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Chinese Medicine Wisdom

Delight in the Unexpected Beauty of the Still Moments

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I invite you to stop today, just for a moment, and delight in something beautiful! How can you incorporate more still, quiet moments in your daily life? Even when you're in the car or waiting in line the grocery store. I can guarantee that being mindful instead of checking your e-mail or social media will help you feel more calm and grounded.  
 
Thank you to the talented Kendra Knight Photography for the beautiful photo of mono lake at sunset!

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Sacred Pause to Heal My Water Element

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You haven't heard from me for a while because there's been A LOT going on at home.

The radio silence was no accident. My husband has been ill with a serious medical issue. After months of struggle, he's finally on the mend. Add that to a crazy-busy year of launching my book and going non-stop, I needed some downtime. I chose to honor the Water Phase of the Five Elements and allow myself some quiet, rest, and reflection.

What I didn't expect was how long of a pause I needed to truly recharge…

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What is it that you need to trust?

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The Water Element is associated with the emotion of fear. The opposite of fear is trust or faith. We trust that the sun will set and the sun will rise again. After the dark there is the light. There's no other possibility. So, in my morning meditation this is the question that came to me ... how would the situation change if you trusted? That's at the heart of so many issues wouldn't you say? 
 

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Why the New Year is a Terrible Time to Detox & Diet!

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Every year, millions of people make their new year's resolutions and start dieting, detoxing, and exercising!

But honestly, winter is a terrible time to do this!  According to the Five Elements, we enter the Water phase of the year around the winter solstice. The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and, to live in alignment with the season, we're meant to slow down. It's a time to honor our bodies need for warmer foods, quiet days, and getting more rest. Create time to reflect, daydream…

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The Five Element Way: Honoring the Water Phase

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Tired? Unmotivated? In Pain? Could be a Water Element Imbalance!

>>Take the Quiz!<<

 

The Water Element

The Five Element system of Chinese medicine are thousands of years old. It was developed by Chinese philosophers who studied the rhythms and interrelationships of the Elements of nature in order to help mankind attune to the natural order of things. They believed that to live a balanced life was to understand the rhythms of the earth and live in harmony with it.

The Five Elements are Wa…

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Summer Solstice and Nourishing the Fire Element

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Happy Summer Solstice! I absolutely LOVE this time of year. In Chinese medicine, we're entering the phase of the year that corresponds to the FIRE element. Here's how you can tend to your Fire Element to have a healthy and fun summer... 

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

You can nourish your Fire element by getting your feet on the earth and deepening your connection to nature. Go outdoors, hike, run, and swim! Aerobic activity strengthens the heart, the organ associated with Fire.

 

FUN, JOY, LAU…

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What is Moxa?

If you've ever come into the clinic and and it smelled a little smokey, it's because we're using a special treatment modality called moxibustion or moxa. We created a short video to explain what moxa is and what conditions it's used for. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

 

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Researchers Closing in on How Acupuncture Treats Chronic Stress

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Acupuncture is GREAT for Managing of Stress in Adults & Children!

Acupuncture Works for Stress, Neck and Back Pain[/caption] It is a widely held belief that acupuncture is a great way to relieve stress. Acupuncture treatments at our office are geared to address stress in addition to our patient's main complaint.  Many of our patients find a sense of deep relaxation and sleep or meditate during treatment to enhance the stress-reducing effects of acupuncture. Being a kid should be easy, right?  K…

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Can Staying Warm Keep Your Kids Healthy?

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Those are words of wisdom, but can staying warm in the winter really keep you healthy?  Since I don’t have any double-blind research studies to give you a definitive answer, let's look at why staying warm  on a blustery winter day will stack the odds in your favor. Catching a Cold or a Wind Cold? In Western traditions we speak colloquially of ‘catching a cold’ when we talk about getting sick with any number of viruses that cause the common cold.  In Eastern traditions we speak of a ‘wind cold…

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6 Ways to Stay Healthy this Fall

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Fall is here and it is a wonderful time of year that marks a transition in not only the seasons but in our lives. As the leaves change color to hues of golden orange and begin to fall, it marks a new season of school and a regular schedule of meals and bed times. For some it can also mean the beginning of fall allergies, asthma attacks, colds and flus. The best way to treat an illness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. According to Chinese Medicine theory, the shifting of seas…

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