In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the following Table of Five Elements shows the inter-connectivity of different elements in nature. This model has been used by medical practitioners for thousands of years.

In addition to Chinese medicine, other disciplines also reference Five Elements, including Tai Chi (a martial art), Feng Shui, and cosmology.

Table of Five Elements

I realize that I haven’t kept up with my blog as diligently as I had hoped, but far from slacking off, I have been studying hard! In the last two months, I have been attending classes on Auricular Acupuncture and on Five Elements Theory to upgrade my skills and discover new and effective treatment methods.

I am particularly excited about being certified at the first level of Auricular Medicine, a discipline that is being practiced by only about 150 people in Canada. Blue Jays pitcher, Jeremy Accardo, recently underwent this type of acupuncture to treat a level 2 Groin Sprain, and was able to regain his full range of motion after only one treatment! He was injured on June 21 and with the help of Auricular Medicine, he was back pitching 5 days later. I am looking forward to continuing my studies in Auricular Medicine later this fall.

The other class that I attended was one on Five Elements Theory. It was great to see physicians, neurologists, psychiatrists, and other health practitioners in the course (I was the only acupuncturist)! Practitioners are looking more and more to alternative healing tools.

Despite my obvious bias, kudos to them for striving to offer their patients more than just a prescription!