Category: Chinese Medicine

Blue Is the New Green

When I need to relax, I think about a particular beach in the Caribbean. I’ve only been there once, but it’s so profoundly beautiful that I go back to it time and again in my mind. The lush hillside above gives way to over a half-mile of clean white sand. The beach is punctuated with…


Humility and Modesty Help the Body Adjust to Heat

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each solar…


The 4th Phase of Water

Solid, liquid, and gas—these are the three states of matter presented in the homeschooling science curriculum I was preparing to review with our 7-year-old daughter. The best example to learn these states is water in its different forms: moisture vapor in a cloud, liquid rain, and solid ice. I couldn’t stop there though, not when…


Rainbows Start to Show as Spring’s Potential Grows

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each of…


What Holistic Medicine Can Do for You

Holistic medical providers come in many forms, but what they all have in common is a commitment to treating the person instead of a disease. Their scope of practice may vary widely, from traditional herbalists and bodyworkers to naturopathic physicians and functional medicine doctors. The oldest extant practice of holistic medicine comes from ancient China….


Overprescribing Statin Drugs

I recently met with a new primary care physician. At the close of the appointment, the doctor ordered a lipid panel to check cholesterol levels. After the results were posted, his nurse called to report that the doctor had prescribed a statin (cholesterol-lowering) drug that he would like me to start right away. There was…


When Nature Balances Its Yin and Yang, Our Bodies Correspond

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each of…


Weather Report: Cloudy With a Chance of Pain

Winter in Minnesota is beautiful, but it can also be a challenge. Cold. And not just cold, numbing. Even the dog won’t go outside and I have to bundle up just to grab the mail. Winter can be tough on your body. If you’ve noticed that you’re a little achy or stiff getting out of…


Steam Vegetables and Drink Kombucha to Cleanse and Energize

A solar term is a period of about two weeks and is based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Solar terms form the traditional Chinese calendar system. The calendar follows the ancient Chinese belief that living in accordance with nature will enable one to live a harmonious life. This article series explores each of…


How to Get Healthy in 2021 With Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine, with its long history, has many ways that we can stay healthy in these uncertain times. An important concept in Chinese medicine is awareness—awareness of your environment as well as your internal world. One form of this internal awareness is attunement to our own bodies. Our bodies speak a language that we have…