Late Summer: The Fifth Season in Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recognizes Late Summer as an independent season with its own unique energy. This fifth season begins around the third week of August and runs through the Fall Equinox. Late Summer bridges the gap between the expansive growth and activity of spring/summer (Yang energy) and the more inward and still energies of fall/winter (Yin energy).

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Creating a Holistic Medicine Cabinet

Having a well-stocked holistic medicine cabinet is essential for a healthy and natural lifestyle. With a variety of products on hand you can naturally treat so many issues in the comfort of your home, with safe, effective and non-toxic ingredients.

Here are our recommendations for holistic products you can use for common ailments and issues. Where can you find these products? If they are available on our website, there is a link provided. All the Chinese formulas are available at our retail store in Westport, CT (or can be ordered by phone). For the rest of the products, they can be found at most health food stores.

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Mastering The Art of Traditional Matcha Preparation

Traditional matcha preparation may seem elaborate with its bamboo tools, precise water temperature, and specific whisking technique, but once you get the hang of it, whisking up a bowl of Matcha tea is a delightful and delicious ritual. If you’d like to make Matcha with the traditional utensils you can find them in our store or on our website.

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Fall Tea Guide

There is a lot to fall in love with this season. The trees delight us with their joyful display of color, and the autumn harvest in Connecticut yields an abundance of squash, root vegetables, apples, and more. As the days gradually become crisp and cool, we seek warming and nourishing food and welcome the return of recipes using familiar seasonal spices. This change in weather also causes us to gravitate towards bold teas that warm the body and spirit.

Keep reading to see some of our fall tea staples.

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Understanding Adaptogens: Herbs for Stress & Immunity

Adaptogens are herbs and plant extracts that work to counteract the harmful effects of stress in the body. While adaptogenic supplements and powders have seen increased popularity and market saturation in the last few years, many adaptogens have been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine.

In today’s stressed-out and overworked world, it’s no wonder that adaptogens have caught the attention of the wider public. Not only do adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms increase the body’s resilience to stress, but they also support optimal health.

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How to Make Bubble Tea at Home

Stay cool this summer with the ultimate iced tea beverage: bubble tea. Refreshing, decadent, and delicious, classic boba is made with black tea, sweetener, milk, and chewy tapioca pearls. Skip store-bought tea – it’s surprisingly easy to make your own bubble tea at home!

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Spring Cleaning: Cleanse Your Body & Environment

Following the introspective days of winter, spring ushers forth a time of movement, growth, and regeneration. As nature begins to awaken and blossom around us, we must also align ourselves with the bright energy of spring and make a fresh start.

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Chinese New Year 2021: Year of the Metal Ox

The Chinese New Year falls on February 12 this year, marking the beginning of the transition into a new cycle of the Chinese zodiac. It is time to bid farewell to the Year of the Rat and move forward into the Year of the Ox.

More commonly referred to as the Spring Festival in China, the Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of a new lunar year and the beginning of spring.

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Chinese Medicine Wisdom for Winter Wellness

In traditional Chinese medicine, the natural world is observed as moving through predictable cyclical formations, reflected within all beings and environments. After the autumn harvest is exhausted and the leaves have fallen from the trees, wintertime becomes one of retreat and restoration. Nature returns to her dark depths to replenish her strength, preparing for new growth in the springtime. We could do well to follow nature’s lead, using this time to build vitality through proper rest and reflection in the months of winter.

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Must-Have Home Remedies for Preventing and Treating Colds

It starts with the tiniest tickle in your throat or sinuses, then a wave of fatigue washes over you, and before you know your kids, your coworkers and you are all battling some sort of sniffling, congesting, and exhausting cold or infection. What can you do from the get-go to nip a winter cold in the bud? Here are some easy home remedies to help prevent the spread of infection, aid in recovery, and keep you healthy all winter long.

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