According to Asian medical theory, each season is associated with an element and summer is the season of the Fire element. Fire is the element of play, adventure, thrill-seeking, social connection, passion, joy, love, and trust. Fire energy also houses the mind. Harmonious Fire energy manifests with clear thinking, healthy relationships, charisma, and compassion.
Read More3pm slump got you down? Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee or that donut in the break room, try these rich, energy-boosting "truffles" to help carry you through the rest of your day. These sweet treats are loaded with black sesame seeds to give you a more sustained energy boost than coffee. With honey and maple syrup, you will also get the short term pick-me-up the brain seeks from sugar when facing fatigue.
Read More"You are what what you eat eats."
- Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
With a plethora of shiny, pretty options littering the shelves at the grocery store, it can be a challenge to make sure that the food you're buying isn't just glitzy, but also nutritious. Here are some basic tips for hitting the aisles.
Read MoreAsian medicine treats the body in alignment with the natural world. When you come to see me for treatment, I not only look at you and your chief concern today, I also look at the weather outside, the season, the time of day, and more. When taking the reins on your own health care, aligning your body with seasonal energetics is a wonderful starting point. The spring and autumn equinoxes are of particular importance as they mark a shift between yin and yang energies, the two energies at the core of Asian medical theory. This makes the start of spring and fall an optimal time to make a shift within your own body. My favorite way to shift? A whole foods-based reset, or cleanse.
Read MoreI love to cook, but that doesn't mean I love cooking elaborate meals every night. When I come home late from a full day of treating patients, the last thing I want to do is wait another 2 hours for dinner to be ready. Good thing is, making healthy food doesn't mean you have to spend hours prepping and cooking. These Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes are one of my go-to weeknight meals when I want healthy protein and fat, and I want them fast.
Read MoreMany of you know that I am a huge advocate of soups. Cooking food low and slow has a "pre-digestive" effect that eases the stress on your GI tract, allowing maximum absorption of nutrients and smoother elimination. This spicy mung bean bowl of yum is extra special because it takes only about an hour to make. Bonus: the leftovers taste even better than the first bowl.
Read MoreEach season, as our natural environment shifts, so does the strength of qi within different meridians. We are now heading into winter, when our Kidney energy is at its height.
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Chances are high you've heard me touting the benefits of bone broth in the office. Making bone broth at home is easy and economical, plus you get to put your own love into your nourishment. Read on for Laura's recipe for bone broth.
Read MoreYou've probably heard me say it before: "Read your labels. If you can't pronounce something on there, or the list is daunting just to look at, pass on the purchase."
Reading labels aloud is a simple trick to minimize your exposure to highly processed foods. In fact, label-less foods like fresh produce, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry, and wild-caught fish are our best sources of the varied, high-quality nutrients your body needs to build good qi, or energy. People have all sorts of opinions on processed foods and their effects (or lack thereof) on our health. Without diving into that debate, let's start at building block # 1. If you are purchasing food with a label - do you really know how to read it?
Read MoreYou've probably heard me say it before: "Read your labels. If you can't pronounce something on there, or the list is daunting just to look at, pass on the purchase."
Reading labels aloud is a simple trick to minimize your exposure to highly processed foods. In fact, label-less foods like fresh produce, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry, and wild-caught fish are our best sources of the varied, high-quality nutrients your body needs to build good qi, or energy. People have all sorts of opinions on processed foods and their effects (or lack thereof) on our health. Without diving into that debate, let's start at building block # 1. If you are purchasing food with a label - do you really know how to read it?
Read MoreYou’ve probably heard me say it before: “Read your labels. If you can’t pronounce something on there, or the list is daunting just to look at, pass on the purchase.”
Reading labels aloud is a simple trick to minimize your exposure to highly processed foods. In fact, label-less foods like fresh produce, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry, and wild-caught fish are our best sources of the varied, high-quality nutrients your body needs to build good qi, or energy. People have all sorts of opinions on processed foods and their effects (or lack thereof) on our health. Without diving into that debate, let’s start at building block # 1. If you are purchasing food with a label – do you really know how to read it?
Read MoreTreat yourself or a valued member of your community to care at our clinic.
Laura McKinley Acupuncture
Queer-owned | Woman-owned | Established 2015
3401 Quebec Street, Suite 4500
Denver, CO 80207
720.583.5785
