Does your back pain flare up in the evening? Perhaps your water element is weak. Allergies in the spring? Emotional outbursts? Perhaps your wood element is too strong. Using the five element system of Chinese cosmology as a key—wood, fire, earth, metal, water—Gail Reichstein unlocks the ancient mysteries of Chinese medicine and makes them available for the everyday health and well-being of modern readers. Each chapter includes: - Lists of common ailments associated with each element - Feng shui solutions for the home and workplace - Acupuncture treatment - Dietary therapy - Qigong exercises Simple, easy to use, and practical, this introduction connects the physical, emotional, and spiritual forces at work in our lives and provides a vital contribution to the field of mind-body medicine.