Our AIMC Herbal Pharmacy is continuing to expand its inventory of local, organic herbs and products, including native California plants in our traditional Chinese Herb Pharmacy.

What is acupuncture? What can it treat? Our guide goes through some of the history behind this ancient technique and what it is used for today.

Fall marks the transition from the yang bright, active time of year to the yin quiet, dark time of year. Now is the time to begin storing our reserves and vitality for the winter to come.

Believe it or not, according to the ancient Chinese lunar calendar, we are already full swing into the season of Autumn!

The shift from summer into fall is important because it marks the transition from the yang bright and active time of year to the yin stillness and darkness time of year. The temptation to continue to living a Summer lifestyle in Fall can be easy here in California, when it is still so sunny out. However, now is one of the most crucial times to begin conserving ones energy for …

Methylation is a critical process that occurs billions of times every second to control the genetic expression of virtually every cell in the body.

The movement to grow Chinese herbs organically and locally is an important step towards creating a sustainable herbal medicine on our planet.

For many Chinese trained herbalists here in the West, the question of the ethics and sustainability of using herbs grown in China and flown to the US, rather than local herbs, is a big one. The Chinese Herbal Materia Medica has an incredible array of amazing healing plants. However, as the popularity of Chinese herbalism is rapidly growing throughout the world, we need to examine whether or not is sustainable for us to continue using them. Right now, the vast majority of Chinese herbs are grown in China, and supplying the whole planet with herbs grown in just one country is not feasible in …

Now that we’re in the height of summer, many of us are looking for ways to stay cool and beat the heat. One classic summer food that can help us do just that is watermelon. Everyone knows how sweet and refreshing a juicy slice of watermelon on a hot day can be, it’s a summertime ritual for many of us.

In Chinese Medicine, watermelon is used medicinally to help cool and clear summer heat. It nourishes fluids and helps promote urination, making it an excellent medicine for clearing heat from the body. It also has a sweet calming nature for the spirit.

Here’s a cooling summer recipe for a Watermelon Salad:

1 small watermelon, sliced into cubes and seeds removed
½-1 cup jicama, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

AIMC student shares her experience with back shu points and how this form of acupuncture helped heal her digestive issues.

We all think hydration is simple, right? Just drink plenty of water. But staying well hydrated also means our bodies need to actually ABSORB all the water we’re drinking. Imagine a dry, cracked piece of earth in the desert. When it rains, that earth is so parched and hard that it cannot absorb any water. It all runs off the surface.

Our bodies are the same. If we don’t “prepare our soil” properly, all the water we drink just runs right through, and our tissues are still parched and dry. In TCM, we use yin tonics- herbs that are moistening and demulcent, in order to help moisten the body on a deep level and help it to “hold” the water. On a cellular level, yin tonics …

AIMC recently celebrated the graduation of candidates for the Masters and Doctoral programs.  The ceremony was held at Grandview Pavilion in Alameda, CA.  Graduates and guests were treated to a celebratory performance by Emeryville Taiko Drummers followed by a reception for graduates and their guests. Check out photo highlights below.

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With Spring in full bloom, one of our most prized medicinal plants is now in the height of its season- Pu Gong Ying, or Dandelion. Cursed by North American lawn growers, but celebrated by herbalists all over the planet, Dandelion greens are a highly nutritious and tasty food.

They are rich in minerals and Vitamin A. Many of us in North America often shy away from bitter, nutritive foods such as Dandelion. Our palate is so out of balance with sweet and salty, we have lost our taste for other flavors such as sour and bitter. However, the bitter greens of Spring are an important way to attune ourselves to the season and get the Liver and Gall Bladder moving after the stillness of winter. Check …