Learn about all things related to traditional Chinese medicine theories, treatment methods and modalities.
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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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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How are you doing?No, how are you really doing? Did anyone know during the month of June we had Men’s Health week? No? Well, I’m not surprised. We don’t really like to talk about it. But that’s the problem right there. So I thought I’d have a little rant about health in a way the chaps might find
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Menopause – Part 3 – How can we help? So, we’ve discussed what Menopause is. We went through some common signs and symptoms, and some less common signs and symptoms. Now, for Part 3 where Nick and Zoe discuss how we can help with your peri-menopause or menopause symptoms. For part 1 click here and
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Menopause – Part 1 Nick and Zoe sit down to introduce the concept of Menopause. In part 1 of 3, they begin by discussing what Menopause actually is. Stay posted for parts 2 and 3 to follow!
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Menopause Part 2 – Signs & Symptoms In part 2 of this 3 part mini series, Nick and Zoe discuss symptoms of menopause. They talk about not only the common symptoms we hear a lot about but also about some less common symptoms that we tend to see in the clinic. Click here for part
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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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Movement matters, but sometimes we feel too strapped for time to get in some exercise. Or sometimes, we just feel too low on energy to move. It is so easy to get caught up in our busy lives that we don’t set time aside for any movement whether its stretching, walking or exercise of another
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That persistent Melbourne cold loves to make its way into our bodies and lodge deep into our muscles and channels. Feeling creaky and stiff in the morning? Cold fingers and toes? Slow digestion? You may have Cold in your channels. Cold can also make its way into our bodies through diet: raw, cold, and energetically cold foods (such
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Nutrition in Chinese Medicine What is nutrition in Traditional Chinese medicine health? In TCM, food is more than just fuel. It directly dictates our body’s internal function, vitality, and our ability to prevent illness. When we look at food, we look at the properties of foods and how they interact with our bodies’ unique constitutions
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Let’s have a quick chat about PCOS … Hi Everyone! I’m Zoe. For those of you who don’t recognise me from my picture, I have been working at Gardenvale TCM for 5 years. You’ll usually find me behind the desk or busy answering your calls. I am very excited to share the news that in
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Are you experiencing irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping at night, mood swings and approaching your forties? You may be approaching perimenopause or menopause. Menopause is a natural process that occurs when a woman stops having periods permanently and cannot become pregnant naturally. Perimenopause means ‘around menopause’ and indicates the time in which
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As women, we’ve all experienced it at some point: that monthly rollercoaster of emotions, insatiable hunger, and fatigue known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It’s like clockwork, arriving just before our periods and throwing our lives into temporary chaos. PMS is a complex interplay of hormonal changes and neurotransmitter fluctuations. In clinic, we often see an
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome – Part 2 Nick and Zoe sit down to discuss Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Part 2) as part of our deep dive into Women’s Health & Hormonal Imbalances. In this 3 part series they will discuss the what, why, how and what’s next of PCOS. Watch part 2 below where Nick and Zoe
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome – Part 3 Nick and Zoe sit down to discuss Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Part 3) as part of our deep dive into Women’s Health & Hormonal Imbalances. In this 3 part series they will discuss the what, why, how and what’s next of PCOS. Part 3 is the final part of this
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Posture and Neck Tension Long hours at desks and constant screen time can see us in some strange postural positions. Slouching shoulders, a forward head position, and jaw clenching are common patterns. Over time, these positions can create a cycle of tension in the body. This not only causes discomfort in the neck but also
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Protecting your Immunity in Winter It’s that time of year again where every day feels colder than the last and our heaters are working over-time. Everyone’s favourite season… Winter! So, I think it’s time we have a chat about protecting yourself and your immunity in the winter. Winter can pose unique challenges to the body
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Puffy eyes — the bane of many people’s mornings. Whether it’s due to lack of sleep, allergies, or lifestyle factors, dealing with swollen, tired eyes is not the way we want to start our day. Fortunately, there are ways to start the day feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the morning. Stay Hydrated: Get Sufficient
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Rest & Restore We’ve talked about the importance of movement in your daily routine and its effect on multiple systems in your body…. but what about in between movement and work?Recovery. Renewal. Restoration. Rebuilding…. Rest. Rest is essential to the functionality of our bodies and minds. Yet, resting is not just napping. There are many
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Scar and Wound Healing We can learn a lot about our health through our skin, especially if we notice that we are easy to get little nicks and scrapes, or the healing process isn’t as neat or quick as we’d like it to be. So, let’s chat about scar and wound healing. It’s normal for
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Signs of Heat As we move through Spring and into the early days of Summer, I am seeing plenty of signs of heat in the clinic. It’s the dormant seed in us wiggling out of the ground and sprouting, stretching its arms and getting things flowing inside. With that and the warmer weather comes Heat.
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Sinuses dripping or blocked? A heavy full head, unclear thinking, a groggy mind, constantly holding onto tissues… dripping or blocked sinuses affects our work, our social lives, and our physical and mental wellbeing. How can acupuncture and Chinese medicine help? We look into why your sinuses are excessively filling up and target the root cause.
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Sleep Hygiene 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. Today we thought we would share some tips and tricks for good sleep hygiene. It’s a bit of a buzz word lately, “sleep hygiene”,
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Stress, stress, stress We hear it all the time, but what is it? Why, unless we are being chased by a bear, stress is not so helpful for our longevity. I think we are all aware that through the evolution of our species we designed certain mechanisms to protect us in times of danger. So, if
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Stress, Hormones & The Liver: Why Stress Can Make PMS Worse We all know that stress affects our mood, energy, and sleep. But, did you know it can also have a big impact on your menstrual cycle and period symptoms? Both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognise that stress doesn’t just stay “in
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Stress, Skin and the Spleen: Why Your Diet and Emotions Matter When it comes to skincare, we often focus on what we put on our skin. But in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), how your skin looks is closely linked to what’s going on inside the body. One organ that plays a big role in this
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Do you need to be taking supplements for fertility? And if so, which ones? As anyone who has struggled to conceive knows, infertility can be a hard journey with many treatment possibilities. But, one factor that may boost your chances can be relatively simple: your diet. Micronutrients you get through food or supplements play a
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Supporting fertility with foods in TCM Chinese medicine believes in a holistic approach for every aspect of health. This means, not only keeping up with your herbs and treatments. But, also prioritising a healthy diet and lifestyle. What we eat can have a massive impact on not only our gut-health and digestion, but also can
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TCM Body Clock Do you find yourself waking up at the same time every night—sometimes wide awake, sometimes restless, sometimes anxious or overheated? In Chinese Medicine, this isn’t random. It could be your body trying to tell you something. So, what does the TCM Body Clock tell us about your body? According to the TCM
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We tend to be more susceptible to colds during winter, as the wind and cold can force our immune system to work harder than it is used to. The nature of cold is slow and constricting and this can occur on a physiological level as it constricts our blood vessels and impacts circulation, leading to
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So, what does the ideal period actually look like? When it comes to periods, our information may be relative to our own experiences or what we hear from friends and family. I’m here to share with you my idea of the ideal period! First off, understand your bleed. Volume: A light period can require less
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The Liver and your Tendons Why Looking After Your Liver Keeps Your Tendons Happy – A Chinese Medicine Perspective When it comes to tendon pain or injury, most people think about stretching, massage, or maybe supplements like magnesium or collagen. But in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we also look at what’s happening internally—and one of
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Phases of the Menstrual Cycle Part 3: The Luteal Phase We’ve been talking about the phases of the cycle on here. We’ve touched on menstruation, the follicular phase and ovulation, now last but not least, is the Luteal. Now this phase of our cycle can certainly be the cause of lots of anguish for everyone
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The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, nodes, and organs that work together to rid the body of toxins, waste, and other unwanted materials. Think of it as your body’s waste disposal system, constantly working behind the scenes to keep you healthy. One of the primary functions of the lymphatic system is to transport
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At the clinic, I meet lots of young girls who have been put on the oral contraceptive pill (referred to as the pill from here). I also meet lots more women who want to come off the pill after being on it from since they were teenagers and are now in their 30’s and want
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The Prostate Gland In A Nutshell What’s it all about then? The prostate gland, a small but significant part of the male reproductive system. Even though we may hear about it, it’s common for us not to really know what it is and does and why it can be problematic. What does the prostate gland
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Each and every consultation with our practitioners involves them feeling your pulses. But why do they do this? The pulse is a very important diagnostic tool in TCM. As you can see in the photo above, Nick has 3 fingers placed over the pulse. This is because of the three sections of the pulse, Cun
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We have been having lots of patients coming through the clinic recently with Hay Fever symptoms. So, we have a few tips to survive the hay fever season: Hydrate Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Dehydration places significant stress on the body which may exacerbate hay fever symptoms. Avoid the wind
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Let’s talk TMJ, the temporomandibular joint Let’s talk about TMJ, TMJ syndrome and what you can do to manage symptoms. TMJ syndrome can be a real hassle, but there are ways to manage it and find relief. It’s a common condition that affects the jaw joint and surrounding muscles and many can have it without
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We have discussed Pulse Diagnosis so we thought why not touch on Tongue Diagnosis. Tongue Diagnosis is another tool used in a TCM consultation to reveal how the body is functioning. As you can tell by the image, when looking at the tongue we look at its colour, shape, coating and movements. These characteristics highlight
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Let’s discuss some of my top skin care tips as a Cosmetic Acupuncturist… Achieving and maintaining healthy, radiant skin requires a holistic approach. There are a few things that we can do that can support our skin and help it glow as much as possible. If you are getting cosmetic acupuncture, these top tips will
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An attempt to explain Traditional Chinese Medicine – Part 1 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a unique system of health. It evolved over thousands of years in China, stemming from the Taoist philosophy. TCM looks at health as a system of balance. If the balance is comprised in any way this may lead to ill
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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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This vibrant, golden-hued spice, derived from the Curcuma longa plant, has been cherished for centuries, particularly in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Beyond its culinary uses in curries and teas, turmeric boasts a remarkable array of health benefits that have captured the interest of scientists and health enthusiasts. In Traditional Chinese medicine – we love
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Vulvodynia… ever heard of it? Vulvodynia is not a very well known condition and most people have never heard the word before. So, let’s talk it through a bit. Not a name known to many, vulvodynia is a chronic condition of the vagina involving pain and possibly burning sensations of the vulva. The pain is
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If you are 50, we need talk tendons! You probably never gave your tendons a second thought in your 20s (if you’re lucky maybe even up to your early 40s). But if you are active in your 50s, if you are not thinking about your tendons, you’ll probably be wondering why you still have pain in your
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What is my skin saying? Your skin is trying to tell you something! Redness, dryness, pus, itchiness, flaking, oiliness….. it is all an expression of something that is occurring inside you. Most people turn to topical remedies to address their concerns, however in Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, we view skin conditions as a reflection
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You’ve had the blood tests.Your doctor says everything looks normal.But you’re still exhausted, bloated, anxious, breaking out, losing hair, or struggling with your cycle. This is one of the most common and frustrating experiences I see in clinic , and it doesn’t mean your symptoms are imagined or that “nothing is wrong.” It usually means
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