Chinese herbal medicine is a complicated and nuanced practice. People often view herbal medicine in simplistic terms like taking gingko for your memory or milk thistle for your liver. However, arriving at a diagnosis and prescribing an herbal formula for a doctor of Chinese medicine involves gathering information from the … [Read more...]
Knead to Know: The Wonders of Tui Na
Many people are surprised to find out that there are many healing techniques in Chinese medicine beyond acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Some of these healing modalities are used as stand-alone treatments, but in my practice, they serve more as accessory techniques that augment my acupuncture treatments to promote … [Read more...]
Unlocking the Power of Chai Hu: A Natural Remedy for a Wide Range of Conditions
Chai Hu is one of the most versatile herbs in the Chinese formulary. As a result, it is also one of the most common ingredients in Chinese herbal formulas. Chai Hu goes by a number of different names, including bupleurum, hare’s ear, thoroughwax, thorow wax, and sickle hare’s ear. Chai Hu originated in central China and … [Read more...]
What Causes Vertigo?
If you’ve ever suffered from vertigo, it’s no joke to say it can turn your world upside down. Unlike lightheadedness or minor dizziness, vertigo feels like everything around you is spinning out of control. It can be severe enough to cause nausea, vomiting, loss of balance and the inability to walk without falling. There … [Read more...]
Ge Gen, a Healing Herb or Invasive Nuisance?
In Chinese medicine, when you have a cold or the flu, it can be warm or cold in nature. A common cold with the sniffles, a mildly sore throat and a few aches and pains is considered to be cold in nature. However, if you get a bad cold or the flu in which you have a high fever, sweating and a very sore throat and thick mucus … [Read more...]
Digestion, the Foundation of Health
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think much about your digestion unless something’s going wrong. And there are a lot of conditions and symptoms that let you know your digestion needs some help. While it’s true that it’s easy to shrug off a little heartburn or bloating as no big deal, in Chinese medicine, the … [Read more...]
Does Menopause Cause Insomnia?
Going through menopause is different for every woman. Some women sail right through without much fanfare, while others experience symptoms, some of which can be minor and mildly annoying and others that can be severe enough to affect their quality of life. In many cases, the topic hot flashes and night sweats tend to be the … [Read more...]
Fu Zi, What is Internal Cold?
Fu Zi is a Chinese herb used to treat extreme internal cold. Wait…what? That’s right, in Chinese medicine, you can have such a thing as internal cold. To understand what that means, you need to know a couple of things about Yin and Yang. You may have heard somewhere that Yang is like the sunny side of the hill—warm, … [Read more...]
The Hidden Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Cannabis has been legal in Canada since October of 2018, the second country after Uruguay to legalize marijuana. Many people have taken advantage of the recreational aspects of legal pot, but many have also discovered the medicinal benefits of this herb. It’s a little bit ironic that the part of the plant that is most … [Read more...]
Did you know that Watermelon is Medicine?
There are a number of Chinese herbs that you might find in your spice cabinet, including cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. However, there are also herbs in the Chinese formulary that are actually foods. This includes a group of herbs that belong to the melon family. One of the most common and appealing foods in the Chinese … [Read more...]
Tinnitus? Try Black Sesame Seeds
For many people, their only exposure to sesame seeds are those that are sprinkled on top of a sandwich bun or a bagel. However, you may be interested to learn that sesame seeds are so much more than a garnish. They can offer a nutritional boost and be good for your health too. Sesame seeds come in two colors; black and … [Read more...]
Sharpen your Vision with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Goji berries are a Chinese herb that’s gained some mainstream popularity in recent years, to the extent that they’ve even been called a superfood. Called Gou Qi Zi in Chinese, but also known as Chinese wolfberry fruit, Goji berries are small, elongated red berries that grow on shrubby plants that are native to China. Gou … [Read more...]
To Drink or not to Drink?
With the coming of the New Year, many of us take a look at our lifestyle and health habits and think about making changes. Some may decide to be more physically active, tweak their diet or try to get more sleep in the coming year. However, another subset of people may choose to redefine their relationship with alcohol. In … [Read more...]
Chinese Herbal Medicine to Clear Phlegm and Improve Lung Health
In Chinese medicine, the flavor of an herb or food tells you something about its actions. That’s because, each flavor; sweet, salty, pungent (spicy), bitter and sour all have a different effect on your body and the organ systems affected. In general: Sweet affects your Stomach and Spleen, and is often used to help your … [Read more...]
How does Pulse Diagnosis work in Chinese Medicine?
I recently returned from an intensive seven day workshop in Amherst, MA on pulse diagnosis. It was the in-person culmination of a year-long online course focused on how to prescribe classical Chinese herbal formulas using pulse diagnosis. Not only did I learn a lot, but the course was held at the Sirius Community … [Read more...]
Peach and Apricot are Chinese Herbal Medicine
If you’re walking in an orchard during the late summer and looking for Chinese herbs, chances are that you’re looking for plants growing on the ground. However, for this month’s herbs, you’ll find them if you look up in the trees, in the form of peaches and apricots. The kernel from each of these stone fruits are a part of … [Read more...]
The Power of Chinese Medicine
An important and effective healing tool that we use at BodaHealth is that of Chinese Herbal Medicine. Because Chinese herbology is more complicated than buying a bottle of herbs at the drug store for your current symptom, and because the use of these herbs may feel unfamiliar to some, many people have questions. In … [Read more...]
Can Chinese Medicine Help with Stomach Issues?
If you’re having digestive problems, you may not think about Chinese herbs as a treatment. However, there are a number of useful herbs that are compiled into formulas in TCM that can promote good digestion and relieve your symptoms. TCM stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is a way to describe the use of Chinese … [Read more...]
Six Things to Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you’re well-aware of the impact this condition has on your quality of life. Not only is IBS uncomfortable, but it may also involve urgent bathroom visits, unpleasant bouts of constipation and embarrassing gas and rumbling. To make matters worse, people who don’t know much … [Read more...]
Get the Red Out: Help for Rosacea
If you’ve ever noticed someone with very red cheeks, you may have thought that they were sunburned or had just finished a hard workout, which may be the case. However, they may have a skin condition called rosacea. Primarily affecting the center of your face—cheeks, nose, forehead and chin—rosacea is a condition of redness, … [Read more...]
Moxibustion for Arthritis
In a previous post we introduced Moxibustion Therapy, which is an ancient yet 100% pure modality of healing. There is something rather mystically mesmerizing and relaxing about the Moxa smoke burning slowly and swirling in the atmosphere around you. At least, this is what my patients tell me! The feeling of Moxibustion … [Read more...]
Eleven Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, you’re not alone. An estimated 70% of adults report inadequate sleep (which should be 7-9 hours a night for adults) at least once a month, and over 10% report not getting enough sleep every night. And the impact of going without sleep is enormous. Consider this: … [Read more...]
Chinese Medicine and Nutrition
At BodaHealth, we frequently talk about Chinese food therapy and how it can be an effective component in treating a number of health conditions. If you’ve never experienced this kind of healing through food, you may think that it’s similar to conventional nutritional therapy, in which your diet is assessed for caloric … [Read more...]
Detox with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Whether you’re eating baked beans at a picnic, topping your salad with garbanzo beans or having refried beans alongside your burrito, you’re promoting good health. That’s because beans are a good source of dietary fiber and B vitamins, and when combined with whole grains, such as brown rice, they form a complete protein. … [Read more...]
Dark Chocolate for Heart Health
Dark chocolate for heart health? Yes folks, you read correctly! Another great reason to enjoy dark chocolate! Keep reading before you have a change of heart, & don’t miss a beat! Scientists wholeheartedly believe that the infamous cacao bean is packed with antioxidants (more so than found in green tea!) and the … [Read more...]
