COVID-19 Update 2

Dear all patients of Tara Natural Medicine,

We plan on sending regular communications to keep in touch with you during this difficult time.  We hope that the resources that we share with you are useful!  If you have missed anything we have posted, please visit our website and look at “recent posts” for the most recent newsletters.  There is also a link for “resources” you should see there that we will keep updated.

We are available to work with you on optimizing your health, as we continue to provide video and telephone consults and see patients in the office as needed.   If you have any questions about any of this, or need to schedule an appointment, please reach out to the office by phone or e-mail. 

Our in-office dispensary is well stocked with nutrients, herbs, and other supplements to support you.  We also just received a new order of Khushi Hand Sanitizer (lavender, 70% alcohol).  We are also able to make customized tinctures for your individual health needs — be sure to contact your doctor for a short consult and a customized recommendation.  All supplements are available for mailing from our office (please place orders by noon for same day shipping) or for pick-up (call in advance, please!).

Ordering from our office or on Fullscript allows you to get the highest quality supplements and have them shipped directly to your door,  and also supports our small business.  We hope you will consider this if you are ordering supplements via Amazon or elsewhere!  In addition we are offering a discount for all FullScript orders if needed to help during this time — please reach out to us individually about this.

Wishing you all good health and safety during this time and always.
Tara Levy, ND
Elizabeth Korza, ND
Sandy Lutrin, ND
Elizabeth Zamecki, ND
and the staff of Tara Natural Medicine

Wear a Mask!

The CDC and California officials are now recommending covering your face when in public with a non-medical, cloth mask.  Officials are also quick to note that wearing a face mask should not be seen as a substitute for social distancing or hand washing, but can give an additional layer of safety when out in public.  I don’t know about all of you, but my experience in grocery stores these past few weeks has been that maintaining a 6 foot distance is easier said than done!  I was happy to see more masks in the store this past week, of all types. 

In addition to their recommendation, the CDC has come out with this guide on how to wear and make homemade face coverings, both for those who sew and for those who do not.  They even include a great method for those who do not sew, using a cloth bandana, coffee filter, and hair ties.  Please pass this resource on! 

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Staying At Home Resources!

A compilation of resources we have gathered to support those staying at home during the COVID-19 Shelter in Place guidelines. We are adding to this list regularly, so please check back!

Support for Children

  • Playtime Playlist– my cousin, Miss Nina, is a children’s musician for preschoolers and toddlers and she’s been doing daily live performances for the past several weeks.  She shared this amazing resource that lists TONS of children’s performers across the globe, organized by day and time.  For those of you who are feeling trapped at home with children, or know others who are, this is a great way to get the wiggles out!  –– Dr. Levy
  • Tum E Time: Online Baby Classes: Feeling isolated and need activities to do with your baby? Live online classes and short format educational videos now available to new parents everywhere, for babies 1 month to crawling. Classes include Homemade play, infant massage, baby yoga, baby signs, songs, and developmental and sensory play. *Can’t make it live? All classes will be recorded.*
  • PE with Joe: One of my parent friends told me about this British guy hosting online PE classes, and we’ve been checking in with him a few times a week. Joe does a live 30-minute at home workout that requires no equipment and is actually pretty fun (live depends on your time zone – he’s in England at 9 am!). To be honest, my 6 year old loses interest fairly quickly but I am always surprisingly sore the next day! – Dr. Levy

Mindfulness

  • Insight Timer —   If you’ve thought about developing a regular meditation practice, now is the time!  I’ve recommended this free app for years to my patients, as it really has something for everyone.  Insight timer has many, many guided meditations that you can choose based on time or topic (anxiety, sleep, stress).  They also have great courses to teach you how to meditate, or a simple timer feature. It tracks your meditation practice and you can even find friends so you can create some accountability if you like. There are a number of meditations on working with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that I have found super helpful in this turbulent time.  And my 6-year old son adores the kids meditations — we listen to one almost nightly. Worth a download! — Dr. Levy
  • Cultivating Mindfulness — Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, is leading a free daily meditation with a talk and Q&A.   An amazing opportunity for those wanting to know more about meditation in general, and more specifically for using this tool at this time.  Daily at 11 am PDT, register in advance.  – Dr. Levy
  • Spirit Rock Live:  The Monday night dharma talks that have been happening weekly at Spirit Rock in Marin county  for over 35 years have gone virtual!  Meditate then listen to an array of inspirational speakers and  teachers.  This one is on my list for this week.  – Dr. Levy

Physical Activity/Exercise

  • Yoga with Adriene — When I need a quick yoga class but can’t make it out, Adrienne is always  there. She has been posting yoga classes on you tube for years, and she has routines for everyone – for those who are relatively new to yoga, those who need to work on specific issues (tight hips, anyone?), those who are short on time, etc.  She also has a 30 day program for those feeling ambitious. – Dr. Levy
  • Fitness Challenge: For the past 2 weeks, I have been participating in the COVID-19 4-week virtual challenge through my gym, The Fuse Fitness (follow them on Facebook to join). Everyday is a different challenge to accomplish:  completing a free, online workout, meditation, nutritional challenges, mobility work and lastly, having time for dedicated fun. If you can’t join their challenge, what is a daily challenge you and your family can design to help encourage healthy habits during our shelter-in-place? – Dr. Korza
  • Classpass —  Classpass is a fitness membership where one has access to many, many studios around the world.  In normal times you receive a certain number of credits each month to use at any number of studios for various types of classes, in addition to unlimited online classes.  I’ve been a member for many years, and it’s also been great while traveling as I can go to studios in cities all over. Yoga in Annapolis, MD? Check! Now many of the studios are offering live, online classes in addition to their large library of recorded classes, and they are working hard to support studios that are currently closed to in-person visits.  Dance, yoga, HIIT, etc. Worth checking out! — Dr. Levy

Home Remedies/Recipes

  • Homemade Masks: The CDC and California officials are now recommending covering your face when in public with a non-medical, cloth mask.  Officials are also quick to note that wearing a face mask should not be seen as a substitute for social distancing or hand washing, but can give an additional layer of safety when out in public.  I don’t know about all of you, but my experience in grocery stores these past few weeks has been that maintaining a 6 foot distance is easier said than done!  I was happy to see more masks in the store this past week, of all types.  In addition to their recommendation, the CDC has come out with this guide on how to wear and make homemade face coverings, both for those who sew and for those who do not.  They even include a great method for those who do not sew, using a cloth bandana, coffee filter, and hair ties.  Please pass this resource on! – Dr. Levy
  • Homemade Lemonade — a great source of vitamin C! Many of us in the east bay are fortunate to either have lemon trees in our yards or to know neighbors that have one. These trees are quite prolific, producing way more lemons than a single family can actually use. Lemon juice is a great natural source of vitamin C, which is a crucial nutrient for immune function. To boost your vitamin C levels, consider making some homemade stevia-sweetened lemonade to drink throughout the day, adding extra lemon juice to your salads or even a squeeze of lemon to your hot tea. Don’t have a lemon tree or know a neighbor who does? Try asking on NextDoor! Wash any whole lemons you do get in soap and water like you would wash your hands prior to cutting and squeezing them for juice. -Dr. Korza

Music

Michael Franti:   Always good for a laugh and some fun tunes, Michael Franti and his family have been posting “stay at home concert tour” videos on Facebook every few days since mid-March.  A great reminder of how we’re all in this together. — Dr. Levy
Live Concerts Billboard Magazine has put together a list, updated daily, of live concerts and events being streamed.  For those who love live music, this is a great way to stay connected!  — Dr. Levy

The Swan Project:   24 cellists from around the globe perform “the Swan” from Saint-Saens’s “Carnival of the Animals”.  Just beautiful.  – Dr. Lutrin
 
The Doobie Brothers — Black Water (Live in Isolation)— amazing what musicians can do from different locations.  Watch for the acapella section at the end!  — Dr. Levy

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COVID-19: Office Update


Dear all patients of Tara Natural Medicine,

Thank you so much for bearing with us as we navigate this developing landscape.  We have been in the office these past two weeks, primarily “seeing” patients through telemedicine and our staff has been busy getting supplements to you by mail and pre-arranged pick-up.  There has been a federal loosening of restrictions on telemedicine, and we are able to see most patients and even see new patients through video at this time.  If you have any questions about any of this, or need to schedule an appointment, please reach out to the office by phone or e-mail.   

The doctors are working hard to keep abreast of the latest developments, and we continue to recommend protocols that support the immune system. To this end, we have opened up our FullScript dispensary so that patients and non-patients can order supplements of the highest quality directly, shipped to your door.  You can access our online dispensary through the Tara Natural Medicine website.    We also have many supplements in stock in the office that are difficult to find, as we constantly work to source high-quality, immune-supportive nutrients and herbs directly from manufacturers to help maintain our patients optimal health.  Our office is open to mail supplements, or you can pick up orders from the office directly.  Please call or e-mail in advance so the order can be prepared and when you arrive at the office, please call and we will bring all orders downstairs and leave them outside the front door for pick-up.   

Our current, general supplement recommendations for immune support include Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D, and anti-viral and immune supportive herbs such as elderberry, garlic, and medicinal mushrooms.  Adequate sleep, a clean, whole foods diet, and adequate hydration are also critical for a healthy, functioning immune system.  If you prefer or need specific recommendations, please reach out to any of us for a short appointment by phone or video. 

Wishing you all good health and safety during this time and always.

Tara Levy, ND
Elizabeth Korza, ND
Sandy Lutrin, ND
Elizabeth Zamecki, ND
and the staff of Tara Natural Medicine

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Breast Thermography

Our next breast thermography screenings are on Monday, September 16th, 2019 from 10 am – 5 pm.  The price for screening is $225 – this includes screening, interpretation, report, a copy of the images and a review of findings with one of the doctors.  These clinics are quite popular, so call to get your spot before it is full!

Unlike Mammography or other forms of breast imagery, breast thermography is a technique that detects the heat produced by increased blood vessel circulation that may be associated with a tumor’s genesis and growth. By detecting minute variations in normal blood vessel activity, infrared imaging may find thermal signs that suggest a pre-cancerous state or the presence of an early tumor that may not be large enough to be detected by physical examination, or mammography.

Breast Thermography is especially helpful for women with dense breast tissue that is difficult to see on mammography or younger women who are still menstruating.   Thermography does not replace mammography, but can be used as an additional way to screen the breasts.  This service is available to the general public as well as patients of Tara Natural Medicine.  To schedule, or to have questions answered about thermography, please message or call the office at 925-949-8604.

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Breast Thermography — September

Our next breast thermography screenings are on Monday, September 17th, 2018 from 10 am – 5 pm.  The price for screening is $225 – this includes screening, interpretation, report, a copy of the images and a review of findings with one of the doctors.  These clinics are quite popular, so call to get your spot before it is full!

Unlike Mammography or other forms of breast imagery, breast thermography is a technique that detects the heat produced by increased blood vessel circulation that may be associated with a tumor’s genesis and growth. By detecting minute variations in normal blood vessel activity, infrared imaging may find thermal signs that suggest a pre-cancerous state or the presence of an early tumor that may not be large enough to be detected by physical examination, or mammography.

Breast Thermography is especially helpful for women with dense breast tissue that is difficult to see on mammography or younger women who are still menstruating.   Thermography does not replace mammography, but can be used as an additional way to screen the breasts.  This service is available to the general public as well as patients of Tara Natural Medicine.  To schedule, or to have questions answered about thermography, please message or call the office at 925-949-8604.

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