Let’s be real: perimenopause can be a wild and unpredictable ride. Between the “internal furnace” of hot flashes, the brain fog that makes you wonder where you put your keys, and those 3:00 AM moments staring at the ceiling, it’s a lot to handle. While there are so many ways to navigate this stage, I…
Category: TCM
Feeling Off-Balance? How the Five Elements Explain Your Energy
Have you ever felt tired, unmotivated, or constantly restless—even after a full night’s sleep? You’re not lazy, and you aren’t broken. Your body is simply sending you a message through a system that has guided people for thousands of years: the Five Elements (五行). In this tradition, your energy—or Qi—is influenced by the world around you. Think…
Why You Feel “Heavy” (Even When the Scale Doesn’t Move)
The Sticky Truth About Dampness and Your Health For a long time, I didn’t really notice it, but once I hit my thirties, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I felt so sluggish and foggy every late summer. It wasn’t just the heat—it felt heavier than that. It was like I was suddenly…
Light, Sweet, and Healing: Snow Fungus Dessert Soup
We’ve been battling lingering dry coughs in our house lately—you know, the kind that leaves your throat feeling scratchy and restless. The weather has been all over the place, so today I reached for a remedy from my childhood: Snow Fungus Dessert Soup (糖水). What Is Snow Fungus Dessert Soup? It’s a light, slightly sweet Chinese…
Breaking Free from Food Rules, Finding True Nourishment
I used to think “eating healthy” meant following a long list of strict rules: no carbs after 6:00 PM, drink this before that, no more than 1,200 calories a day, and counting every gram of protein, fat, and carb. Or, no dessert allowed unless it was made with dates and almond flour. I tried almost…
Understanding TCM Body Constitutions: A Beginner’s Perspective
I was born and raised in Canada, but growing up in a Chinese household, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was always present in my life, thanks to my mom. Whenever we were sick, it wasn’t Tylenol or the usual Western remedies. Instead, my mom would brew up some bitter herbal tea that, to be honest, tasted…
Eating Well in Winter: TCM’s Guide to Staying Warm and Nourished
Winter’s officially here, and let’s be honest – who doesn’t crave a cozy, warm bowl of something comforting? But it’s about more than just satisfying a craving. What we eat this time of year has a massive impact on how we feel. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), winter is about conserving energy, supporting the immune…
Fall Wellness: TCM Tips for Nourishing Body and Spirit
Fall is a time of change. The air cools, the leaves turn beautiful shades of orange and gold, and everything feels a little slower and more reflective. In TCM, fall is the season that corresponds with the lungs and metal element and it’s all about nourishing your body, mind, and spirit as we transition from…
Summer Foods to Keep You Cool and Balanced, TCM Style
Summer is officially here, and you can feel it everywhere—longer days, sunshine, and that heat that just screams for ice-cold drinks. But here’s the thing: in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offers a different perspective on internal balance. Cooling the body isn’t about the temperature of the liquid, but rather using specific functional foods that naturally help…
Nourishing Your Body: The Best Foods to Eat in Spring According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Spring’s that time of year when everything starts to shake off the winter slowdown. Nature wakes up, plants start growing again, animals come out of hibernation, and we feel that shift too. Maybe there’s a bit of winter weight or sluggishness hanging around, but as the days get warmer, we’re naturally pulled outside, craving movement…