The Fall season is a time to reflect and begin turning our energy inward. Many of us have had extremely busy fun-filled summers and our bodies are ready for a health tune up. As the days shorten and temperatures fluctuate from hot to cold, this is a wonderful time of year to boost the immune system. Practice good hand washing and up your probiotics and vitamins C and D. Drink plenty of water and get the proper amount of rest. Come for acupuncture prior to catching a cold to build your immune system. Watch out for those initial cold symptoms such as chills, body aches, fevers, sore throat and headaches. This symptom set is one which we call wind-heat. When noticed early, wind heat can be treated very effectively with acupuncture and immune forumlas such as Initial Defense, Flew Away or Yin Qiao. [Read more…]
Sailing the Waters of Zero Balancing
by Shanti Rae Lobaugh
You might be wondering: What exactly is Zero Balancing? This is a question I’m asked quite often. When answering, I like to toss out a question of my own: What do you think it means to be completely balanced? Visualizations of “balance” might include a gymnast perched confidently on a beam or a ballerina spinning gracefully on her toe. While these are great examples, I once read a really powerful analogy of what it looks like when several elements are in perfect balance and it has to do with sailing. If you’ve ever been on a sailboat or watched one sail by, you’ve witnessed a symbiotic relationship among wind, water and structure. As every sailor knows, in order to sail smoothly, the sails and hull (or “structure”) must be in correct alignment with the wind and water currents. Once these forces are balanced or aligned, the boat will sail right along–practically on its own. [Read more…]