Clinic is open with some important changes
Firstly I’d like to say thank you to everyone for your patience and support while the clinic has been closed. I had only reopened for about a week after taking maternity leave before having to make to decision to close it again due to COVID-19.
This was a hard to decision to make having to weigh up continuing to treat clients vs the potential risks of the virus to myself, my family and my patients. I chose the latter and closed the clinic.
I have been very grateful for this extra time with my family, as well as having the opportunity to reflect on how to adapt and go forward in this ever changing environment.
With that being said, Clinic has now reopened, albeit with some changes.
To maintain a low risk environment there have been some modifications to how the clinic will operate.
Initially the clinic will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Appointments are 1 hour long with a 30 minute gap between appointments to allow for appropriate hygiene practices and to minimise patient crossover.
Upon arrival to clinic, all patients will be required to wait outside at the new hand sanitising station prior to entering the clinic.
All patients will also need to sterilise their hands and wait until they are brought into the clinic.
There is a motion sensor alarm so I am notified that you’re waiting, at which time I will come out to greet you and take your body temperature with a non-contact thermometer.
If your temperature is below 37.4 you may come in for treatment. A temperature reading greater than 37.4 signifies a fever which is generally a symptom of being unwell and you’ll be required to go home.
Given that we are also now moving into the cold and flu season, respiratory illnesses will increase and without a COVID-19 test we have no way of determining whether or not your symptoms are from a regular cold/flu or from COVID-19.
For this reason all patients with respiratory symptoms looking for an appointment will be asked to book an online/phone consultation – PLEASE DO NOT COME TO CLINIC.
If you are unsure as to whether or not you should come in to clinic, please feel free to contact the clinic. There are also some helpful flow charts on the COVID-19 webpage which may help in your decision making process for this situation. We also recommend downloading the COVIDsafe App, for effective contact tracing in the event of symptoms arising.
As part of our efforts to minimise the risk of infection, we are implementing the following procedures in clinic:
- Hand sterilising station prior to entry
- Non-contact temperature check.
- Before and After each appointment I do a full disinfect and clean of all surfaces, chairs, door handles, HICAPS/EFTPOS machine, pens, removal and replacement of all linen from previous patient as well as a complete clean and disinfection of the table.
- Hands are washed thoroughly before & after each patient and I also take my own temperature at the start of each day.
- I am adhering to Department of Health guidelines, which includes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) only required to be worn when treating confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19
- No food is to be brought into the clinic. Please BYO your own water bottles.
- No accompanying family members unless it is a support person, such as for the elderly or for children
I greatly appreciate your patience and support with this process during these times and look forward to meeting your health care needs.
Strengthening our Immune System
With the tight social restrictions now in place, this is a great opportunity to spend time on ourselves. This is an opportunity to look after our own health which will in turn strengthen our immune system – the body’s defence against pathogens - viral/bacterial and fungal infections.
Ways in which we can strengthen our immunity are:
• Regular exercise
• Getting adequate sleep
• Minimising stress
• Maintaining good gut health
There are many exercises that can be done without gym equipment from squats and planks; to doing yoga poses; Pilates; using resistance bands or a fit ball; even Wii Fit - if you can get a turn from the 5 yr old; YouTube has many great ideas if you’re at a loss (for instance type in ‘exercises on fit ball’).
Getting adequate sleep means more than 7 hours per night. A lot of research has been done around sleep and its effect on early ageing, life span, weight and immunity (see Matthew Walker, ‘Why we sleep’). Though having a 5 month old can make this a little challenging.
Minimising stress can be challenging during these times, though being homebound also means we have the time to find a space to get away from everybody and sit and deep breathe. This only needs to be for 5 minutes a day, but if you can spend longer than 5 minutes or if you can do it more than once a day you will notice the calm washing away the stress.
Meditations on YouTube, or apps like Headspace and Insight Timer are great if you require guided relaxation. Exercises like Tai Chi, Qi (Chi) gong and Yoga are beneficial and again can be found online. If these techniques aren’t your cup of tea, then something simple like lying on a hammock and breathing intentionally will still achieve a sense of calm.
Though I’ve listed a few online resources you can use, we also need to take some time to unplug, turn off our screens and disconnect. With the 24 hour news cycle being mainly about Covid-19, this can instil in us fear and anxiety. By simply disconnecting we can minimise this stress.
If you have trouble sitting with yourself then read a book, pick up a paint brush, work in the garden, etc. How often do you get free time?
It is known that gut health correlates with our immune system.
Around 70% of our immune system is located in the digestive system. That is huge! So it makes sense that the better our digestion is the stronger our immune system will be then the better our bodies are at defending against invading pathogens.
This is why diet plays a major role in immunity. Foods and substances known to weaken immunity are processed foods, high sugar, refined carbs, alcohol and smoking.
To obtain a healthy digestive system eat a diet high in fruit and vegetables, and probiotic (containing high amount of microorganisms beneficial for the gut) foods such as acidophilus, raw sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, pickles, apple cider vinegar and miso soup.
Foods such as ginger, lemon, garlic, bone broths and mushrooms especially Shitake and Reishi, are commonly used for improving immunity. As are Chlorophyll rich foods such as deep green vegetables, parsley, seaweeds, barley grass and wheat grass. Studies on the pigments in fruit and vegetables (such as chlorophyll and flavonols) are suggesting healing properties such as anti inflammatory, anti viral, anti bacterial amongst other qualities.
Fresh is always best, though if you’re needing assistance you can find supplements beneficial such as Olive leaf extract, Echinacea, Armaforce (which contains Astragalus – a Chinese medicinal), Vitamins A, C, E, B, and minerals zinc and selenium.
This correlates in Chinese medicine with the function of the Spleen, seen in Chinese medicine as a major part of digestion, of blood and energy production and production of immune cells. There is a well known formula for the Spleen called Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang or ‘tonify the middle and augment the qi’, which means to strengthen digestion and increase energy and as a by product strengthens immune and body function.
Ways in which we can strengthen our immunity are:
• Regular exercise
• Getting adequate sleep
• Minimising stress
• Maintaining good gut health
There are many exercises that can be done without gym equipment from squats and planks; to doing yoga poses; Pilates; using resistance bands or a fit ball; even Wii Fit - if you can get a turn from the 5 yr old; YouTube has many great ideas if you’re at a loss (for instance type in ‘exercises on fit ball’).
Getting adequate sleep means more than 7 hours per night. A lot of research has been done around sleep and its effect on early ageing, life span, weight and immunity (see Matthew Walker, ‘Why we sleep’). Though having a 5 month old can make this a little challenging.
Minimising stress can be challenging during these times, though being homebound also means we have the time to find a space to get away from everybody and sit and deep breathe. This only needs to be for 5 minutes a day, but if you can spend longer than 5 minutes or if you can do it more than once a day you will notice the calm washing away the stress.
Meditations on YouTube, or apps like Headspace and Insight Timer are great if you require guided relaxation. Exercises like Tai Chi, Qi (Chi) gong and Yoga are beneficial and again can be found online. If these techniques aren’t your cup of tea, then something simple like lying on a hammock and breathing intentionally will still achieve a sense of calm.
Though I’ve listed a few online resources you can use, we also need to take some time to unplug, turn off our screens and disconnect. With the 24 hour news cycle being mainly about Covid-19, this can instil in us fear and anxiety. By simply disconnecting we can minimise this stress.
If you have trouble sitting with yourself then read a book, pick up a paint brush, work in the garden, etc. How often do you get free time?
It is known that gut health correlates with our immune system.
Around 70% of our immune system is located in the digestive system. That is huge! So it makes sense that the better our digestion is the stronger our immune system will be then the better our bodies are at defending against invading pathogens.
This is why diet plays a major role in immunity. Foods and substances known to weaken immunity are processed foods, high sugar, refined carbs, alcohol and smoking.
To obtain a healthy digestive system eat a diet high in fruit and vegetables, and probiotic (containing high amount of microorganisms beneficial for the gut) foods such as acidophilus, raw sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, pickles, apple cider vinegar and miso soup.
Foods such as ginger, lemon, garlic, bone broths and mushrooms especially Shitake and Reishi, are commonly used for improving immunity. As are Chlorophyll rich foods such as deep green vegetables, parsley, seaweeds, barley grass and wheat grass. Studies on the pigments in fruit and vegetables (such as chlorophyll and flavonols) are suggesting healing properties such as anti inflammatory, anti viral, anti bacterial amongst other qualities.
Fresh is always best, though if you’re needing assistance you can find supplements beneficial such as Olive leaf extract, Echinacea, Armaforce (which contains Astragalus – a Chinese medicinal), Vitamins A, C, E, B, and minerals zinc and selenium.
This correlates in Chinese medicine with the function of the Spleen, seen in Chinese medicine as a major part of digestion, of blood and energy production and production of immune cells. There is a well known formula for the Spleen called Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang or ‘tonify the middle and augment the qi’, which means to strengthen digestion and increase energy and as a by product strengthens immune and body function.
WINTER TIME - June/July/August
Remember when your mum used to say 'put on your shoes' and 'don't walk barefoot on the tiles because you'll catch a cold', well there is actually some truth to that. In Chinese Medicine, Winter time corresponds to the Kidneys. And the first point of the Kidney channel starts under the ball of the feet and when 'cold' enters the channel, it can lower our energy and affect our immune function, causing a range of complaints from frequent urination, to sore lower back and knees and of course colds and flu. So by simply covering our feet with socks, uggs or whatever else, we can help prevent the 'cold' getting in. Another easy method is to keep the lower back covered when it's cold, to keep the kidneys warm. And there is also the back of the neck where the 'cold' can enter, so be sure to keep it covered.
Unfortunately we cant always avoid getting ill, so when we feel like we might be on the verge of getting a cold or the flu, this is the time when we need to act to help reduce the length and severity that we do get sick. It is the belief in Chinese Medicine that with a combination of acupuncture, herbs and cupping, we can strengthen our immune to fight off and reduce illness. Though with all medicine, Chinese and Western, individual results may vary. For more information, please refer to the Contact page.
Unfortunately we cant always avoid getting ill, so when we feel like we might be on the verge of getting a cold or the flu, this is the time when we need to act to help reduce the length and severity that we do get sick. It is the belief in Chinese Medicine that with a combination of acupuncture, herbs and cupping, we can strengthen our immune to fight off and reduce illness. Though with all medicine, Chinese and Western, individual results may vary. For more information, please refer to the Contact page.
