Ailments & Conditions, Recipes, All Things Chinese Medicine and Lifestyle Blog Posts
The importance of gut health Break the fast with this protein rich vegetable slice curtesy of the Natural Nutritionist along with some cooked and cooled rice made with coconut milk. Cooking and cooling the rice creates resistant starch which is so important for our gut health. The added coconut milk will provide us with healthy
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Watch the video as Nick demonstrates back stretches to assist with pain relief
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Watch Nick’s demonstration of neck stretches to assist with pain relief
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We are open for acupuncture appointments! To keep you safe, happy and healthy we have introduced some extra measures in clinic and wanted to share them with you. New protocols include: One person only in the waiting room. People are to wait outside until ushered in. Everyone who enters is required to sanitise there hands.
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We are open for business, but taking extra measure to make sure you stay safe and healthy during this time.
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Nick and Jane’s tips and tricks for alcohol and the festive season
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Nick discusses why cooked and warming food is recommended over raw food. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine cold and raw food can stress the gut. especially in cold and damp weather. For more videos you can visit our YouTube channel here.
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This nourishing miso soup with astragalus will help to to support your immune system. In Chinese medicine Huang Qi (Astragalus) root is a herbal tonic used to strengthen qi. While miso traditionally made from fermented soya beans, contains probiotic bacteria to support a healthy gut. Ingredients: 2 Cups of (bone broth, veggie broth) 4-5 slices
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Nick explains how acupuncture works for pain relief. To read more click here
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How does acupuncture work? This is a question I get a fair bit, especially after people see how effective it is for assisting with symptoms of pain. It is all about Qi and healthy blood flow Qi represents healthy oxygenated blood flowing through your body. If you have a healthy movement of Qi, you should
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Something I get asked a lot in clinic is what can I do at at home to help with stress, pain due to injury, gut issues perhaps? The answer is healthy breathing. Dr Belisa Vranich has a great book ‘Breathe’ that goes in to detail on how breathing works. How to retrain yourself to breathe
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KEEP COOL, THAI STYLE Here’s great and easy recipe to try on the weekend, or on any hot day. It’s yummy and cooling, and is usually a great hit with the kids too. Serves 4 Thai Salad 500g Beef rump steak/ substitute with tofu for vegan option Zucchini noodles (can be made using spiralizer, veggie
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Nick demonstrates foam rolling for the gluteal muscles.
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Nick provides some tips and tricks on how to avoid the trauma of overindulging during the festive season.
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Nick demonstrates foam rolling to relieve stress and pain through the upper back, shoulders, neck and other areas.
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Feb Fast Detox is certainly the buzz word for the beginning of the year. Throughout the summer we put our body through its paces with more rich food, alcohol and often less exercise. Come February we feel bloated, sluggish and foggy in the head, desperate to detox, vent, clear and purge. And so the ‘Feb
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Here is a list of foods, drinks and herbs that are cooling: Cooling Foods Apples Asparagus Avocado Banana (not eaten excessively) Basil Broccoli/Cauliflower Cabbage Melons/Papaya Celery Chrysanthemum (tea) Crab (not eaten excessively) Cucumber Duck Eggplant Grapefruit Lettuce Mung Beans Pears Peppermint Plums Rhubarb Rye Seaweed Sesame Soybeans Spinach Water Chestnuts Cooling & Strengthening Foods Coconut
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Menopause As women, we will have approximately 500 periods in our lifetime. Our periods begin between the ages of 10-18. We continue to menstruate until menopause (the change of life) begins at the age of 45-55. Menopause represents a hormonal change in the female physiological process. Certain levels of hormones such as oestrogen will not
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Nick discusses the importance of breathing properly, and demonstrates belly breathing
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These delicious lemon and coconut balls are wheat free, and are the perfect unprocessed snack for afternoon tea, or for a lunchbox treat. Ingredients 1 1/4 cups of almond meal 1 1/2 cups of desiccated coconut 4 tbsp melted coconut oil 2 tbsp rice malt syrup 1 lemon zest and juice extra coconut for rolling
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Hi it’s Jane and Nick from Gardenvale Chinese Medicine. When it comes to menopause, we women have to deal with dry, irritated vaginas, night sweats, irritability and so forth… I thought male menopause meant you get to date young girls and drive motorbikes. But Nick would like to talk to us today about this very
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Hi it’s Jane and Nick from Gardenvale Chinese Medicine. A lot of our patients have problems when it comes to sleeping, either problems falling asleep, or trouble staying asleep.
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Jane and Nick talk about the fourth Trimester in pregnancy, postpartum.
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Method Use boiled water to make sure it’s sterile. Add enough salt to make it a similar strength to seawater. Here you can use a traditional neti pot or a syringe or even Tupperware sauce bottle Gently pour in one nostril at a time
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Watch as Nick uses acupuncture on Jane to assist with pain associated with tennis elbow.
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Nick and Jane discuss some ways you can be prepared for the season of overindulgence.
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Ingreadients 2 table spoons of cacao (high in Largine) Handful of walnuts (high in omega 3) Goji berries (high in antioxidants) 3g MACA root veg (enhances and regulates hormones) Banana (Vit B and magnesium) Almond milk or coconut water Method Blend ingredients together and enjoy
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Here is a little something about how sperm is made, some tips so you can make it better for conception, some advice so you can avoid conception and a joke. How is sperm made? Sperm are made in the male gonads (testes). These organs hang outside the scrotum as sperm like to be kept a
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Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower 1 tsp olive oil Method: If grating then cut the cauliflower into large pieces. Grate the cauliflower on the large side of the cheese grater, or pulse in a food processor until it is rice size Remove excess water by transferring cauliflower to paper towel and squeeze/press Heat a large
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Acupuncture for lower back pain. Demonstrated by an acupuncturist who gets it. Acupuncture does not always have to be local or the site of the pain. Points are used distally or in different areas of the body. This can render a better result for pain relief. This treatment can avoid having to take clothes off
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Have you ever wondered how your herbs are made? This is a short time-lapse video. It shows Nick making up a unique herbal formula, for one of his clients in the dispensary at Gardenvale Chinese Medicine. For more videos you can visit our YouTube channel here.
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At Gardenvale Chinese Medicine, we sometimes use ear seeds as an adjunct to acupuncture. An adhesive plaster with a small bead is placed over the acupuncture points on the external surface of the ear. Ear seeds can also be great for children or if you would prefer not to have needles. Most of you will be
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Nick explains the importance of sleep in maintaining good health. For more videos you can visit our YouTube channel here.
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Nick explains the importance of taking some mental time out during the busy, stressful and ‘mad’ times in our lives!
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The concept of a ‘lingering pathogen’ has been around for a long time in Chinese Medicine. It applies when you haven’t been able to shake that cold or flu, or you haven’t fully recovered or simply not felt quite right since getting a ‘bug’ a few months ago. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), using the modalities
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This stir-fry is perfect for spring. For this time of year steaming, stir frying or sautéing vegetables rather then baking is preferable. This will ensure food maintains it’s spring vitality. Spring is the season of the liver. The sesame oil will help to strengthen and calm the liver while the mushrooms will help support digestion.
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This warming and calming soup improves digestion, builds energy and strengthens key organs such as the liver, lungs and kidneys. It may also help people with diarrhoea, rheumatism, or with problems swallowing. Serves 4 Ingredients: 3 leeks, sliced 1 tsp butter or oil 1L chicken stock 4 potatoes, cubed 1 sweet potato, cubed Pepper Handful fresh
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Menstrual cycle and mental health Despite recent studies that have found a correlation between mental health and the female menstrual cycle, conventional medicine still overlooks this connection when addressing mental health related issues. Women often suffer the rollercoaster ride of their menstrual cycle in silence. When help is sought, important psychiatric treatment and/or medication is
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Time and time again my patients ask whether they should apply heat or ice to muscular aches and pains and how to manage their injuries.
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Did you know you have ‘wind points’ at the back of your neck and at the base of your skull? This is usually not common knowledge. However, according to Traditional Chinese medicine these ‘wind points’ are commonly affected by over-exposure to cold and wind, and this can be the precursor to catching the common cold.
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An attempt to explain Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 2 This article will attempt to explain how the different modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are applied to improve health or treat disease. The key modalities of TCM are acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy and exercise. Acupuncture Acupuncture is based on the theory of Qi.
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Rice-paper rolls are one of our favourite dinner and lunch box solutions. Wrapped in pliable rice-paper sheets you can make rockin’ rolls with any fillings you or your family fancy, and to suit any season. Here is a delicious Vietnamese inspired recipe with mint and minced pork. The pork can easily be replaced with minced chicken or
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Ingredients: 1 large head of cauliflower 3 tbs coconut oil, melted 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp sweet paprika 2 tsp ground coriander 1/2C tahini, plus extra for drizzling 1 handful parsley, finely chopped A squeeze of lemon juice Lightly toasted pine nuts, to serve Method: Preheat oven to 170ºC. Line
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Watercress is perfect in autumn as it strengthens your lungs, Qi and Yin. It can help relieve a dry, sore throat, phlegmy coughs, restlessness and even grumpiness. Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets, skin off 600g potatoes 150g flat beans, trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths 2 medium zucchinis, trimmed 1 bunch watercress, leaves picked 1tbs
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Pad Thai is popular because it tastes great! Here’s Michelle Bridges’ healthy homemade take on what’s often a rather greasy and fatty restaurant choice. Instead, this nutritious version can easily be converted into a vegetarian or allergy friendly meal, and a quick weeknight favourite for both adults and kids. Serves 4 Ingredients: 200g dried rice-stick noodles 300g
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