Know anyone with back pain?

They should know that yet another study published in JAMA concludes that “Acupuncture Provides Lasting Relief for Older Adults with Low Back Pain” —great news for the 84% of US adults  who are likely to experience it at some point.

This randomized trial found that acupuncture was significantly more effective (and safer) than usual medical care. The study involved 800 people aged 65+ with chronic low back pain, with or without sciatica, who received 8-15 treatments in a 3-month span and a group that received standard care.

The acupuncture groups experienced greater relief from pain (and its accompanying anxiety) than the drugs-and-physical-therapy group — with results lasting a full year!

Even when imaging shows arthritis or something with a discouraging label like spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, acupuncture can still be helpful in decreasing pain and increasing strength and mobility.

It works by reducing inflammation, improving circulation, helping muscles regain strength, prompting the release of endocannabinoids and other pain medication that your body makes itself.

It’s worth noting that you don’t have to wait until something hurts. Today’s “tightness” sets us up for tomorrow’s injury. Let’s not go there! 

During preventative or “tune-up” sessions, I can test which muscles may be powered down, feel where muscles and fascia are tight restricted, and correct those imbalances before they become painful. 

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If you’re suffering from Weltschmerz — my new favorite word, meaning “world-weariness” or a pervasive sense of despair at the general political and social climate, you’re in good company.

Like a toxin in our air or water supply, our relationship with The World at Large is something we have to contend with, process, and metabolize on an ongoing basis. It’s not going anywhere. And while I don’t have the antidote, I do have a few ideas for how to help it feel less overwhelming.

But first, a story.

I recently attended a four-day advanced workshop in Toronto on a cutting-edge neurological approach to acupuncture. Just before my twelve-hour travel day, I caught a virus — not bad enough to skip the training I’d invested thousands of dollars in, but annoying enough to make eight-to-nine-hour days in class exhausting. Having a drippy nose while double-gloved and masked in cadaver lab was an extra special challenge.

In  moments of acute brain fog and fatigue, my antidote to self-pity was remembering why I was there in the first place. This trip was a pilgrimage — part of my commitment to deepening my skills so I can better help my patients. It reflected two of my core values: being of service and pursuing professional excellence. Reconnecting with those values comforted me, and helped me feel more resilient and a lot less pathetic.

Living into our values can be a profound source of strength. Doing so can bolster a sense of integrity, resolve, and confidence, thus helping to stabilize us emotionally, physically and immunologically.

In Chinese Medicine, the Lungs govern both our immune system and our capacity to maintain healthy boundaries — to discern what should be let in and what should be kept out. Autumn, the season associated with the Lungs and the Large Intestine, is a perfect time to reflect on both what we want to preserve, and what it’s time to release.

So ask yourself:

• What values are most important in this season of my life?
• How can I embody these values more fully in my daily actions and way of being?
• What might I let go of that no longer serves me — whether that’s doom-scrolling, buying from a to a company I don’t feel great about, or a story that’s keeping me stuck?

Even though we can’t stop feeling the world’s pain entirely, we can mitigate its effects by tending to our internal ecosystem. This starts with pausing long enough to feel and digest the feeling rather than dismissing it because it’s so ubiquitous. We can’t let go of what we haven’t yet acknowledged.

We can double down on such true medicine as connecting with loved ones, spending time in nature, doing what brings us joy, being of service, appreciating everyday moments, and practicing the unsexy basics of self-care — good sleep, nourishing food, breathing deeply, moving our bodies, and reaching out for help when we need it.

As three different acupuncture patients said to me just yesterday in clinic, “This is my happy place.”

Here’s to finding yours.

The post On Bearing the Weight of the World appeared first on Brodie Welch.

In Chinese herbal medicine, formulas aren’t just tossed around like multivitamins — they’re carefully chosen to address specific imbalances in your body.
You take them for a period of time to correct something. And once that imbalance is gone? You stop.
If you don’t have that particular imbalance, taking the trending herb of the month might do nothing — or worse, create new symptoms.

Some herbs are warming, some cooling. Some dry things out, others moisten. Some lift energy, others descend it.

They target different organ systems and have specific actions. And it’s rarely about just one herb — it’s about synergy: blending herbs with complementary properties to nudge your body gently in the right direction without pushing too hard.

So rather than asking “Should I take supplement X?” ask your Chinese Medical practitioner:
👉 What’s the current state of my internal ecosystem?
👉 Given my unique imbalances, what foods, herbs, or lifestyle changes would help me the most?

Or if you want to ask AI instead, check out this new tongue-diagnosis tool. (yep, it’s a thing now — in beta but already pretty cool). You’re already googling your signs and symptoms– why not ask something trained to think like a master Chinese herbalist? 

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When people ask “what’s new?” I rarely have a good answer, but to “what have you been practicing?” I have lots to say:

This past year I practiced (as in did regularly, with intention, on repeat): 

• daily movement –usually yoga, weight lifting, interoception followed by hiking or treadmilling 
• lighting candles and tapping into gratitude every night at dinner
• self-compassion when my inner critic acts up
• weekly phone calls with my mom and one of my sisters
• weekly massage trades with my husband
• weekly hikes/ tea dates with my bestie
• questioning and reframing anything that starts with “should” 
• learning new music and playing cello with a new band
• new acupuncture/ herb treatment strategies: at least an hour a week continuing education
• making new recipes involving protein weekly
• minimum 20 mins/ day of Spanish on Duolingo 
• pausing a moment longer before responding when feeling reactive or tempted to problem-solve
• re-writing outdated stories in more powerful ways
• not catastrophizing
• challenging my patients to take a stand for themselves through their daily actions /habits
• reaching out to those I love who are going through tough times
• internalizing those moments of beauty and connection and sweetness with my family, patients, and friends that I am so ridiculously fortunate to enjoy. 

A lot of these practices are going to ride on into this new year.

How about you? What are you practicing? 

What do you want from 2025? 

What’s the first tiny step you could take towards making that a reality?

If you want to get more consistent at something new, here are some tips:

Build on existing routines: I haven’t missed a single day of Spanish since I first started doing it over my morning coffee 422 days ago. My new habit had something to hang onto, and now the two are joined together. There are things you do every day that could serve as scaffolding for a new habit.

Bundle the new/ hard thing you want to do with something fun: There are shows I only watch while on my treadmill or foam roller No treadmill, no mindless entertainment

Make it easy: I keep my continuing education tab so if I have 10 minutes free, I can open it as easy as I can doomscroll.

Do the short version Life can be busy and demanding. To overcome that feeling that you don’t have time, decide that your new habit is non-negotiable but can shrink or expand as time allows. Even five minutes of stretching / meditating/ studying/ breathing (whatever) can be beneficial, rather than blowing it off entirely.

Dedicated time and place: Two key habit triggers are the When and Where your habit happens. Sundays and Wednesdays are the days I make soup. Your new habit needs a regular spot on your calendar if it’s destined 

Give yourself credit for any progress, even if you fall short. Any progress takes effort, and it’s important to internalize that effort (especially for us over-achievers) otherwise it can feel exhausting or pointless. A moment of thanking yourself, putting a check mark on a calendar, or an actual reward can help keep you motivated to continue.

For more on creating new habits I recommend the massive best-seller, Atomic Habits. Or you can listen to me interview the author, James Clear, here (from back in 2018,before it sold 20 million copies!)

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That’s the theme of this season: the phase of the year that Chinese Medicine calls “Late Summer.” No longer in the hottest, most active, most intense part of summer with its foot on the accelerator, this season akin to Harvest Time, where we reap what we’ve sown in the past few seasons.

It corresponds to the digestive system (the Spleen and Stomach), so it’s a good time to consider simplifying your diet a bit — or grab some Chorus — a phenomenal formula for digestion (like its stronger cousin Microgard that I carry in clinic.)

It’s a season of integration of what has happened thus far in the seasonal cycles – reckoning with life

and integrating it into our consciousness.

You can’t integrate what you haven’t processed. Just like undigested food bogs down your digestive tract, undigested experiences leave us feeling vaguely disconnected from ourselves, foggy, and unclear. 

A few prescriptions I’ve written down this week to create space for the digestion of life include: a media-free walk in nature. 5 minutes of sitting in silence or transcribing whatever is in your brain onto paper.

Time and space without new input or anyone else’s energy so you have full permission to feel it all, and ugly cry if need be.

Digestion and integration of what we’ve been experiencing is also key to feeling nourished by your life. It’s so easy to think about what’s undone – -that stuff hanging over your head — and isn’t there always something? That mindset sets you up for feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

So I hope you’ll give yourself credit for what you have done instead of focusing on what there is left to do.

For real: think of three things you’re grateful to yourself for having done. Give yourself a pat on the back. (Yeah, past self! You did that. Take that in!) Especially if you’re in the midst of a difficult slog and life isn’t feeling particularly bountiful and abundant.

You deserve to feel nourished by your life. Otherwise it’s just depleting. 

May you enjoy the harvest!

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One way to understand your inner nature is through the lens of the Five Elements that exist not only in Nature around us, but within our bodies and minds as well.

We all contain all five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) but in different proportions. Each has its particular qualities, gifts, strengths, and challenges.

Discover your dominant Elements

and how to work with them. 

in a three-day experiential workshop in Ashland Oregon, Oct. 24-27th.

Delving into the dynamics of yin, yang, and the Five Elements — wood, fire, earth, metal and water —you’ll see yourself and those you love in a new way that unlocks a whole new dimension of self-care.

When you look through this new lens, you’ll gain insights that will help you:

• understand your energetics — how you move in the world — better
• embrace your superpowers and maximize your strengths
• enhance your relationships
• identify outdated habits, beliefs, and patterns that no longer serve you
• better align your life with your inner nature
• catalyze your personal evolution

— with plenty of time to walk in nature, reflect, breathe, and reconnect to yourself at The Chanticleer Inn, Ashland, Oregon’s premier Eco-B&B. It’s going to be a blast.

Space is extremely limited so register today to get your pick of rooms

Who is this for?

• Curious people who want to better understand themselves and others in their lives so they can take better care of themselves, know what others may need, and approach challenges in a new way

• Holistic-minded nature-lovers who are also fans of the Enneagram, Myers-Briggs, and other ways of understanding who we want to peel back the curtain on what a 3,000+-year-old Chinese Medicine shaped by Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian philosophy

• People at transitional points in life wondering “what’s next” (empty nests, recently retired or divorced) and looking for a framework for self-reflection that dates back thousands of years

• Those who feel stuck in habits or relationship dynamics that feel depleting and are looking to catalyze a self-compassionate shift

• Health professionals like counselors, therapists, nurses, health coaches, naturopaths, who want to leverage the wisdom of Chinese Medicine to help themselves and their clients

DATES: Thursday, October 24th 4:30 p.m. through Sunday, October 27th 11:30 a.m.

INVESTMENT: Workshop tuition including lodging Thursday through Saturday night: double-occupancy room (shared with one other participant): $760 ; single-occupancy room: $940. (Triple-occupancy possible on request, $670 per participant). Includes a wine and appetizer welcome event at the inn Thursday evening, breakfast Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.

What to expect:

• Thursday at 4:30 p.m., arrive and get settled in your room, then join the group for a wine and appetizer event in the inn’s charming great room. Get to know your fellow participants and set your intention for the weekend.

• Friday and Saturday: enjoy a healthy, delicious breakfast at 8:30 a.m., prepared by longtime innkeeper Dean Clark, then dive into your morning workshop sessions 9:30 — 11:30. Then you’ll have time to move at your own speed: rest, read, write, reflect, walk through Lithia Park, explore Ashland, take a soak at a local spa — whatever feels good before an afternoon session 3:00pm-4:30.

• Enjoy lunch and dinner on your own or with a friend at one of Ashland’s many renowned restaurants.

• Sunday morning, after breakfast, you’ll wrap up with a short closing session, then check-out by 11:30 a.m.

Give yourself the gift of time away from you daily to routine to reconnect to yourself and learn something truly enriching. Register today to get your pick of rooms. (this link takes you to the Chanticleer Inn’s site to book your lodging and put down your deposit.)

What past participants are saying:

“I understand myself better and what might make me happier and healthier: how to work with my innate element and thrive. The class also helped me understand what makes the other people in my life tick and why they might act the way they do.”  — Shelley Herron, San Diego, CA

“Learning about the 5 Element concept of Chinese Medicine and going into depth on how to apply it has helped to shift my “worldview” of health and personal care. Awesome! Brodie, you are a caring, passionate, energetic, positive and super smart lady. This experience has also helped me recognize habits that will be shifted when I go home.” — Cori Hall, Madison, Wisconsin

“All your workshops have been game-changers for me. They’ve sparked self-awareness and offered practical, doable changes in my curiosity, sense of possibility, ability to sustain effort in a desired direction. Thank you!” — Laila Ayyoub, Corvallis, OR

“Brodie has a gift for explaining complex concepts with great clarity. Some of her explanations will likely find their way into my teaching. With immense gratitude for all she has taught this week, for her enthusiasm, intelligence, and wisdom!” — Phyllis Lefohn, Clancy, MT

“This class gave me understanding of some negative patterns in my life and I really feel like I have an idea of how to go about solving them. Brodie is a great speaker; concepts were clearly and cogently explained. It brought what is really important into focus and helped me to understand who I am at a deeper level. I am hooked!” — Elena Robinson, Corvallis, OR

“Brodie, your vast knowledge, practice, passion and enthusiasm for Chinese Medicine is so fascinating, insight-producing, life-enhancing and kind of mind blowing! Simply – YOU ROCK!” — Celia Cavalli, Corvallis, OR

“You have a wealth of knowledge/information and expressed it in a way that made it accessible to all levels of experience. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm and knowledge.”  — Ann W., Portland, OR

“Brodie is inspiring in her intelligence and knowledge of Chinese Medicine. I felt safe, listened to, experienced very strong feelings of joy and awareness in the workshop.” — Stephanie, Portland, OR

 RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE – -Space is limited to 8-10 participants, so now is the time to act. 

• Cancellation policy:

  • Your entire investment (including 100% of workshop and lodging fees) is refundable up until September 24th, 30 days before the first day of the workshop. In the event of cancellation between 29 days and 72 hours before the event, the $200 lodging deposit can be redeemed as a voucher towards future stays at the Chanticleer Inn, and after 72 hours is forfeited. The $400 workshop tuition is refundable as follows: 100% prior to Sept 24th at 5:00pm; Cancellations less than 30 days prior to the event’s start date are non-refundable, as space is limited; however, you may transfer your registration to a friend (subject to lodging availability). There is a $25 processing fee for returned checks.

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Mushroom of the Month

Lion’s Mane on the Brain

Lion’s Mane mushroom has been used for thousands of years in Asian Medicine for gut inflammation and ulcers, memory, focus concentration, anxiety, diabetes, and longevity support.

Early research suggests that Lion’s Mane supports nerve growth factor, grows new brain cells, and protects against neurodegeneration, making it a potentially useful herb for dementia, Alzheimer’s, dementia, MS, and Parkinson’s disease, and boosting cognitive performance.

It’s also shown benefits for anxiety, depression, regulating diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure, though more research is need.

This week, one of my 70-year-old patients who’d always had a sharp memory noticed that she was struggling to remember those 6-digit codes to log into websites, and was slower to recall names and words she’s known for years. After taking Lion’s Mane for 2 months, she noticed those problems went away, and reported more clarity and focus.

Want to give Lion’s Mane a try? If you’re local, stop by the clinic!

If not, order superior quality, dual-extracted, organic mushrooms with no added starches or fillers from a brand I trust here.

Real Mushrooms also combines Lion’s Mane in a synergistic blend Ayurvedic herbs that support mental clarity in a formula Real Clarity, which I like.

(Of course, check with your health practitioner to see if this is right for you.)

Research: Dementia and Cognitive function

Study: Cognitive Function in Young Adults

Study: Anxiety & Depression

The post Lion’s Mane On The Brain appeared first on Brodie Welch.

In his episode, you’ll learn:

• What besides food affects the gut microbiome
• How the gut interconnects with other body systems
• Chinese herbs that help with gas, bloating, and fat loss
• A simple practice you can employ to help you digest and absorb better right away

You’ll especially want to tune in if you deal with

• gas, bloating, fullness, discomfort or pain after eating

• irregular bowel movements

• symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth)

• nausea, loss of appetite, bad breath

• sugar cravings, excess belly fat, tiredness 

• chronic post-nasal drip, snoring, brain fog
• a thick or greasy coat on your tongue* (read on for how to assess this)

If this sounds like you, you may well benefit from Chorus, younger cousin of Microgard, made from imperial grade herbs. Of course, this isn’t health care advice: you should check with your  Chinese medicine practitioner to make sure you fit the diagnostic pattern. (Or visit the Chorus FAQs for the 9 signs you don’t need it.)

Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts.

When’s the last time you looked at your tongue? Go ahead, I’ll wait. As Chinese Medical practitioners, we’re curious about the tongue’s color, moisture, shape, and coating because the tongue reflects our internal ecosystem. Examining it is one of the ways we diagnose (along with pulse, symptoms, observation, palpation). Looking at your tongue every day (and using a tongue scraper to assess the coat) can help you figure out what’s working in your diet/ lifestyle. 3 Tongue Signs that you’re harboring the wrong kind of gut bugs: The coating looks thick or greasy: you should be able to see the color of the tongue itself underneath the surface coating. A coat that’s so thick you can’t see through to the tongue body underneath, or that looks slimy, is a very telling sign. The tongue’s edge looks like a scallop shell. This is  due to retention of excess fluid in tongue; the indentations are from the pressure of your teeth against the tongue’s edges. The tongue looks thick or puffy: a sign of fluids not being transformed. Sometimes this looks like there’s a crack in the middle, but really it’s swelling on the surface. Any of the above are signs of dampness (excess residual crud that gets in the way of the body’s proper functionality) and indicate that you’d likely benefit from Chorus. Or if you live locally, come get some Microgard at my clinic. Of course, this you should check with your health care provider, ideally a Chinese Medicine practitioner, to make sure it’s right for you. For a more on tongue diagnosis, check out episode 63 of A Healthy Curiosity podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Links:

To get your hands on Chinese herbal medicine for your gut microbiome, visit https://chorusforlife.myshopify.com/Brodie  You’ll be supporting this show!

Chinese Medicine Resources for Better Digestion

Episode 177: Microbiome Biohacking with Dr. Andrew Miles

Episode 227: TCM Nutrition tips for a Healthy Digestive Microbiome with Dr. Darlene Easton, DACM

Episode 236: Care and Feeding of Your Microbiome with Dr. Chris Damman

The Weirdest People In The World by Joseph Henrich

Connect with Dr. Andrew Miles:

Website

Podcast

Books

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