Questions to Consider for Winter

By |2023-02-07T16:50:17-05:00February 7th, 2023|Categories: Mood, Prompts, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , |

Photo by David Besh from Pexels In Chinese Medicine, Winter is the darkest, slowest, most inward and reflective season. Just as its opposite Summer, is the brightest, most active and energetic. This is not to be taken lightly, as truly, these seasons are polar opposites, i.e. yin (Winter) and yang (Summer). Similarly to how Summer's abundant daylight beckons us with long days and "fun in the sun," Winter pushes us to confront darkness and slowing down. This vibe can feel incongruent to our modern world. But rest assured, in Chinese Medicine, this is for our own good. Winter instructs us [...]

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The Winter Solstice: A Time of Self-Care & Celebration

By |2023-12-21T11:05:23-05:00December 13th, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Photo by Marina Leonova from Pexels What is the Winter Solstice? The winter solstice marks the perfect time for celebration, reflection, and self-care. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is the day when the Earth’s axis tilts the furthest away from the sun, creating the shortest day and longest night of the year. While the solstice marks the start of winter, it also signals the beginning of more light ahead.   The Winter Solstice in Traditional Chinese Medicine During the winter solstice, Yin will be at its peak. This is the time of year in which [...]

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Ancient Ghosts and Ghost Points

By |2023-10-23T16:06:07-04:00October 26th, 2022|Categories: History of Acupuncture|Tags: , , , , , |

One of the earliest forms of literature in ancient China were ghost stories. They are believed to be part of the oral tradition during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) and continue to be popular in today’s China. However, ghosts were a serious matter to the ancient Chinese. According to traditional Chinese belief, when a person dies their soul travels across a bridge to the afterlife. On this crossing, they are judged as either worthy or unworthy. If considered “good,” they continued on; if deemed “evil,” they plummet from the bridge into hell. Depending on one’s beliefs, if they reach the [...]

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Summer According to TCM

By |2023-05-30T11:44:16-04:00June 22nd, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Wellness|Tags: , , |

Photo still from video by Olena Bohovyk of Pexels In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer is the most yang, energetic time of year – the season to be the most active and outgoing. It is ruled by the Fire element, the heart organ, the emotion of joy and the sound of laughter. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? This is the season that calls for us to enjoy moments with friends, family and loved ones. The Fire Element Whereas Spring’s Wood element is about birth and the process of becoming, Fire celebrates that which has become. Taking an inventory of [...]

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Treating Migraines Naturally

By |2023-06-28T10:23:28-04:00June 15th, 2022|Categories: Acupressure, Pain, Take Home TCM|Tags: , , , , , |

Migraines are one of the most debilitating neurological disorders worldwide. A crippling headache, migraines are known for their intense, throbbing or pulsating head pain coupled with light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, with possible auras or flashes of light. Notably, they strike one side of the head unlike other headaches. What causes such agony? While a medical explanation is somewhat limited, it’s believed that a complex combination of neurological, hormonal, vascular, and metabolic malfunctions are to blame. Genetics may also play a role. Ultimately, the best way to combat migraines is to prevent them from happening in the first place. The [...]

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Shen: It’s in the Eyes

By |2022-11-15T14:04:44-05:00May 31st, 2022|Categories: Diagnostics, Mood|Tags: , , , , |

Image by Nika Akin from Pixabay  Mind, Body and Shen “Mind, body, and spirit” – in these three parts of overall human health, there’s an understanding of what good mental and physical wellness looks like. Spiritual health, on the other hand, can be a bit more ambiguous for us Westerners. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), “spirit” is known as shen. One can think of it as the light within. Encapsulating our presence, soul and consciousness, shen helps us connect with the outside world and is what makes us truly “human.” In fact, in Chinese, shen is one of three [...]

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Counting the Ways Acupuncture Benefits Older Adults

By |2023-04-26T07:15:50-04:00May 24th, 2022|Categories: Seniors|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Getting older comes with its share of aches and ailments. It is not uncommon for seniors to have a slew of medications and vitamins to deal with, perhaps in a pill holder with AM and PM slots. Due to the prevalence of using specialists in Western medicine, who are likely not talking to each other, too often seniors are overly medicated, sometimes leading to dangerous results. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a bit different. In its holistic approach, the goal is to bring balance to the body. By treating the patient and not the symptoms, the result is an improvement [...]

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Acupuncture and Depression

By |2022-11-15T14:04:45-05:00May 11th, 2022|Categories: Mental Health Awareness Month, Mood, Wellness|Tags: , , , |

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. For some, depression can severely interfere with carrying out important life activities. According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 21 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode. This results in 8.4% of all adult Americans. Though major depression is increasing among all age groups, it is rising fastest among teens and young adults (aged 12-17) at 17% of the population.  For those suffering from illness, depression often coincides. Studies [...]

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Vets to Vets

By |2022-11-15T14:04:45-05:00April 25th, 2022|Categories: Acupuncturists, Self-Care, Veterans, Wellness|Tags: , , , |

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels Over the years, the Mend practice has had acupuncturists who are also U.S. veterans. We are proud to have these clinicians on the Mend team and love all that they have to offer. As a Veterans Community Care (VCC) Program provider, we particularly like being able to offer our veteran clients access to acupuncturists who have an understanding and sensitivity to veterans' needs and experiences. To honor our current veteran clinicians, we learned a bit about their military background, what led them to acupuncture, and how they see acupuncture as a support to active [...]

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Leveraging Spring Energy

By |2023-05-01T15:30:22-04:00April 10th, 2022|Categories: Mood, Prompts, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A Season of New Beginnings and Growth In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the seasons hold a powerful symbiotic relationship on our body, mind and spirit. And while Western culture certainly is influenced by seasonal aspects, TCM goes much deeper. At the heart of Traditional Chinese Medicine lies the Five Element cycle which symbolizes the continuity and stages of life. Each season, and its corresponding element, represents a stage of development. Spring, aligned with the Wood element, is the first in the cycle and signifies creation – birth, life and its subsequent evolution. The rest we took in the winter [...]

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