Spring has a natural feeling of change and rebirth about it. In traditional Chinese medicine, one of the organs connected with springtime is the liver. Both of these reasons make spring a great time to try cleansing. Cleansing can be thought of as taking a rest from certain foods in order to rid any excess waste or toxins from the body. In many ancient philosophies and religions, including traditional Chinese medicine, cleansing is thought to be a vital part of achieving opti

A study published in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine looked at how acupuncture might be able to inhibit injury to the liver caused by the prescription combination of morphine and acetaminophen. The study was conducted on rats that had been fed morphine and acetaminophen. Then, acupuncture was applied once daily to the rats. The researchers discovered the rats who received acupuncture also had less damage to their livers. This occurs because of the antioxidant-sti

Springtime has a natural feeling of rejuvenation and rebirth. The days get visibly longer, little green buds start to appear on the trees and hibernating animals come out of their winter slumber. For us, as humans, the lengthening days bring with them a natural urge to shed winter layers and move into new beginnings. Cleansing, either by eliminating things from your diet, introducing new things or clearing our spaces of unnecessary clutter, can be a supportive way to move int

Spring is generally regarded as a happy season, especially for those that live in areas where winter is cold and dark. Spring brings with it longer, warmer days, more sunshine, the rebirth of plants and more activity. But for many, the months of spring can also bring irritability, anxiety, sinus issues, allergy flare-ups and colds. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around for nearly 3,000 years, which gives the medical system, as a whole, a lot of credibility. TCM c

Traditional Chinese medicine says aligning your diet with the seasons is one of the best ways to stay healthy. Mother Nature provides exactly what we need to be healthy. Paying attention to the fruits, vegetables and herbs that grow during different seasons in the region where you live is a great way to incorporate the philosophies of traditional Chinese medicine into your own life and access greater healing. In the spring, TCM suggests eating cooling foods to balance out the

In traditional Chinese medical theory, one of the best ways to stay healthy is to live in balance with the seasons. Balance, in this context, means mindfully crafting your diet and certain aspects of your lifestyle based on what season it is. An easy way to think about this is with fruits and vegetables: we are lucky these days to have grocery stores stocked year round with fruits and vegetables from every corner of the globe at all times of year. That makes it possible to en