Seasonal Changes Archives - Page 3 of 12

Seasonal Depression in the Fall
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Seasonal Depression in the Fall

Seasonal Changes, Wellness

Seasonal Depression in the Fall

By BrianD|2022-11-15T14:04:41-05:00November 2nd, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Wellness|Tags: fall, seasonal depression|

In the clinic this time of year, we often hear from our patients about wanting help for their "seasonal depression." Many people feel a sense of depression in the Fall vs. other times of the year. Perhaps you are one of them. If so, this article may help. As you've probably read before in one of our emails, Chinese cosmology places great importance on each season, and its impact on our health. There are also 5 seasons in Chinese reckoning--Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each season not only has a pathogenic environmental factor that impacts us (e.g. [...]

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The Often Overlooked Harvest
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The Often Overlooked Harvest

Seasonal Changes, Wellness

The Often Overlooked Harvest

By BrianD|2022-11-15T14:04:42-05:00August 23rd, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Wellness|Tags: abundance, harvest, Late Summer|

Photo by Dominika Roseclay The second chapter of the Han-era text called the "Yellow Emperor's Simple Questions" discusses how one should live in the different seasons. The advice for Summer has a section that says, "Go to rest late at night, and rise early. Never get enough of the sun. Let the mind have no anger. Stimulate beauty, and have your elegance perfected." It's the last sentence that I want to focus on in this article. Ancient and medieval commentators on this passage offer some insight into what it could mean to "stimulate beauty, and have your elegance perfected." [...]

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Stay Cool this Summer with Magnesium
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Stay Cool this Summer with Magnesium

Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Stay Cool this Summer with Magnesium

By Dana Robinson|2022-11-15T14:04:42-05:00July 22nd, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: cool down, hot, magnesium, summer|

When I saw the new Magnesium-based products we have on the retail shelves at the Mend clinics, I was so excited. Magnesium supplementation is one of my most frequent suggestions to patients for a variety of reasons, and topical magnesium is an incredible tool to add to your self-care routine, especially in the heat of summer. What is magnesium? How is it used in the body? Magnesium is the 8th most common element found on the planet earth, and in nature it is always found combined with other elements, never in pure form. You'll find magnesium involved in [...]

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Keep Your Cool With These Summer Food Tips
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Keep Your Cool With These Summer Food Tips

Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Keep Your Cool With These Summer Food Tips

By Jaime Kauffman|2023-07-06T08:45:46-04:00July 14th, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: cool foods, summer, tips, yang|

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer is associated with the Fire element, as well as the Heart organ system, which performs many energy functions that are vital to your body, mind, and spirit. And of course, summer is the time of year with the most yang energy, translating into sunshine, warmer temps, joy, passion, activity and abundant energy. However, not everyone enjoys the summer season and the heat and excitement it brings. According to TCM, one's reaction to summer depends on their bodily constitution. For instance, people with more yang energy tend to [...]

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Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8
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Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8

acupoint, Acupressure, Seasonal Changes

Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8

By Alexandra McElwee|2022-11-15T14:04:43-05:00July 6th, 2022|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Seasonal Changes|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, heart, Heart 8, Heat, summer|

Heart 8 is a perfect summer point because it is used for Heart heat. The season of summer is associated with the element of fire, and the element of fire is connected to the Heart. In Chinese Medicine, the Heart is emotionally associated with the Mind + Spirit (also known as Shen). Heart heat and the indications for using Heart 8 often show up as: Mental restlessness High anxiety Agitation Feeling manic Nightmares or vivid dreams Insomnia Combined with symptoms like: Palpitations Feeling overheated or aversion to the heat Chest pain Thirst Any of those babies sound familiar? Fear [...]

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Summer According to TCM
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Summer According to TCM

Seasonal Changes, Wellness

Summer According to TCM

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

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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Leveraging Spring Energy
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Leveraging Spring Energy

Mood, Prompts, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Leveraging Spring Energy

By JaimeRoslyn|2023-05-01T15:30:22-04:00April 10th, 2022|Categories: Mood, Prompts, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: building, Chinese medicine, emotion, gallbladder, growth, leveraging, liver, new beginnings, renewal, spring, TCM, tips, walking|

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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Nettles for Allergies
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Nettles for Allergies

Allergies, Herbs, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Nettles for Allergies

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:05:15-05:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: Allergies, Herbs, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: allergies, herbs, nettles, spring|

Photo by Paul M on Unsplash Here we are. It’s that special season of warmer weather, beautiful flowers blossoming, with a side of sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and fatigue. Luckily, we have an amazing medicinal herbal plant that helps remedy our seasonal sneezes and sniffles: Stinging nettles! Nettles are so common that if you know how to identify them and you’re out on a hike, you’ll find them popping up everywhere around this time of year. Stinging nettles work well for allergies because of their decongestant and antihistamine properties. This herb is very tonifying with all of its abundant antioxidants, minerals [...]

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Spring Energetics: Wood and Wind
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Spring Energetics: Wood and Wind

Seasonal Changes

Spring Energetics: Wood and Wind

By JaimeRoslyn|2023-03-14T10:17:47-04:00March 14th, 2022|Categories: Seasonal Changes|Tags: Chinese medicine, spring, TCM, wind, Wood|

Photo by Joshua Abner from Pexels Although we think of January 1 as the beginning of the year, we can also think of spring as a beginning, as well. During this season we slough off the cool and damp days of winter, and welcome warmth and brightness. In this process, spring becomes the pinnacle of new growth and the start of a new cycle. Spring’s Wood Element According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spring season is represented by the element of Wood which symbolizes birth, growth, and development. To capture the energy of Wood, consider how during this [...]

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Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter
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Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter

acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:05:17-05:00January 11th, 2022|Categories: acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, du20, winter|

It seems important to start out by saying that there’s definitely something to leaning into the Yin of winter. That might look like letting ourselves feel less energetic and motivated, perhaps feeling inward and wanting to spend more time alone. Chinese Medicine is all about living in harmony with the seasons. That being said, in order for balance to exist, Yin cannot exist without Yang. This acupoint is just one tool to help balance the Yin of winter with a little bit of Yang. What is Yang? It’s the opposite of Yin. It is warmth, it is light, it [...]

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