Healthy Habits Blog

Chinese Medicine Wellness, Season by Season

The Healthy Habits Blog is where Michelle Manto shares Chinese medicine wellness ideas you can use every day. Many of these essays began as her Health & Wellness feature articles for the Berkshire Record, written between 2013 and 2020, and they follow the rhythm of life here in the Berkshires: warming soups for winter, renewal in spring, and the harvest and reflection of autumn.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, health comes from living in balance with the seasons, with the people around us, and with our own bodies. You’ll find posts on the five seasons, the Chinese zodiac, simple seasonal foods, and the small daily choices that support lasting Chinese medicine wellness. Each one is meant to be short, practical, and easy to bring into your own routine.

Chinese medicine teaches that each season asks something different of us. Winter is a time to rest, conserve energy and keep warm. Spring brings growth and movement, summer invites connection and joy, late summer asks for grounding and nourishment, and autumn is a season for letting go and taking stock. Many posts include a simple recipe, a reflection, or a small practice you can try at home, from making a pot of soup to spending a few quiet minutes outside. New to seasonal wellness? Start with a post from the current season and come back as the year turns. Each essay stands on its own, so there’s no need to read them in any particular order.

Curious about how acupuncture fits in? Read our acupuncture FAQ, learn more about Michelle and her training, or book an appointment at Berkshire Acupuncture & Wellness in Great Barrington, MA.