Traditional Healing Acupuncture Clinic

Vitamins and Supplements, running on empty

traditionalacupuncture — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:30:25 +0000

We see the advertisements on TV all the time, “Feeling tired? Stressed?” followed by a supplement to make it all go away. The trouble with this approach is are you really fixing the problem? or just band aiding the symptoms? Sadly we all want quick fixes, its human nature, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change. The problem with supplements is just that, they are a supplement. For example; you have low iron stores, possibly due to over working your body. You take an iron supplement to try and replenish those stores, yet you keep over working your body. Are you truly fixing the problem? No, you are merely fuelling what the Chinese call “Deficient Fire”, mostly commonly referred to as “running on empty”. What is happening is the root of the problem is still going on and doing damage, you haven’t corrected the mechanism that initially caused the iron deficiency, you’ve just replaced your body absorbing iron naturally with an artificial form of the mineral. Many people largely use vitamins and mineral almost like stimulants, to help them work harder, longer, to give them extra energy. You aren’t actually boosting your body, you are pushing it beyond its limits, and sooner or later the body will crash. I see this in clinic a lot, people do not appreciate how much punishment the body can take, but when it reaches breaking point, it can be very hard to come back from. The other matter is of course the strain on your Liver and Kidneys which have to work harder to break down and excrete the drugs your taking. This also long term is not ideal. There are obviously people out there who have problems absorbing certain vitamins/minerals, and those are the people who need to take supplements. Everyone else though, should seek about correcting lifestyle issues, getting all the vitamins and minerals they need from a good balanced diet, combined with proper rest and regularly exercise.

There is hope for IBS sufferers..

traditionalacupuncture — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:02:47 +0000

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is becoming an ever increasing problem here in Australia. Since it is labelled a “syndrome” this means the true underlying cause is unknown in Western Medicine. Diagnosis is primarily made through a process of elimination of more serious conditions, until no other possible cause can be determined. This unfortunately means that sufferers are left without much option other than managing it and learning to live with it for life. Fortunately this is an area where Chinese Medicine has a lot to offer. Irritable Bowel Syndrome doesn’t actually exist in Chinese Medicine, this is because Chinese Medicine has its own rock solid diagnostic framework, which I discussed in detail in an earlier blog post. Most cases of IBS translate into what Chinese medicine diagnose as: wood/earth disharmonies or Spleen Qi deficiency generating Dampness. What does this mean? basically it means there is a disharmony between your Liver and digestive system, or the digestion has become weakened and cannot carry out its function of separating nutrients from waste properly. This tends to result in issues such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea etc. My clinical experience is the initial trigger for most IBS cases comes from either prolonged emotional stress, or a strong illness from which the digestion has never fully recovered. How many times have we heard someone say “ever since that trip overseas my digestion has never been the same”?. The good news is that Chinese medicine is very effective at strengthening bodily functions, in contrast to western medicine’s speciality of supplementation -which is a good band-aid, but not a long term solution for this particular issue. The prognosis of each case is of course different, but every sufferer of IBS should consult a Chinese Medicine practitioner to see how they can be helped. Which has to be better than living with a restricted diet or never being far from a toilet…

Year long Hay Fever?

traditionalacupuncture — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:26:45 +0000

Hay fever used to mainly occur for most in Spring and then subside for most of the year. Yet over the past few years here in Victoria, there’s been a steady rise in the severity and longevity of hay fever symptoms. Even people who’ve never suffered allergies are beginning to show symptoms, so why is this? Well there are many factors involved. With the recent break in the drought there’s been a steady increase in rainfall and warm weather, which means there’s a lot more plant growth. Combined with the floods up north and the wind blowing all that accumulated pollen down south, there is a vast increase in irritants floating in the air. As a result, this can cause chronic inflammation of the sinus cavity and mucosal lining, leading to prolonged hay fever symptoms. While antihistamines can provide temporary relief, they are not a good long term solution to live off everyday all year long. A simple alternative is to use nasal irrigation on a daily basis. This involves either using saline spray (from the chemist), or a Neti Pot. Whilst I prefer the latter option- both provide a means to physically flush out the pollens and allergens which are directly irritating the sinuses. Another option of course is acupuncture, which is proven very effective in reducing inflammation and strengthening the immune system to fight off environmental influences. Combining these two methods can help provide long term relief for chronic hay fever sufferers. As we can all see the weather forecasts are showing plenty of rain, so relief isn’t likely to be here any time soon.

The confusion between dry needling and Acupuncture

traditionalacupuncture — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 01:55:13 +0000

There is constant confusion over the differences between dry needling and acupuncture from a patient’s point of view. I akin it to the difference between a “backyard” mechanic, and a fully trained mechanic. The backyard mechanic knows enough to fix a few problems but doesn’t have a deeper understanding of the workings of the vehicle he is trying to fix. Dry needling is a form of acupuncture performed largely by western health professionals such as osteopaths, myotherapists, chiropractors etc. They use what they’ve identified as “trigger points” in muscles to help relieve pain and relax the tissue. This falls under what the Chinese have for centuries called “ashi points”, basically meaning a tender point which isn’t a recognised acupuncture point. From a western medical perspective the approach is the same as with acupuncture, they know it works, but can’t explain how, they simply use identified “trigger points” to treat certain muscle groups. Chinese medicine however still uses their very comprehensive diagnostic method to diagnose musculoskeletal problems and formulate a treatment plan accordingly. Here in lies the problem with dry needling, for most they simply do a course spanning a few weekends and they are then allowed to needle. Chinese Medicine practitioners study for several years and undergo 400+ clinical hours before are qualified to needle the general public. Though I don’t believe any real harm can be done by dry needling, the public needs to be aware that they are not the same, and if dry needling didn’t achieve a satisfactory result, this doesn’t mean acupuncture won’t either. The case being that proper acupuncture will always achieve a better result than dry needling, simply due to the practitioner being better trained in the art and having a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanism at work. Attached is an article published by the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association in regards to their opinion on “dry needling”.

Time to Treat Those Seasonal Allergies.

traditionalacupuncture — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:56:15 +0000

Spring is just around the corner, and that means for thousands of people their seasonal allergies are about to flare. Chinese medicine has proven over the years to be very effective in helping people cope with hay-fever and other seasonal allergies. However, the key to lasting results is to strengthen the body before the symptoms begin. In Chinese medicine, conditions like hay-fever are due to a seasonal weakness, usually in the organ which it corresponds to (spring is Liver). So in the weeks leading up to spring, acupuncture and herbs can be used to strengthen and soothe your Liver so your allergies don’t flare when spring is in full swing. This principle is also applied during autumn, when we tonify your lung energy so you avoid those dreaded winter colds and flu’s.

Reduce fevers with Raspberry Jam

traditionalacupuncture — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 04:58:33 +0000

A simple old folk remedy, take one table spoon of good quality raspberry jam and dissolve in hot water to make a tea. Within 20min you should feel a sweat coming on. Jump under the covers and sweat out that nasty cold or flu. Traditionally Raspberry Leaves are used, but can be hard to come by, whereas a jar of jam can be stored away in the pantry and used whenever necessary.

Flaxseed oil helps reduce cholesterol and blood clots

traditionalacupuncture — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 05:15:36 +0000

A great source of antioxidants and Omega-3

Flaxseed has become the latest basic ingredient to receive a lot of attention in the medical community for its many health benefits. High in omega-3 fatty acids, it helps reduce the bad cholesterol in the blood (LDL) and in turn helps reduce the likelihood of blood clots developing. Recent studies have shown that adding flaxeed to your diet can help lower your cholesterol levels, and reduce hot flushes in menopausal women. It also contains lignans (an antioxidant) and aids digestion through being a good source of fibre. Since it is a natural blood thinner, you should consult your Doctor about adding it to your diet since it can interfere with certain blood thinning medications and supplements. For others though it is a great preventative measure to improve your long term health.

Flaxseed article

The role of Nutrition in Fighting Cancer

traditionalacupuncture — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:59:41 +0000

A long term review of over 20yrs of studies and research by two Canadian Doctors has brought about a fabulous article on the role of nutrition in Cancer development. The data shows that almost 30% of cancer cases could’ve been adverted by simply altering diet, almost the same as for smoking. The information is completely unbiased as is merely a review of decades worth of research. Lots of useful information can be gained for everyone from this article. The success of the article has resulted in the Doctors publishing 2 very cheap books on diet and recipes for preventing cancer.

A copy can be downloaded here: role of nutrition in fighting cancer

Chinese Chicken Soup

traditionalacupuncture — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:10:00 +0000

Traditionally when we were sick mum would always make us chicken soup. Its an age old folk remedy when ill. This is because it is full of nutrients and easy to absorb when our body is weak when fighting a pathogen. However our body can also be weak from chronic illness, which too can cause people to have difficulties absorbing nutrients from their food. While chicken soup is fabulous, it isn’t quite enough to live off. A great alternative is rice porridge, or Congee (also called Jook). This dish is made of rice which has been cooked to the point of disintegration so it becomes a porridge. It keeps all the nutritional benefits of the rice, but as it is so soft, it is very easy on the digestion and thus readily absorbed (perfect when your sick). Traditionally in China, the strained juice was given to babies who’s mothers weren’t able to breastfeed, its that nutritious! As it is just plain rice, anything can be added to it, from soy sauce to fish to chicken or pork. Once cooled it can be frozen for months and thawed when needed. Only a 1/4 cup of rice is needed to make several bowls. Some basic recipes can be found here.

Fertility and bones, proving the ancient link

traditionalacupuncture — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:14:40 +0000

In Chinese medicine, the Kidneys play a large role in fertility. They store our Jing (Essence), which we use to create life. In men the essence is transferred in the sperm and in women the egg. One of the primary causes of infertility is a decline in the strength of our Kidney energy, which can result from many factors such as poor lifestyle or chronic illness. The Kidney Essence also plays a pivotal role in our development and growth, which is why the tissue that relates to them is Bone and the essence is also reflected in bone marrow. A recent study into male fertility has shown that the hormone osteocalcin (released from the bone) boosts testosterone which supports the survival of the sperm, hence improving fertility. Though this study deliberately ignores female fertility, it is possible this hormone may play a role in female fertility also. Slowly slowly modern science is providing further evidence to support age old chinese medicine theories…