Reducing Allergies using Holistic Techniques

Post-labor day begins everyone's least favorite time of the year. No, it's not back to school. September brings with it the sneezing and coughing of allergy season due to the increases in airborne pollen. With that, CNN special correspondent Dr. Robert Reinhardt shared that combined with the allergens children are exposed to from returning to school, September has the highest incidents of hospitalization due to allergen-induced asthma attacks. Besides avoiding allergens and taking antihistamines, allergies can be treated through more holistic techniques. Maria of Maria's Farm Country Kitchen  suggests treating the inflammation caused by allergies through a healthy diet and by reducing external stress. The Mother Nature Network blog also suggests changing your external environment to lower susceptibility to allergens. Some of these suggestions include removing shoes before you walk into your house or apartment and showering before bed. Women's Day magazine contributes that acupuncture and homeopathic treatments such as those provided at The Center can help alleviate allergy symptoms. 

For more information and helpful tips from The Center for Integrative Practices, check out our website and facebook page. 

The Benefits of Chinese Herbal Medicine

You could say that Chinese herbal medicine is a time-tested technique. It has been around for thousands of years, and this form of therapy doesn't seem to be going out of style any time soon. In fact, this ancient remedy seems to be getting more and more popular as research continues to find applications for it. Maya Carlet who practices Chinese herbal medicine at The Center for Integrative Practices has shared this article on the benefits of the traditional therapy on dermatological conditions. Other applications include treating stress, physical pain, sleep disorders and helping with digestion. Check out The Center for more information regarding therapy and integrative treatment methods.

Dr. Amanda Baten's Top Juice Cravings

With so many fruits and vegetables to choose form,  it can be hard to decide what the best juice recipes are. To help you on your way to finding your personal favorite juice, we've asked Dr. Amanda Baten to share her favorite juice recipes. She has shared recipes that will not only make your mouth happy, but that will also relax you, settle your stomach and refresh you after a long day of work. Enjoy these amazing formulas:

Relaxation Juice = 4 carrots + 1/2 cucumber. Wash, cut into sections, juice. Relaxation made simple.

Stomach Soother = 5 1/2 heads of cabbage + 1 beet (with leaves) + 2 kiwis. Wash, cut into sections, juice.

Renewal Juice = 8 large carrots + 1/2 beet + 1/2 turnip + 1/2 parsnip + 5 celery stalks + 1/4 rutabaga + 1/8 head red cabbage + 5 radishes + 1 apple. Peel, wash, cut into sections, juice.

We hope these recipes have piqued your interest. Stay tuned for more updates from The Center!

Detox with Dr. Amanda Baten

Detox December is underway! For the next couple of weeks,  Dr. Amanda Baten will be blogging  her knowledge and advice on detoxing.

And now, our guest blogger  Dr. Amanda Baten on the first steps to detoxification:

Cleansing can happen in several ways; fasting, juicing, or eliminating foods and drinks that build up in the system.  We recommend all three, but done in steps and supported by your physician or health practitioner.

Let’s start this week with an elimination diet:

1. Avoid the following: sugar, caffeine, wheat, gluten, dairy, alcohol, drugs
2. Transform to a diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables, with a significant reduction in the intake of processed foods.
3. Start the day with warm water and lemon.  Then have glass of filtered water with 1 tbsp of psyllium husks and a ½ tsp of chlorophyll.
4. Use a body brush (you can purchase this at whole foods) every morning for 10 mins.  Brush towards the trunk and up. This creates detoxification through the lymph nodes.  Remember that skin is an organ of elimination.
5. Switch to organic products.
6. Alter your animal intake. Try leaner meats that are organic, free range, and without hormones or antibiotics.
7. Reduce fish intake and avoid the big fish like tuna, large mackerel, swordfish, and shark.
8. Read labels carefully.  Avoid processed food, dyes, and chemicals.

Here are a list of foods that will promote the elimination diet and support cleansing:

1.     Beets – an excellent source of betaine, which supports detoxification in the intestines, blood, and liver. It is also a great anti-oxidant.

2.   Lemon and Orange Peels – these aid the liver in neutralizing carcinogens 

3.    Chicory, Endive, Radicchio – these greens promote discharge into the GI tract of bile,  a substance that assists in carrying away toxins. 

4.    Cruciferous Vegetables – cauliflower, broccoli, and brussel sprouts help the liver detoxify chemicals, drugs, pollutants. 

5.    Raisins – lessen the burden on the liver by stimulating the kidneys and clearing out poisons in the gut. 

6.    Oatmeal, Apples, Pears, Strawberries, Peas, and Beans – provide soluble fiber to soak up toxins in the intestines and escort them out of the body. 

7.    Asparagus, Avocados, Potatoes (boiled in their skins), Raw Spinach, Okra, Walnuts, and Chicken –  aid in the removal of fat soluble toxins. 

What are the outcomes of a detox diet? You will feel revitalized!  Expect radiance, vitality, and energy, as well as clear skin and better sleep.  Equally as important is increased immunity, better focus and concentration, decreased depression and anxiety, greater self regard by nuturing and taking care of yourself! The other benefits are combating depression, which is affected by a sluggish liver. Our body, mind, and emotions are all influenced by the foods we eat and the toxins that we take into our bodies.

Art Opening at The Center!

You've gotten to know what The Center is all about, now it's time to see it in action! This coming Saturday, November 17th, The Center will be hosting and art opening featuring the artwork of Ben Hotchkiss and Roger Ricco. The Center's practitioners will be there offering sample services. Wine will be served. Sound like a great way to spend you Saturday afternoon? It is. Please RSVP to our facebook event or by respond to our evite. We hope to see you there!

From Acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine, craniosacral and trigger point therapy, to myofascial release and chinese therapeutic massage, Maya Carlet does it all. In her new interview featured on The Center for Integrative Practice's website, Maya shares how she treats pain, dermatological issues, stress, sleep and digestive disorders. "The body and all of it’s systems are programmed to return to a state of balance and health, and when we address the whole person we can help the body return to its natural state of health. " 

Want to learn more about Maya's work? Check out this article on the New York Times website that explains how Acupuncture can assist in relieving pain.

For more information on The Center for Integrative please visit our website or like us on Facebook. More events and updates coming soon!

Holistic Medicine with Dr. Jada Turco

Dr. Jada Turco truly epitomizes holistic medicine with her multi faceted practice. Dr. Turco combines traditional and holistic approaches while practicing psychiatry and neurology. Dr. Turco explains her practice in her new interview on The Center for Integrative Practice's website: “My focus is on nutrition, diet, nutraceuticals and the use of supplements and other complementary approaches in lieu of or combined with traditional psychotropic medications and treatments. I also offer psychotherapy which is influenced by my training in psychoanalysis, attachment theory, mind-body medicine, interpersonal neurobiology and metaphysics.” For more information and to read the full interview Visit Dr. Turco's page on The Center's website. 

Artist in Residence: Ben Hotchkiss

The Center is proud to feature the unique work of Ben Hotchkiss, curated by the Ricco Maresca Gallery. Ben's work has an imaginative and playful quality that is reflected through his skillful technique. His vibrant artwork is displayed throughout The Center, giving our visitors a feeling of happiness that his artwork exudes. All of the Artwork is for sale through the Ricco Maresca Gallery. Visit The Center for Integrative Practices website for more information.

Make Your Week Stress Free

Relaxation is an important part of keeping your body and mind healthy. It can be hard to remember to take the time to relax, especially in the city that never sleeps. At The Center for Integrative Practices, our practitioners support a healthy amount of relaxation everyday. For some relaxation tips, we asked our practitioners what they do to unwind. Micheal  Grego said: 

'Confucius said, "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." I get the best stress relief by doing what I love, helping people with massage and other techniques that help restore them to their maximum potential. After that I enjoy being outdoors, meditation and contemplation.' 

It can be difficult to find  meditative spaces in New York City, so here are a list of five public spaces that we find relaxing in Manhattan:

1) Sheep Meadow in Central Park 

2) Bryant Park and The New York Public Library

3) Riverside Park

4) Stuyvesant Cove

5) Battery Park 

For more information on The Center for Integrative Practices, check out our website or facebook page. 

Have a stress-free week!

Interview with Michael Grego

More website updates! Michael Grego, LMT, Massage, Manual and Neuromuscular therapist at The Center for Integrative Practices talks about the versatility of his practice and what inspired him to get into integrative health in this new interview featured on The Center for Integrative Practices' website: 

"Michael’s empathy gives him a unique approach to therapy and he understands that a patient needs more than a massage to get back on their feet. His practice is two-fold: 'Traditional massage is the best choice for stress relief or to get more from your Chiropractic adjustment.  For those that have pain, structural or functional problems and want results as fast as possible, patients have the option of an Integrative Manual Therapy approach.'" Read more here

Look for more interviews from our other practitioners coming soon!

Interview with Dr. Amanda Baten

Website Updates: Dr. Amanda Baten talks about her Clinical and Nutritional Psychology practice and explains why it's important to approach health care from a holistic standpoint in this new interview posted on The Center for Integrative Practice's website:

"What Dr. Baten has created with The Center of Integrative Practices is an approach to holistic medicine that takes every aspect of a patient’s life into consideration to find a specialized combination of treatments that works for each individual visitor." Read more here. 

Dr. Baten will also be featured on "The Dr. Holly Show" on the Veria network this coming fall 2012. Check back for more updates soon!

Welcome!

Welcome to the new blog for The Center for Integrative Practices! We are an integrative wellness and holistic health center located in the heart of Manhattan at 1201 Broadway. Our practitioners work together to provide individualized care to each visitor to The Center. Here we will share all of our latest news, updates to our website, events and things we think you should know about. For more information on The Center, please check out our website or follow us on facebook.