Look Good, Feel Good: Winter Skin Tips
Skin is a vital protective organ and is also the biggest organ in our body. It both protects us and shows signs of our inner health and how our environment is affecting us. And, in Shanghai, our skin has a lot of protecting to do since the difference between seasons can be so dramatic. While summer is extremely hot and very humid (up to 80%), winter is very cold and dry...
In Sync with the Seasons: Winter Health TCM for Natural Winter Health
In wintertime the traditional Chinese Yin-Yang cycle reaches its Yin peak. It is the season of rest and passivity, during which nature reduces its activities. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recommends living in harmony with nature, therefore people should reduce their activity level during winter. In TCM, winter is related to the water element and associated with the organs kidney and bladder. The kidneys are the source of the kidney Qi which...
Gaofang: Keep Your Body Strong This Winter
“If you get good Gaofang tonic in winter, you can kill a tiger in the spring.” TCM does a great job addressing winter health and treating seasonal illnesses, due to its focus on strengthening the body to live in harmony with nature. Common winter ailments like colds and coughing can be effectively treated with herbal decoctions and acupuncture. Today, we’ll share how an ancient Chinese tonic can improve your overall health...
Conversations with Doris: How We Can All Benefit from Ancient Chinese Wisdom
The Best of Both Worlds: Bringing the Knowledge of TCM to Improving Health Today. The first Body & Soul location opened in 2004. So, how did an expat from Germany with a background in IT sales come to run one of the most successful healthcare organizations in Shanghai? How did Doris Rathgeber come to understand the Eastern approach to mind and body? And, what has she learned that might help...
Health Problems that Love Shanghai Summers
As the temperatures heat up, so do some heat-related problems commonly suffered by Shanghai residents. Here are some issues to watch for and tips to stay healthy and comfortable this summer!
Travel Rx: Healthy Summer Holidays
Summer holidays are here and many will make the most of it and travel home or to some fun locations. Travel can be demanding on the body, especially when crossing several time zones. Nothing derails fun holiday plans more quickly than illness or a serious case of jet lag. Here are a few of the most common problems brought on by the rigors of travel and some tips and solutions. Jet...
Living a Healthy Life in Shanghai
Recently, we shared some of the ways to create a healthy environment in Shanghai. Today, we’ll offer tips for personal health. We cover some of the main topics patients ask about and concerns that come up in our Shanghai Health and Wellness group. Is it possible to be healthy even when the environment around us isn’t always? Absolutely. The human body is strong and has powerful self-detoxing mechanisms. But, it needs...
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective in Childhood Asthma
Pediatric asthma is a quite common condition as approximately 10 % of children suffer from it and tend to develop it mostly between the age of 4 and 5. When an acute outbreak occurs, early symptoms are mild chest pressure and a dry cough, followed by bronchial spasm (sudden constriction of bronchi and bronchioles) causing cough and severe breathing difficulties. Acute outbreaks are triggered by infections of the upper respiratory...
Creating a Healthy Environment in Shanghai
Upon coming to Shanghai nearly 25 years ago, the environment was quite different. There were millions of bicycles, but very few cars. The air pollution stemmed from factories and people using coal for heating. Fireworks, street food and fires added to the bad air quality. Today, the problem is quite different. The government has made a lot of progress in controlling industrial pollution. The days of barely being able to see...