New Year, New You, right?  If “balance” in your life is what you seek, Traditional Chinese Medicine holds the answer, as it has for nearly 2,500 years.

Here are seven reasons to incorporate Chinese medicine into your life in the year ahead. The practices below can change your life, as they have mine:

1. The underlying principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine is balance – balanced mind, body and soul. It’s when one’s body becomes out of balance that physical and mental troubles begin, from minor colds and stress, to larger diseases, panic attacks and chronic mental anguish. Alternatively, a body and mind in balance yield a longer, healthier, more vibrant life. If you were to look at your current life professionally, personally, mentally and spiritually, are you currently “in balance”?
2. Acupuncture isn’t taboo. While the actual number of acupuncturists in the U.S. is unknown, it’s estimated to be over 35,000. Chances are somebody you know has incorporated acupuncture into their current wellness routine – for pain relief to fertility assistance, acupuncture is much more common than it was 10 years ago. Fear of needles?  Today’s needles are quite thin and in some cases you won’t event feel them. By the same token, the mental “zen-like” experience one feels after a 45 minutes appointment offers a wonderful mental break from reality. You can find an acupuncturist here.
3. Research is quickly catching-up to support the power and effectiveness of Chinese medicine. The 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Youyou Tu, a Chinese medicine doctor (“for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria”) to research concerning why a classic formula was used by Chinese authorities during the 2003 SARs outbreak to boost immunity, to how another formula is used in treating stress and depression.
4. Insurance companies are increasingly covering alternative medical practices, foremost among those Chinese medicine, particularly given it’s cost effectiveness, history, and treatment success. And for good reason: such established medical centers as The Cleveland Clinic and The Mayo Clinic offer acupuncture and Chinese herbal options to compliment their well established western medical practices. Check with your healthcare provider to see if a basic acupuncture treatment is covered. It’s an incredible experience.
5. Now is the time to incorporate Tai Chi and Qi Gong into your weekly flow. The health benefits of Tai Chi for managing one’s stress are many, to say nothing of the low impact cardio workout one receives through an hour of this timeliness practice. Looking for something slightly more intense? Consider Qigong, which is closer to a martial art, but is nonetheless low impact on the body, offers a cardio benefit, and challenges the mind to focus. Looking for motivation to get started? Check out our friend Mimi Kuo Deemers new DVDs, retreats and blog posts.
6. Chinese medicine was early to incorporate a “food as medicine” practice. While Chinese medicine cooking can be slightly esoteric in the selection of some ingredients, it doesn’t have to be in the final presentation and taste. We publish a weekly recipe that combines the culinary health practices of Chinese medicine with western flavors and ingredients. Cooking can be medically beneficial, and help in creating a mindfulness practice as well.
7. Finally, we’re nothing if not passionate about the power of Chinese herbs, hence the motivation behind DAO Labs. Chinese herbs are powerful, offering incredible formulas and medicinal blends that are still consumed across Asia (and increasingly here in the U.S.) as they have been for thousands of years. Chinese herbs are traditionally challenging in taste (they don’t taste good at all!), but the benefits, efficacy and power makes up for this. Our vision was to make them enjoyable and approachable. From our Immunity Support for the frequent flyer, to Emotional Balance for those who need quick relief from stress, incorporate the herbal powers of Chinese medicine into your wellness practice.

Looking for more information? Email or call us (888-228-1066)! We’ll help fill in the gaps to any of the above, and tell you how we’re finding balance in the year ahead.

John G. McGarvey is a co-founder of DAO Labs and a regular contributor to The Way. A frequent visitor to China and Asia for both business and pleasure, he is an avid consumer of Chinese medicine. He can be reached at john@mydaolabs.com.