Katherine Dukes Acupuncture

12/03/2024

The Yin Yang symbol that has become synonymous with the idea of balance in complimentary therapies is a very simplified representation of the human body.

Yin being the fluids and Yang being the heat or energy.
Fluids descend. Energy rises.
We are essentially a bag of fluid pumped around by energy. The compliment of Yin includes Blood, sweat ,tears ,Lymph, synovial fluids each with their degrees of fluidity. The thicker the fluid the more Yang needed to move it.

I find the steam train analogy helpful. The fire has to be burning and there has to be water in the tank. Only then can you make steam and the thing moves forward. In fact a translation of the word Qi is steam.

The human body is like a landscape. There are valleys and mountains, places where fluids pool or energy gets stuck. Too much heat or Yang and the fluids dry up and become nodules. Too little energy or Yang and the fluids accumulate and stagnate like a pond.

Too little Yin fluids and Yang rises, inflammation occurs.

So wellness is about balancing these two opposites. Keeping the rivers flowing, hydrated, energetic and unblocked. Having enough Yang to move the fluids around the landscape. Having enough fluids to anchor the exuberant Yang.

Not always easy.

06/12/2023

01/12/2023

Taxation - as we approach January there’s that growing pressure to get the tax return done that has been put off all year !

But in classical acupuncture terms taxation is to do with process that depletes the resources of the body - namely the fluids , Qi and Yang.

It’s overwork !

We use blood and fluids and energy when we are stressed, worried, exercising too much, burning too many candles at too many ends.

The solution is resting and as Wendell Berry says in his poem “The Peace of the Wild Things” ….
‘come into the presence of Stillwater’

08/12/2022

Its pretty chilly today outside and in this system of ancient understanding the cold can invade the sinews and channels and cause constriction and obstruction to the flow of energy and blood and fluids.

It is believed to enter through the point GB 20 Fengchi (Wind Pool) on the occiput at the back of the head. From there it travels to Bladder 10 and Du 16 to Du 14 where it gains access to the sinew channels and Yang channels.

The simple routine of wearing a scarf around your neck to keep the cold and wind out can make all the difference during this sort of weather and help maintain health during the winter months.

16/11/2022

I’m aware of acupuncture but was not aware there is an awareness day ! Thank fully there is 😊

This year, World Acupuncture Awareness Day (WAAD) acknowledges the 12th anniversary of traditional acupuncture and moxibustion being recognised as a world heritage. Hear more from the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). Traditional acupuncture is a healthcare system used in th...

09/11/2022

SPECIAL OFFER - NOV and DEC
Health care treatments are not always affordable in the current financial climate so I am offering the second treatment for free (for new patients only) during the months of November and December. The initial consultation will be £60 and the first follow up treatment after that will be FREE.

Go to the website to book or Call 07585 022787

03/11/2022

Just looking back at my diagrams for point location

11/10/2022

Moxa season is approaching which lasts about 4 weeks in November and February during the Chinese Lunar New Year. During this time the “Life Gate” or Ming Men at Du4 is open and illness can invade more deeply than at other times of year. This is also the time when moxibustion (moxa for short) can pe*****te more deeply than usual into the “Life Gate” or Ming Men because it is open at this time.

Moxa is believed to strengthen the constitution and immune system, builds Qi and Blood, increases the energy and circulation of the whole body and can help pain due to cold and damp. It is used to tonify and nourish.

http://katherinedukesacupuncture.com

11/10/2022

In a randomized controlled trial, Hugh MacPherson and colleagues investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture and counseling compared with usual care alone for the treatment of depression symptoms in primary care settings. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

18/05/2022

Specialists warn the NHS is not set up to deal with such complex conditions.

04/12/2021

Why choose a member of the BAcC ?

British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) members have extensive training
- minimum 3 years degree level - with relevant western medicine including anatomy and physiology
- adherence to the BAcC codes of safe practice and professional conduct
- compliance with current health and safety legislation
- full cover for medical malpractice and public/products liability
- mandatory continuing professional development to keep knowledge and skills up to date
Courtesy of The British Acupuncture Council

30/11/2021

25/11/2021

https://youtu.be/DWOm9GsKaaE
This is a short documentary produced by the British Acupuncture Council explaining acupuncture and its many uses in more detail.

This 30-minute documentary highlights the growing body of scientific evidence that acupuncture is an effective treatment for a variety of health conditions.

18/11/2021

We all understand the importance these days of proper hydration and many people carry water bottles with them. From a Chinese Medicine perspective true hydration occurs through food rather than from drinking litres of water. Food that has been cooked in water for a long time allows hydration to reach deeply into the entire gastro intestinal tract. Soups, stews, broths, porridge and congees provide greater hydration supporting the thin and thick fluids of the body. Including these in your daily diet can help rehydrate the body and aid recovery.

11/11/2021

Chinese Medicine is concerned mainly with either removing blockages or nourishing deficiencies. Moxibustion actually predates the use of needles. It involves burning the herb Artemisia (Mugwort). During the Tang dynasty moxibustion was taught as a separate modality. Its scope of use covers both nourishing and clearing. It warms a frees the channels and so is particularly useful where there is cold and particularly useful for our uniquely damp cold British winters.