Complementary and alternative therapies became popular for the pregnancy journey because they include natural ingredients but are less invasive. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine combined with acupuncture treatment can be a pampering experience for women who are planning to have a baby and also for health restoration after having a baby. A healthy pregnancy journey can […]
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Advice for optimal foetal positioning
This information is for mums and their partners to encourage baby to go into the ideal position for birth, BEFORE your labour begins. If bub is head down (and a single baby), then from 34weeks onwards this advice is given to encourage your baby to lie with its back to your left/front- LOA (Left Occiput […]
Acupuncture and conception– natural and assisted (IVF)
If you are having difficulty conceiving, Traditional Chinese Medicine – acupuncture and Chinese Herbs – may be the answer. Acupuncture can regulate the menstrual cycle, and helps to lessen the effects of stress on the body, which can otherwise cause problems with ovulation and thus be detrimental to conception. Ideally treatments are carried out for […]
Acupuncture for Pregnancy and Birth – and Beyond – with Clare Donnelley
I have been helping women during pregnancy through acupuncture, acupressure and Chinese herbs for over 20 years. Even though we know pregnancy is a natural state of being, not an illness, we do know that many pregnant women experience some physical discomfort and emotional changes during this time. Because Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based […]
Chronic lifestyle disease a Naturopathic approach
Chronic lifestyle disease is a broad term that covers a number of preventable diseases/conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, arthritis, eczema, back pain, osteoporosis, kidney disease and several cancers. Sadly 3 in 5 (60%) Australians over 65 years of age have more than 1 of the above […]
Five dietary swaps to help you reduce the risk of chronic lifestyle disease
What are chronic lifestyle diseases? Chronic diseases are long-term diseases, which are largely preventable. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability and death in Australia. To simplify, chronic disease is often discussed in terms of 4 major disease groups—cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes. An unhealthy lifestyle, characterized by […]
How does Acupuncture Work (Part 2)
Following up on my previous blog on the local mechanisms of acupuncture, here we will discuss how acupuncture affects the bio-chemistry in the brain. What does this mean? Think of the acupuncture needle as the nail in Frankinstein’s head (but less painful or scary). Let out the happiness For most of us, what do we […]
How does Acupuncture work?
What is the first thing you think of when someone says they had acupuncture? Its probably either 1. It sounds like chocolate? Or 2. Needles! Scary! Acupuncture is a relatively new modality in Australia and unfortunately not many people are familiar with the concept. Etymology (what the word means) To start with, what does the […]
Fatty Liver Disease
The occurrence of many so-called lifestyle diseases appears to be increasing, and all are troubling. One such disease is Fatty Liver Disease which occurs in both older and young adults, and it is unfortunately now being diagnosed in children. What does the liver do? The liver’s main functions are removing toxins and processing food nutrients. […]
Prioritising YOU in 2022
We’re one month into a new year, and I don’t know about you, but it has gone unexpectedly quickly for me! I feel as though I spent the whole month in a daze of work, sleep, socializing, repeat; I know I have taken very little time to reflect on last year, or map out my […]
Acupuncture for the relief of pain, inflammation, and anxiety
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats the mind and body as a whole system – not separate parts. Conventional Medicine has come to accept that the mind affects the body. Stress is a perfect example of the interrelated connection between the body and mind – any perceived threat triggers a fight or flight response in your […]
Calm down inflammation with food
Have you ever sprained your ankle, cut yourself or stung by a bee? The pain, redness, swelling, and heat that it produces are the body’s defence mechanism to fight the acute inflammation and to repair tissue damage. Acute inflammation typically resolves quickly, within a period of hours to days. Have you ever heard of chronic […]
Festive Season Eating – are your food combinations making you feel sick?
With the festive season approaching it is important to remember when catching up with friends and family that while making healthy meal choices is a key factor in feeling well, your food combinations also play a big role. The delicious food available at these events can lead to overindulgence, and even though you may try […]
Healthy eating this Christmas
Work Christmas parties, catch-up lunches with friends, holiday feasts with the family- these are all the joyful parts of Christmas. But with all these festivities, we may find ourselves over-eating on sweet desserts and drinking more than we’d like. We can end up feeling bloated, fatigued and that we’ve lost all our progress to eating […]
Healthy gingerbread men for the kids this Christmas!
Makes 8 Ingredients For the biscuits: 275g (3 cups) ground almonds 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp baking powder 6 dates, pitted 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted 40g (5 tbsp) rice syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg white For the icing: 80ml (⅓ cup) coconut milk […]
5 ways to prevent injury this Athletics Season
On your marks. Set. WAIT! Wait, wait, wait! I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself here. Have you done anything to prepare for this? Unfortunately, running isn’t as easy as popping those spikes on and standing at the start line. That’s a great way for you to head straight to the closest medical […]
Injury Prevention 101
Exercise helps and brings together people of all ages. There is truly nothing better than the adrenaline pumping through your body with the eagerness in pursuing your goals whether it be in sports, for health or personal well-being. It doesn’t matter whether you are a professional athlete, a gym-goer or an average joe, we all […]
Coming back stronger to avoid re-injury
It is a common story that we hear time and time again in clinic, and that you have probably heard friends, family or even professional athletes say; “I have a dodgy (insert body part) that I always injure”, or “my (insert body part) is weak and always causes me issues”. This is often the case […]
The role of Nutrition in sports injury & recovery
Injuries are a common but unfortunate part of sports and exercise participation. The nature and severity of an injury will dictate the recovery and rehabilitation time, and protocols followed. Muscle mass, strength and function are lost quickly when injuries result in reduced movement or immobilisation, and this can also lead to unwanted weight gain. While […]
Hamstring injuries
Hamstring strains happen when any of the large muscles or its tendons at the back of your leg is stretched beyond what it can withstand. Strains of your hamstring can be very painful and are fairly common in sports activities requiring the athlete to forcefully accelerate, such as running, football, rugby and basketball. As I […]
