Health is Wealth by Anna Seo, L.Ac

Jaw tension and TMJ issues are SO common and so many people focus only on the jaw area but the root of that tension can be so much more than that— I see so many patients for the is problem and what really moves the needle is 1) lowering systemic inflammation and stress, 2) releasing and relaxing the surrounding muscles and fascia AND 3) restoring efficient lymphatic drainage. And this routine helps tackle them all!

Save and try this out this weekend, and send to a friend who needs some relief ✨🤓🩵

Back with another functional food recipe because food = medicine ✨ This one’s a favorite of mine, using a highly nutritious ingredient— lotus root!

Great for hydrating and nourishing the body from within, and packed with key polyphenols and fiber to support healthy digestion & gut health. Try it this week as a tasty side dish to go with your meals:

Korean Braised Lotus Root:

Ingredients:
MAIN:
- 1lb skinned and trimmed lotus root OR 1 pack of pre-sliced lotus root (the latter usually comes pre-boiled so you can skip the blanching step if so!!)
- 1 cup shish*to peppers, washed (optional)
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp avocado or sesame oil

SAUCE (sugar free & corn syrup free version!)
- 1/3 cup water
- 2.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp agave syrup
- 3 tbsp honey

Finish with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Blanch the lotus root— being 3 cups of water and vinegar to a boil. Add lotus root (and peppers if using) and blanch for 4-6 min. Drain and set aside.
2. Prepare the sauce— mix all ingredients together until honey and agave is mostly dissolved
3. In a wide non stick pan, heat the oil and add blanched lotus root and peppers (optional). Stir fry over medium heat for 2-3 min.
4. Add the sauce and stir continuously over medium-low heat until the sauce turns glossy and coats the lotus root. If it starts to dry out too much, reduce heat so it doesn’t burn!
5. Once the sauce has reduced, top with sesame seeds and enjoy with white rice. (OR let cool, then store in fridge overnight and enjoy with rice— it actually tastes better after a day!)

** the vinegar helps keep the lotus root’s crunchy texture and bright color**

Ok so red meat became the villain while nobody talks about the real metabolic chaos agents like those daily sugary coffees, chronic stress, ultra-processed foods high in trans fats, sleep deprivation, constant snacking, and sitting all day.

Reminder: a moderate amount of quality (non-processed) red meat in an otherwise healthy lifestyle (I.e. diets rich in other fiber & whole foods) is truly NOT the same thing as…

* a 900 calorie dessert latte on an empty stomach that’s basically a soda or coffee with creamer made with palm oil
* 5 hours of sleep
* a morning pastry full of trans fats
* blood sugar spikes all day
* living off processed snacks esp ones w/ high fructose corn syrup
* zero movement and chronic stress

Now obviously I’m not saying go eat a 32oz ribeye every night lol but modern wellness loves oversimplifying complex health problems and I promise you your cholesterol profile is influenced by way more than just some steak or ground beef! 👏🏼

The duality of woman 🤌🏽✨🤓💅🏽

(I’d like to thank my extra strong matcha and Well-Cell supplement for getting me through this 18 hour day lol I crashed so hard)

One of the most important messages your body gives about your overall wellness? Just look at your tongue 👀

It’s an internal map of your body and can give a snapshot of what’s going on on a deeper level if you know what you’re looking for, and it’s one of the first things I check with my patients that also helps me track progress.

Ideally? A healthy pink tongue of medium size with a thin white coating evenly distributed, no patches, peeling, cracks, or toothmarks.

What do you see on your tongue and do you relate to some of the things associated with these common tongue patterns? Lemme knooooow 👇🏼

Food as medicine, in action! ✨

You’ve probably never realized it, but there’s a lot of medicinal and functional reasons behind common food pairings or preparations in Asian cuisine, especially when it comes to balancing energetic properties of ingredients to nourish gut health and support digestion. And that’s also a reason why certain combinations taste so good!

Sushi’s just one example of that— so don’t skip the ginger or wasabi next time! (Most sushi/nigiri comes with wasabi but using a little extra can go a long way 😊)

Should I do more of these and show other examples of food pairings? Lemme know below! 👇🏼