Category Archives: seasonal wellness

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 – Laughter is therapy

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Fire – Laughter is therapy     The summer season belongs to the Fire element in Chinese Medicine. This vibrant energy governs the Heart, the organ responsible for circulation, mental clarity, and housing our spirit, known as the Shen.   When Fire is balanced, we feel joyful, connected, and full of life. When it burns too hot, it manifests as anxiety, insomnia, or restlessness.   Laughter is the ultimate medicine to keep this seasonal Fire in perfect harmony. In TCM, every organ system associates with a specific sound and emotion.   The sound of the Heart is laughter, and its … Continue reading →

Fire – Schedule mid day Siestas

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Schedule mid day Siestas.   Summer is the apex of the seasons. Temperatures run hot. Energy requirements run high for travels, social gathers, family & friend time. Making time for a mid day pause is a habit that recharges and regenerates for the adventure packed day and fun filled evening ahead. How to spend that currency of quiet is custom designed by you. 15 minute power nap 10 minutes of following your breath 20 minute body scan guided meditation zoning out, eyes closed, falling into the quiet choiceless awareness yoga nidra legs up the wall for lymph support   There … Continue reading →

Water ~ Perfect your sleep

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Who doesn’t dream about a perfect night’s sleep? falling asleep within 30 minutes, 7-9 hours of continuous sleep to cycle through light, medium and REM stages multiple times, falling back to sleep easily if awakened, waking refreshed and energized throughout the day. What can help us achieve perfect sleep? let’s see what the science suggests Aromatherapy: try a bedside diffuser with relaxing scents or blends or a hand, foot, head and neck self massage before bed. Benefits of aromatherapy for insomnia.  My favorite sleep oil available for you on Fullscript. This study suggests single aroma inhalation, lavender, offers the greatest … 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 ~ Unplug

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

  How do you unplug? In a world ruled by screens, drones, instant messaging, on demand everything, how do you unplug? And for how long?  Have you ever noticed yourself becoming less distracted, with a brightened mood, as your mind calms, and your breathing deepens and relaxes as you spend time with nature? A recent study shows positive affect, restoration, connectedness and mindfulness increase during a 2.5 hour forest tour.  Maybe you’ve tried walking barefoot on the earth or the warm, salty ocean shore, sleeping grounded or oriented to the cardinal directions. There are health benefits to these. Have you been … Continue reading →