Anti Viral points to support the immune system

Reading all the latest Covid 19 research coming out of China there are three points that are mentioned again and again as excellent for keep the immune system strong.

I wanted to post them here for everyone to access and use at home.

Stimulate them daily with firm pressure 100x in a clockwise direction. 

Daily Qi Gong practice to help strengthen the Lungs is also really helpful. Click here to access a video tutorial.

The first point is Stomach 36: Run your finger up along the lower leg bone on the outside until you feel it flare out. The point is here one finger width toward the outside of the leg. Stimulate on both sides. 

Ren 12 is half way between the belly button and where the ribs meet in the middle near the breast bone.

The next is Ren 6 which is about an inch below the belly button (or three tenths of the way below the belly button and the pubic bone to be precise).

Stimulate these daily to really boost the immune system.

Wishing you good health.

How our childhood shapes every aspect of our health →

I have a special interest in the treatment of childhood trauma and recently discovered Dr Rangan’s podcasts. This is an excellent episode which talks about how our childhood shapes us and all aspects of our health. If humans beings needs are not met (especially during childhood), we begin to adapt and create coping mechanisms. These adaptations become the source of illness later on. This is something I see time and again in my clinic and something that acupuncture can really help to resolve. This is very relevant listening for anyone with any trauma in their past, I hight recommend all of Dr Rangan's podcasts.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Top 10 tips for self care during the menopause

Traditionally Chinese medicine views the symptoms associated with the menopause as related to Yin deficiency. Yin is the calming, cooling, lubricating aspect of the body’s energy. So it’s easy to see that when it becomes depleted we overheat and get symptoms like hot flushes as Yin can no longer cool, we become more anxious/ suffer from insomnia and Yin no longer calms and feel dry as Yin no longer lubricates.

To help avoid symptoms like these here are my top 10 tips for self care to help nourish Yin during the menopause:

1.    Rest when you are tired. As Yin is the opposite of the busy, outward, doing Yang energy it is really important not to overwork. Rest, rest, rest! I recommend this lovely guided relaxation for women which engenders deep rest and helps nourish Yin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6NQj5G9yi

2.    Avoid too much screen time especially in the evenings when Yin is at it’s most deficient. Screens really deplete Yin and will make anxiety and sleeplessness much worse.

3.    Buy a wheat bag eye pillow and spend some time lying quietly with it across your eyes (even better use it whilst doing the guided relaxation above). The weight and darkness over the eyes helps calm the nervous system and replenish Yin.

4.    Avoid too many stimulants such as coffee, refined sugar and alcohol as these will introduce even more heat into the body, deplete Yin further and make symptoms like hot flushes worse.

5.    Take gentle relaxing exercise like yoga or pilates. Yin yoga, yoga nidra and restorative yoga are all ideal.

6.    Avoid foods like chilli, hot curries, black pepper, raw garlic, raw onions, cinnamon, cloves and excessive salt as these will make symptoms like hot flushes and anxiety worse.

7.    To help with vaginal dryness, dry skin and eyes make sure to include plenty of wet foods in your diet. Reduce cooking methods that remove water like frying or baking and increase wet foods like salads, steamed vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables), soups and stews.

8.    Avoid excessive sweating and keep well hydrated.

9.    Eat three regular meals a day, preferably at the same time.

10. Get some acupuncture treatment! The benefits of acupuncture during the menopause are huge. Systematic reviews (Lee 2009; Cho 2009) and randomised controlled trials published since these reviews were done (Kim 2010; Venzke 2010; Boroud 2010; Boroud 2009; Parks 2009; Avis 2008) found that acupuncture is at least as effective, and sometimes superior to, hormonal drug treatment.

Helen say this about her acupuncture treatment:

”I had been suffering frequent hot flushes for years where my face and hair would literally drip with sweat during the day. I had tried everything. From my first session with Emily I noticed a difference and by session three was nearly flush free. I am so grateful to be able to lead a normal life again. Acupuncture has also helped with my IBS and stress.  From the beginning Emily made me feel comfortable and really listens to me. I recommend her to everyone.”

If you would like to know more about how acupuncture can help you manage your menopausal symptoms contact me on 07903159010 or via email at brightwoodacupuncture@gmail.com . Appointments are available at The Soma Wellbeing Centre and The Complementary Health Care Clinic both located in Norwich city centre.

Free acupressure using ear seeds and health advice on Tuesdays

On Tuesdays between 10.30-5.30 for the rest of January and February (excluding the 12th and 26th of Feb) I’ll be at The Natural Food Store (also known as Naturally) giving free advice on any health problems and doing free acupressure using ear seeds . Drop in for a chat and claim your free ear seeds!

The seeds are tiny metal balls or seeds of the vaccaria plant that are stuck onto the ear over acupressure points. They exert a continuous mild pressure to stimulate the point and are brilliant for stress, anxiety, depression and addiction. They are non invasive, immediately effective and you’ll forget you’re even wearing them.

You can find Naturally at No 4 Exchange Street just opposite the main entrance to Jarrolds. They are a brilliant resource in the city centre. You can visit their website to see what they do here: https://shop-naturally.com

Acupuncture for knee injury and degeneration

Having had a knee injury myself from a skiing accident years ago, I know how frustrating and painful knee problems can be. The knee is a complex joint prone to injury and degeneration. The long-term use of anti-inflammatories and painkillers usually prescribed for knee pain aren’t great in the long term for the liver and kidneys and can cause gastrointestinal damage so acupuncture is an excellent alternative. Click here to read the full research. 

Acupuncture after the Grenfell tower fire →

After seeing the recent devastating events at Grenfell Tower, some of my colleagues decided to volunteer to support the local community with acupuncture. They set up a temporary street clinic under a nearby overpass and treated everyone - survivors, residents, police, members of the Red Cross, NHS staff, counsellors and local volunteers.  They offered a place to sit and talk, giving people a chance to express their grief and shock at what had happened. They then used 'emergency acupuncture' to treat the PTSD that many had suffered. This often took the form of ear seed's or ear acupuncture and is a really simple but effective way to treat shock, grief and trauma. To read the whole story click here.

The benefits of Electro acupuncture →

Electro-acupuncture is relatively new compared to the traditional acupuncture treatments that were born in China 4,000 years ago. I mostly use it for pain management and have had great success with electroacupuncture and back pain. The electricity passes between two needles, covering more area than the traditional approach, creating a tingling and numbing sensation, it's an odd sensation but not unpleasant. As the electricity passes though the bodies connective tissues it helps the collagen fibres reorganise speeding up healing and decreasing pain. For more information click here.

The transformative power of trauma →

I have the privilege of hearing many peoples stories of trauma, struggle, difficulty and pain in my clinic. There is a verse from a Leonard Cohen song that I always think of in relation to how we can deal with the affects of trauma in order to let it become transformative:  
"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in. "
I love this magical transformative idea that our deepest hurts can become out greatest allies over time. I stumbled across this video (click the heading to take you to the video) this morning that echoes the sentiment perfectly. We can transform trauma and hurt into beauty and peace....

Acupuncture out performs sleeping tablets for insomnia! →

Patients having acupuncture for insomnia reported better sleep quality and vitality, along with less sleepiness and daytime dysfunction that those taking sleeping pills. An added benefit of acupuncture was that the positive effects were longer-lasting even after treatment stopped!

Click HERE to read the original article: 

Asthma and Chinese Medicine →

In Chinese Medicine the prolonged use of steroid inhalers for asthma is thought to actually weaken lung function. Luckily there are other options to support the Lungs. Reducing dairy, refined sugars, greasy and processed foods that may cause a build up of phlegm and hinder breathing can help considerably. Drinking herbal teas such as lungwort, lobelia, ivy and thyme help expectorate any phlegm and reduce inflammation of the airways. Taking regular exercise and breathing deeply using the whole of the lung also helps to keep the respiratory system in good working order. Alongside all this regular acupuncture treatment is proven to work well to get to the root of the problem and over time reduce the need for steroid inhalers. Click here for more information.