Digestive Health
TCM takes everyday digestive disorders seriously because of their importance for quality of life and our broader health.
Influential thinkers in the history of Chinese Medicine such as Master Li Dong-Yuan developed the thesis that the etiology of many diseases lay in dysfuntions of the digestive system. This is broadly consistent with increased awareness in modern medicine of the links between many common illnesses and metabolism.
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Master Li also recognised the human digestive system is a crucial site of interconnection between mind, body and feelings. The gut is often referred to as the second brain because of the high number of nerve endings that turn signals from the mind into feelings in the gastrointestinal tract. As Harvard Medical School recently reminded us, stress and anxiety can trigger symptoms in the gut, and vice versa. But we already knew this as gut feel!
I use acupuncture to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms and to balance the emotional side of the ‘gut-brain’ axis. I will discuss any dietary and lifestyle concerns related to your condition, and sometimes recommend herbal medicines and supplements such has high-quality probiotics. I may also use techniques from Chi Nei Tsang, traditional Chinese abdominal massage.
Gastrointestinal conditions I often work with include:
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Bloating and stomach pain
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IBS
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Indigestion
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Nausea
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Vomiting
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Anxiety and gut health
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Acid reflux
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Wind
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Constipation
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Diarrhoea