Briana and I started out in healthcare careers. She’s a massage therapist and Ayurvedic specialist and I’m a doctor of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (yeah, they still use the word Oriental), and for most of our professional lives, we’ve been focused on helping people achieve…
For the past two weeks, I’ve been writing about Daoism (Taoism), the nature-based philosophy that originated in China around 500 BC, and which seems to be ripe for modern humans. Previously, we explored jian or simplicity – one of the “three treasures” mentioned in the…
In our last newsletter, I introduced some of the basics of Daoist philosophy, including one of its “three treasures” – the concept of Jian, which means simplicity. The foundation of this simplicity is the understanding that the virtuous qualities we so strongly desire, yet often…
So you aspire to draw gasps of delight, rather than horror, as you pedal through Portland in the nude. Or, perhaps you just want to look good in a thong by summer. Well, you’re reading the right article. Your friends won’t tell you this, so…
In the great global sharing of wisdom that the past few decades have brought, Westerners have been exposed to all sorts of Eastern jewels. One of my favorites is Daoism (you may know it by its older spelling, Taoism). Daoism is a philosophy based on…
Around this time of year, I like to educate my clients on ways to live in harmony with the natural dynamics of winter. What winter represents is so vital and yet so absent from most Americans’ lives. In Chinese Five Element theory, winter is related…
This month I’ve been writing about ritual. Rituals can be quite mundane or magnificently ceremonious. Because I frequently encounter people who associate ritual with religion and have an ambivalence or even an aversion toward religion, I generally present ritual as something that’s yours to create…
As a young adult, buying an album was such a sweet experience. I’d browse the shelves of my favorite music stores in Boston. Next, I’d head over to the tight cobblestone streets of the North End for a giant piece of pizza at Giorgio’s. Then,…
Over the past couple years, our family has been rediscovering ritual. For many Westerners, the word ritual has religious connotations. We see religious ritual most prominently in the form of liturgy, the ceremonial services that are a major facet of Christianity (especially Catholicism and orthodox…
As 2016 approaches, perhaps your mind has been on certain lifestyle changes you plan to make or some goals you intend to achieve over the next 12 months. I think it’s important to be able to see where you want to go or who you…
They won’t be able to guess what it is by shaking it. It’s a healthier alternative to a bottle of whiskey for relaxation. Every time you call them to ask if they’ve made an appointment yet, they get a little reminder of how much you…
Last week I touched on a topic I’d like to revisit in greater depth: celebration. So many holidays converge around the darkest day of the year – from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas to Saint Nicholas Day to New Year’s to the Winter…
This is the time of year when many sweet non-Jewish friends ask if my parents are going to visit for Hanukkah, and I explain that, unlike Christmas, in the scheme of Jewish holidays Hanukkah is kind of a minor one. Moreover, it’s not a gift…
I grew up Jewish, so Christmas and all its accessories were a bit foreign to me as a kid. In my Christian friends’ homes I would see a big fancy tree, presents, candy canes, and sometimes elves, bells, angels, stars, wreaths, holly, candles, reindeer, birds,…
As much as I love the intricacy of human physiology and biomedicine, when I’m considering the whole health of a patient – their big picture – I like to step back and look for broad, simple patterns of imbalance. One such pattern that’s present to…
Embracing Your Inner Mermaid If you have a young daughter and you support female empowerment, chances are the topic of The Little Mermaid has come up in your conversations with other parents. In case you never saw the Disney version, it’s a 1989 film about…
Have you felt the weather shift recently? One of the things I love about Chinese five element philosophy is the concept of five seasons. The time of the transition to the fifth season – late summer – varies a bit from place to place, but…
As it warms up outside and everyone becomes more active, we in medical field see an increase in injuries, and sprains are a big one. For years, those of us in Chinese Medicine have winced at the recommendation of ice for sprains, since it goes…
In this series on weight, I’ve discussed numerous factors involved in weight gain. Now, I’m going to simplify it all in this list of strategies for healthy body weight. Although there are 34 items in this list, I’m not implying that you need to keep…
Last week I explained some of the many reasons why humans today have more trouble staying slim than ever before. These include differences in our lifestyles, food changes, chemical disruption, and several other factors. At the end, I offered an idea that has been on…
It’s optimal weight month at The Dragontree, and I’ve been thinking a lot about the overweight epidemic – particularly as I gained a bunch of extra belly insulation after my new daughter was born and have had to work harder than usual to lose it….