Acupuncture can be a gentle and effective approach to managing many of the common symptoms and discomforts women experience during pregnancy. This article explains the benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy and explores some of the main questions I’m often asked.

Understanding how our hormones change with the seasons is a fascinating aspect of how the human body is influenced by natural phenomena, such as daylight, temperature, and seasonal activities. Our body’s response to seasonal changes is deeply connected to hormonal fluctuations, which can influence mood, reproduction, energy, sleep, and even appetite.

Cultivating mindfulness is an important aspect of developing inner peace and wellbeing. Through mindfulness practice one can connect to a deeper understanding of the inner self to develop a sense of compassion and love for our self and others. A core principle of mindfulness is to approach ‘wholeness’ and wellbeing in one’s personal life in a way that creates a foundation for the healing and self nurturing process to develop. From a Chinese Medicine prospective, maintaining a gentle unimpeded movement of Qi in a free and easy environment is imperative to avoiding stagnation (or constrained) Qi and blood stasis. Cultivating healing attitudes through daily mindfulness can be beneficial to healing process.

Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy used in Chinese medicine, which involves the burning of a dried herb on or above specific acu-points on the body. In Chinese medicine, this herb is known as mugwort, moxa, or Aì yè and although any form of heat applied to the body is effective in stimulating circulation, the heat action combined with the powerful medicinal properties of mugwort makes moxa a powerful form of healing. Moxa also helps to increase the smooth the flow of Qi and blood and expel pathogenic influences. Internally moxa is really effective in resolving gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis as it helps to alleviate menstrual pain and warm the womb. The herb’s bitter and acrid with warming properties is thought to enter into the spleen, liver and kidney channels.

Having a good daily morning regime is an important feature in cultivating good health and strengthening the body. Paying close attention to even the most common, trivial life activities can be beneficial to health preservation and life longevity. My morning regimen is influenced by ancient practices of Yang Sheng (translated as nourishing or cultivating life), a philosophy in Chinese medicine, which is the art of enabling self- cultivation of health, consciously preventing illness and preserving optimum wellbeing.

There is no single cause of anxiety and stress - just like there is no single cure or treatment. Anxiety and stress are both emotional reactions that can be triggered by all manner of things and which can manifest themselves as physical reactions, such as panic attacks and feeling short of breath. 

In this article, we cover the medical definition of anxiety, how to manage anxiety naturally, and how traditional Chinese medicine can help. 

Menopause is an experience that unites women of all backgrounds and lifestyles, with symptoms ranging wildly from the severe to the manageable - and everything in between.

While Western medicine prescribes vitamins and supplements to manage the symptoms and signs and help women conduct their daily lives as comfortably as possible during menopause, Chinese medicine views this time of life in a very different way. And with more and more women turning to alternative therapies and medicines to overcome the symptoms associated with menopause, this article looks specifically at Chinese medicine and some of the most common therapies being employed by women around the world. 

In the UK, approximately 13 million women are dealing with symptoms related to menopause (Nuffield Hospital, 2017). Despite this, UK women receive a lack of support or treatment for symptoms relating to menopause and hormonal changes, resulting in one in four women struggling to cope with aspects of life due to their symptoms (BMS, 2019). While there has been encouraging data concerning the safety of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), women and many healthcare professionals still remain cautious about the use of HRT for menopause due to the purported risks associated with the intervention, particularly concerning the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer (NICE, 2019).

Gua Sha is not a trend. Nor is it a quick fix. It not just about beauty - especially not the kind of beauty that the industry dictates. Gua Sha is fundamentally about enhancing who you are and how you feel inside and out. Beauty is the true representation of the internal balance of your body when it is at its optimum level of health and what resonates within quite literally radiates on the outside. This is why regular facial gua sha can promote the growth of new skin cells, improve complexion, reduce pores, control acne, tighten the skin and enhance the ability of your skin to absorb oils and creams.

The pH of your body comprises of an acid and alkaline level, measured between 1 & 14. This is becoming the main focus of attention in the recovery and prevention of illness and disease resulting from acidosis (acidic state of the body). Extensive scientific research has indicated healthy people have an alkaline system.

One key concept of Chinese Medicine is the idea that disease prevention is the superior form of medicine. The theories and practices of disease prevention are known as Yang Sheng, which literally means Nourishing Life. Yang Sheng is designed to help you slow down, connect with your inner self, make space for creativity and ultimately to nourish you. It is a holistic approach that incorporates various self-care rituals and philosophy for self-healing, positive mind and health preservation.

There are a wide range of treatment ideas and solutions that derive from traditional Chinese medicine and ear seeds are one of them. Designed to help alleviate pain, promote comfort and relaxation and help your body combat a selection of ailments and issues, ear seeds are considered a lesser-known form of acupressure.

In this article, we are going to explore how they work.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, everything in life is composed and defined by its Qi and is the ultimate measure of one’s vitality. Qi, often referred to as vital energy, is the energy current that runs through our body, providing it with circulation, nutrients and minerals that we all need to be whole and healthy. When the Qi is unable to flow properly symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, hormone imbalance, pain, muscle weakness, depression, cramp and stress will occur. Also, certain lifestyle habits and environmental elements can disrupt or block the flow of Qi.

The essence of traditional Chinese medicine and therapies lies in the link between us and nature.

 Therapists and practitioners believe that there are five natural elements within us and that each one must be kept in harmonious balance for us to be healthy and happy. When an imbalance occurs, we find ourselves suffering physical ailments, aches, pains and illness - never is this balance so finitely important than with the changing of the seasons.