As a teenager and well into my early twenties, I frequently suffered from dysmenorrhea– or painful periods. Everyone told me it was normal. Many of my matriarchs confided in me that they had debilitating cramps when their cycles started and well through their school years– painful enough to send them home from work and school. […]
It’s the end of the vegetable harvest and if you’re like most Walla Wallans, you have an abundance of squash and zucchini spilling out of drawers and stacked precariously on counter tops. After all the tomatoes have been canned or made into sauce and frozen, what to do with all the gorgeous courgettes?? A dear […]
Try this out: Sit down on the floor. Now, get back on your feet without using your hands in any way (even bracing yourself on your knee). Can’t do it? Okay, starting from a standing position again, get down to sitting on the floor without using your hands. Impossible? These movements are simple mobility exercises […]
It is cold and flu season again. I find it is nice to have a few nutritional tricks up your sleeve to boost immunity. This soup is best utilized when someone in your family first starts showing signs of a cold or flu. You can also make it preventatively, if you find yourself surrounded by […]
Chinese Medicine follows the wisdom of the natural rhythms. One of the earliest books on Chinese Medicine, the Nei Jing, offers specific examples of how to stay healthy as the seasons change. At the very heart of it, this medicine is about prevention and empowerment. There are so many small steps we can take in […]
In East Asian medicine, food is itself medicine. Food theory runs on two important principles. One, specific culinary ingredients will nourish the organs directly associated with the current season. Two, by nourishing the organs of the season, you are also strengthening and preparing your body for good health in the following season. This takes seasonal eating […]
It’s that time, the great season of the apple reigns supreme! In the day and age of produce being available year-round against the grain of seasonality, the beauty of a fresh and humble apple in Fall can be lost. But who can deny the lovely, crisp, dewy flavor of a fresh apple picked in the […]
One of the first introductions to cupping therapy that I had as a patient was in college. I developed a cold that progressed quickly into a strong cough with a nice chest rattle within 24 hours of getting sick. I was worried since two months before I had struggled with pneumonia, and didn’t want to repeat the […]
Occasionally, we find someone who speaks directly to our own hearts. A piece of writing or poetry that could have streamed forth from our own experience. Such is the following piece by dear friend and fellow acupuncturist, Sara Bowes. I wanted to share this tender writing today and move into a piece on the season […]
There is a lot to be said about how structure and routine serve us. We have clean teeth, pay the bills, keep our jobs, have meals to enjoy, and have tidy houses due to adhering to routines. In the quest for health, regularity with workouts, eating, and mindfulness practices are all of great importance. However, […]
Stick Out Your Tongue 