Despina Lord - Natural Medicine

16/02/2026

Welcome to the new lunar year, 2026. The year of the fire horse.

The fire horse brings an intense energy. Living consciously, listening to our body, mind and spirit, and being receptive to all that is around us, living in oneness, will helps us with a steady energy and brightness.

According to traditional cultures the 2026 Year of the Fire Horse (February 17, 2026 – February 5, 2027) is a rare, high-energy 60-year cycle characterised by intense passion, rapid movement, and dramatic transformation. It is a time for bold action, independence, and taking the lead, but it carries a high risk of restlessness and burnout.

Here are some tips to support your wellness:
💖Balance Energy & Rest: Schedule rest with the same seriousness as work. Listen to your body, rest when rest is needed.
💖Mindful Movement: Balance high intensity exercise with consistent, grounding physical activities like walking, swimming, yoga, pilates, or tai chi.
💖Heart & Nervous System Health: Horses have big powerful hearts, that also help regulate our own nervous system when we are around them. Tap into this energy and calm the Heart (Shen) through deep breathing, meditation, and reducing overstimulation.
💖Dietary Adjustments: Consume cooling foods—such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and soups—to offset the fiery nature of the year. Avoid overstimulating, high caffeine foods.
💖Emotional Regulation: With intense emotions expected, focus on grounding practices to prevent impulsive, reactive, or quick-tempered decisions.

This is a strong year for self-expression, entrepreneurship, and pursuing personal freedom.

To welcome the new energy, do your final release of old, heavy weights, holding you back, physically, mentally and spiritually, welcoming in transformation.

How we show up for ourselves and each other will shape our future. Let's go!
💖

13/02/2026

Herbal medicines applied to the skin are used in many traditional medicines. These special rubs, oils and poultices help address inflammation, pain and support healing. Combined with massage for even more benefit. Come in for a healing and relaxing body work treatment combined with signature .

This treatment shown is of Balinese BOREH herb scrub. Spicing and hot for circulation and muscle tension release.

23/01/2026

Your healing starts with just one step, you taking the time to start.

"Don't be afraid of going slow, be afraid of standing still" Chinese proverb

22/01/2026

More on one of my favourite herbs, gotu kola!

A pilot registry study found that treatment with an oral gotu kola extract (Centella asiatica) significantly improved the closure and healing rates of chronic venous leg ulcers when used in addition to best management treatment.

The study included 160 patients with venous ulcers and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). One group received 675 mg/day of oral gotu kola extract (standardised to 35% total triterpenes) along with best management (BM) practices (compression, elevation, wound cleaning), while a control group received only BM.

The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the herbal group:
• Ulcer Closure Rate: 96.2% of ulcers in the gotu kola group achieved complete closure after 90 days, compared to 83.7% in the control group.
• Faster Healing: after just one month, 65% of ulcers in the gotu kola group were completely healed, versus only 18.75% in the control group.
• Reduced Ulcer Area: the average ulcer area in the gotu kola group decreased dramatically (from 2.34 cm² to 0.33 cm²), a significantly greater reduction than that observed in the control group (from 2.4 cm² to 1.61 cm²).
• Improved Microcirculation: the herbal group showed enhanced microcirculatory parameters, including improved skin resting flux and transcutaneous oxygen/carbon dioxide partial pressures, indicating better blood flow and tissue oxygenation.

Gotu kola remains our leading herb for tissue repair and microvascular support, and this trial further vindicates its clinical value. Notably, the dose used was high, but still realistic and achievable in practice. The benefits observed in this venous ulcer study are well explained by its established pharmacology. The triterpenes asiaticoside and madecassoside improve microcirculation and venous tone, helping reduce venous hypertension and local tissue hypoxia—central drivers of ulcer chronicity. At the same time, the herb promotes healing through enhanced fibroblast activity, collagen synthesis, and extracellular matrix repair, accelerating granulation and re-epithelialisation. Its anti-inflammatory effects temper chronic wound inflammation, while modulation of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling supports angiogenesis and tissue remodelling.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40719428/

12/01/2026

A good reminder for everyday X 💓

29/12/2025

Reset, rebalance and renew. Your journey to balance starts here.

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24/12/2025

Give the gift of serenity, renewal and healing. A voucher to Wellbeing Empowered invites your loved one to unwind, restore balance, and reconnect with inner calm through a personalised holistic healing session.

Opening special - $80 holistic healing facial experience with:
💖Guided deep relaxation therapy
💖Aromatherapy and gentle sound healing
💖Mindful breathing and energy alignment
(1/2 hour)

Designed for: Anyone seeking peace, clarity, and rejuvenation.

Qualified naturopath, herbalist and nutritionist, working wholistically for deeper healing.

24/12/2025

I, along with many from our Sydney community, have been rocked by the terrible violence that has caused so much destruction. I am determined to remember the light and love that fuels our connection and humanity.

I wish you peace, happiness and joy for this festive season and the new year, whichever way you choose to celebrate your connection to divinity and express your spirtuality (as long as it does not harm others).

May the new year bring us much needed peace, here in Sydney, and around the world.

23/12/2025