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Wellness

Self-Massage Techniques to do at Home

Massage therapy has been around for centuries and has been discussed in the ancient texts of many languages, including Chinese, Indian, Greek and Egyptian. While the exact roots of massage therapy are not known, it is known that getting regular massages can be very beneficial for those who receive them. Massage can treat everything from aches, pains and digestive issues to insomnia and more, which everyone experiences at some point in their lives. continue reading »

4 Tips for an Energizing, Joyful Summer

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, each season is associated with one of the elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Perhaps unsurprisingly, summertime is associated with the element fire. Fire represents maximum activity. In nature, everything is at its peak growth during the summer, so TCM sees our energy as its most active and exuberant. Summer is the time of year with the most yang energy, which is all about excitement and assertiveness. continue reading »

Acupuncture and PTSD

Blog-img---Acupuncture-and-PTSDPTSD is a physiological disorder that can result from being exposed to a traumatic event.  The disorder results in several different symptoms including anxiety, irritability, insomnia and flashbacks. The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in someone’s life can be far reaching.  Feelings of hopelessness, shame and despair, problems at work or with relationships, serious health problems, depression, anxiety and drug or alcohol abuse are not uncommon. Getting help can be hard at first, but can have a great impact for helping PTSD. continue reading »

5 Reasons to Massage Tired Feet

We are constantly on our feet. Walking, driving, biking, hiking, you name it and we need our two feet to do it. Conversely, our feet are the least taken care of part of our body. Think about it. When’s the last time you gave your feet a good and proper pampering? I bet it has been a while. Take a look at these five reasons to give your feet more tender-loving care and you’ll find yourself treating your feet to a massage multiple times a month. continue reading »

Summer Solstice

During the summer solstice your yang energy reaches its peak. It is important to harness the peak of this yang energy, because as summer shifts into fall yang energy will decline. This great abundance of yang energy will translate throughout your body because during this season you are active and growing.

According to five element theory, during the summer the organ that receives extra energy is the heart. When the seasons change so do the organs we should focus on in the body. You should focus on the heart during summer. Feed the heart heart-nourishing foods and make sure to remain active so the heart receives positive energy. continue reading »

Why Try Massage?

Massage is both therapeutic and relaxing, it is something that everyone should try at least once. The catch is, once you try it once, you are sure to be coming back for more. Massage is extremely beneficial for the body and can help you in many ways. There are a plethora of reasons as to why you should get a massage, but here are the top seven reasons why you need to try massage therapy. continue reading »

7 Reasons to Get Massage After Surgery

Massage therapy for rehabilitation after surgery has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Massage can foster healing within the body after it has experienced the trauma of surgery. It is known to bring back essential nutrients and blood to the areas operated on in surgery. Perhaps most importantly, receiving massage after surgery can decrease the buildup of scar tissue. These are just a few of the reasons why massage can be so integral to your body after going through surgical procedures. Check out this list of seven no-brainer reasons to get massage after surgery! continue reading »

Heart Afire: The Fire Element

The organs in Chinese medicine are more than just a physical representation. The organs include not only their physiological function, but also their mental, emotional, spiritual and elemental qualities that align with nature and the seasons. Let’s explore the heart.

The heart season is summer, and heart is considered the most yang: hot, bountiful and abundant. Yang is what is bright, moving, outward, hot and loud. Yin is what is more inward, still, dark and cooler. The color of the heart is associated with red, the climate is heat, the flavor is bitter and it’s paired organ is the small intestine (many urinary issues are due to “heart fire” heat descending). The sense aligned with heart is the tongue, and the vessels associated with heart are the tissues. The heart sound is laughing, and the emotion is joy. The heart houses what is known as the shen, which is the mind and spirit. continue reading »

The Five Seasons of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has origins dating back thousands of years. While modern medicine has paved the way for new treatments and preventative measures in health care, millions of men and women continue to practice TCM. If you’re interested in trying it, though, you’ll first need to familiarize yourself with the five seasons of TCM and the organs that they target.

Spring

When speaking in the context of TCM, the spring season is associated with new life and beginnings. It is a time for a cleansing toxins from your body and negative energy from your mind, which is why it focuses on the liver and gallbladder. You can cleanse your liver and gallbladder by eating more grapefruit, beets, carrots, green tea, and leafy green vegetables. continue reading »

Fighting Flu Season with Acupuncture

While the flu is actually not a season, we have become programmed to think of it as the months of November through March. On average, the flu hospitalizes thousands every year, especially the young and elderly. There are also a number of deaths related to the flu, mostly due to people already having compromised immune systems.

The flu, also known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a number of viruses. To date, there are approximately 26 to 30 different known strains of the flu virus. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccine has only mild efficacy. The flu vaccine itself, typically only covers five to seven strains of the flu.  Symptoms of the flu include fever, coughing, a sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, pains, runny nose and watery eyes. continue reading »

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