Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wild Mushroom and Root Vegetable Soup Recipe

Feeling under the weather this time of year? Feed your defense system with fortifying, immune-boosting, and anti-microbial foods. Wild Mushroom and Root Vegetable Soup is a perfect way to banish those pesky winter bugs, since it contains wonderful immune-boosting wild mushrooms, anti-microbial ginger, anti-inflammatory turmeric, and detoxifying onions, garlic and parsley. All those lovely, colorful root veggies will nourish both body and soul too. continue reading
What Japanese Acupuncture Can Do for You

If acupuncture is new to you, you might not know that there are different forms of acupuncture. While Chinese acupuncture is a bit more mainstream here in the West, Japanese acupuncture is becoming renowned for its effectiveness. Traditional Japanese acupuncture (which includes Meridian Therapy) is defined as “an imbalance in qi and blood flowing in the meridians which is considered to be the cause of disease.” The aim is to regulate the flow of both qi and blood.
Its roots are in Chinese acupuncture but there are some differences. Read on to learn what those are so you can see if Japanese acupuncture is right for you. continue reading
Full of Your Self
Be yourself; everyone else is taken.
~~ Oscar Wilde
Greetings to all my precious people!
It is the beginning of February and the Spring season is not far behind! In the Celtic traditions, the first day of February is known as “Imbolc” (im-bulk) and is celebrated from February 1 to sundown February 2. Imbolc marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and is just one of several holidays highlighting some aspect of winter and sunlight, and heralding the change of seasons. continue reading
Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs Recipe

Now here’s a beef short ribs recipe your friends and family will love! Short ribs are ribs usually cut from sections towards the front and lower parts of beef cattle. Although you can buy boneless short ribs, they are often sold with the bone attached. The meat attached to the bone can come from the brisket, plate, chuck or rib and can contain less or more fat depending on where it comes from. Short ribs can be cut “flanken style” which includes a thin slice across multiple ribs with meat in between the bones or “English style” which includes a portion of just one rib with a thicker piece of meat attached. For this recipe, we use bone-in English style ribs. When shopping for short ribs, look for ribs that have a thick cut of meat attached to the bone with a good meat-to-fat ratio (more meat, less fat). continue reading

The Chinese Zodiac calendar for 2024 ushers in the Year of the Wood Dragon on Saturday February 10. This is a time that holds great significance in Chinese culture and astrology. The Dragon, revered for centuries, is a symbol of wisdom, nobility, and luck. The Year of the Dragon is more than just a mark on the calendar; it’s a period rich in historical significance and cultural symbolism. As we embrace the qualities of the dragon—strength, wisdom, and fortune—we also celebrate the rich tapestry of Chinese tradition and its global impact. 

