Wellness Blog

We sit.

We sit at work. We sit at school. We sit during our commute. We sit while waiting for appointments. We sit at the end of the day, on the couch or in the easy chair, book in hand or screens on. Read More

Depression is one of the top causes of disability worldwide, and it’s incredibly common in the U.S., with millions of people reporting symptoms in any given year. While there are many medications available to treat depression, they aren’t without problems. People taking drugs in the commonly-prescribed category called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) frequently report side effects, and one out of three people taking a prescription report that they don’t find benefit from their medication.

Doctors and patients frequently seek out other solutions, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been shown to effectively treat mental health issues, and some studies have found that acupuncture can be just as effective as Prozac!

While TCM treatments are typically individualized for each person, clinicians often focus on the health of the digestive system when treating depression. Our major digestive organs include the spleen, stomach, pancreas, and intestines. For good measure, we also assess the health of the liver and gallbladder, which work closely together with the digestive organs to move and synthesize the energy and nutrients of the body.

Our digestive system nourishes our entire body— you can think of it as the “earth” element in our body that Read More