Blood is the same in Chinese medicine as it is in Western medicine. If you’re anaemic in Western medicine, you’ll be lacking in blood in Chinese medicine. However, there are two distinct differences: Chinese medicine will diagnose you as lacking in blood a lot sooner than Western medicine. This is …

Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) is the same as energy. However, in East Asia, energy has more functions than just giving us oomph and power. It holds our organs in place and keeps them up so they don’t prolapse, including the embryo or foetus. It also protects the body from viruses and …

Yin and yang is the most important concept in Chinese medicine. Most people have heard of yin and yang but perhaps don’t know how they relate to health. Women are predominantly yin, while men are predominantly yang. Oestrogens are yin while testosterone is yang. Yin and yang should be in …

Acupuncture is a complete medical system and has been used in East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc) for thousands of years to treat a wide range of health problems. In western countries, it is fast becoming an alternative treatment option for a variety of health complaints. The benefits of …

Yes, acupuncture is safe. A large-scale study published in 2009 found traditional acupuncture to be very safe after reviewing over 229,230 treatments. According to the evidence from 12 prospective clinical trials which surveyed more than a million treatments, the risk of a serious side effects with is estimated to be 0.05 per 10 000 …

Generally no, acupuncture doesn’t hurt. The acupuncture needles are so fine, like the width of a hair. You can fit 20 acupuncture pins into a single syringe. When people think of acupuncture, they tend to think of blood tests or vaccinations, which can be painful. This puts people off having …

Moxibustion (moxa) is the application of heat into a specific acupuncture point on the body. It originates from traditional Chinese medicine and is commonly used in traditional acupuncture treatment. Often acupuncture and moxibustion will be used together during a single treatement. The history of moxibustion Traditionally, moxibustion is the burning of a specific …

The Chinese believe that a happy stomach leads to a healthy body, because if the stomach is happy it will produce abundant amounts of energy and blood for the body’s needs. The stomach needs to be balanced at the right temperature for optimal digestion. For this reason, there is an …

Cupping therapy is the placement of glass, plastic or bamboo cups on specific areas of the body using a vacuum to relieve muscle tension and pain. The type of cups typically made from glass, bamboo, plastic or silicone. It is believed that placing these cups on specific areas of the …

My Pregnancy Guide is based on my 20 years clinical experience in helping women during pregnancy and the latest scientific evidence sourced from over 750 research studies. This self-help guide blends modern fact-based research together with the ancient theories of Chinese medicine to deliver a powerful and concise understanding of pregnancy …