In Sync with the Seasons: Winter Health
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 is composed of the prenatal Qi (stored in the kidneys) and the postnatal Qi (stored in the spleen). The prenatal Qi is given at birth by our parents. It is responsible for the renewal and regeneration of cells and tissue. It is said...
Addressing Back Pain
Some things you can do every day to keep muscles balanced and avoid the likelihood of pain: • Plan some exercise into every day. Do what you enjoy to stay motivated. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym. Consider walking, riding a bike to work, or taking classes such as yoga or dance. • Move around as much as possible when you’re at the office. Take short breaks to stand...
Can I Do Anything About My Child’s Behavior Problems?
Have you ever wondered what to say when your child struggles with frustration, teasing, jealousy, bullies, sibling rivalries, study difficulties, procrastination, inattention, or other hurdles? Some children may be labeled as ADHD at early age. These questions might pop into your mind as a parent: “Is there anything I can do?” “Can behaviors be learned, trained and changed?” “Can I do something other than rely on medication at such an early age?” The answer...
The Relationship between Dental Issues and Osteopathy
The musculoskeletal system of the body works to keep the eyes horizontally aligned; the head is key in converging with body posture to maintain this alignment. A misalignment in the jaw can cause posture dysfunction and numerous resulting symptoms. If the jaw is misaligned, jaw muscles have to work harder, thus getting fatigued. This in turn can lead to headaches, eye or sinus pain, pain in the neck, shoulder and...
Staying Healthy on the Road
If you travel, it can be especially tough to stay healthy. Many Shanghai expats travel a lot for work (and fun!) and keep busy schedules. Sometimes this leads to poor health and pain from an overly sedentary lifestyle. If you don’t make time to build in some movement and exercise, your body will pay for it in the long run. Here are some tips for staying healthy on the road and...
The sophisticated art of pulse diagnosis
While in western medicine the feeling of the pulse is more or less a daily routine check for everybody, in TCM this method stands for far more. It is part of the so-called “Palpation Examination”, a special form of pressing certain body areas to check out if any pathological changes took place. A distinctive empathy is required to interpret the patient’s pulse as well as a deep knowledge to differ...
Stories of Personal Growth : Shanghai Clients Share the Benefits of Family Tree Therapy
The techniques of psychogeneology (family tree therapy) enable clients to gain awareness of history, beliefs and patterns affecting their daily lives. Working with many Shanghai clients over the years, I have seen their personal development through this process. Though the specific outcomes are unique to each client, the process generally enables clients to shed limiting patterns, become emotionally healthy and more freely strive for their life’s purpose. You can learn more...
Understanding Your Family Tree to Find Your Own Path
The family tree is a tool I employ as a psychologist when working with many clients. Why? Exploring the family tree is a conscious decision to be aware of one’s heritage. Understanding that helps clients see the roots of their belief system and various issues. With a willingness to change, clients can overcome limiting patterns in order to better fulfill their life’s purpose. The process reveals ideas and baggage from the...
HPV: Awareness, Prevention and Treatment
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. The American Social Health Association estimates that about 75–80% of sexually active Americans will be infected with HPV at some point in their lifetime. Over 170 types of HPV have been identified and many people have subclinical varieties (never show symptoms). Unfortunately, certain types of HPV are potentially cancer causing. Because this virus is so common and often asymptomatic, HPV has...
Everything’s Connected: Osteopathy’s Holistic Approach to Pain and Wellness
Because Osteopathy is a holistic approach to realigning the body, it can help with many conditions. Osteopathy emphasizes manipulation of the muscoskelatal system, cranial bones and visceral treatment to positively affect the body's nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems. People commonly seek out osteopathy for pain, especially lower back, upper back and neck pain. Because of the positive effects throughout the body’s systems, osteopathy often helps conditions such as sleep problems,...