How screens could be stopping you from getting a good nights sleep

How screens could be stopping you from getting a good nights sleep

by | Apr 12, 2019 | Health

For many of us, screens have become an important part of our everyday lives – but mounting evidence suggests that utilising them to close to bedtime could be wreaking havoc on our sleep patterns.

According to sleep experts, watching television, looking at our phones or using a computer before bed can affect our sleep in the following ways.

Disrupts sleep cycle

One of the most important things to be aware of when looking at screens before bed is their ability to disrupt the bodies sleep cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. Essentially, the blue light emitted from screens can restrict the bodies ability to produce melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm, thereby making it harder to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

Encourages alertness

Rather than preparing you to drift off to sleep, using screens before bed typically encourages alertness and trick your brain into thinking you need to stay awake. While it may seem harmless, an exciting movie or an interesting article can stimulate your brain more than you might realise, and ultimately cause you to stay awake longer than you need to. 

Unexpected wake up calls

In fact, mobile phones in particular have become such a key component in our everyday routines that many people rely on them as their morning alarm, meaning they tend to keep them on the nightstand or beside the bed. However, forgetting to switch your phone to silent can be seriously problematic to your sleep, as unexpected calls, messages and notifications can wake you during the night.

While there’s no need to give up screens altogether, we’re sure that we could all benefit from cutting down our screen time – and making a conscious effort to put away the gadgets at least 30 minutes before going to bed. For further support on living a healthy and balanced lifestyle, contact us on (03) 9576 8538 or book a consultation online.

Treating eczema with Traditional Chinese Medicine

Treating eczema with Traditional Chinese Medicine

by | Mar 27, 2019 | Chinese Medicine

 

Eczema… It’s either itchy, painful or itchy and painful at the same time. While not life-threatening, it’s an uncomfortable condition that for some can even be a source of embarrassment. 

Affecting 1 in 3 Australians at some point in their lives, many eczema sufferers are prescribed medicines such as topical or oral corticosteroids, antihistamines, and immunosuppressants. However, these treatments can often come with a long list of side effects, and usually aren’t recommended to be used long-term. Fortunately, there is a way to combat this condition naturally. 

While Western medicine considers eczema to be an allergic condition, and aims to control the symptoms caused by an imbalance in the immune system, Traditional Chinese Medicine sees eczema as a symptom of another illness – and aims to treat the root of the cause. 

To treat eczema with Traditional Chinese Medicine, you will typically encounter a mixture of acupuncture and herbal medicine. 

Acupuncture

With acupuncture, your practitioner will work to activate the body’s natural healing processes where it is needed most. In the case of eczema, they will seek to reduce stress, as well as ensuring that the spleen and liver are functioning properly, you have good blood circulation and more. 

Herbal medicine 

As part of your herbal medicine treatment, your practitioner will help you to identify foods that can trigger a flare up and again, reduce stress. Once these physical and mental triggers have been removed, the next step would involve a mix of Chinese herbs. Some herbs that you may encounter are to improve spleen health are cablin patchouli and fortune eupotorium, and others used to treat liver health are Chinese thorowax root, tree peony bark and liquorice root. 

Are you an eczema sufferer that has tried Traditional Chinese Medicine to help alleviate symptoms? If so, let us know how it worked out for you in the comments below! To book a consultation, call us on (03) 9576 8538 or book online today.

What is Most Important?

What is Most Important?

by | Mar 15, 2019 | Health

Money? Sex? Fame? Sleep? Food? All of those things are important, and one or two are probably particularly important for you, but what is most important?

Recovering from a major stroke gives you a lot of options to choose from to answer that question. Let’s see.., my scalp acupuncture sessions, those are pretty important. Ok, uhh, my Chinese medicine herbalist, I have to include her, she prescribed me two kinds Aconite. Wait a minute, what about Flint Rehab, I’m learning so much from them right now.., I don’t know, which one is it?

Typing up this article on my iPhone with my right hand (that was affected by the stroke) is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do, but if I want to recover full function, I don’t have a choice. Each tap with my finger sends a signal to my brain that helps initiate neurogenesis (growth of new neurons in the brain), and it’s not just a few taps that I’m talking about, it’s probably something on the order of hundreds of thousands, even millions of taps over the next few years that will lead to restoring my finger’s full function (more specifically my brains full function). Tapping away with my right finger is something I’ve been putting off for the last two years. Granted, first I had to lift my hand to my face (that took about 6 months). Then, I had to have my finger steady enough to tap each key on the iPhone (another 6 months, and another year, well, for good luck). At that point it was just a matter of trying, having a mind that is willing to try a million times or more; a “try mind” as my teacher used to say.

My finger’s not that steady, believe me, spastic is a better word to describe it, but I figured at some point I’ve just got to jump in. Tapping each key on the phone is more of an understatement, really it’s more a matter of tapping a hundred times to select fifty of the right keys; thank God for auto-correct. It also helps to tap slowly, allowing my mind to concentrate on what I’m actually trying to say.

My friend Amanda is a great source of inspiration for me, she has encouraged my recovery since day one. Even with us not talking and being out of sorts lately, it has forced me to begin writing letters to her by hand, my right hand. That was two weeks ago and look at me tapping away now!

A good friend and partner is perhaps the next most important thing you can have. If that person is helping you to connect with your own heart through loving them, they are bringing you closer to God and feeling love in your heart sure helps with all this damn tapping! So, if you asked me what is the most important thing, I wanted to say a try mind at first, but I’m leaning towards a mind (mind and heart are the same character in Chinese — 心) that’s full of love — which is really the source of a try mind when you think about it.

Post with permission by Morgan James

3 ways that acupuncture can help improve our mental health

3 ways that acupuncture can help improve our mental health

by | Mar 8, 2019 | Acupuncture

From depression to anxiety and general bouts of stress, mental health issues are increasingly becoming more common. In fact, one in five Australians aged between 16-85 will experience a mental illness in any given year. 

Unlike a physical injury, many people tend to let their mental health go without help. However, it’s important to recognise that improving our mental health involves a little TLC and assistance, and acupuncture can be a great way to help activate the body’s natural healing process and improve your overall sense of health and wellbeing. 

Here are some of the ways in which acupuncture can help us improve our mental health.

1.Balance nervous system

Put simply, acupuncture can help put your nervous system back in balance. Not sure what the nervous system is? It’s a system in your body that controls everything from the way you move, to how you think and feel. By tapping into the nervous system with acupuncture, it can help the system adapt to stress and re-educate itself to operate in a more optimal way.

2. Relieve symptoms

Mental health issues can often manifest themselves as physical symptoms in addition to emotional ones. As the acupuncture needles can tap into the nervous system, your practitioner can signal the brain to direct blood flow to the affected area of your body, relieving common symptoms such as tension headaches, and the inability to maintain a healthy weight. 

3. Improve general wellbeing

Acupuncture can also improve your general wellbeing in ways such as increasing your quality of sleep, and balancing out your mood. But how does it do all of this? In technical terms it can stimulate the production of neurotransmitters as well as develop the production of dopamine, serotonin and so much more. 

To find out more about how acupuncture can improve your mental health or to make an appointment, please contact us today.  

How herbal medicine can help balance hormones

How herbal medicine can help balance hormones

by | Feb 23, 2019 | Chinese Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine can provide many invigorating effects, utilising powerful herbal formulas that have been used successfully for centuries… But did you know that Chinese herbal medicine can even help to balance out your hormones?

Hormone imbalances can occur for a variety of reasons, but typically occur due to lifestyle habits such as too much stress, a poor diet, ill health, excessive exercise, prescription medicines and a toxic overload that end up throwing us ‘out of whack’.

So, let’s delve a little deeper into why herbal medicine could be beneficial if you are experiencing the symptoms of hormonal imbalances. 

Safe and gentle
Herbal medicine is safe and gentle, using all-natural ingredients which are effective and promote a healthy equilibrium. There is no need to worry about the potentially harmful side effects of prescription medication, and our experienced practitioners will take into account any existing injury, ailments and prescribed medications to ensure maximum efficiency and the best results for you. 

Continual monitoring and adjustment
Rather than a one-size fits all approach to medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine is tailored specifically to you, and the symptoms that you are experiencing. You will be given a formula and the effects of it will be closely monitored by your practitioner on a continual basis. If the formula isn’t working for you, it will likely be reviewed and adjusted at your next appointment – keeping your best interests in mind.  

For even better results, try herbal medicine in conjunction with acupuncture. Acupuncture is a regulator for the body, and herbs are hormonal balancing – both playing a vital role in regulating, balancing and healthy organ function. Luciferous Traditional Medicine Acupuncture Clinic in Ormond, Greater Melbourne can help you on this issue.