our top tips to Surviving and enjoying the Festive Season

Christmas can be a wonderful time of year but it can also bring up a lot of emotion that can be difficult to navigate, family dynamics, financial stress , social anxiety and loneliness. Sound familiar?

Our advice is to plan ahead now for some of the triggers that might come up for you and your individual situation. Not every stress can be eliminated but paying attention to what has a tendancy to throw you out of balance or trigger you and putting some simple practices/ boundaries in place can make a huge difference to how you enjoy this holiday.

1. Set some non-negotiables

This can mean different things to different people but we recommend making them small and manageable so even on a chaotic day, they still get achieved. Setting these boundaries can be really empowering and make you feel you are taking care of your well-being on a ongoing basis rather than it all falling apart. Achieving this small act every day can have such a ripple effect on your mental health. People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Reflect on what small act every day will have the biggest impact for you, perhaps 5 minutes meditation, 10 minutes walk outside in nature by yourself etc.

2. Acknowledge the emotion

As always in Chinese medicine, prevention is better than cure - and knowledge is power. Recognising that you are, for example, an anxious person by nature means you’ve won half the battle. Once you know, you can focus in on what triggers you and what your typical emotion is in order to process it.

Own It - Recognise and name it

Shift it - Techniques to release it - breathwork, shaking, exercise, healing sounds, body tapping

Regularity - These techniques may seem simple but that’s why they work - they need to be simple so we do them consistently. If the emotion is one that you’re experiencing often, practise shifting it everyday wither its through breathe work, shaking, bamboo tapping, body tapping

3. Breathework

‘The perfected breathe all the way to their heels, unlike ordinary folk who only breathe as far as their throats’

                                                                          - ZHUANGZI,   3RD CENTUARY BCE

Practicing breath work is one of the cheapest and most effective stress management techniques that you have at your disposal. The beauty of breathwork is, it is not a complicated process and can have an immediate impact on how you feel. Box breathing is a valuable mindfulness technique that can aid in stress management. It's a handy breath exercise to use because it is very simple and therefor easy to remember.
This is a breathing technique that the Navy SEALs use, they are frequently placed in high-stress situations and use this to focus and calm. It is recommended to save it for moments when you need a quick hit of calm, so using this breath before difficult conversations or if I want to feel more focused when going into a meeting is a good idea.

Breathe in for four counts through your nose.

• Hold for four counts.

• Breathe out for four counts through your nose or mouth.

• Hold for four counts.

If you are new to breath exercises and you find counting to four is to long then start with the count of two and see if you can gradually make your way to the count of four with time and patience.

4. Priming Hour

During the holiday season, there is a wonderful let go of structure and routine, alarm clocks and lazy lie in’s - happy days. However, we do recommend keeping a good morning routine that suits you best, instead of falling into endless scrolling online. The positive effects of priming on psychology have been proven again and again. You can learn to change your state of mind by changing your physical state with an effective priming routine. Priming is most powerful when completed in the morning to set a powerful tone for your day. You can prime yourself positively or negatively depending on what you allow into your mind. So how you start your day is so important - set up your morning routine away from phones and unnecessary stimulus. Morning rituals like meditation, mindful movement, hot water and lemon to begin your digestion, get 10 minutes outside in daylight. These are all wonderful ways to begin your day physically and mentally. Practicing priming can change your whole day.

5. Have your own stress management toolbox ready to go!

Here are some of the tips we recommend.

CHECK OUT OUR PANTRY REMEDY ARTICLE FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

Pantry Remedies for the Festive Season Indulgence

"Food as medicine and kitchen remedies are a huge part of Chinese culture. They are an effective way to health simple, and sometimes complex, issues using ingredients commonly found in the kitchen. In the spirit of the holiday season, many of us will party hard - some too hard - then suffer the consequences the next day! Here are a couple of our favourite rescue remedies to prevent or treat your hangover after a night of merry-making"

In TCM overconsumption of alcohol causes an excess of heat in the body and damage to certain organs, resulting in symptoms such as headaches or nausea. To prevent or relieve a hangover, TCM remedies generally act to reduce and clear the excess heat in the body. Here are our favourite TCM recipes to beat that hangover, some of them are pretty simple and will include items from your pantry (which we love!) - others are a little more peculiar but everything can be found in a health store or ordered online!

PANTRY RECIPES:

• Pear Juice: To help you avoid your hangover, try drinking a glass or two of concentrated pear juice before indulging in alcohol. This centuries-old remedy is said to have strong anti-inflammatory properties that stimulate the liver, making it a great way to detox your body.

• Sweet Black Tea: After the festivities and before you turn in for the night, drink an extra strong cup of black tea with one heaped spoonful of brown sugar. The acidity of black tea and the sweet, warming properties of brown sugar stimulate Liver and Stomach function to help release alcohol from your system. If caffeine keeps you awake, drink fresh ginger tea with lemon and brown sugar instead. This will have a similar detox effect.

• Ginger & Honey Tea: To help reduce general dehydration the morning after cut 10 slices of ginger and mix them with 3 cups of water in a pan. Bring the water to a soft boil and strain an orange, half a lemon, and add half a cup of honey to the mix to make the ultimate hot tonic for your upset stomach and keep you hydrated. Pour into a cup (Strained) and enjoy!

• Chinese Herbal Formula: The herbal formula "Bao He Wan“ is amazing if you have an upset stomach. These herbal miracle workers aren’t just for hangover induced nausea; you can take them anytime your stomach feels upset! Ask your acupuncturist for a prescription or find a Chinese pharmacy near you who will be able to help.

• Green Tea for Hangover Headaches: We all know that feeling the morning after a boozy night out. This headache tends to be throbbing in nature and located around your temples. In TCM, alcohol is heating in nature and therefore the liver - the organ that is responsible for detoxifying the body - needs some cooling down. Although it sounds simple, Green tea is great for that kind of headache! Have yourself a cup of VERY strong green tea (2-3 bags per cup) to detox and relieve that tension in your temples!

• Top Tip - Need to sober up fast? Try a radish in sugar and vinegar. Mix a piece of white radish finely sliced in dark rice vinegar and sugar (alternatively apple vinegar). It might taste horrid, but this drink can help neutralise the alcohol in the body and allow one to sober up faster.

ACUPRESSURE POINTS:

People say that "touch" is a great relief when you are hungover - which is why we love self massage in TCM as one of our favourite "morning after" hangover cures especially if you're feeling green. Just make sure your hands are nice and warm before you start!

• Zusanli (ST-36) for Nausea: If you're feeling a little green the morning after, acupressure point "Zusanli" also called stomach-36 is your best friend. Located four fingers (3inches) below the kneecap on the outside of your leg between the two bones of your lower leg (approve 1inch toward the outer edge). You can also find it by putting your hand on the outer side of your leg over your knee with your fingers facing down. The pressure on this point triggers a "sharp" pain. To make it work, apply pressure and massage the point in circular movements with the tip of the thumb. Massage for 2-3 minutes and repeat on the other leg.

• Large Intestine 4 (Li-4) for Hangover Headaches: Suffering from a temple thumping hangover headache? There is a pressure point on your hand, in the fleshy area between your finger and thumb, known as LI 4 which can help!. In TCM it’s the gate to the large intestine, and applying pressure to it can help with headaches, as well as with constipation, which sometimes accompanies a hangover. To locate it rest your left hand on a table, making an L-shape with your pointer finger and thumb. With your opposite thumb, apply pressure and massage between the web of your thumb and pointer finger, in small circular motions. The trigger point is up where you feel your index finger bone. Applying pressure for 10-20 seconds at a time, on each hand.

  **Never stimulate in pregnancy

• Bladder 2 - Headache point

Grab your gua sha tool for some headache relieving bliss - see photo. Even better pop in the fridge for some extra cooling relief

• Gallbladder 43 to Stop Those Negative Thoughts: Sometimes after a night of drinking you wake up with self-doubt, negative self-take and even paranoia - it's perfectly normal but to stop these feelings of "wrong-doing" and help ease that mind chatter you can use acupressure. Our Gallbladder 43 point found on both feet, is located between the fourth and fifth toes a few fingers up from the fifth toe at the tendon when you flex your pinky toe. When you've found the spot, apply pressure for 30 seconds on each side in circular movements. Be firm but don't press so hard that it hurts!

LOTS MORE HEALTH BOOSTING ARTICLES

Acupuncture during Pregnancy

Acupuncture has become a hugely popular therapy worldwide, as it offers woman an effective support and drug-free relief for a multitude of problems that can arise during pregnancy, labour and postpartum health. There is always a large emphasis on the conception phase of fertility, giving the impression that it is plain sailing once you are pregnant, as you embark on your nine month voyage of ‘glowing’ pure bliss. However, for many being pregnant is like training for a marathon for the first time, a time filled with excitement, anxiety, low energy, insomnia and 24 hours of nausea.

Research into acupuncture as a medical treatment has grown exponentially in the past 20 years, particularly in the area of obstetrics acupuncture. Up to then research in this area was generally of poor quality and didn’t hold much clinical significance. As a result this is an exciting time and an exciting area to be working in.

When treating a pregnant woman, we do an extensive consultation and form an individualised health plan with each woman. Outside of treatment (acupuncture) it is also important to look at mindful movement, individualised nutrition and lifestyle factors so the woman feels at her strongest during the different stages of pregnancy. There are also many interesting Chinese Medicine tips for to help with ailments during pregnancy, self care, getting ready for labour and postpartum care.

Acupuncture works by rebalancing and realigning imbalances within your body, so that your body begins to do its own job, to heal and support you. Chinese Medicine can appear complex and difficult to comprehend, but it is one of the oldest continuous systems of medicine in history. Going through this wonderful natural process with a natural medicine alongside you to support, is simply worth its weight in gold.

COMMON AILMENTS TREATED IN CLINIC:

• Back/pelvic pain

• Nausea and Vomiting

• Fatigue / Low Energy

• Digestion (Heartburn, Constipation)

• Insomnia

• Anxiety

• Breech presentation

• Pre Birth preparation

• Post-Partum Care

WHAT ACUPUNCTURE HELP ME WITH!

Acupuncture in pregnancy is often thought to just treat back pain and nausea but it can help with a multitude of other issues that crop up. Let me go through some of the areas that we most commonly treat and support in clinic:

• NAUSEA AND VOMITING:

The most common complaint in the first trimester and one we often treat in the clinic is nausea, vomiting and dry retching, commonly known as morning sickness. Experiencing morning sickness can be very debilitating, making it difficult to get on with everyday tasks as it doesn’t hit just in the morning as the name may suggest. Research has shown acupuncture to be a safe and effective treatment for women who experience nausea and dry retching in early pregnancy. This research also found further benefits for women in energy and vitality, physical and mental health and ability to engage in social activities. Pretty good side effects we think!

For many women, getting through the first trimester of a pregnancy is the most difficult part of the pregnancy. Finding a therapy such as acupuncture to help you through can change a lot about how you feel at that particular time. We find that there is very little understanding, support and knowledge in this area. A woman can very often feel like she needs to carry out her normal day events when her energy is very low. Acupuncture has a very positive role here in symptom reduction but also in support and guidance. There is a lot more than can be done than swallowing buckets of ginger tea, when ginger may not even suit their constitution!

• THREATENED MISCARRIAGE:

Threatened miscarriage involves vaginal bleeding in a pregnancy that remains viable. This is a common early pregnancy complication with increased risk factors for early pregnancy loss, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm delivery, low birth weight babies and maternal antepartum haemorrhage. Currently there are no recommended medical treatment options, rather women receive advice that centres on a 'wait and see' approach. Within fertility research, acupuncture demonstrates beneficial hormonal responses with decreased miscarriage rates, raising the possibility acupuncture may promote specific beneficial effects in early pregnancy.When women were diagnosed with threatened miscarriage, a small randomised control trial demonstrated that acupuncture was safe and significantly relived symptoms such as cramping, vaginal bleeding, back ache and anxiety compared to a control group (Betts et al 2012). We feel that this is a vital area that needs further research, acupuncture can play a huge role not only in supporting these woman but forming part of a treatment option rather than just send them home to sit and wait to see what happens.

• BACK PAIN

This, alongside nausea and vomiting, is the most common ailment that we treat in clinic. Lumbo pelvic pain is in the lower torso, lower back, and pelvic girdle and is frequently experienced by pregnant women. Acupuncture and cupping are safe and effective treatments for lumbo pelvic pain during pregnancy. Researchers conducted an observational study at a hospital-based community antenatal clinic in New Zealand and determined that acupuncture produces significant positive patient outcomes, including reductions in lumbo pelvic pain levels. Acupuncture provides an important alternative treatment option because many common prescription drugs and over-the-counter analgesics are not recommended during pregnancy.

• BREECH

Moxibustion at acupuncture point BL67 is effective and safe to correct non-vertex presentation when used between 33 and 35 weeks of gestation.There is a point on the foot named “capsize” after it’s a long-tested function in returning a baby in breech to the correct position. Modern research has shown treatment using this point can turn a baby in breech with a success rate of 80%. This is something that the couple can do themselves at home under the guidance of an acupuncturist or trained midwife.

ACUPUNCTURE FOR GETTING READY FOR LABOUR:

~ Pre Birth Acupuncture
The last month of pregnancy is all about supporting the downward energy and preparing the passageway.
Pre birth acupuncture is when a woman is treated in the final weeks of pregnancy at about week 36/37 right up to the end. Its physical action is to help ripen the women’s cervix, prepare the pelvis thus encouraging her body to move into the optimum state for delivering her baby. It helps the baby move into an anterior position whilst boosting the woman’s energy and mental and physical stamina. It can also help with any other issue she may be experiencing, whether it be physical or emotional from back pain to carpal tunnel, heartburn, hypertension, insomnia or even a growing sense of anxiety at the task ahead. Research from Germany, indicated the potential for a more efficient active stage of labour (Romer et al 2000). A small observational New Zealand study where midwives used acupuncture in this way reported a reduction in women requiring medical induction and caesarean sections. (Betts & Lenox 2006 ). In clinic, we also guide the woman through some really lovely and effective self care rituals. The last month is all about slowing down, preparing and taking care. 


~ Acupressure to promote a natural labour and partner involvement!

• The acupressure point workshop has been formulated by Debra Betts, who is a world renowned expert in Obstetrics Acupuncture from New Zealand. Over her 30 years in nursing and acupuncture practice, she has developed Acupressure workshops for promoting a natural labour and partner involvement through observation and experience with amazing results. It can be an incredibly bonding time for the couple and it gives the partner a much needed job! Recent research demonstrated that acupressure was an important part of self care in labour that significantly reduced epidural and caesarean section rates compared to usual care (Levett et al 2016)

  The last few weeks of pregnancy are all about preparing for labor. These acupressure points can help women and support partner prepare for labour, learn a natural pain relief system for during labour, assist with after pains, establish breast feeding and much more.
  

  These acupressure points can provide help for:

• pain relief during labour


• Anxiety


• Induce labour once waters have broken

• Preparation for medical induction


• Posterior positioning


• Cervical ripening


• Nausea and vomiting during labour


• Breast feeding

The feedback from these workshops is fantastic as it gives the woman and her support partner control over what can be quite an overwhelming experience and a brilliant natural pain relief system at their disposal. It can also be an incredibly bonding experience for both parties. The support partners can often feel helpless in the labour situation and this gives them an empowered active role. We offer one to one classes with couples in the lead up to their labour as part of their pre birth acupuncture and deliver workshops to multiple couples.

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Supporting your immunity

With the change of seasons and the weather getting colder, how many of you have started to feel like your immune system is under pressure & constantly in fighting mode? So instead of reaching for the bottles of endless supplements, let’s dig a little deeper and see how can you strengthen your immune system naturally.

In reality, strengthening our immune system is about training it to do its job correctly. That is, we want to be able to fend off the things that can hurt us—such as viruses, pathogenic bacteria, and parasites—while remaining nonreactive to benign things like pollen and foods.

Boosting the immune system refers to allowing the immune system cells to readily do their job.  If the body is perfectly healthy and functioning, this will be much easier.  If the body is taxed by stresses, illnesses, or malnutrition, it will be harder.  Thus, in Chinese medicine, the focus is not always on strengthening the immune system specifically, but rather the whole body to allow the immune system to function optimally.  Since the immune system resides in the blood and lymphatic system, proper circulation of these systems is essential to good health and must be promoted.

“Our immune system is like a protective blanket that keeps the cold, excessive heat, wind and illness away. Let’s support the blanket to allow it to function effectively. ”

— ESCAPADA HEALTH

The bottom line is that a healthy body is dependent on a strong immune system; the good news is that there are many ways to perform immune-system upkeep and not just by avoiding some destructive habits, stressors, and toxins but by embracing natural immune boosters and adopting behaviors that support immunity.

1. GUT HEALTH

The most important thing one can do to cultivate strong immunity is to start where the immune system really resides: the gut. Whether you have chronic allergies, frequent infections, or autoimmune problems, you likely have some damage to the health of your microbiome and digestive tract. This is where about 80% of your immune cells hang out, and it's where our bodies decide what is friend and what is foe. By strengthening our gut health, we are much less likely to get sick, have allergies, and develop autoimmune disease.

TOP TIPS FOR GUT HEALTH:

• Eat regularly

• Eat in a relaxed state of mind - no eating on the go

• Eat seasonal and local produce

• Lots of variety, taste and colour in your food. Our microbiome thrives with variety

• Reduce sugar, caffeine, and alcohol

• Eat probiotic and fermented foods

• Avoid unnecessary anti-biotics

2. INCORPORATE BONE BROTH

Our grandmothers knew what they were talking about, seeing as how the bone broth industry has exploded. The benefits of drinking and cooking with organic bone broth have far-reaching effects on the immune system. The natural gelatin, collagen, and amino acids tend to the gut, improve wound healing, and help support the health of individual immune cells such as lymphocytes. So, there is definitely a good reason to drink homemade chicken soup when dealing with a cold or the flu.

3. USE NATURAL ANTIMICROBIALS TO WARD OFF INFECTION.

One of the best ways to build your immune strength daily is through a few key superfoods. These foods can be incorporated on a daily basis so that you are constantly improving and boosting your immunity while eating yummy foods.

Garlic: Garlic is a powerful antioxidant with antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibiotic properties. It's also a natural decongestant! The sky really is the limit with this flavourful ingredient, and you can work it into pretty much any meal. At the first sign of an infection, start taking one raw garlic clove daily, or use concentrated allicin extract.

Oregano oil: This oil has a long history of being used and an antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal. It can also be used topically to treat antibiotic-resistant staph infections of the skin (MRSA) as well as taken internally to combat yeast infections.

Manuka honey: Quite a bit of research exists on the benefits of honey as a natural immune booster, natural anti-inflammatory agent, and antimicrobial agent. Manuka honey in particular—native to New Zealand and Australia—is even registered as a wound-care product in those countries. Manuka honey has substances that can kill bacteria topically, and when ingested, it can even work synergistically with antibiotics to improve their efficacy.

Ginger: This pungent root is a powerful anti histamine and decongestant that delivers a one-two punch against cold symptoms. Add it to stir-fried dishes or boil it to make a cup of ginger tea with some added lemon and honey for a pleasant and healing hot drink.

Tumeric is known to bolster the immune system, purify the blood, strengthen digestion, and eliminate natural toxins from the digestive tract. Tumeric tablets offer an incredibly easy way to ingest the beneficial properties of this well-known golden yellow spice.

4. GET YOUR EXERCISE ON

Proper exercise helps to release accumulated tension, move stagnant mental and emotional energy, and improve circulation. It also reduces the impact of the stress hormones that make the body more vulnerable to colds and flu.. It also improves digestion, bolsters the body’s detoxification mechanisms, encourages proper elimination, promotes relaxation in the body, and supports sound sleep—all of which serve to protect and support the immune system. But before we all rush to the gym, it only takes a few minutes of low-intensity exercise such as walking to trigger the release of feel-good endorphins. Anything that gently increases your circulation is going to help. Exercise does not need to be strenuous to be effective. Simple, mild exercise like yoga, qi gong or swimming relaxes your body and mind, which eases daily stress.

5. RESTORATION

Sleep is critically important to the immune system. Studies have shown that when animals are completely deprived of sleep, they suffer a total loss of immune function—resulting in death. In humans also, sleep deprivation severely compromises immunity. Chronic sleep deprivation and disruption of the sleep-wake cycle cause an activation of the inflammatory immune response. Lack of sleep decreases the activity of T-cells (a crucial type of immune cell). Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep on a regular basis and avoid all-nighters.

6. LUNG STRENGTHING EXERCISES (PRANAYAMA)

Breathing correctly is the master key to wellness. On one hand, breathing can make you feel alert and energetic and on the other calm and relaxed. Breathing is something we do on a daily basis. The body, in a living state, breathes involuntarily whether we are awake, sleeping, or actively exercising. Breathing is living. It is a vital function of life.

• TWO BREATHING TECHNIQUES TO STRENGTHEN LUNGS

1. Anuloma Viloma (Alternating Nostril Breathing):

   Anuloma Viloma is excellent for not only releasing physical tension, but also for supporting a clear mind, enhanced tranquility, and stress reduction.

   Take a comfortable seat. Make sure you feel warm—consider using a meditation shawl or wrapping a blanket around your waist. Sit tall and close your eyes. Close the right nostril gently with the right thumb. Begin by inhaling gently up the left nostril. Close the left nostril with the ring finger. Lift the thumb and exhale down the right nostril. Inhale back up the right nostril. Exhale left, then continue at a comfortable rhythm. The breath should be smooth, soft, comforting, and relaxing. Do this for about 5–10 minutes

2. Ujjayi (Victorious Breathing):
   When done properly, Ujjayi breathing should be both energizing and relaxing. To practice the inhalation, focus on creating a soothing and pleasing sound that is unhurried and unforced. I suggest working on your Ujjayi breathing in a seated, relaxed cross- legged position. Imagine sipping the breath in through a straw. If the suction is too strong the straw collapses and great force is required to suck anything through it. Once Ujjayi breathing is mastered in a seated position, the challenge is to maintain the same quality of breathing throughout your asana practice.

   Throughout your practice, try to maintain the length and smoothness of the breath as much as possible. Once you find a baseline Ujjayi breath in a pose that is not too strenuous (Downward- Facing Dog for example), endeavor to maintain that quality of breath throughout the practice. Some asanas require great effort, and you may begin to strain in your breath.

7. SEASONAL TREATMENTS

Need I say; get in for your seasonal acupuncture sessions. This is the optimum time of the year to strengthen the body, reduce the stresses that may be impairing your immune system and get you in the strongest possible place heading into the winter..

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Cosmetic Acupuncture for post Summer skin repair

SKIN HEALTH

Our skin has never been under such pressure as it combats the daily stresses of a modern day life, especially at seasonal transitions. When we talk about skin health and ageing naturally, a 360° approach is vital.

Cosmetic Acupuncture or Facial Rejuvenation is an extension of traditional acupuncture. It naturally helps make the skin look younger, smoother, and all-around healthier. And unlike more invasive procedures, facial acupuncture addresses not only signs of aging, but also the skin’s overall health.

In Chinese Medicine we believe that external skin quality is driven by our internal health. That means you can apply the best and most expensive skincare on your face but if you are stressed, not sleeping, eating badly or have a hormonal imbalance - what you apply to your skin will simply not be effective. The focus is to create long-term changes in the health of the skin and body, not short-term quick fixes. By this, we mean better collagen stimulation, a brightened skin tone, reduced jaw tension, and a softer appearance overall on top of health benefits like reduced anxiety and tension.

HOW IT WORKS

Chinese Medicine focuses on the processes of the human body as an energy system, whereby skin health and well being relies on the smooth and dynamic flow of energy or Qi through the body. Once internal causes that affect skin ageing are assessed, a prescription of body acupuncture will complement your holistic cosmetic treatment, allowing you to experience a full flow of energy that will support the facial acupuncture.

Facial cosmetic acupuncture focuses on rejuvenating, re-energising and addressing all signs of skin concerns by stimulating, repairing and renewing skin mechanisms from within the dermis.

The treatment involves superficially inserting tiny and painless needles on the face. As the needles puncture the skin, they create wounds within its threshold, which are called positive microtraumas. This process accelerates a cascade of crucial healing triggers, which facilitates increased micro-circulation and oxygen supply to the skin as well as encouraging the skin’s own repair mode. The rejuvenating treatment promotes detoxification and encourages production of newer and stronger collagen and elastin fibres resulting in improved firmness, elasticity, reduced fine lines, regeneration, healthier complexion and texture.  

But unlike Botox or dermal fillers, facial acupuncture isn’t a quick fix of any kind. The majority of people see improvements after just a few sessions of facial acupuncture, but we recommend 6 to 12 treatments once or twice a week to see optimum and long lasting results. After that, you can go into what we call a “maintenance stage,” where you get the treatment every four to eight weeks. 

RESULTS

Our natural 360° approach to your skin health will deliver lasting anti-ageing results:

✓ Lifting, firming & toning

✓ Fine line & wrinkle smoothing

✓ Revitalising & contouring

✓ Lift scarring

✓ Get that glow back

THE ESCAPADA SKIN HEALTH PROGRAMME

This advanced signature cosmetic rejuvenation approach is an inspirational treatment that integrates Chinese medical wisdom with western scientific interventions. Our signature programme combines the latest specialised techniques of TCM beauty and western advancements.

Techniques include cosmetic acupuncture, medical micro-needling and facial rejuvenation techniques such as guasha, jade rolling and cupping.
The application of peptide infused masks and skincare botanicals, rich in natural active ingredients, further rebalance and nourish skin health. All of this combined with constitutional acupuncture and lifestyle guidance  for internal health, truly makes this a complete 360° body programme.

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What does gut health mean & why is it so important?

The phrase ‘gut health’ has finally begun to have its time in the spotlight. But what does it really mean and why is it so important for our health?

There are some very exciting studies coming out on the importance of gut health and how paramount it is to our overall well-being but also our health. As someone with a background in Western medicine, I love this evolution of research to showcase what Eastern medicine has been saying for thousands of years. Throughout history, in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), digestive health is at the core of our overall well-being. When our digestive health becomes impaired, this can lead to the development of many other diseases that may seem unrelated, but are rooted in disharmonies of the digestive system. A well known Chinese proverb states:

““He that takes medicine and neglects diet wastes the skills of the physician” ”

— Chinese proverb

Chinese Medicine is a medicine that was developed and continues to evolve through observation of human dis-ease and behaviours, linking patterns of imbalance and treating the body as a whole. This interplay between each system in the body is core to the medicine. This is why for thousands of years, TCM has taught us how a weakened digestive system (Gut Health) can lead not only to digestive complaints but also an impaired immune system, mood changes, low energy, skin breakouts and the develop of disease further down the line.

So What’s The Research Saying?

Exactly that!

Immune System:

70% of our immune tissue lies within our gut. The gut is the reason we’re not all bedridden and defeated by infection every time we eat or step outside. It acts as a physical barrier (the wall of our intestine) and our second-line of defence - our sophisticated immune system. It has a full time job deciding what is friend and foe. It works through millions of foreign cells each day from everything we eat and drink, but also manages the constant dynamic bodily processes in the body, that can produce toxins and pathogenic microbes that can lead to disease.

Our Mood

This is a relatively new area of research but is proving to be an exciting and promising area. The gut-brain axis is a term for the communication network that connects your gut and brain. Ever had that feeling where your gut tells you something is wrong even if it doesn’t make practical sense or when you get stressed it leaves you running to the toilet? This is because your brain and gut are linked through that wonderful vagus nerve, neurotransmitters (the guys that control feelings and emotions), linked through our immune system and lastly the trillions of microbes that live in your gut also make other chemicals that affect how your brain works. So why won’t a healthy and functioning gut effect our mood and mental health? Clearly our ancestors who spoke about gut feeling were onto something. And won’t it be a wonderful world if we reduced the amount of medications used in mental health and focused on lifestyle choices to strengthen our bodies.

Circulation and Movement

Central to Chinese medicine is the concept of free flow in the body. When things clog up and stop working effectively - stagnation occurs. Movement and our ability to move food and toxins through our digestion is paramount to our health. Ever been constipated? Not only does it effect you physically giving rise to pain and bloating but it also effects mood and energy levels. Our nine metre gut is pretty impressive in that it can function independent of our brain so it works away without us having to think about it but it needs the right conditions and care in order to do that effectively. This one really does make practical sense, if food isn’t moved through our system effectively and we can’t absorb the nutrients it could potentially give us, then we feel unwell, and equally if we can’t move through the toxin build up in our bodies every day, we will feel ill. Simple!

So What DOES Gut Health mean?

You have probably heard the term gut microbiomes. This is an incredibly hard working community of trillions of microbes (cells) that help to carry out the processes I just spoke about. So we either feed this community what it needs or we fed it with lifestyle choices and poor quality food to deplete it. This community is not only capable of thousands of functions, it has been linked to successful weight management, improved fitness levels, healthier skin, strong immunity and our state of happiness. This community of microbes is only one part of our gut health, as I have previously discussed, other major components are, our immune system, how well we can absorb nutrients, movement and when you think about it, when we are in better form, we make better choices to support our gut health.

The most exciting part of all of this, is the control that we have over it. When we think of our genetic make up, unfortunately we don’t have control over this but we do over our gut health. You have the ability, the power to shape your gut microbe community - how empowering is that? Every day in clinic, we try to pull our clients towards making simple but better lifestyle choices in regards to, not only what we eat but how we eat. Pulling away from the worrying trend of over simplified, one size fits all, restrictive or elimination diets - that simply don’t work. Your relationship with food should be a source of joy and nourishment. Check out our ‘Strengthening Gut Health’ E-Magazine, where I will cover some great starting tips to strengthen your gut health - let this be a fun, tasty, creative journey of self-discovery. Be an artist in your own kitchen….

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Supporting Gut Health Tips

We may be eating all the “right” foods but as well as considering the foods we put into our bodies, a holistic approach to gut health must also consider the body’s ability to digest and assimilate all the goodness that passes through our mouths. It is simply not just what we eat but also how we eat and when we eat. While some principles may seem simple, very often we neglect the basics that are imperative to get right. There is no big complicated formula for supporting your gut health - the gold lies in getting the basics right and that golden middle way of no extremes and restrictions.

The simplest of changes that become consistent habits will have the greatest ripple effect

HOW WE EAT

Joy - Enjoying our food is a huge part of being fully nourished by what we eat.
If we are happy when we eat and happy in our relationship with food, then our bodies will accept the food more effectively into our system. Often, it is more important for us to heal our relationship with food than it is to change what we eat. It is important to ask from time to time, am I eating to soothe an upset mind.

Relaxation- Eat in a calm environment. Digestion is facilitated by the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and repair). The parasympathetic nervous system is activated by relaxation, the sympathetic by action (fight or flight). When we eat food ‘on the run’ or come to the table stressed the sympathetic nervous system is dominant, energy and blood are shunted away from the digestive system toward the brain and muscles. There is a strong physiological reason behind this simple call to relax, to slow down before eating. Eating in a relaxed state benefits digestion. Simple. Eating while stressed, nervous or uptight will lead to food stagnating in your digestive system. You also should refrain from watching TV, listening to the radio, browsing the Internet, texting, and talking on the phone. You can’t remain aware when you are distracted. Take a few deep breaths as you sit down for a meal - lunchtimes tend to be the culprit of on the go eating so counteract that with relaxing the body through breathe

The Stomach has no teeth - Digestion starts in the mouth. Make sure that you chew your food well. Eat slowly so that your system has time to digest. Otherwise in the short term food will stagnate and lead to indigestion and in the long term your digestive system can weaken. Healthy digestion requires an abundance of digestive fluids.

Drink small sips  - Drinking large amounts of anything dilutes the gastric juices and makes digestion difficult for your body. Have some tea or water at room temperature; take only small sips throughout the meal. Any other beverage should be consumed outside of meals.

Don’t chill your stomach - The digestive system favors warmth. In practice this means avoiding excessive and continuous consumption of cold energy foods, chilled drinks and refrigerated foods and giving preference to warm energy cooked foods. Avoid over-eating raw foods, especially if you know your digestive system is weak. Instead lightly steam or stir-fry vegetables to make them more digestible without losing valuable nutrients. Cooking soups and stews is a good way to retain more of the goodness from vegetables and they are very easy to digest.

Stop eating when you’re satisfied but not full - Most of us don’t know what “satisfied” feels like because we always eat until we’re full or clear the plate. With practice you will regain the ability to detect your body’s signals of satisfaction. When you eat slowly and listen to your body, you will be able to feel it. Also, reduce portion sizes so you can still clear the plate but don’t over-eat

Listen to your body - We know what food is good for us, and the foods that keep us healthy. The multitude of advice in the form of diets, science, news and info like this, can undermine our ability to know what is good for us. How does your body feel before, after and during eating different foods? Listen carefully and trust your body. An individualised approach to your nutrition is fundamental.

Understand cravings - Cravings for sweet foods is a sign that your digestive system is weak (or sometimes that hormones are out of balance). Make sure you are getting plenty of foods that maintain a steady blood-sugar level e.g. like oats or brown rice and always keep some healthy snacks ready. Craving for salty food may mean that you are low in certain minerals. Eat plenty of lightly cooked vegetables and if you use salt in your cooking make sure it is unbleached sea-salt. Many processed foods contain additives that confuse our bodies and make us crave the food (like MSG). Often we crave for the very foods that are doing us harm, and we may need to eliminate this food entirely for a while.

WHEN WE EAT

Eat the main meal early - Our digestive systems are at their strongest in the mid-morning and at their weakest in the evenings. Ayurveda teaches that: Eat your largest meal at lunchtime—Our bodies are most able to digest food at midday, when we are active and the sun is high in the sky. As studies have found, our digestive system secretes the highest concentration of “digestive juices” around noon, making this the best time to eat our largest meal. Contrary to popular belief, breakfast should be nutritious but light rather than the most important or largest meal of the day. When we eat late at night our system is naturally slowing down and the food sits around for longer in the digestive system so try and eat light and as early as possible.

Avoid eating late at night - Your digestive system can’t cope with a large meal when your metabolism has already slowed down. In the short term this will overburden your digestive system, possibly disturbing your sleep. This food will sit, undigested in your stomach and can make you sluggish, groggy and slightly nauseous in the morning. In the long term it will deplete the digestive fluids and cause digestive problems.

The Stomach loves regularity - Try to make your meal times as regular as possible, as your body will prepare for digestion. Skipping meals and constant snacking can weaken the digestive system.

Take time to digest - Your body needs time to digest once you have eaten your food. Try not to rush on to the next thing, but instead take a little time to digest you food and relax.

WHAT WE EAT

Choose ‘Happy Foods’ with strong life-force - Always choose fresh over processed food. Choose organic over non-organic where possible. Choose locally-grown in-season food whenever possible. Avoid processed and pre-packaged foods. The extra money and time that it takes is well worth it.

Avoid the nasty stuff - It is important to avoid as much as possible, additives that denatured foods such as artificial colourings, sweeteners, preservatives and flavourings. Choose good quality fats, e.g. a good quality extra virgin olive oil, ghee or coconut oil and avoid poor quality and hydrogenated vegetable fats (fast food, chips, crisps, frozen and baked goods etc.)

Eat a balanced diet and avoid extremes  - Foods that are relatively bland and neutral should make up the bulk of your diet, while foods that are more extreme in nature (strongly flavoured, rich, greasy, spicy, salty, sweet, etc.) should make up only a part of what we eat. This means that very concentrated and refined foods (like sugar and fruit juice) should only be consumed occasionally. Over-consuming any specific food can stress the body. It is not unusual for somebody to eat wheat-based cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for evening meal - resulting in a diet mostly consisting of wheat. This is the not balanced - our gut loves and thrives on variety.

Raw is cooling - Eating raw foods can put a strain on your digestive system. It generally detracts more energy than what the metabolism generates. The eastern school of nutrition speaks of a loss of warmth and energy. In summer, a cooling salad can be wonderfully refreshing when salad leaves are in season but move towards warmer, cooked foods the rest of the year.

Eat local and seasonal produce - Citrus fruits are meant to cool because typically where are they grown - hot countries. Especially in winter tropical fruits such as citrus fruits, mango and bananas are considered as extremely cold. These fruits are thermally cold and can easily lead to an accumulation of cold and mucus in the body. This may then manifest itself in various disease syndromes, which we know as cold diseases including a cold with stuffy nose, sinus or bronchial tube issues.

Variety is the spice of life - Eat a wide range of different foods and try to eat a range of different coloured vegetables with every meal: red, orange, green, purple, yellow. The look is appealing and you will be getting a good range of nutrients and it nourishes all the tastes. Research is showing that the general sweet spot of good variety to support gut health is eating 30 different types of plant based food a week. This includes fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, lentils etc so it may seem a lot at the start but with a little effort it is very manageable.

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