Blog

18 posts

photo of large purple flower: clematis, variety Elsa Spath

Growing through Grief

This is a transformational ritual in response to the pain of a death– a simple ritual for grief, growth, and turning toward our experience just as it is, as was taught by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, in 2015 at a training on Mindfulness for End of Life Providers. It’s a tool that is continually transforming me into a better provider and a more aware person. It is also a resource that I love to share with patients and anyone else navigating the death of a loved one.

photo of baked loaf, sliced into

Hearty Bread for Better Health

I was recently introduced to one of my new favorite recipes– “The Life-Changing Loaf.” This is a hearty gluten-free nut & seed loaf that is loaded with protein and fiber. Here you will find a recipe for my favorite version- a Cinnamon-Raisin Life-Changing Loaf.

photo of several watermelons

Cooling the Body from Within Using Naturally Cooling Foods

This post focuses on how to use naturally cooling foods to help beat the heat of summer. Understanding some basic Chinese nutritional theory can allow us to choose foods that support our body to stay cooler internally. A food list is included to help you navigate the heat of summer with comfort, ease, and better health.

photo of a bowl of choriso-kale-potato soup

Deep in the Heart of Soup Season: Caldo Verde

This post is the beginning of a series of my favorite Soup Recipes, featuring Caldo Verde (Portuguese Chorizo Kale Soup). According to Chinese nutritional theory, brothy hot soups are a perfect way to chase out pathogens, fortify your immune system, stoke your digestive ‘pilot light’, and refill your well of reserves. In the heart of winter, who couldn’t use a bit of that?

nature photo: rustic road through frost covered forest

Healthy Holiday Living and Tasty Treats (Back by Popular Demand)

In terms of self-care, December can be the hardest month. And the most critical, right? We can be overly busy, under-rested, sugar-crashed, out of our normal rhythms, and often struggling with expectations and stress about money, time, year-end loose ends, gifts, travel, family challenges, getting things done on time… and the list goes on. To have balance and health in the face of it requires both a conscious intention and some practical tools.
What would make it easier to stay healthy, sane, and nourished? Here are 5 tips (including two recipes) for a nourishing holiday season.

photo of a row of homegrow tomatoes on a window sill

Tomatoes: The Busy Person’s Guide to Never Wasting a Single One

It was a long hot summer here in the northwest and now we are in a blissful tomato avalanche. They are all ripening at light speed and it can be hard to keep up!  This is a short post on the simplest way to preserve your tomatoes and make the bounty of your harvest last well beyond the fleeting harvest season. It literally takes minutes. Here’s to keeping it simple. I mean REALLY simple!

nature photo: seed pods in a field against a clear blue sky

Being a Hospice Acupuncturist

People often say, “You work in hospice. Wow, that must be so hard.”  (…or heavy, draining, or any number of other words that suggest a weighty emotional slog.) In my experience, it’s many things. Poignant. Intimate. Beautiful. Intense. Fulfilling. Refreshingly real. With all due respect, there is plenty of grit in hospice work. I’m not saying it’s easy but for me it is unquestionably nourishing on a deep level.

photo of ceramic plate with sliced vegetables and fresh hummus

Hummus!

At my house, we love hummus and can happily plow through massive amounts of it. Because of that, I make it frequently and in large batches.  Making hummus at home is EASY EASY EASY.

This post includes a simple delicious hummus recipe and an overview of many of the exceptional therapeutic properties of fresh garlic.

photo of roasted cabbage steak on plate

Cabbage Steaks = Extreme Deliciousness!

Since food is the best medicine and this is the most delicious new dish to enter my repertoire in a while, I can’t help but shout the recipe from the rooftops. While the ingredients could not be simpler, there is a magic that happens in the cooking and the whole […]

photo of sauted burdock root on baked yam

Chinese Nutrition, Digestive Healing, & Burdock with Yams

Part of the beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it’s a system that recognizes that even though multiple people might present with the same symptoms, that we don’t all need the same treatment to heal and thrive.  In that spirit, I have not found that any one diet is a perfect fit for everyone, as we are all so individual, ever-changing, and complex. Understanding how our bodies work and listening inwardly– this is a powerful combination that can guide us to discover what dietary choices make us feel good, function well, rest well, heal well, and have sustained energy.   Read on for more about seasonal eating, including a recipe!

The Fifth Season.

Chinese medicine is based on the principles of nature. These principles are understood through what is known as 5 Element Theory. In this system, all of the body’s functions, structures, and fluids correlate to elements in the natural world. And it all happens in 5’s. Typically we are used to thinking in terms of four elements and four seasons but in this ancient eastern philosophy, there are five elements, directions, flavors, medicinal actions, natural processes, pathological tendencies, and yes, five seasons.

The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. We are currently in (and soon to head out of) the phase of the year that relates to the earth element. So what is the 5th season? 

photo of Susan

Welcome everyone!

Welcome everyone! Finally, I am stepping from the stone age into the virtual modern world to share, celebrate, discuss and connect around the art and science of acupuncture, the elegant system of Chinese medicine, healing, and health. I look forward to posting about the philosophy behind acupuncture, some of the magic that happens in the treatment room, and tools for healthy living, moving, eating, and other elements of self-care.
Let the blogging begin! Starting with a simple introduction…