2026 Spring-Summer transition-The Wellness of Balance newsletter from Red Tree Wellness Inc

The Wellness of Balance 

2026 Spring to Summer transition Tips and News

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Spring to Summer transition
• Favourite “stay regular” tips!
• Clinic updates

Hello,

Yay, the days more sunshine and longer days are here, and to stay with the permanent time change here in BC. April to May is one of the Earth months in the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which is a transition month between Seasons. It is a good reminder to prepare and be aware of what changes you’d like to make both literally, like it’s ok to remove the socks a little more often now, and figuratively, such as, what do you want to engage and explore over the next season of Fire and Summer?

Late in the day on May 4th, the season of Fire and Summer will begin in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This solar node marker of the Start of Summer is trend to increased light and HOT temperature. Here is the time we go with the flow of expansion, energy, activity and movement. Nature heightens its Yang energy at the Summer Solstice, the midpoint of this light and heat trend. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to rise earlier with the Sun, in sync with the light. Mindfully (not too much too fast) bump up your active life, find what sparks joy to move your Qi more. Take advantage of the environments’ flow energy boosts that give us spark.

This year also marks my/Sonia F Tan’s 20th year of practice. I have never taken more than 1 month off, and some days I feel those 20 years… Most times, it feels so exciting to continue to guide people on their pathway to health. To my patients, I look forward to celebrating with you all in little ways through this coming summer.🫶🏻

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Seasonal Health Tips

The next in our newsletter series is from a concept in Chinese medicine my late Grandmaster Richard Tehfu Tan used to say quite succinctly – Good health and longevity is maintained when you: “Eat Right, Sleep Right and Poop Right!”. 💩😄 Many of you would know that in regular follow ups or maintenance sessions, I always ask about these 3 things, because these 3 pillars are key to longevity and good health. So to kick off our next series of trips, each newsletter will talk about our favourite things we do in these 3 pillars of Chinese medicine health! With the Fire and Summer season upon us and the energy of movement, let’s kick it off with helping ourselves figuratively and literally to “let go” with how we like to maintain a system that “Poops Right”! Read more below! 👇🏻

Tips from Sonia F. Tan, DAOM, RAc, RTCMP

Float the Boat…

I talk to my patients about “floating the boat” in the river. You need a river to float the boat. In Chinese medicine, this means you need the right amount of “Yin”, the nourishing and fluid function of the body, and you need this Yin in the bowels. My regular food item I eat at least 3 times a week is Yogurt with a good healthy amount of gut bacteria in their mixture. The whys:

• Yogurt nourishes Yin. This helps me float the boat when in my Second Spring body, I don’t have as easy an ability anymore to produce it on my own. I prefer Icelandic yogurt because I like the taste and texture of yogurt made with skim milk.
• Healthy biomes/biotics/bacteria break down and move Qi. They help digest and help move circulating in this river we call the intestine.
• I always add a ¼ teaspoon (~2g) of cinnamon to my Yogurt to warm the recipe to preserve my digestive fire. Usually I have about ¾ to 1 C (175 or 250 mL) of Yogurt each time I eat it. This is to counteract the cold effect Yogurt has on the body, which can reduce the digestive fire, a big no-no in Chinese medicine. Adding cinnamon not only helps warm the recipe up for the gut, it also tastes really good with the yogurt.
• Lastly, I usually add some fresh fruit to my yogurt bowl. I like to add blueberries and apples. Apples may sound odd to some of you, but I like apple due to the fibre content, which helps gut health even more!

If you try this out, let me know how it goes. We can make custom changes to the content of your specific yogurt bowls based on your health needs.

Sunscreen and Chinese Medicine Wisdom for Healthy Skin

As the vibrant energy of longer, sunnier days fills the air, let’s remember to nurture our skin’s health from the inside out! My approach to sun protection involves a multi-layered strategy:

• Your Outer Shield: UV Protective Wear. Think of clothing, hats, and sunglasses with UV protection as your personal force field against the sun’s rays. Make them your go-to accessories!
• The Daily Essential: Sunscreen Application. Rain or shine, sunscreen is a non-negotiable step in your daily routine. UV radiation can penetrate clouds, so consistency is key. The best sunscreen is the one you love enough to use properly every day.
• Ancient Allies for Skin Health: Exploring Chinese Herbs. Traditional Chinese medicine offers valuable insights into supporting skin integrity. I’ve found moisturizers containing Huang Qi (黄芪), known in English as Astragalus Root, to be particularly beneficial. It’s prized for its nourishing properties, helping to maintain skin hydration (which is crucial for resilience against sun damage), and its rich antioxidant content.
• Nourishment from Within: The Power of Antioxidant-Rich Foods. What you eat plays a significant role in how your skin responds to environmental stressors like UV rays. High antioxidant foods help neutralize free radicals generated by sun exposure. Blueberries are a personal favourite for summer – in Chinese medicine, they’re considered cooling and hydrating, making them a wonderful addition to your warm-weather diet.

This season, let’s embrace the combined power of effective sunscreens and the wisdom of Chinese medicine to keep our skin feeling healthy, hydrated, and protected! 😎

 

Tips from Suzanne Williams, RAc, RTCMP

Don’t let consti-poo-tion slow you down!

Constipation is more than just a “clogged system.” It can mean fewer bowel movements than usual, or even daily movements that are difficult or painful to pass. In Chinese Medicine we look beyond the symptoms to the source, often rooted in lifestyle, diet, and stress.
The good news? You can take control of your digestive health with simple, at-home practices:

• Self-Care Techniques: Abdominal massage and acupressure on the Large Intestine channel are powerful tools for moving the Qi in the bowels.
• I’ve created a step-by-step guide on our YouTube channel to show you exactly how it’s done: Watch here.
• Gentle Movement: You don’t need a high-intensity workout to support digestive health. Low-impact activities like walking, Taiji Quan, yoga, or swimming help stimulate intestinal peristalsis and promote regularity.

If chronic constipation persists despite your best efforts, Chinese Herbal Medicine can offer a personalized solution. As a Registered TCM Practitioner, I can tailor a formula specifically to your body’s unique constipation presentation to get things moving smoothly again. Book with me here to find solutions for your digestive health!

 

Tips from Dr. Kathleen Dang, ND, RAc

Adaptogenic herbs for the Summer

Check out this recipe from our resident Naturopathic Physician Dr. Kathleen Dang, ND, RAc created for bowel movement health! 👇🏻

Enjoy! 😊

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Final Clinic FYI’s:

• We have a new “pro” series coming from our YouTube “Tree Talks” tips for health. The new series will be “Grocery Store medicine!” 👉🏻 Things you can find in your local Asian-food focuses + Western-food focused grocery stores, that we wanted to give you deeper health insight on how you can use them for your health and wellness, in addition to how we love preparing and eating them. It will be up there in the next month or so on our YouTube Channel ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/c/RedTreeWellnessCa
• We have limited stock left of our beloved Longevity tea from Dragon Herbs. It is one of our favorites with adaptogenic Chiense herbs that help nourish or calm the mind when you need it.
• We will be around most of the summer, with various away schedules. Check out our schedules with our Booking Calendar here, and remember you can always adjust your appointments or add yourself to the waitlist with your online account. 

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Wishing you a beautiful start to Summer!

Yours in good health,

Dr. Sonia F. Tan, DAOM (degree-USA), RTCMP, and the Red Tree Wellness team of Dr. Kathleen Dang, ND, RAc & Suzanne Williams, BA, MBA, RTCMP