A Note About the Metal Element

As we enter the fall season, the energy of the Lung & Metal element emerges: the air becomes cool and crisp, our skin and lungs– like the leaves on deciduous trees- may start to feel more dry, and the sun shares less sunshine with each passing day.

We may be in touch with a sense of grief or the poignancy of small, fleeting, beautiful moments as the days shorten. This is a time of year for reflection and for being in touch with that which we find truly important, special, and inspirational. This sensibility aligns well with the Jewish New Year celebrated annually around the same time as the Autumnal Equinox.

This year, I imagine that the aspect of grief will …

Struggling with smoke impacts? Want to make sure your cabinet is ready & stocked for the rest of Fire season?

With all the smoke in the air right now, our respiratory systems are taking a hit. You might be
experiencing cough, sore throat, chest tightness, shortness of breath, headache, malaise, even
irritability or insomnia. It’s not an easy time for our Lungs right now! The good news is there are lots of safe, effective herbs that can help us deal with smoke impacts and maintain our respiratory health.

Breathe Easier with Chinese Herbs

Sang Ye (Mulberry leaf) The moist, almost succulent leaves of this tree help to soothe, cool and allay coughs, and promote Lung function. It is known as an herb that replenishes and restores order …

Edgar Mojica has always wanted to heal and educate other people. With a background in education and pre-med, he realized that he wanted a medical career where he could truly connect with his patients. After visiting AIMC, he realized that a future in East Asian medicine and acupuncture could provide that. To read more about his journey, click here!

AIMC’s Japanese Foundations

Since its founding in 1990 by the Meiji School of Oriental Medicine in Japan & its alumni, AIMC has always had a close relationship with Japanese styles of acupuncture & herbal therapy. Our Board Chair, Dr. Goto, is the president of our sister college, GOTO College of Medical Arts & Sciences in Tokyo. In addition to offering Japanese acupuncture electives & clinical supervision to our Master’s students, we have a continuing education Japanese Medicine certificate program that has been forged in relationship with some of the great teachers of Japanese Medicine in the U.S. and abroad. We regularly bring Japanese teachers to the U.S. for seminars, and we hope to reschedule our

You may have seen people practicing their Qi Gong or Tai Chi forms in the Bay Area’s many parks. Often older generations of Chinese Americans swear by the practice for their joint health and overall well-being. So what is this ancient practice and how could it benefit you?

Qi Gong

Qi Gong is a form of meditative movement like the asana practice of yoga. The sequences are often more gentle than modern yoga but the basic principle is the same: breath, body, and mind united in a pose or movement. Of the Chinese movement practices, Qi Gong is known as the more meditative branch, while Tai Chi has more of a martial affiliation. They have overlapping forms and sequences and are often referred to interchangeably.

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Summer is the season of flowers and it’s in full swing here in the AIMC Garden.

Check out our gallery of beautiful and medicinal blooms, all grown with love here at AIMC:

Jie geng
Platycodon grandiflorus, Balloon Flower

The root is used to ease coughs of all kinds, clear phlegm, and aid the Lung qi.

Huo Xiang
Pogostemon cablin, Patchouli

Very effective to soothe nausea and vomiting of all kinds. A household staple!

Zhi Zi
Gardeniae, Gardenia

The fruit is used to clear heat and restlessness from the body. The flowers’ sweet, pure aroma lifts depression and sadness.

California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica

It’s not Chinese, but California Poppy has a place in our medicine as a cooling herb that acts on the Liver and the …

With Olympic athletes competing with cupping marks on their backs and acupuncturists being hired by major league athletic teams, there’s a surging wave of interest in Acupuncture and alternative therapy for treating sports injuries and enhancing athletic performance. We recently hosted an opportunity for our students and alums to sit down with people working in the field of Sports Medicine to share their experiences and offer a glimpse into the future of acupuncture careers on and off the athletic field.

The Event

With over 30 students and alums attending the virtual conversation, we were joined by Glenn Oberman, L.Ac., AIMC faculty member & supervisor of the UC Berkeley Sports Medicine Externship, and Tomoya Harada, DC, Chiropractor for the San Francisco 49ers and current AIMC Masters student. …

Welcome to the August edition of the kitchen herbalist. Here, the AIMC herbal pharmacy director Athene Eisenhardt shares seasonal recipes based on the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine.

Blueberries are a wonderful summer food high in antioxidants and support Heart, Kidney, and Brain function. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all three of these organs are related. The Heart can be likened not only to the heart organ but also to the central nervous system, which includes the brain.

The brain is in turn fed and nourished by the Kidney essence. And, together, the Heart-Kidney axis helps properly regulate our nervous systems’ ability to respond to traumatic events and shock. The beautiful midnight blue color of these berries is a give away that they help nourish the …

Over the last few months we’ve all heard the words “unprecedented” and “uncertain” too many times to count. While those words still hold true, we’ve chosen to focus on the positive. We’re here to tell you that now is a better time than ever to further your education and prepare for a future as a healer.

At AIMC Berkeley, we’re currently offering online classes so our students can continue their education while staying safe at home. We are running both our theoretical and clinical courses, and we are offering a telemedicine clinic. We are hard at work getting our campus and clinic ready to welcome students back this Fall for a limited offering of hands-on courses & a strategically designed in-person clinic. We are …

AIMC student Erin Stewart spoke to Dr. Michael McCulloch, a licensed acupuncturist with a master’s degree in public health and a doctorate in epidemiology, about how acupuncturists and TCM practitioners can be best prepared to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. See what he had to say in part one of the interview here.

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your acupuncturist, physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 or local emergency number immediately.

Part …