Warm Greetings from Melbourne Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic! As we enter December, the Southern hemisphere welcomes the vibrant summer season. It's an exciting time of the year, and we're delighted to share more insights from the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help you stay balanced and healthy in the midst of the summer's energy. Balancing the Fire Element in Summer Summer is linked to the Fire element in TCM, representing warmth, activity, and brightness. This season symbolizes the peak of Yang energy, and it's essential to adapt our lifestyles to harmonize with i ..read more

Greetings from Melbourne Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic! As November dawns upon us, spring continues to bloom in the Southern hemisphere. This month, we're excited to share more insights from the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help you stay balanced and healthy during this vibrant season. Harnessing the Energy of Spring Spring represents the Wood element in TCM, a time of growth and renewal. As the weather warms up and nature bursts with life, it's essential to align our health with the energy of the season. Nurturing Your Liver and Gallbladder In TCM, the Liver and ..read more

Greetings from Melbourne Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic! As we step into October, spring is in full swing, and we're excited to share some insights from the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help you make the most of this vibrant season. Understanding Spring According to TCM In TCM, each season has unique characteristics that influence our health. Spring is associated with the Wood element, which represents growth, renewal, and vitality. Just like the new buds on the trees, we too, can experience a fresh start and rejuvenation during this season. Health Concern Spotligh ..read more

Bursitis is a common condition that can cause pain and discomfort in joints throughout the body. To understand bursitis, it's important to know what bursae are. Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between bones, tendons, and muscles, reducing friction during movement. When these bursae become inflamed, it leads to a condition called bursitis. Bursitis commonly occurs in areas such as the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel. The inflammation can be caused by repetitive motions, overuse of the joint, injury, or an underlying medical condition. The most common symptom of bur ..read more

Sciatica is a condition that many people experience at some point in their lives, causing pain and discomfort. It refers to the irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body. The sciatic nerve originates from the lower back, travels through the buttocks, and extends down the back of each leg. When this nerve is affected, it can result in a range of symptoms that can significantly impact daily life. The most common symptom of sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve. The pain may start in the lower back and then travel down the ..read more

Meralgia Paresthetica is a relatively uncommon condition that affects the sensory nerve in the thigh, leading to symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling in the outer part of the thigh. This condition can be quite uncomfortable and affect one's daily activities. In this blog post, we will provide an overview of Meralgia Paresthetica, including its causes, symptoms, and available treatment options. Causes: The primary cause of Meralgia Paresthetica is compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Several factors can contribute to this compression, including: Obesity or weight gain ..read more

Watermelon Frost is a herbal remedy that has been used for centuries as part of the Chinese medicine approach to healing. It is especially good for helping mouth ulcers, sore throats and bad breath. In Chinese medicine terms, it is good at clearing "Toxic Heat". Today, the most famous and most popular Watermelon Frost is manufactured in Guilin, China, by Guilin Sanjin Pharmaceutical Company. It is produced under strict regulations and the quality is high. Modern day Watermelon Frost is a combination of herbs and a powder that is derived from watermelon rind. Usually bought as a powder, Waterme ..read more

Traditional Chinese Medicine classifies herbs, spices, vegetables and animal products according to their flavour, temperature, channels they enter, actions, and indications. The properties of a herbal formula, which is just a combination of herbs, is derived from the properties of the individual herbs used. We can use this same approach when looking at prepared foods, drinks, medications and even biscuits! Being Anzac Day in Australia I thought it would be fun to break down the humble Anzac biscuit to work out what the TCM properties are for this staple of Australian culture. Anzac Day is per ..read more

Red date and longan tea has been used for centuries throughout China. It can be taken frequently and tastes terrific. According to Chinese medicine, this is a tonic or strengthening tea. Drinking this tea will strengthen the Blood, improve circulation, relax the mind and improve immunity against disease. Even better red dates are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, B1, B2, calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium! This is one tea that tastes great and is great for you. If you want to know if you can drink longan and red date tea during pregnancy, traditionally this is a tea that is taken in the last ..read more

What is it? Developed and used for centuries throughout Asia, Gua Sha (pronounced 'gwarshar') is a manual therapeutic technique mainly utilised by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of applications. Gua Sha goes by many different names including spooning, scraping and even coining. It's an old technique that's even been picked up by non traditional modalities in recent times and relabelled as the 'Graston technique' with Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physiotherapists discovering it's benefits. No matter what we call it, the technique and results are virtually the same ..read more