To the Point Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

08/03/2022

Coffee aka Anxiety Juice

Coffee is well loved for its ability to “super charge” us, to give us a buzz throughout our day. It is also well recognised in its ability to take our anxiety and ratchet it up a notch, often without our recognising it is happening.
Coffee is often one of the first items to be reduced or eliminated from the diet during “detox” programs. Headaches are a common withdrawal from coffee. The question is often raised in practice, “Do I have to give up coffee? How do I give it up?” The answer is that a life with little to no coffee in it will be a healthier life, and that moderation in all things is a good thing.
Start firstly by noting your coffee intake. When are you most commonly having a coffee, and why? What habits and associations do you have with your daily dose? Start to change up the habit/association. Go for a walk instead, do some exercise, some meditation or … anything different! Then, cut out any coffee post 12 noon, gradually bringing that time earlier in the day. Substitute your coffee with Gen Mai Cha. This is a green tea which has puffed brown rice in it – it is sometimes known as Sencha tea. It is a calmative and actually really good for you. It will also help calm the anxiety beast a little. Next up is to ditch the milk. Once you are down to one coffee per day, then swap the latte out for a single shot espresso. There is actually less caffeine in it than in a long black. You are almost there, now. Then start to “miss” every other day and substitute with your Gen Mai Cha or a herbal tea. In this way you’ll avoid the worst of the headaches and other withdrawals and the anxiety / edginess will be notably down in your day.

17/02/2022

Let’s talk about breakfast!

The old adage “breakfast like a king” … could never be truer. Breakfast is literally that – the breaking of the fast. Your stomach has not received food or fluid for (hopefully) 8 hours. As such, it requires warm and wet food to turn the stomach on for the day. Porridge is one of the most perfect breakfast foods. Made on oats, soaked overnight and rinsed before cooking, they provide the perfect balance of soluble and insoluble fibre. Oats strip fats from our arteries and are beneficial for heart tissue, as well as providing the perfect material for great bowel function. In addition to this, oats also provide a long slow burn of energy, allowing for a more sustained start to our days.

It’s time! Crack out the oats this evening and soak in some water overnight. Tomorrow morning give them a good rinse in a sieve before cooking on the stovetop. Ideally you would not cook them in milk (of any kind) and eat them topped with 2 tablespoons of cooked fruit compote, and perhaps some toasted slivered almonds. Delicious!

06/02/2022

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger.

This is the year of the Water Tiger; a year characterised by a confident and authoritative energy to all. It is a year to be marked by resilience, and strength and a year of challenges to be met. This is a year for us to show courage, to step out of our comfort zones and pursue goals with courage and conviction. This is a year for making big changes, risk taking and adventures. It is a year for finding enthusiasm for ourselves and for others. Water years bring out our emotions, more than other years of other elements. Life is short so this is the time to grab it with both hands!

For those born under the Tiger element, this is your birth year. Traditionally, according to Chinese Astrology the year of your birth sign is believed to be one of the unluckiest years of your life, certainly one of big challenges as you move through the year. Those born in Tiger years are said to be impulsive, ambitious and hasty. These folks dislike rules – unless they are the ones making the rules. Their judgment is not always perfect and are known to be move in a rather liquid manner. They need change and movement. The Tiger fancies himself as a trend setter and an innovator and succeeds best when surrounded by good advisors. Tigers love challenges and competition, hunger for excitement and they crave attention. When life does not flow their way, they can be out spoken, ill-tempered and fractious.

29/01/2021

QOTD: "Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider, is chaos for the fly." -Morticia Addams

28/07/2020

😌☀️

via .official

24/07/2020

"Scientists have recently determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain - unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10-20 repetitions."
—Dr. Karyn Purvis

29/05/2020

19/05/2020

16/05/2020

This daily infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus ( ) situation in Australia. Visit: www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-at-a-glance

09/05/2020

It seems many people are breathing some relief, and I’m not sure why. An epidemic curve has a relatively predictable upslope and once the peak is reached, the back slope is also predictable. Assuming we have just crested in deaths at 70k, that would mean that if we stay locked down, we lose anothe...

09/05/2020

Cheats Congee ... another fabulous start to the day ...

The easiest way to make congee for breakfast is the night before, whilst you are enjoying dinner.

Take a 2L saucepan or larger. Into the base pour 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil, over moderate heat. Toss in 1-2 handfuls of white basmati rice (I have never had good results with brown basmati rice) and toss in the oil until well coated but not burning. To this then add hot stock to a depth of 5-10cm. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure that nothing is sticking and that the rice is breaking down into a porridge like (gruel) consistency. Add more stock as needed. The rice shall move through various appearances from raw rice, to cooked rice and then the rice seems to continue to expand and break down until the porridge like consistency is gained. This shall make enough for 2-3 days.

To serve, reheat and then add a variety of toppings. Toppings can include steamed chicken, eggs, spring onions, toasted or black sesame seeds, roasted vegetables, whatever is lurking in the fridge. A favourite at home is leftover roasted sweet potato and pumpkin with fresh black beans, and soy sauce (or tamari). Whilst it doesn’t seem as if it is going to be very tasty, the quality of the stock used will greatly influence the final product. A sweet congee can be made using 1-2 Chinese Red Dates and adding these to the cooking process.

08/05/2020

Tea

Many years ago a study was done into tea drinkers’ health compared to that of coffee drinkers. The results showed that tea drinkers had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, had lower cholesterol, exercised more, smoked less and were 24% less at risk of non cardiovascular mortality. This is a fabulous drink to incorporate into your day. Tea is filled with antioxidants, has less caffeine than coffee, has been linked to weight loss and has health promoting affects. Tea drinkers live longer and overall have lower stress levels. Tea contains polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.

There are many different types of tea: herbal, green, white, black, oolong, and pu-erh tea. Al, with the exception of herbal teas derive from the camellia sinensis plant. Green tea has a high polyphenol content and its high antioxidant levels help in its ability to impede the growth of many different cancers, reduce the oxidative effect on brains and prevent clogging of the arteries. Green tea is not taken with milk addition. It comes in a variety of forms, the most common being Gen Mai Cha which has the addition of puffed rice. This is an excellent calmative green tea and works wonders for those experiencing anxiety.

Black teas are generally made with fermented leaves and has the highest caffeine content of teas. Whilst it has lower polyphenols than green tea, it still has high levels of antioxidants and has been linked with possibly reducing the risk of stroke and being able to benefit the lungs from smoke.

White teas are uncured and unfermented and have been shown in some studies to have the highest anti cancer properties.

Oolong teas have been shown to address lowering LDL cholesterols in the system.

Pu-erh tea is a black tea that is compressed into cakes made from fermented and aged leaves. It has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol and to assist in weight maintenance and management.

The process of drinking tea takes time. The best outcomes for optimising tea benefits is when the leaves are given time and space to open and have the goodness steeped from the leaves. Drinking tea is a process that allows for taking time, for taking a moment out of the day. Coffee drinkers tend to grab and go, feeding into the adrenal fuelled process of our modern day lifestyle. Taking the time to brew a pot of tea, allowing it to steep, and then taking the time to enjoy the brew allows for a moment in the day to simply stop, breathe and take a break from the day.

07/05/2020

The Mighty Grapefruit

Half a grapefruit in the morning is a great addition to any breakfast. Grapefruit is rich in antioxidants, fibre and all round goodness.

Grapefruit has been linked to help with insulin resistance. It has been shown to help in controlling blood sugar levels, and therefore regular ingestion can help us not become insulin resistant. It is a great way to help your body through a period of feasting … Easter and Easter eggs you say? Why yes! Having half a grapefruit before a big night out (or in), and afterwards, will seriously limit the food and beverage hangover. Bring down the sugar rush of the kids with ¼ grapefruit.

The whole fruit is where the benefits lie. Some benefit may still be had if using an unsweetened grapefruit juice, however simply cutting a grapefruit in half is the ideal way to gain the full benefits. They may be cut up and added to salads for extra freshness, and health benefits.

They are also rich in fibre, allowing you to feel fuller and cut down on unnecessary food intake. The high fibre content also helps in fat reduction and weight loss. More than half of the fruit is liquid, helping you to stay hydrated.

The sour bitter flavours are excellent at stimulating the production of bile and are highly beneficial to liver function.

A grapefruit is high in Vitamin C, proven to assist in the building of a strong immune system. Grapefruits also contain small amounts of B vitamins, Vitamin A, zinc, copper, folate, magnesium, potassium and iron. They have also been linked to good heart health and reducing cholesterol. And finally, they are linked to reducing the risk of kidney stones.

The ideal breakfast includes porridge, protein (think eggs or similar) and half a grapefruit. The beckoning call of the pantry and fridge will have a hard time breaking through a breakfast of champions!

03/05/2020

26/04/2020

And for Sunday brunch ...

Scrambled Eggs

The key to great scrambled eggs is to not overcook them and to remember they continue to cook whilst still in the pan. The secret is good quality eggs, at room temperature and great butter. They may be made even creamier by the addition of cream (about ½ - 1 tablespoon per egg).

Eggs have had a rough time over the years … for a long time they were thought to increase our cholesterol and have since been found to be highly nutritious, and that the biggest influence on what happens to your cholesterol with eggs is what you are eating WITH your eggs! Both parts of the egg are rich in nutrition. The yolk is filled with fat soluble vitamins: Vitamins A,D, E and K, along with lecithin, calcium, iron, magnesium, folate and zinc. The whites contain a higher protein portion, Vitamin B2, selenium, sodium and potassium.

You’ll notice that you still get hungry a little while after eating eggs as there is little complex carbohydrate to form a baseline energy for the body. Best eaten after your bowl of porridge!

Whip up one to two eggs per person, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Break up some smoked trout / salmon / ham and have ready on a small side plate
Chop fresh herbs and / or spring onions into small slices

Into a small saucepan add a good k**b of butter. Melt this over gentle heat but do not let it burn. Pour in the whipped eggs. Using a rubber spatula gently scrape the egg from the base of the saucepan in a gentle manner. Do not stir or try to beat the eggs whilst they are cooking. Gently scrape and fold them away from the base of the pan. Whilst cooking toss in the fish / meat and herbs, whilst continuing to gently scrape and fold. Remove from heat as soon as the eggs look creamy – they’ll appear almost half set but by the time you plate them up, they shall be perfect.

23/04/2020

Smashed Avocado

Avocado is filled with monounsaturated fats. The good kind of fat. It is a natural source of lecithin which is known to be a brain food. It is rich in copper which is useful in the formation of red blood cells. It contains Vitamin K, folate, Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E. It also has trace elements of manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2 and B3. They contain more potassium than bananas, and potassium has been linked to reducing the risk of high blood pressure. They are known to reduce triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels in the body whilst simultaneously increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). It will keep you feeling full for a reasonable time in the morning. Add a poached, boiled or fried egg and the protein of the egg shall have you swimming along until lunch time.

Smashed avocado

Take half a ripe avocado and spoon the contents into a small mixing bowl. Smash with a fork. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice (this also helps to keep it from oxidising and turning brown), and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Spoon onto toasted sourdough bread slice. Add a small squeeze of lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a crumble of fresh goats cheese.

Enjoy!

22/04/2020

Some thoughts for breakfast tomorrow morning ...

An alternative to porridge ... Start this one with a small bowl of miso soup ... Enjoy!

Japanese Breakfast

This is a great way to use up all of the leftover bits and pieces in the fridge. The most nutritious way to eat rice is rice that has been cooked, allowed to cool and then reheated again. All of the micronutrition in the rice is readily available and easy to digest. Please remember proper handling of rice and dispose any unused portions after three days.
The best rice is basmati. White basmati rice is a low GI food, packed with nutrition and reheats well for uses such as this breakfast. It is also low FODMAP. The best preparation is, like all grains, to soak overnight and rinse thoroughly before cooking. White basmati rice is more readily digestible and easier on our digestions than brown rice. For many these days, the harsh outer husk of brown rices make them largely indigestible until the gut is rehabilitated, and then they may be readily enjoyed. Brown basmati rice is easier to digest than other forms of brown rice. Basmati rice – and white basmati rice – have the least arsenic in them. The GI factors of rice are altered according to the manner in which the rice has been cooked. Cooking in water ion the stovetop will yield the lowest GI (healthiest) outcomes.

You'll need:
Day old Basmati rice
Black sesame seeds
Avocado
Tomato / cherry tomatoes
Broccoli or other green vegetables – steamed
Salad green or rocket/aragula
Sliced spring onions
Any leftover protein: fish, chicken, meats
Egg: this can be cooked “onsen style”, fried, boiled or poached.
Sesame dressing

Rice in the bottom of the bowl, layer the other ingredients into the bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and dressing. Top with onsen egg. Serve with miso soup.

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20/04/2020

Some more good news on oats ...

Oats contain Avenin – a protein similar to gluten. Most coeliacs can easily tolerate oats, as avenin differs in the body to gluten. The only issue arises if the oats are prepared in a factory that also processes wheat and other gluten containing grains. The answer can easily be found by flaking / rolling your own … or buying “gluten free oats” which have been processed in isolation of other grains. Rich in antioxidants and aveninthramides which may help lower blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide. Aveninthramides are also anti-inflammatory and anti-itching in nature

I am often asked why do we need to cook them – doesn’t muesli work just as well? The process of soaking a grain was the only way in which grains were originally treated before eating, across most food cultures, pre industrialisation. By soaking or fermenting a grain, the phytic acid is broken down, allowing the full nutrition of the grain to be more readily accessed. Granola and mueslis do not behave in the same ways and you are more likely to experience bloating and wind as a result of the starches and sugars fermenting and completing their “cooking” within your gut. The feeling of fullness does not last as long, and the benefits towards blood sugar stabilisation are often lost.

Oats contain silicon and can therefore help in the renewal of all connective tissue and bones. They help itchy and friable skin become stronger. Taking a bath which has had a mesh bag of oats floating in it soothes the skin and helps it to heal. Smooshing the soaked bag of oats over eczema affected areas soothes and helps to heal.

The beta glucan in the oats is found in the cell wall of the oats and is a soluble fibre. Soluble fibre helps to attract water in our bowel, thereby assisting in the smooth and efficient transit time through the gut, slowing digestion and allowing us to feel fuller for longer (less need for snacking). The beta-glucan in oats helps to stabilise blood sugars and reduce LDL cholesterol. Insoluble fibre creates the bulk by absorbing water that is in the gut. A recent study into insoluble fibre found that fibres such as cellulose which did not ferment as readily as some soluble fibres in the gut can increase the gut transit time, preventing the fermentation of non-digestible foods and helping to keep our bowel function regular. By soaking the oats before eating, the positive influence on gut bacteria is unleashed – the oats are more readily digested and do not facilitate harmful fermentation within the gut.

In all these are an amazing way to start the day. In an age where obesity, heart disease and diabetes are all on the increase, a breakfast of porridge goes a long way towards helping prevent many of these and their associated health conditions. Our first medicine is our food. Oats are rich in antioxidants, beta glucan, soluble and insoluble fibre and many micronutrients. For best results, cook into a porridge or gruel.