Dearest Reader,
Although my partner Randy and I were already minimalists, we went hardcore before moving to Thailand. We shipped a few boxes of sentimental keepsakes and handwritten TCM notebooks to my dad for safekeeping. Otherwise, we were down to what we brought with us: two carry-ons, two cat carriers, two cats.
For me, the hardest things to let go of were my beloved two-seater MINI (a 2013 silver John Cooper Works with red racing stripes, which I sold to a friend) and what felt like three hundred pounds of Chinese Medicine books and textbooks (which we donated to Chinese Medicine practitioners and students).
In big ways, it was freeing—for someone who loves lightness and spaciousness far more than possessions, that car and those books were physically, logistically, and energetically heavy. Once we’d made it to Thailand, I was filled with relief.
Lately, though, being without my massive TCM tomes has been a real bummer!
While working on my recent TCM Deep Dive on Chinese Medicine foods for skin and hair, I was eager to immerse myself in material from actual books, rather than relying solely on memory or clicking around on the internet. Despite my initial resistance to 1) buying stuff and 2) buying stuff I’d already let go of, I ordered new copies of certain texts (and now have two more on the way 🙂).
Can I just tell you how happy I am that I got over myself and did this? I spent much of last week poring over my (new) old books, taking notes by hand, then weaving practical TCM applications and ancient lore together with personal and clinical experience and favorite non-TCM resources to create something that I hope is bookmarkable and useful and fun.
It’s the most uplifted and excited and like myself I’ve felt in a while. And I think that’s in no small part because the heart of this project took place offline.
In case you missed it, here’s an excerpt from my brand new Chinese Medicine foods for healthy skin and hair guide:
Now that we’ve laid the foundations, we’re ready to have a little fun. Today we’re looking at specific foods that can support healthy skin and hair from a Chinese Medicine perspective.
Some are common, everyday staples with surprising benefits. Others have recently been “discovered” by wellness influencers and biohackers, despite a much longer history of being used in Chinese Medicine and yang sheng fa 养生法. Their benefits are more than skin deep—many are considered tonics that support easeful aging.
We’ll explore what makes these foods special, who they tend to help, and when they may not be the right fit. I’ll also share a few traditional food remedies and recipes—including longevity soup, a simple two-ingredient beauty formula, and a soup for glowing skin—along with favorite resources on everything from raw milk to the current raw-carrot craze.
Meanwhile, if you’re interested in TCM and want to play… head over to Nest Wellness, where Beth Bollinger and I hosted a plan-your-own TCM dinner party. Beth and I also had an extensive conversation last fall about Chinese Medicine and metabolic health, if you missed that one.
By the way, here’s the growing catalogue of what you’ll find in the TCM Deep Dives:
A guided introduction to the Chinese Medicine organ systems: Introduction, Spleen, Lung, Kidneys, Liver, Heart, Xin Bao-Pericardium.
The seven emotions in Chinese Medicine: Introduction, Anger, Joy, Worry, Grief, Fear, Oppression and Fright.
Holistic beauty in Chinese Medicine: What holistic beauty means in Chinese Medicine, Beauty begins with nourishment, Chinese Medicine foods for healthy skin and hair (up next: simple teas for skin and hair, followed by external treatments).
Last but anything but least! The beautiful Erin Shetron shared her bright and playful, tender and fierce spirit with us in the latest edition of Hungry For. Look for the next one this Wednesday—I think it will especially resonate with those of you interested in seen and unseen energies, and living in deep alignment.
For now, I’ll leave you with what’s nourishing me and what I’m hungry for—and an invitation to share yours in the comments.
One Orange Braincell. Okay, so, before our temple cat Tucker arrived, I thought I was a Siamese cat person for life. But this spunky orange boy has captured my heart and adds so much joy to our cat-human family. Deep in Reddit rabbit (cat?) holes recently (“Are all orange boy cats crazy?”), I chanced upon the One Orange Braincell theory. What can I say? There’s no going back.
Baby kittens! Shh, don’t tell Randy. But ohhhmyyyygosh did I want to bring home a teeny, tiny black-grey kitten all by her lonesome in a cage outside the pet food store last weekend. She had a little sign, handwritten in marker in Thai, that said: หาบ้าน (haa baan), “looking for a home.” Near about broke my heart.
Part of what excites me about writing these letters is hearing about your lives—what’s supporting you, what you’re wanting more of in the days and weeks ahead.
With that in mind, I’d love to hear:
What’s nourishing your body, mind, spirit?
What are you hungry for?
What’s making you feel more like yourself lately?
Before you go, would you mind tapping the heart ❤️? It helps these letters reach more readers and genuinely brightens my day.
Thank you, with love,
Dana
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.