Category Archives: Five Elements

Fire – Discover Divine Purpose

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fire – Discover Divine Purpose. True alignment with your divine purpose is not a permanent state of calm, nor is it an escape from the grit of the human experience. Traditional wisdom from ancient cultures teaches us that purpose is not a destination, but a way of moving through the entire spectrum of human emotion.   We often mistake spiritual alignment for endless positivity, yet the oldest traditions view grief, anger, fear, and joy as equally sacred messengers.   In the crucible of daily life, full-spectrum living means allowing yourself to feel deeply without losing your center.   Traditional wisdom … Continue reading →

Fire – Cool down with cucumbers or watermelon

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fire – Cool down with cucumbers or watermelon   Balancing Your Heat: Top Cooling Foods for Vitality In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), optimal health relies on the balance of Yin (cool, moistening) and Yang (warm, activating) energies. When your body accumulates excess heat—whether from stress, hot weather, or spicy foods—you might experience symptoms like acne, irritability, dry mouth and skin, or constipation. To restore harmony, TCM recommends consuming “cooling” (Han) and “cool” (Liang) foods to clear internal heat and generate fluids. Here are five essential TCM cooling foods to add to your diet: Cucumber: Clears heat, detoxifies, and promotes fluid … Continue reading →

Fire – Hug heart to heart

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fire – Hug heart to heart   The hug Next time you go in for or are receiving a hug, take note.  Do you lean in left shoulder to left shoulder, right shoulder to right shoulder or reach for the waist with a side hug? Are you comfortable with a hug? Were you raised with hugs? How long is your natural hug? Do you want to practice hugging?   Word Origin Etymologically, “hug” is thought to come from the Old Norse word hugga, which translates to “to comfort or console”.   A lesson from one of my clinical mentors in … Continue reading →

Fire – Seek South

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fire – Seek South Each element is associated with a cardinal direction.   Why? Perhaps the ancients were linking the human experience to the natural world. We use directions as guideposts: the north star, the compass, the map. Directions anchor us to place. The south is the direction of fire, the heart. It marks innocence, transformation, passion, the noon day sun, the zenith of our days, seasons, and lives. Summer is the lucky time of year. Feng Shui places reputation and fame in the south sector of our home.  Take a look at your home with curiosity. More than just … Continue reading →

Water ~ Have a cuppa bone broth or chai

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Cozy up with a cuppa bone broth or chai tea.  How did you come to know and love tea? I grew up with a mom who always created an herb garden wherever she has lived and helped me develop a taste for herbal brews early on starting with spearmint sun tea and catnip.I learned so much about tea in the town I lived for medical school – Portland, Oregon. They actually have tea shops and tea shops within Chinese gardens. My Chinese Medicine teachers always packed their traveling suitcases with tea and spices. The ah too true joke with them … Continue reading →

Water ~ Fill your bladder with blue-black light

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fill your bladder with blue-black light Each of the five elements of has an associated color, direction, sound, taste, note, organ affinity, etc. The color of water/winter is blue-black.  The associated organs of the bladder, kidney & adrenals are harmonized, nourished & balanced when we utilize blue-black for healing. There are many effective means to heal with color.  In my clinic, I utilize color and sound healing with tuning forks and color shields as I was instructed by Fabian Maman of the Tama-Do Academy with children & with patients that are pain sensitive to needling. I painted the doors & … Continue reading →

Water Tip Sheet

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

For a gentle, nourishing soup cleanse that journeys your through the 12 meridian system: CLICK HERE To support your winter/water organs: kidney, bladder & adrenals, try this Lentil/Cilantro combination For a complete reference to the soup cleanse: search the Cultivating Wellness Blog for Soup Cleanse Enjoy these winter wisdom tips, to harmonize yourself into the season.

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Water ~ Try a hot ginger foot bath

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Peak winter conditions are headed for Alabama this weekend.  Let’s combine our Water/Winter wisdoms with a nourishing, gentle Soup Cleanse for the stay at home and stay warm days of ice, sleet & snow. Ginger Foot Bath Instructions: Add ginger tea, decocted fresh ginger root or even ginger powder to hot water. Need herbal tea preparation tips? Click here…midway down the post to learn how to free their medicine. For a warm foot bath, water is warmed to 92-100F (33-38C). For a hot foot bath, water is warmed gradually and frequently tested with elbow to 103-108F (39-42C). Be particularly careful … Continue reading →

Earth: Take a step back

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

photo by Pexels What if is the way forward is backwards?  What if time is a spiral not a line? What if space & time can warp? What if time is an illusion. Consider our common language: catch up, move forward, climb the ladder, hustle culture, get ahead. Sounds exhausting. Are there any signs that we may want to step back? Yes, of course. Do any of these sound familiar? I’ve sent out a hundred resumes but have gotten zero callbacks. I keep messaging but no one replies. I feel sick to my stomach every time I think of it. … Continue reading →

Earth: Limit raw foods

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Element Wisdom Cards offer wellness tips that support your five element constitution & seasonal well being Earth: Limit raw foods  To bring balance and wellness to the organs ruled and expressed by the Earth Element, we focus on how to optimize digestion and personalize nutrition, regulate blood sugar and strengthen the muscles during Late Summer as well as the 18 days around each equinox & solstice. I am a huge fan of fresh food.  I am more skilled at chopping than cooking. I love to chop, so food prep is super fun for me and therefore a strength. I am … Continue reading →