Moon Festival
The Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Month and has been a huge celebration in mainland China for around 3000 years. There it is known as middle autumn festival (???) and it marks the end of summer harvest. So apart from the abundance food around at this time of year, legends and traditions were developed over time that are still celebrated today. It all started as a way to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Legend has it that a famous archer HouYi shot down nine out of ten suns, saving the earth from being scorched. As a reward the Queen of Heaven gifted him the Elixir of Life, which grants immortality. Hou Yi could not live without his wife Chang’e, instead of drinking it he gave it to her for safekeeping. However, there was attempt to steal it from her while Hou Yi was hunting by one of his disciples Peng Meng. To prevent this from happening Chang’e drank the Elixir and floated up into the heavens to live out eternity. To stay close to her beloved Hou Yi she chose to stay at the closest place possible, the moon. When Hou Yi returned he was devastated and furious. He shouted to the heavens and discovered that the moon was so very bright and clear that night and caught sight of a swaying figure that resembled Chang’e. To honour her Hou Yi burned incense and placed fresh food and moon cakes on a table. Of course, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month falls on an equinox. On the day of an equinox duration of time during night and day are approximately the same all over the planet. Marking the beginning of Autumn in the northern hemisphere and Spring in the southern Hemisphere.
How often should I get acupuncture?
Imagine paying your doctor when you were healthy then when you become ill payment would stop until you were well again. How would this idea change health care? This was once a reality, during the 1600’s a group of Chinese doctors implemented this idea and it changed the dynamic of traditional Chinese medical health care. The genius of this idea was that it saw that mediocre health care was not rewarded financially. So doctors not only studied curing ill health but also looked at diet, exercise regimes, daily routines, and environmental influences that could influence your health. It also laid out a treatment plan into 3 phases: Relieve – this phase is all about relieving you of your initial health complaint. Weekly visits. Restore – this phase is all about strengthening your body so your health problem won’t return. Fortnightly visits. Prevent – this phase is about nipping the bud of any future health problems. Monthly visits.
Orthopaedic Massage
Orthopaedic massage is a multidisciplinary approach to relieving muscular and soft tissue pain, dysfunction, and injuries. Techniques include: Active engagement Muscle energy technique Myofascial release Nerve mobilisation techniques Trigger point therapy Positional release Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation Great for injuries ranging from acute aches and pains to chronic muscular-skeletal issues. Examples include: Back and neck pain Knee injuries Tennis/Golf elbow Frozen shoulder Repetitive strain injuries
Adapting to the cold
Your body does amazing things to acclimatise to the cold. Blood vessels constrict to reduce warmth leaving the body through the skin, which increases blood pressure and reduces oxygen to the heart. This increases the load on the heart so more energy is required. The affinity for oxygen to bind to haemoglobin in your blood increases in colder temperatures. Our body periodically will shunt oxygen supply to your extremities to conserve warmth and shivering will help your muscles to generate heat to warm you up. In good health we shouldn’t avoid the cold. We should allow our bodies to acclimatise as there are many health benefits. Exercise outdoors Exposing yourself to the colder temperatures will help your body acclimatise. Exercising outdoors is great way to this while staying warm. There is also the benefits of the sunlight helping with vitamin D production. However, if you do have high blood pressure this can be an issue. Its best to consult your doctor before spending to much time in the cold. Reduce intensity Winter is a time of conservation and storage. Exercise should bring about a better quality of life and ultimately longevity. Training too hard in colder temperatures is taxing on the body. As a general rule you can sweat a little but don’t get to the point of exhuastion. Dress appropriately If you are feeling the cold when you head outside then put on more clothes. Australian winters aren’t the coldest in the world but there is no need to feel uncomfortable. As you move around you will warm up and you can shed some layers when needs be. Avoid big changes in temperatures This means don’t sit in front a heater all winter. Its important to stay warm but this is preventing your body from acclimatising. Large and rapid changes in temperature can make you vulnerable to colds and flus. Eat hearty warm foods Your body will naturally want more hearty and delicious foods. Warm your foods and drinks and avoid things straight from the refrigerator. Your body will also want to store fat to help itself through the winter. You will put on a bit of weight but now is not the time to prepare your summer body. What are the health benefits of cold? Many studies have been done on the effects of cold temperatures on the body. Below are some of the things we have discovered: Increases in endorphins Increase in white blood cell count Increases in testosterone and oestrogen Enhanced body’s response to insulin Improves sleep Enhances detox pathways read full article here
Men’s health
Men are just as much controlled by hormones as much as women. They affect mood, weight, digestive health, sleep, sex drive, and energy levels. To understand this a bit better, you need to understand that hormones travel through the blood stream through out the entire body and bind with cells causing a cascading chemical change. Thats when a physiological response is found. These receptors can be found all over the body. It is for this reason men can experience so many other issues with changes in their hormones levels. A hormonal inbalance can present as subtle things like fatigue, irritabililty. But can can also lead to bigger problems like insomnia bloating constipation, diarrhoea weight gain inhibited muscle growth erectile dysfunction premature ejaculation What makes Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine different is that we aim to clear the pathways hormones travel through and strengthen the body in order to produce adequate amounts. Once this is achieved, huge changes through multiple systems within the body function correctly, getting your body to perform at its best.
Women’s Health
When you compare a female body with a male body a, purely on a physical and chemical level, a female’s body is vastly more complicated. Therefore, a lot more things can go wrong. To understand this a bit better, you need to understand that the reproductive cycle is governed by hormones. Hormones travel through the blood stream through out the entire body and bind with cells causing a cascading chemical change. Thats when a physiological response is found. Thats when a physiological response is found These receptors can be found all over the body. It is for this reason women can experience so many other issues through out their cycle. bloating swollen, painful breasts fatigue constipation, diarrhoea headaches irritability, depression, anxiety acne Many of these problems disappear when we regulate your cycle. The first line of defence is usually the contraceptive pill, which increase or decrease the levels of oestrogen or progesterone, to control your cycle. There are 5 types of pill, they certainly do the job but they’re certainly not one size fits all. As a result if one type doesn’t suit someone they’re put on another type until the desired results are found. Even after all that many women fall through the gaps. Another problem that can arise is when you want to fall pregnant. You have to come off the pill and in some cases all these unwanted symptoms return. What makes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine different is that we aim to clear the pathways hormones travel through and strengthen the body in order to create the adequate amount. This will provide the gentle nudge your body needs in order to rid your body of these symptoms and get your body to perform at its best.
Chimichurri
This Argentinian condiment is a great example of the type of foods that compliment the movement of spring and is super easy to prepare. The acrid, pungent flavours of the parsley, oregano, chilli, pepper and garlic help to open the pores and disperses the flavour through your body. While the sour flavour of the red wine vinegar helps consolidate your energy. Chimichurri’s flavours are balanced with foods like steak, white fish, portobello mushrooms and halloumi. And can also be used on top of potatoes, sliced tomatoes, chicken. 2 cups packed fresh Italian parsley leaves 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves (or 4 teaspoons dried oregano) 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil Pack all ingredients into a blender and blend until it has a nice lumpy consistency or thinner. Let it sit for a while to let the flavours infuse. Serve on top of your food of choice. Original recipe found here.
Warm drinks for winter
Here are a small collection of warm drinks for winter. For the original recipes click the title of the recipe. Warm Apple Cider Punch serves 12 5 cups apple cider 2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 bottles ginger beer 1/2 cup honey pinch of cinnamon apple slices lemon wedges and apple slices for garnish Combine the ingredients in a large soup pot. Gently warm the punch until the honey has dissolved. Ladle into tempered glasses or mugs and serve with a few apple slices and a lemon wedge. Kid-Friendly Wassail 2 L 100% orange juice (or a mixture of 100% juices) 1 orange, thinly sliced 5 whole cloves or a pinch of ground cloves 2 cinnamon sticks, or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer over very low heat and serve. Hot Spiced Ginger Lemonade 2 L lemonade 1 cinnamon stick a few whole cloves a few whole allspice berries a 5cm chunk of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely grated or sliced In a large saucepan combine the lemonade, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger and bring to a simmer; cook for about 10 minutes. Strain into a glass pitcher, insulated carafe or Thermos and serve warm. Serves 6-8. For adults Mulled wine with cranberries 1 1/2 cups crnaberry juice cocktail 1/2 cup sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 2 pieces star anise 3 cups red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) 1/2 cup fresh cranberries In a large saucepan, combine the cranberry juice cocktail, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the wine and cranberries and bring back to a simmer. Serve warm. Spiced vanilla pear apple cider 2 L fresh apple juice (no sugar added) 2 L pear juice (no sugar added) 2 cinnamon sticks 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 star anise 1 vanilla bean pod Rum or Bourbon (optional) Add juices and spices to a large soup pot or crockpot. Slice vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise and toss in pot. On low heat bring the cider up to a simmer, whisking often. The spices and vanilla will infuse into the cider. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Ladle into a big mug and add a shot of rum or bourbon if you’d like.
Autumn nourishment: Pear, Ginger and Honey Juice
This is a great recipe that is not only delicious but will help prevent your body from drying out during autumn. This drink is served in most restaurants in the northern parts of China during autumn. Therefore, there are a number of ways it can be prepared and cook. This drink is will provide some relief for those with dry skin, constipation, dry cough or wheezing. Ingredients: 2 Nashi pears, peeled and roughly cut. Or alternatively peel and grate pears. (Any pears will do but nashi pears are ideal) 3 slices of ginger (3mm thick by 2cm in diameter) Honey 4 cups of water 10 red dates, soaked in water for approximately 10 mins. serves 4 Method: Soak red dates in water for approximately 10 minutes Put dates and pears into a saucepan add the water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 30 mins. Add ginger after 20 mins of simmering. Add honey to taste. Strain the liquid You can garnish with sliced red dates Can be drunk warm or cold.