients seeing Dr. Stram must pay for their services at the time it is given but our office staff will bill Medicare on behalf of the patient for eligible reimbursements payable directly to the patient. All seniors, including Medicare patients receive 20% off Dr. Stram's charges. Dr. Netter participates with the Medicare program fully and our office will bill Medicare for her medical consultation patients.

Call the Center for details on other discounts offered for our services.

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What's New in Holistic Medicine at the Center

Jennifer Adams, NP Primary Care Holistic Nurse Practitioner. We're very excited to introduce two new programs this Spring for the health and wellness of our patients, IV Nutrient Therapy and Iscador Therapy.

Introducing: IV Nutrient Therapy

IV nutrient therapy is an effective means of treatment with typically no adverse effects for a variety of conditions such as cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, Parkinsons, migraine headaches, autoimmune conditions, Lyme disease and other chronic infections and malabsorption problems.

Due to aging or illness, the body is not always able to absorb its required dietary nutrients effectively. IV nutrient therapy allows for optimal utilization of these required nutrients by being introduced directly into the body's circulation. Further, IV therapy allows for the administration of therapeutic doses that are not available by oral routes for the treatment of disease.

Introducing: Iscador Therapy for Cancer Patients

Mistletoe preparations have been used since the beginning of the last century as an adjunct to chemotherapy, surgery and radiation for treatment of cancer. Over the last 30 years, many medical studies have been done examining the anti-carcinogenic properties of mistletoe preparations. Being the number one complementary treatment for cancer in Europe, mistletoe is slowly making its appearance more known in North America. The Center is now offering Iscador treatment for cancer patient.

Please call the Center to schedule a consultation to see if IV therapy or Iscador treatments are right for your condition.

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Holistic Medical Remedies for Sinusitis and Sinus Pain: How to Make This A Healthy, Happy Spring

Beth Netter, M.D., Holistic Physician
If you have sinus problems in the winter then the spring, with trees budding, flowers blossoming, and moist air may also bring you clogged sinuses and fatigue. So what can you know that may help you feel your best this spring? The pain of sinusitis is due to inflammation of the nasal sinuses, air-filled cavities located in the skull. If the sinuses get clogged by too much mucous or are mal-positioned, then pressure can build up leading to pain, infection, or poor sleep. Here are some holistic medical approaches to help you decrease the pain and feel better. Certain foods and supplements can help boost the immune system, decrease inflammation, and improve tissue healing. Consider swapping some of the pro-inflammatory or acid-forming foods like red meat, refined sugar, dairy products, white flour, trans fats, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco for the anti-inflammatory, alkalizing foods like quinoa, beans, kale, figs, asparagus, hot water with lemon, and unsweetened almond milk. See how you feel in the next 2 days.

Vitamins that help us heal include Vitamins A, C, E and all the B's. Garlic in food, capsules or tinctures serves as an antioxidant and helps heal infections.

Reiki energy healing promotes greater calm, sleep, and it will help you clarify and soothe worry and stress. Deep breathing and meditation help clear the air passages, remove toxins, enhance oxygenation of the sinuses and decrease inflammation. We hold a free meditation here at The Center every Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm. We teach you how to meditate and offer breathing practices you can do at home or at work. Sunshine and exercise will lift your spirits, bring greater peace to your mind and body, and help decrease stress.

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Detoxify and Rejuvenate with a Spring Cleanse New Offerings for Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Sue Coughtry, LMT
Lymphatic Drainage is a very light form of massage that is specifically designed to encourage the flow of lymph fluid in the body. Lymph is the excess fluid that collects between the cells, and is also the conduit through which a large part of our immune defenses flow.  Surgery, injury, inflammation or illness can make this flow sluggish, blocked, or stagnant, and then the affected areas becomes swollen. Lymph drainage can reduce and often eliminate this swelling by getting the lymph to flow properly again.

I recently returned from training at The Upledger Institute which teaches its lymphatic drainage practitioners how to actually feel the flow of the lymph within the lymph capillaries just beneath the skin. We are taught how to use small, light, rhythmic strokes to encourage this fluid to flow more effectively which helps reduce the swelling and enhances the immune system. It is also excellent for removing toxins from the body.   I also learned how to assess where the lymph is flowing and how to help re-direct the flow when necessary, as in after surgery or the removal of lymph nodes.

I have already had great success with using lymphatic massage to reduce post-operative swelling, which is especially advantageous for facial plastic surgery. This treatment also helps women with fibrocystic breast disease, remarkably reducing and often eliminating the problem.

Lymphatic drainage techniques can improve digestion, speed healing after injuries or surgery, reduce pain, ease migraines, and help with TMJ dysfunction and sinus problems.

And for a spring cleanse, or to cleanse your body of toxins at any time, lymphatic drainage is wonderful way to detoxify your body and rejuvenate your energy!

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Visit Our Re-Energized Web Site!

www.cihh.net

We redesigned our website with you in mind. With the improved  navigation it is now easier than ever to learn more about our services and how our unique integrative medicine approach can optimize your health and wellness. The new "Ask the Doctor" section answers your most frequently asked questions, and our "Featured Supplements" will help you to identify natural vitamins and supplements that can help with specific challenges such as seasonal allergies. If you're new to integrative medicine and are simply wondering how to get started, we've got some easy steps and packages for you to experience integrative medicine for the first time. Our mission is to be as informative as possible and to support you on your journey to wellness. Please contact us and let us know what you think!

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Women's Wellness Week at the Omega Institute

Beth Netter, M.D. will be co-teaching Women's Wellness Week at the Omega Institute's Rhinebeck Campus, June 7-12 and Sept 13-18. This program is designed especially for women who want to ignite and enhance healing and well-being of their whole self—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. For more information and registration, please visit http://www.eomega.org

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The qi of Spring

Christopher R. Reilly, L.Ac., MSA, Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist
Springtime is a time of blossoming. New green shoots replace the browned grass, bulky overcoats and cumbersome boots are replaced with active-wear and people start to emerge from their homes in the Northeast's spring thaw. Everything in nature, from water, to plants to people begin to open up and flow more freely.

The qi (movement) of the season is upwards and outwards, although with a steady and firm rooting. As we begin to move outwards and become more active, it is essential to not “pull on the shoots.” This is a traditional saying meaning that just as pulling up on the shoot of a plant will damage it rather than help it to grow more quickly, we ourselves need to be stimulated to grow and transform with nourishment and gradually increasing goals as opposed to the shoves and pushes of impatience.

So gradually get back into the warm weather activities of biking or walking outside, and increase the intensity of physical fitness routines slowly. Should your body have any difficulties making the transition, or if "pulling on the shoots" ends with a pulled muscle or other aches and pains, then there's always acupuncture or massage to get you back on track!

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Sniffles and Sneezes?

A. Korey DiRoma, N.D.
You're probably feeling it already. As flowers start to bloom and pollen fills the air, many of us are starting to feel the affects of the new season. There are a variety of natural supplements that can help you feel better without the side effects of drugs or pharmaceuticals. Check out this month's featured supplement section on our website to see what might work best for your symptoms. We're also offering free 15 minute consultations with Naturopath Korey DiRoma to answer any questions you may have about getting started on a supplement plan. Please see the website for more details.

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