Learn the basics of Chinese herbal medicine in this beginner class, including basic Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, nutrition and a few simple formulas to keep on hand for colds, flu, cough and allergy symptoms. Herbal medicine was common knowledge to communities of every culture. Just like knowing when to take aspirin, people knew when to…
What if our first line of medicine was gentle to our bodies and our planet? What if the first options we choose had no side effects and didn’t interact with any other treatments we may require in the present or future? What if this first line of medicine also relieved stress and helped us uncover…
Xiao Yao Wan or Free and Easy Wanderer is one of the most famous herbal formulas available to help regulate your Liver, Gallbladder and Spleen Organ Systems, bringing about a balanced feeling of emotional and physical harmony. We prescribe this formula to many people and have seen widespread improvements to their individual issues. The Liver…
Lupus is an autoimmune disease causing inflammation of the connective tissue. Western medicine doesn’t understand the cause of this difficult disease that mainly afflicts women. Men can also get this disease, but 9 in 10 people with lupus are women. Ninety percent of patients complain of joint pain, and 40% of patients have skin conditions and…
The tradition and clinical application of Chinese herbal medicine is dynamic and time tested. The first written documentation on Traditional Chinese Medicine is the HungDi NeiJing or Yellow Emperor’s Cannon of Internal Medicine. HungDi NeiJing is the oldest medical textbook in the world, how cool is that?! Different opinions date the book back to between…
Stress effects all of us. The more tools we have to reduce stress, the better we feel. Some tools work better at certain times than others and some aren’t always available. The more options we have, the more prepared we will be. So what can we do for ourselves to feel better and reduce stress?…
This week marks the astrological beginning if springtime. Spring is the time of the cleanse. We do our Spring Cleaning in the house and more and more, through advertisements and media, we are encouraged to do some internal cleansing as well. But what is a LIVER cleanse? What does it mean? Are all liver cleanses…
There are many ways to use natural products in attempts to gain and keep our health and vitality. I believe that herbal medicine is People’s Medicine and that we have rich traditions that can address most of our complaints while they are still in the beginning stages. One of my goals is to share simple…
To make an Herbal Infusion, use the delicate parts of the plant, like flowers and leaves. If you are using roots or branches, you will simmer it, which is a different process. Simply boil water, pour the water into a quart jar with about one ounce of herbs (or about 1 cup of water to…
I love herbs to kick colds and flus before they take hold. We have a few commonly used classic formulas that are used just when you start to get that tickle in your throat. Sometimes we miss the window of initial onset, or the herbs just aren’t enough and we get that cold or flu….
One the goals of holistic medicine, is to halt the progression of illness. We may catch a cold, flu or virus, but if we can take good care of ourselves, hopefully that initial illness will not progress further into pneumonia or other illness that require more medical care. We also have many uninsured and under-insured…
The last time I had the flu was about four years ago. I was in awe at how very bad you can feel in your body from something as simple and widespread as the flu. Since having the flu, I am much better at heeding the warning signs that my body offers, like a stratchy…