Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is the most common form of childhood eczema, and is on the increase everywhere in the industrialized world. It manifests with red, itchy, flaky or weepy skin, and possible secondary infection. While it is not life threatening, it can profoundly affect well being and quality of life and persist for years to […]

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, spring is the season of the liver. This means that the liver is most active in the spring, waking and stretching from winter hibernation. At this time the liver is called upon to circulate the body's energy up and out, in concert with the upward and outward movement of […]

Herpes refers to a group of disorders which manifest with an eruption of red, painful blisters or sores on the skin, genitals, lips or eyes. The causative culprits are the closely related herpes simplex 1, herpes simplex 2, and varicella-zoster viruses, often combined with a weakening of immune function. The most common manifestations are cold […]

Psoriasis has been with us since ancient times. In old medical texts, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) described psoriasis as “pine skin dermatosis,” a term descriptive of its clinical features. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates named it psora in his medical collection, Corpus Hippocraticum. Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory disease, which causes red plaques covered in thick, […]

Over the last few months, several of my eczema patients have brought up Red Skin Syndrome and asked for my thoughts on it. This syndrome was named by a California dermatologist, Dr. Marvin Rapaport, who concluded after decades of dermatology practice that Red Skin Syndrome happens as a result of long-term use of topical steroids […]

Sores and skin rashes of all types cause us considerable discomfort, but none as much as those that affect the mouth and lips. These sores impact our intimacy, our ability to enjoy food, and our self esteem, and are so uniquely and exasperatingly ‘in your face’! The most common oral sores and rashes are cold […]

As the humid days of summer give way to the brittle, dry air of fall, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners begin to turn their attention to the lungs and their associated functions. Fall is the season of the lungs, presenting both a vulnerability (i.e. the onset of respiratory infections), as well as an opportunity to strengthen […]

Allergic asthma is one of the unfortunate health consequences of industrial development and the pollution it brings. Three hundred million people have it, worldwide. Incidence of allergic asthma in North America has increased 75% in the last two decades, and continues to escalate. The U.K. has one of the highest rates of allergic asthma, with […]

Editor’s note: According to the Acne and Rosacea Society of Canada, two million Canadians are affected by, so April 2016 has been declared Rosacea Awareness Month. To offer an alternative to medication, we have pulled two relevant features from Vitality’s archives, and updated them for re-release in this issue. Here they are. Herbs for Rosacea […]

Herbs and Treatment for Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis Dandruff, or its more severe cousin seborrheic dermatitis, is a skin condition affecting the scalp, face, and in severe cases even the body. Symptoms range from mild flaking, which as many as 50% of people have at one time or another, to the more extreme manifestations of […]

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are the fountain of youth, the foundation for a healthy, vital life and for graceful longevity. They are to be guarded and nurtured by living wisely, so that they in turn may continue to supply us with strength well into old age. From Western anatomy and physiology, we […]

Treatment for patchy baldness, also known as Alopecia Areata (AA) Patchy baldness, also known as Alopecia areata (AA), is a fairly uncommon but troubling type of inflammatory hair loss. The condition is estimated to affect 0.1 – 0.2% of those in the population who are largely between the ages of 15 and 30, although it […]

Alopecia means partial or total loss of hair. It occurs on the whole body but is most troublesome and noticeable on the scalp, which propels sufferers to seek treatment. In order to understand the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment of this condition, it helps to define some of the terms. This article will focus on […]

Eczema is a many headed beast. Some cases are textbook-clear and relatively easy to treat, while others fall between types, present paradoxically, or engage in shape shifting deception.  Successful treatment of these conditions resembles a chess game, with the practitioner trying to stay a step ahead and to eventually checkmate the wiley opponent. Fortunately, in […]

Allergic asthma has become an epidemic in Westernized countries, showing dramatic increases over the last few decades. In Ontario, according to a 2010 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, asthma incidence increased by over 70% between 1996 and 2005. The study called for more effective strategies to deal with this great public health […]

Are you looking at your hands with disgust You hate them now and hide them you must But mama, there’s no shame in hands so worn Because of all they’ve touched since you were born (From Our Mama’s Hands by Marcella L. True) Few things hurt as much as the broken skin of our hands! […]