health areas of focus

  Chinese medicine theory views the Kidney  system as pivotal during both male and female reproductive years. It is the Kidney energy that is responsible for governing reproduction, growth and aging. 

When the Kidney energy is depleted this can result in many health issues including impacting fertility and making conception challenging.

Also, of focus in TCM are the Heart, Liver, Spleen and Lung meridian systems. Spleen governs blood production and Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of blood and energy within the body. Therefore, imbalances such as blood stagnation can play a key component in reproductive health. The Heart and Lung are seen to have an impact on emotional health and past associated grief. 

Practically when considering an appropriate Chinese medicine practitioner, it’s of great value to select someone who has a good working knowledge of current western diagnostic techniques treatments and trends. Working alongside couples undergoing natural or IVF assisted fertility has been a strong focus of Scott's for the past 5 years. 

He also completed additional training in Kirsten Wolfe's Fertile Life Method whilst working at Mornington Chinese Medicine with many patients to support both men's and women's reproductive health with acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

  The human body as maintained by a Yin – Yang balance. Qi is generated from the interaction between Yin and Yang. Qi flows through meridians in the male body and nourishes the organs. 

Disease is present when there is an imbalance between Yin and Yang. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to restore the balance and improve the amount and quality of flow of Qi

The Liver plays a primary role in men’s health. Liver stores and regulates blood volume and maintains the flow of blood. It it not uncommon in today's fast paced society to find men with an imbalance of Liver Qi Typically presenting as excess heat due to lifestyle factors and environmental toxins. Excess heat impacts a range of men's health conditions however is notable in the case of reproductive health.

The Kidney is also a significant organ for men's health. It is the man’s powerhouse of Qi reserves. Offering backup energy to all other organs and systems around the body. The Kidney stores the vital essence, power for growth, development and reproduction. The Kidney also participates in the generation of blood. 

Many common health concerns facing men can be addressed from a Chinese medicine perspective by identifying deficiencies be it Kidney or otherwise and working to build and support the patient’s health with a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, dietary therapy and lifestyle changes. 

The fast paced world we live in is a huge contributor to a wide variety of men's health issues. Assisting men to combat the 'toxic stress', find  balance and achieve optimal health is a passion of Scott's. 

Woman’s Health issues are primarily governed by three organs. The Spleen, Liver and Kidney. 

The Spleen is very important when looking at a woman’s health. Governing most energetic processes in the body the Spleen takes nutrients and energy to produce blood transporting this energy and nutrients to the other organs. To provide a woman with a healthy menstrual cycle the Spleen must be functioning at its optimal level. Largely influenced by what we eat a diet with excessive sugar, processed food and refined carbohydrates produces a clogged and stagnant Spleen. This is experienced as lethargy and mental fog. Excess worry, thinking, study and concentrating can weaken Spleen function and manifest as digestive disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and ulcers.

Storage and filtration of blood and smooth distribution of blood throughout the body is the primary activity of the Liver. Its relationship with blood means that is has a a strong influence on menstruation. When the Liver is strong the cycle will be normal. Deficiency in Liver Qi may result in the absence of a menstrual cycle and excess in heat in the Liver may result in a heavy or long menstrual cycle. Many gynaecological problems are related to Liver Qi disturbances. The associated emotion to liver health is anger. Long periods of unresolved anger, resentment or frustration may impact Liver function.

The Kidney stores our essence. From birth it controls growth, development, reproductive health and is the basis for sexual life. The Kidneys are the root of life. They control our various life stages and replenishing Kidney essence is of vital importance. Fear and anxiety are associated with the kidneys and long-standing fear can weaken the adrenals and therefore deplete Kidney Qi.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can influence and stimulate hormonal pathway production and correct subtle imbalances. Often used for a variety of women’s health concerns acupuncture has been seen to be particularly useful in the support of back or pelvic pain during pregnancy, labour pain, perimenopausal & postmenopausal insomnia and menopausal hot flushes. Acupuncture is also helpful for women's health concerns such as pregnancy support and birth preparation, period pain, menstrual issues, PCOS, Endometriosis and menopausal changes.

    The Stomach Qi is vital to good health and of particular interest to Scott. Having dedicated further study into supporting the digestive health of his patients Scott considers that digestive health and Stomach Qi to be the root to many dis-harmonies found in the body. 

Society is becoming increasingly aware of the gut health connection to many health issues faced in today’s world not to mention the gut mind connection. Our ‘digestive fire’ needs to be stoked correctly and tended to in order to maintain strong Stomach Qi. It’s not only important to consider the foods we select but also how well our bodies are absorbing all the nutrients. Poor Stomach Qi means that our food is not digested properly. This may mean you experience bloating, poor appetite, nausea or pain from an overworked Spleen. On the counter side excessive Stomach Qi may cause an increase in hunger, stomach acid, weight loss and illness such as ulcers.

The use of Acupuncture, Chinese dietary therapy and herbal medicine alongside integrative supplementation is often used to strengthen the Stomach Qi and ensure your gut is healthy.

  We depend on our body’s immune system to fight against infection and keep on top of our internal environment. A normal functioning immune system means health is maintained. The occurrence of disharmony among this system and the body will experience ill health. As in Western medicine, TCM identifies the body holds its own disease defense ability. We call this healthy energy and defence system against disease our Zheng Qi. 

Every organ and system in the body has its own Qi. When considering our bodies immune function the following Qi are of high importance. 

Your body’s ‘front line defense’ is Wei Qi. Maintaining a healthy immune system relies on strong vital Wei Qi.
 

How our body extracts nutrients from our food is important for maintaining optimal health. This is your Ying Qi. 

Our Kidney energy, Yuan Qi is the essence of our blood and responsible for keeping our system running smoothly.

Viewing any disharmony in the body employs a holistic approach. The human body is an organic whole, includes the correlations between organs and tissues as well as our living environment. Stability and harmony within and between our internal and external environments are key to maintaining overall balance and harmony. Any disturbance in this will cause disease.

The aim when supporting our body's immune system is to address existing dis-harmonies, encourage optimal Yin Yang balance and then build your vital Wei Qi armour.  

  When the normal flow of Qi and Blood along our natural energetic pathways (meridians) is blocked or retarded it results in stagnation or deficiency. As a result, the affected areas do not receive adequate nourishment and discomfort or pain may be experienced. 

This can be due to a variety of external and internal factors, some of which may include:

External factors such as sports injuries, post-operative surgeries, work related injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and repetitive movement syndromes.

Internal factors such as chronic illness, gynaecological issues, digestive issues, emotional trauma and stress-related issues.

Pain is a signal from our body that there has been a disruption to the normal balance. Qi and Blood stagnation may result in symptoms such as swelling, muscular and joint pain, headache, digestive discomfort or menstrual pain, just to name a few.

For example, inflammation in the body impedes the circulation and can cause both short- and long-term imbalances to the flow of Qi. Treatment with acupuncture to eliminate blockages along meridians, dispel wind, relieve heat and resolve stagnation and blood stasis enables free flowing Qi. 

The use of acupuncture to impact on a patient experience of pain is well supported for many conditions.