Clear Heat With LI 11

By |2023-08-23T14:50:23-04:00August 23rd, 2023|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure|Tags: , , , |

Here we are. In the absolute depths of summer heat. The season when yang reaches its pinnacle, affecting our bodies and minds in a variety of ways. Large Intestine 11 (or Li11) is one of the most powerful points for clearing any type of heat. Even its name is cooling, Qu Chi, which means "Pool At The Bend," because the point is located at the bend of the elbow. One thing that I love the most about acupuncture points is that some of the most commonly used points have such a wide gamut of indications, and Li11 is certainly [...]

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The Dog Days of Mothering: Parenting Burnout

By |2022-11-15T14:06:40-05:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: coronavirus, Parenting, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

It’s been 5 months since our kids came home from school and haven’t left. At the time, we thought it would be 2 weeks until routines returned to normal. Or maybe until the summer. Now many of us are collectively confronting that there’s no date for going back to the usual places our children go to. It feels like the longest snow day on record – at first a welcome break, an introspective pause, then the trappings of the “weather outside” taking on new gravity.  A familiar feeling has surfaced, one that I recall from infant days and toddler [...]

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Clear Damp, Eat Noodles

By |2023-08-29T17:36:57-04:00August 26th, 2020|Categories: Nutrition, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , |

Late Summer has a tendency to make the body feel heavy and tired, and the mind sluggish. This can come along with digestive upset and slowdown. It's a conundrum of what to eat during this time of year. While summer is the best time to rely on locally grown produce, all those peaches, melons, tomatoes, and peppers can be hard to digest, even though they are loaded with micronutrients.  If you're finding that you're losing your appetite, feeling uncomfortable after eating, or that your mind and body just feel foggy and clouded, you might be experiencing what Chinese Medicine [...]

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Questions of Late Summer

By |2023-09-03T18:03:08-04:00August 15th, 2020|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , |

Earth is the glue that holds everything together. Before diving into the Questions of Summer, it's helpful to take a moment to get to know the element of Late Summer: Earth. Through the Earth Element, we are able to be satisfied – to feel as if we have enough, to no longer be hungry. Earth gives us the ability to stand firm and remain grounded in an ever-changing world. We all have needs. How we go about satisfying our needs and the needs of others depends largely on our Earth Element. Are we able to acknowledge our needs? Are we [...]

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Spleen 21: The Great Embrace

By |2022-11-15T14:06:41-05:00August 12th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Spleen 21 is the perfect acupuncture/acupressure point for this time of the year. Called dabao 大包 in Chinese, and translated to Great Enveloping or Great Embrace in English, it is the final point on the Spleen meridian. This meridian is responsible for processing food for digestion, promotes thought for wisdom, and turns Late Summer's humidity into a harvest.  We think of Spleen 21 particularly when one is feeling weak, notices pain all over the body, and feels fullness in the chest. Locating Spleen 21 You can find this point by reaching your hand over [...]

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Late Summer’s Worry

By |2022-11-15T14:06:42-05:00August 11th, 2020|Categories: coronavirus, Digestion, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

These days, there’s plenty to worry about. Yet here we are, in Traditional Chinese Medicine’s season of Worry. In TCM, it's commonly understood that as natural beings, we're affected by our natural environment including the season we're in. As we sit squarely in Late Summer (late July to mid-September), we recognize the season’s impact not only on our body but on our emotions, as well.  Pay close attention to Worry this season. This can look like over-thinking or focusing too much on a particular topic, as well as self-doubt, insecurity, confusion, projection of responsibility and blame, insomnia,  martyrdom, resentment, frustration, and [...]

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Chinese Medicine’s Fifth Season: The Second Half of Summer

By |2023-08-23T10:32:52-04:00August 4th, 2020|Categories: Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

It’s that time of year again when we remind you that there are actually FIVE seasons in Chinese Medicine. And we’re at the beginning of the lesser known one, Late Summer. As you’ve probably noticed, Summer is the time to enjoy long days of rising early, staying up late and filling the time in between with both relaxing and lively activities. Late Summer, though? It has its own flavor and is quite different. When Late Summer arrives, so does a bit of fogginess, laziness and lack of focus. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish or unmotivated, you’re not alone. All [...]

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