Enter the Wood (Green) Dragon: 2024

Happy Lunar New Year! Bonne Année Lunaire! Xīn Nián Kuài Lè! 新年快乐

La version française est ci-dessous

The Wood Dragon officially landed on February 10th, 2024.

What does this mean, and how might it affect your life?

Each year of the Chinese Lunar Zodiac is comprised of three parts:

  1. One of the twelve animals (this year is Dragon)
  2. One of the five elements (this year is Wood) The colour of Wood is green
  3. Yin or yang (this year is Yang)

These three parts show us how this year’s universal energies are moving, and whether they are in harmony or discord.

The Yang Wood Dragon can bring you incredibly good fortune and exciting possibilities if you are in harmony with the energies this year.

The Dragon is associated with power, vitality and change.

Wood is associated with growth, manifestation and achievement.

Those born in the Year of the Dragon are energetic, adventurous, courageous, unpredictable, generous, ambitious, charismatic, perfectionists and full of creative energy. The Dragon is considered to be the most mysterious and powerful sign.

Dragons are the only animal in the Asian Zodiac that can fly. They therefore have the unique ability to see the whole picture, as if from above. They are also the only mythical animal among the twelve, which makes them inherently undefinable.

That’s why no one can accurately predict what will happen in a Dragon year.

Some Chinese mystics believe Dragons do exist, but we cannot see them, and they are the forces of nature that influence the weather. This is why traditional Dragons are often depicted in clouds, mountains or valleys.

After four intense Yin years (the Metal Rat in 2020, the Metal Ox in 2021, the Water Tiger in 2022 and the Water Rabbit in 2023), the year of the Dragon brings strong Yang Qi and promises to unite people in more joyous ways and to be a catalyst for incredible change and growth.

Strong positive Yang Qi brings a lot of potential, but this year also includes a significant caveat, which is the Dragon’s unpredictability. The results lies in how this energy is channelled. And you are the channel!

So how might this powerful Dragon affect your life? And how might you best align yourself to bring abundance and positivity to your life this year?

The secret of the Ancients was to use the year’s energies to align themselves with good health and good fortune.

The elements of the Dragon (Earth) and the Year (Wood) are in disharmony this year, since Wood restrains Earth.

Because Wood restrains Earth, and the element of the Dragon is Yang Earth, we must take corrective action to counteract the disharmony.

The cure is two-fold:

1) Bolster and protect our Earth element.

2) Harmonize and channel our Wood elements.

Below are some “tips” to help apply the cure and make this the best Dragon year possible!

5 Tips to Make the Most of the Yang Wood Dragon Year!

#1: With great power comes great responsibility.

Wood is the energy of Rising Yang. Wood is the energy of the spring, of morning, of the rising sun and of plants growing upwards towards the light. It is associated with movement, planning, productivity, growth, reaching towards a goal and desires.

It is called Wood because plant energy grows in an upward and outward direction.

If a plant is not growing, it is dying. The Wood element in us must always be moving, growing and spreading Qi. If it is not, then our Qi (our energy) gets stifled and stuck.

This leads to Qi stagnation, which eventually leads to illnesses and/or pain in the body.

In our lives, if our Wood Qi is not flowing and we develop Qi stagnation, we may begin to feel dissatisfied and depressed and/or frustrated and angry.

This is a Yang Wood Year, so 2024 will bring a lot of fresh rising Yang energy. Enough energy to help break through any stagnate Qi, as long as we collaborate with the Dragon and do the work.

We can’t expect the Dragon to magically lift us out of our problems without putting in the work. If we want to transform our garden, we need to dig out the weeds, nourish the soil and water our plants.

With these three intentions, your garden will flourish!

So the key to success this year is to treat all the projects you want to grow or manifest as plants.

If your plant (project/plan) is growing well and looking healthy and vibrant – then keep nourishing the roots and encouraging its growth.

If your plant (project/goal) is encountering road blocks or facing certain challenges that are impeding its forward momentum – then lean into the obstacle and face each detail until it becomes resolved and the Qi can flow again.

This is what is meant by taking out the weeds and pests from your garden.

Ignoring a predatory insect or weed infestation in your garden, while continuing to water it regardless and wondering why your produce is poor, is like increasing the pressure on a hose that is full of holes hoping that more will come out at the end.

Your body, mind, and your life is like that hose. The Wood Dragon is like the water pressure coming through that hose. So if you have a solid, leak-proof hose, then wherever you aim it will produce abundant results this year.

Be intentional in order to not water weeds that don’t bear fruits.

A Year of Fantastic Change: Tremendous opportunity and enthusiastic growth is possible on all fronts.

After four years of Yin energies, when the whole world went through isolations, divisiveness and various stages of doubt and darkness (all very Yin qualities), the 2024 Dragon emerges with a triple Yang burst of clarity and impetus in all directions.

2023 was the year of the Yin Water Rabbit, which was akin to being cooped up underground in your tribe’s warren over a long winter.

This year, it’s as if the spring thaw pulls us above ground, where we transform from rabbits into flying dragons with possibilities as broad as the sky.

All the energies are moving upwards towards growth, manifestation and transformation.

Creativity will flourish this year. The more enthusiasm you can bring to a problem, the quicker a creative solution will arise.

#2: Don’t burn down the village – channel your frustration towards positivity.

The emotion associated with Wood is anger. Just below anger is frustration and irritability. If you really upset a Wood Dragon, it will burn down your house and maybe even your whole village.

On the positive side, the emotion or virtue often associated with Wood is kindness or benevolence. This positive aspect represents the ability to be flexible and adaptable, just as wood can bend without breaking.

Wood also reflects growth, development and the capacity for planning and decision-making.

So if you don’t keep the Wood element in harmony and balance this year, you may find yourself dealing with a bigger mess than you anticipated as you pick up the pieces after a big blow-up.

A key to helping you keep frustrations and angers in check this year is to take a piece of wisdom from the ancient myth of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, called:

The Great Race

The Jade Emperor called the twelve zodiac animals to a race to determine their positions. The story emphasizes different character traits of each of the animals and tells us how they ultimately placed in the race. Being the only animal who could fly, the Dragon flew straight to the finish line. But there were seven wolves waiting to devour all the animals there. The Dragon led the wolves up to the sky and secured them there with its magic, turning them into the Big Dipper constellation. Later in the story the Dragon gets further delayed by bringing rain to a community that was suffering a drought, and then by helping a rabbit cross a river. Finally, after all this, the Dragon returns to secure the modest place of fifth in the race.

– Ancient Chinese folklore

The lesson here is that the Dragon’s power is best used for benevolent purposes. Dragons are naturally selfish if given the opportunity, but that quickly turns them into the hoarders and miserable demons that our modern fantasy books portray them as. When Dragons are true to their benevolent and generous spirit, they become larger than life and forces of nature.

The power of the Dragon flows in the direction of the giver, not the taker.

#3: The way to a Dragon’s heart is through its stomach.

The organ associated with the Dragon is the Stomach, which is Yang Earth. The stomach is that which consumes – that which devours. The stomach is where food is first transformed on its digestive journey to becoming useable energy for us.

Our stomachs can be very sensitive to different types food, or the amount of food we eat. Everyone has a different stomach and therefore each person must find the right balance with food for themselves. There is no one-size-fits-all way of eating or perfect diet for everyone, just as every Dragon is unique.

But one thing for sure is that overeating burdens the stomach. Just like if the Dragon tends towards gluttony, it will quickly become heavy and therefore ineffective in its flying.

Listening to your stomach and taking care of your own unique digestion is important this year.

This emphasis on digestion is multiplied with the influence of Yang Wood this year.

Yang Wood is associated with the gall bladder. So we have two Yang digestive organs that are at play this year: the stomach and the gall bladder.

The take-away here is that this is a great year to empower these organ systems and to heal any digestive imbalances you might be dealing with. It is also a year where these systems might become more vulnerable or prone to having issues if they are neglected.

Be mindful not to overburden these organ systems this year with artificial ingredients, excessive alcohol or greasy and fatty foods.

Don’t eat too lightly either, though, because Dragons love to feast! But don’t stuff yourself, as it’s not the year of the Pig! Eat lean, high nutrition power foods.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are good to use this year to help your stomach and gall bladder be as healthy as possible.

#4: It’s a perfect year for getting lean and strengthening your muscles.

The element of Wood is associated with the tendons and muscles. With the Yang energy ruling this year, physical exercise will be very rewarding. Not only will you achieve your physical goals more easily this year, but your mind and spirit will flourish in your well-exercised body.

Exercise moves the Qi and helps shake up stagnant blockages to get the flow going again.

This is one of the reasons you feel so good after exercising, and why some people get addicted to it – because it relieves Qi stagnation and when the Qi is flowing smoothly in your body you feel great!

Just ask someone who has had a “Qi flowing experience” with acupuncture at our clinic – they walk out on cloud nine, feeling amazing!

Regardless of whether you have ever felt “the Qi flow” or not, 2024 will be a great year for all your fitness and health goals.

Especially if your goal is to slim down and/or get stronger.

Slimming down has to do with taming the Dragon in your stomach by eating light and lean.

Getting strong is about harnessing the Wood in your muscles through cardio and strength training.

The key to all your fitness success this year is through the Wood element of planning.

Schedule your workouts into your weekly plan and jump into them like an enthusiastic Dragon hungry to seize the day!

#5: Metal balances wood: release the chains that hold your Dragon back.

Maybe you’ve been shy or burnt out in the past by going for your dreams or ambitions, and so you chained your inner Dragon down a long time ago, so that you wouldn’t get burned again by trying to fly too high.

But the last time we had a Wood Dragon Year was in 1964. So unless you were burned that year, there’s a good chance you’ve never encountered better circumstances to fly higher than you ever have before.

Maybe it’s not chains that are holding you down? Maybe it’s weight from old baggage or outdated priorities?

Or maybe it’s an unclear direction or opposing desires pulling your Dragon left and right at the same time, so it can’t make progress anywhere.

Maybe it’s words that are keeping your Dragon from achieving its potential?

Dragons are very susceptible to word magic and spells. Maybe it’s a series of words that has turned into a conscious (or unconscious) self-depreciating thought that is impeding your progress.

The point is that your only limits this year are self-created limits.

Use Metal to balance Wood.

Metal balances Wood in the five element system. Metal can either restrain wood’s growth, or cut wood’s weakness to focus its strength.

Use Metal to set your inner Dragon free and use the strong catalytic energy of this year to fly to great heights.

Metal cuts away what is not serving us, so if you want to fly, this is the year to cut away what is holding you back.

Make a list of habits, thoughts, moods and stories that are no longer serving you. Which one of these are you willing to give up in order to achieve your desired goals, dreams and outcomes?

This is the year that you can ride on a Dragon’s back to your better life.

Let go of what you don’t want to bring into that life, and get ready for an interesting ride!

Wishing you all successes this year!

-Blaise

La version française: Bonne Année Lunaire!

Le Dragon de bois est arrivé officiellement le 10 février 2024.

Qu’est-ce que cela signifie et comment cela peut-il affecter votre vie ?

Chaque année du zodiaque lunaire chinois se compose de trois parties :

l’un des douze animaux (cette année, le dragon)

L’un des cinq éléments (cette année, le bois) La couleur du bois est le vert

Le yin ou le yang (cette année est le Yang)

Ces trois parties nous montrent comment les énergies universelles de cette année se déplacent, et si elles sont en harmonie ou en discorde.

Le Dragon de Bois Yang peut vous apporter une chance incroyable et des possibilités passionnantes si vous êtes en harmonie avec les énergies de cette année.

Le dragon est associé au pouvoir, à la vitalité et au changement.

Le bois est associé à la croissance, à la manifestation et à la réussite.

Les personnes nées durant l’année du Dragon sont énergiques, aventureuses, courageuses, imprévisibles, généreuses, ambitieuses, charismatiques, perfectionnistes et pleines d’énergie créatrice. Le dragon est considéré comme le signe le plus mystérieux et le plus puissant.

Le dragon est le seul animal du zodiaque asiatique à pouvoir voler. Ils ont donc la capacité unique de voir l’ensemble du tableau, comme d’en haut. Il est également le seul animal mythique parmi les douze, ce qui le rend indéfinissable par nature.

C’est pourquoi personne ne peut prédire avec précision ce qui se passera au cours d’une année Dragon.

Certains mystiques chinois pensent que les dragons existent, mais que nous ne pouvons pas les voir, et qu’ils sont les forces de la nature qui influencent le temps. C’est pourquoi les dragons traditionnels sont souvent représentés dans des nuages, des montagnes ou des vallées.

Après quatre années Yin intenses (le Rat de métal en 2020, le Bœuf de métal en 2021, le Tigre d’eau en 2022 et le Lapin d’eau en 2023), l’année du Dragon apporte un Qi Yang fort et promet d’unir les gens de manière plus joyeuse et d’être un catalyseur pour un changement et une croissance incroyables.

Un Qi Yang fort et positif apporte beaucoup de potentiel, mais cette année comporte également une mise en garde importante, à savoir l’imprévisibilité du Dragon. Les résultats dépendent de la manière dont cette énergie est canalisée. Et vous êtes le canal !

Comment ce puissant dragon peut-il affecter votre vie ? Et comment pouvez-vous vous aligner au mieux pour apporter l’abondance et la positivité dans votre vie cette année ?

Le secret des Anciens était d’utiliser les énergies de l’année pour s’aligner sur la santé et la chance.

Les éléments du Dragon (Terre) et de l’Année (Bois) sont en disharmonie cette année, car le Bois restreint la Terre.

Étant donné que le Bois restreint la Terre et que l’élément du Dragon est le Yang Terre, nous devons prendre des mesures correctives pour contrer cette disharmonie.

Le remède comporte deux volets :

1) Renforcer et protéger notre élément Terre.

2) Harmoniser et canaliser notre élément Bois.

Vous trouverez ci-dessous quelques conseils pour appliquer le remède et faire de cette année du Dragon la meilleure possible !

5 conseils pour tirer le meilleur parti de l’année du dragon Yang-Bois !

1 : Les grands pouvoirs s’accompagnent de grandes responsabilités.

Le bois est l’énergie du Yang ascendant. Le bois est l’énergie du printemps, du matin, du soleil levant et des plantes qui poussent vers la lumière. Il est associé au mouvement, à la planification, à la productivité, à la croissance, à l’atteinte d’un but et aux désirs.

On l’appelle Bois parce que l’énergie végétale croît vers le haut et vers l’extérieur.

Si une plante ne pousse pas, elle meurt. L’élément Bois en nous doit toujours être en mouvement, croître et répandre le Qi. Si ce n’est pas le cas, notre Qi (notre énergie) est étouffé et bloqué.

Cela conduit à la stagnation du Qi, qui finit par entraîner des maladies et/ou des douleurs dans le corps.

Dans notre vie, si notre Qi du Bois ne circule pas et que nous développons une stagnation du Qi, nous pouvons commencer à nous sentir insatisfaits et déprimés et/ou frustrés et en colère.

C’est une année Bois Yang, donc 2024 apportera beaucoup d’énergie Yang fraîche et montante. Suffisamment d’énergie pour aider à briser tout Qi stagnant, à condition que nous collaborions avec le Dragon et que nous fassions le travail.

Nous ne pouvons pas nous attendre à ce que le Dragon nous sorte de nos problèmes comme par magie si nous n’y mettons pas du nôtre. Si nous voulons transformer notre jardin, nous devons arracher les mauvaises herbes, nourrir le sol et arroser nos plantes.

Avec ces trois intentions, votre jardin s’épanouira !

La clé du succès cette année est donc de considérer tous les projets que vous souhaitez développer ou manifester comme des plantes.

Si votre plante (projet/plan) pousse bien et semble en bonne santé, continuez à nourrir ses racines et à l’encourager dans sa croissance.

Si votre plante (projet/objectif) rencontre des obstacles ou fait face à certains défis qui l’empêchent d’avancer, penchez-vous sur l’obstacle et affrontez chaque détail jusqu’à ce qu’il soit résolu et que le Qi puisse à nouveau circuler.

C’est ce que l’on entend par éliminer les mauvaises herbes et les parasites de son jardin.

Ignorer un insecte prédateur ou une infestation de mauvaises herbes dans votre jardin, tout en continuant à l’arroser malgré tout et en se demandant pourquoi les résultats sont médiocres, revient à augmenter la pression sur un tuyau d’arrosage plein de trous en espérant qu’il en sortira davantage à la fin.

Votre corps, votre esprit et votre vie sont comme ce tuyau. Le Dragon de Bois est comme la pression de l’eau qui passe à travers ce tuyau. Si vous avez un tuyau solide et étanche, vous obtiendrez des résultats abondants cette année, quel que soit l’endroit où vous le dirigez.

Il faut être intentionnel pour ne pas arroser les mauvaises herbes qui ne portent pas de fruits.

Une année de changements fantastiques : De formidables opportunités et une croissance enthousiaste sont possibles sur tous les fronts.

Après quatre années d’énergies Yin, au cours desquelles le monde entier a connu l’isolement, la division et divers stades de doute et d’obscurité (toutes des qualités très Yin), le Dragon de 2024 émerge avec une triple poussée Yang de clarté et d’élan dans toutes les directions.

2023 était l’année du Lapin d’eau Yin, qui s’apparentait à l’enfermement sous terre dans la tanière de sa tribu pendant un long hiver.

Cette année, c’est comme si le dégel du printemps nous tirait vers le haut, où nous nous transformons de lapins en dragons volants avec des possibilités aussi vastes que le ciel.

Toutes les énergies se dirigent vers le haut, vers la croissance, la manifestation et la transformation.

La créativité s’épanouira cette année. Plus vous apporterez d’enthousiasme à un problème, plus vite une solution créative apparaîtra.

2 : Ne brûlez pas le village – canalisez votre frustration vers le positif.

L’émotion associée au bois est la colère. Juste après la colère, on trouve la frustration et l’irritabilité. Si vous contrariez vraiment un dragon de bois, il brûlera votre maison et peut-être même tout votre village.

Du côté positif, l’émotion ou la vertu souvent associée au Bois est la gentillesse ou la bienveillance. Cet aspect positif représente la capacité à être flexible et adaptable, tout comme le bois peut se plier sans se briser.

Le bois reflète également la croissance, le développement et la capacité à planifier et à prendre des décisions.

Par conséquent, si vous ne maintenez pas l’élément Bois en harmonie et en équilibre cette année, vous risquez d’être confronté à un désordre plus grand que prévu lorsque vous recollerez les morceaux après une grosse dispute.

Pour vous aider à maîtriser vos frustrations et vos colères cette année, vous pouvez vous inspirer du mythe des 12 animaux du zodiaque chinois :

La Grande Course

L’Empereur de Jade a appelé les douze animaux du zodiaque à une course pour déterminer leur position. L’histoire met l’accent sur les différents traits de caractère de chacun des animaux et nous raconte comment ils se sont finalement classés dans la course. Seul animal à pouvoir voler, le dragon se rendit directement à la ligne d’arrivée. Mais il y avait sept loups qui attendaient pour dévorer tous les animaux qui s’y trouvaient. Le dragon conduisit les loups dans le ciel et les y fixa grâce à sa magie, les transformant en la constellation de la Grande Ourse. Plus tard dans l’histoire, le dragon est encore retardé en apportant la pluie à une communauté qui souffrait de la sécheresse, puis en aidant un lapin à traverser une rivière. Finalement, après tout cela, le dragon revient et obtient la modeste place de cinquième dans la course.

Ancien folklore chinois

La leçon à en tirer est que le pouvoir du dragon doit être utilisé à des fins bienveillantes. Les dragons sont naturellement égoïstes si on leur en donne l’occasion, mais cela les transforme rapidement en accumulateurs et en démons misérables comme les dépeignent nos livres fantastiques modernes. Lorsque les Dragons sont fidèles à leur esprit bienveillant et généreux, ils deviennent plus grands que la vie et des forces de la nature.

Le pouvoir du Dragon va dans le sens de celui qui donne, et non de celui qui prend.

3 : Le chemin vers le cœur du Dragon passe par son estomac.

L’organe associé au Dragon est l’estomac, qui est le Yang Terre. L’estomac est ce qui consomme – ce qui dévore. L’estomac est l’endroit où la nourriture est d’abord transformée au cours de son parcours digestif pour devenir de l’énergie utilisable pour nous.

Notre estomac peut être très sensible à différents types d’aliments ou à la quantité de nourriture que nous mangeons. Chaque personne a un estomac différent et doit donc trouver le bon équilibre alimentaire. Il n’existe pas de mode d’alimentation unique ou de régime parfait pour tout le monde, tout comme chaque dragon est unique.

Mais ce qui est sûr, c’est que la suralimentation pèse sur l’estomac. Tout comme si le Dragon tendait vers la gourmandise, il deviendrait rapidement lourd et donc inefficace dans son vol.

Cette année, il est important d’écouter son estomac et de prendre soin de sa propre digestion.

L’accent mis sur la digestion est multiplié par l’influence du bois Yang cette année.

Le bois Yang est associé à la vésicule biliaire. Deux organes digestifs Yang sont donc en jeu cette année : l’estomac et la vésicule biliaire.

La conclusion à en tirer est que c’est une année idéale pour renforcer ces organes et guérir les déséquilibres digestifs auxquels vous pourriez être confronté. C’est aussi une année où ces systèmes peuvent devenir plus vulnérables ou sujets à des problèmes s’ils sont négligés.

Veillez à ne pas surcharger ces organes avec des ingrédients artificiels, de l’alcool en excès ou des aliments gras.

Ne mangez pas trop légèrement non plus, car les Dragons adorent festoyer ! Mais ne vous empiffrez pas, car ce n’est pas l’année du cochon ! Mangez des aliments maigres et riches en nutriments.

L’acupuncture et la médecine traditionnelle chinoise sont bonnes à utiliser cette année pour aider votre estomac et votre vésicule biliaire à être aussi sains que possible.

4 : C’est l’année idéale pour s’affiner et renforcer ses muscles.

L’élément Bois est associé aux tendons et aux muscles. Avec l’énergie Yang qui domine cette année, l’exercice physique sera très gratifiant. Non seulement vous atteindrez vos objectifs physiques plus facilement cette année, mais votre esprit et votre âme s’épanouiront dans votre corps bien exercé.

L’exercice fait bouger le Qi et aide à secouer les blocages stagnants pour relancer le flux.

C’est l’une des raisons pour lesquelles vous vous sentez si bien après avoir fait de l’exercice, et pourquoi certaines personnes en deviennent dépendantes – parce qu’il soulage la stagnation du Qi et que lorsque le Qi circule en douceur dans votre corps, vous vous sentez bien !

Il suffit de demander à quelqu’un qui a eu une “expérience de flux de Qi” avec l’acupuncture à notre clinique – il en sort sur un nuage, se sentant extraordinairement bien !

Que vous ayez déjà ressenti le “flux de Qi” ou non, 2024 sera une excellente année pour tous vos objectifs de santé et de remise en forme.

Surtout si votre objectif est de mincir et/ou de devenir plus fort.

Pour maigrir, il faut dompter le dragon dans l’estomac en mangeant léger et maigre.

Devenir plus fort, c’est exploiter le bois de vos muscles grâce à des exercices de cardio et de musculation.

La clé de votre réussite en matière de remise en forme cette année réside dans l’élément Bois de la planification.

Programmez vos séances d’entraînement dans votre plan hebdomadaire et sautez-y comme un dragon enthousiaste qui a envie de saisir la journée !

5 : Le métal équilibre le bois : libérez les chaînes qui retiennent votre Dragon.

Vous avez peut-être été timide ou épuisé par le passé en réalisant vos rêves ou vos ambitions, et vous avez donc enchaîné votre Dragon intérieur il y a longtemps, afin de ne pas vous brûler à nouveau en essayant de voler trop haut.

Mais la dernière année du dragon de bois remonte à 1964. À moins que vous n’ayez été brûlé cette année-là, il y a de fortes chances que vous n’ayez jamais rencontré de meilleures circonstances pour voler plus haut que vous ne l’avez jamais fait.

Peut-être que ce ne sont pas les chaînes qui vous retiennent ? Peut-être est-ce le poids de vieux bagages ou de priorités dépassées ?

Ou peut-être est-ce une direction peu claire ou des désirs opposés qui tirent votre Dragon à gauche et à droite en même temps, de sorte qu’il ne peut progresser nulle part.

Peut-être que ce sont les mots qui empêchent votre dragon de réaliser son potentiel ?

Les dragons sont très sensibles à la magie des mots et aux sortilèges. Peut-être est-ce une série de mots qui s’est transformée en une pensée consciente (ou inconsciente) d’autodépréciation qui vous empêche de progresser.

Le fait est que vos seules limites cette année sont celles que vous avez créées vous-même.

Utilisez le métal pour équilibrer le bois.

Le métal équilibre le bois dans le système des cinq éléments. Le métal peut soit freiner la croissance du bois, soit couper la faiblesse du bois pour concentrer sa force.

Utilisez le métal pour libérer votre dragon intérieur et utilisez la forte énergie catalytique de cette année pour atteindre de grands sommets.

Le métal élimine ce qui ne nous sert pas, donc si vous voulez voler, c’est l’année où il faut éliminer ce qui vous retient.

Faites une liste des habitudes, des pensées, des humeurs et des histoires qui ne vous servent plus. Quels sont ceux que vous êtes prêt à abandonner pour atteindre vos objectifs, vos rêves et vos résultats?

C’est l’année où vous pouvez monter sur le dos d’un dragon pour accéder à une vie meilleure.

Lâchez ce que vous ne voulez pas apporter dans cette vie, et préparez-vous à un voyage intéressant !

Je vous souhaite beaucoup de succès cette année !

-Blaise

Happy Lunar New Year of the Silver Ox!

The Year of the Metal Ox begins on Friday, February 12th, 2021, in celebration of the new moon.

Following such a tumultuous year, this year’s mantra is all about perseverance & letting go. Special attention should be paid to getting rid of clutter: not just material clutter, but emotional, relational, ideological & digital clutter. You are the Ox this year, working hard to slowly & steadily laying a foundation for future plans to blossom & flourish. Breathe deeply. Become a pickier eater. Familiarize yourself with the principles of feng shui & implement them throughout your life.

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The three pillars of immune health

Balancing your Immune System with Chinese Medicine

By: Blaise T. Ryan, R.TCMP, R.Ac
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist
If you want to improve your immunity to protect yourself from getting sick, here are some tips from Chinese medicine to boost your immune system.
First, you have to understand that according to classical Chinese medicine, your body’s immune system is determined by the health of three main organ systems in the body: the Lungs, the Spleen and the Kidneys.  We could say that these three represent the three burners of your immune system: upper (lungs), middle (spleen) and lower (kidneys).
The Lungs are the upper and most superficial system, as they have direct exposure to pathogenic elements in our environment through breathing the air around us.   This often leads to direct exposure to bacterias, viruses, allergens and toxins in the air. The nose, sinuses and skin are all connected to the lung system as well in Chinese medicine.  This is why it’s common to have sinus and skin symptoms when the body has acute exposure to environmental pathogenic influences.

The ancient battle of two forces – Xie Qi vs. Zheng Qi

The Lungs are our first line of defence against what is called Xie Qi according to the Chinese medicine theory.  Xie Qi translates to “harmful qi,” often referred to as “evil qi”.
Qi is translated as “energy” or “air” or “influence”.
This Xie Qi is a general term used to describe any pathogenic influence that can enter the body and do harm to the health of the living organism.  The stronger the Xie Qi is, the harder it is for the body to defend against it. But luckily our bodies have a hero of their own to protect us against the evil forces that intend to do our health harm.

Our body’s hero is named Zheng Qi

Zheng Qi is often translated as constitutional integrity, which for all intents and practical purposes, we can translate to our entire immune health.  Why these two translations would be synonymous will become clearer as you keep reading.
According to the fundamentals of Chinese medicine, if your Zheng Qi is strong, the Xie Qi cannot invade your body, and you won’t get sick.  Consequently, if your Zheng Qi is weak, then it opens the door for Xie Qi to come inside and do damage to your health.
This explains why some people were unaffected by the great plague of the Middle Ages, or why some people don’t get sick during an epidemic outbreak – because their immune strength was greater than the pathological influence.
This also explains why some people get sick often and easily – because their immune strength is weak and it’s easily overcome by pathological influence.
This understanding is one of the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine because it underlies the assumption that disease and illness can only harm us under two circumstances:  1) when there is an excessively strong Xie Qi (pathological influence) or 2) when your Zheng Qi (immune health) is compromised.
This also paves the way for a clear and effective therapeutic approach to improving immunity and warding off illness and disease, using the simple approach of strengthening Zheng Qi and minimizing exposure to Xie Qi.

The three pillars of immunity

Our Zheng Qi is determined largely by the health of these three spectacular organ systems: the Lungs, Spleen and Kidneys.
As mentioned above, the Lungs are your first line of immune defence.
If your Lungs are strong and healthy, then the mucus membranes in your nose, sinuses and lungs will be functioning properly and will easily defeat any bacteria, allergen or virus that enters it.
Conversely, if the Lungs are weak, the mucus membranes can easily get inflamed and malfunction when invaded by Xie Qi, leading to the creation of excessive phlegm.
The next line of defence is the Spleen, which in Chinese medicine plays the most important role in the digestive system of extracting nutrients from the food and using them to create the Qi and blood for the entire body.
The Spleen and the Lungs have the unique and similar functions of directly drawing Qi from our environment and transforming it into usable Qi for our blood system and body.
The Lungs absorb Qi from the air in the form of oxygen and vital elements and pass it directly into our bloodstream.
The Spleen absorbs the Qi from food and water in the form of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and molecules and passes it directly into our bloodstream.
It’s understood from Chinese medicine that the Qi absorbed by the Spleen through food is mixed with the Qi that is absorbed by the Lungs from the air, which is then mixed with the Qi from the Kidneys to make the body’s Zheng Qi.
Understanding this gives us a clear roadmap of our health on how to improve our immune health and keep it balanced.
That roadmap is making our Lungs, Spleens and Kidneys as happy as possible.  So let’s look at how to do that. Over the last five millenia, Chinese medicine has clearly mapped out what harms and strengthens these systems.   Let’s take a look at each of their profiles to understand their needs.

The Lungs

Season:  Fall
Element:  Metal
Partner organ: Large intestine
Governs:  Skin, nose, sinuses
Function:  Breathing, oxygen supply, circulation, immune defence
Emotional force:  Bonding, communication, trust
Likes:  Deep breathing/exercise, fresh air, acceptance,
Dislikes:  Phlegm, dryness, shallow breathing, inflammation,
constipation, wind-cold, wind-heat

The Spleen

Season: Long-summer
Element: Earth
Partner organ: Stomach
Governs: Mouth, lips, fat, lymph
Function: Digestion, creation of Blood and Qi, extraction of nutrients
Emotional force:  Awareness, discernment
Likes: Healthy nutrition (fresh, clean, simple, natural, unprocessed), peace of mind
Dislikes: Too much sweet or rich foods, worry, obsession, dampness, sitting or looking excessively

The Kidneys

Season: Winter
Element: Water
Partner organ:  Urinary bladder
Governs:  Bones, marrow, teeth, hair, ears, brain, essence, libido
Function:  Water metabolism, reproduction, hormones, adrenals
Emotional force: Will-power, fear
Likes:  Restful sleep, good work-life balance, proper posture, healthy sex life
Dislikes: Excessive amounts of: work, physical labour, sex, exercise, adrenaline, fear, anxiety

Keeping the above in mind while navigating these colder months will serve your body well and make you less vulnerable to catching colds and other sicknesses.  Align yourself with the intention that you will serve your immune organs well this winter.
So what should you do if you are symptomatic of a weakened immune system or have existing issues with any of the three burner organs?  
Book an appointment or consultation with a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, who will be able to isolate where and how your Zheng Qi is being compromised.  Regular acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal remedies can assist in both preventative and remedial cases.  
You can also consult the organ profiles above to determine individualized areas of need that best fit your life and schedule.  
Perhaps you will commit to more conscious deep breathing or strengthening the communication in your relationship this fall to benefit the lungs, or work on better sleeping strategies during the long hibernating months of winter to benefit the kidneys.  
 Whichever area you choose to focus on, celebrate in the fact that you are becoming more organ-mindful and immune healthy!
For further practical tips to help boost and maintain a strong immune system, you may want to read the following blog posts:

 “Six Natural Ways To Protect Yourself Against Colds, Coughs & the Flu Using Chinese Medicine.”

“Acupuncture for Seasonal Transitions”

“Six Ways to Strengthen your Spleen in the Long Summer”

“Five Healthy Breakfasts to Strengthen your Spleen in the Winter”

Five Healthy Winter Breakfast Ideas

5 Healthy Breakfasts Perfect for Winter

By: Blaise T. Ryan, R.TCMP, R.Ac
Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist
Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ancestral Nutrition.

1. 10-Min Oatmeal with Chia Seeds, Hemp Hearts & Maple Syrup

This quick and easy breakfast is as simple as it sounds.  All you need are the following ingredients, keeping in mind that the quantities vary according to preference:
Organic Oats (not quick oats, Raw-Chia-Seeds-superfood-300x225
the ones you have to cook for 10 mins)

– Chia Seeds
– Hemp Hearts
– 4 Dates
– Coconut Oil
– Himalayan Sea Salt
– Maple Syrup
– Raw Cacao Nibs (optional)
– Fresh Berries (optional)
Cook the oats in a generous amount of water.  Don’t worry about making it too liquid; the oat-water has many healthy benefits as well, so slurp it up!  Boil the water, add the oats and simmer on low-heat for approximately 10 mins, stirring occasionally to avoid the oats from sticking (if you put in more water, it’s easier to avoid this problem).
When the oats are done, add at least a teaspoon (or more) of chia seeds and hemp hearts per bowl.  A dollop of coconut oil and a pinch of Himalayan sea salt will help bring together and enhance the flavours.  Sweeten with maple syrup and enjoy.
**IMPORTANT:  Don’t cook your chia seeds, hemp hearts or maple syrup.
This delicious and nourishing breakfast is great for your entire digestive system.  The oats and chia seeds absorb and clean up toxins, mucus and dampness in the body.  The chia seeds are great for your intestines and the hemp hearts provide fantastic omegas and proteins for your cells.
Benefits these organ systems:  Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Lungs and Heart.
Ancestral Diet classification:  Homesteaders Diet

 

2. Japanese Miso Breakfast Soupveggie-noodle-miso-soup

You may be used to having miso soup with your sushi, but it’s often consumed in Japan as a breakfast – and it packs a powerful nutritious punch when prepared with fresh, pure ingredients.
I usually make up my recipes by mixing the essential ingredients of organic miso paste, broth (bone broth is my favourite), ginger, seaweed, tofu and other green vegetables.  Grate the fresh ginger when it’s ready before serving.  You can garnish with fresh herbs for other benefits too.
Here are a couple of great recipes I found online for you that will show you how simple it is:
Real-Fast Low-Cost Organic Miso Soup Recipe
Food Babe’s Organic Miso Recipe
Benefits these organ systems:  Spleen, Stomach, Liver, Gall Bladder, Heart and Kidneys, Urinary Bladder
Ancestral Diet classification:  Homesteaders Diet

 

3. Paleo Egg Avocado Morning DelightIMG_4222[1]

I made this one up when I was hosting Ancestral Diet author and expert, Dr. Michael Smith.  I figured that I should make him a proper ice-age breakfast since he’s so passionate about it.  I prefer using fresh avocados, not baked ones like this picture shows.  I also like adding a little bit of lightly poached celery and fresh sprouts.  So yummy!
What you need:
– Organic Free-Range Eggs
– Avocado
– Fresh Alfalfa Sprouts
– Organic Celery or other Veg.
– Salt & Pepper to taste
Bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil in a pan over medium heat.  Crack 2 eggs in the simmering water and place celery in pan next to the eggs.  Lower heat to medium low, salt & season eggs & celery to taste.  Don’t let the egg yolks get hard – remove them while they are still runny.  Remove the celery around the same time after they are lightly cooked.
Put all ingredients in a shallow bowl, add pepper to taste and enjoy!  If you’re a meat lover, adding some nitrate-free prosciutto or free-range bacon to this is fantastic.
Benefits these organ systems:  Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Liver, Gall Bladder, Heart, Kidneys.
Ancestral Diet classification:  Paleo Diet

 

4. Ginger Pork Congee (Jook) Soupcongee

A Chinese and Southeast Asian favourite with many health benefits, there are dozens of kinds of congees, many of them are made with Chinese herbs for different healing purposes.  For example, there’s a recipe for tonifying the blood that includes goji berries, red dates and eggs.
I prefer this simple and nutritious ginger-pork recipe, because not only does it taste great, but it gives you a good boost of protein and ginger to start the day like a champ.
Here’s a recipe for the Thai version known as “Jook” (pronounced Joke): [if you spill any on your sweater, the Jook will be on you – haha!]
Here’s my own simple recipe that I use, which is practically the same:
– Cooked White Rice (organic is best as always)
– Ginger
– Garlic
– Ground Organic Pork
– Fresh Cilantro
– Fresh Scallion Onions
– Salk & Pepper to taste
– Broth (Bone broth is best, but any other will do)
Cook rice or use leftover cooked rice.  Bring broth to a boil.  Crush and chop garlic cloves finely. Mix minced garlic and salt with ground pork.  Roll pork balls and drop them in the boiling broth, reducing heat to medium low.  Add rice to broth.  Once pork balls are cooked, pour rice soup into bowls.  Season with freshly grated ginger, cilantro and scallions.  Add pepper to taste.
Congee is particularly good for people with sensitive digestive systems.  It’s great when recovering from illness.  The ginger helps combat inflammation and breaks up phlegm and mucus.  The pork balls help nourish the blood and provide great protein.
Benefits these organ systems:  Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine, Lungs, Large Intestine, Kidneys and Heart.
Ancestral Diet classification:  Homesteaders Diet

 

5. Poached Salmon for BreakfastAntioxidant-Recipe-Poached-Salmon-with-Spinach

Yes!  Your cells will thank you for this nutritious breakfast!  Especially useful when you need extra energy or stamina during your day.  All you need:
– Salmon Filet
– Coconut Oil
– Spinach or Leafy Green Vegetable
– Salt & Pepper to taste
Bring 1/4 cup of water to a simmer in a pan with a lid, adding 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.  Salt & season both sides of the salmon filet.  Add salmon to pan and put spinach or other vegetable that you would like to steam next to the salmon or on top.  Close lid and poach on low heat for approx. 5-10 mins.  Cook time dependent on size of fish, check to see that it’s half way cooked, then turn it over.  Serve and enjoy when ready!
Benefits these organ systems:   Liver, Heart, Small Intestine, Gall Bladder, Kidneys.
Ancestral Diet classification:  Paleo Diet

6 Tips to Nourish the Spleen in the Long-Summer

“The Long-Summer corresponds to the Spleen & Stomach and the element of Earth”
– Traditional Chinese Medicine Fundamentals

The Spleen builds the Qi and the Blood.
It supports the Immune System.

TCMAnnualCycle-sp
The 5-Element System of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The 5 Element System includes a fifth season that we know in the West as ‘Indian Summer’.
The Chinese call this season the “Long Summer”, and it corresponds to the element of Earth and the Spleen and Stomach.
Just around the corner we have the Fall, which connects to the Lungs. Both of these organs are vital in our immune system.
The Spleen nourishes the Lungs, so it’s important this time of year to give your Spleen a boost, so that your Lungs will be strong for the upcoming cold and flu seasons in Fall and Winter.
Here’s a few tips to tonify your Spleen Qi this time of year…

 

 

6 Tips to Nourish Your Spleen in the Long Summer.

Tip 1: Eat food from the Earth
Farmers_Market__July__2010_027Try to eat as much fresh, local and organic vegetables and fruits. Eating directly from the garden is ideal. If you don’t have a garden, go to a farmers market and stock up.
Eat less meat products, especially if you’ve been BBQing a lot this summer, this is a good time to reduce your meat intake and triple your fresh produce consumption.

 

Tip 2: Eat more cooked and warmed foods
baked-corn-on-the-cobStart cooking your veggies more. Don’t eat only raw salads. Start adding stews, steams and sautés to your meals. Throw more potatoes, zuccinis and squashes on your BBQ. Cook up some corn on the cob.
The Spleen prefers cooked foods as they are easier to digest and assimilate. Too much raw or cold foods can injure the spleen and create dampness in the body. Keep enjoying your salads and raw veggies too, but start adding more cooked and heated foods to your meals.
Tip 3: Meditate and reduce over-thinking
meditation It is said that over-thinking and worry can injure the Spleen.
When the Spleen is injured 3 things can happen:

1. Digestion is compromised: Less nutrients are absorbed
2. Less Qi and Blood is created.
3. Dampness and Phlegm can grow.
The virtue of the Earth element is called “Yi”, which means “Awareness and Attention”. When we let worry consume our thoughts, we lose awareness and attention of the present moment and get lost in obsessing about the future or past. This causes harm to the Earth element and the Spleen and Stomach Qi is compromised.
Doing regular meditation, qigong, yoga, walking in nature, making art or playing music – or any activity to quiet the mind can help restore the Earth element in the body through a serene mental state.
Tip 4: Avoid dampness forming foods

donuts
Mmmm, these doughnuts may be delicious, but the sticker, sweeter, doughier and more chemical any pastry or sweet is, the more damp-forming it will be.

According to Chinese medicine, certain foods create dampness in the body. Dampness can weaken the Spleen and the Qi in the body.
Some symptoms of dampness in the body:
–  Fatigue, body heaviness, sluggishness
–  Weight gain, bloating, gas
–  Body pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis
–  Cysts, fibroids, tumours
–  Yeast infections, candida
–  Unclear thinking, ADHD
–  Chronic sinus infections
–  Cloudy urine, Foul smelling stools
–  Thick tongue coating, swollen tongue

Important: If you have any of these symptoms and want help to clear the dampness from your body, schedule an appointment with me at my clinic for acupuncture and herbal solutions. You can schedule your appointment online or call 613-702-5377.

ice-cream sundayDamp Forming Foods to Avoid:
–  Dairy, Ice cream
–  Wheat & Gluten
–  Cold drinks with ice
–  Processed foods
–  Refined flour, pastry, pasta, breads
–  Cold raw foods
–  Refined sugar and sugar substitutes
–  Coffee, alcohol
–  Deep fried foods
–  Peanuts and peanut butter
–  Bananas, mangoes.
–  Baked goods, cookies, pastries, doughnuts
Tip 5: Massage these acu-points on your foot
The Spleen Meridian travels up the inside of your foot, along the side of your big toe and inner arch.  Stimulating these points can help boost your Spleen Qi.Sp1-5
Rub these important Acu-Points before you go to bed, or anytime during the day that you need a little boost of energy or rest from stress. Rub along these points shown on the image below on the inside of your foot.
Tip 6: Take a walk after eating

While going for a nice walk after eating, try to bring your attention to your breath and avoid thinking or worrying about anything outside the present moment.
While going for a nice walk after eating, try to bring your attention to your breath and avoid thinking or worrying about anything outside the present moment.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s said that excessive “sitting” and “staring” can injure the spleen.  So instead of going straight back to your computer desk after lunch,  taking an easy and short 10 minute walk after eating can greatly assist the digestive system and renew the Spleen’s energy.
This is a great thing to do after dinner too.  Especially if you overate.
Don’t make it a power walk.  Call upon the energy of the Earth element and make it more of a leisurely stroll.
Walk slowly and easily, let your eyes look at different things, breathe the fresh air and try to be in the present moment.
The breathing and slow walking without worrying about anything will give your metabolism a boost and renew your mind at the same time.

5 Chinese Medicine Tips to Keep Cool in a Heat Wave

Excessive heat in the summer months can cause rashes, heatstroke, dehydration and even death.
water-fire-ying-yang

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has long recognized the negative health effects of excessive heat in the body.

Heat not only comes from outside, but inside too. Internal heat can be generated by certain foods, emotions and organ dysfunction.
If you already have some internal heat in your body, then when it gets hot out, you suffer more.

If you’ve visited my clinic and I’ve diagnosed you with some kind of heat imbalance in your body, then you already know what I’m talking about.

But excessive summer heat can affect everyone.

In fact, if you overheat, sometimes this heat can stay locked inside your system and cause more health problems down the road.

So I’ve put together five easy tips based on Traditional Chinese Medicine that you can follow that will help cool you down and avoid absorbing excessive heat in the summer.

5 TCM Tips to Keep You Cool in a Heat Wave

 

#1: Drink a lot of pure water

Yes, tip #1 is universally obvious, but it cannot be emphasized enough. Balance fire with water.digital_painting___glass_of_water_by_isnowfairy-d6htc0s

Pure water is often better than commercially touted sports drinks like gatorade or vitamin water. These products have excessive amounts of sugar in them, which can actually increase internal heat through the high blood-sugar and insulin spike inflammatoryresponse cycle.

 

#2: If you have to spend time in the sun, cover your head and put a lot of sunscreen on this acu-pointacu-points-du-14

This acu-point is called Du-14 or “da zhui”. It is the meeting of all “yang” in the body, and is the main point for clearing heat in the body.

If you are in the sun, cover your head and cover this point or put a lot of sunscreen on it if you are at the beach. This will avoid too much heat from entering your system through this area.

 

#3: Cool down with a wet clothmonkey

If you start to get too hot, put a cold wet cloth on your head or neck. Heat rises in the body and the head is considered the most “yang” part in the body.

When heat rises into the head, it can cause dizziness, tinnitus, sinus problems, headaches, heat stroke and even loss of consciousness.

 

#4: Avoid hot foods like coffee, alcohol, spice, deep fried, or too much sugar.WarmingFoods

These foods are warm or hot in nature and will increase internal heat.

Instead go for water-rich and cooling foods like watermelon, cucumber, oranges, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, seaweed, alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, peppermint tea, green tea, lemon water, etc.

Watermelon is particularly effective to bring down sunstroke and cool the body.

Check out this image to the right to learn a little about the nature of foods in Chinese medicine.

#5: Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can drain heat out of your body.

If you’re suffering in the heat, then you should consider acupuncture and Chinese herbs to help drain the heat from your system.chinese-medicine

A lot of the patients I see in the clinic have internal heat issues, and I have personally observed how effective the treatments can be for many of them.

If you want to discuss a treatment or schedule one with me call 613-702-5377 or book directly online by clicking here: Book online now

 

Announcing: New Qigong Teacher Training Certification Courseqigong-meditation1

This fall I am going to teach all my best knowledge on Qigong and Qi-Energy to a handful of students in this new course I’m putting together. Two other qigong masters will be visiting from BC and Florida to teach along with me. Anyone can take this course. Whether you’re brand new to qigong or you’ve been practising for years, or even if you’re already a teacher, this program will be great! Expect a life-changing experience.

This Qigong Teacher Training program is designed to make qigong accessible to people of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels.

This life changing program works on all levels of the body, mind and spirit, opening and strengthening your body while relaxing, energizing and healing your whole being. Whether you plan to teach qigong, use it to heal yourself or others, develop your own personal practice, or gain a deeper knowledge of this ancient Chinese healing power, this program will give you a firm foundation to teach safely, skilfully and with integrity.

Meeting over 12 weekends, this program is a total of 200+ hours, and includes training in the most important fundamentals of Qigong.

Have questions about the training?

FREE Open House Information Sessions:
Drop in, ask questions and meet the Trainer! Our next date is:

Aug 4th at 6:30pm
At 101 rue Symmes, Aylmer,Gatineau. Just behind the Christ Church, where we usually have our classes.

For more information about this program call 613-702-5377 or email info@blaiseryan.com

3 Steps to Treating Environmental and Seasonal Allergies with Traditional Chinese Medicine

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the body is always engaged in a battle between “True Energy” and Evil Energy.” It may sound biblical, but it has nothing to do with religion. It has everything to do the healthy balance within the body.
“True Energy”, known as Zheng Qi in Chinese Medicine, is inseparable from the immune system. It’s what empowers the body to heal itself and ward off bacterias, viruses or allergens. Evil Energy, known as Xie Qi in Chinese, refers to nothing on the plane of morals but to pathogenic influences like virus, bacterias, allergens, toxins, poisons, molds, etc.taiji-logo
Based on this theory there are two ways we can get sick: Due to a very strong pathogen (Evil Energy) that overpowers our immune system (True Energy). Or if our True Energy gets weak enough then even a relatively weak pathogen can do us harm.
This explains why some people get sick all the time; because their True Energy is weak and easily overcome by any virus or bacteria that is circulating This also explains why during major epidemic outbreaks, like during the great plague, some people were immune to the illness; because their True Energy was stronger than the Evil Energy of the epidemic.
Those who suffer from seasonal or environmental allergies have a weakened True Energy so they are affected by influences which others are immune to. The traditional Chinese medical protocol for overcoming allergies is to strengthen the True Energy to be able to withstand these allergens and not react to them.
There are 3 main steps in Chinese medicine to doing this. The first is to cleanse the system of the influences that are weakening the True Energy in the first place. After it’s no longer being compromised by these the second step is to boost the True Energy of the body. Finally the third step is to open the meridian channels with Acu-Points.

Step 1. Cleanse & Detoxify

Most people suffering from allergies have toxins in their body which weaken their True Energy. This causes a systemic low-grade inflammation that gets triggered into a greater inflammatory response when they come into contact with an allergen.

Based on Chinese medicine, the sinuses, skin and lungs are connected with digestive health. Cleansing the body andcolon-cleansing-1024x768 the digestive system of toxins can often bring instant relief to allergy symptoms. There are dozens of ways to cleanse the body and thousands of “cleansing” products on the market.
But you don’t need to buy an expensive herbal cleanse program. Just follow the guidelines below for 3-7 weeks to detoxify your body. If you need a more intensive cleanse, then consult a qualified health practitioner who knows about safe and healthy cleansing.

9 Simple Cleansing Guidelines:

1. Avoid all processed foods and refined sugars.
2. Eat 30-50% less than usual
3. Eat nutrient-dense whole foods with minimal processing
4. Avoid dairy, wheat, gluten and anything with additives, preservatives or food coloring
5. Eat a lot of leafy & green vegetables with plenty of fibre
6. Drink at 4-6 litres a day of pure water (not tap water)
7. Every two days take an Epsom salt bath and relax
8. Sleep and rest more
9. Saunas are great too to sweat out toxins

Step 2. Strengthen your “True Energy”

Traditional Chinese medicine understands that there is a vital energy that flows through your whole body and is responsible for circulation, metabolism and vitality. It’s called “Qi” (pronounced ‘chee’). Boosting your “Qi” will strengthen your True Energy and regulate your immune system. Here are some ways to boost your “Qi”:

Exercise, but not to the extreme.bg-fitness_720x480_1200x9005
The body is made to move, stretch, sweat and push past it’s limits. The body loves exercise. It doesn’t really matter what kind of exercise you do, as long as you get a good cardiovascular workout with sweating and breathing. Just don’t overdo it. Some people get addicted to exercise and they end up exhausting their bodies by exercising too much. Very often I see people in my clinic who have exhausted their Qi by exercising too much! So find the balance that’s right for you – and enjoy recovery after exercise.
Get enough sleep & rest.
Our internal organs and cells repair themselves and build up Qi-Energy during sleep. You should get at least an average of 7-8 hours of solid restful sleep a night. Getting adequate rest and sleep will do wonders to build your Qi-Energy. Balance stress with rest. Even if you don’t get enough sleep, then make a point of resting during the day, so you can let your body rebuild the Qi. If you’re always moving and going, then you’re burning Qi. You need to rest to build it.
Breathe steadily and deeply.
Breathing is one of the ways we build Qi-Energy. Keep conscious of your breath throughout the day, while at work, shopping, driving, walking or doing anything. Many people with allergies tend to breathe shallow or hold their breath too much. Practicing yoga, qigong, meditation or tai chi are all good ways to get more in touch with your breathing.
Maintain good posture.
Our Qi-Energy flows through what are called “meridians” in the body. These are channels of circulation that connect our internal organs with our limbs and head. When your slouch or maintain a bad posture, then the meridians get blocked and the Qi-Energy can’t flow. This can cause all kinds of health problems like pain, allergies, digestive issues, chronic illnesses, etc. If you don’t think you have a good posture, then seek professional help. Learn qigong, do yoga, get acupuncture, rolfing or other therapy to help re-align your body, open your meridians and build your Qi-Energy

Step 3: Relieve Allergy Symptoms with Acu-Point Stimulation

Acupuncture uses hundreds of acu-points on the body to open the meridian channels and stimulate organ health.

This article isn’t long enough to explain how it works. And you don’t need to know all the points to get relief from allergy symptoms. You don’t always need acupuncture, you can stimulate the acu-points with your fingers.
The pictures below illustrate the most important acu-points to strengthen your immune system and reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.  Just press on these points for 5-15 seconds each while breathing slowly and deeply. Concentrate on relaxing your entire body while you do this. See for yourself how doing this whenever the symptoms appear brings you relief.
If you want to really get rid of your allergies, then seek the help of a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner (R.TCMP) or a registered acupuncturist (R.Ac).  You can click on the appointments tab on this page to schedule an appointment with me.

 

Photo face sm with pointsPhoto legs sm with points

Photo hand sm with points

14 Habits for Good Health, Longevity & Happiness

Health is a journey of continual balance and adjustment. The ancient Chinese realized this through the yin and yang theory. Yin and yang represent the dualistic nature of reality: Night and day, up and down, dark and light, positive and negative, hot and cold, active and passive, etc.
Chinese medicine is about maintaining your balance while these opposing energies are pulling you this way and pushing you that way.
In today’s modern world, our days are filled with uncountable responsibilities, things to do, interactions and stressors. The key to good health is to find balance amidst the never-ending and constantly changing currents of life.
Maintaining our center and inner peace while the constant push (yang) and pull (yin) of the world invites us – or forces us – into this eternal dance we call “Life”.
After years of clinical practice, I’ve come up with “14 Habits for Good Health” to help my patients maintain this balance, empower their immune system and stay one step ahead of stress and illness.

Habit #1 Drink plenty of pure water.

 

We are made of 70% water. Chronic dehydration can cause all kinds of symptoms – from allergies, digestive disorders, fatigue, poor mental clarity to infections, inflammation and joint and muscular pain. Water is vital to proper cellular and metabolic health. The more stress you have, physical or mental, the more water you should drink. Water helps cleanse the body of toxins.
The quality of the water is important. Choose spring or distilled water over tap water, because tap water may contain chemicals such as chlorine, fluoride and even hormones, it may also contain heavy metal particles from pipes. According to classical Chinese longevity theory, long-term health is dependent on nourishing and tonifying the “water element”.

Habit #2 Make breakfast as nutritious as possible.

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s true. Heed this wisdom and watch your health, digestion and energy in the day increase. Based on Chinese medicine, it is in the morning that your stomach and digestive energy is the strongest. Avoid empty carbohydrates and high sugar foods (like toast, sugar cereals, pastries, muffins, etc.).
Look into Japanese breakfasts for some great ideas for nutrient-packed morning meals. Never skip breakfast. The worst thing you can do is have only a coffee for breakfast. This will deplete your adrenals, dehydrate you, throw off your chemical balance and starve your cells of nutrition. Even if you have the habit of eating very little or nothing, force yourself to eat a solid nutritious meal and you will add years of health onto your life.

Habit #3: Silence your mind daily.

 

Dozens of scientific experiments and studies have proven the beneficial effects of meditation. Not only does it lower cortisol levels, which reduces internal inflammation, but it also helps clear the mental and emotional clutter that can easily build up due to today’s hectic and demanding world.
Meditation is really a way to be still and silence the mind. It doesn’t matter what kind of meditation you do. Take 5 minutes twice a day to just do nothing but focus on breathing and allow your mind to become silent. Silencing the mind isn’t only achieved through meditation. Art, yoga, tai chi, walking, bird watching, exercise and many other relaxing and rejuvenating activities can induce the silent mind.
Even if you just get 30 seconds of a silent mind, this emptiness is like a trash can for the build-up of stress. For every second of mental silence you achieve, you gain 1 minute of productive, vibrant and effective healthy energy. It’s a positive return on investment that is well worth your time and effort.

Habit # 4: Keep your spine and muscles limber.

 

Tension in your muscles will reduce the circulation of blood, lymph and neural signals in your body. It can also cause joints to compress, which can lead to arthritis and chronic pain. The spine is called the “central axis” in Chinese medicine and Tai Chi.
The connection between your brain and the rest of your body and organs is linked through the spine and the spinal cord and nerves. Additionally, the spine acts like a supporting column for head, neck, shoulders, chest and abdomen. If the spine is stiff, all the organs suffer. If the muscles are tight, circulation is cut off, and your health will degenerate. Do yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong to stay limber. Get regular acupuncture and massages. Learn to relax and unwind. Don’t let tight muscles or a stiff spine go untreated.

Habit #5: Balance Stress and Rest.

 

We can’t avoid stress altogether. In fact some stress is good for  us. This “good stress” is the pressure we feel when we push ourselves to meet our goals. This “good stress” is our own refusal to submit to inertia, but instead we push ourselves to step outside our comfort zone and grow beyond our  limits. Some evenings we may not feel like going to our Qigong or Tai Chi or exercise class, so we may feel some “good stress” as our desire for self-improvement pushes against our crusty apathetic comfort  zone.
The difference between “good  stress” and “bad stress” can be measured by the result.
The result of good stress leaves us feeling empowered. We might be exhausted, but we feel fulfilled. Bad stress leaves us tense, frazzled, uneasy, or maybe even anxious. The effects of “bad stress” are destructive on our physical and mental health.  Bad stress leaves us requiring more healing. Good stress can be balanced with simple rest.
You need to get enough rest to proportionately replenish yourself from the effects of stress, whether it’s good or bad.  If not, even good stress will leave you depleted after a while and it will inevitably become “bad stress”.

Habit #6: Laugh out loud and visit with friends often.

 

“True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils.
Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island…
to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him is a blessing.” – Author unknown
Our need for social connection and belonging is one of the most crucial needs we have. Researchers have concluded that those who maintain active social lives live longer, get sick less and are generally happier. Even the recovery from illness and surgery has proven to be faster when someone is actively socially engaged. Laughter truly is the best medicine. Do not suppress or hold back your laughter. As I always say, the angels dance whenever sincere laugher choruses in the air.

Habit #7:  Cleanse your body and sweat frequently.

 

Our bodies are constantly consuming molecules, elements and nutrients that keep us alive. Through the process of consumption and energy expenditure, metabolic waste is created. This needs to be cleansed from our bodies. Just like the oil needs to be changed in your car at regular intervals, so should you cleanse your own body regularly too.
We naturally cleanse through going to the bathroom, sweating, crying and sometimes even allergic reactions, skin outbreaks and symptoms of the cold and flu are part of the cleansing process. Make it habit to do an intestinal cleanse at least once a year – give your digestive system a rest from the stress (see rule #5). Sweating is a great way to release toxic build-up and stress hormones.  Do some exercise, have a sauna or take a steaming hot bath until your pores open and your flush your lymphatic system through a good sweat.

Habit #8: Every tear heals, don’t hold them back.

 

I know this rule seems odd because our society has taught us since our childhood that crying is a sign of weakness or “big boys (or girls) don’t cry”. Unfortunately, this social conditioning has caused us to suppress one of our most natural self-healing mechanisms. There is a reason that babies cry. There is a reason that children cry when they are hurt (physically or emotionally).
Crying is a way for us to heal from hurts – both physical and emotional. Studies have been done on the chemical make-up of human emotional tears and traces of stress hormones have been found in them. In this study, when they measured human tears caused by chopping onions, the stress hormones were not present. Combine this with your own experience of how good and clear minded you feel after having a good cry tells us that crying heals us. It is a way that our body can release toxic build-up. That’s why often snot and mucus can accompany tears during a good cry.  So don’t hold them back. Even if you are male and you were told that men don’t cry… go ahead and let them out if you feel your eyes brimming. You will feel much better afterwards.

Habit #9:  Exercise, move your body and breathe deeply.

 

It doesn’t really matter what kind of exercise you do, as long as you move your body and breathe deeply. Cardiovascular exercise is proven to be good, but you don’t need to do it every day – as long as you do it sometimes. Find some form of activity that requires you to move around and do it a couple of times a week. Qigong, tai chi, yoga, cycling, walking, tennis, swimming, skating, skiing, team sports… there are so many options. Don’t choose something you “think you should do”, instead find something that you enjoy because then you will make more of an effort to do it.  If you want to learn authentic Qigong and Tai Chi, I teach two classes every week at www.AylmerQigong.com

Habit #10: Avoid processed foods and eat lots of fresh organics.

 

I receive so many questions about nutrition and healthy eating. Let’s face it, this subject can become more and more confusing and contradictory the more you google it.  To keep healthy eating simple and sustainable, I follow a simple formula: Eat as close to nature as possible, choose fresh organics, and avoid inflammatory foods. Inflammatory foods are things that are hard to digest or that are known to cause inflammation in people who are sensitive, such as anything that has been overly processed or that is high in sugar, chemicals, preservatives, food colorings, or additives. Take some time to learn about “ingredients”.
To make it easy, I tend to avoid the biggest, most marketing and cheapest brand names, because they usually can spend more on marketing and charge a lower price because they use the cheapest ingredients with the highest level of preservatives to extend the shelf-life.

Habit # 11: Follow a path with heart

 

Your path with heart is the one that keeps you smiling.  Above all, this is YOUR life. You get to decide your own destiny. What do you want your life to stand for? How happy and fulfilled to you want to be during the limited time that you are here on earth? Whatever makes you and those around you smile the most – that’s where your heart is. Follow your own unique path with heart. Don’t settle out of fear. Reach for your dreams if that’s what makes you smile.
Remember it’s not only about “what” you do, but also “how” you do it. Your life may be 90% aligned, but maybe your health is just what’s lagging? Maybe you need to step out of your comfort zone more. Maybe you need to stand up for yourself more? Maybe you need to stand down and let those around you stand up more? Connect with that sacred place in the center of your chest, allow it to bring peace and satisfaction to your soul, and live from there.

Habit #12: Breathe through sunny days and stormy ones too.

 

Life isn’t always a sunny day on the beach. It’s full of ups and downs. No one escapes life without experiencing sadness, loss and pain. That’s ok. It’s a part of the experience. It’s the stormy days that make us appreciate the sunny ones that much more. Just remember, keep breathing. Our first act in life is an inhale, and our last act before death will be an exhale. The mind is like a kite, the breath is the string that allows us to connect and control the kite.
So whether it’s stormy seas or a calm blue ocean, keep breathing. With each breath, appreciate the moment, because one day your last exhale will come. It’s death that gives life meaning. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the emotional energy associated with the Lungs is “acceptance”. Be like the supple tree that accepts the strong wind – bend and return without losing your roots.
If you struggle with the ups and downs of life, or if you have a hard time breathing deeply or steadily, get some acupuncture and learn qigong.

Habit #13: Connect with nature regularly.

 

Nature heals us. Time in nature will reset your mental, emotional and physical state. It recharges and grounds us. Go for a walk in the park. Contemplate a tree. Listen to the sound of water. Feel the ground. Breathe in the smells of nature. A great thing to do is to find your own personal nature sacred spot. Somewhere that you can go frequently to just unwind and clear your mind. Ideally find a spot where you will be all alone without any interruptions. But if that’s not possible it can be in your local park. Make a point of connecting with nature regularly.

Habit #14:  Never stop growing and learning.

 

Growth happens outside your comfort zone. Growth is our nature. “If you’re not growing, you’re automatically dying” – Author unknown. Think about it, if a plant isn’t growing, it’s deteriorating and wilting. Humans are like plants, we need to keep growing. Our comfort zones are the edge of what we know. Explore the unknown a little. Stretch yourself past your limits. Cross something new off of your bucket list. Take a class, learn a new skill. Grow and thrive.

How does Acupuncture Work?

Watch this BBC documentary about the science of acupuncture

As part of the documentary, you will see an young women having an open heart surgery without any anaesthetics, using just acupuncture, a 3,000 years old medical procedure. You will also see how it helps to treat migraines and many other conditions.  Millions people have started believing that acupuncture works better than conventional medicine.  This documentary explains about astonishing healing power of acupuncture and its booming market in western world.

Acupuncture is a collection of procedures which involves the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques, such as penetrating the skin with needles that are then manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation. It is one of the main treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and is among the oldest healing practices in the world.
Schedule your acupuncture treatment online by clicking here.