Greetings from LUMINA! I am excited to inform you about some new treatments and products as well as provide a health update so all of the prospective brides, grooms, friends and family can be glowing and healthy not only at the wedding but for years to come!

Acupuncture is becoming an increasingly popular choice for treating illness, controlling pain and boosting immunity. Dating back over 2, 500 years as a primary health care system in China, this age-old treatment offers an alternative to modern medicine. Sarah Kaplan L. Ac. is a nationally certified acupuncturist and herbalist. She practices both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine at LUMINA in South Burlington, Vermont. Not only does Sarah offer treatments for traditional illnesses, she also provides treatments for skin rejuvenation, weight loss, sleep improvement, and wellness. LUMINA has introduced a new series of treatments called Past Meets Present. These treatments combine acupuncture with the modern approach to skin rejuvenation using laser and light –based modalities. The treatment packages are designed to improve tone, tighten skin, reduce lines and wrinkles, minimize pore size and control chronic skin conditions like acne and Rosacea. All treatments are nonsurgical and require no downtime post treatment. This is a very exciting and cutting edge approach to skin care and the staff at LUMINA is excited to make it available to you! More information regarding these treatments can be found under the acupuncture tab.

Most people have heard of BOTOX, less have heard of DYSPORT and even fewer have heard of XEOMIN. The link between these three injectables is that they are all neurotoxins. They are used in the aesthetic world to reduce lines in the face which result from movement, for example lines present on the forehead and around the eyes. Each of these products is manufactured by a different company but the results are basically the same 2-10 days post injection. BOTOX remains the most expensive and DYSPORT the least expensive. XEOMIN falls in between as far as cost is concerned. I use all three products at LUMINA. I just introduced XEOMIN to my practice in November and the feedback from my patients has been positive. If you are considering any injectables before a wedding do not wait until the last minute! Make an appointment at LUMINA for a free consultation and together we will decide what is best for you. It is always a good idea to plan on having the injectables about 4 weeks before the wedding to ensure the full effect is present.

Click Here for more about Injectables.

Winter months bring dry and frequently red skin. SkinMedica has a unique product specifically designed to target redness called Redness Relief CalmPlex…a breakthrough in the treatment of visibly red skin. Clinical studies show Redness Relief CalmPlex prevents and reduces acute, UV-induced skin redness and reduces chronic redness in only one week with continued improvement over time.

Treats the underlying causes of redness
Clinically proven to reduce visible redness
Fast-acting
Restores the skin’s barrier
Non-comedogenic
Leaves skin looking healthy and radiant

Click Here for more about the unique line of SkinMedica products!

Vitamin D supplementation has been receiving a lot of attention in the media. An adequate level of vitamin D in one’s body is essential for maintaining healthy and strong bones and preventing the onset of osteoporosis. It is also thought that vitamin D plays a role in preventing coronary vascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders but there is less scientific evidence to support this. Vitamin D is made in our skin when it is exposed to the sun. With the use of sunscreen, protective clothing and the typical 40 hour indoor work week, more adults are becoming vitamin D deficient. A blood level less than 10ng/ml is considered a deficiency. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that a level of 20ng/ml or above is sufficient for the majority of the population. The current RDA is 600 IU-800 IU each day and this is based on the goal of maintaining bone health. The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) recommends 800IU-1000IU for adults over 50. A large ongoing study called VITAL is investigating the effect of 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily on the non skeletal diseases mentioned previously. For more information go to www.vitalstudy.org
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Omega-3s supplements are also receiving increased media attention not only for the protective effect they have on one’s heart and vascular health but also for the protective and beneficial effect they have on the developing nervous system and brain of a baby before it is born. There are two groups of omega-3s…marine and plant. Two common marine omega-3s are EPA and DHA and ALA is a popular plant derived omega-3. Most scientific evidence to date is based on the marine omega-3s and it shows that they reduce heart disease and stroke, decrease inflammation, and may prevent rheumatoid arthritis, depression, dementia and some bowel disorders. Since some of these diseases can start at a young age it is important to consume adequate amounts of omega-3s throughout your life! Eating fish twice weekly provides one with approximately 500mg of omega-3s daily which is enough for heart protection. Darker fish like salmon, tuna, trout and sardines is best. You can also take omega-3s in the form of a capsule or liquid. The amount of DHA/EPA is about one third of the “fish oil” content on the bottle so be sure to read the fine print to make sure you are getting enough. Ingesting more than 3 grams per day may lead to bleeding and increased cholesterol levels. The VITAL study mentioned above is also looking at the cardio protective effect of 1 gram of omega-3s daily in women over 55 and men over 50.

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