Wishing You a Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year 2026!

This year brought changes to our family traditions, teaching us to adjust gracefully as circumstances shifted. For many years, we hosted Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at our San Diego home with our extended family. However, due to the rain and some other factors, only my immediate family of four gathered this time. It was quiet, less hectic, and simple. Amazingly, we ordered pizza for Christmas Eve instead of our usual homemade lasagna.

My three brothers, their families, and my mom rescheduled our Christmas Eve gathering to Friday, the 26th, at my brother’s new home in San Clemente, California. Although it was rainy, the calmer wind made travel from the high desert safer. We enjoyed a delicious meal featuring antipasto, salad, sausage, and lasagna, keeping with family traditions.

We enjoyed having both our sons come home from college, even briefly. Tyler returned to Chico after 10 days for his sushi assistant job and will start his final semester soon. Luke finished his first semester but chose not to return, deciding instead to pursue a firefighting career and begin EMT courses. We're glad he got his pizza job back in Rancho Bernardo.

Plans often change unexpectedly. At 18, opportunities abound—the world is full of possibilities. Take advantage of what comes your way, even if it leads you down an unexpected route.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve at home, relaxing with TV and Netflix. I started watching a new series called “Absentia,” enjoyed a cozy fire and hot tea, and happily went to bed before midnight. On New Year’s Day, I watched the final episode of the Netflix hit “Stranger Things” with Luke, which we rated a perfect 10 out of 10!

What I want to express is that now that Christmas and Hanukkah of 2025 are behind us, and New Year's Eve celebrations have ended, I hope this New Year's Day in 2026 brings you happiness, hope, personal growth, and good health.

Happy New Year 2026

We invite you to explore selected recipes from my forthcoming publication, “Recipes for Elemental Nourishment: A Practitioner’s Companion for Elemental Balance.”

Note: Most ingredients are available at your local health food or grocery store. For harder-to-find dried herbs, such as nettle leaf, oat straw, or licorice root, try ordering from Amazon or Mountain Rose Herbs online.

♨Kidney Yang Warming Infusion

Fire in Water • Gentle Heat • Restored Drive

🌟 Purpose

To kindle Kidney Yang with gentle warmth, supporting metabolism, vitality, and libido. This infusion restores inner fire without overwhelming, balancing the cool depths of Water with the spark of Fire.

📋 Ingredients

• 2 slices Fresh ginger

• 1 Cinnamon stick

• 3–4 Fenugreek seeds

• 1 tsp Dried nettle leaf -or one of the following accessible substitutes:
• ½–1 inch piece dried seaweed (kombu, wakame, or kelp)
• 1 tsp dried dandelion leaf
• ½ bag roasted barley tea (mugicha)

🥣 Preparation

1.     Place ginger, cinnamon, and fenugreek in a small pot with 2–3 cups water.

2.     Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

3.     Add nettle (or chosen substitute), cover, and steep for 5 minutes.

4.     Strain and sip warm, allowing the infusion to kindle inner vitality.

🌀 Elemental Resonance
• Water: Nettle — mineral‑rich, grounding, replenishing the well of essence.
Substitutes such as dried seaweed, dandelion leaf, or roasted barley offer similar grounding, mineral‑supportive Water nourishment when nettle is unavailable.
• Fire: Ginger and cinnamon — warming, activating, and enlivening the spark of Yang.
• Organs: Kidneys (essence, drive, metabolism) + Heart (fire, circulation, spirit).
• Seasonal Tie: Winter into early spring, when warmth is needed to awaken dormant energy.

💡 Note:
Dried nettle leaf is widely available online (including Amazon) for those who prefer the traditional version. But the three options above can be found in most grocery stores, Asian markets, or natural food stores—ensuring this infusion remains accessible and doable for everyone.

If you enjoy this recipe please tell me your thoughts, and a testimonial is appreciated.

Happy New Year 2026,

Dr. Michele Arnold

We are open regular hours Monday January 5, 2026.