Little Sage Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine

This week I’m in Massachusetts for a pulse retreat learning advanced skills in pulse taking according to classical Chinese medicine tradition. Here are some pictures from my trip.

Have you ever wondered why we pay so much attention while taking your pulses at the clinic? It’s one of the major diagnostic tools that we use to assess the state of your body’s organs, balance of vital energies, and presence of disharmonies.

Practitioners examine the pulse at three radial artery positions on each wrist, with each corresponding to specific organs and body regions. The pulse reveals various qualities such as rate, rhythm, strength, and texture, each offering insights into different aspects of your health.

Do you have a question about Chinese medicine that you’re curious about? Reply in the comments below.

🌞✨In Traditional East Asian Medicine, the summer season is associated with the Fire element and the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. It’s a time of peak activity, growth, and energy when it’s essential to balance the body’s internal heat with cooling, hydrating foods and herbs. 🌿💧

Here are some summer foods and herbs that can support holistic healing and promote overall wellness during this vibrant season.

Cooling Foods for Balance

🥒 Cucumbers: Known for their high water content, cucumbers are incredibly hydrating and cooling. They help clear heat from the body, reduce inflammation, and support the function of the urinary system.

🍉 Watermelon: A quintessential summer fruit, watermelon is not only delicious but also a great source of hydration and antioxidants. It cools the body, quenches thirst, and supports cardiovascular health.

🥝 Kiwi: A cooling food that helps to clear internal heat and promote hydration. Their sweet and sour flavor aids digestion, while their cooling properties make them perfect for balancing the body’s temperature during the hot summer months.

🌱 Mung Beans: In Traditional East Asian Medicine, mung beans are considered one of the best cooling foods. They can help detoxify the body, reduce heat-related symptoms, and support digestion.

Herbs for Harmonizing Energy

🌿 Mint: With its refreshing and cooling properties, mint is a popular herb in summer. It can help soothe indigestion, alleviate headaches, and promote mental clarity.

🌼 Chrysanthemum: Chrysanthemum tea is a traditional summer beverage that helps cool the body, clear the eyes, and calm the mind. It’s often used to relieve symptoms of heat-related conditions like red eyes and headaches.

🍋 Lemon Balm: This lemon-scented herb has calming properties that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and insomnia—common issues that can arise during the high-energy summer season.

Check out my bio for more free resources and get started on your healing journey today.

🫶 Surprised with the sweetest treat from one of our amazing patients today! 🫶She made my family these amazing homemade scones.🥰As soon as my kids saw it they went crazy. What a wonderful treat for Friday!

One of the best parts of my job is the incredible connections we build with our patients. It truly feels like family here at the clinic. I’m so grateful for the trust you place in us and the joy you bring into our lives.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey and for these delightful scones! 🍰❤️

What’s your favorite homemade treat? Share your favorite in the comments!

# ComfortFood

Did you know that the most profound medicine to heal the body is already found within you?

For many this concept is hard to believe because we’ve been raised in a modern society where we were literally taught to rely on other people to make us feel better. In particular we were taught that only doctors and health professionals have the power and the ability to treat us when we get sick.

To get deeper into it, for many of us, it was generations of erasure of our connection to the deep ways of knowing, to our traditions and practices that relied on a more natural way of healing that is more closely aligned with how our bodies are meant to move and function.

Before the advent of modern medicine, our ancestors have relied on the natural healing of plants and tapping into the energy within us and around us to heal our bodies.

We have within us the power to reconnect to this body wisdom.

In a world that often applauds bold actions and loud declarations of bravery, this quote serves as a gentle reminder of the strength found in quiet resolve. The essence of courage is not about the volume of our efforts but in the unwavering commitment to face each new day with hope and determination.

Life is filled with challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt. Faced with a health challenge, the journey can even be more daunting. This requires a reservoir of inner strength and resilience.

Especially if you’re going through a tough week, I hope you draw strength from the subtle yet profound courage that whispers, “I will try again tomorrow,” knowing that in that quiet declaration lies the power to persevere, evolve, and embrace the journey ahead.

How did you feel when you read that quote?

Discover the healing potential of Qigong. Only one more day left to catch the replay of me guiding you through a Qigong practice on World Qigong Day. Don’t miss it because I’ll remove access to the video tomorrow! See link in bio.

🌟 Join me on World Qigong Day and unlock a world of possibilities for your well-being! 🌿 Experience Enhanced Vitality, Symptom Relief, and Renewed Health & Well-being through the power of Qigong. 🌺 Let’s revitalize together! Sign up for free link in bio.

Endometriosis isn’t ‘just a woman’s problem.’🚫 It’s a global health issue impacting 1 in 10 women 🌍, causing painful periods, chronic discomfort, and even fertility challenges. Many women suffer in silence 😔, their pain dismissed as ‘part of being a woman.’ But it’s time to change that narrative. Endometriosis deserves attention, understanding, and thoughtful care 💛. It’s not just about physical pain; it’s about acknowledging the toll on mental health 🧠, relationships 💑, and quality of life 🌈. Let’s bring this to light during endometriosis awareness month.💪🎗️

💪🌸 This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the incredible strength and resilience of women. From maintaining personal health to caring for families and communities, women truly are the backbone of wellness. 🏃‍♀️🍎 Let’s amplify their voices, share their stories, and continue to promote health and well-being for all women worldwide.

Certain emotions, particularly profound ones like love, are often communicated without words. It’s an intuitive, silent understanding that transcends spoken language.

In Chinese medicine, the heart houses the Mind (Shen) and governs the blood. Emotional unrest, stress, or anxiety can disturb the Heart’s function, leading to symptoms like insomnia, palpitations, or restlessness.

Rose buds, or mei gui hua in Chinese medicine, soothes the Heart and calms the Spirit, which can help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and insomnia, and promote mental well-being.

The Rose Bud speaks the love language of the heart. It’s a beautiful reminder that we can find wellness and peace in the simplest of nature’s gifts. The next time you encounter the aroma of a rose, take a moment to breathe it in deeply, appreciating not just its pleasing scent, but also the profound effects it can have on your body and mind.

This Valentine’s Day, let’s remember the importance of self-love and turn our attention inward. East Asian Medicine emphasizes the heart, our emotional center, and the Shen, our spirit, both requiring care for overall wellness.

Learn how to do heart centered breathing as a self-care practice (see my blog link in bio).

Wishing you a heart filled day!

Happy Lunar New Year! From my family to yours!

Happy Lunar New Year!

This year, we welcome the Year of the Wood Dragon—a celestial sign in the Chinese zodiac that combines the dynamic power of the Dragon with the nurturing growth of the Wood element.

From an East Asian Medicine perspective, the Year of the Wood Dragon could inspire dynamic growth and powerful transformations. It’s a time for bold actions and big dreams, tempered with the wisdom and flexibility of the Wood element.

Read more about the significance of the Wood Dragon and how to keep yourself healthy by aligning with the energy of the new year in my blog (link in bio).

Wishing you longevity and health.

Chasing sunsets with my little ones. Grateful for these moments that set the tone for a year filled with love and joy. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful new year! 💖

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the deluge of distressing information in the news. While staying informed is vital, it's equally crucial to safeguard your mental and emotional well-being.

Self-care is not a luxury; it's a lifeline. It's about setting boundaries on your news consumption, choosing reliable sources, and finding time for activities that bring you joy. Nurturing your well-being is an act of self-compassion that allows you to weather the storm.

⚡️Resilience is your capacity to adapt and recover from adversity.

💫Amidst distressing news, hope is your beacon of light. Focus on solutions, take positive action, practice gratitude, and, when needed, seek professional support. Hope is not the absence of despair; it's the courage to move forward, believing in a better tomorrow.

🦋In these turbulent times, remember that your well-being matters, not only for yourself but for the world.

✨You are not alone, and together, we can build a more resilient, compassionate, and hopeful world.

I have free resources for you in the link in bio to help relieve feelings of stress and anxiety and help cultivate resilience and hope.

What does the changing of the seasons mean in Traditional East Asian Medicine?

Fall is a time of change and transformation, not only in nature but also within our own bodies. In Traditional East Asian Medicine fall holds great significance and offers valuable insights into maintaining our health and well-being.

Break free from the cycle of exhaustion, burnout and chronic illness.

Free Training! This training is only available for a limited time the week of October 2, 2023.

Learn the tools and strategies to master stress, prevent and reverse the effects of chronic illness.

I’ll be revealing the exact Zen Blueprint to get out of the cycle of stress and overwhelm to reclaim your health.

You’ll learn some breathwork and Qigong to achieve quick calm.

Sign up in the link in bio. You won’t want to miss this!

🌵 Dragon Fruit Goodness Straight from the Garden 🌵

One of my patients just made my day by sharing some homegrown Dragon Fruit! 🍂🌞

You might know it as "pitaya," and it's got some cool health perks:

🍃 Cooling & Hydrating: With its high water content, dragon fruit keeps you well-hydrated.

🌟 Fight Free Radicals: Dragon Fruit packs antioxidants to help our bodies battle the bad stuff, keeping us healthy and energized.

🍽️ Happy Tummy: It's also kind to your digestive system, which is great for savoring all those fall flavors.

🩸 Steady Energy: And when you're enjoying pumpkin spice everything, the fiber in Dragon Fruit can help steady your blood sugar levels.

💪 Nutrient Boost: With essential vitamins and minerals, Dragon Fruit gives you a little extra oomph, so you're ready for the season's adventures.

Big thanks to my patient for this tasty gift! 🌿🍂

⚡ Within each of us lies a remarkable capacity for healing.

💆 Self-massage and acupressure are powerful tools to unlock and activate your innate healing potential.

✨ Activation of specific acupressure points opens the door to profound physical, emotional, and spiritual healing

One of the immediate benefits of self-massage and acupressure is the relief they provide from symptoms such as releasing pain and tension.

Try this quick shoulder and neck release:

Sit or stand with your back straight.Take a few deep breaths. Place your fingertips on the base of your skull where it meets your neck. Apply gentle pressure and make small circular motions with your fingertips. Slowly move your fingers down along the sides of your neck, massaging the muscles as you go. Focus on any areas of tension or discomfort. This technique helps release built-up tension in the shoulders and neck, providing relief from stress-related tightness.

There are several acupressure points on the base of the neck and shoulders and by massaging this area, you also activate these points.

💫 As you engage in practices such as self-massage and acupressure, you cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness, mindfulness, and self-care.

For free resources see link in bio.

Women often wear multiple hats, juggling careers, families, and community responsibilities. We excel in many areas of life, but amidst the hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget a crucial role: taking care of ourselves.

Many of us have experienced that nagging sense of guilt when even thinking about taking time for ourselves. The sources of this guilt are numerous and deeply ingrained in societal expectations.

Our society often places immense pressure on women to be the ultimate caregivers, homemakers, and high-achievers, leaving us feeling guilty for considering our own needs.

The fear of being judged or labeled as selfish or lazy by others can intensify our feelings of guilt when we dare to prioritize our well-being.

However, it’s important to shift our mindset and recognize that self-care isn't selfish; it's a necessary investment in our physical and mental well-being. By taking care of ourselves, we're better equipped to excel in all our responsibilities.

Embracing self-care is a journey that involves redefining societal norms, setting boundaries, and practicing self-compassion. Remember, prioritizing self-care doesn't mean you’re neglecting your responsibilities; it means ensuring you're at your best to tackle them. 💪🏾⚡️

I felt like back-to-school kind of crept up on us and I suddenly found myself at Target on Monday sorting through a pile of school uniforms only to find out none of them were the right color or size! Late again to the game this year 😆. Who can relate to this?

Which got me thinking, how do you gracefully navigate the back-to-school whirlwind?

Amidst the chaos, there's a simple yet transformative practice waiting for you: mindfulness.

It might sound too simple, but these mindful moments can really dial down stress and rev up your productivity.

Read my latest blog (link in bio) to explore how these quiet pauses can reshape your day. Mindfulness can help with stress reduction and build the ability to handle anything life throws your way.

Getting this batch of dried loquat leaves ready for the cold and cough season. My daughter helped me prepare them after harvesting them from my in-laws garden a few months ago.

Loquat leaves in Traditional East Asian Medicine are often used to address respiratory issues, including coughs and congestion. Made into a tea, it helps alleviate phlegm and soothe irritated airways.

Look what made it on to my rosemary drying racks… 😆

I like to preserve rosemary all year long from our garden. I love the smell. The aroma of rosemary is known to have soothing and calming effects on the mind and body. Rosemary also has insect-repellent properties, so I like to put it in my flour and rice to keep the bugs out.

Strong roots, unwavering resilience. Embrace challenges fearlessly with a solid foundation.

This is Little Sage turtle at the clinic and today one of my pediatric patients made her a bed and flowers made out of balloons. Little Sage can rest happy tonight :) 🐢💐

See link in bio to watch the video👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽 teaching you a short Qigong routine to harness the yang energy of the summer, cultivate the fire element and the energy of the heart.

The summer solstice marks the day with the longest period of daylight in the year. Today, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and the daylight hours are at their peak, resulting in more sunlight than any other day of the year.

It’s a powerful time to practice Qigong. The summer solstice represents the pinnacle of yang energy, symbolizing vitality, expansion, and abundance. It aligns with the principles of balance and harmony within the body and the natural world.

Qigong is a mind-body-spirit practice originating from ancient Chinese traditions that combines gentle movements, breath control, and focused intention to cultivate and harmonize the body's vital energy, known as Qi, for improved health, vitality, and spiritual well-being.

The summer solstice carries spiritual significance as a time of abundant light and transformative energy. It symbolizes the peak of the sun's power and represents a profound shift in nature's cycle.

The solstice invites us to embrace growth, release what no longer serves us, and welcome the warmth of new possibilities. It reminds us to align ourselves with the rhythms of nature, nurture our inner fire, and embrace the transformative power of the sun.

In Long Beach, CA, mornings are still gloomy but according to the calendar, summer is just around the corner.

In the East Asian Medicine Five Elements system, summer is associated with the element of Fire. The Fire element is linked to the heart, pericardium and small intestine organs, as well as emotions such as joy, passion, and love.

Just as the sun radiates warmth and light, the Fire element in Chinese medicine is considered the source of warmth and vitality within the body. It governs the circulatory system, regulates emotions, and influences mental and emotional well-being. During summer, the Fire element is believed to be at its strongest, reflecting the vibrant energy of the season.

What’s the science behind how acupuncture works? How does it affect your hormones? What’s happening to your body when you get acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the best ways to support hormones naturally.

Acupuncture can influence the endocrine system, which plays a vital role in hormone production and regulation. It does so in these ways:

Acupuncture modulates the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and regulates the production of stress hormones.

Acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood enhancers. Endorphins can help alleviate stress, promote relaxation, and regulate the release of hormones related to mood, sleep, and reproductive health.

Acupuncture influences the activity of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These neurotransmitters play a role in mood regulation, stress response, and hormone balance.

Acupuncture helps restore the smooth flow of Qi (energy), ensuring optimal organ function and hormone regulation.

Did you know stress can affect your hormones? It can cause irregular, heavy or painful periods, depression, anxiety and mood swings, can affect sexual function, cause fertility issues, and worsen menopausal symptoms.

Recently, I sent a survey asking your most common hormone imbalance questions. See the link in bio to watch the video where I answer your most common hormone imbalance questions and talk about the blueprint for hormone balance the mind-body-spirit way.