Acupuncture is part of a system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which includes practices that promote whole-person health. In addition to offering guidance on how to adjust your diet to match the seasons, TCM recommends working toward a balance of different tastes in your diet to increase feelings of satiety and emphasizing specific flavors in different seasons. In TCM “flavors” or “tastes” are less about the actual taste, and more so descriptions of the effects in the body.
Read moreWinter in TCM
While some may welcome the transition to winter with cooler weather and the opportunity for more quiet solitude, for others the season can contribute to depression, loneliness, and seasonal affective disorder. Whichever side you fall on, Traditional Chinese Medicine practices can help support the body, mind and spirit in the midst of seasonal change. During this time of year, the seasonal shift can feel even more potent as we are not only transitioning seasons, but preparing for a new year and reflecting on the year passed.
Read moreAutumn in TCM
Over the last year we’ve done a blog series on seasonal eating according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), from which Acupuncture comes. This year, we’ll be focusing on the physical and emotional elements associated with each season and the lifestyle factors that come into play, while offering tips on how to ensure optimal health. Here’s what you need to know for Fall:
Read moreSummer Eating
Summer is here! Over the last few months as the daylight hours have slowly increased, you may have noticed a change in your circadian rhythm, eating habits and energy levels. Traditional Chinese Medicine codifies these natural seasonal changes into a system to help us live our happiest, healthiest lives. In TCM, summer is a yang season full of energy and abundance.
Read moreNatural Allergy Relief
Do you wait all winter for the nice weather to return, only to spend sunny days inside staring longing out the window at the great outdoors? While usually not serious, seasonal allergies can put a serious damper on your day. Many over-the-counter allergy medications can be effective, but have undesirable side-effects. We rounded up a few natural supplements and anti-histamines to help relieve common symptoms of seasonal allergies like runny nose, congestion, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes.
Read moreSpring Eating
Few things feel better than the first signs of Spring! After the long, cold, isolating winter we’re overjoyed to see those classic harbingers of spring: birds chirping, green buds sprouting, daffodils blooming, and longer daylight hours. This post continues our series on seasonal eating and living with Traditional Chinese Medicine, preparing us for spring!
Read moreWinter Eating
Continuing our series about seasonal living and eating guided by Traditional Chinese Medicine, here’s what to keep in mind during the winter season.
Read moreAutumn Eating
As the weather starts to cool off in Autumn, it’s important to change our habits and behaviors to suit the new season. Our bodies need different things at different times. As our environment changes it impacts the types of nutrition our body needs to appropriately balance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a guide for seasonal eating to optimally support your body!
Read moreWhat's Up With Ear Seeds?
Ear seeds, also known as auriculotherapy, is a companion therapy to acupuncture based in the stimulation of the auricle, or external ear, using pressure in the form of tiny “seeds” to treat symptoms and conditions located throughout the whole body. Based on the principles of acupuncture, auriculotherapy uses the ear as a tiny map for the whole body, with tons of acupuncture points in the ear corresponding to just about every organ, hormone, and system.
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