Laurena and I interview a colleague Dr. Alen who's trained in both Western medicine and Chinese medicine. Truly East meets West!
1) What is Qi? It's a frequency/vibrational energy and how it is reflected in meridian points
2) In addition to yin and yang, Dr. Alen uses the Five Elements model he learnt from Nora Franglen from the UK: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water
3) The five elements relate to the four seasons, and how they support or counteract each other to create balance. When things are out of balance, this can manifest as symptoms from burnout to mania
4) Laurena's ruling element is Earth: nurturing in nature, lots of sympathy, needs to feel grounded/rooted, and has lovely voice!
5) How drinking warm instead of cold water can help with the digestive system or the "spleen"; why ruminations and over thinking depleted her spleen qi; and why deep tissue massage can unleash anger!
6) Vanessa's ruling element is (maybe?) Wood: needs to be on the move, likes to take action, can get angry when out of balance as fire will burn wood, and feels calm and nourished when there is water element (open water swimming!); prone to tendon and ligament injuries; and how to focus on supporting the liver which is the wood organ
7) Dr. Alen shares some of his experience when treating his patients using the Five Elements, from bladder cancer to grief, and how to identify someone who has Water as their ruling element just by listening to the way they speak with their voice
Learn more about Dr. Alen at LifeClinic