Autumn, a time for release and renewal

In Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, each season is associated with a particular energy, channel, set of organs, and emotion.  Within each season, it’s associated energy is at it's peak.  Besides it's time within the season, it is also a part of a greater cycle of transformation that flows through the year.  In this progressive cycle, metal is the energy similar to that of autumn.  Metal is associated with the powers of transformation, protection, release, and inspiration, and the lung and large intestine are it’s represented organs. Emotionally, metal is related to letting go, and often in fall we feel punctuations of loss or grief, resentment, regret, or inspiration to create change.  Autumn is a time where this emotion is both most energized and supported, and offers an invitation to release those things that are weighing on us in order to renew and ensure a more contemplative and nourishing winter, which later supports a more vigorous spring.

Everywhere around us, leaves transform their colors and trees release them to blanket the ground, transforming into fertile soil through the cover of winter to nourish the roots and sprouts in the spring.  Likewise, harvest occurs nearing autumn, in which the nourishing parts of the plant are separated and taken into storage, and the extra plant matter that is left outside to provide the soil nutrients for spring.  Similarly, the lung and large intestine provide a passage of healthy exchange between ourselves and the outside world, where we can release turbid qi outward in order to make room for the pure energy that will nourish us inward.  Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can be very helpful to help facilitate the healthy flow of this energy and it's related organ system, whether it’s manifesting through emotions such as those mentioned above, digestive upset, current or past persistent respiratory infections, or seasonal affective disorder symptoms, to name a few.  For more, please email me, or schedule an appointment or free brief individual consultation.

Our holistic health crew at Root just got even better.

I’m excited to share that we have enriched our holistic health team at Root with the addition of Dr. Laura Wollman, ND!  Laura approaches medicine with a wise and sensible balance between nature and science.  She is my go-to for naturopathic care, and I can vouch for her intelligence, sensibility, vast knowledge base, wit, positivity, and care toward her clients.  If you’re looking for a naturopath or would like to learn more, I highly recommend scheduling a consult or appointment with her by calling 503-288-7668.  For more about Dr. Wollman, please read her bio below.  

Dr. Wollman started expressing her interest in natural health and healing by 9 years of age when she started reading books on herbal medicine and home remedies.  Her fascination with the human body and how to live the healthiest life possible drew her to Naturopathic medicine and a lifelong quest for health.  Dr. Wollman believes that it is a privilege to be able to serve others in the sacred act of being a physician.  In fulfilling her role as a guide and partner in each patient’s health journey, Dr. Wollman takes a thoughtful and honest approach focused on listening to patients and endeavoring to understand their unique needs.   Dr. Wollman utilizes a wide range of treatments including herbal medicine, nutrition, homeopathy, IV therapy, lifestyle counseling, supplementation therapy, hydrotherapy, and pharmaceuticals when indicated.  The tenets of Naturopathic medicine that she most appreciates are prevention, treating the cause of disease, and treating the whole person.  Early on in her medical training one of her mentors said “Don’t just treat what the patient in front of you has, treat them for what they will have in 30 years.”  This statement had a profound effect on Dr. Wollman as she was learning what true disease prevention meant and she always keeps this principle in mind when working with individuals.

Dr. Wollman graduated with honors from John Brown University with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and then received her Doctorate In Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine.  Her training affirmed her intuition on the profound connection between our mental and emotional state and physical health.  Always keeping a whole body approach in mind, Dr. Wollman has had specialized training in GI disorders, autoimmune diseases, and thyroid conditions.  During medical school Dr. Wollman did coursework to receive a certificate in natural childbirth and was selected for a year-long natural childbirth internship which focused on pregnancy, women’s health, and pediatrics.  She was also selected for a specialized 6-month internship in cardiology and endocrinology.

Dr. Wollman enjoys spending her free time with her husband and baby boy.  She loves travelling and experiencing new cultures, experimenting with healthy gluten free recipes in the kitchen, and making it a point to get out into nature every day.

Another good reason to start reducing that soda intake.

Check out some of the latest research on diet soda by clicking here, as reviewed in Forbes Magazine. It turns out it spikes blood sugar even worse than the regular stuff, being an even harsher potential contributor to the obesity and diabetes epidemic in America. This research shows that it is disruptive to healthy gut flora...which may also implicate a person's immune, allergy, and mental health.  Sorry for the bad news guys, I just have your greatest potential in mind.