Every so often, my feed fills up with reels claiming ginger is the answer to just about everything. Bloated? Drink ginger tea. Headache? Take a ginger shot. Feeling sluggish or coming down with something? Ginger, ginger, ginger. Apparently, we should all be adding ginger to our daily routine. Don’t get me wrong, ginger has its…
Category: TCM
When Drinking More Water Isn’t the Answer
TCM has a different way of looking at dryness, and it goes beyond how much water you drink. Have you ever felt like you’re drinking water all day, carrying your water bottle everywhere, and still feeling completely parched? Your lips are chapped, your skin feels dry, your eyes are irritated, and you wake up with…
Understanding Yin in Women’s Health
There’s a kind of tiredness that a good night’s sleep doesn’t always seem to fix. You go to bed, get up the next morning, and carry on with your day. You’re functioning. You’re getting things done. But you still don’t quite feel like yourself. It’s almost as if you’ve charged your phone overnight, only to…
The Organ That Doesn’t Exist (But Runs Everything)
So, here’s something interesting. In Chinese medicine, there’s an “organ” that doesn’t actually exist as a physical body part. It’s called the San Jiao, or the Triple Burner. There’s no tissue you can cut open or see on an ultrasound and Western anatomy doesn’t recognize it at all. But TCM treats it like one of…
The TCM Organ Clock
Your body has a schedule. Here’s what it’s doing every two hours. I’ve noticed that how I feel at 3pm can be completely different from how I feel at 3am, and it’s not just because I’m tired. Our bodies have their own daily rhythms, and things like digestion, hormones, and energy levels change throughout the…
When Your Mind Won’t Slow Down (A Gentle Look at Anxiety Through TCM)
Ever have one of those nights when you just can’t switch your brain off? You’ve made it through the whole day, you’re finally in bed, and the minute your head hits the pillow, your mind starts going. You’re thinking about that awkward conversation from years ago, making a mental list of everything you need to…
Wei Qi: Understanding Your Body’s Protective Energy
Some days I stride through the cold without a second thought. Other days I wince at the slightest breeze on my neck. It wasn’t until I started paying attention to those sensitivities that I truly began to understand Wei Qi. I’ve noticed this in my own body, and for a long time, I didn’t really…
The Perimenopause Tea: 4 Ingredients, Centuries of Wisdom
Perimenopause can feel like your body suddenly has a mind of its own. Hot flashes, 3 a.m. wake-ups, brain fog that has you walking into a room and forgetting why you went in there. It’s a lot. And while there’s no single fix for any of it, I wanted to share something that’s been part…
Feeling Off-Balance? How the Five Elements Explain Your Energy
Ever wake up after a full night’s sleep and still feel completely drained? Or just flat, unmotivated, restless for no obvious reason? Same. And for a long time I thought something was just wrong with me. It’s your body trying to tell you something, and one of the oldest frameworks for understanding those signals is…
Stuck, Bloated, and Tired? Your Body Might Be Showing Signs of Dampness
Have you ever had days when you feel heavy, bloated, and tired, and you can’t quite figure out why? Your body feels sluggish, your head feels foggy, and even when you haven’t done much, you feel like you could use a nap. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these are some of the feelings that may…
Light, Sweet, and Healing (Snow Fungus Dessert Soup)
We’ve been dealing with lingering dry coughs in our house lately, the kind that leaves your throat scratchy and uncomfortable. The weather has been all over the place, so I did what my mom always did and made snow fungus dessert soup, 糖水. So What Is It? It’s a light, slightly sweet Chinese dessert soup…
Breaking Free from Food Rules
I used to think eating healthy meant following a whole list of rules. No carbs after 6 pm. Drink this before that. Stick to 1,200 calories. Count every gram. And dessert? Only if it was made with dates and almond flour. I tried so many of these things, and while some seemed to work for…
Understanding TCM Body Constitutions: Which One Are You?
I grew up in a Chinese household in Canada, where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was just part of life. Whenever we got sick, my mom would brew some bitter herbal tea that honestly tasted awful. I didn’t appreciate it much as a kid, but looking back, I’m glad I grew up learning about a different…
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 starts to cool down, the leaves turn those deep shades of orange and gold, and everything just feels a bit slower and more reflective. In TCM, fall is tied to the Lung and the Metal element. It’s a season that’s all about nourishing your body and mind…