Rachel Gilman LAc.

Year of the FIRE ROOSTER

Year of the FIRE ROOSTER

I remember the first time I learned about the Chinese zodiac and the 12 animals that represent a 12 year cycle.  I had gone to a small Chinese restaurant, sat down with my parents and noticed a bit of information about each of the 12 animals on my paper placemat.  This stuck in my head and returned to me when I began learning more about them once I entered acupuncture school.

For the record, we didn't really learn much about these 12 animals as we studied acupuncture and Chinese medicine.  However, we did learn a lot about '5 element theory', which is the basis for much of the knowledge and prediction made through the Chinese zodiac.  

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Natural Remedies for Colds & Flus

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Natural Remedies for Colds & Flus

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about cold & flu prevention, but lets face it, sometimes we get sick.  If you are like me and have a child in preschool, maybe it happens more often then you want to admit.  Here are some tips for bouncing back fast and fortified.  

·      Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant found in many foods, especially brightly colored fruits and vegetables.  It can greatly speed recovery from colds or flus.  In terms of supplementation, avoid synthetic ascorbic acid if possible in favor of mixed flavonoids or acerola powder.  (Vitamins are consistently better in their complex packages, rather than as an isolate.)

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Adrenal Fatigue

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Adrenal Fatigue

Yesterday a patient asked me if I thought she might have adrenal fatigue.  Her friend had mentioned it when they were discussing their health and she wondered what type of symptoms are caused by adrenal fatigue.  

This is such a common question and, in our culture, a very common state of being.  Lets rewind and explore the historical aspect of adrenal fatigue; our lifestyle has evolved faster than our bodies.  We no longer have to spend our days hunting or gathering for our next meal, putting ourselves between tiger and snake in order to find food, this is the type of stress that our 'fight our flight' response was designed for.