5 ways to improve sperm quality

Improving sperm quality is something that, as an individual, we can have a big influence over. Sperm are regenerated every 72 days and therefore in just 3 months, you can significantly change the health of your sperm. Have a look at some of these modifications and additions to your life, some of which you could start today, that could significantly improve your sperm health. With fertility it is about optimising each area of health, even those that are not perceived as an issue. For example, if your partner is diagnosed with endometriosis and this is likely to be the reason you are struggling to conceive, optimising your sperm health can only be a good thing. So no matter where you are in your fertility journey, why not try and give yourself the best chance of success?

1. Acupuncture - of course!

   Take a read of this blog post to take a deeper dive into how acupuncture helps our sperm. But the short version - it’s effective.

2. Less alcohol

   I know, it’s not what you wanted to hear. But alcohol really can impact your sperm health. Binge drinking is particularly bad for your sperm. Binge drinking sounds dramatic but it actually also includes heavy drinking once or twice a week.

3. More zinc

   Zinc is a pretty important element when it comes to sperm and semen, it impacts quality and quantity. Hemp seeds and cashews are zinc rich foods that can easily be added into the diet. High quality red meat is also a fantastic source of zinc.

4. Keep things cool

   Sperm do not like the heat, in fact, continuous and prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to impacted motility, production and viability. This means its time to ditch the saunas, steam rooms, long hot baths, and even putting your laptop on your lap.

5. Manage those stress levels

   Tale as old as time right, stress is bad for us. But continuous high stress levels really can impact your sperm health. Of course if you can remove any big stress factors, that’s great. But the reality is most of us can’t, we just don’t have that luxury. Instead look at way of including de-stressing activities in your schedule such as meditation, journaling, breath work, light exercise, acupuncture. All of these will help to regulate the nervous system and manage stress levels.

For more tailored, specific advise for you and your fertility journey, or to discuss how acupuncture can help you, get in touch to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you in clinic.

Acupuncture and male fertility

Around 10 – 15% of couples across the world experience problems conceiving and in half of the cases it is issues with male fertility that are the cause. [1] It really does take ‘two to tango’.

In 2010 a survey of UK acupuncture practitioners was conducted. They found that acupuncture was used commonly in China to treat male and female fertility and gynaecologic conditions. In Western countries however, gynaecologic and andrologic complaints were less prominent in acupuncture patient profiles compared with musculoskeletal pain. A minority of acupuncturists were specialists in supporting fertility issues. [2] We believe this has significantly changed over the last decade and there is wealth of supporting research showing the affect acupuncture can have to improve male fertility.

At A D Acupuncture, we focus on finding the cause, or part cause, of infertility. This may be with recommended testing, analysis of results and referrals. We can then address these causes with both Chinese medicine, as well as conventional medicine if necessary.

Commonly the health of sperm can be seen to be the biggest factor - 65 - 80% of male fertility issues. [3] On the British Acupuncture Council website various clinical trials show acupuncture improved sperm quality and in one sperm density. [4,5,6,7] A systemic review in 2015, found that acupuncture is distinctively efficacious in improving sperm quality [8] and a study in 2021 did conclude that manual acupuncture combined with medication improves male fertility, especially sperm motility. [9]

Inflammation of the genital tract impacts sperm and acupuncture has been seen to increase sperm output in these cases, with the probability that acupuncture works by stimulating the body’s immune response. [10]

Once the sperm are produced, they are mixed with fluids from the prostate gland and seminal vesicles to dilute the concentration of the sperm and provide them a suitable environment to give them the best chance of completing their mission. Semen contains potassium, enzymes, citric acid, phosphorylcholine, free amino acids, fructose, prostaglandin, and zinc. Therefore, diet can have an impact on semen quality. Also, in the blog about vitamin D we mentioned there are a number of studies linking vitamin D deficiency with poorer semen quality. [11,12, 13]

Not all issues with men’s fertility are due to sperm or semen. Men can also suffer from erectile dysfunction and acupuncture has been found to be beneficial here too. [14] A study in 2014 stated acupuncture appeared to have promise in treating male sexual dysfunction [15], and another review showed potential beneficial effects of acupuncture as adjunctive treatment for people with psychogenic erectile dysfunction. [16]

Occasionally male infertility can be due to hormone issues. Acupuncture is frequently seen in clinic for the support of hormone health, particularly thyroid disorders which can affect male fertility. [17]

Male fertility is so influenced by diet and lifestyle and the sperm lifecycle is so short, that men have a great opportunity to change things and improve chances of conception. Research, ancient theory and clinical experience all show that acupuncture can play a huge role in optimising male fertility, especially when the cause is well understood.

To better understand how acupuncture could help you along your fertility journey, please do get in touch.

References

1.       Some of the factors involved in male infertility: a prospective review. Babakhanzadeh E. et al. International Journal of General Medicine 2020:13 29–41

2.      Extent of acupuncture practice for infertility in the United Kingdom: experiences and perceptions of the practitioners. Bovey M. et al. Fertility and Sterility  Vol. 94, No. 7, December 2010

3.      Male Infertility. Leslie S.W. et al. NCBI books, Copyright 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562258/#_NBK562258_pubdet_

4.       Does acupuncture treatment affect sperm density in males with very low sperm count? A pilot study. Siterman S. et al. Andrologia 200l 32: 31-9

5.       Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Gurfinkel E. et al. Asian Journal of Andrology 2003; 5: 345-8

6.       Quantitative evaluation of spermatozoa ultrastructure after acupuncture treatment for idiopathic male infertility. Pei J. et al. Fertility and Sterility 2005; 84: 141-7

7.       A prospective randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of acupuncture in infertile patients with severe oligoasthenozoospermia. Dieterle S. et al. Fertility and Sterility 2009; 92: 1340-3

8.       Acupuncture treatment of male infertility: a systematic review. He Y. et al. National journal of andrology 2015 Jul;21(7):637-45

9.       Acupuncture Therapy for Severe Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Nareswari I. et al. Medical Acupuncture 2021 August 1, 33 (4): 302-30

10.    Success of acupuncture treatment in patients with initially low sperm output is associated with a decrease in scrotal skin temperature.  Siterman S. et al. Asian Journal of Andrology 2009; 11: 200-8

11.    Vitamin D deficiency and low ionized calcium are linked with semen quality and sex steroid levels in infertile men. Blomberg Jensen M. et al. Human Reproduction, Vol.31, No.8 pp. 1875–1885, 2016. doi:10.1093/humrep/dew152

12.    Vitamin D in human reproduction: a narrative review. Anagnostis P. Et al.  Int J Clin Pract 2013 Mar;67 (3):225-35. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12031

13.    Possible influence of vitamin D on male reproduction.  Boisen I.M. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Volume 173, October 2017, Pages 215-222

14.    Acupuncture in the treatment of psychogenic erectile dysfunction: first results of a prospective randomized placebo-controlled study. P F Engelhardt P.F. et al. International Journal of Impotence Research volume 15, pages343–346 (2003)

15.    Overview of the relevant literature on the possible role of acupuncture in treating male sexual dysfunction. Tsai M. Acupunct Med 2014 Oct;32(5):406-10

16.    Acupuncture for Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Lai B. et al. World J Mens Health 2019 Sep 37(3): 322-338

17.    An overview of the contribution of acupuncture to thyroid disorders. Cheng F. Journal of Integrative Medicine Volume 16, Issue 6, November 2018, Pages 375-383

A closer look at Vitamin D

Vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin because it is produced when skin is exposed to the sun. Vitamin D has two main forms in humans, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), both being fat soluble. [1] There are two main dietary forms, Vitamin D3 found in some animal foods, like fatty fish and egg yolks and Vitamin D2 found in some plants, mushrooms, and yeasts. Of the two, D3 seems to be almost twice as effective at increasing blood levels of vitamin D as D2. [2]

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and maintains adequate calcium and phosphate concentrations.  This is important for bones and muscles. You may have heard of the disease rickets in children where lack of vitamin D creates bone weakness and deformities. Vitamin D also has other roles in the body including the reduction of inflammation and involvement in cell growth, neuromuscular and immune functions and glucose metabolism.[2]

There are a lot of areas where Vit D is beneficial to our health; we are going to take a closer look at its role in energy levels, mood and fertility.

Could vitamin D give you more energy?

Vitamin D impacts on calcium which links to phosphate and phosphate is one of the key components of the body’s battery, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). From this interlinking chain it would seem logical that vitamin D might affect energy levels. As is often the case there does need to be further research. There was a double blind randomised placebo-controlled trial (in theory the best type!) in 2016 that concluded that vitamin D treatment significantly improved fatigue in otherwise healthy persons with vitamin D deficiency. [5] In 2014 the so called EViDiF Study found normalisation of vitamin D levels with ergocalciferol therapy significantly improved the severity of fatigue symptoms [6] and in the same year a study on Exercise Performance in Professional Soccer Players showed  reductions in exercise training stress associated with vitamin D levels. [7]

A sunshine mood

Somewhat logically, as vitamin D levels are linked to exposure to the sun, the impact of its deficiency in relation to mental health have been picked up in northern latitudes. Lots of us notice in ourselves or those around us a change in mood in the winter months, in fact there is a whole medical phenomenon around it, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). A study in Iceland found that men with deficient vitamin D status were more likely to have current major depressive disorder compared with men with adequate vitamin D status although interestingly associations among women were not significant. [8] Again from 2014 (big year for vitamin D studies it seems!) a review of vitamin D supplementation for depressive symptoms found supplementation may be effective for reducing symptoms in patients with clinically significant depression. [9] Another recommendation, in the same year, was that serum vitamin D levels should be measured in patients with schizophrenia especially in long term care as it was found there was a severe vitamin D deficiency in patients presenting with an acute episode. [10]

Vitamin D and fertility

In men recognising the fact that sperm quality is decreasing and infertility is a problem affecting about 10–15% of couples, vitamin D status might be related to spermatogenesis, semen quality, and testiculopathies as well as male hypogonadism. [11] There are a number of studies linking vitamin D deficiency with poorer semen quality. [12, 13, 14]

 For women the picture is less clear. A 2012 study published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reveals that pre-menopausal women’s Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level changes in correlation to the seasonal changes of vitamin D levels within the body. [15] Having a high amount of AMH indicates you have plenty of egg-containing follicles – which is useful if you want to become pregnant. Also a high AMH level is particularly useful when you’re doing IVF. Therefore lower vitamin D could suggest less successful implantation and pregnancy. Whilst the normal range of Vitamin D is between 20 and 50ng/ml, for women trying to conceive, about 35ng/ml is ideal.

A thorough review of vitamin D and fertility states there is evidence that vitamin D exerts some effects on female reproduction including In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) outcome, Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis as well as on steroidogenesis in healthy women. [11] A study on women undergoing single embryo, blastocyst stage, transfer (SET) for IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) found clinical pregnancy rates in women with vitamin D deficiency were significantly lower. [16] However there are a number of studies where vitamin D levels did not bear any relation to the success of assisted reproduction. [17, 18, 19] One did state the higher vitamin D levels did translate into higher fertilisation rates, but this apparent benefit does not translate into higher probability of pregnancy or live birth. Finally an article asking if vitamin D is the Trojan Horse or Golden Fleece of reproductive health summarises - vitamin D is definitely not a Trojan Horse in reproductive health, since there were no adverse effects reported for vitamin D intake of up to 10,000 IU/day, but to proclaim it the Golden Fleece, more evidence is needed. [20]

In many ways this is a good conclusion, especially as vitamin D is easy to supplement and vitamin D toxicity is rare. Vitamin D is also now available as an oral spray; this is not only easier than swallowing tablets it also allows two routes for the vitamin to get into your blood stream. It can be absorbed into the body through your mucous membranes of your mouth as well as any excess being absorbed through the wall of the gut. Plus it comes in nice flavours to encourage you to want to take your dose.

References

1.       https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

2.       Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Tripkovic L. et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:1357–64

3.       Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in the US Population (2011-2012). Parva N et al. Cureus 10(6): e2741 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.2741

4.      https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d2-vs-d3

5.       Effect of vitamin D3 on self-perceived fatigue: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Nowak A. et al. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016 Dec; 95(52):e5353 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005353

6.        Correction of Low Vitamin D Improves Fatigue: Effect of Correction of Low Vitamin D in Fatigue Study (EViDiF Study). Roy S. Et al. North American Journal of Medical Sciences August 2014 Volume 6, Issue 8

7.       Vitamin D and Exercise Performance in Professional Soccer Players. Koundourakis N.E. et al. PLoS ONE, 1 July 2014 Volume 9 Issue 7

8.       Depression and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in older adults living at northern latitudes - AGES-Reykjavik Study. Imai CM et al. J Nutr Sci. 2015 Nov 20;4:e37. doi: 10.1017/jns.2015.27

9.       Vitamin D Supplementation for Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials, Shaffer J.A. et al. Psychosom Med. 2014 April ; 76(3): 190–196. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000044

10.   Correlation between total vitamin D levels and psychotic psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia: therapeutic implications for add-on vitamin D augmentation. Yüksel R.N. et al. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2014, Vol. 4(6) 268–275 DOI: 10.1177/ 2045125314553612

11.   Vitamin D and fertility: a systematic review. Elisabeth Lerchbaum and Barbara Obermayer-Pietsch. European Journal of Endocrinology (2012) 166 765–778

12.   Vitamin D deficiency and low ionized calcium are linked with semen quality and sex steroid levels in infertile men. Blomberg Jensen M. et al. Human Reproduction, Vol.31, No.8 pp. 1875–1885, 2016. doi:10.1093/humrep/dew152

13.   Vitamin D in human reproduction: a narrative review. Anagnostis P. Et al.  Int J Clin Pract 2013 Mar;67 (3):225-35. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12031

14.   Possible influence of vitamin D on male reproduction. Boisen I.M. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Volume 173, October 2017, Pages 215-222

15.   A Validated Model of Serum Anti-Mu¨llerian Hormone from Conception to Menopause. Kelsey T.W. et al. PLoS ONE July 2011 Volume 6 Issue 7

16. Vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy rates in women undergoing single embryo, blastocyst stage, transfer (SET) for IVF/ICSI. Polyzos N. P. et al. Human Reproduction, Vol.29, No.9 pp. 2032 –2040, 2014. doi:10.1093/humrep/deu156

17.   Vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy rates following frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a prospective cohort study. van de Vijver A. et al. Human Reproduction, Vol.31, No.8 pp. 1749–1754, 2016. doi:10.1093/humrep/dew10

18.   Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and treatment outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproduction. Abadia L. et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2016 Sep;104(3):729-35. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.126359

19.   Serum vitamin D status and in vitro fertilization outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lv S.S. et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2016 Jun;293(6):1339-45. doi: 10.1007/s00404-016-4058-1

20.   The role of vitamin D in reproductive health--a Trojan Horse or the Golden Fleece? Dabrowski F.A. et al. Nutrients 2015, 7, 4139-4153; doi:10.3390/nu7064139

Acupuncture and headaches

Pain anywhere in the body can be so debilitating and NICE guidelines now suggest the use of acupuncture for chronic pain. [1] In this blog post, we are going to take a deep dive into pain specific to the head, exploring research and Chinese Medicine.

The research

Acupuncture has been recognised in scientific literature as being beneficial for pain management generally. In 2012 a quite robust meta-analysis (examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject, in order to determine overall trends) about chronic pain concluded ‘Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain and is therefore a reasonable referral option’. [2] The pain conditions in the analysis included chronic headaches. This meta-analysis was re-reviewed in 2018 and confirmed that acupuncture has a clinically relevant, persistent effect on chronic pain. [3]

So acupuncture is good for pain but what about headaches specifically? One of the common side effects of a lumbar puncture or spinal anaesthesia is a post-dural-puncture headache (PDPH). It is a severe headache occurring 2 to 3 days after the procedure producing a pain "searing and spreading like hot metal". In a study in 2013 using acupuncture all patients reported more than 50% reduction in PDPH intensity immediately after the acupuncture treatment. In all cases, the analgesics (pain killers) were stopped or their dose was decreased in the hours following acupuncture treatment. None of the patients required treatment with a blood patch which is a much more invasive treatment for PDPH. After acupuncture, the patients returned to normal daily activities and were discharged home without further delay. [4]

It is apparently estimated that in the UK we lose 43 million days of work to migraines Also 60% of people suffering from migraines felt that these dastardly headaches had impacted on their relationship with their partner and 71% of them felt it affected their mental health. [5] A Cochrane review for patient with tension headaches found acupuncture reduced migraine frequency; patients had at least a 50% reduction in headache frequency. [6] There is even a study comparing types of acupuncture for treatment of migraine, where no difference was reported between the types, and both created a recovery from the headache and ability to continue daily activities 2 hours after treatment. [7]

There are a large range of drugs used for the treatment of headaches of which some have detrimental long term side effects. In 2019 Kelly et al concluded the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for chronic headache is favourable in the United Kingdom and overall, the evidence supports acupuncture as a treatment option. [8]

Chinese Medicine

As with most symptoms in Chinese Medicine, there is a range of potential diagnoses for headaches. In treatment for headaches, your acupuncturist will need to take a deep dive into the type of headache. It will need to be understood whether your headaches are coming from a deficiency, and therefore the body needs to be nourished in order to help the pain, or it is coming from an excess, in which case moving or reducing in the body will be necessary. For a closer look at Chinese Medicine theory, have a read of this blog post.

You will be asked about:

• Triggers (screen-time, menstrual cycle etc)

• Patterns of onset and progression

• Accompanying symptoms (nausea, aura, fatigue etc.)

• Placement on the head (temples, forehead, whole head etc)

• Nature of the pain (dull, sharp, pressure etc)

• Ways to help the pain (rest, water, movement etc)
  

All of this information will allow for a diagnosis within Chinese Medicine. A treatment plan and points prescription will then be made.

Headaches are something frequently seen in clinic at A D Acupuncture and the results can be fantastic. Results can often be seen after just one appointment, which accumulate over the following 4-6 sessions leading to significant change.

So if you do suffer from a pain in the head get in contact with your acupuncturist to explore the potential of long term, drug free results.

1.       NICE guideline [NG193] 07 April 2021. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193/chapter/Recommendations

2.       Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Vickers A et al. Arch Intern Med 2012 Oct 22;172(19):1444-53.doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654

3.       Acupuncture for chronic pain update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. Vickers A et al. J Pain 2018 May;19(5):455-474.  doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005

4.       Acupuncture for treatment of therapy-resistant post-dural puncture headache: a retrospective case series. Dietzel  J et al. British Journal of Anaesthesia. Volume 111, ISSUE 5, P847-849, NOVEMBER 01, 2013

5.       https://migrainetrust.org/understand-migraine/impact-of-migraine/

6.      Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine (Review) Linde K et al. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 6. Art. No.: CD001218. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001218.pub3.

7.        Efficacy of Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture Versus Traditional Chinese Acupuncture for Migraine Treatment. Rezvani M et al. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol. 20, No. 5 2014

8.       Acupuncture for Pain. Kelly R.B and Willis J. American Family Physician www.aafp.org/afp Volume 100, Number 2  July 15, 2019

Magnesium and period pain

Magnesium is an element classified as an alkaline earth metal in the periodic table. Magnesium serves many functions in the human body. It’s important for protein synthesis, healthy bone formation, regulating blood pressure, maintaining heart health, energy production, nerve function, blood sugar control and electrical conduction in the heart. [1]

Some of us may have heard people recommending Epsom salts to be added to a bath to help sore muscles. Epsom salts are Magnesium sulphate. No scientific basis for this idea was ever presented: it was just one of those things that everybody “knew,” a folk remedy justified by the generations of wise old wives and bathers. The physiology of it certainly wasn’t explained. No one ever mentioned it being a source of magnesium, even though that is by far the most plausible explanation for any benefit it might have. [2]

Magnesium is found in a variety of foods, especially those with lots of fibre. Nuts, leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains are among the best sources. [1] Absorption of magnesium in the gut is reduced in Vitamin D deficiency, more on Vitamin D to come in a later blog post.

According to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, healthy adult men should generally consume 400 to 420 milligrams (mg) of magnesium daily. Healthy adult women should consume 310 to 320 mg daily. Pregnant women are recommended to consume a higher dose. [2] However most of us are unlikely to have any idea how much our magnesium intake is!

There have been studies over quite some time that Magnesium can be beneficial for pain and we are focusing on its potential benefits for period pains, or in the medical jargon dysmenorrhea. Period pain happens when the muscular wall of the womb tightens (contracts) more vigorously than usual. The mechanism by which Magnesium can reduce the sensation of pain is quite complicated, however in simple terms it reduces the sensitivity of pain receptors in our nerves and alleviates muscle contraction. [3]

In a double blind study in 1989 on 50 women it was shown to reduce pain in 84% of the women and it was suggested this was due to Magnesium’s direct muscle relaxant and vasodilatory effect. [4] It is this action as a muscle relaxant that would explain why Epsom salts baths can be so useful when in pain. In 1990 another small study found that a marked reduction in absences from work due to the dysmenorrhea was noted for women in the trial taking Magnesium [5]. In 2001 an article on herbal and dietary therapies for primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea mentions that overall magnesium was more effective than placebo for pain relief and the need for additional medication was less. [6]

Interestingly almost a decade later in 2008 a review stated ‘Dysmenorrhea affects up to 80% of reproductive age women, in many cases causing sufficient pain to dramatically affect social and occupational roles. Complementary and alternative treatments such as vitamin B1 and magnesium supplementation have not been studied as extensively but show some promise as well.’ [7] Whilst we appreciate that research needs time and money, the cynical perspective would feel a certain lack of urgency to investigate solutions for what can be completely debilitating pain for some women.

A more recent review in 2017 concluded that magnesium supplementation is effective in the prevention of dysmenorrhea as well as premenstrual syndrome, and menstrual migraine and in the prevention of menopausal symptoms. [8] Discussions and feedback from patients at A D Acupuncture would also support the validity of its use.

As we have said before supplements such as magnesium do not work in isolation, creating balance is key and everybody is different, but taking a daily magnesium supplement could be a useful way to support yourself and your period health. Also, do not forget that acupuncture can also help you have pain free periods; have a look at other posts on the Blog about period health.

References

1.       https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/magnesium-overdose-whats-the-likelihood#sources-of-magnesium

2.       https://www.painscience.com/articles/epsom-salts.php

3. Na et al. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507245/

4.       Seifert B et al., Magnesium—a new therapeutic alternative in primary dysmenorrhea primary dysmenorrhea. Zentralblatt Für Gynäkologie 1989, 111 (11): 755-60

5.       Fontana-Klaiber H and Hogg B. Therapeutic effects of magnesium in dysmenorrhea. Schweizerische Rundschau Für Medizin Praxis, Revue Suisse de Médecine Praxis 1990 April 17, 79 (16): 491-4

6.       Proctor M and Murphy P. Herbal and dietary therapies for primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea.  Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001;(3):CD002124. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002124

7.       Bettendorf B et al.  Dysmenorrhea: contemporary perspectives. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey: September 2008 - Volume 63 - Issue 9 - p 597-603. doi: 10.1097/OGX.0b013e31817f15ff

8.       Parazzini F et al. Magnesium in the gynecological practice: a literature review. Magnes Res. 2017 Feb 1;30(1):1-7.  doi: 10.1684/mrh.2017.0419.

The Basics of Chinese Diet Therapy

Chinese Diet Therapy – starting with the basics

Chinese Medicine is multifaceted, with acupuncture being one branch. Another branch is food, or diet therapy.

In fact, food is seen as the most used and basic form of medicine, as multiple times each day we deliver this medicine ourselves in our homes. Now there are many different systems of nutritional therapy, you can look at calories, nutrients, macros and those systems are all valid. The system that I work from, as an acupuncturist, is Chinese Medicine Nutrition. This does call for a different way of thinking to what we are used to in the west and may even contraindicate other advice. But this is nutritional advice, the Chinese medicine way.

Today I’d like to share the basic ideas around food in Chinese medicine. When I am providing dietary advice in clinic it is entirely tailored to each individual, their diagnosis and acknowledging their relationship with food. For this level of support, you need a practitioner who understands you. But for today I can share some initial ideas and food for thought (don’t mind the inevitable pun) about how Chinese medicine views food and our diet.

There are three main stages to Chinese diet therapy:

When we eat

How we eat

And lastly, what we eat

Now in the west we are only concerned with what we eat, completely bypassing the first two considerations. Today, we will look through each of these stages.

When we eat

When we eat is all about number of meals, times, and quantities at those times.

Eating at least 3 meals each day is important. Breakfast is seen as an essential in Chinese medicine, in order to wake up your digestive system and begin your daily energy production. 

There is some evidence in western science that avoiding breakfast slows your metabolism because your body is trying to conserve energy when you don’t eat in the mornings.

Eating regularly, at similar times each day is also important. We are cyclical beings, and our bodies love routine. 

Eating late at night should be avoided as this means we will be going to sleep with our digestive system still working hard and this can be disruptive.

How we eat

So, what is meant by how we eat? This refers to our mental and physical state when we are eating.

For example, we should eat while calm, and mindfully. This means no eating on the move, no eating in front of the telly and no eating while in distress. Of course, this isn’t always possible however, it is important to try and eat our meals with a sense of ceremony, with good posture and the ability to concentrate. 

 This can help nourish our relationship with food. Eating with concentration means we will chew our food better, eat slower and be more aware or feelings of fullness or overeating. Good posture can also aid digestion and improve symptoms such as bloating, acid reflux and indigestion.

What we eat

This includes both the ingredients and the way the ingredients are cooked. 

Foods and cooking methods are seen as having different qualities, temperatures and interactions with organs. 

Similarly to the theory of the body in Chinese medicine (see this blog post for more info) we look at foods in relation to Yin and Yang. 

Yang foods are warm in nature, sweet, energising for the body, encourage movement and lift. 

Yin foods are cooling, salty or bitter, about nourishing and building, and lowering the bodies energy.

For example: 

Ginger is a warm food, with the acrid, pungent quality making it even more Yang in nature. It affects the Spleen and Stomach. 

 A stew is warming and contains well-cooked compartments, this is therefore nourishing for the spleen. Adding the ginger in to a stew will create an even more potent Yang and Spleen nourishing meal

Therefore, in order to give dietary advice in Chinese medicine, we first diagnose, as we would to give an acupuncture treatment. This diagnosis will allow us to see what is out of balance, and therefore what foods can help return balance to the body. 

Chinese medicine does not count calories or look at nutritional densities of the foods we eat. This medicine is too old and rooted in tradition for this. It is all about balance and eating for YOUR body and health. All diet advice given in clinic is tailored to you and your working diagnosis.

Chinese Medicine Theory - the foundations

I am frequently explaining Chinese medicine theory in clinic, to help patients understand their treatments. Understanding the basics of Chinese medicine theory is the starting place to understanding Chinese medicine as a lifestyle, which is something I am really passionate about.

Read on to learn a little about some of the fundamental ideas of Traditional Chinese Medicine 

Yin and Yang Theory

At the root of Chinese medicine is Yin and Yang theory. This theory is essentially the idea of balance and homeostasis. Total balance of Yin and Yang would leave the body in perfect health. 

Yin and Yang can be seen as sorts of metaphors.

Yin is the dark, calm and quiet. It is dense, substantial; it is form.

Yang is light, active, loud. It is insubstantial; it is function.

So within the body and within health Yin is blood, it is the main organs, it is the more material side of our bodies. It is also responsible for the cooling of our bodies. Yang is energy, movement, growth and responsible for warming.

Yin and Yang can be both in excess and deficiency causing different symptoms within the body. They are mutually dependent on one another too.

The job of your acupuncturist in the most simplified way, is to identify how Yin or Yang is out of balance and then treat accordingly. 

Organ Theory

Perhaps the next layer of theory, in the way I work anyway, is Organ Theory. 

In Chinese Medicine, there are 12 primary organs, such as the Heart, Liver, Stomach etc. Each of these organs have functions. Some of these functions relate to the physical actions of these organs, whilst some are relating to the organs energetic properties. 

Note: the organs in reference to Chinese Medicine are capitalised, to distinguish then from just their physical form and the energetic organs we are discussing as a part of Chinese Medicine.

For Example:

Heart Functions

Governs the blood vessels and the blood

Controls sweating

Shows in the tongue

Manifests in complexion

Houses the Shen (spirit)

By understanding the functions of the Organs, your acupuncturist is able to decipher which organs are out of balance based on your signs and symptoms.

Organ and Yin and Yang Theory

The next layer is combining both Organ Theory and Yin and Yang theory, so thinking about whether it is the Yin or Yang aspect of the organs functions that is out of balance.

For example:

If you were presenting with very cold hands, this could be related to the Heart, as the heart governs blood and the vessels and is therefore responsible for the circulation of blood. It is a Yang action to move blood and to warm. Therefore cold hands could be an indication of a Heart Yang Deficiency. This diagnosis does not necessarily indicated any issues with the heart itself, rather the energetic qualities of the Heart.

A stand alone symptom is never enough to diagnose in Chinese Medicine. This medicine is all about looking at the whole person and piecing together all the evidence. I think figuring out my diagnosis is one of my favourite parts of my job. In complex cases you can send a long time trying to create a neat, succinct diagnosis.

Ben and Biao 

The other very important concept at the root of Chinese Medicine Theory is Ben and Biao. This translates to Root and Branch.

The idea of Ben and Biao is to understand the root cause of disease. This means acupuncturists are working to resolve underlying imbalances, as opposed to just treating the manifesting symptoms. To be able to properly understand the Ben and Biao, the practitioner must understand the relationships between the Organs.

For Example:

The Heart and Kidney have a metal relationship of warming and cooling. The Heart is the fire, Kidney the water. Both depend on each other to keep a balance of temperature within the body.

I believe, the idea of Ben and Biao is part of what makes acupuncture and Chinese Medicine so powerful. We are never looking superficially to just manage a symptom but instead aiming to dig a little deeper for long term health.

I often have patients ask me how they can learn more about Chinese Medicine and I often recommend the book “Chinese Medicine - the web that has no weaver” by Ted Kaptchuk.

This book is quite heavy, but very well introduces the ideas around Chinese medicine. The other way is chatting to me. I am always happy to chat all things Chinese medicine. In fact sometimes I have to stop myself from jabbering on for far too long. So if you’re in clinic and you have any questions, ask away.

Bell's palsy and Acupuncture

What is Bell’s palsy?

One thing that medicine often does is use words that make things incomprehensible to most people and Bell’s palsy can seem to fit into that category.  The first article we found in looking for research states ‘Bell’s palsy is a common cranial neuropathy causing acute unilateral lower motor neurone facial paralysis’. [1] So what on earth does that mean, it sounds very scary? Palsy is a type of paralysis and in the case of Bell’s (Sir Charles Bell first described this type of paralysis) it means there is a sudden and spontaneous paralysis of one side of the face caused by a particular nerve being compressed. It is very frightening and bewildering as it is easily confused with a stroke. However Bell ’s palsy only affects the face, including the forehead, and there is no weakness in other parts of the body. It is the commonest cause of facial palsy affecting 20 to 30 people per 100,000 a year. A GP will see a case on average every 2 years. [2]

There is no conclusive cause of Bell’s palsy although there are five major theories including viral infection. The affected nerve is long and complicated. [3] The usual drug treatments prescribed are steroids and antiviral medicines with the aim of reducing the compression of the nerve as quickly as possible. For 70% of people they make a full recovery but this can take well beyond six months. [2] As facial expression is so key to an individual Bell’s palsy can lead to distress, alienation and depression.

So what about acupuncture and Bell’s palsy? 

According to Chinese Medical diagnosis, Bell’s Palsy is often from an External Pathogenic Factor (EPF). This means the treatments are about expelling the EPF, strengthening the body’s defensive energy (Wei Qi) and stimulating local movement. This is done with local needling in the face as well as needles across the body. The key to the highest success rates and quickest recovery is getting acupuncture as quickly as possible. A patient who was treated last year for this condition managed to get in to treatment within the first week. After each session the changes in facial movement were clear to see. After the first session, the patient was able to close their eye lid, which had been fixed open by the paralysis.

The patient attended clinic twice a week for 3 weeks, by which time, there was no need for them to continue with treatment and the Bell’s palsy was totally resolved.

As is often the case for acupuncture systemic reviews result in statements that say there is a signal in the research that acupuncture may be beneficial however more high quality randomised trials need to be done. [4] One meta-analysis states that acupuncture was associated with an effective response rate as compared with other therapy interventions. [5] In one very complicated study they looked at functional connectivity in Bell’s palsy and the impact of acupuncture.  In simple terms, they looked at the nerve activity and concluded that acupuncture induces a tendency to recovery. [6] Another looked at laser speckle contrast imaging and also found blood flow and metabolic activity improved in the affected facial tissue by the use of acupuncture. [7] Finally, for the scientific evidence another group looked at the intensity through the sensation of de qi (the sensation at the acu-point) in relation to Bell’s palsy.  They found that a stronger intensity of de qi was associated with better therapeutic effects. [8]

A D Acupuncture has experience of treating patients with Bell’s palsy and the results have been heart warming.

This amazing testimonial comes from a lovely patient:

“An absolutely fantastic service from the brilliant and talented Alice at AD Acupuncture! I went in with a bad case of Bell's palsy and a degree of scepticism...and finished my course four weeks later, symptom free and a complete convert! Feeling returned to my face for the first time after onset during my first treatment and the next morning I could move the corner of my mouth. It was quite unexpected and dramatic! I would highly recommend this for anyone suffering from this condition, or indeed anyone who simply wants a bit of time out to relax and de-stress.”

Remember, if you or someone you know experiences Bell’s palsy, get in touch with an acupuncturist as quickly as possible, this will really make a difference to the speed of recovery.

1.       Bell’s Palsy: aetiology, clinical features and multidisciplinary care. Eviston TJ et al. J Neurol  Neurosurg Psychiatry 2015;86:1356-1361

2.       https://www.facialpalsy.org.uk/causesanddiagnoses/bells-palsy/

3.       The etiology of Bell’s palsy: a review. Zhang W et al. Journal of Neurology (2020) 267:1896-1905

4.       Compare the efficacy of acupuncture with drugs in the treatment of Bell’s palsy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCT’s. Zhang R et al. Medicine (2019) 98:19

5.       Efficacy of Acupuncture for Bell’s palsy: A systemic review and Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Li P et al. PLoS ONE 10(5)May 2015

6.       Functional Connectivity modulation by Acupuncture in patients with Bells’ palsy. Bian Y et al. Evidence based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Vol 2016 Article ID 5928758

7.       Efficacy of manipulative acupuncture therapy monitored by LSCI technology in patients with severe Bell’s palsy: A randomised controlled trial. Zhong W. Evidence based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Vol 2020 Article ID 6531743

8.       Effectiveness of strengthened stimulation during acupuncture for the treatment of Bell’s palsy: a randomised controlled trial. Xu S et al. CMAJ 2013 185(6)

A closer look at Vitamin C

Vitamin C might just be the most well known of the Vitamins. We know to dose up if we are worried we might be getting ill, we know that glass of orange juice will be doing something good for those Vit C levels and most of us have heard of scurvy, the old time disease of sailors who weren’t getting enough Vit C.

Little side note and mini history lesson : When James Lind, a surgeon’s mate in the 18th century, witnessed the dreadful effects of scurvy he ran the first recorded clinical trial in an attempt to find a cure. He separated the sick crew into pairs and gave each group one of the different cures that had been proposed over the years. The sufferers who were given lime juice recovered. It took 42 years after Lind published his findings for lemon juice to be officially issued by the Navy.[1] Once Lind’s discovery was accepted, the Royal Navy began to distribute limes to sailors on long journeys to ensure they would have enough Vitamin C.

OK back to the science. Being a holistic medicine, acupuncture works best by also managing your diet to keep balance. So why is Vitamin C, ascorbic acid, so important?  One of its attributes is as an antioxidant and these are molecules that boost the immune system. They do so by protecting cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.[2] Free radicals are compounds that can cause harm if their levels become too high in your body. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce the incidence of certain cancers.[3]

Humans, unlike most animals, are unable to make vitamin C, so it is an essential dietary component. It is found in citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussel sprouts and potatoes.[4] To function effectively as an antioxidant, relatively high levels of this vitamin must be maintained in the body.

Vitamin C is also really important for the absorption on iron. [5] So if you are struggling with an iron deficiency, supplementing Vitamin C as well as iron is going to be important and always the recommendation for these patients.

Due to the instability of vitamin C, it can be lost during cooking, hence why your morning lemon water should be warm from the tap and not boiling from the kettle. Temperature actually has a serious negative effect at over 60 degrees Centigrade. [6] Combined with its relatively poor intestinal absorption and ready excretion from the body, the physiological availability of this vitamin is quite low.[7]  According to Web MD it is just not practical for most people to consume the required servings of fruits and vegetables needed on a consistent basis, whereas taking a once-daily supplement is safe, effective, and easy to do. Nevertheless it may still be difficult to absorb sufficient quantities and high intakes can lead to diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and other gastrointestinal disturbances. [8]

Another way to take Vitamin C is in liposomes; liposomal Vitamin C.  Liposomes are tiny vesicles that are created from the exact same material that cellular membranes are made of. Perhaps the most characteristic example of a liposome that occurs naturally is human breast milk. Because of their natural origin and their simple, yet genius structure, liposomes are superior to any other form of conventional oral drug delivery system.[9] It has been shown in a number of studies that there is a more effective delivery of Vitamin C into the blood stream using it encapsulated in liposomes.[7, 10, 11, 12] There are numerous places to buy lisposomal Vitamin C and whilst it may be a little more costly than basic Vitamin C tablets the research shows the more of this important vitamin will be absorbed.  Even with these little bubbles packed with Vitamin C doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still eat your greens though!

1.    https://www.imarcresearch.com/blog/bid/340950/1747-James-Lind

2.   https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefits

3. Free Radicals, Antioxidants in Disease and Health. Pham-Puy et al. Int J Biomed Sci Vol .4 No. 2 June 2008

4. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/

5. Interaction of vitamin C and iron. Lynch SR and Cook JD. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1980 355: 32-44

6. Degradation of vitamins probiotics and other active ingredients cause by exposure to heat, water and sunlight. Nutraceutical Business Review Aug 2018

7. Liposomal-encapsulated Ascorbic Acid: Influence on Vitamin C Bioavailibility and Capacity to Protect Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Davis et al. Nutrition and Metabolic Insights2016:925-30

8. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-benefits-of-vitamin-c#1

9.  https://www.goldmanlaboratories.com/en/blog/liposome-n12

10. Enhanced Resorption of Liposomal Packed Vitamin C Monitored by Ultrasound. Prantl et al. J.Clin. Med. 2020,9,1616; doi:10.3390/jcm9061616

11. Evaluation and clinical comparison studies on liposomal and non-liposomal ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and their enhanced bioavailability. Gopi S. And Balakrishnan P. Journal of Lisposome Research Vol. 31 2021 Issue 4

12. Liposomal and Non-Liposomal Formulations of Vitamin C Comparison of the Antihypertensive and Vascular Modifying Activity in Renovascular Hypertensive Rats. Khalili et al. Iran J Med Sci Vol 45, No 1, January 20

Turning a breech baby with acupuncture

If you have followed AD Acupuncture for a while, you will know we are a massive advocate of Moxa and an earlier post explains the What, How, Why of this incredible herb. There are also a number of blogs on period health and the focus has been on the lead up to becoming pregnant and maintaining health during pregnancy. Another place where Moxa has a significant benefit in the latter stages of pregnancy is dealing with a breech baby,

Breech babies are those that are lying bottom first or feet first in the uterus (womb) instead of in the usual head-first position. Breech is very common in early pregnancy, and by 36-37 weeks of pregnancy, most babies turn naturally into the head-first position[1]. However, according to data from Kings College, London (March 2020) in the UK around 1 in 200 births (3 to 4%) are breech[2]. Due to the risks of complications most babies in the breech position are delivered via caesarean section. However, caesarean sections have their own risks and can sometimes lead to difficulties for future births[3].

There is the opportunity to turn the baby into the head-first position. This can be done by external cephalic version (ECV), turning the baby in the womb. Usually a medication is given by injection before the ECV which can create a feeling of flushing and increased heart rate for a short time. Then a gentle but firm pressure is applied on the abdomen to help the baby turn. ECV can be uncomfortable and occasionally painful[1].

The other option is moxibustion (using the wonderful Moxa).

The key element to this is the burning of Moxa at BL67  (Zhiyin), located beside the outer corner of the fifth toenail. Your appointment would consist of an acupuncture treatment, designed to relax the muscles and encourage blood flow to the uterus, followed by moxa on the little toe to encourage the baby to turn. You will then be taught how to carry out this treatment yourself, or with the help of a family member or friend at home. Moxa is very easy to administer at home if you know how and what needs doing. You will use the moxa for a course of treatment, in the hope that the baby will turn during this time.

There does not seem to be a clear explanation from a western medicine perspective as to what the mechanism is. One theory is that the heat encourages the release of two specific hormones in pregnancy, placental oestrogen and prostaglandins. This can lead to mild uterine contractions, helping the baby to move into an optimal, head-down position for a vaginal birth[4]

Chinese medicine has a number of theories, one is "It is thought that stimulating the last point on the bladder meridian brings movement to the kidney channel and helps the baby to turn." (Tom Ingegno)[4]. The bladder channel is also a yang channel and therefore corresponds to movement and activity.

The timing of either ECV or Moxibustion is key because if it is done too early the baby can spin back round into the breech position. It is ideal to start the moxibustion treatment at week 34. Research suggests moxibustion is about 66% successful, which is better than ECV, quoted at 50%.[5,6] There are quite a number of NHS hospitals offering Moxibustion for breech babies.  It makes sense to use a gentle treatment which has been shown to cause no foetal distress, that also has a higher success rate[7].  If you or someone you know has a mischievous little person refusing to shift then visit AD Acupuncture for a treatment in a wonderful setting to persuade baby to turn head-down.

Please note: while this may all sound very simple and safe, do not try this without the help of a fully qualified midwife or acupuncturist. There are contraindications to this treatment as well as it being more nuanced than it may appear. 

 1.        Patient information leaflet. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2017

2.       https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/new-algorithm-to-increase-breech-birth-safety

3.       Planned caesarean section for term breech delivery. Hofmeyr, Hannah,  Lawrie; Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul; 2015(7): CD000166. Published online 2015 Jul 21 doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000166.pub2

4.       https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/complications/what-is-moxibustion-and-can-ithelp-turn-breech-babies/

5.       https://www.boltonft.nhs.uk/services/maternity/information/complementary-therapies/moxibustion/

6.       https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/what-happens/if-your-baby-is-breech/

7.       Non-stress test changes during acupuncture plus moxibustion on BL67 point in breech presentation. Neri, et al. J Soc Gynecol Investig May-Jun 2002;9(3):158-62

Charity Spotlight

As of January 2021, a percentage of A D Acupuncture revenue will be donated to charity. This means the fee for each appointment you pay, includes a small charity donation.

4 local charities will be chosen a year, with each one receiving 3 months of donations. I will be sharing each charity, along with information, links and why I have chosen them. I am really excited to highlight some great local charities working within the local community, and to be able to give back to a local area that has raised me.

July - September 2022

Little Village

Little Village supports families with babies and children under five living in poverty across London. They run a baby bank network, collecting, sorting and passing on pre-loved clothes and equipment. Parents are also supported by a dedicated signposting and guidance team, who offer advice and links to other services. In addition, they work with families to share their stories and campaign to fix the systems that trap them in poverty. Their most local hub is in Southwark.

April - June 2022

Maudsley Charity

The Maudsley Charity works in partnership with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London to promote positive change in the world of mental health. They support innovation, research and service improvement, working with patients and families, clinical care teams, researchers and community organisations with a common goal of improving mental health.

January - March 2022

The 999 Club

The 999 Club is a Deptford based homeless charity aiming to provide a warm and welcoming environment to anyone who is homeless. They work to equip people with the ability and confidence to learn new skills, find work and reconnect to family and friends.

October - December 2021

Women and Girls Network

Women and Girls Network (WGN) was established in 1987 and has spent over 30 years supporting women and girls across London affected by gendered violence. Their goal is to promote, preserve, and restore the mental health and wellbeing of women and girls, to empower them to make a total and sustainable recovery from the experiences of violence.

July - September 2021

Refugee Youth

Refugee Youth is dedicated to improving the lives of young refugees aged 14-20 at different points in their journey. They focus on increasing emotional wellbeing and reducing social isolation amongst young newly arrived asylum seekers. Their mission is to create an environment of friendship and inclusiveness in which young refugees gain strength and confidence, collectively and as individuals, through creative learning. They do this by using creative activities to help young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds to explore the issues they face. This includes visual arts, film making, drama, discussions, dance and cookery sessions.

April - June 2021

Feed the Hill

Feed the Hill is a community food bank and social supermarket working in Telegraph Hill, sE14. They try to rescue in-date surplus foods which would otherwise be binned, and distribute to those most in need in the local community. The project now has over 400 volunteers, all working to try and ensure nobody has to go hungry.

January - March 2021

The New Cross Gate Trust

The Mew Cross Gate Trust is a local charity that aims to support the local community to learn new skills, improve employment prospects, improve health and well-being, feel safe and supported, develop self-confidence and social networks and access relevant services according to needs. And they do this in a plethora of ways, working with children and adults. Click on the link above to read more about them and learn the different ways in which they support the community.

The Post Lockdown World and Acupuncture

We are welcoming in the “new normal” and I think we all meet this with excitement and fear!

My Lockdown

My lockdown experience was very up and down, as were most peoples I think. I will share a little bit of what my lockdown was like, because I ask my patients to share so much of their lives with me, sometimes I think its nice to share some of my life in return.

Some things were hard. My biz (my baby) was shut and losing money. Not working was also really hard. Firstly I love my job so not working is such a shame, but also I had nothing to do. I felt unproductive and a bit useless. I missed my friends so much. I lived in a house of 6 people, a little bit squished, without a lot of personal space (something I am a very big fan of), and had a bereavement. Not to mention the pandemic itself and the terrible state of the world.
But there were some really good bits. I spent some amazing time with my family, the kind we won’t ever have again, and I don’t think we have ever got on so well or had as much fun, I chilled out properly for the first time in a few years, learning that I don’t have to be productive to be happy. My grandfather survived Covid-19 at 98 years old, I learnt some new DIY skills, and had a big reminder of how much I love my friends,

A D Acupuncture

A D Acupuncture was no different to the millions of small businesses to close due to the pandemic. I treated my last patient before the closure on 20th March. And on 6th June, clinic finally reopened. While a couple of months of that time I did very little although still trying to support my patients, the last month was spent gearing up for the reopen. I always knew that things would be different when we went back but there was a lot to figure out and think about. The sense of responsibility I felt to reopen and be safe was quite overwhelming. But I think that’s a good thing. It shows a level of care and awareness. So by the time I opened the clinic, I felt very sure that my clinic was safe and that my return to work was appropriate. At this point I was only allowed to see urgent care patients. During this time I worked with lots of different conditions such as Sciatica, Tennis Elbow, Interstitial Cystitis and Oral Thrush.
As of 4th July, clinic has reopened to all patients and I’m so excited. I have to say, I hated urgent care only. I had to turn people away, and I had to decide who was deserving enough of help and that whole thing just didn’t sit well with me. Don’t get me wrong, I understand it was necessary, but I’m glad it’s over.

But now we are trying to move to the “new normal”. And I am looking at how acupuncture and it’s patients will change going forward.
Firstly, the new COVID secure workings of the clinic will be sticking around for a while. For details on those changes, have a look at my risk assessment and procedures documents.

The new treatment that will be going on is COVID-19 recovery treatments. As people recover from this virus, some are being left with fatigue and weakness, migraines, weakened immune systems, and mental distress, to name a few. Acupuncture can be an amazing tool to help with all these aspects. I have started working with post Covid patients and I am really excited to see the results acupuncture brings about. Using both needles and moxa, the immune system can be so well supported. I’m also loving the Moxa Self Care Kits for this, and shipping them to help people get well at home. And while its new to me, working with acupuncture in a pandemic, its not new for acupuncture. The Shang Hun Lun, one of the first medical textbooks of acupuncture, was created out of a pandemic and the role acupuncture plays with that sort of disease. The Shang Hun Lun has gone on to be a focal point for an entire system of Chinese Medicine.

The other major change I think I will see in clinic is post COVID-19 anxiety. I believe this will happen in a lot of different ways.
Anxiety created after having the virus and experiencing that trauma. Anxiety around our safety and avoiding viruses and illness. Anxiety in the transition out of lockdown and back to socialising/working. And the list goes on. All of these can have knock on effects leading to other mental health conditions such as OCD, agoraphobia and depression. I myself have experienced anxiety in a way I never have before, as I began socialising with friends again. Acupuncture can be so useful in these scenarios, helping to calm the mind and ease anxieties. If you are feeling a lot of anxiety or stress, you can check out my acupressure videos to help with this (at bottom of post), as well as getting in touch with me.

For help with any thing, from the new post lockdown world, or from way before we knew what COVID was, just get in touch.

Period Health - What can we do?

Understanding the importance of Period health is one thing, but how do we act on that and start to make a difference?

Disclaimer - this is gereralised advise that does not suit everybody, for tailored advice, please contact me or your trained TCM practitioner.

Work with your cycle

As our cycle is split into two halves, we should work with this, in terms of diet and lifestyle. As a way to regulate your cycle, act according to where you should be in the cycle, rather than where you are. This is a way of encouraging and reminding the body of the way it should be behaving,

First half - Follicular Phase

This is the time of the bleed as well as the run up to ovulation. This is the Yin time, were the body is naturally cooler, and where the body is being depleted of blood. Therefore this is the time to rest and nourish.

Exercise - limit the amount you do during this time, light stretching is a great idea, especially if you have period pains or clots. But strenuous exercise isn’t appropriate. In particular if you experience fatigue around the bleed, take care to not over do it. Take naps if possible.

Food - nourish nourish nourish! In TCM we see this time as chance to replenish what the body is losing. So ensure you are eating lots of soups and stews. Slow cooked warm meals are the way to go. In terms of specific foods - eggs are something I would be eating everyday during this time.

Second Half - Luteal Phase

This is the time after ovulation until the next bleed. And its the Yang half of the cycle, where the body is naturally warmer. During this time our energy levels and output should increase.

Exercise - now is the time to push yourself a little harder if that’s something you are into. Increase how much movement you are getting. Especially if you experience pain or PMS, now is the time to really move!

Food - Time to eat more fresh and stimulating foods

Period Pains and PMS

Follow the advice already given around movement. Make sure you move throughout the cycle, altering the intensity as stated.

Food - avoid spicy foods, but introduce lots of spices, such as cumin, coriander, ginger and cinnamon. This should be particularly increased just before and during the bleed. Cinnamon Tea is something I recommend to a lot of patients with period pains! Avoid very cold food and drinks before the bleed. Avoid over eating or over consuming. Eating small regular meals throughout the cycle will work better.

Heat - add heat, whether that is baths, showers, hot water bottles, or moxa! You can also soak your feet every night for the first 14 days of your cycle in hot water. This is incredibly powerful and easy to do at home. While on your feet, keep your feet warm! This is always important for women, but especially if you are having problems with your cycle. Don’t let you bare feet touch the floor. There are a lot of essential acupuncture points around the feet and ankles, and they hate to be cold. So does our uterus. So if you get pains, also be sure to keep the tummy and lower back warm. A Haramaki is a Japanese piece of clothing, like a band around your middle, designed to keep this area warm.

Light/no bleed

if you are finding your period very light, or not getting a period at all, then its time to nourish! Stop any intense exercise and move only to lighter, less strenuous activity.

Food - if your diet allows it, start drinking bone broth and eating lots of eggs. These strengthen the body and our blood. Increase leafy green vegetables and tahini. Ensure you eat 3-4 meals a day including breakfast! No bleed means the body is deficient and needing some serious care. So take it as a sign to look over your diet, lifestyle and emotional wellbeing.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has the ability to balance all the hormones involved in our cycles [1], as well as flooding the body with natural painkillers and endorphins. I honestly believe that if you are having difficulty with your periods or fertility - acupuncture is the way to go. The standard length of treatment would be weekly for around 3 months, allowing you to go through 3 cycles with acupuncture. Having acupuncture will also give you the chance to receive personalised advise around diet and lifestyle.

Reference

[1] A literature review of women’s sex hormone changes by acupuncture treatment

Period Health - What we learn from Tracking

It’s Period Health month here at A D Acupuncture. And if you haven’t seen already, check out my last post, as this is a continuation in the series. Last week was all about tracking the period and how to do that effectively.

This week we are discussing what is it we can learn from tracking the period. So, if you have tracked your cycle for a while, or just generally know the deal for you, then its time to understand what that means in terms of period health.

Disclaimer: I’m not talking about every possible scenario here, I’m just discussing the most common. If you would like to talk about your cycle, and get personalised support, then get in touch to see how I can help. This is just a starting place!

I’m going to be discussing this using both Western Medicine (WM) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). You may not understand the terminology, but whats important is identifying what’s true for you and hopefully learning something. Next week, we are discussing how we take this terminology and actually start to help the body!

Traditional Chinese Medicine

A few things to understand about TCM and this post. First off, TCM is incredibly complicated and therefore this post is an overview, giving you a rough insight and trying to make TCM useable to those without training.

Second, we are working with four different types of imbalances in TCM. These are Energy, Blood, Yin and Yang. These exist on a scale as shown in the diagram below.

Western Medicine

So, back to biology class! Our cycle can be split into two sections - before and after ovulation.

Follicular Phase

Before ovulation is called the follicular phase. This is around 14 days long in a regular 28 day cycle. It includes the bleed, and then the time that the body prepares and releases an egg. It is called the follicular phase as the ovaries produce follicles, and the largest follicle, during ovulation, releases an egg. Within TCM, this is seen as the Yin stage of the cycle.

Luteal Phase

After ovulation is called the luteal phase. Again, around 14 days long. This is the time that the body prepares for implantation of an embryo. Therefore the lining of our endometrium (uterus lining) builds. If there is no fertilisation, the hormones do not maintain the lining and it will begin to shed. This is now the start of the next cycle. Within TCM this is seen as the Yang stage of the cycle.

Basal Body Temperate (BBT)

BBT is something that can be used for tracking the period as our body temperature is effected by different stages of the cycle. Body temp is lowest at the start of the period, before peaking at ovulation and maintaining a higher BBT for the rest of the cycle. These temperature changes correlate to Yin and Yang. Yin relates to cold, stillness, and blood. While Yang relates to heat, energy, movement and growth.

So, from tracking when we ovulate and how long our cycle is, we can learn which part of our circle is not quite right.

Cycle Length

If the follicular is to long, it is often due to Blood or Yin Deficiency. This is the Yin and Blood part of the cycle, and therefore if these are in short supply, it can take longer for the body to ovulate.

A luteal stage defect usually means that this stage is too short. This can have big impacts on fertility as there won’t be enough time to build the endometrial lining to support a pregnancy, This usually relates to Yang Deficiency. This is because this is the Yang stage of the cycle. And without it we have a deficiency of growth. A long luteal phase suggests pregnancy.

Myth Buster - your period isn’t late, your ovulation is! That’s right, after ovulation you will have a bleed no later than 16 days later if you haven’t conceived. The luteal phase is a lot more reliable in that sense. The follicular phase however can be tricky! So chances are its your ovulation that’s late, and your period is right on time.

I don’t know when I ovulate!

It can be hard to track this, and it may be something you just are not inclined to do. If so, then lets just think days.

Long - Deficiency, probably of Blood or Yin. If you gets lots of pain too - then its stagnation of Blood making the cycle longer.

Short - Heat, I’m not really delving into heat and cold in this post, but they do affect the cycle. If you think this applies to you, get in touch to find out more.

Irregular - sometimes short, sometimes long. It could be Energy or Blood Deficiency. This is often a more complicated pattern so get in touch for personalised help to regulate the cycle.

Energy Levels and Mood

If you have tracked fatigue connected with the cycle, it will be important to know when. If the fatigue is just before the period but after ovulation, this suggests it is Yang Deficiency. if you also have a short luteal phase, this supports this too.

If the fatigue comes after or during the period and before ovulation, this is usually a sign of Blood Deficiency. Therefore the loss of blood is felt much more by the body, resulting in tiredness. To note however, energy levels are naturally higher in the second part of our cycle, and lower in the first half. But fatigue or lethargy that negatively impacts you, is something to address.

Mood follows a similar pattern. Dips in mood, or increase in anxiety before bleeding but after ovulation is a Yang or Energy Deficiency.

Dips in mood or increase in anxiety before ovulation is a Yin or Blood Deficiency.

Pain

Probably the biggest topic of period health ever! Pain, anywhere in the body, in TCM is stagnation of blood or energy. If movement is uninterrupted in the body, then we cannot have pain. So pain = stagnation.

Keep reading other sections to find more clues to whether it is blood or energy.

PMS

PMS as a generalisation is Energy stagnation.

Colour, clots and flow

Clots and dark coloured blood suggests stagnation of blood.

Pale blood suggests Blood Deficiency.

A very light flow, and/or a short bleed can suggest blood deficiency.

A very heavy flow, and/or long bleed can suggest energy deficiency.

So there we have it, the very basics to help you start to diagnose using your cycle tracking! As I said before, this is just a guide, for personalised, accurate advise, get in touch with me or see your local practitioner. Next week, I will be sharing how we can start to remedy some of these imbalances!

Period Heath - Tracking

Cycle or Period Health can be a very overwhelming thing. If you start trying to look for info on the internet or instagram, you can easily be told “use your BBT to track your follicular and luteal stages” with the letters GnRH , FSH and LH flying about.

Well what the hell is that? And if I don’t want a baby, now or maybe ever, why do I even care?

So I wanted to come back to basics, try and make a resource to make period health accessible, and educate on why period health is important. Throughout April I will be discussing Period Health, both here and on my instagram. To start with, how to start tracking your period and why period health is for everybody, not just those trying to conceive. All the things I mention under tracking your period are things I will ask you about in our consultation - even if you’re not in for anything cycle related.

Tracking

If you want to start paying more attention to your period health, tracking your period is the first thing you need to do, and not just the dates. Unless you’ve tracked your period for a few months, you may not know how things can be improved. You can track the cycle on your phone calendar or download an app for tracking the period. My personal fav is Clue, but there is a few to choose from. None of the tracking I discuss will include Basal Body Temperature, a way of tracking the period using a thermometer. I’m also not discussing the different biological phases in the cycle, but I’ll touch on this in the next post. Remember this post is about going back to basis, or possibly, starting from scratch.

The Numbers

Day one = first day of bleed.

This is something people can often get confused over, but Day 1 of your cycle is your first day of bleeding.

Your cycle is now as many days as it takes to bleed again. Also note how many days the bleed lasts.

An ideal cycle length is around 28 days. When a cycle is 28 days, this shows that all phases in the cycle are lasting the right amount of time.

The Bleed

Knowing how many days we bleed for is important, but there are other things we should be observing and recording with the bleed. a typical 28 day cycle would have a bleed of 4 days.

Firstly, how heavy the bleeding is and how this changes. How often do you have to change your sanitary product? This is something I often ask patients as a way of deducing the flow of blood.

What’s the colour like? Period blood can vary in colour from very pale pink to a very dark brown or black and everything in between. The colour may also change across the bleed, so just have a little look and see.

Now, when I ask about the clots in the blood, I almost always get a funny look. But it really does matter. Some people will have none, others can have pretty large clots that can be painful to pass.

Ovulation

Ovulation is one that I think confuses a lot of people. It is also something many non fertility patients I see just don’t know about. Ovulation usually occurs mid-cycle (around day 14). This is when we are most fertile, and why those trying to conceive often track ovulation. But even when not wanting to concieve, knowing roughly when we ovulate can be very helpful.

Ovulation can be tricky to notice, as for most people the symptoms are subtle or even not there. But if you know what they are, you have a much better chance of spotting it.

-Increased vaginal discharge, it will be watery, and stretchy, a bit like raw egg whites. (This is probably the most universal and obvious symptom)

-Pain on one side of the lower abdomen. This will be over the ovary that is ovulating. (We have two ovaries, one on each side, but only one side releases an egg each month

-Increase in sex drive

-Breast tenderness

Pain

The first thing to say about period pains - they are NOT normal! We are taught that period pains are a part of life, and something women must simply endure each month nice and quietly. Wrong. In Chinese Medicine, any pain of any kind cannot be normal.

So things to note about the pain you experience:

-When. what days of the cycle do you experience pain, whether that is before, during or after the bleed?

-How much. How bad is the pain on each day. A little rating out of 10 will do the trick.

-Where. Where abouts do you feel the pain? Lower abdomen, lower back, thighs?

PMS - pre menstrual symptoms

PMS is a very broad term, it can refer to anything from headaches to bloating to irritability to crying. Basically, PMS is any symptom you get just before the period that lets you know, your bleed is coming. Note what symptoms, but also the severity. PMS, similarly to pain, is not something normal, especially for those women for whom this is very severe.

Other symptoms

There are other symptoms you might not think relate to the cycle, but really they do. I’ll name a few but really anything that happens cyclically, in a similar time frame to the cycle, is most likely linked.

-Appetite. This can change drastically up and down throughout the cycle

- Energy levels. Some patients can experience mild to severe fatigue in relation to their bleed

- Mood.

-Headaches

-Digestion. This covers everything from bloating to bowel movements.

Why does period health matter?

1. Ok, so lets start with the obvious - babies! The better our period health, the higher our chances of conceiving a baby naturally. In Chinese Medicine, we also believe that we should conceive a baby when at optimum health, to ensure the healthiest foetus possible. Therefore the advice given is that before we start trying to conceive, we regulate and improve our cycle. This can take a while to do, so if you are not thinking about pregnancy yet, but think you will in the future, get ahead of the game. So that when you decide you want a baby, you can start trying right away.

2. But its not all about babies! Not all of us want to carry a child but that doesn’t mean we should ignore our period health. What happens with our period is a great insight into the working of the body. It is a resource we can use to see imbalances occurring within the body. By working with the period to improve it this will have a knock on effect to the whole body. If we manage to cause changes to the cycle, we are causing changes to our internal energies.

3. Last but not least, because all women deserve to have pain free, predictable cycles that don’t cause dread. If you’re in pain, or have an erratic bleed, or a super heavy bleed, or no bleed, or PMS the chances are, you’d rather that wasn’t the case, or further still you long for it to be different. Well it can! And the first step towards that is tracking your period and learning what is happening to your body.

Later this month I will be talking about how we can improve our period health, and a bit more of the meanings behind tracking and hopefully continuing to answer some of your questions about the topic. If you have any questions, or want to discuss your period health, then just drop me an email.

Moxabustion - what, why, How?

So if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen I have just had an article published in the Journal of Chinese Medicine. This article is a literary review, collating research from the last 15 years, to see what explanation can be given as to how moxa has it’s therapeutic effects.

This article is heavy on Chinese medicine theory and western biochemistry to explain how moxa has its therapeutic effects. As it’s aimed towards practitioners, there is little on what conditions moxa is used for, why we would use it and how we would use it.

So what is moxa and moxabustion?

Moxa is a herb which we can burn on or above the skin to warm acupuncture points. The herb is Chinese Mugwort that has been dehydrated, crushed and sieved. Whats left is what acupuncturists use, Moxa. Moxabustion is just the name given to the therapy of using Moxa to positively influence healing.

Why do we use Moxa?

In Chinese Medicine, we see Moxa as warming, nourishing and moving. And it because of this ability to both move and nourish that it can be used with a huge range of conditions.

Here are some examples of when I most frequently use moxa in clinic:

• Boosting Immunity (prone to infections, coughs and colds)

• Gynaecology and fertility (endometriosis and period pains is almost always a must!)

• Musculoskeletal (painful muscles and arthritis, however this can really vary. It is shown to reduce inflammation)

• Mental Health (patients often find it very relaxing and calming)

• Digestive issues (bloating with loose stools and mild pain)

How does it work?

This is the big question that I really wanted to understand, so badly I wrote a paper on it. If you would like to know more of what I found then please contact me to have a read. But this is the short version:

Moxa works as a heat therapy. Warming the area increases blood flow, metabolism and elasticity in connective tissue. It also has relatively unique infrared radiation waves that allow this heat to travel deeper within the body than other forms of heat such as a hot water bottle. There are also anti inflammatory properties in the smoke given off. All these factors combine to give this amazing herb that can do so much for our bodies. I would be at a loss in my clinic without it. I believe that the results I get are not just from the needles that I put in, but also the Moxa that I use.

How do I use it?

I could use a few different techniques in order to use Moxa.

One would be Stick Moxa. As pictured, this just hovers about the skin warming the area with or without a needle. This is probably what I use most commonly and is often a really enjoyable experience.

You can also burn Moxa directly on the skin. It is rolled into small pieces, (the size can change) and then lit on the skin. When you feel it warm, the Moxa is removed and replaced with another. This may happen 5 or even 7 times.

There is also a Moxa Box. This is used if I want to warm a much larger area, say the whole abdomen or lower back. This is like a super hot water bottle. And if it gets too warm, I simply lift the box off.

As you can probably tell, I’m obsessed! I think it is amazing and if you want to experience it for yourself, come in and see!

Natural Ways to Manage Period Pains

As a young woman studying Chinese Medicine, I was told for the very first time that period pains are not normal. Not everybody gets them and we don’t have to put up with them. You can imagine this was a pretty big revelation. As we grow up, women are not educated in what a healthy period should be like, when something isn’t quite right and what you can do to change it.

Acupuncture is incredible when it comes to womens health, working to regulate periods, reduce PMS and stop pain!

Whilst seeing a GP and a registered Acupuncturist is my top suggestion, there are a few things you can do at home to help period pains without using pain killers. These are all short term solutions but super handy for when those pains kick in - so here you are.

Acupressure

If you are experiencing period pains, that means there is some kind of stagnation or blockage in the body causing it. Therefore applying pressure to certain acupuncture points that help to keep things moving can reduce pain. Simply massage these points as and when you need usually about 5 minutes of massage and you will notice a difference. these point can also be tender to touch during the period and you will know you have found the right spot. The great thing about this is, you can use these anywhere, at your desk at work/school, on the train or out at the pub. Wherever you are when those pains start to creep in - get rubbing!

Spleen 10

This point is located just above the knee of the inside of your thigh. Measure the size of your knee cap with your thumb and forefinger. This is how high above your kneecap the point is. Now move inwards so you are inline with the inside edge of your knee cap.

Spleen 6

This point is on the inside lower calf, about 4 fingers up from the boney ball (medial malleolus) on the inside of your foot.

Liver 3

This point is on the top on the foot, between the bones of the first and second toe. Run your finger along the side of your foot until you reach the bone (big toe knuckle), then move over the big toe bone into a dip.

Heat

Something a lot of us will already do, using warmth to ease the pain. Hop in the shower or use a hot water bottle. Even better, Moxa! A herb you can burn to warm the area of skin, but in a super powerful way. You will need to talk to an acupuncturist about how to use this herb and where to get it. But I highly suggest you do, it is incredible.

Exercise

Exercise is probably the last thing you want to do when in pain however it can be really benficial. Movement will help combat the stasis that is causing the pain. Now I don’t mean get in the gym and work out for an hour. Even just going for a walk can really help to ease the pain, not to mention it’s a distraction.

So leave those painkillers in the cupboard - and give these tips a try! And as always, if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch!

Intersticial Cystitis - Patient interview

At the beginning of this year, I had the pleasure to start treating Francesca, a 29 year old, who had been suffering with Interstitial Cystitis (IC) for around 14 months.

Francesca is now almost pain free from IC and so I asked her if she would be up for answering some questions about her experience and share some of her story. And very kindly, she said yes. I am very excited to share with you a patients side of acupuncture.

Meet Francesca, 29

Why did you first consider acupuncture?

Francesca: Having spent nearly a year receiving invasive hospital treatments to try and alleviate the pain I experienced from interstitial cystitis I decided to look into alternative therapies. After doing some extensive reading in group forums and reading positive outcomes through acupuncture I decided to give it a go.

What were your expectations of acupuncture?

Francesca: If I am honest with the little experience I had with holistic medicine, I had very low expectations of acupuncture and what benefits it would bring to me having been in chronic pain for so long. 

What were the outcomes of your treatment?

Francesca: The outcomes were beyond anything I could have imagined. After 6 months of receiving acupuncture alongside natural supplements the difference I felt in myself was incredible. I can happily say that I am virtually pain free. 

How would you describe Alice as your practitioner?

Francesca: Alice is an amazing practitioner. She is incredibly knowledgeable and will always take the time to listen to what you are trying to achieve and explain how she is going to help you reach your goals. If you have other symptoms alongside your main problem she will also work to alleviate those as well. She is compassionate, kind, and always makes me feel at ease whenever I am in her clinic. 

What impact has acupuncture had on your health and life?

Francesca: Acupuncture has given me my life back. When you have experienced chronic pain it’s hard to think that it could ever go away but the results I saw in such a short space of time really surprised me. 

Can you sum up your health journey with Acupuncture and Alice?

Francesca: Being diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis made me re-evaluate my lifestyle and the way I was treating my body. It can be quite a change having to cut out different food groups and learn to properly take care of your mind and body, but Alice was on hand to guide me through the different stages and never judged me if I had a slight relapse. Without Alice’s help I don’t think I would be back to feeling like my old self. 

Patients like Francesca are why I am an acupuncturist, and its my honour to have been able to help Francesca get her life back. I would like to say a massive thank you to Francesca, for opening up about your experiences and for your amazing words!

If you too suffer from interstitial cystitis, or any other chonic illness, don’t suffer silently. Get in touch and see if acupuncture could help you.

What is the BAcC?

This blog post it all about the BAcC. What is it? Who is it? And why do we care? 

You may not be aware of what the BAcC is or why it is important or why choosing an acupuncturist who is a member of the BAcC is probably the best idea. So, I wanted to take the opportunity to explain all of this. And for my fellow acupuncturists, I’d like to share my viewpoint as to why we should want to be a part of this organisation.

What is the BAcC?

The BAcC stands for the British Acupuncture Council. They are the UK’s biggest acupuncture regulatory board and provide the gold standard of acupuncture. The BAcC is the only acupuncture board that is registered with the professional standards agency (PSA), meeting all the World Health Organisation standards. It is a member led organisation, with an elected governing board. 

Who is a BAcC member?

In order to become a member of the BAcC, you need to have completed 3 years of degree level training at an accredited college or university. If you finish your accredited course and choose not to become a member immediately, after three years you will put through tests in order to prove your confidence if you then wish to join. I think, if you have completed the three years of training, you should be a member. In 2009, the BAcC nearly achieved statutory regulation however as the government changed, this was dropped. Without this it means anyone can go on a weekend or month-long course and call themselves an acupuncturist. However, these people cannot be a member of the BAcC. Hopefully statutory regulation will be achieved soon but until then, you can’t guarantee your acupuncturist has been through appropriate training unless they have BAcC membership. I spent three years and tens of thousands of pounds to train as an acupuncturist. I have been taught the Chinese medicine theory, the acupuncture point locations, their English and Chinese names, their classifications and individual functions, I have learnt the human anatomy, a vast amount of western medicine and written a dissertation. Not to mention hours of observations, clinical work and needle practice. And all of this is vital be being a good practitioner. I have earnt the superiority of status that the BAcC brings, I have earnt my membership. And this is not unique of me. This is the same for any BAcC member. I don’t want to do myself the disservice of not being a member. As a member you are also required to complete a certain number of hours doing post graduate work a year. If you fail to do so, you cannot keep your membership.

What does the BAcC do?

Firstly, I feel it provides a great level of status and credibility to the medicine. The purpose of the BAcC is to raise awareness of acupuncture, represent acupuncturists, to protect both practitioners and the general public, fund research and promote integrated healthcare.

How do you know they are BAcC Members?

Firstly, ask. If you are making an inquiry with an acupuncturist, feel comfortable in asking “are you a member of the BAcC?” Most members will promote their membership on their website with the logo or in their bio. Members are also allowed to use the designated letters MBAcC.

You can also use the BAcC website, enter your postcode and see members in your area.   

For more information on the BAcC you can visit their website, which is filled with information for both patients and practitioners. 

I hope this makes you more informed in finding a safe and qualified acupuncturist.

World Mental Health Day

Its World Mental Health Day!

A day to open up the conversation about mental illness and try and break down stigma. 

Mental health is something I feel really passionate about. Firstly, in my personal life. As mental health affects more and more people, I don’t think any of my friends have not been affected by mental health, either themselves or within their families. And my family and I are no exception to this. But also, in my work life. I am really interested in treating mental illness. I think acupuncture is an amazing therapy to use for this and today I want to explain how acupuncture can help.

In the west, we see the acknowledgement of the link between the mind and body as something new. That this is something we are learning about and starting to realise. However, within Chinese medicine this has always been in the foundation of how you treat a patient and heal the body. Each organ in Chinese medicine carries out functions, for example the heart is responsible for the circulation of blood. As well as physical functions, each also pertains to a certain emotion. So the heart is linked to happiness and joy and is therefore involved in the regulation and appropriate presentation of that emotion. 

So whenever we treat a patient we will consider your emotions and mental wellbeing, even if you don’t think it can be related to your main complaint. 

But let’s look at the western science behind acupuncture and mental health. Mental health of course, is a broad term with the pathogenesis (development of disease) being vastly different from patient to patient. So today, let’s just look at three big hormones involved in our mental wellbeing specifically around anxiety and depression. These are serotonin, dopamine and melatonin. Acupuncture has been proven to affect all three. 

 Serotonin:

Serotonin is a hormone that is commonly known as the happiness hormone and reduced levels can result in depression and anxiety.  Acupuncture has been proven to cause changes to the serotonergic mechanism (the system inside the body that produces serotonin) and in turn increase production [1].

 Dopamine:

Dopamine is again involved in depression and anxiety. It can also have a big impact on our motivation and memory, two things that can often drop when suffering from depression. Rather than increase levels of dopamine, acupuncture has been shown to enhance the synaptic dopamine availability [2]. Essentially this means acupuncture makes your body more able to use dopamine that you already have.

 Melatonin:

And finally, melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for controlling our sleep wake cycle and therefore reduced amounts can cause insomnia and sleep disturbances [3]. Sleep disturbances are often another symptom with depression and anxiety. It is also shown to have anti-anxiety effects [4]. Melatonin can be given as a medication to anxiety patients however using acupuncture can also raise melatonin levels.

So now this all sounds fabulous, acupuncture is the answer. But the truth is acupuncture can’t work alone. Having talking therapy and making lifestyle changes like diet, exercise and mental practices will all be involved. And as ever, there is no quick fix. It will be a process that will take more than just the needles. But your acupuncturist should be able to help you with making lifestyle changes and the needles can really make a difference.

This world mental health day, start the process, or help someone else to make a start, or take the next step. And that doesn’t just have to be with acupuncture. 

[1] Lee, E., & Warden, S. (2016). The effects of acupuncture on serotonin metabolism. European Journal Of Integrative Medicine, 8(4), 355-367. doi: 10.1016/j.eujim.2016.06.022

[2] Kim, S., Doo, A., Park, J., Bae, H., Chae, Y., & Shim, I. et al. (2011). Acupuncture Enhances the Synaptic Dopamine Availability to Improve Motor Function in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease. Plos ONE, 6(11), e27566. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027566

[3] Seithikurippu R, A. (2015). Melatonin, the Hormone of Darkness: From Sleep Promotion to Ebola Treatment. Brain Disorders & Therapy, 04(01). doi: 10.4172/2168-975x.1000151

[4] Sun, X., Wang, Y., Jiang, N., & Du, Z. (2016). The Potential Role of Melatonin on Mental Disorders: Insights from Physiology and Pharmacology. Bipolar Disorder: Open Access, 2(1). doi: 10.4172/2472-1077.1000105