Skin Brushing, Friction, and Energy

by Dr. Bridgett Simon, ND LAc We often hear that our skin is our largest organ and it is true. It protects us physically from the elements as well as bacteria and microorganisms. Energetically and metaphorically skin also acts as a boundary.  During energy work, I am often creating protective boundaries for people’s energetic system. … Continued

Winter: A time to wait for the sun to rise

by Debbie Yu, MS, L.Ac   Chapter two of the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine) says:  “The three months of winter, they denote securing and storing…  do not disturb the yang [qi] go to rest early and rise late you must wait for the sun to shine (Unschuld)”   Winter … Continued

From the Vault: Self Care. Self Love.

By Chanda Joelle Zeigler, LMP, CSP   Massages are absolutely amazing right?! But how many of us are willing to commit or even have the extra time or money to add one more weekly appointment to our already packed schedules? I totally get it. The reality of our lives is that we are in constant … Continued

From the Vault: Season of Dryness! Some helpful tips…

by AIM Staff Fall is all about gathering resources and preparing for a cold and fruitless winter – a process that takes place all around us. Animals gather food and prepare cozy shelters and plants drop off leaves and seeds as resources are concentrated into the roots. As the seasons change, this process also starts … Continued

From the Vault: Healing with Honey!

By Dr. Brooke Azie-Rentz Recently I attended a conference on pain and wound healing at which one of the lectures was on bee products.  We talked about bee sting therapy, propolis, royal jelly, and all kinds of honey, with a focus on Manuka honey.  Seeing that this month’s newsletter was about the skin, I thought … Continued

Earth element – Beyond good digestion is a core sense of well-being

Debbie Yu, MS, L.Ac   Physically, the digestive system is at the center of our body and in Chinese medicine, it is often referred to as the “middle burner.” It composes of the Spleen and the Stomach, both of which relate to the earth element. With good digestion, we are able to extract and absorb … Continued

Herbal Medicine and the High Performance Athlete

By Erin Alberda, LAc   In an era of both doping scandals and unprecedented access to supplements (that all promise to make you younger, faster, stronger), how does the competitive athlete navigate what is safe? A little bit of personal history – up until 2012 I was an active national and international-level athlete.  I competed … Continued

Cupping: A useful technique to help clear congestion from the Lungs

Chinese Medicine is best known for its use of acupuncture and herbal medicine as tools for healing, but it also uses several other methods, such as cupping. Cupping is a technique that uses small glass or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the skin. Suction is achieved by using a flame to … Continued

Qigong: Lifting the sky

by Debbie Yu, MS, L.Ac   Qigong translates to “cultivating the life-force” It serves as a self-empowering tool to move energy, disperse stagnation and to increase energy. In Chinese medicine, fall is the season of the Lungs. The Lungs breathe in “fresh inhaling clear qi,” oxygen, and energy that support our immune system. Those with compromised Lung qi may … Continued

The Yin, Yang, and Fa Wu of Fats

by Erin Alberda, LAc We can’t get very far in talking about Traditional Chinese Medicine without delving into the theory of Yin and Yang.  It provides not only the foundation of our medicine as acupuncturists, but also a beautiful insight into Taoist philosophies and Chinese cultural history. So how do I summarize and distill millennia … Continued