I think we practitioners can all agree that Fu Zi is a very important herb in Chinese medicine. It is commonly recognized as “chief of the hundred herbs” and “the foremost essential herb in reviving Yang”. If you did not fall asleep in Shang Han Lun class, your instructor probably raved about its role in many of the formulas in that ancient text. For full disclosure, I did not fall asleep in my SHL class, although I came close a couple of times. What I did not realize at the time was not all Fu Zi are the same. It turns out that Huo Shen Pai (Fire Spirit School) Fu Zi has been grown and proce ..read more

Reposted with permission from Avicenna/Mazin Al-Khafaji Acne, or acne vulgaris as it is medically termed, is a very common inflammatory skin condition. In the UK, our NHS reports 95% of people aged 11-30 experience acne, with symptoms improving from the mid-20s once hormone production settles down. Saying that, we do see patients whose acne either begins or has continued into adulthood (approximately 3% of adults over the age of 35 encounter acne). Revealing itself across a spectrum of symptoms, our practitioners in the Avicenna Clinic regularly see patients experiencing oily skin, yellow sp ..read more

Reposted with permission from Dermatology-M/Mazin Al-Khafaji - UK From oily skin and yellow spots to blackheads, pustules and eruptive cysts, acne can exert a huge impact on our mental and emotional health – especially so when it appears on our face. While not contagious or life-threatening, acne is an incredibly uncomfortable, testing and even isolating skin tribulation. As we mention in our ‘what causes acne?’ article, you really aren’t alone in your acne experience, no matter how extreme it may be. Indeed, the NHS reports 95% of those aged 11-30 and approximately 3% of people over 35 expe ..read more

Let's try to comprehend how the Tian system actually works. First, I think it will help us think about it less than a system of pulse diagnosis, but more a system of ‘pulse prescribing’. The important difference here is that the pulse leads to a prescription, and this is in line with the classical approach of the Shang Han Lun where ‘the treatment is the diagnosis’. I would like to share my first time as a PCOM intern seeing this play out. I struggled as an intern until I found this system. After taking a pulse and finding guizhi, longgu, and muli findings, I knew exactly what formula to write ..read more

Traditional Chinese Medicine Postpartum Care (TCM PPC) is a special way for women who have just given birth to nourish their bodies back to health.  Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), also known as Eastern Medicine, is a centuries-old tradition that offers special postpartum care to new mothers.  This service is based on the concept of “Sitting The Month” /  Zuo Yue Zi, which simply means  to rest for a month after delivery.   Historically, “sitting the month” was reserved for queens, empresses, or very wealthy women who were able to focus on rest ..read more

A patient sits down in front of Dr Tian complaining of ‘pain of all bones of the body’. Dr Tian takes the pulse. First the left and then right hand. After this process the formula Ma Huang Fu Zi Gan Cao Tang plus Cang Zhu is shouted to a student, who leads the patient off to fill the prescription and also take the pulse themselves. Then the next patient arrives who also complains of pain, or in their words ‘full body bone aches’. Dr Tian again takes the pulse, first he takes the left then the right. However, the prescription Da Chai Hu Tang plus Yin Chen Hao is shouted to the next student. Th ..read more

Pic purchased and reposted with permission from Thomas Bisio (tombisio@gmail.com) Yoga Stretching Oil Flexibility combined with strength is part of the equation that allows us to move with coordinated ease, while simultaneously maintaining joint integrity. Some people are naturally flexible and easily able to maintain flexibility. However, for many maintaining flexibility is not easy, particularly as we get older. For centuries Chinese martial arts practitioners used herbal training formulas to help the body accommodate to different aspects of physical training, so it is no surprise that the ..read more

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Summer is associated with fire and the Fall with metal. Metal, in turn, is related to the lung and has the connotation of "letting go." We can see this in the changes that occur in the natural world as we go into the Fall“ Shorter days and longer nights, cooler air, and changing leaves. During this time of the year, it is imperative to maintain a strong and healthy respiratory system to prevent allergies and common colds. Acupuncture, along with aromatherapy from Flatiron District, NYC holistic healer Marc Gian, maybe what you need to go into the Autumn ..read more

Pic reposted from Marc Gian’s original article Fall is almost upon us! In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Fall is the season of the Lungs and the Metal Element. It is imperative to begin strengthening your system in September to prepare for this season to maintain health in the cold months. Many think of the common cold as something that they almost always have to experience during the colder months. Fortunately, this is not true. Whether you are looking to prevent common colds or alleviate the symptoms, Marc can help. For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture  ..read more

(*Reposted with permission of Tom Bisio) For the sports enthusiast or workout addict, a diagnosis of arthritis can be devastating. Although the term “arthritis” is often employed incorrectly and is frequently misdiagnosed, to most people it is synonymous with growing old and the end of serious training and competition. Arthritis simply means that there is inflammation in a joint that results in pain and swelling. One type of arthritis, called rheumatoid arthritis, is actually a systemic disorder associated with autoimmune dysfunction. However, when most of us use the term arthritis, we m ..read more