Take Home TCM Archives - Page 2 of 3

Products We Love: Blume Superfood Blends
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Products We Love: Blume Superfood Blends

Nutrition, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Products We Love: Blume Superfood Blends

By allysonschurtz|2022-11-15T14:06:01-05:00April 19th, 2021|Categories: Nutrition, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: beetroot, blume, Chinese medicine, nutrition, reishi, TCM, turmeric|

Meet our newest obsession: Blume. Our staff is loving these easy-to-use superfood blends. Just mix 1 tsp of Blume powder with a splash of hot water then top with your favorite milk or milk alternative (we love oat milk!). Drink hot or iced for a quick pick-me-up. These "superfood lattes" are nutritionally dense, hosting a wide variety of health benefits. Next time you’re in to see us, ask your acupuncturist which one they recommend for you. Beetroot Powder Beetroot is a great blood tonic and it supports the Liver. Packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a [...]

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Spring’s Sour Foods
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Spring’s Sour Foods

Nutrition, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Spring’s Sour Foods

By Dana Iscoe|2022-11-15T14:06:02-05:00April 12th, 2021|Categories: Nutrition, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: citrus, seasonal eating, sour foods, spring, TCM, tonics|

Photo by Lukas from Pexels Spring is here, and the months of the year where we can eat local, fresh foods are approaching! As we move out of the stillness of Winter into the rapid growth of Spring, there are considerations for the mind, body and spirit to make the transition with ease. One of these is the category of food therapy within Traditional Chinese Medicine, which advocates for eating foods with the sour flavor/energetic to align with Spring. What is the Sour flavor? When you think of sour foods, you might feel a pucker in your lips, your salivary glands [...]

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Gua Sha for Spring (and every other time of year!)
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Gua Sha for Spring (and every other time of year!)

Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Gua Sha for Spring (and every other time of year!)

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:06:03-05:00March 30th, 2021|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: Chinese medicine, gua sha, modalities, spring, TCM, wind|

Let me start by saying, holy cow, I love gua sha! Here’s why: it provides immediate relief (as we know acupuncture can sometimes be subtle and take time to yield results). Also, like cupping, it is diagnostic depending on the color of the skin after the treatment. If you look up gua sha, you may find that the images that come up look rather…severe, but don’t let that deter you! Gua sha may feel similar to having a massage in that it might feel tender, but also AMAZING at the same time. Let me tone down my excitement and [...]

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There’s Something About Moxa
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There’s Something About Moxa

Moxibustion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

There’s Something About Moxa

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:06:05-05:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Moxibustion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: Chinese medicine, modalities, moxa, moxibustion, TCM|

Many of you who come to Mend have very likely smelled moxa in our treatment rooms and hallways (and perhaps exclaimed to yourself or your acupuncturist “it smells like pot in here!”). I've found that so many patients have never experienced it or have no idea what it is. However, moxa is a HUGE part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is quite often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Moxa is refined mugwort, a plant that literally grows all around us here in Maryland. Moxibustion is the burning of moxa over acupuncture points or specific areas of the body. It [...]

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The Kidneys: The Root of Life
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The Kidneys: The Root of Life

Organ, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

The Kidneys: The Root of Life

By aubreylewis|2023-01-25T15:43:53-05:00February 1st, 2021|Categories: Organ, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: Chinese medicine, essence, jing, kidneys, seasonal changes, TCM, The Kidneys, winter, zhi|

Winter is the season for rest and restoration, as well as a time of expending as little energy as possible. With this focus on energy levels and vitality, it’s no wonder that the organs associated with Winter are the kidneys and bladder. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are particularly important. They act like a rechargeable battery for Qi, or energy, in the body. This vital energy is held in reserve so that it may be used in times of stress and illness. While a balance of activity is necessary all year round, Winter is the powering down [...]

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Feel it in Your Bones
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Feel it in Your Bones

Movement, Pain, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Feel it in Your Bones

By Dana Iscoe|2023-01-10T09:13:28-05:00January 25th, 2021|Categories: Movement, Pain, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: bones, exercises, movement, pain, prevention, TCM, tips, winter|

In the Traditional Chinese Medicine framework that underlies acupuncture, each season of the year has correspondences to different aspects of life. As you've already learned, Winter corresponds to the water element, the emotion of fear, and the organs of the Kidney and Bladder. Winter also corresponds with the bodily tissue of the bones and the importance of structure within the body, starting with the development of the embryo. Bone strength plays a big part in quality of life, though often gets passed over unless someone is actively worried about osteoporosis. Consider these ideas as you rest your weary bones [...]

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What a Pain in the Neck!
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What a Pain in the Neck!

Movement, Pain, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

What a Pain in the Neck!

By Dana Iscoe|2022-11-15T14:06:19-05:00January 13th, 2021|Categories: Movement, Pain, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: exercises, movement, neck, pain, prevention, tips|

For so many of our clients, neck pain (also called cervicalgia, named for pain in the cervical vertebrae of the spine) is a frequent companion. It's no surprise, because the human head is heavy and large, and our bodies only recently evolved to manage carrying around such weight. And it’s only in the last several generations that our industrialized society has more of us sitting in chairs at tables, using screens and books, and using much less diversity of movement than was required for labor, chores, and recreation than in the past. What follows are some suggestions for [...]

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Lend Me Your Ears
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Lend Me Your Ears

acupoint, Acupressure, History of Acupuncture, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Lend Me Your Ears

By Kim Hennessee|2022-11-15T14:06:20-05:00November 20th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, History of Acupuncture, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: acupoints, auricular acupuncture, Battlefield Acupuncture, ear, NADA, point zero, shen men, sympathetic|

Ever wonder why your acupuncturist adds a few needles to your ears during acupuncture? This is because the ear holds dozens of acu-points that can treat every part of the body. In fact, the practice of ear acupuncture, is considered a standalone therapy because the ear is a microsystem, ie. a self-contained system within the whole system. You can actually receive an excellent treatment for the whole body only by treating the ear! Though a powerful therapy in and of itself, auricular acupuncture (referring to the ear) is often folded into a whole body acupuncture session to enhance the [...]

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Lung 7: Broken Sequence
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Lung 7: Broken Sequence

acupoint, Acupressure, Allergies, Immunity, Mood, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Lung 7: Broken Sequence

By Allyson Schurtz|2022-11-15T14:06:21-05:00November 10th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Allergies, Immunity, Mood, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, aromapoint therapy, aromatherapy, Chinese medicine, fall, lung 7, lungs, metal, TCM|

Photo by Pedro Figueras In this challenging and tender season of life, the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides an invaluable framework to finding balance within even the harshest climates. A core tenant of TCM is living in accordance with the seasons. We currently find ourselves in the Metal (Autumn) season during a Metal year (Metal Rat). Metal is the element associated with the Lungs and Large Intestine and the corresponding emotional themes of grief and letting go. Given this context, it seems no coincidence that we are experiencing a global respiratory pandemic. Many of us find ourselves processing [...]

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When Aromatherapy Meets Acupressure
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When Aromatherapy Meets Acupressure

acupoint, Acupressure, coronavirus, Mood, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

When Aromatherapy Meets Acupressure

By allysonschurtz|2022-11-15T14:06:40-05:00September 8th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, coronavirus, Mood, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: acupressure, APT, aromapoint therapy, aromatherapy, Chinese medicine, coronavirus, covid, essential oils, TCM|

Photo by Monicore Two of our favorite therapies: acupressure and aromatherapy. When they come together, they create a multi-sensory healing experience that can be done in the comfort of your own home. AromaPoint Therapy (APT) is a simple yet powerful practice to enhance emotional well-being. APT utilizes high quality essential oils applied to specific acupuncture points. Using a foundational knowledge of Chinese Herbal Medicine, hand-selected oils are used in conjunction with certain acupuncture points for added impact. A number of aspects are taken into consideration in this pairing. For example, using the root of a plant (which is very [...]

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