Epigastric Pain

Epigastric pain can be sudden and with an obvious cause such as overeating (think xmas lunch) which causes liver chi stagnation, or it can be chronic. In the latter, epigastric pain is usually affiliated with a yin deficiency which is a condition that builds slowly over time as a result of lifestyle factors. I’ve treated […]

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is the outcome of a valve malfunction (your lower oesophageal sphincter or LOS) and stomach acid flowing upwards rather than downwards. The solution is simple; fix the valve and enable your stomach chi to descend so that stomach acid flows downwards. Lifestyle is what causes the valve malfunction and the reversal of stomach […]

Bad Breath

Your lifestyle can create bad breath, regardless of what you eat. Bad breath might seem relatively insignificant but (unless it is from pungent foods you have just eaten) it can be seen as a stage in a progression that, if not addressed, can eventually develop into a lifestyle disease. It is a sign that your […]

Bleeding Gums

Plenty of people put heaps of time and effort into cleaning their teeth and dental hygiene to deal with bleeding gums, but it doesn’t always resolve the problem. In these cases lifestyle factors that cause ‘heat’ (which rises) are involved. Here are some behaviours that create heat: stress and strong emotions; excessive consumption of hot […]

Constipation

In the old days of TCM, stool analysis was a major diagnostic tool. The emperor’s stool physician would examine the stool and then give recommendations to the herbalist and the cook. We don’t examine stool any more but we still always ask clients about their stool because shape, consistency and frequency are indicators of the […]

Depression

I’ve treated countless numbers of people with depression and it is never ‘just in your mind’. If anyone says that to you, don’t listen. Depression involves your body, your lifestyle and even your purpose and this is how you treat it. Depression can be a physical response to excessive pressure and stress (doing too many […]