To support ourselves in the colder seasons, we take steps to strengthen yet not overstimulate immunity. Our immune response is impacted by everything from what we eat, to our handling of stress and, of course, to these seasonal thresholds. In the season of Fall, the natural world slowly begins its retreat back into itself, into cooler days and an inner focus instead of outer growth. A number of practices are essential to harmonizing with the Fall season and to regulate immunity at this time of year: Get extra sleep: We know that adequate rest is necessary for healing and building our resili ..read more

Food is a powerful vehicle for transformation. The Longevity Diet is a healing, rejuvenating diet, grounded in simple, whole, nutrient-rich foods. This non-dogmatic approach to nutrition serves as a foundation for the Academy Healing Nutrition. It is a deeply nourishing diet, combining time-honored culinary tradition along with Eastern and Western healing methods. Although rooted in ancient practice, the Longevity Diet is supported by modern scientific research. The essentials of the Longevity Diet are simple, yet powerfully effective. What we put into our bodies has a direct impact on the qua ..read more

  By Letha Hadady   If it looks like a grain, grows like a grain and tastes like a grain, it may be a seed. Seed grains (also called pseudograins) may be combined with traditional grains to supply high quality protein. Seeds commonly used as grains include quinoa, millet, amaranth, teff, Job’s tears (coix) and buckwheat. Seed grains are dense, rich in vitamins and minerals, low in allergens and have applications for therapeutic diets. They cook quickly, are alkaline and often contain amino acids that are complementary to those found in true grains like wheat, rye, barley and oats. E ..read more

By Letha Hadady Healing Acne With Traditional Chinese Medicine The holidays can be a happy time to celebrate with friends and family, but acne spoils fun. An acne attack may strike at any age. Stress, hormone imbalance, and unwise eating and drinking provoke temporary outbreaks because they increase inflammation. Traditional Chinese medicine offers a practical treatment strategy and simple teas to improve complexion as they detoxify acid impurities.  What Causes Acne? Acne is provoked by chronic inflammation affecting the digestive tract, which results in impurities in our blood. Emotions ..read more

*photo by Terry Richmond Moon rituals have been practiced throughout the world for millennia. This celestial body has long been revered for its power to control the tides of the oceans and those within our own bodies - we are made mostly of water, after all. The moon is also understood to influence our emotional self, in all its fluidity, and our access to our inner knowing.  Ceremonies that aim to align us with the qualities of each phase of the lunar cycle are an important part of many ancient traditions. Continuing these practices is a meaningful way to be in communion with the heartb ..read more

photo by Matthew Henry There is something that only you can do, in a way that only you can. What matters to you? What do you feel passionate about? Giving form to your passions and values is how you build the life and livelihood you are here for. There are so many shapes this could take. Here we share what some of our students have created through our course and now offer professionally. May this small sampling fire up your imagination, and inspire you to manifest your own right work in the world. Kristina Meyers, AHN class of 2020 www.hautlistic.com @hautelistic Kristina designed a 22-day p ..read more

By Letha Hadady Photo courtesy of @dikopelio Winter Solstice is the solstice marking the onset of winter, often falling on December 21st. Commonly known as hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice, winter solstice occurs when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun and happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere. As the uncommon occurrence where dark and light are equal, the winter solstice calls for balance and celebration, and gives us hope for improvement. My Winter Solstice breakfast is keyed to bring about health, balance and longevity. It features cooked and raw fo ..read more

By Letha Hadady Roger Green’s enjoyable “Barefoot Doctor” class at Academy of Healing Nutrition offers simple ways to keep you and family sane, healthy and safe from stress and germs. Not based on the traditional Chinese barefoot doctor treatments but rather suited to today’s needs, the class is a good guide for wellness care during home quarantine as well as everyday ways to reduce fatigue and aging.  Who were the Barefoot Doctors? The Maoist barefoot doctor guide to patriotic wellbeing was developed and written during China’s starving 1940s. Due to a period of crisis and turmoil, China ..read more

By Letha Hadady     The weather may be dark, cold and damp so that you feel like staying in bed with a book or playing with your cat. Cold and flu season starts in late fall, and, depending upon your immunity, can last until spring rains. During this time, we need nourishing, easily digested foods for prevention of illness and depression.  You may be waiting on line in a store or pharmacy hoping to pay and escape as quickly as possible. Do people cough or sneeze in your face? Does the subway crush seem more hazardous this winter? A severe cold/flu has been predicted this year ..read more

By Letha Hadady   Photo by Rebeca G. Sendroiu   The Importance of Gut Health Experts in the Natural Health community stress the importance of the microbiome, healthy bacteria that live in our gut (large intestine) and make digestion, absorption and immunity possible. They say a healthy gut underlies brain health, organ health, skin and hair health and immunity. That is because nutrition that is digested and absorbed in the gut passes through the thin gut wall into the blood. The gut wall is only one cell thick which makes it vulnerable to injury from stress, smoking, drugs, harsh an ..read more