Spring Sun Tea
This spring time herbal liver tonic is super easy to make and embraces the slow but powerful energy of the sun into the leaves of these plants, creating magic in your body. This is great [...]
Winter Wisdom
Winter is the end of all seasons. To unify with winter, one can emphasize the Yin principle to become more receptive, introspective, and storage oriented. Cold and darkness drive to seek inner warmth. It is [...]
Autumn Tonic
Autumn Tonic Tea Also called the three 'F' formula. 1 tsp Fennel seeds 1 tsp Fenugreek seed 1 tsp Flax seed 1 tsp Nettle leaf 1/4 tsp Licorice A beautiful tea to tonify the lungs, [...]
Late Summer Recipe
It is late summer in Chinese medicine which is Earth element season. A time to ground and connect in with what nourishes you most deeply before the leaves begin to fall to the ground and [...]
Summer Recipe
Cucumber Watermelon Salad. This salad is great for days when you feel the heat of summer and want a refreshing lunch to soothe your Qi. 1 cup watermelon 1 cup cucumber 1 Tbs. minced fresh [...]
The unfolding
People often ask me how I got into Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I have a long and short version of my story. Here is the long version with a bit of a surprise update if [...]
Earth Day, Earth Week, Earth Life
I have always wanted to be a part of a revolution. I am a child of environmental activists and I can remember sitting down with my father and asking him to tell me stories about [...]
Practices to assist you in times of uncertainty
Hello my friends, Here are some gentle practices to assist your body-mind through these times. Use these tools when you are feeling out of connection with yourself or experiencing symptoms of grief, anger, pain, and [...]
Medicine Cabinet
Teas & Tonics For the Spring: ~Peppermint tea and a teaspoon of honey ~Warm lemon water upon waking ~Quick fix: apple cider vinegar, warm water, and honey and/or a dance party in [...]
Spring Recipe
Dandelion & Asparagus warm salad w/ lemon mint vinaigrette *A bunch of Dandelion leaves (wild harvested from your front lawn…watch for dog poop!) *A large handful of Asparagus *dry roast ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds [...]
Spring within a Pandemic
Hello beautiful souls. I hope this message finds you well. It is with a tender heart and meandering mind that I share with you some useful resources for the present time. Firstly, however this spring [...]
Bone Broth or Vegetable Broth
Bone broths are deeply nourishing and soothing to the digestive tract and a great way to build blood, tonify and nourish the kidneys in cold winter months. Basic recipe and add meat of choice or [...]
Winter
Feeling into winter. We are in the true depth of winter now and I can feel it in my bones. When the cold air flows over my bare skin and exposed face in the cold [...]
Autumn Recipe
Pumpkin pie Mix: 1 med pumpkin (steamed until soft or baked) ½ cup maple syrup 1 Tbs. pumpkin spice (or ½ tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and ¼ tsp. nutmeg) ¼ tsp sea salt [...]
Autumn Inspiration
Autumn season is the season of harvest, where we receive the growth the growth of spring and summer. "the seeds we have sown, now we shall reap" ~Elson M. Haas Autumn is the season of [...]
Late Summer Recipe
Baked Yam fries w/chives and cashew aioli Cashew sauce 1 cup cashews soaked for 30 min ¼ cup lemon juice salt to taste 1 clove roasted garlic if tolerable Yams large yams backed for 30-45 [...]
Late Summer
Late summer is a time for slowing down after the outward and expansive summer. This season is an opportunity to do grounding practices, spend more time indoors, shift eating patterns to warming and nurturing while [...]
What can Acupuncture treat?
Have you ever wondered what Acupuncture treats? Here are a number of conditions/imbalances that Acupuncture can help with: PAIN- Acute or chronic, from musculoskeletal to unidentified origins, acupuncture can treat pain on all levels: body; [...]
The heart, the bitter flavour and summer
The summer season is associated with the bitter flavour. Cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower and broccoli, are categorized within this vegetable family. Some other common bitter foods are: coffee, dark chocolate (cacao), kale, dandelion, grapefruit, green [...]
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Taoist philosophy, which has been refined of the past 5000 years to presently integrate elements of contemporary western biomedical knowledge. As a system of medicine, TCM [...]
Design your own pesto
On a warm summers day there is nothing better than a pesto and cracker picnic. I hope you can let your creative energy flow with this playful recipe! 2 cups fresh herbs (basil, dill, kale [...]
Summer Recipe
Stay cool and nourished this summer. Cooling Asparagus Miso Mint Soup w/radish and green onion lime relish 2 bunches of Asparagus steamed lightly 1 liter veg or bone broth 1 Tbs of miso (add after [...]
The Tao
In Chinese philosophy the Tao is the absolute principle underlying the Universe. Combining within itself the principles of yin and yang and signifying the way that is in harmony with the natural order. The interpretation [...]
The Organ Clock
Ever wondered why at the same time frame regularly you feel tired, anxious, cold or hot, irritable, feel worried or wake up from a deep sleep? Chinese medicine’s organ clock system helps to shed light [...]
LIVER, WOOD ELEMENT & SPRING:
Spring is a time of new beginnings and awakenings. The Inner Classics, an ancient text of Chinese medicine, expresses this season as a time to rise early with the sun and take brisk walks. These [...]
THE PSOAS MUSCLE: The myofascial lines, sympathetic nervous system, and meridian interaction
The illopsoas muscle is commonly discussed in the bodywork and movement field as a key player in pain and dysfunction. There are a multitude of theories and approaches to correct this dysfunction. It is my [...]
Stress it’s not in your head; it’s in your nervous system
Have you ever been told when you’re stressed to stop worrying and just relax? That it’s all in your head? It would be nice if it were that simple. But it’s not. Physiology research shows [...]
Why commit to practicing yoga for thirty days?
Practice, is a deep-seated form of self-care. By willingly stepping into practice you are making a strong commitment to yourself. You are making a choice to live in deeper connection with our body, mind, and [...]
To all my single friends on Valentines day
Today doesn’t have to suck. You don’t have to feel miserable. This day could be an opportunity to inquire, to look into the places that hurt with tenderness and acceptance. It is my understanding that [...]
Osteopenia – prevention through diet and lifestyle
Osteopenia is reduced bone mass of lesser severity than Osteoporosis. “osteo” means bone and “penia” indicates a state of being low in quantity. There is some controversy if osteopenia is truly a disease. It merely [...]
A path of embrace
Here is a piece of my heart, the story of a journey that has brought me into a deepening relationship with Self. I spent most of my teens and early twenties limited by my need [...]
The journey
What an incredible two weeks it has been...life feels ripe and profoundly full at the present moment. It is like every day is stretching my capacity to feel joy. Many endings are opening me to [...]
What is in a name ….. why Melody?
So here I am freshly 28 years old and shifting my name. Not changing my name because my legal name is Melody Nicole Hurrell Walford. It all started back in February, the beautiful full moon [...]
A journey to the heart of the earth, going plastic free!
In late 2014, I was deeply inspired by a young women's experience of removing trash from her life. For 2 years Lauren Singer took the incredibly honorable step and looked at her waste production. She [...]
Preparing for the holiday. A slightly different approach from the mainstream
"Let no memory block your hearts capacity to love." ~Elena Brower How can I rise up and shine this Christmas? How can I fully embody who I truly am beyond the family and societal roles, expectations [...]
Seasonal transitions…balance anxiety and depression
As the season shifts, so do our bodies, minds and spirits. We are a true reflection of nature and our bodies cycle with the movement of seasons. It is greatly important to align our whole Self with [...]