Six Weeks in Walcha

Spending six weeks practicing in a different environment, has given me a strong reminder of a great strength of Chinese Medicine; the notion that we are always at one with our environment. Our surroundings – the climate, the land, the air, the seasons, the other people and animals, the plants and microbes, the dust, the sunshine… – might as well be considered just a much a part of us as our own left elbow. I found that this is more obvious in the countryside, where the people are truly connected to their land.

I’ve been living at Bergen Op Zoom, a beautiful slice of farmland just outside of Walcha, a small town in NSW, roughly one hour drive from both Armidale and Tamworth. Armidale claims to be the highest altitude city in Australia, and Walcha is a ‘town built in a hole’ nearby, where the land dips down into a shallow valley, upon the New England plateau. The drive down-mountain to Port Macquarie, extremely popular with motorcyclists seeking the thrill and fresh air of a windy forest road, takes you down more than a thousand metres of altitude in a few hours, landing you at sea level nearby some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. The first time I drove back up the mountain, was when I truly realized the remarkable difference in climate. And the climate is not the only thing that changes. “Mountain people are much different from coastal people,” says Hamish Brown, my Chinese Medicine friend, and Kungfu master, for whom I was stepping in for at ‘The Way of Water’ Chinese Medicine clinic, in both Walcha and Armidale. Hamish is a true mountain man. Whilst although I had a thoroughly enjoyable experience of the New England folk, and the landscape, I think I’ll always be a coastal girl. I’m a saltwater girl from way back. But there is ‘a great mob of people in Walcha’, as Phillip Brown says, and I agree, 100%.

Walcha is a cold, dry place. In six weeks there, the skies opened up only twice. Initially I found it more difficult to breathe, especially when I’d break into a jog down the red gravelly farm road. The air is colder, drier, and carries less oxygen, so I am quite sure I’ve come home with a few extra red blood cells in my system. In town, the air is smoky, from the abundance of wood-fires. My skin has become drier, my lips drier, and I’ve barely had to wash my hair. At the clinic, common presentations included asthma, eczema, menopausal hot flushes, arthritis, and aches and pains of all sorts. All of these conditions, in Chinese Medicine, can be a result of exposure to too much cold, and not enough moisture.

Since back practicing in Melbourne town, I’ve been observant to see if any patterns start to shine through more strongly, through my eyes that now envision a slightly different perspective. What are the strongest environmental forces in the Melbourne climate? The cold weather, wind, and pollens dominate through winter and spring, but the effects are not as widespread, or ingrained, across the population. This must be because we can escape it more in the city, with more time spent indoors, amongst our higher density of housing, masses of concrete, and generally highly modified landscape. The people I meet in Melbourne come from all over the globe, whereas in Walcha, most families seemed to have been there for generations. Or if they were ‘new’ to town, I’d hear things like “Nah, I’m no local yet. Only been ‘ere fifty years!”.

We are much less connected to the land in the cities, and it seems this disconnection comes with both benefits and downfalls. Whilst imbalances with our surrounding environment can be the cause of disease, a disconnection with this other part of our whole, has its own consequences. The forces of nature have powerful healing ability as well. Bob, the farmer at Bergen Op Zoom, a passionate advocator of the buteyko breathing technique, and a man who says he is so connected to the land, that he will never leave it, is truly living as one with his surroundings. During my six weeks in Walcha, I felt connected to the land in a way that I have only ever felt more strongly during a multi-day hike through the wilderness, my time spent ‘WWOOFing’, or by spending a lot of time in the ocean. Perhaps farming’s the way to go, if this connection is what you want for long-term. Bob and I killed a sheep the other day. And the next morning I ate it’s liver for breakfast.

I have brought home from this experience a pocketful of new acupuncture techniques, experience with different acupuncture needles, exposure to a broad range of diseases and conditions, and a deeper understanding of many herbal formulas. I also feel stronger, in both body and mind, after training under Hamish Brown and Matt Starr alongside a wonderful, dedicated group of Taichi and Kungfu students. The dedication and discipline I have witnessed, although not yet developed within myself, has been inspirational.

For this experience, I would like to thank Hamish, his caring family, and all of the people I have worked with in the Chinese medicine clinics. I’d also like to thank all of my fellow practitioners at Quiescence, for allowing me to disappear for a while, and for taking such good care of my patients in my absence. To Hamish, I thank you for welcoming me, and entrusting me into your home and clinic, and for all that I have learnt from you. To the patients, I have appreciated your open-mindedness, and commitment to improving your health. I also feel incredibly grateful for all the friendship and support I have received, especially from Camilla Fontanella, Bob Waugh, the Kungfu crew, Phillip and Katie, and any of my patients who have helped me out, whilst I have helped them. Exchange and sharing is always a wonderful thing. I also hope that my presence has had positive impact on the lives of those I have met.

And finally, I would like to thank the New England landscape, for welcoming me into your grasp, and becoming a part of me.

Steph x

The Menstrual Cycle - An Overview

The Yin and Yang of the Menstrual Cycle

It's surprising how may of us women have very little idea of how the menstrual cycle works. Although after years on the pill and being told "if you have unprotected sex, you will get pregnant" maybe its not so surprising after all...

In Chinese Medicine we break the menstrual cycle down into two halves and four phases.

The two halves of the cycle are as in western medicine, i.e. from the first day of bleeding (day 1) until ovulation is known as the follicular phase and is said to be the Yin half of the cycle.  Yin essence is the feminine, cool, moistening energy in the body. It's incredibly important in creating the slippery fluids involved in conception, nourishing the developing follicles and keeping the sperm alive on their journey to the egg.
From ovulation until the following day 1 is the luteal phase and is said to be the the yang half of the cycle. Yang essence is the masculine, warming strengthening energy in the body. It has the same function as progesterone in the sense that it keeps the body's temperatures high, creating the perfect incubator for the developing embryo and secures the uterus preventing miscarriage.

These halves are further broken down into 4 phases.

Phase One is all about blood. It's when the sloughing off of the emdometrium occurs, the period itself.  This is where the body is clearing out the old to make way for the new, where the Yin essence is starting to build.

Phase Two is the continuation of Yin essence building. It's where the endometrium regenerates and the follicles develop. At the end of this phase we should start to see the cervical mucus become more fertile (clear and stretchy).

Phase Three is the switch from Yin to Yang, ovulation. The Yin essence reaches is maximum (positive OPK test), ovulation occurs and the Yang essence takes over.
If you are trying to conceive ideally there would be lots of healthy sperm waiting for the released egg to enter the fallopian tube, conception occurs and the newly formed embryo makes its way down the fallopian tube to the uterus.

Phase Four is the continuation of Yang essence building. If you are trying to conceive implantation  occurs sometime at the beginning of this phase and the warm yang energy nourishes and supports conception.

Ideally this happens over a 28 day cycle. Phase one being day 1-4, phase two being day 5-11, phase 3 being day 12-16 and phase four being day 17-28. Please note if you do not have a 27-29 day cycle the days will need to be adjusted to fit your cycle.

Over the next few posts we will go into more detail of each of the phases with things to look out for and a few diet and lifestyle suggestions.

Nourishing Life

Nourishing Life, and Fertility

Yang Sheng, in Chinese, means to ‘nourish life’. The principles are based on the preservation of health, not just the treatment of disease. The way we choose to care for our health now will impact not only on the quality of our health in later years but also that of our children, and children’s children, for many generations to come.

At Quiescence we do a lot of work assisting couples to conceive. As a result men’s and women’s health in general has become the dominating focus of our practice, whether you are trying to conceive or not. It has become obvious that optimal health equates to optimal fertility. We feel this concept is especially important because it is this state of health that is carried forward into the future. From a ‘Yang Sheng’ perspective it’s not just about having babies, but also about having healthy, constitutionally strong babies who grow into happy, healthy kids.Over the next few posts we will be writing about the various stages of the menstrual cycle, linking the Chinese Medicine to the western medicine and hopefully giving you a better understanding of how this whole thing works. But for now please, take a second and think about this: How nourishing is my lifestyle really.

• How much of my food comes from a packet? 

• How much exercise am I getting? 

• How much sleep am I getting? 

• How much stress am I under? 

• Is trying to conceive becoming an obsession?

If you're not happy with your answer to any of these questions talk about it with your partner, and with us. If our lives are well nourished then we can support the growth and development of new life, happily and healthily.

Fish, omega 3's, mercury and pregnancy

The question of eating fish while trying to conceive and during pregnancy seems to come up a lot. On one hand we need the essential fatty acids that fish offers for the health and development of the baby's eyes, brain and nervous system. Not to mention mum's immune system and hormones that are involved in the growth of the placenta. On the other hand what about the mercury content and issues with over fishing?

The good news is that there are fish that are OK to eat and the ones to avoid are easy.

Ideally a serve of fish 3 times per week is recommended plus a daily dose of good quality fish oils.

The following fish are low in mercury and  high in omega 3's. They are also considered a better choice by the Australian Marine  Conservation Society. http://www.marineconservation.org.au

Mackerel
Wild Australian Salmon and tinned salmon
Herrings
Sardines

The following fish are low in mercury but not as high in omega 3's (while still being a good environmental choice) are as follows:

Squid and octopus
Whiting
Wild Trevally
Mullet
Bream

A word about farmed fish:

In the past fish farming has been loosely regulated allowing for poor practises to develop. Some of these practises include overcrowding, the use of wild fisheries to supply feed and overuse of antibiotics to treat disease. With tighter regulations and pressure from the public many fisheries are improving their farming practises. If you are choosing farmed fish, its worth looking a bit further into the farm and how it does things.

A word about tinned tuna:

There are several species of tuna, all with varying levels of mercury and degrees of over fishing. Greenpeace has put together a website ranking tinned tuna from a sustainable perspective, but doesn't take into consideration the mercury content. http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/oceans/Take-action/canned-tuna-guide/
Fortunately Skipjack seems to be both lower in mercury and generally "pole caught", therefor better environmentally. Based on Greenpeace's ranking Fish 4 Ever, Safcol and Greenseas are the top three.
White Ablacore is higher in mercury while yellowfin is at risk of overfishing.

Fish to avoid:

Shark (flake)
Orange Roughy
Swordfish
Ling
Marlin

Yoga Is Truly Awesome

I’ve just completed my first yoga class in a long while and I feel fabulous.

I was a regular yoga goer for many years until the birth of my son, then it just seemed impossible to find the time. I forgot just how good it could make you feel and "getting back to the mat" slowly stopped being a priority.

It’s been three super busy years but finally a little bit of balance is creeping back in,  so again I find myself on the mat, happily practising Sakshin Ghatastha Yoga.

 This wonderful form of yoga has a flowing almost dance like quality to it and can be practiced by anyone. One of the best things about Ghatastha Yoga is the personal tuition option.  These are classes where, while you share the room with other students, you get personally taught a sequence. These sequences are organized in grades and can be adjusted to fit any health requirements, they even have a sequence especially for menstruation. Its perfect if you have an injury, are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant.  Once you’ve learnt a sequence you can practice anywhere, anytime. It just up to you to do it!

Teachers of Sakshin Ghatastha Yoga can be found either

1) in the city at the Yoga Arts Academy www.yogaarts.com.au

2) in Preston with Lisa Farinosi  www.muktiyoga.com.au

3) in the city with Jasmine Johnston at www.studiocirq.com.au

If just making you feel physically great isn’t enough, some of the other health benefits yoga can give include lowering anxiety, stress and depression while increasing antioxidant status.

A recent study measured gene expression after a yoga session and it showed a positive effect on circulating immune cells. If you’d like to read more about this study have a look here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0061910

Lisa in Garudasana

Falling leaves, your immune system, and chicken soup

Autumn: "Tis the season of dryness"

As the leaves of our deciduous trees are on display in their magnificent yellows, oranges, purples and reds, it's time to think about autumn, and the changes that autumn brings.  Autumn is a season of dryness.  It is a time when our immune system is easily overcome, and therefore a time when it is very important to eat well, and protect ourselves from the fresh cold winds that are a sign of the winter to come.

First of all our Yang begins to internalise, triggered by change in the length of the days.  Think of trees, and how as the Yang energy of deciduous trees moves inwards nutrients are drawn out of the leaves and down into the roots.  The leaves start to dry out and change colour, and then eventually fall off as they are effectively strangled of nutrients.  A similar process occurs at the surface of our body, as our Yang (the heat that emanates from our blood vessels) moves inwards to keep our internal organs warm.  This is the reverse of what our Yang was doing in summer when we were frequently emitting heat in an effort to keep our core temperature in check.

 "Yang" can also translate to "wei" Qi, or defensive energy - our surface immunity.  So in autumn, when there is less Yang at the surface of our body, we are more susceptible to invasion by wind, cold, or other pathogenic forces.  We become drier for many reasons: the air is cooler and carries less moisture; the cool dry winds blow any moisture off our surface;  and our blood vessels contract and lie deeper inside our bodies.  Blood, as a fluid, brings moisture.  Fatty tissue contains a lot of fluid, so generally, the leaner our bodies, the more susceptible we are to dryness.  Leaner bodies are also more likely to be "blood deficient", a common diagnosis in Chinese medicine, which further contributes to dryness.  While moist, thick skin repels cold well (think about seals, dolphins, thick-skinned surfers, wetsuits), dry bodies can be more easily invaded by cold, and the dryness is often evident in the symptoms we experience, such as lingering dry coughs, or associated dryness of the bowels.

So, to protect ourselves from colds and flus in autumn, we need to cover up from the wind and cold with warm clothes, hoods, scarfs, socks and appropriate footwear.  We also need to eat well - warm hearty foods that nourish our blood - and we should not be afraid of laying down a little extra insulation to take us through the winter!  I have included some dietary tips at the end of this article.

One of my favourite articles about Chinese Medicine and the immune system, can be found here:
www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture

 It is written by one of my teachers, Dr Arnaud Versluys, and the section about fever is well worth a read.  Basically, fever is a very good thing, and in fact, the stronger and healthier your immune system is the higher the fever will spike.  It is important to keep in mind that by taking medications that lower your fever, you may well be allowing the pathogen to survive, and even to burrow deeper into your body’s defenses.

With Chinese medicine, if we can catch your cold/flu at the very onset, we have a lot of potential to "flick it back out", by stirring up the surface of your body, making you sweat a little, and strengthening your body from the inside-out, so as to prevent your internal organs from being affected.  Of course, we can work with a further developed cold too, but for best results, give us a call at the moment you first think "U- oh ... I think I might be coming down with something!”  With prompt treatment, chances are you won’t come down with anything at all.

For most conditions, but for infectious diseases in particular, I like to follow the classical Chinese Medicine texts.  Chinese medicine developed in the age of infectious diseases, so when it comes to colds, flu, viruses, childhood infections, and lingering infections, you could somewhat say we are specialists.

Autumn diet advice

It makes sense that the fruit that is currently in season in the climate in which we live will be beneficial at this time.  Pears and apples are perfect to moisten our lungs - and particularly beneficial for those with a dry cough.  As always though, go easy on the fruit and eat in moderation, especially if you are a "damp" type with low energy, sluggishness, or a wet cough.

Avoid cold foods!  For example, cold drinks, summer fruits such as watermelon, bananas, and foods straight from the fridge.  It’s even best to avoid too many salads, and opt instead for soups, stews, and other well-cooked, warm foods.  Meat stocks (from organic meat) are a fabulously nourishing and incredibly tasty option that will moisten and warm your body from the inside-out.

 Chicken soup is super nourishing, and is perhaps one of the best meals you could have if you are feeling a little run down or "under the weather" over the  autumn. In particular, I recommend it to people who are otherwise vegetarian.  Even if you eat some meat just once each season, or once a month for women (after a period), your health will benefit.  Meat broths are extremely nourishing, blood-building, and excellent for your gut health.

 There is a great recipe on Sarah Wilson’s blog for a roast chicken - the bones and left overs from which can then be used to make a soup.  Sarah’s blog is full of excellent diet advice, and this particular recipe comes with a great discussion about why organic chicken is so much better! Check it out: www.sarahwilson.com.au/2013/04/my-crispy-roast-chicken-5-reasons-why-its-the-smartest-way-to-eat-a-chook/ 

 Finally, pungent foods such as ginger, onions, garlic, turnips, radishes, and many herbs and spices are ideal when you are feeling vulnerable to illness, or in the early stages of a cold or flu. Well, I hope this has been an enjoyable read.  Please ask me questions, or give me some feedback as it will help with future blog entries. Steph x P.S. The photo of the Autumn trees was taken between Myrtleford and Bright, along the 'Murray to Mountains' Rail Trail. It makes for a really beautiful, and relatively easy-going bike ride, especially in the peak of Autumn - perhaps something to think about for next year!
Check it out at www.murraytomountains.com.au/

Diet Therapy

Chinese Medicine looks at the world on an energetic level. It sees how our body functions through how we interact with our surroundings, the food we eat and the seasons we live in. As Chinese Medicine practitioners we believe we can improve our energetic function and overall wellbeing by eating the appropriate foods for our body type and the season.

While we tend to place less importance on the vitamin and mineral components of food and more importance on whether the food will do such things as strengthen the digestive system or clear heat from the body, we do believe in the consumption of whole organic foods and ditching the processed, poor quality foods.

As a rule of thumb if you are preparing your own meals, eating a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables and staying away from too much wheat, dairy, sugar and packaged foods you are doing well. If you are a meat eater choosing free range, organic meats that have been processed chemically free is ideal. It’s a good idea to get to know your butcher and where your produce is coming from. There are some great local farmers who may not be organically certified, but still produce good quality meats.

Coffee and alcohol artificial sweeteners and MSG are other things that everyone can benefit from cutting back on substantially if not avoiding all together. Green tea, dandelion tea and any herbal tea are great substitutes.

If you have a tendency towards a Spleen deficiency, or cold digestive system we recommend the following:

Avoid:

Eating cold food directly from the fridge or freezer (eg icecream)

Eating raw foods, avoid too much salad, especially in winter

All processed, refined foods

Deep fried, overly greasy foods

Sugar and artificial sweeteners

too much wheat (wheat bread, pasta)

too much dairy especially cheese and cows milk

citrus and tomato

bananas, watermelon ad mango

peanuts

soy milk (marinated tofu, tempeh, miso are all fine)

Include/substitute:

Almond, rice or oat milk

Rye or spelt bread

Porridge

Roasted root vegetables

Aduki and kidney beans

Barley, bulgur wheat, quinoa and rice

Chicken, turkey, and white fish

cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, ginger, nutmeg and black pepper

Soups and stews are a perfect meal

Blanch or steam veges instead

Make sure fruits are very ripe or stew them.

Always eat in a quite, relaxed environment and take the time to chew your food

Exercise such as yoga and pilates are ideal.

 If you have a tendency towards blood deficiency we recommend the following:

Avoid:

Sugar and artificial sweeteners

Alcohol

Coffee

Include:

Red meat

Chicken especially as a soup

oysters

all dark leafy greens

seaweed

black beans

Black sesame seeds

Beetroot

Black currents

cherries

dates

eggs

figs

whole grains

dandelion and nettle tea

wheatgrass shots

If you are vegetarian floridix is a good gentle way to build the blood

Insuring you are resting during your menstrual flow is important, as is getting to bed early and not burning the candle!

Gentle exercise such as yoga or pilates to outside the menstrual flow is beneficial.

If you have a tendency towards heat in the body we recommend the following:

Avoid:

Coffee

Alcohol

Chilli

greasy, fatty foods

Include:

Raw foods such as bitter salad greens

herbal teas such as peppermint

Watermelon

mangos

cucumber

seaweed

miso soup

fresh fish, shellfish and pork

tofu

Asparagus

Eggs

Honey

Kidney beans

whole grains

spelt

parsley

pears

tomato

Avoid exercise during our menstrual flow.

Take a bath with essential oils such as chamomile, geranium and rose.

Make sure you are not sleeping too hot. Use layers of sheets and blankets rather than a dooner to make it easier to regulate temperatures at night.

 If you have a tendency to Qi and Blood stasis we recommend the following:

Avoid:

coffee

alcohol

chilli

greasy foods

nuts

be careful not to overeat

Include:

Rye

Bitter greens

Dark leafy greens

all fresh spring veges

root veges

Eggplant

radish

basil

cardamom

marjoram

garlic

dill

plums

pickles

chicken soup, carrot and coriander soup

herbal tea such as jasmine, fennel, chamomile and spearmint

Start the day with warm water and lemon

Daily exercise is very beneficial. Tai qi and Qigong are highly recommended, yoga, pilates and walking are also beneficial.

Daily meditation can also be beneficial to help control the emotional side of stagnant energy.