Nutrition for Spring

By |2024-04-09T12:51:50-04:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Nutrition, Seasonal Changes|Tags: , , , , |

Photo by Cup of Couple from Pexels As we transition from the chilly depths of winter to the blossoming warmth of spring, our diets change to reflect this huge seasonal shift. In the yin of winter, Chinese Medicine prescribes a diet full of warm foods that are more heavily cooked. In spring, as we move towards the yang of summer, we want to eat foods that are both lighter, and more lightly cooked. Consider steaming your vegetables, instead of boiling or roasting them. The LIVER is the organ associated with springtime. The Liver is associated with regulating the smooth [...]

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TCM Tips for Better Sleep

By |2024-04-24T12:27:57-04:00March 14th, 2023|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Sleep|Tags: , , , , , |

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels When we don’t get enough sleep, our mood, concentration and overall health can take a serious hit. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers insight into treating insomnia, whether it’s difficulty in falling or staying asleep. Next time you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, try out these tips and tricks to help get a good night’s rest. What Causes Poor Sleep? According to TCM, issues with sleep are usually attributed to imbalances of yin and yang qi (energy) within the body. During the day, yang energy dominates as it fuels the body’s activities and [...]

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Use TCM to Help Adjust to Daylight Saving Time

By |2024-03-12T10:10:01-04:00March 7th, 2023|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Sleep|Tags: , , , |

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels The shift to daylight saving time on the second Sunday of March is when the clocks move forward by one hour at 2 a.m. With this change, the sun will rise later in the morning, and the light will last longer into the evening. While we welcome the opportunity to spend more time outdoors with the extra hour of daylight in the evenings, “Spring Forward” also means that we lose an hour’s sleep, leaving many of us feeling sluggish and tired. “It is harder for most people to spring forward than to fall back,” [...]

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Spring’s Organs of Creation and Growth

By |2023-03-08T08:46:56-05:00March 3rd, 2023|Categories: Organ, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , |

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels Spring is upon us — a season of new life, new possibilities, revitalization and hope. Since I began studying and practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the Five Elements, I have become more attuned to the change of seasons, as they show up in nature and in my body. After all, our body is a microcosm that reflects the ebbs and flows of the natural macrocosm. There are two yin/yang paired organs, the Liver and the Gallbladder, that are particularly impacted by the arrival of spring. It is a time when the gifts of [...]

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The Spring Season: An Overview

By |2023-03-09T16:58:47-05:00March 1st, 2023|Categories: acupoint, Mood, Organ, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care|Tags: , , , , , |

Photo by Ulises León Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) places great emphasis on the concept of balance and harmony between the body and the environment. In TCM theory, each season is associated with different elements, organs, emotions, and health concerns. Spring, considered a time of renewal and growth, is associated with the Wood element, the Liver and Gallbladder organs and the emotion of anger. Issues that tend to pop up in the springtime include irritability, migraines, colds, sinus issues, worsened PMS symptoms, tendonitis flare-ups, and insomnia. Element of Spring: Wood During the spring season, our environment is buzzing and brimming [...]

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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 Experience

By |2024-01-08T13:21:18-05:00January 4th, 2023|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , |

Photo by Daniel Frese from Pexels Winter is the most Yin time of year in Chinese medicine. Yin being an energy that is dark, cold, slow, and inward, the antithesis of Summer’s Yang energy. The way we use our energy is particularly important during the most Yin and Yang times of year. During wintertime, nurture and nourishment is a necessity, introspection and reflection come easily, and planting seeds for the future is the strategy. This is the time to nourish the body, mind, and soul with slow, quiet, reflective, and restorative Yin activities. In addition, the winter season is ruled [...]

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Zhi: The Energy of Will, Purpose and Destiny

By |2024-01-09T10:51:09-05:00January 3rd, 2023|Categories: acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , |

The spirit of the Water Element is zhi (pronounced zhur). This is one’s will, ambition, purpose, and destiny – a force that moves a person towards their destiny without much conscious thought or effort. In this blog, learn more about zhi and ways in which you can cultivate this powerful energy. Additionally, zhi is thought to be the innate power of life itself – life that wants to live and survive. Zhi is housed in The Kidneys. Therefore, a person with strong Kidney strength has strong zhi, i.e. a drive to be alive; a person with less Kidney strength may [...]

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Intention-Setting for the New Year

By |2022-12-31T17:35:14-05:00December 27th, 2022|Categories: New Moon, Prompts, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , |

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels As the New Year fast approaches, that nagging feeling starts to emerge – it’s a new year. Often there’s a feeling of potential for a new you, a new chance, or a new chapter. With the end of one year and the beginning of the next, a sort of reset button emerges. And, as we are in the depths of winter – the season of Yin, the Water element (wisdom, stamina and endurance) and the spirit of Zhi (one’s will, ambition, purpose and destiny) – there’s no better time to reflect on what has [...]

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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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