seasonal care

According to Asian thought, it is by observing the seasons that humans learn to flow gracefully with the circumstances of life. The recurring cycle of the year teaches us both the inevitability of change and the equality of all things. Community Acupuncture Berea offers all patients the opportunity to consider seasonal self-care and seasonal acupuncture treatments as part of a program for overall well-being.  

The basis for seasonal care is the belief that changes in the environment - including light intensity and duration, temperature and humidity - influence the natural cycles and rhythms of the body as we move from one season to the next. For thousands of years, Asian medicine practitioners have observed that these shifts may make individuals more vulnerable to disease. They found that with attention to one’s mind, body, and spirit during the transitions between the seasons, often along with an acupuncture “tune-up,” individuals are more likely to remain healthy and balanced.   

We encourage you to review the self-care information below, and be in touch if you would like to schedule a seasonal treatment.

How to make the most of your Spring / Liver / Wood energy
Chinese medicine associates the energy of Spring with growth, movement, and change. Within the body, this energy is related to the organ system identified with the Liver. According to Chinese medicine, blockage of the free flow of Liver energy can cause physical problems like headaches and digestive disturbances. Liver is also identified with the hun or personal soul, which flourishes with creative expression. What the Chinese call hun we might call imagination or vision. Lack of creative expression can lead to anger or frustration, also associated in Chinese medicine with Liver problems. More

Maintaining well-being in Summer
Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that it is important to notice what is happening in the natural world and to be in harmony with it. At Summer Solstice, the earth is closest to the sun, and for humans Summer is the time when we are most able to be our true selves and to be open to light. According to the classic text attributed to the Yellow Emperor who reigned in China during the third millennium BCE, the abundance of Summer derives from the merging of the energy (Qi) of heaven with earthly Qi. In nature, Summer is when “the 10.000 beings flower and bring forth fruit.” For humans, it is the season of maturity and creativity. More

Finding Balance in Late Summer
The Asian calendar has five seasons, not four. Late Summer or Harvest comes after the Fire of Summer and before Autumn, which is associated with Metal. Between mid-August and first frost is a time of fullness and abundance associated with the element Earth. In traditional Chinese thought, Earth also relates to the period between seasons, throughout the year- to those days that give a hint of what comes next, when more than one season seems to be present. Earth’s direction is center; it is the axis on which the cycle turns. Organ systems associated with Harvest/Earth are Spleen and Stomach, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine relate to the intake and assimilation of nourishment. Yellow and earth tones are the colors connected with this season. More

Ways to maintain well-being in Autumn
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, each season represents a particular quality of change. The movement of Autumn is related to shedding what is not essential. Leaves drop and we can see the structure of the tree. When we let go, we have less, but what we have is clearer and more precious. The associated element is Metal, the product of refinement from crystals to pure ore. Organs related to Autumn/Metal are Lung and Large Intestine, both responsible for extracting what is of use and eliminating what is not. Skin, with its pores, is also related to Autumn/Metal. Positive emotions related to Autumn include acknowledgment of what is valuable and relief like we feel after cleaning out the attic, getting rid of what is unneeded. Grief is the emotion that arises when we are unable to let go. More

How to make the most of your Winter / Water energy
Winter is the time of “closing and storing.” Water is the associated element, connected with stillness and potential movement, like a frozen lake. In winter, we need to hold our reserves deep inside to gather the powers we will need for the upward push of spring. More