Ahhhh, 2025. What a time to be alive. This year is an interesting one, according to the East Asian Medicine (EAM) theory and zodiac - the year of the Yin Wood Snake. The snake by nature is very cautious and perceptive, but strong and wise. Last year, we were confident and unafraid of taking risks (it was the year of the Dragon) and this year, we’re a little more observant and introspective.

Listening to your intuition is like reconnecting with a wise, trusted friend - one who’s been whispering advice all along, even if life’s chaos made it hard to hear. The good news? Tuning in isn’t as hard as it seems. Here’s how to start flexing that intuitive muscle:

Boy, have I had a rough couple of weeks - first, a bout of Covid, then the dreaded norovirus. Not the way I wanted to start my new year! 😂

But it got me thinking about what I did wrong - and here’s what you can do right!!

I’ve seen a lot of anxiety in the treatment room lately, so I thought l’d share a good tool (and my personal go-to) for dealing with it. It’s a breathing technique called Box Breathing or Four-Square Breathing. It can bring an immediate sense of relief and calmness.

We all have a season. THIS is one of my favorites. Late summer. The 5th season.

You can feel it in the air, in the early mornings or in the evenings, with a touch of coolness in the breeze. We still get the dry heat from the summer days. But the evenings lend us a much needed reprieve, and even a rainstorm might blow through. The grasses are beginning to get that golden hue. Things are feeling like they might be ready to settle, just a bit.

I’m sure some of you can relate...

I wake up in the morning, and gasp when I see my eyes. I look like I haven’t slept in a 1000 nights! 

People keep asking are you ok? Are you tired? You should get more rest.

What the heck is going on!? I am going to break down some of the causes and aggravating factors of those baggy eyes and dark circles, and give you some tools to help.

Welp, it's officially back... The debilitating heat. I was so thankful for that brief reprieve we got, but I knew we weren’t done!

Bridgette is a licensed acupuncturist with a passion for helping others find balance and wellness through Chinese medicine.

She completed her training at Southwest Acupuncture College…

Perimenopause and Menopause can affect the skin in several ways due to hormonal changes. We will discuss the big three here: Estrogen, Testosterone, and Progesterone.

Microneedling can help improve the appearance of age spots, melasma, and blemishes by stimulating collagen production and promoting skin renewal. It can be an effective treatment option, but results may vary depending on individual skin types and conditions.

I hope y’all have had a great spring so far! We’ve been very busy, but thoroughly enjoying the new addition to our three-now-four-ring-circus over here. Ellis is growing and thriving and Worthy is the sweetest, doting big brother. And a shocker after Worthy– I think he is going to have a blond haired, blue eyed brother!

Some of you have heard that at the beginning of the year, we added Holistic Microneedling to our Facial Rejuvenation Program at Alpenglow. I’ve received the same questions from a lot of you…

Which is better? Facial Rejuvenation acupuncture or Microneedling?

And the answer is….it depends! And the answer often could be that both are best.

Let’s get into the details to get some clarity.

As we come out of Winter and transition into Spring, this is the time for creativity, transformation, and shedding off what no longer serves you. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) associates Spring with the Wood element that shines a spotlight on both the Liver and Gallbladder. Liver Yang energy rises and flows outward during the springtime, which can help explain why emotional release is so important this time of year.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a condition that is estimated to affect over 5 million women in the US. It appears to be on the rise along with other chronic inflammatory disorders and diseases, so it is time to for us to take a look at what’s going on.

2024 denotes the Year of the Yang Green Dragon. The dragon (chen) is the fifth earthly branch, and it calls us to first embody our innately powerful qi, and then use spiritual brightness to release those aspects of life that no longer serve us.

If you aren’t currently sick and would like to keep it that way, check out the tips below for some immune system support:

It’s that time of year - where we turn our focus to gratitude. Here is what our staff had to say:

Here we go again…

For me, October is a month filled with mixed emotions. I guess I’m considered a survivor, although I feel like my cancer story is just a small part of the chaos that was 2020. It was almost like it was just one more thing to deal with in the height of the pandemic, not its very own experience. And I get that’s how it is for a lot of people, even outside a pandemic - we have to live our lives while having this secondary experience of dealing with the “C” word.