Kathleen Mac Gregor

read moreThe season of Fire is summer, when the days are long and warm and human connection is at its most expansive. The gifts of Fire - love and joy - are heightened at this time when nature blooms. The sense of community, freedom and fun, enhance all our relationships. The future has become real and our hopes and dreams are realized when Fire is at a healthy glow. Communication and understanding depends on the Fire element from which the emotion of Fire - Joy - grows. The sound is laughter and the color, red.

read moreIt is healthy and natural to experience our emotions. It is when we suppress them or are overwhelmed by them that we get into trouble. I have treated many patients whose physical symptoms started with an excess of and inability to cope with one or more of the 5 Emotions. Unless we can identify and treat that underlying emotional imbalance the physical symptoms often keep returning. 5 Element Acupuncture assigns an emotion to each Element and its corresponding organs and meridians. The emotion of Fire is joy, Earth is sympathy, Metal is grief, Water is fear and Wood is anger.

read moreIt is Cold and Flu season. Sniffles and coughs abound. The changes in weather stress and weaken our immune systems. According to Chinese Medicine dampness and cold winds carry "evil qi" or pathogens that attack us and make us sick. They come in the form of Wind Cold and Wind Heat. Wind Cold starts with chills, a mild sore throat, fatigue and a runny nose with clear phlegm. It can progress into Wind Heat which includes fever and sweating, severe sore throat, body aches and sinus and lung congestion with yellow or green phlegm.

read moreAutumn has arrived in Southern California with rain that is welcomed by the thirsty earth. We find joy in the cool air and the sound of rain on the window but there is also a touch of melancholy that is felt. The year is ending. Winter is coming. The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine; Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood are expressions of the natural changes of energy throughout the day, seasons and our lifetimes. These changes are apparent in nature and in body, mind and spirit. Autumn is the season associated with the Element of Metal.