CHINESE MEDICINE
:: AN INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE MEDICINE & HOW IT CAN BENEFIT YOU ::
We use the age-old wisdom of Chinese Medicine to achieve optimal health for you and your family. This natural system of medicine has been around for over 3000 years. It works by re-balancing your body from the “root” of your problem to your “branch” symptoms. And by doing this, it effectively increases your body’s ability to heal itself.
You can think of Chinese medicine as another language, another way of describing the body. For example, what we would refer to as inflammation in western medical terms is referred to as heat in Chinese medicine. What is commonly referred to as swelling is called damp in Chinese medicine. This is looking at it quite simply but you get the idea.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine affect how energy flows through your body. Energy is known as Qi (pronounced “chee”) and runs through energy channels called meridians. These meridians are connected to organs and tissues that have an impact on your emotions and spirit, as well as your main physiological systems such as the digestive, nervous, endocrine, immune, circulatory, reproductive and respiratory systems. When there is illness of any kind, there is a disruption in energy flow. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs aim to clear blockages, supplement deficiencies and decrease excesses to restore health and wellbeing. Part of the diagnostic process includes inspecting your tongue and feeling your pulse. These tell your practitioner about the internal condition of your health and give details about the Qi in your meridian system.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are effective in bringing your body back to health, however, because they involve a natural and drug-free approach, it can take time. It’s important to note that we will work WITH you, not on you. This means there are many opportunities for you to become involved with the process in the areas of diet, lifestyle and meditation techniques, all of which are highly encouraged. What you do on an EVERY DAY basis will have an enormous impact on your health and we are here to guide you on that path, as well as treat you.
As far as treatment goes, we aim to re-set your body, mind and spirit if you will. When you have a health issue, you can think of it as a pattern your body has gotten itself into that is hard to change. You have been doing things in certain ways over and over, thinking things, eating things etc that all have an impact on your current health. These patterns can often be hard to break on your own. Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, diet changes and lifestyle advice can help put you back on track to feeling well again.
:: ACUPUNCTURE ::
There are twelve main meridians (energy channels) running through your body. These connect to organs in your body, they are linked with Yin or Yang functions, they interlink with each other and they have an impact on your state of health and well being. They are like a subtle regulatory system that interacts with the grosser systems of your body such as the endocrine, muscular, integumentary, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, immune and nervous systems.
They are also interlinked with seasons of the year and elements. The Spleen and Stomach meridians are related to the Earth element and the season of late Summer, the Lung and Large Intestine meridians are Metal and Autumn, the Kidney and Bladder meridians are Water and Winter, the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians are Wood and Spring, the Triple Heater, Pericardium, Small Intestine and Heart are Fire and Summer.
There are eight extra channels with run very deeply within the body and are said to house reservoirs of Qi (energy). They are said to be the first meridians to come into being within a growing fetus and make up the octahedral structure of the body. They are called the Ren Mai or “Conception Vessel”, the Chong Mai or “Sea of Blood”, the Du Mai or “Governor Vessel”, the Dai Mai or “Waist meridian”, the Yin Wei Mai, the Yang Wei Mai, the Yin Qiao Mai and the Yang Qiao Mai.
There are other meridians that make up the muscular system and the skin (integumentary) system and then others again that link in with all of them.
Very fine, high quality needles are inserted at acupuncture points on your body. They are very different to your regular needles and you will hardly feel anything. Usually there’s a couple of stages to your treatment. For example, the first stage may include two to six needles inserted on the front of your body for ten to twenty minutes. The second stage may include six to ten needles for ten to twenty minutes on the back of your body. The third stage may include special leave-in needles or ear seeds that are place on certain body points or on your ear to control your symptoms for up to seven days. The ear is a micro-system for every aspect of your body and is effective in reducing symptoms such as heartburn, constipation, elbow pain, knee pain, lower back pain etcetera.
As you lay there with the needles in, relaxing music is played and often you are given a technique to help you relax even further. May clients have a nap as they receive treatment and feel completely rejuvenated afterwards.
:: JAPANESE ACUPUNCTURE ::
This is rooted in Chinese medicine but has developed differently over the years. This style of acupuncture is much gentler and more pain-free than Chinese acupuncture. The abdomen is regularly palpated (felt) and forms a core part of diagnosis. Clients will feel pressure pain in areas on their abdomen at the beginning of treatment and find they are gone at the end. The abdomen is called the "Hara" in the Japanese system and it is like the sun in the solar system of your body. It is integral that it is in good working order as everything else flows down stream from it, causing possible problems and symptoms. It needs to be supple yet toned and without pressure pain to be in good health.
Japanese acupuncture works with dosages as well. For example, someone who regularly catches a cold, is sensitive to temperature and gets tired easily, will have a shorter treatment time and/or different kinds of treatment, compared to a more athletic person who can withstand any kind of temperature and generally does not get sick. We practice both techniques here at the centre, Japanese and Chinese, which affords us the advantage of using the best suited technique for your situation.
:: NON-INSERTIVE ACUPUNCTURE FOR CHILDREN – SHONISHIN ::
We use a non-insertive oriental medicine technique to improve the health of your baby and children. Shonishin is such a gentle yet effective technique that babies and children love to receive. It literally translates as “Children’s Needle Therapy”. No needles are used, instead, small metallic tools gently rub, scrape and tap the skin. This is all that’s needed to stimulate their growing energy channels, which in turn have incredible effects on their organ systems.
Shonishin can treat a number of conditions from the very early stages of life to around five years of age. These include: coughs, colds, asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic diarrhoea, colic, constipation, teething, insomnia, chronic urinary tract infections, bed wetting, habitual nosebleeds, hives, chronic ear problems, chronic sinusitis and eczema.
Babies and children are different to adults in that their meridian (energy) system is developing and growing just as much as their physical organs are, and so a completely different form of treatment is required, this being Shonishin. A treatment involves your child sitting on your lap (unless they are older and are happy to lie on the treatment table) whilst their whole body is worked over with the gentle techniques.
The treatment can take any where from five minutes to fifteen minutes depending on the size of your child and how hyperactive they are. Your child doesn’t need to sit still. They are followed around the room receiving the treatment on the go if necessary. For an acute illness, the child will need two to three treatments in the one week as they respond quickly to energetic treatment. If the illness is chronic, which tends to be the majority of cases, the child will need treatment one to two times per week for two to three months.
As well as being good for physical conditions, it’s effective for emotional issues such as children who have been through a divorce or separation. It’s also effective in treating children who have had many falls or been in car accidents, have had tummy upsets regularly or don't have a good appetite, are hyperactive, have autism or had many ear infections as a toddler.
:: MOXIBUSTION ::
This is a warming therapy that acts on the deeper “Blood” level of the body. There are three main kinds of moxa, gold grade which is used direct on the skin in the size of a rice grain. This is burnt some of the way down many times on one acupuncture point to clear the pressure pain or to improve energy in that area.
B-grade moxa is used to give a more generalized heat. This is typically used on the tops of needles to improve circulation in that area or strengthen a respective organ system. It’s also used to make cones that burn directly on the body where the patient feels a warm fuzzy sensation.
Incense – stick moxa is appropriate for home use and your practitioner may recommend this on top of any diet and lifestyle changes to improve your results.
:: CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE ::
How do they work?
They work by improving your body’s ability to heal itself. They do not take over your body’s ability to do something but coax your body in the right direction, towards wellness. Most Chinese herbal formulas have been used over and over again for hundreds of years. Their usage has been tested many times and they are elegantly formulated to ensure no side effects are endured. Because they are mainly made up of plant material, all the checks and balances of the plants are there to ensure that yes, you receive the part of the plant, the chemical that causes the main effect but you also receive all the other elements of the plant to ensure it reaches your body in a balanced way. This is why taking herbal medicine requires a longer treatment time than pharmaceutical drugs.
What do they taste like?
They taste earthy as a general rule. Then depending on their action, they will taste differently. Tonic herbs are typically sweet. Herbs used to get rid of toxins and pathogens are typically bitter and harsh tasting. Most of the time you will be prescribed a mixed formula where there a number of different flavours. If you find it hard to swallow simply block your nose as you drink. In time you will get used to it. There are other ways of taking herbs such as pills and capsules but these cannot be uniquely prescribed as they are pre-determined formulas.
How often do you take them?
Daily, usually morning and night on an empty stomach with warm water. This helps them to digest well because your stomach receives them on their own but also with warm water, which is key to smooth digestion.
How do you take them?
You take granulated herbs by dissolving them in boiling water and then drinking them as a tea. If you’re taking capsules or pills, you take them with warm water.
How long for?
As long as your practitioner recommends. Not very long for acute conditions, longer for chronic conditions.
Are they safe?
Yes, all our herbs are regulated by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) for safety levels of heavy metals and endangered animals.
Are they safe to take during pregnancy?
Some are and some aren’t. This will be discussed with you at your appointment.
Are any endangered species used?
No
:: DIET ::
How does Chinese Medicine see diet?
It’s an integral part of every client’s treatment strategy. Your diet is something you have complete control over. What you do every day has a big impact on your treatment. Here at Rebecca Mar Young Natural Health we advise you on what foods will best suit your constitution and explain to you the reasons why. Certain foods you may be eating regularly may be hindering the healing process so we figure out what these are and give you recommendations on what will benefit you.
How does this benefit you?
Chinese dietary therapy looks at food from the unique perspective of energetics. Foods are divided into groups according to whether they are hot or cold, damp or dry, cool or warm and neutral. Your body also has a tendency towards one or a few of these conditions and so we match what you need to balance your body. For example, if you are a very hot person experiencing sweating throughout the day, drink plenty of icy water, have a red tongue and a fast pulse then cooler foods would be recommended to balance your system.
:: LIFESTYLE ::
How does Chinese Medicine see lifestyle?
It’s an important part of your health and includes how well you sleep, when you exercise, how long for, what types, what you choose to do for relaxation, what you choose to do for entertainment.
How is this useful for you?
Here at Rebecca Mar Young Natural Health we can help you to understand what will work well for you to improve your health and wellbeing.
* * *
Check out our SERVICES
Discover your FREE STUFF
Find out if our services are for you