Wow, what a time we’re in!
Right off the back of the bush fires, hardly any summer to speak of and now we have Covid-19.
We are definitely being put to the test by Mother Nature. It is a very valuable reminder that we should not take things for granted and to be grateful for what we have in our lives.
I know that I’ve taken my health, my lifestyle and my freedom for granted. It’s not until we lose things that we really see their worth and how much they mean to us.
I am grateful for my family, for my friends, for social media which has kept us connected, for living away from the big city, and for being made to ‘stop’ and enjoy home and family life.
I am so blessed to have my 2 beautiful daughters; one is 5 and the other nearly 5 months. They were the main reason as to why I decided to close the clinic for acupuncture appointments until further notice.
Although the clinic is closed for acupuncture, I am offering phone and online consultations for herbal medicine. These consultations consist of an emailed questionnaire to be filled out by the client, at which time a photo of the clients tongue will need to be provided. After the questionnaire and photo have been returned, we’ll make a booking for a phone consultation at which time I can determine what herbal treatment to prescribe.
Chinese herbal medicine is used for strengthening the immune, for colds and flu, pain and circulatory issues, menopause, menstrual irregularities, bowel issues, sleep and emotional problems as well as much more.
If you would like more information please go to the contacts page
Right off the back of the bush fires, hardly any summer to speak of and now we have Covid-19.
We are definitely being put to the test by Mother Nature. It is a very valuable reminder that we should not take things for granted and to be grateful for what we have in our lives.
I know that I’ve taken my health, my lifestyle and my freedom for granted. It’s not until we lose things that we really see their worth and how much they mean to us.
I am grateful for my family, for my friends, for social media which has kept us connected, for living away from the big city, and for being made to ‘stop’ and enjoy home and family life.
I am so blessed to have my 2 beautiful daughters; one is 5 and the other nearly 5 months. They were the main reason as to why I decided to close the clinic for acupuncture appointments until further notice.
Although the clinic is closed for acupuncture, I am offering phone and online consultations for herbal medicine. These consultations consist of an emailed questionnaire to be filled out by the client, at which time a photo of the clients tongue will need to be provided. After the questionnaire and photo have been returned, we’ll make a booking for a phone consultation at which time I can determine what herbal treatment to prescribe.
Chinese herbal medicine is used for strengthening the immune, for colds and flu, pain and circulatory issues, menopause, menstrual irregularities, bowel issues, sleep and emotional problems as well as much more.
If you would like more information please go to the contacts page
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.
AUTUMN - March/April/May
As we ease out of Summer and head towards the cooler months, the leaves begin to change colour, creating quite a beautiful landscape before they eventually falling to ground and wither. This is Autumn.
According to Chinese Medicine, Autumn time corresponds to the Lungs. When our lungs are deficient of energy, ailments such as asthma may become more prevalent during this period. Chinese medicine, through acupuncture and herbs, can help by nourishing the lungs and relieving symptoms. Other common complaints which can occur during this time are:
Chinese medicine can offer treatments for these ailments and many more. For further enquiries or additional information, please refer to the Contact page.
