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Winter Blog
Daylight hours are lessening and the Winter season is starting to sweep over the Peninsula.
Dark and cold is associated with the properties of yin whilst light and warmth is associated with properties of Yang. During winter Chinese medicine promotes changes in activity levels, a warming diet and more sedentary lifestyle focusing on enriching the Yin.
Winter is associated with wind and cold in Chinese Medicine and an increase of patients presenting conditions of cold and flu, arthritis, wry neck, malaise and general soreness. The Australian Winter sporting season is also almost half way through and we are seeing large amounts of injuries and conditions associated with increased activity and impact injuries.
Vitamin D Deficiency - By Chinese Medicine Practitioner Stephen Pate
Vitamin D is a essential vitamin required in the body and is synthesized naturally by having direct sun exposure on your skin. Vitamin D deficiency is quite common especially in the colder months throughout Australia with over 30% adults suffering symptoms of deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency symptoms can include;
1. Bone, Muscle and Joint Pain
2. Depressed Mood
3. Reduced Immunity resulting in frequent cough and colds
People at risk of Vitamin D Deficiency include;
1. The elderly or housebound people in residential care
2. Naturally dark skinned people
3. Those who work indoors and don’t experience sunlight generally through the day
4. Those with a medical condition that impacts the ability to absorb/ process Vitamin D
If you are unsure whether you have vitamin D deficiency it is worth having a blood test through your GP as the recommended Vitamin level changes from season to season.
Certain foods such as oily fish, salmon, tuna, some vegetables, eggs and dairy do contain small amounts of Vitamin D but there are times where supplementation is required. Vitamin D3 supplements are generally tablets or capsules which can be supplemented when levels are lowered.
At Peninsula Acupuncture we carry the practitioner range Metagenics Vitamin D3 as well as other supplements to help you stay healthy over the winter months.
Why you need to keep your feet warm - By Chinese Medicine Practitioner Lauren Curtain
Did your grandma ever tell you not to walk around the house in barefeet? This idea permeates through lots of cultures & is oh so strong within Chinese culture & Chinese medicine, & for good reason!⠀
There are 3 main organ channels we work with when influencing the menstrual cycle & fertility: the Kidney, Liver and Spleen. ⠀
These 3 organ systems have a profound influence over the quality of our menstrual cycles & build & nourish the foundation of our fertility. ⠀
And it just so happens each of these 3 channels originate at the feet. ⠀
The Kidney channel begins at the sole of the foot, the Liver & Spleen channels beginning at inner and outer aspects of the big toe. ⠀
All 3 of these channels run through the foot, ankle, up the lower leg, upper leg, & up through the entire reproductive system. ⠀
We want the Qi in these channels to be strong, always moving & flowing. The nature of cold is to constrict & slow things down. Over time this can create stagnation. Any type of stagnation can go on to create pain and disharmony in the body.
Signs of stagnation in the Kidney, Liver & Spleen channels include:
🔻Period pain
🔻PMS
🔻Mood swings
🔻Amenorrhoea
🔻PCOS
🔻Polycystic ovaries
🔻Endometriosis
🔻Long menstrual cycles
🔻Thin uterine lining
🔻Recurrent pregnancy loss
🔻Implantation issues
🔻Clotted periods
🔻Spotting before or after the period
🔻And the list goes on!
A stupidly simple way to nourish these organ channels on a daily basis is to give your feet (the origin of these channels) some love!
➕Encourage healthy circulation & Qi flow to your feet by avoiding walking barefeet on cold floors.
➕Always wear socks or Ugg boots around the house.
➕Do regular hot foot baths. Medicinal herbal foot soaks have been used for hundreds of years in Eastern cultures as it is such a simple way to bring about a therapeutic effect in the body (our feet are very absorbent - remember anything that goes onto our feet gets absorbed into our blood stream & circulated through the whole body!) Add in some epsom salts & slices of ginger to encourage even more nourishing warmth.
➕Massage your feet & work out any sore spots.
Do you or someone you know suffer from Lymphoedema or Lipoedema?
Myotherapist Tammy is qualified in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and can assist you with painful excess fluid retention.
Tammy uses manual lymphatic drainage techniques along with home advice and if necessary, bandaging/ compression. The focus of the massage is the lymphatic system which is just under the skin, sitting above the muscle tissue. The pressure is quite gentle and relaxing.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is also an excellent way to detoxify the body by eliminating metabolic waste, bacteria and excess fluid. As your lymphatic system improves you are better equipped to fight off illness and you will have more energy.
2019 is a big year for us and 2020 is going to be bigger with us moving to a newer, larger location purpose built for us!
Stay tuned for more updates on our move.
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