Category: traditional wisdom

The History of Anesthesia

Anesthesia as pain relief is amazing, and we still have trouble understanding how it really works. What we do know is that it has played an important role in medicine for centuries. This role was made uncomfortably clear to me more than 35 years ago when I had to perform an emergency cesarean section on…


Tips for a Healthier 2022

I—and many of you I suspect—use this time of year to decide what we can do to have the best year possible. A new year represents new possibilities with unlimited potential. That said, 2021 was a tough year for a lot of us. So, as we bring in the year 2022, here’s a list of…


7 Surprising Ways to Fight Colds and Flu

With temperatures plummeting around the country, cold and flu season is upon us. There was such an overwhelming response to my blog Viral Vigilance that I knew this was a topic that needed further expansion. And, as one of my doctor readers pointed out, I neglected to mention one of  the most foundational supplements for strong immunity—probiotics, the beneficial bacteria residing in…


Anger Just Might Be Your Liver Talking

It’s difficult to imagine our internal organs having an influence on how we feel. Most of us see emotions as responses to external situations, or internal thoughts. But what if our organs might have some part to play in the complex world of feelings? The ancient Greeks, for example, believed that the liver was the…


Wellness Tips for the Coldest Time of Year

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…


6 Rich People Habits That Will Change Your Life

Successful people attribute habits that they follow as the secret to their success. In fact, that’s why it’s so common to come across lists highlighting these “habits of highly successful people.” In turn, accessing these lists can inspire you to develop these habits in your own life. Rather than the habit itself, what matters most…


Why Ginger Is the Ultimate Winter Ingredient

As a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I frequently employ both herbal medicine and Chinese food therapy in treating my patients. While both herbs and foods have inherent properties, herbs are considered to have stronger actions and are generally used as a supplement, while the effects of foods are somewhat weaker. There are a…


The Nature of Clutter in Chinese Medicine

Clutter! It’s unsightly, messy, and chaotic. It can make you feel unsettled or downright anxious when you walk into an area messy with stuff. It seems that in our unending drive as consumers to acquire more things, clutter has become more of a problem. It’s even become a psychological issue known as hoarding disorder that is…


Ancient Tales of Wisdom: ‘Male Left, Female Right’—Yin and Yang in Traditional Culture

Ancient tales of wisdom remind us of the traditions and moral values that have been treasured all over the world. We hope the stories and messages in our Tales of Wisdom series help uplift the hearts and minds of our readers. This retold tale is one of many audio stories from the discontinued “Ancient Tales…


The History of the Antibiotic

While many people believe that penicillin was the first antibiotic, they would be wrong by only a few thousand years. Various molds and plant extracts have been used as “antibiotics” throughout history. Ancient Egyptians would apply moldy bread onto infected wounds, while examinations of skeletal remains from ancient Sudanese Nubia dating as far back as…