Here is a song I wrote in 2005, illustrating the Wood element. I was struggling with Lyme Disease while going through student clinic for my acupuncture license at the time. It’s all about getting things done one step at a time. I hope you enjoy it!
Small Steps – a song about the wood element
Posted in Depression, Spring, Stress
Tagged song, spring, wood element
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Video Interview…Life in the Time of a Pandemic: a Five Element Approach.
The Pandemic: A Five Element Approach of past, present, and future.
In this first of hopefully many more interviews, my friend and business ally Andrea Hutter interviews me about life during the pandemic, in the eyes of Classical Chinese Medicine. In this interview, I discuss how the pandemic affected us in our body, mind, and spirit through the year.
Last Year’s Pandemic: A Five Element Approach
During each season, the emotions we felt were way off of what is normal. Instead of hope in the spring of 2020, we had fear and grief. And instead of the joy of summer, we had more fear. Then in the fall, instead of the awe of autumn, we had a huge dose of more fear and loss. And the winter, instead of being a time to rest, was, yes… more fear and loss.
The End of the Pandemic
I also describe how we are affected even as the pandemic appears to be waning and restrictions are being lifted. The spring of 2021 wasn’t anything like what we expected. Instead of feeling inspired to start fresh, lots of us are tired. The can-do attitude is not quite as can-do-ish. Many of us are off to a slower start than usual. And now that we’re heading toward summer, we’re still just not feeling the bounce in our step that we’d like.
What’s Next?
Finally, I address what to expect in the coming year as we recover. Don’t expect that everything will go back to the way it was. It will take time to recover from the most difficult year in living memory. I also discuss things we can do to help. The main take-away is this: don’t expect too much from yourself. And self-care is always the best answer. Healthy eating, generous amounts of sleep, and gentle exercise are all critical.
The Pandemic: A Five Element Approach is a must-see! Also viewable on Facebook.
Acupuncture and Distance Healing
As our world turns to a global network, many people are finding more health resources at a distance. A lot of therapists have been developing methods of distance healing for their patients. Since acupuncture is energy medicine, it is ideal for just this sort of thing. Acupuncture uses the needle to focus qi/energy in the qi network of the body. As the ancients knew, and as physics has verified, all of the universe is nothing more than particles and waves of energy, appearing to be solid objects. And none of us can dispute the force of gravity, which is invisible in all ways but the scale and planetary movement.
The sun is 93 million miles away. And it can literally cook an egg on the pavement with nothing but photons. This is similar to how distance healing works. Distance doesn’t lessen the power of energy! Acupuncture is all about movement of qi. Therefore, it is very easy for an acupuncturist to do their craft over any distance, as long as the patient is ready and in a receptive state.
The beauty of virtual acupuncture is you can lie down at home on a couch or a bed and relax. Meanwhile, your acupuncturist performs the session in their office or anywhere that is conducive to privacy. After the session, there is no need to get up and drive home. In fact, I frequently sign off quietly and let people soak in the results in their own time. And the results are excellent. Sometimes the distance session goes even deeper than an in-person visit.
So whether you are living in a remote region or staying home due to covid, acupuncture is still available to you.
To learn more about the benefits of acupuncture and holistic care, click here for additional topics. Ready to give it a try for yourself? Book your next visit now! Services available both virtually and in person.
How Acupuncture Combines with Adjunctive Therapies for Holistic Wellness
You might not think of combining acupuncture with other holistic wellness practices, but it is a great option to pair with a variety of adjunctive therapies. Let’s look at three different options to see how they might compliment each other and benefit a patient’s overall health and wellness journey.
Perhaps the easiest way to express this concept is through the story of a fictional patient. Let’s look at the life of “Emma” and use her to illustrate just what such a wellness journey might look like. When Emma first walked into her acupuncturist’s office, she carried more than just physical pain. Years of chronic stress had manifested as migraines, insomnia, and a persistent feeling of being unmoored. Traditional medicine offered her temporary relief, but she longed for something deeper — a way to reconnect with herself and cultivate lasting well-being. That’s when her practitioner introduced her to a holistic approach, weaving together acupuncture with complementary therapies like sound bathing, essential oils, and herbal medicine.
Posted in Holistic Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tagged adjunctive therapies, essential oils, herbal medicine, holistic, sound therapy, tcm
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Finding Balance: How Acupuncture Eases the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
When someone receives a cancer diagnosis, it can feel like the world has tilted on its axis. The whirlwind of medical appointments, chemotherapy sessions, and the relentless tide of side effects can leave patients drained. Nausea, fatigue, and neuropathy can cloud the difficult days of treatment, making each step forward feel heavier than the last. Many oncologists are becoming wise to how acupuncture can offer patients a glimmer of relief to the side effects of cancer treatments.
Acupuncture, an ancient practice rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to restore balance and promote healing. For cancer patients, this practice has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering relief from the taxing side effects of rigorous treatments. continue reading
Posted in Acupuncture, Cancer Treatment, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tagged acupuncture, cancer care, fatigue, nausea, research, tcm
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The Benefits of the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
When people face a variety of health challenges or simply changes in how they feel and their relationship to food, they may change their philosophy and look to food as medicine. And for those diligent enough to do the research, they may discover the anti-inflammatory diet—a nutritional approach that some say has transformed their life. continue reading
Posted in Diet, Nutrition, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tagged anti-inflammation, diet, nutrition, tcm
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