In Chinese medical theory and practice, the role of the digestive function has always been placed at the highest importance when it comes to understanding the healthy functioning of all of the physiology within the body. The concept of the role of digestion in maintaining our overall health was first extensively detailed in the Chinese medical text called the “Nan Jing”,
The Importance of Digestion in Chinese Medicine by Travis Clarke
The Skin: aka The Third Lung by Andrea Murphy
Did you know that Chinese medicine calls the skin the 3rd lung? The lungs are responsible for more than just respiration in Chinese medicine, they also help to create a boundary between the inner and outer world, much like the skin. Together with the large intestine, the lungs and the skin set the stage for boundary breath and renewal. The
Irritable Bowel Syndrome – What, How and Why? By Scott Stephens
Irritable Bowel Syndrome. With Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) being such a common condition and myself holding a keen interest in gut health I thought I would put together some information on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach to supporting gastrointestinal imbalance. There is no better time to do this than April which is International Irritable Bowel Syndrome awareness month. Irritable Bowel
Preventative Health Measures:You Are Not A Passenger by Dr Travis Clarke
You are not a Passenger! My time practising Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine over the years has revealed many things to me about health, illness and the human condition. The wholistic philosophies and focus of Chinese Medicine is continually being illustrated to me in how many of my patients’ health concerns are exacerbated by factors such as lifestyle, emotional imbalance, weather, living
Tarot Card 5 – The Emporer – by Simon Altman
In our last Tarot blog we looked at The Empress card, this is our mother archetype within the tarot allowing us to progress to the next card, which is the father archetype called The Emperor. The Emperor is the fifth card out of the 22 Major Arcana cards within the tarot, remember the first card is “0” with the fool, and
Insomnia – Gift Yourself a Full Nights Sleep Again – by Scott Stephens
A sleepless night is something we have all experienced. Often, they occur when our routine is thrown out of whack. Perhaps we are sleeping somewhere unfamiliar or we have eaten a particularly rich meal or overindulged too much. Most commonly the sleepless nights are a result of the mind racing from over-excitement or stress. Even these one-off occasional restless evenings can
5 Ways to Preserve your Fertility by Kerry Marshall
Women are delaying starting a family for various reasons… focusing on careers, building finances or waiting for the right person. The average age in Australia for women having their first baby is 31 and many now starting in their late 30’s and 40’s. Knowing that egg freezing or IVF are options at a cost if needed can be reassuring but they
Preserving Your Vitality: Lessons Learnt from Adrenal Fatigue – by Andrea Murphy
We’ve all heard the term “adrenal fatigue” thrown around a lot in the health world. It’s not exactly an accurate all-encompassing label for what it’s referring to, but the expression has stuck, and it seems here to stay. Simply put, it’s a way to describe when your battery has run out and you’re running on little blips and bloops of whatever
Intermittent Fasting for Clear and Abundant Qi by Travis Clarke
There is currently a lot of attention being directed towards the practice of Intermittent Fasting. Both medical/scientific investigation, and the health and longevity community are finding many positive outcomes from this lifestyle choice. A recent review article in the “New England Journal of Medicine”, titled “Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging and Disease”1 reviews the scientific research currently available on
Summer – Understanding a TCM perspective. By Scott Stephens, Acupuncturist
Summer is on its way. The lengthening of the late afternoon sunlight and the warmth in the morning air signalling it’s approach. The days are full of the pre-Christmas hustle. The buzz of social activities and a sense of celebration gives fuel to the upbeat Yang dynamic that marks this next change of season. It’s easy at this time of year
Chinese Face Reading by Andrea Murphy, Registered Acpuncturist
Chinese Face Reading: An Ancient Guide to Your Skin Face reading is an ancient Chinese technique that goes back thousands of years. Originally a Taoist practice that involved assessing a person’s Qi flow (life force), Jing (inherited constitution/DNA) and Shen (spirit), known as the Three Treasures. Along with palpation, pulse, tongue and smell ancient practitioners were able to ascertain the
Neck Pain – How, Why and What You Can Do – by Scott Stephens, Acupuncturist
I would hazard a guess that most readers of this blog have experienced neck pain. Neck pain is a common hindrance amongst the general population and a regular complaint that crops up time and time again in clinic. For most people the experience of neck pain is sudden and acute and resolves effectively with treatment over a fairly short period of