Tag: Chi Kung

A Second Chance for a Great 2026

A Second Chance for a Great 2026

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We’re already near the end of the first quarter of 2026. How have you done so far on your New Year’s resolutions or the goals you set for this year?

If you’re like the majority of folks, you’ve already slipped, backslided, or simply given up on your goals. The famous dictum within the fitness world is as follows: the gyms will get super crowded in early January…but by the third week in February, the crowds have mostly disappeared and it’s just “the regulars” again.

Well, I’ve got wonderful news for you!

“It’s not your fault.”

You see, setting new goals and resolutions in late December or early January is just about the worst possible time to do so.

Winter is the most Yin time of the year. The reduced light, shorter days and longer nights, and cold temperatures naturally encourage us to sleep more and become less active. Our metabolism and energy levels decrease in winter. Nature’s idea is that we should slow down, use less energy, and basically “hibernate” during the cold, lean winter months.

And yes, even in our climate-controlled, well-lit modern existence, our bodies, brains and energetic matrix still respond to nature’s call.

Energetically, this most Yin time of year is just the worst in terms of gearing up to conquer ourselves, move forward toward new challenges, and push to achieve our goals. The energetics of winter are more about quiescence, going inside to ponder and reflect, develop some wisdom, and help the body rest up and recharge.

Spring Has Sprung

Here’s a suggestion: Instead of beating yourself up for not making better progress….or berating yourself for having already given up on your stated resolutions or goals…start all over!

Yes, restart your year now.

Spring is a period of rising Yang energy. It is associated with the Liver and the Wood element, which means growth and development, increasing energy levels, and a natural desire to increase our physical activity.

You likely are detecting the signs of Spring, including the days getting longer. Here in Central Texas, we have already been mowing the lawn, cleaning the beds, and planting new flowers. We’ve already had days in the upper 80s, even 90s!

Now is the time to get outside and get some sun / natural Vitamin D, which an serve as an effective energizer and mood stabilizer. Take walks in your local park, get out into nature, enjoy the new leaves and emerging plants and flowers. The colors and sunshine – in particular, making sure you get reflected sun in your eyes – provide important vibrations that promote health and energy. (But don’t look directly at the sun!)

Spring means Yang Ascending – the energies are increasing. So it only make sense to ride that energetic wave, recommit and refocus on your goals, and get moving.

Declare it a new year and move forward with renewed vigor and expectancy.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

The Importance of Trust

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As we approach the Fall Equinox (September 21st), we begin the transition from Summer to Fall. Here in Central Texas, it still feels like summer! BUt the mornings are providing a preview of more comfortable weather.

During this transition, we still honor the “season” of Late Summer.

Late Summer is the last season within the Five Elements Cycle (or Wuxing) and is associated with the Spleen and Stomach organ system (which also includes the pancreas). This season corresponds to the late summer, early Fall, Indian Summer time when we are wrapping up the summer fun and beginning to harvest the last of the fruits, veggies, wheat, etc.

This season is also associated with the Earth Element. It’s important to get in touch with the Earth – and a wonderful way to do this is through Grounding.

Grounding is one of the most fundamental aspects of practicing Qigong, as well as working with patients within the Medical Qigong paradigm.

Grounding is the ability to fully connect with the Yin energy of the earth. Through a simple grounding meditation, we center and relax, connect, and allow ourselves to feel the warm, comforting embrace of Mother Earth’s energy. When you are grounded, you feel a sense of stability, of being safe, secure and protected, and of being whole.

An interesting aspect of grounding is that we are connected through our lower dan tien or energy center, which is in the middle of the lower abdomen. This is our physical center of gravity, our center. It is also related to our essential essence or “Jing”, the life force or vital energy that we are born with. When we ground, we automatically support and enhance our Jing. But we are also connecting with our spiritual side, albeit in a subtler way.

When we ground, the energy moves from our lower dan tien, through our root or base (Huiyin point at the perineum), and then up through our heart center and all the way to the crown of our head – the Baihui point, which is analogous to the crown chakra in yoga.

The feeling of wholeness we enjoy when we are fully grounded is not just physical wholeness or stability, it is also mental and emotional wholeness and stability. In our paradigm, body (physical), heart/mind (emotional and mental), and spirit (higher consciousness) are inextricably connected. When we give ourselves the gift of grounding, we impact our entire being.

Trust Yourself

One of the most important psycho-emotional benefits of grounding and practicing our Earth Dao Yin exercises (part of the Five Elements practice I teach in The Five Elements Health Form), is learning to trust oneself.

Many of us have a tendency to ruminate, to over-analyze situations and circumstances. Thinking through things and planning for contingencies is good. But becoming paralyzed and fearful of taking action because you doubt yourself is not so good.

Listen first to your own conscience, your inner voice. Don’t let the opinions of others sway you from the things you feel, deep inside, you should do – or not do.

In other words, Trust Yourself! Trust your instincts and your intuition. Trust your judgment. Trust your ability to ask the questions or find the information you need to make a good decision.

Also, trust that you will receive the guidance you need, whether from deep inside or from a higher power.

One thing I’ve found in life: when my heart is right and sincere, the universe always provide in one way or another – and things tend to work out.

Trust other too. As Lao Tzu tells us, “No trust given, no trust received”.

The World’s Most Advanced Stress Management Technology

The World’s Most Advanced Stress Management Technology

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One of the most important and useful skills one can learn from studying Qigong is that of Grounding.

We implicitly understand the importance of grounding. Think of phrases such as, “She’s such a grounded person”; “This idea is grounded in facts and evidence”; “Twenty-one Quotes to Help Keep You Grounded”; and so forth.

And of course, one of my favorites: Casey Kasem, the American Top 40 Guy, used to close every show with “Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars”.

Most people don’t know how to ground. Practices such as yoga and meditation reference it, as do certain flavors of Western breathwork. I know I’m biased, but…from experience I have found the grounding techniques of Medical Qigong and Chinese Energetic Medicine are the most straightforward and effective. With a little practice, you can learn how to tap into the gentle energy of Mother Earth and, within a few minutes, become centered and grounded. And staying centered and grounded helps you better manage – even transform – stress and anxiety.

Why Is Grounding So Important?

The power of the Earth’s energy, or Earth Qi (pronounced “chee”), exists as the living energy of the entire planet. Each one of us is developed, structured, and influenced by the environmental energy around us. So Earth Qi plays an important role in controlling and influencing the specific pattern and overall quality of our life force energy.

The closer you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually bond with the Earth, and with Nature in general, the easier it becomes for you to tap into our planet’s energy and vibration. The development of Qi within your body and your body’s connection to the energy of the Earth are mutually supportive. They help create a virtuous cycle of improving energy, health, and vitality.

The starting point for achieving this critical connection involves focusing the mind and placing your breathing inside your Lower Dan Tien (lower abdomen). Once you have established this mind-body connection, you can use simple positions (standing or seated) and intentions to connect into Mother Earth.

The ability to consciously absorb energy from Nature is an important skill in Daoist training (my Medical Qigong lineage is Daoist). It’s a prerequisite for cultivating internal energy at a high level.

Learning how to ground and center is one of the most important skills I have learned over the years. Not only is it a foundation for my being able to treat and help people via treatments, corrective exercise, and/or Qigong prescriptions. It’s also an invaluable life skill! I go outside and ground at least once per day – sometimes multiple times per day. I ground inside too when I can’t get outside due to appointments and meetings.

Focus on Energy Management

I often tell my clients and Qigong students to focus less on “time management” and “stress management” and focus more on energy management. Most people are carrying way too much stress and anxiety. If I could impart only one piece of advice, it would be to “Give yourself the gift of breathing (and grounding)”. Take short breathing / grounding breaks throughout the day. Between meetings and calls; when you are switching from one type of task to another; after you’ve had a tough interaction or prior to an important meeting; while you’re driving home and transitioning from work mode to home mode. All are excellent opportunities to breathe and ground. Within a minute or so, you can collect yourself, purge negative energy or emotions, and feel revitalized mentally, physically, and emotionally.

(Quick plug: My online video course, “Introduction to Qigong and Breathwork“, includes an easy, fun Grounding meditation. Check it out.)

That’s it for now! I’m going to go stand outside for a few and ground…then on to my next to-do for today.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Waiting for Hurricane Helene

Waiting for Hurricane Helene

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Last Friday, I flew from Austin to Panama City Airport (ECP) to visit my parents and brother. My brother picked my up at the airport and we made the drive from Florida up to the lower southeast corner of Alabama where they live. As we drove, I observed that there is STILL damage visible from Hurricane Michael, a devastating CAT 5 storm that hit the Florida Panhandle back in October 2018. Never expecting that…

…we would be in the path of a hurricane now!

Yes, Hurricane Helene is currently approaching the Florida panhandle, this time drawing a bead on the Big Bend area of the coast. She’s expected to grow to a CAT 4 storm with tremendous, possibly record-setting storm surge along areas of the Florida coast. She’s a “big girl” too – a huge storm whose winds and rains have been hitting our area in Lower Alabama for the past four hours. With more to come.

Our impacts here are yet to be seen, but we’ve been told to expect CAT 1 or CAT 2 hurricane effects. Fortunately, we will be on the west side of the hurricane and not feel the full force about to be endured in Florida and Georgia. Nevertheless, we completed our preparations yesterday. The schools and many businesses are closed today or are closing early. We’re as ready as we can be.

I feel for those folks along the Florida coast, many of whom have endured an increasing number and severity of hurricanes in the past five years. Idalia is the one most cited by folks in the Big Bend area, especially along the barrier islands such as Cedar Key. I hope and pray these folks battened down the hatches as well as they could – and then got the hell out of there!

I understand the desire to stay and ride it out, in order to protect your home or business and be on the ground to begin recovery. We went through the same when my parents first retired and build their dream retirement home along the coast in North Carolina. The decision to stay or evacuate can be an agonizing one. You scrutinize each new update, trying to decipher whether you can ride it out safely OR you better leave. If you wait too long to make that decision, you then get stuck in massive traffic as folks evacuate. Or, worse yet, you are stuck and forced to ride it out.

One more data point: when I was age 9 to 11, we lived in Tallahassee, Florida. One of the key things I remember about living there is the proliferation of beautiful, stately trees. Especially the oaks with the Spanish moss hanging off the branches. Tallahassee will be right in the eye of this storm as it passes through. I fear many trees will be uprooted or damaged.

Anyways, I wish the best possible outcome to the people about to be impacted.

In the meantime, I did a little training out on the back porch. It’s the first time I can remember actually working out during a hurricane.

A little back story: It is said that the founder of Shotokan Karate, Funakoshi Gichin, would stand out on the roof of his house on Okinawa during monsoons (the Pacific ocean version of hurricanes). He would grip a tatami mat with both hands, which acted like a sail, and would strive to hold his horse stance on the roof.

As described by an observer and martial arts colleague:

“Now the young man on the roof assumed a low posture, holding the straw mat aloft against the raging wind. The stance he took was most impressive, for he stood as if astride a horse. Indeed, anyone who knew karate could readily have seen that the youth was taking the horse-riding stance, the most stable of all karate stances, and that he was making use of the howling typhoon to refine his technique and to further strengthen both body and mind. The wind struck the mat and the youth with full force, but he stood his ground and did not flinch.”

OK, I know my performing techniques and forms on my parents’ back porch – BEFORE the hurricane even arrives – is nothing like what Funakoshi did.

However, I can report that, energetically, training in the wind and rain felt different. It felt exhilarating. You can sense the current energy as well as the impending energies to come. I plan on periodically going outside for as long as I can and to breathe, stand, and experience the wind, energy, and power of Mother Nature.

Bless all of those in the path of this storm.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Re-Connect with Your Center

Re-Connect with Your Center

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As we move from the heat of July and August into the not quite-so-hot warmth of September, I’d like to remind you of the “season” of Late Summer.

Late Summer is the last season within the Five Elements Cycle (or Wuxing) and is associated with the Spleen and Stomach organ system (which also includes the pancreas). This season corresponds to the late summer, early Fall, Indian Summer time when we are wrapping up the summer fun and beginning to harvest the last of the fruits, veggies, wheat, etc.

This season is also associated with the Earth Element. It’s important to get in touch with the Earth – and a wonderful way to do this is through Grounding.

Grounding is one of the most fundamental aspects of practicing Qigong, as well as working with patients within the Medical Qigong paradigm.

Grounding is the ability to fully connect with the Yin energy of the earth. Through a simple grounding meditation, we center and relax, connect, and allow ourselves to feel the warm, comforting embrace of Mother Earth’s energy. When you are grounded, you feel a sense of stability, of being safe, secure and protected, and of being whole.

An interesting aspect of grounding is that we are connected through our lower dan tien or energy center, which is in the middle of the lower abdomen. This is our physical center of gravity, our center. It is also related to our essential essence or “Jing”, the life force or vital energy that we are born with. When we ground, we automatically support and enhance our Jing. But we are also connecting with our spiritual side, albeit in a subtler way. When we ground, the energy moves from our lower dan tien, through our root or base (Huiyin point at the perineum), and then up through our heart center and all the way to the crown of our head – the Baihui point, which is analogous to the crown chakra in yoga.

Hence, the feeling of wholeness we enjoy when we are fully grounded is not just physical wholeness or stability, it is also mental and emotional wholeness and stability. In our paradigm, body (physical), heart/mind (emotional and mental), and spirit (higher consciousness) are inextricably connected. When we give ourselves the gift of grounding, we impact our entire being.

When mind, heart and body are coordinated, you are grounded. Some wonderful manifestations or signs of being grounded include:

-You feel safe.

-You feel present – your mind is focused on the here and now, not drifting to the past or worried about the future.

-You feel comfortable in your own body.

-Your biorhythms, such as heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure are entrained, stable, and slower.

-Your personality manifests as someone who is stable, reliable, and down-to-earth.

Unfortunately, our modern lives have caused most of us to lose touch with Mother Earth, to lose this connection. We spend more time inside…we are on our screens much of the time…we don’t walk around barefoot like we did as kids.

Simple But Powerful

One of the first things I teach a new patient – and one of the first exercises I teach in my Qigong courses and classes – is a simple grounding meditation. This exercise is powerful. Restoring the connection to the earth can result in dramatic changes and experiences.

A key to grounding is simple awareness. Through your breathing and gentle intention, you relax, center, and get calm inside. This helps open the channel to the earth’s energy.

Another key is to have a direct connection to the ground. Whenever possible, go outside and stand (or sit) with your bare feet solidly on the ground. Or you can sit on the ground with the bottoms of your feet and the palms of your hands touching the ground. If it’s cold outside, wear socks or moccasins that don’t have a rubber or synthetic bottom.

A third key is to center your intention gently into your lower abdomen. Breathe in and out of this area. Allow your breath to become longer and fuller. But don’t strain or push. Just gently breathe in and out through your nose (which helps you relax) and be open to the connection with Mother Earth.

I teach an effective (and fun) grounding meditation and have included it in one of my courses, Breathing and Qigong for Health and Energy (click here for more information). This course provides the foundation for a wonderful, effective, and fun Qigong and Breathing practice. It’s taught in a short four weeks and will introduce you to a proven health and energy cultivation method impacting body, mind, and spirit, which hopefully becomes an ongoing, consistent practice you will enjoy and benefit from.

Give yourself the gift of breathing. And add the power of “plugging in” to Mother Earth through grounding.

You Can Do It!

What’s the Best Way to Exercise in the Summer?

What’s the Best Way to Exercise in the Summer?

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In my last post, I regaled you with the benefits of the “best time” to exercise each day. (Click here to read it.)

Now let’s discuss the best WAY to exercise – from a seasonal perspective.

According to the Five Elements Framework – a foundational approach to health within Classical Chinese Medicine and Clinical Qigong – our activity should change with each season. The four seasons provide us with variation and different energies.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are smack in the middle of summer. How should we adapt our exercise during the summer?

For many of us, exercising involves working around the high summer temperatures, which can mean exercising indoors. This may also involve exercising first thing in the morning or later in the evening. The long summer days, with their earlier sunrises and later sunsets, help us feel more energetic and want to engage in greater physical activity.

The summer season is referred to in classical medical texts as “the season of fully flourishing, as all living things in the world are prosperous and beautiful”. The summer season is more yang, reaching its apex of yang energy at the summer solstice. This is also when yin energy begins to emerge. So summer means the intersection of yin and yang energies. This combination causes living things to blossom and yield fruit.

Key to this season is to go to sleep at night after the sun has set (which is later during the summer months) and get up early in the morning with the sunrise (also earlier during summer). Keep the mantra of “growth” in your mind at all times, so as to align with the summer energies promoting growth for autumn’s harvest.

When it comes to exercise, this means get out there and sweat!! Perspiring helps release yang energy and avoid heat becoming stagnant inside your body. You can train hard. In fact, you will notice your body naturally wants to train harder, go longer, and sweat more. This harder training helps boost your overall fitness by conditioning your heart and lungs. It also serves to release toxins and literally purify your system.

When it comes to your Qigong or Tai Chi practice, bear in mind that summer corresponds to the Fire element and the Heart organ system (which includes the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium [Heart Protector], and Triple Warmer). Practice your Tai Chi with strong movements and enhanced breathing. Include some of the more physically demanding Qigong exercises or forms. And take some time in each session to stand, breathe, and tap into the Heart virtues of Joy and Peace.

The Heart energy is a pulsating energy. It wants to beat, expand, and communicate. Utilizing the extra energy you feel during summer to stimulate your heart function is much better than during the winter, when your heart energy is naturally lower. Maintaining appropriate activity levels helps enhance your heart’s function, promotes your body’s metabolism (especially fat metabolism), and can help prevent atherosclerosis.

Bottom line: during summer, train hard and sweat freely!

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Discover the Master Blueprint to a Powerful Health Practice

Discover the Master Blueprint to a Powerful Health Practice

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I’m super stoked to be presenting a seminar on “The Five Elements Approach to Better Health, Energy, and Longevity” this Saturday, May 4th, at the Northwest Family YMCA, where I teach most of my group Qigong classes.

The Five Elements Framework is ancient and deeply woven into the fabric of Chinese and Eastern cultures. Five Element theory is the foundation of disciplines such as feng shui, the martial arts, and the I Ching (The Book of Changes). It provides a comprehensive template that organizes all natural phenomena into five master groups or patterns or phases in nature: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.

From a health enhancement perspective, the Five Element Framework provides a master blueprint that diagrams how nature interacts with the body and how the different dimensions of our being impact each other. Within Classical Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong, it provides a diagnostic framework to recognize where imbalances in the body, mind, emotions, and spirit lie…the “prescription” for returning the individual to full health and energy…and practices that promote longevity and quality of life.

What are The Five Elements?

The Five Elements follow the seasons and include the five Yin organs (and their corresponding Yang organ pairs) and address the interconnected relationships between them:

Metal: Lung – Large Intestine / FALL

Water: Kidneys – Bladder / WINTER

Wood: Liver – Gall Bladder / SPRING

Fire: Heart – Small Intestine / SUMMER

Earth: Spleen – Stomach / LATE SUMMER

In the seminar, we’ll provide an overview of each Element / Organ System and how it impacts your health and wellbeing, including:


-Physical, mental, and emotional characteristics.
-Potential strengths and challenges from a health and energetic perspective.
-Nutritional requirements and recommendations.
-Personality typing: explore which “element” (or mix of elements) you are.

This will be interactive! You won’t just be sitting listening to me lecture. (Although, as a recovering consultant, I WILL have some slides I present with. Just can’t help it…)

We’ll be learning / practicing one of my favorite sets of ancient Five Elements Dao Yin exercises, which are simple but powerful movements that help to support and regulate each specific organ system – which in turn can help you achieve better health, enhanced energy levels, and greater longevity.

How Can I Participate?

If you’re interested in attending this fascinating look at an ancient, proven, alternative health and wellness paradigm, contact the Northwest Family Y member services desk at (512) 335-9622 and ask them to sign you up for the Qigong Seminar this Saturday. The member price to attend is $35. (If you’re not a Y member just ask them for the non-member price.)

Then show up at the Northwest Family YMCA at 5807 McNeil Drive in Austin this Saturday, May 4th. Seminar time is 1 – 3pm in the Bowen Room.

And May the 4th Be With You!

Restart Your Year – Now!

Restart Your Year – Now!

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We’re already into the third month of 2024. How have you done so far on your New Year’s resolutions or the goals you set for this year?

If you’re like the majority of folks, you’ve already slipped, backslided, or simply given up on your goals. The famous dictum within the fitness world is as follows: the gyms will get super crowded in early January…but by the third week in February, the crowds have mostly disappeared and it’s just “the regulars” again.

Well, I’ve got wonderful news for you!

“It’s not your fault.”

You see, setting new goals and resolutions in late December or early January is just about the worst possible time to do so.

Winter is the most Yin time of the year. The reduced light, shorter days and longer nights, and cold temperatures naturally encourage us to sleep more and become less active. Our metabolism and energy levels decrease in winter. Nature’s idea is that we should slow down, use less energy, and basically “hibernate” during the cold, lean winter months.

And yes, even in our climate-controlled, well-lit modern existence, our bodies, brains and energetic matrix still respond to nature’s call.

Energetically, this most Yin time of year is just the worst in terms of gearing up to conquer ourselves, move forward toward new challenges, and push to achieve our goals. The energetics of winter are more about quiescence, going inside to ponder and reflect, develop some wisdom, and help the body rest up and recharge.

Lunar New Year Just Concluded

Here’s a suggestion: Instead of beating yourself up for not making better progress….or berating yourself for having already given up on your stated resolutions or goals…start all over!

Yes, restart your year now.

The Chinese Lunar New Year just concluded in February. So it’s a brand new year! The year of the Wood Dragon, by the way, which is quite auspicious. The Wood element means growth and development, rising energy, and many other good things (which we will discuss in a future post).

And now we are experiencing the first glimmers of Spring.

If you live in the northern states or climes, you may still be experiencing cold weather and even snow. But you likely are detecting some signs of Spring, including the days getting longer. Where we live in Central Texas, we have already been mowing the lawn, cleaning the beds, and planting new flowers. In fact, we just put the garden in!

Spring means Yang Ascending – the energies are increasing. So it only make sense to ride that energetic wave, recommit and refocus on your goals, and get moving.

Declare it a new year and move forward with renewed vigor and expectancy.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

A Master Key to Success

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I’m fond of quoting one of my favorite martial arts instructors, who used to say – over and over again: “Repetition, repetition, repetition…repetition coupled with enthusiasm is the key to success in all your endeavors.”

When a much younger “me” first heard this, I found it to be a transforming message. I had experienced success in many areas of my life, including my studies, my athletic pursuits, my career, and so forth. Yet I sometimes baffled myself with how impulsive I could be.

If I were more into astrology, I might blame it on being a Pisces. Pisces, a water sign, is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions. There’s a certain duality in the Pisces personality and we are known for our sometimes impulsive tendencies. Or perhaps it’s genetic. Or maybe it’s how I have always handled the stress of having many interests, many things to do, and sometimes feeling overwhelmed.

Whatever the root cause, I have found that impulsiveness can manifest in our lives in many different ways, such as procrastination, a lack of focus on the task at hand, or making a big decision solely based on intuition, without any sort of thought or rational analysis.

On the darker side, it can appear as addiction and compulsions that are extremely difficult to overcome. Like eating too much, drinking too much, drug abuse, etc.

The cure for impulsiveness – or, at least, one of the best ways to control it – is consistency. This brings us back to my instructor’s advice. Repetition means consistency. It means doing the things that are good for you every day, and making them a habit. For example, exercise must be consistent to be effective. This is the first and foremost precept of physical conditioning and health maintenance. Lack of consistency leads to the erosion of your health and fitness foundation. And without a solid foundation, no structure will stand.

Too many people who begin exercise, or healthy eating habits, or a qigong and breathwork practice, give up and quit too soon to realize their amazing benefits. Don’t be one of them!

If there is one overall secret to success, it’s consistency…consistency and enthusiasm. In other words, doing the right things, and having fun while you’re doing them.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health – Part 2

Leverage Seasonality for More Robust Health – Part 2

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Here continueth some old time wisdom on following the natural seasonality of our planet and our bodies to enhance your health and energy levels and improve your ability to fight off illness. Let’s talk about Spring for our brothers and sisters who reside in the Southern Hemisphere.

Spring – Exercise

In Classical Chinese Medicine, Spring is associated with the Liver. The Liver is one of the most important organs for detoxification. It also plays a starring role in converting the food you eat into usable energy.

If your health is compromised in any way, you eat an unhealthy diet, you drink too much, or your breathing is not up to snuff (pun intended), then you are placing a massive load on your liver. It’s important to take advantage of the spring to detox.

If you need to lose weight, spring is an excellent time to do so, because your body’s natural chemistry and metabolism will support your efforts. As the days get longer, your energy and metabolism increase. You should transition into more vigorous physical activity, and your Qigong and breathing exercises should include plenty of more robust movements – like the traditional Liver Daoyin exercise you can learn in the Wu Xing / Five Elements Daoyin program.

Spring – Nutrition

In traditional medical and health practices, early Spring is associated with a natural cleansing phase. As winter concludes, your body naturally wants to lose weight. It wants to detoxify and shed the old tissue, built up toxins, and excess fat stored over the winter.

Traditionally, this is a time of fasting and consuming lots of clean foods, such as fruits and vegetables, preferably raw or lightly steamed, as well as juices, which help detoxify the system.

Spring is the time to sweat and breathe hard, release toxins and air out the lungs, and eat “clean”. It’s also the time to celebrate your rebirth, and the rebirth of the earth.

Remember, synchronizing your physical activity and nutrition to the seasonal changes of body, mind, and earth is a powerful way to promote excellent health and help avoid illness and disease.

There’s one more area I’d like to cover, which we will get into in our next post.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen