24 Jul, 2017

​Chronic  Dehydration Now that summer in Baltimore is fully upon us, many people develop more active habits. Whether it is taking a trip, playing more sports, or simply being more social, it is easy to become unaware of how much water within the body is being used. I’m writing this post as a simple information guide about chronic dehydration and how it affects different systems in the body. First, let’s start with the basics. The human body is around 75% water. This indicates that every function

26 Jun, 2017

The Frequency of Autumn This is my fifth article discussing elements, and I just want to say that as a practitioner who studies and witnesses these elements in every facet of life, I find myself living by a certain degree of diligence around how I do things. I try to balance activities and daily routines by incorporating gifts of different elements. It almost feels like learning to speak a whole new language, and suddenly all these different frequencies around me make sense. Of course,

14 Jun, 2017

The Frequency of the Planet As summer begins to wind down and everything becomes hot and heavy, the earth element begins to show. In the five element cycle, it represents late summer when the flowers of the trees are now ripe fruits, and there is an abundance. It also brings with it a slow decline in activity and relaxation. From a more open interpretation, the Earth element is actually at the core of everything, showing up between seasons as the movement of life. The Earth is what holds

24 May, 2017

The Frequency of Spring  I have talked before in my water post about each element in Chinese Medicine having a certain frequency. That frequency matches all of the emotions, movements of qi and cycles associated with that element in the body, as well as similar frequencies in nature. When acupuncturists diagnose an element, we are using observable phenomena to assess the color of a person’s complexion, the sound of their voice, their odor, and their emotions. All of these phenomena are a

19 May, 2017

The Water Element Each element in Chinese Medicine has gifts, movements, strengths, weaknesses, and is of the utmost importance for a balanced life. Without one element the whole system falls apart. For a general overview of what the elements are check out our previous blog post. Today, we are going to explolre the water element. Water in Nature What can we observe from water in nature? It freezes, it evaporates, it forms rivers and contains the majority of life on this planet. One thing about

10 May, 2017

What are the Elements? The idea of elements or body types can be seen in many different healing modalities across time. Aryuvedic medicine and its Dosha’s are one example, and the Chinese Five Elements are another. These ideas of body types came from thousands of years of observing the natural world and how our bodies interact with it. In Chinese Medicine elements have a lot to do with regions, temperatures, times of year and lifestyle. It was born out of ancient agricultural society and the

05 Apr, 2017

What can Acupuncture Teach us About Nutrition? Nutrition & Society As an acupuncturist, I look at the whole person. Since we are what we eat, the whole person also includes diet. I often help patients tweak their diet in order to make shifts and improve symptoms. I love nutrition and utilize it a lot, but where Western nutrition differs from other traditions is that it doesn’t consider the energy of food and how it impacts the body. This is where I start to combine Western style diets with

29 Mar, 2017

Ancient Wisdom for Performance and Recovery After seeing many articles on Olympic athletes using cupping therapy, I figured I would write an article regarding how Chinese bodywork and acupuncture are used in the world of sports medicine. Let’s start with pain. What is pain exactly? It can be dull, achy, sharp, stabbing, moving, and much more. In this medicine system, pain is what occurs when qi and blood are no longer flowing smoothly through an area and they get stuck. That stagnation is what

22 Mar, 2017

Herbs A to Z Here is a short list of common herbs and some their medicinal uses from a Western herbal medicine school of thought. Remember to always know where your herbs are sourced and how they are handled. Especially when it comes to supplements and essential oils! Also, be sure to learn about an herb or consult a professional before using it. Some herbs may have a different use when taken internally vs. an external application, so think about what it is you want to accomplish.  Aloe (Aloe