Summer is here, bringing sunshine, longer days, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer is associated with the Fire element, representing warmth, energy, and vitality. However, it’s also a season when we need to maintain balance to avoid overheating, exhaustion, and emotional imbalances.
Here’s how TCM views summer and some tips to help you thrive during the hottest months.
Read MoreStaying hydrated during a Brisbane summer is crucial to prevent heat-related illnesses like heat cramps, exhaustion, or heatstroke. Hot weather increases sweat production, and without sufficient fluid intake, you risk dehydration, which can lead to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and muscle cramps. Maintaining hydration is also essential for basic bodily functions, as water regulates body temperature, aids digestion, and transports nutrients. But is there more you can do as well as drinking a lot of water …
Read MoreWhat is inflammation? Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognises anything that is foreign—such as an invading microbe, plant pollen, or chemical. This often triggers a process called inflammation that, in this situation, protect your health.
However, sometimes inflammation persists, day in and day out, even when you are not threatened by a foreign invader. That's when inflammation becomes a chronic problem. Many major diseases that plague us—including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's—have been linked to chronic inflammation.
One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store. Many studies, including one recent one by Harvard University, have shown that components of foods or beverages have anti-inflammatory effects.
Read MoreThe energy of Spring, as we see in our gardens, brings the opportunity for new growth, fresh starts and new beginnings.
The trees have come back to life, blossoms are blooming, the grass is growing, sprouts are ‘taking off’, growth is everywhere! Beautiful smells, sprite-liness and baby animals…
During Spring, everywhere in nature, we see and feel and hear the energy, the pulse, the sound of new growth.
And so we have the opportunity to consciously align with this energy and ‘use’ it to fuel whatever new beginnings we are creating in our lives.
Read MoreAfter a dark and quiet winter, the bursting energy of feng shui spring is a welcome change. Feng shui, which translates to the words wind and water, is the active philosophy that chi energy flows through everything on earth and in heaven. The seasons and their weather influence how chi moves through your home and your life, and are each represented by an element. Learning the secrets of using the elements to balance seasonal chi energy can bring harmony and luck to your life.
Read MoreThe snake is a ancient form of life and has survived evolution over millions of years. It has done this by being adaptable, creative and resourceful (being able to shed its skin).
As we move into 2025, the snake offers us more opportunities to expand our intellect and ‘shed our skin.’ By taking the time to achieve your goals, patience comes with ease. This year is ripe with energy, so we must integrate our qi and be open to love. Celebrations for the snake year begin on January 29th, and the snake officially emerges on February 3rd. What else does this year have in store for us all??
Read More
