From the Editor

Summer is here! Those Spring days of cold and rain are gone and now the warm, sunny, beautiful days of Summer are just around the corner.

Our Mother’s Day e-mail specials were a great success from both locations at The Hamlet and Williston Park. We are doing the same for our Dads, Grandfathers and Fathers-To-Be! Visit our web page and send us an e-mail to be put on the list. The CWC web page, www.creserawellness.com, has been getting a lot of traffic, answering questions from our Questionnaire page and assisting web browsers with our Links page. We are excited to know that these web tools are helping our patients and their friends.

The seasonal allergies this season are among the worst. Many alternative methods, such as Acupressure (AMMA Therapy), the Manual Lymph Drainage Facial, use of a nasal rinse (Neti Pot), and using blends and/or single high-grade Young Living Essential Oils drain the sinuses to help eliminate congestion and promote immune system function, improve breathing and more. Consult with our highly-trained therapists for treatment options and other suggestions for managing your allergies.

Please page through this volume of The Creséra Touch to see some golf stretches to improve your golf game, our Essential Oil Corner to help those allergy sufferers, and articles from some of our therapists.

We look forward to seeing you soon. Have a GREAT Summer!

James F. Kresse, AOS, LMT, CLT-LANA

Lymphedema Legislation Alert!

As most of you know through the volunteer work I provide for Hewlett House and the 1 in 9: The Long Island Breast Cancer Coalition for over ten years now, how strongly I feel about breast cancer survivors who are diagnosed with lymphedema and how insurance company reimbursement policies are lacking. This year, Senate Bill 3015 (S3015) was finally passed making insurance carriers responsible for reimbursement of wigs, prosthetics, bandaging supplies and compression garments. Working with Senator Fuschillo’s office for five years in tweaking the text of the Bill to include Massage Therapists and Certified Lymphedema Therapist-CLT by the Lymphology Association of North America - LANA, finally came through.

However, recently I have been advised of a change to the coding for compression garments which will have a devastating impact on lymphedema patients in our country. By re-classifying these specialized garments as “surgical dressings, secondary” they will no longer be covered for home use, and can no longer be billed as prosthetics nor allowable under Section 1861(s)(8) of the Social Security Act. This Medicare action will deprive an estimated 1.3 million lymphedema sufferers under Medicare, and by extension, millions of others under HMO or private insurance, of the medically necessary treatment tool required in the daily care of lymphedema.

We MUST write to our Congressional representatives protesting this change of coding. This will potentially result in an increase in Medicare costs to treat cellulitis resulting from under-treatment of lymphedema. A National Coverage Decision on the subject of lyphedema is long overdue. Ask your congressperson whether they have considered sponsoring the “Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Bill” which has been widely proposed in Washington over the last four years by Robert Weiss, MS, NLN Legislative Patient Advocate. I want to thank Bob for disseminating this information to me so I can pass it on to my patients.

I am sure that with the rate of breast cancer on Long Island now being 1 in 8 women and men, most of us know someone that has been affected by this disease, and the likelihood of them being diagnosed with lymphedema is over 40%. Please, take the time to send a letter as soon as possible!

For questions or concerns you can contact me, Bob Weiss at lymphactivist@aol.com or the NLN-National Lymphedema Network at nln@lymphnet.org.

Let your voice be heard!

Father’s Day Gift Certificates!

Honor your Father, Grandfather or that Father-to-Be with the gift of massage! A special e-mail message will be sent to you with discounts on the purchase of Father’s Day gift certificates. Call and let us know your e-mail address so you can receive this offer, as well as updates on events and special discounts!

Herbal Healing Liniment

We now offer Herbal Healing Liniment, hand-crafted by our own Scott Tignor, AOS, BFA, LMT, according to a traditional Chinese formula. Herbal Healing Liniment (Tieh tah chu) helps ease arthritic aches and pains, speeds healing of bruises, and eases muscle sprain and strain. Ask your therapist how Herbal Healing Liniment can help you. Supplies are limited!
4-oz. bottle: $20

Reiki: An Overview

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words: Rei which means "the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

Schedule this very special treatment today, for yourself or a loved one!

Golf Stretches to Add Yards to Your Drive

To quickly improve your golf, stretch your golf muscles regularly!
What's the difference between a "golf stretch" and an everyday stretch? The answer to this question may be your missing link to a great game and years of enjoyment instead of frustration and weak attempts at quitting the game.

The key is to do golf stretches daily. Yes, that's right - daily! It will take you only a few minutes to get them done, but the improvement in your game can be quick and dramatic. The return on this investment (of time) is well worth it.

Flexibility exercises not only have the potential to prevent injury, but also to improve golf performance. To help prepare oneself for the game, here are a few exercises to do before golfing:

	Posterior Shoulder Stretch Pretend you have an itch between your shoulder blades. Hold your left arm across your body and grab the back of your left elbow with your right hand. Pull the left elbow in as far as you can so that your left fingertips can reach your upper back. Repeat for the right shoulder.
	Anterior Shoulder and Chest Stretch Hold a club with both hands behind your back, elbows extended. Now stick out your chest while you raise the club back away from your body and hold.
	Lateral Back Stretch Hold a club with both hands over your head. Keeping your pelvis steady, bend as far as you can to the left and hold. Slowly return to the upright position and repeat to the right side.
	Toe Touch This stretches the lower back. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend forward at the waist and try to touch your toes. There is a huge degree of variation among people regarding how far they can go, so don't feel bad if you can't reach all the way to your toes. Remember not to bounce. If you have a bad back you can sit on a bench and lean over to touch your toes instead.
	Lower Back & Trunk Rotation I prefer to do this one sitting down. You can use the golf cart seat or a bench. Pretend you're driving to the Grand Canyon while your kids have been arguing in the back seat for six hours straight and you are going to now yell at them. Keeping your hips facing forward, rotate your body all the way to the left, look over your shoulder and hold. If you like, you can grab hold of the back of the bench or seat. Repeat for the right side. Saying "Do I have to stop this car?" is optional.
	Hamstring Stretch Stand upright and place your left foot on the golf cart or bench. Now bend forward at the waist while keeping your back straight. Repeat for the right side.
	Quads Stretch Pretend you stepped in some chewing gum and you are checking the bottom of your shoe. Stand with your feet close together. Now grab your left ankle behind you and flex your knee as far as it will go and hold (your left heel should hit your buttocks). Repeat for the right side. If necessary, hold on to the golf cart or a tree for balance. To get the most out of this stretch, keep the trunk straight and avoid leaning forward.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Holiday Office Closings
CWC will be closed the following days:
Independence Day         July 4
Labor Day                    September 4

Lymphedema Support Group meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month at Hewlett House in Hewlett, NY. Norma and Jim are facilitators of the group offering educational material on Lymphedema. Call 516-374-3190 for more information.

Sand Soccer: CWC is proud to support the Hewlett House and the 1 in 9 Long Island Breast Cancer Coaltion with their “Sand Soccer Event” Saturday, June 24th in Long Beach. Top radio stations will be on hand to add to the fun. Come out and help the cause. Call 516-374-3190 for details.

Babe Zaharias Golf Outing: CWC is proud to be a Tee/Green Sponsor of the American Cancer Society at the Hamlet for the Babe Zaharias Golf Outing on Tuesday July 11th.

Office Hours: Please be aware that office hours for both the Williston Park and Hamlet offices are by appointment only. Call now to secure your preferred appointment time!

Essential Oil Corner

Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend of 5 essential oils. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplifts the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. Peace & Calming® may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.

Scott, our Reiki therapist and one of our LMTs, likes to use Peace & Calming® during his Reiki sessions.

“I find that Peace & Calming® allows my clients to fully relax and enjoy their treatment, especially if there is an emotional issue.”

See Rosemarie to purchase your very own bottle today!