Holistic Care

THE ORGAN OF WINTER, VITALITY, LONGEVITY, AND FERTILITY

Believe it or not, according to the Chinese solar calendar, we’ve just passed into winter, and with that, we’ve also entered into the time of the year where the water element is the strongest. In Five Element theory, every element has with it an associated emotion, taste, special type of energy, and organ. The water element has a close relationship with the Kidneys, which in Chinese medicine are the seat of long life and fertility, so let’s dive in (pun intended) and get to know this precious organ and its meridian.

The Kidney Channel

The Kidney Channel begins on the sole of the foot at a point poetically named Gushing Spring, or ‘Yong Quan’ in Chinese. From there, it travels up the inside of the calf and thigh, up through the genitals and uterus, through several other organs before finally ending on the bottom of the tongue, although its points terminate just below the collarbone.

Effectively, the kidneys are considered to be to source of all life in Chinese medicine. The Qi of every other organ system in the body depends on flourishing Kidney energy to function properly. Indeed, the Kidneys are Read More

You may have had this experience; you came in for your first appointment at the Acupuncture clinic.  You and your provider have talked in depth about what brought you in, and about a whole lot of other things that seem kind of unrelated.  Then they ask you, ‘Can you show me your tongue?’

What?  Really?

Why do acupuncturists look at tongues? The simple answer is that the appearance of the tongue tells us a lot about your health! The more involved answer is that as practitioners of Chinese medicine, we believe that if one part of the body becomes diseased, other parts of the body will show signs of disease as well. Essentially, the tongue is a mirror for what is going on inside the body – past and present. Read More