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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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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Spring into Spring with a Health Reset
Do you want to feel healthier and have more energy? Perhaps lose some Covid kilos? What about clearer skin, better sleep and a sharper mind? Maybe it’s time to think about a Spring Health Reset. We are coming to the end of both a long lockdown and the colder months, and lots of clients and […]
Adrenal Fatigue and Covid
The past year has been stressful in ways no one could have predicted. Life has been turned upside down, and as a result many people have felt overwhelmed and exhausted. Even those who are normally buoyant, enthusiastic, and positive have described this period as difficult and draining, like air slowly leaking out of a balloon. […]
Nutritional and nutrient considerations when trying to fall pregnant
Planning for pregnancy or ‘preconception care’ refers to the period where couples will actively engage in optimising their health before conceiving. Ideally, couples will start at least 3-4 months before conception as sperm and ova (a female’s eggs) take around 100 days to form and mature. Optimising our preconception nutrition not only increases our chances […]
Prepping for Pregnancy
Are you planning a pregnancy? Achieving a healthy pregnancy starts well before you fall pregnant. The time leading up to conception is an opportunity to make good choices and aim for optimal health for both parents, as the father’s health is equally important as the mother’s during this period. Research shows that nutritional deficiencies, stress, […]
Tips to prevent pain whilst working from home
The Covid lockdowns have created a massive shift from people working in an office to working from home. This has come with many benefits for work/life balance. But comes at a cost to our daily activity. For many, their step count prior to lockdown was not the recommended daily amount of 10,000 steps a day; […]
