Breathing.
 
Is something we all need to do a little more of.
Breathing is important for so many reasons!! The lungs help in detoxification of the body as the carbon dioxide that we exhale is a waste product of every cell in our body. Carbon dioxide is generated in the process of generating cellular energy. One might argue that breathing is the most crucial of all routes of elimination. To notice the immediacy of its effect, try to stop breathing for five minutes. The carbon dioxide must be removed from the body for the blood to exchange it for more oxygen. Oxygen in turn yields more energy and the cycle begins again.
By exhaling carbon dioxide and exchanging it for oxygen, the lungs also maintain tight control over the acid/base balance of the blood and surrounding tissues. Carbon dioxide acts as an acid in the body and inflammation occurs when excess acidity accumulates. In fact, you cannot have inflammation without acidity.
In addition, the lungs serve a crucial rhythmic role in the body. In synch with the heartbeat, the breath rate can be calming to the nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve rhythmically. We obtain a great amount of benefit to our emotional stability, mental focus and stress levels by incorporating deep breathing into our daily routine. One inhalation should last the same amount of time as five heartbeats and an exhalation as much as ten beats of the heart. Just as we eat, sleep and work in synch with the circadian rhythm and women (should) menstruate with the lunar cycle, the breathing/heart rate acts as a lesser rhythm which synchronizes our body’s physiological activity. When these internal clocks become inconsistent, the body suffers multiple hormonal and nervous imbalances that can lead to numerous physical complaints including poor sleep, weight gain, aches and pains, digestive distress, fatigue, variations in mood, headaches, and many more.
Energetically, the lungs are the organs of communication. Not only do the lungs generate the air that passes over the vocal chords to produce speech, but TREES take in the carbon dioxide we exhale and, in turn, give off the oxygen we breathe. This give and take communication between ourselves and the outside world integrates our human physiology into a larger universal scheme. In addition, the lungs in Chinese medical theory represent the organ of grief. So, when examining the underlying reasons for any lung symptoms, your naturopath might consider these energetic influences.

How To Integrate This Practice Into Our Daily Lives: 
To start, we suggest that you incorporate 100 deep conscious breaths per day into your routine. Deep means breathing into your belly, not into your shoulders. Your belly should fill up first followed by your chest. Conscious means that you are thinking about breathing while you are doing it. Placing your attention on your breathing increases the stress management benefits of this exercise. All you do is count as you inhale slowly and, then, exhale for twice the time of the inhalation. When you get better at this technique, try to inhale while your heart beats five times and exhale as it beats ten. Once you have mastered this technique, you should complete only 4-6 breathing cycles each minute. Place reminders on your bathroom mirror, in your wallet, on your car dashboard, or on your television! Do five breaths here and ten more there. Soon you will be doing 100 daily with no trouble at all and feeling the benefits of a more balanced system!

Tick Bite Prevention Tips and Kit

1. Daily tick checks; check body thoroughly everyday.
2. Avoid going off the path when on a hike or bike.
3. Wear insect repellant; those containing premethrin are recommended/effective. (Natural alternative tick repellants contain cedar, rosemary, citronella, eucalyptus, and geranium)

What if you find a tick attached?
1. Stay calm, take a few deep breaths;-)!
2. Do not put anything on the area of tick bite while tick is attached.
3. ​Remove tick with tweezers without squeezing the body of the tick.
​4. ​Preserve in plastic bag ​with damp cotton ball for ​future testing.
​5. ​Mark date of bite on calendar ​and bag​.
6. Watch site and for rash, ​fatigue, ​cold/flu​-like symptoms, or ​joint pain for 3 weeks post tick bite.
​7. Wash bite area with soap and water, apply bug bite paste (from tick prevention kit: see below!)​
8. ​Call the office or come in for a visit ​if you have concerns, tick was attached for more than 24 hours, ​or if you have lyme symptoms (fever, body aches, pain at the site, fatigue, or bulls-eye rash). ​The sooner the better​! ​

Tick Bite Prevention Kit:
This kit is a prophylactic lyme and co-infection kit​ to be used during the tick season to help prevent infection. 
The kit contains:
2oz Astragalus tincture
1/2 oz bug bite powder
16 Artemisinin capsules 
Plastic ziplock baggie with cotton ball (in case of a bite)
Tick prevention information 

Direct primary Care is an innovative alternative to conventional health insurance. It is a care model of the past, which is again gaining rapidly in popularity. This model addresses the majority of primary care needs, including annual check-ups, routine care, and care coordination, while dramatically reducing the cost of healthcare for individuals, families, and businesses. DPC eliminates fee for service, or insurance billing, and employs a flat fee payment structure. Patients are able enjoy comprehensive primary care services at an affordable rate with an emphasis on wellness and health. Your chosen provider then enjoys the flexiblity of being available to you via email/portal/text/phone or in person or at home depending on the need. 

What are the fees?
      There are two plan options:
1. The Roots Package
Annual Fees:
Individual = $960.00
Couple = $1680.00
Individual Child 0-15 years = $600.00
Children 16-22 years = FREE*
Family (Individual or Couple Fee) plus $240.00/child →
  (Additional Family Members beyond #5 are free)
Additional office fees or Copayments: None.
* Must have another participating family member

2. Roots and Branches Package
Annual Fees:
Individual = $2,100
Couple = $3,840
Individual Child (0-15 years) = $750
Individual Child (16-22 years) = FREE*
Family (Individual or Couple Fee) plus $390/child→
  (Additional Family Members beyond #5 are free)
*Must have another participating family member


What do the packages include? 
The Roots Package includes: 

• Provider call-backs and texts within 4 hours Monday through Friday 8am-8pm, same business day email reply
• Unlimited office visits including annual comprehensive physical and individualized wellness plan
• Same day appointments for urgent needs
• 24/7 access to physician on-call for urgent medical needs
• Email/Phone consultations
• Minor office procedures (mole removal, wart removal, etc.)
• Free Lab Services (limitations apply)
• 10% discount on all dispensary items
• Newborn Home visits/ Home visits on as needed basis
• 23andme genetic report analysis
• Bio-Impedence Analysis of body composition (BIA)
• Acupuncture appointment $35.00/session
• Craniosacral appointment $60.00/60 minute session
• Avacen pain relief treatment: in-office sessions 15-20minutes. Complimentary one time session. $15.00/session afterwards. 

The Roots and Branches Package includes: 

• Contents of Roots Package, plus:
• 1 complimentary craniosacral session, then $25.00/60 minute session
• 1 complimentary acupuncture session, then $25.00/ session
• Avacen punch card. 10 punches for $50.00 with complimentary session after 10 punches
• 1 complimentary clinical nutrition visit with registered dietician
• 35% discount on all dispensary items

 
When will this go into affect?
Dr. Robens will be offering DPC to all clients, starting January 1st 2017.
Dr. Devoe will take all current insurance plans until March 1st. and then will be able to offer DPC to clients.
Dr. Tuttle will continue to take Cigna and MVP until March 20th and will take BCBS of VT until June 20th.  Thus, after 3/20, she can offer DPC to interested clients who have Cigna or MVP and after 6/20 for BC clients. 
Stacey London-Oshkello, RD will continue to contract with insurance plans.
 
Will you keep working with Medicaid?
Yes, we will continue to work with Medicaid clients indefinitely.
 
Can providers still order tests and medications?
Yes, lab services performed at SNFW are Free of charge under the DPC agreement. (some restrictions apply for patients without insurance) X-rays and other imaging studies will continue to be ordered through hospitals or other private facilities, which will bill your insurance directly. Prescriptions can still be written. Medication charges are billed to insurance by the pharmacy itself.
 
Can I use my HSA to pay for the membership fee?
The IRS has not made clear how direct primary care medical fees fit into the Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Savings Account (FSA) payment model. Many patients elect to pay DPC fees via their tax sheltered HSA or FSA account, which adds to their overall savings.
 
Why are you making this change?
We are looking for greater freedom in how we practice and have been dissatisfied with the current insurance pay for service model. Time spent working with insurance companies can now be time spent focusing on patients. Also, we are naturopathic physicians and enjoy the benefit of being able to provide our expert knowledge in the areas of herbal medicine, homeopathy, and nutrition. Under private insurance plans, many of these therapies are deemed “investigational” and are not covered services. To continue to have contracts with insurance, we would no longer be able to utilize these therapies with our patients.
 
What should I do with my current insurance plan?
DPC is not an insurance plan. You definitely need to have an Affordable Care Act certified insurance plan in place just in case there is a medical emergency. Financially, DPC is best paired with a catastrophic health care plan or a low-cost medical sharing plan such as Liberty Direct or a Christian Healthcare Ministries option. SNFW is not promoting any of these options, just trying to make people aware that they do exist.
 
What if I want to continue to receive services at SNFW but don’t want to do DPC?
Until providers end contracts with insurance plans, we will continue to bill your insurance for services. After the DPC start dates, we have an ala Carte menu for cash paying clients:
First Office Visit = 90 minutes = $200.00
Return Office Visit = 45-60 minutes = $75.00
Urgent/Acute office visit = 15 minutes = $35.00
Physical Exam Adult (19 and >): $125.00
Well Child Exam (0-18): $75.00
Financial Hardship Plan fees will remain unchanged: FOV = $100  ROV = $50 for qualified individuals.
 
Labwork will continue to be a free service if you have insurance with a draw fee of $10.00. For those without insurance, lab fees will be on average, less than 100% below hospital fees.
 
When can I sign up?
Starting in January, Dr. Robens will be available as a DPC provider.  Dr. Devoe will be available in March, and Dr. Tuttle; March 20th for those with MVP/Cigna and June 20th for those with BCBS.  Once you sign up, your contracted year begins and you can begin enjoying some of these amazing benefits.


Please give us a call or shoot us an email with your questions as we make this big transition! We are here to support you. Change is difficult. Let us know how we can help you make this as smooth as possible.

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ― Dr. Seuss

Love to you!
​And Happy, Happy Holidays!!

SNFW staff and practitioners

1. One big official welcome for Grace Corapi, our new front desk assistant!! Grace has joined the team at SNFW and we are so glad to have her! She brings warmth and positivity to the office in addition to being newly trained as a wilderness EMT, yoga instructor to-be, and a snowboard instructor. So many talents! She is excited to meet you all and help out in any way she can to make your healthcare experience a healthy and healing one.  Please see her pic and bio on the providers page. 

2. Thanks to the entire team at SNFW, we have completed our medical home review and passed at the highest level III for medical home certification.  Reviews are every 3 years and we continually strive to improve our policies and procedures in house to keep and exceed these national standards. 

3. Randomized patient questionnaires! May already be in the mail. As part of the above process, we ask for your feedback on how we are doing.. and we listen. Last review showed that there was a need for higher level of communication with specialists, so we invested time and effort into incorporating an EHR system so we could track referrals and make sure your specialists have the information they need when you go for your appointment. We look forward to hearing from you to see where our next growing edge may be. 

​4. New lab services offered. We have partnered with Mercy Diagnostic Laboratory to provide you with better lab pricing (at no cost to you if you have insurance! really!) and better customer service with faster lab turn around times for most standard tests. We have had positive feedback from practitioners and patients alike thus far. One step closer to providing more affordable healthcare. 

We hope you are enjoying our new space. It was a labor of love to create and we have so enjoyed being able to spread our wings a bit. Apologies for the length of this newsletter, so much to cover!!  ​We leave you in these uncertain times with this, a song of hope and healing and strength. Enjoy.. 

In Health,

​SNFW Practitioners and Staff

Spring is in the air. Sensed between the falling snow and rain, seen in the green bulbs emerging from the hard ground, and in the return of the song birds, ducks, and geese to the woods. Felt in the stirring and lifting of energy, motivation. One of my favorite seasons. An unfolding from the cold and constriction of winter; a deep breath in, expanding fully in inhalation. Then in an exhale, returning to our core and foundation a little more balanced and peaceful. The yin and yang are most evident in these shoulder seasons and remind us of these qualities within ourselves. The natural balance of life in the turning of the seasons. Breath in. Breath out.. 

What is acupuncture and what does it do?
Acupuncture is a way of treating illness by inserting fine needles into the skin and deeper subcutaneous and muscle tissues.  The needles are inserted at various specific anatomical points which run along meridians.  There are about 500 acupuncture points all over the body, each with a different effect.  Meridians are paths of energy that flow from the internal organs to the extremities or from the extremities to the internal organs.  Various points along these meridians have a multitude of effects to the body.  The goal is to use the points to bring the body’s energies and organs back into balance.  For example, pain is often associated with a blockage in one of the meridians, like a dam in a river.  The blockage elicits pain and discomfort, stiffness and coagulation of energy.  Inserting acupuncture needles helps to break the dam, releasing the flow of energy which causes the pain to decrease.    

Acupuncture has many applications and is not limited to just treating pain.  In fact, acupuncture is used to treat all imbalances or diseases in the body, mind, and spirit.  Just as their may be physical pain that is helped by acupuncture, emotional pain too be eased by improving and balancing the flow of energy throughout the body.  Recent studies have shown that acupuncture is very effective in treating PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), high blood pressure, infertility, chronic fatigue, depression, irritable bowel disorder, reflux and is even as a method for anesthesia during surgery just to name a few!  Dr. Devoe also utilizes acupuncture for effective assistance with smoking cessation and for facial rejuvenation. 

Frequently Asked Questions:  

Does it hurt?  What are the risks?

The answer is that yes, it does hurt sometimes but most of the time it does not.  Often times the patient does not feel the needle insertion at all.  Some people get a small bruise from the needle, but this occurs about 5% of the time.  You may also have some bleeding from the points, but usually just a small drop.  The most common side effect is relaxation during treatment.  

What is a treatment like?

It is best if you wear comfortable clothing, like sweat pants and a baggy shirt to be able to roll up sleeves and pants to elbow and knee height.  Treatment is given on a massage table, you may be lying face up or face down.  Seated acupuncture can also be done for patients who do not feel comfortable lying down.  After an intake of your current state of health which may last anywhere from 5-20 minutes, Dr. DeVoe will look at your tongue and feel your pulse to aid in the choosing of the most effective acupuncture points for you.  Every treatment is individualized to the patients needs.  After the needles are inserted, the treatment lasts about 20-30 minutes with a check-in mid treatment to make sure you are feeling comfortable.  Needles are generally inserted in the legs, arms, back, ears, face and scalp.  The total follow up appointment time is about 1 hour, the first appointment may be un to 90 minutes depending on the complexity of the 
case.  

But I’m afraid of needles! What happens then?

Dr. DeVoe is very sensitive to your needs and will only do as much as you are comfortable.  There are many different insertion techniques which decrease potential discomfort.  

How much does it cost at SNFW?

For patients with insurance the cost is your Copay amount + $35.00.  
For patients without insurance the cost is $205.00 for first office acupuncture visit and $75.00 for 
return acupuncture visits. We also offer financial hardship plans for qualified individuals and families. 

Where did Dr. DeVoe receive her training?

She was trained as a Naturopathic Doctor and Master of Acupuncture at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut where she received the prestigious Golden Needle Award from the Dean of the Acupuncture Institute for demonstrating expertise in technique, treatment and patient care upon her graduation.  

1. MEDICAID: Many of you may have received confusing letters or calls from Medicaid in recent weeks regarding the automatic switching of your primary care physician. Having recently been made aware of this issue, we have been in daily communication with our Medicaid contact to work to determine the root of this issue and work to resolve it. It was discovered that renewal applications sent in for our providers were simply forgotten and not processed; an unfortunately large oversight on behalf of Medicaid, which has led to much confusion and stress for all of us. Unfortunately, we were not notified of this when the physicians were taken off the panel and some time elapsed. Since we have now identified the problem, you will now be receiving phone calls from HP Enterprise (a third party entity of Medicaid) to inform you of this oversight by Medicaid, and offer to assist you in switching back to your desired primary care provider.  
To prevent this from happening again, we have been assured that there will be One contact person at Medicaid who will see the processing of renewal applications through to its end and confirm with us that they have been processed accurately. 

2. First Line Therapy Program (FLT): A lifestyle medicine/weight loss program.   We have had wonderful feedback from those of you participating in the program! Weight loss, more energy, less brain fog, fewer symptoms in general; these are some of the results we have collectively achieved with participants. We truly feel that everyone can benefit from this program whether you want to lose weight, maintain your current weight, prevent chronic disease, or just feel better in your life! 
What sets it aside from typical weight loss programs is that it isn't all about weight! There are so many other factors that influence our health. Do you have barriers to achieving the goals you want in life? Would you benefit from having a plan created with you, support and accountability? Then this is the program for you.
In addition to the holistic approach, what I love about the program is the utilization of the bioelectrical impedance machine which tells you your total body fat, lean tissue, and hydration status. This such an amazing tool, used to track progress along your way. Weight is not a complete picture! Come find out what you are really made of! 

​We are currently offering an exciting one-time sign up deal for the first 10 people to call and schedule their initial FLT intake visit!  Just mention this newsletter and receive 15% off the initial FLT package which includes: 3 Bioelectrical impedance analysis readings, the Firstline therapy workbook and guide, the Firstline therapy cookbook, and 1 tub of high quality medical food powder.  An amazing value in return for assistance in taking those first steps toward better health. 
Click below to learn more and call the office to sign up today!!  (802) 253-2340

3. Spring detoxification; it's that time of the year again. We will be offering group sessions on detox strategies but would like to hear from you about what days and times work best for you!!  When we set a date(s), we will post a sign-up sheet at the front desk. Sessions will initially be held at our Stowe location and free samples of supplements/bars/shakes will be provided! Detoxing is more fun with company, friends, and support!  We look forward to hearing back from you about your interest.

4. Medical Home recognition: We've been busily working towards another recognition this spring. Three years ago, we achieved medical home status at a level 1. We were the first naturopathic clinic in the entire United States to achieve this recognition! Because we were using paper charts, we were not able to complete some of the tasks required for higher level recognition but we were happy to pass nonetheless. Now that we have evolved to using an electronic record, we are hoping to step up our level to the highest level 3!  

Please share this newsletter with your friends and family or anyone whom you feel would benefit from this information. If there is any other topic you would like us to address in future newsletters, please share with us! 

In Health,

​SNFW Practitioners and Staff

What is craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle hands-on approach to stimulate healing by using light pressure to manipulate the skeleton and connective tissue, particularly the skull and spine.  The central nervous system, like other systems and organs within our body has it's own movement and pulsation.  Unfortunately, with repetitive stressors or growth hinderances these systems of movement develop restrictions, dysfunction, and dis-ease.  Craniosacral therapy treatments are aimed to release restrictions of movement to encourage optimal functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and lymphatic systems.  Since movement and pulsation of the central nervous system is subtle, detection and restriction release should be done by a skilled practitioner.  

Who can benefit from craniosacral thereapy? 
Because it is such a gentle and safe therapy it is perfect for infants and children!  It is great for adults and elders too.

What conditions can be addressed with craniosacral therapy?
CST can be used for an array of conditions in both adults and children. Here are a few conditions that may benefit from CST: digestive disorders, colic, sinus issues, TMJ, ear issues, individuals with a history of trauma, headaches, chronic pain, sleep issues, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, and stress.

How many treatment sessions are necessary?
Weekly sessions are recommended initially, however some cases require sessions two to three times a week to encourage restriction release.  Scheduling for your sessions is reviewed with your provider upon an initial appointment. 

How long does a session last?
Depending on age, and response to treatment anywhere from 20-60 minutes; 20-30 minutes for children and longer for adults and elders.

Are treatments covered by insurance?
In most cases we are able to bill your insurance company.  We do have package rates available for those without insurance coverage; please inquire at the front desk if interested.

Have more questions?...
Please be in touch with me directly if you have any questions about craniosacral therapy or how it can benefit you or your child: drtuttle@stowefamilywellness.com

1. First and foremost, we are sad to announce that Dr. Kitt Guaraldi will be leaving her position after three years of practice at SNFW.  We are sad to see her go, but happy that she is headed off to wonderful things!! She and her husband and daughter Lucy are moving back to Portland Oregon where he will pursue a promising job and she will be endeavoring to start her own practice.  Patients of Dr. Guaraldi will receive official notice via postal mail.  Good luck Dr. Kitt and thank you for all the care you have provided to this community!!

 
2.  We are going paperless!!  We received feedback from a survey that was circulated a few months ago and overall we as a practice are doing pretty well.  Where we need improvement was in communication with specialists.  We strive to make sure specialists have the information they need to make our client's visit worthwhile and productive.  With a paper practice, the opportunity for losing information on either end is higher and can be greatly minimized by electronic communication.  In addition, it will create access for clients to a health portal that provides access to their own health information, lab results, etc.  Our hope is that in this move, we can make our 
office more efficient with higher level mainstream integration,  yet still maintain the personal connection we have with our clients.  

3.  Karen Lencke, licensed midwife, has officially joined the practice! Welcome Karen!! As I've mentioned in previous newsletters, Karen is a familiar and friendly face at the office and will be a welcome addition to our team.  We love offering midwifery services and hope to expand this aspect of our practice as an alternative to hospital based maternity care for our community and the families we serve. 

4.  Coming in May: Weight loss Lifestyle Medicine Program otherwise known as First Line Therapy; will be offered through the practice.  Clinical nutritionist, Michelle Sawyer-Houle, will be joining us as we work to launch this exciting new program!!  I have thought to myself time and again, why my next door neighbor, Ideal Weight Solutions, has so much traffic.  And how can we offer a more comprehensive lifestyle approach to the same issues that motivate people to step through those doors?  As a holistic medical home, we are poised to deliver a highly effective solution to weight loss, body composition, and metabolic syndrome (elevated cholesterol and blood glucose) and now we have a structured format in which to deliver this solution.  If interested in signing up now, feel free to contact Tami to schedule starting in May.  More information and official introduction coming soon! 

5.  Wellness Center Update:  Full Circle Healing Arts, LLC has closed on the three acre parcel of land in the lower village of Stowe!! Whew, what a relief to have that phase of a tremendously large project out of the way. Now, we are focusing in on the design and construction of the building that will in the future, house Stowe's new integrated wellness center, yoga and educational community space,  and of course SNFW.  We are continuing to meet with our cutting edge, passiv haus building consultant, Adam Cohen, to solidify our design.  Our intention is to create an environmentally sound, efficient, and clean structure to enhance the wellness of those that enter as well as minimizing impact on our planet.  The Full Circle Healing Arts website will be published soon and will be linked to the SNFW website so you can all view our most recent updates there and see who else is involved in this exciting project.  

In Honor of the fall equinox and Naturopathic Medicine Week, SNFW would like to offer you a 10% discount on all UltraClear Metabolic Detoxification Programs, good until October 20th. This is a researched and structured detoxification program designed by Metagenics with a 10 day OR 28 day version.  We welcome you to review its specifics and let us know if you are ready/interested!  http://www.metagenics.com/clear-change    
Or watch this informative video:  http://vimeo.com/89357546

Please feel free to share this newsletter with friends or family that you think would benefit from its content. We truly hope this information helps you to find a healthier way in the world. 

Happy Equinox,
SNFW Physicians and Staff

Upcoming Events:

The Catamount Ultra Trail running event is being held this coming Saturday, June 28th, at the Trapp Family Lodge. There will be festivities and fun.  If you've ever thought you might want to run a 1/2 marathon or a longer full marathon in the woods, this is the race to run! Beautiful trails and great race support.  Already in its first year, this race sold out!  If you are interested in working towards a running goal next year, come check it out or just stop over to say hello as Stowe Natural Family Wellness will be running the recovery/medical station at the race.

Office News:

As some of you know, our wonderful front office manager, Amanda, has left her position to seek employment closer to her home and daughter's school.  We are sad to see her go, but she will still be in touch as she will continue to do the insurance billing for the practice. And yes, she is my sister :-)!!  In her stead, welcome Tami Quinn!! Tami has joined our team at SNFW and will be available for your needs, in the office Monday-Friday.  Tami has quite a varied background, most recently, however, has worked as a manager for a physical therapy office. Her skills were an easy transfer to our medical office, but most of all, her kindness and enthusiasm for the job is what sealed the deal.  In the two weeks that Tami has been in the office, she has been most impressed by how warm and welcoming everyone has been.  You all are great!  

With summer now here, we have had a multitude of calls about scrapes and stings and bites, and all sorts of summertime childhood injuries.  Take time to spruce up your own home first aid kit so these injuries can quickly be addressed and you can be prepared for the inevitable next one to come.  Below are a few injuries with remedies that are nice to have on hand in a Naturopathic First Aid Kit.

• Cuts/ Scrapes:  Most of these injuries will heal just fine on their own. However, it is helpful to initially wash off the area with soap and water. Then some options are a plantain poultice (yes, the weed growing in your backyard), Wise Woman Herbal all purpose salve or Boo Boo spray for analgesic and antimicrobial action.  The plantain poultice is made by picking a couple leaves, chewing them until pulpy and applying to cuts. You can put a bandage over top if desired. This is a great first aid trick to introduce children to the healing qualities of plants. And it works wonderfully!! Such a common weed with such a healing force; one of my favorite medicinals for sure. 
• Burns: Whether on the grill or at the campfire, burns are a very painful injury to receive. By running the burn under cool water for a long time will minimize the injury to the tissue and aid recovery. You may also use homeopathic Cantharis 30C taken orally to help soothe the pain and promote healing. 
• Sunburns: Prevention is the best medicine here. I have gotten a lot of questions from parents regarding healthy and safe sunscreens for their children. I have been referring folks to the Environmental Working Group website for up to date evaluations of current products on the market. Click here to check out their up to date list of products that meet the grade! But if prevention fails, aloe vera macerate straight from the leaves of the plant, lavender, or hypericum oil may also be helpful to speed healing and provide relief. 
• Insect Bites/ Stings:  Too common in Vermont. We just get through a long, cold winter to step outside and bask in the warm sunshine when suddenly, bzzzzzzz reminds you that the challenges of nature are not yet over!!  Rescue Remedy cream is helpful to relieve the itch of bites.  If the bites are very swollen and red, homeopathic Apis 30C is very effective. Homeopathic Ledum 30C is helpful for bites and stings when the skin is punctured and the affected area feels cold. If you have an allergy to bees do not delay treatment, seek healthcare immediately.  
• Dehydration: General rule of thumb is 1/2 your body weight in ounces of filtered, clean water daily.  To help kids stay hydrated on hot sunny days, try homemade popsicles with fresh fruit/juice and tea or "fruit water" which is simply water with slices of fruit inside to add a fun flavor. And take regular rest and rehydrate breaks during especially hot days. 
• Sprains and Strains: First apply RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) to any sprain/strain. For further support, Arnica 30C is very useful for any kind of traumatic injury. Other helpful homeopathic remedies are: Bryonia when the slightest movement causes pain; Ruta graveolens which is indicated for more severe strains and sprains; and Rhus tox for sprains and joint aches with stiff, painful restless feeling that is better with continued motion and heat.
  
• Poison Ivy/Oak: Go hiking and backpacking! But, be familiar with what these plants look like and watch where you step to avoid the uncomfortable rash that comes from their oils. Some people are more sensitive to these plants than others, so if you do end up with an itchy rash, try homeopathic Anacardium 30C. If the rash continues with no reduction, switch to Rhus Tox 30C. 

Whatever outdoor activities you have planned this summer, be prepared by creating your own homeopathic first aid kit to take along with you on outings. In addition to band-aids and other basics, consider some or all of the homeopathic remedies mentioned in this newsletter for your kit. Keep it simple with a few remedies and straightforward instructions. Enjoy your outdoor activities knowing you are ready for whatever summertime may bring!

In Health,
SNFW Staff