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Learn about the main Zang organs from a TCM perspective

In treatment, or when reading about Chinese medicine, you might see reference to the Five Elements - these are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, so not quite the same as the elements we’re used to seeing in Western culture. Some people prefer to refer to these as the Five Phases as well, in order to capture a sense of the dynamic nature of the elements. Whether you refer to them as Elements or Phases, they are an extension of the principles of Yin and Yang applied to the na

The Three Treasures (Jing, Qi & Shen), Blood and Fluids We’re going to take a look at the vital substances of the body from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective..that is, the stuff inside that makes us work! The body has its physical structures - bone, muscle, organs etc, but the vital substances are what powers the complete human experience. As Chinese Medicine looks at everything holistically, you’ll notice too that we’re talking about physical, energetic and mental/s

An overview of how to I use cupping, Gua Sha and moxibustion in clinic

Find out more about how acupuncture can be used to improve wellness in Morden The global wellness industry is apparently worth a staggering $6.8 trillion. Wow. But the generic label of wellness covers a huge number of areas including personal care, beauty, diet and nutrition, fitness and a bunch of other stuff as well. It just goes to show that actually, we want to be really invested in our health and wellbeing but sometimes it seems there is too much choice, with a new fad e

Find out more about acupuncture treatment for insomnia in Morden We’ve all been there at some point haven’t we? Staring at the ceiling at god knows what time, willing yourself to fall asleep so you get at least a couple of hours rest before the alarm goes off! The thing is, while most of us will have had the odd night of failing to get to sleep, it’s usually an isolated occurrence. However, if you suffer from insomnia regularly, it can have a lasting impact on your everyday l

What to expect from an acupuncture treatment for shoulder pain in Morden... Shoulders are complex joints, and often get injured or strained, sometimes even from something unexpected like sleeping in an awkward position one night. Overuse or poor posture can contribute to mild shoulder pain as well, as can age-related degeneration. A mild case of shoulder pain might lead to a bit of discomfort for a couple of weeks, or it could be months of pain and restriction from an injury

Learn more about acupuncture treatments for pain management in Morden... The pain that won’t go away… Somewhere around a quarter of adults worldwide are affected by chronic pain - somewhere in the region of 1.5 billion, and this was a study from 2006 in the US, so that number is likely to be even higher now! Acute pain happens when we get hurt or injured, but the body is able to resolve the injury without any problems. But with chronic pain, this pain continues after the inju

An overview the basic principles of Yin and Yang and how to apply them to achieve everyday health.

While many people associate acupuncture with a Chinese tradition, its popularity and efficacy has seen it used widely across Asia. As such, acupuncture has seen a unique development in Japan, with foundations in traditional theories and practices inspired by China but following an evolution all its own. Japanese acupuncture is not a single, unified approach, but rather a generalised term for a variety of styles, methods and techniques which reflect certain common elements amo

Prevention is better than cure... How acupuncture can support the full cycle of wellness Preventive medicine is the idea that you can prevent future disease and illness before they happen by proactively taking steps to improve your health in the present. Which of course, makes perfect sense, right? No one would choose to be unwell, so why wouldn’t we take the necessary steps to ensure we stay well? As a society, we’ve been getting much better in terms of thinking about health

Find out more about acupuncture treatments for anxiety in Morden... We have all felt anxious at some point in our lives, I’m sure - it is a natural response to pressure that we experience, but if it becomes intense or overwhelming in everyday life then it becomes a challenge. If you suffer from anxiety, you may already use a set of calming exercises, have tried CBT or are able to manage it some way that works for you. But if you’re here, then you’re wondering what makes acupu

Find out more about acupuncture treatments for stress in Morden... We all lead exceptionally busy lives now don’t we? Whether it be work, relationships, social engagements, or just keeping up with the housework, there is often very little time to truly relax and switch off. This constant over-stimulation and stress triggers a complex response in the body, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, and we end up with a whole range of issues such as tension, headaches, in

Find out more about acupuncture treatments for headaches and migraines in Morden... Headaches and migraines can be a real, err…headache can’t they? Everyone will have had a headache at some point in their life, maybe alongside a cold or flu, or a stressful day. However headaches can range from a mild inconvenience to debilitating migraines. Typical advice for dealing with headaches usually boils down to taking painkillers, staying hydrated and avoiding stress (easier said tha

Find out more about acupuncture treatments for neck pain in Morden We’ve probably all experienced neck pain at some point in our life, most likely when you’ve slept a bit funny and you wake up with a crick in your neck! Other issues that might land you with a stiff neck might be poor posture, an injury or even things like stress and tension - we're certainly spending longer and longer hours working and putting ourselves in positions which put increasing strain on our neck. Us

Find out more about acupuncture treatments for back pain in Morden... If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt wondering about the benefits of acupuncture for back pain. Like you, many people are seeking alternatives to conventional treatments, especially when medications or surgery don’t provide lasting relief. So what makes acupuncture different to other treatments for back pain? Well, one of the key differences with acupuncture (and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in gen

In a previous post, I talked about the mission and vision for Empower Acupuncture, and how I want to provide better access to wellness for communities in Merton and Sutton. But when I talk about wellness, what do I mean? The Global Wellness Institute has a huge amount of interesting information about wellness across the world, but for now I’ve borrowed some of their definitions of wellness. While we think about health and wellness as mainly a physical attribute, in fact it en

Why do I do what I do? That's an important question for anyone looking to work with me as a practitioner, but also in terms of how I want to drive the growth of Empower Acupuncture, not just as a business, but as something of value to the community, especially those in the Boroughs of Merton and Sutton, where I am based. Prior to becoming a full time acupuncturist, I worked extensively in the charity/ nonprofit sector, and one of the things common across most if not all chari