East Meets West: Healthy Winter Spices
These herbs and spices do more than smell good. They are often used in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) remedies for their healing properties. The Chinese have long categorized herbs and foods by their temperature effects (cool, fresh, neutral, warm and hot) on the body. Most of these spices are warming, which is naturally fitting for the season and is another reason we feel emotionally “warm” when we smell them. Here are...
Beyond Valentine’s Day: How to Nurture Romantic Relationships
How to be a Real Romantic: Beyond Candy & Flowers We celebrate romance on Valentine’s Day, but love and relationships are an ongoing “discipline”, something we need to work at and celebrate every day. All couples need to practice that discipline, especially as they face different challenges and life changes. Some common relationship issues that Shanghai residents come to us for include infidelity, communication problems and issues regarding the individual’s personal path....
Planning and Manifesting Your Best 2017
Many times “new year’s resolutions” fail because we state an intention but then we don’t focus on it. This may come from the fact that we don’t spend time reflecting on what we really want and how we will put energy towards those goals. Rather than making failed resolutions again this year, here is a plan for manifesting your best 2017: 1. Think about what your values and priorities are. Be...
Was 2016 a Really Bad Year?
How to Close Out 2016 on a Positive Note • Be aware of things you’ve learned about yourself. This is an important way to reframe your experiences and use them to continue making positive changes. • Be grateful for the people who appeared in your life and for those who have left. This last part is especially important in Shanghai where people come and go frequently. It’s easy to dwell on the...
How to Ruin the Holidays
1. Compare and complain. For example, if you go home to a small town you can focus on how nothing is as exciting or interesting as Shanghai (and tell everyone about it). If you stay in Shanghai for the holidays, you can complain about how much better the holidays are at home. 2. Take everything personally. The holidays bring out a lot of emotions and we can easily fall into a...
Join the Shanghai Health & Wellness Group!
Body & Soul is proud to announce the creation of the Shanghai Health and Wellness discussion group on Facebook, where members can share articles, exchange ideas and ask questions about healthy living in Shanghai. This group is for people living in (or planning to come to) Shanghai who want to live a happy, healthy life! Learn about TCM, holistic health, psychological and physical well-being, ask the experts and share tips...
Functional Medicine: What Patients Can Expect
Functional medicine offers solutions for patients with chronic illness. It enables patients with chronic health issues to identify the root causes of multiple symptoms and address them directly to achieve optimal wellness. What is the process like for the patient? Getting Started A functional medicine practitioner seeks to understand the patient and create a partnership, so the initial visit centers on talking with the patient to thoroughly understand the situation. Testing Functional medicine is...