If there is heat, cool it;

If there is cold, warm it;

If there is dryness, moisten it;

If there is dampness, dry it;

If there is vacuity, supplement it; and

If there is repletion, drain it

~Nei Jing Classic Literature

First we must discover the patterns of imbalance in the body; then we must correct the imbalance in 2 ways:

1. When there is too much of anything, reduce it, and

2. When there is too little of something, replenish it.

For our bodies to function properly, our Organs need balance:

Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, Dietary and lifestyle changes can help restore the balance of Yin and Yang, dampness and dryness, heat and cold, deficiency and excess.

Yin & Yang

It is believed that each of the body's organs has an element of Yin and Yang, and that health is achieved by keeping the two in balance.

Yin - The feminine force of darkness, and the moon. Yin, like water, is yielding, receiving, cold, slow, passive, dim, moist, quiet, and Earthly.

Yang - The masculine force of light, the sun and Heaven. Yang, like fire, is hot, quick, burning bright, dry and aggressive. 

Qi (pronounced "Chi"): Life's Energy

The basis for all Chinese medicine is energy. This energy is the force that enlivens every cell.

Qi is a type of bioelectrical force that flows throughout the body, and is carried by and extensive network of channels called meridians. Those channels are invisible to the naked eye, yet they have been mapped over the course of thousands of years.

The application of force (acupressure) or insertion of a needle (acupuncture) at different points along these meridians produces a measurable effect on different parts, organs and systems within the body.

Qi makes up the organs and fluids, and flows to and through them carried by the meridians. This means that specific acupuncture points can be used to treat specific organs.

The Qi that flows through our body is the same Qi that creates every other part of the Universe. Plants, animals, air and water resonate with the same frequency as our individual energies. Therefore, if someone takes an herb, has an acupuncture treatment or changes their lifestyle or living environment, the Qi present in all those things will cause a change in our internal Qi. 

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Remember in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine)there is no separation between mind, body and Spirit. Whatever treats the body, helps the mind and whatever heals the Spirit will also restore balance to the physical being.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson