Balance Through Winter

 

 

 

 

Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year. In Chinese Medicine the short day and long night is the balance point of Yin and Yang. With the Solstice, we are officially in Winter.

Winter is full Yin and has the characteristics of inactive, cool, damp, slow, feminine, and quiet as everything slows down. Our bodies instinctively want to rest, reflect, conserve and store energy. Giving ourselves time for introspection, rest, and conserving energy (Ch’i) prepares us for the outburst of growth and activity in the new year.

This is the season of Yin (darkness and conservation) dominating over Yang (light and movement). Chinese Medicine sees Nature and its patterns, forms and seasons reflected in our bodies and emotions. Each season is associated with an element, emotion, organ, and taste, so if we are in harmony with our environment, we adapt better and stay healthy.
The change from Autumn to the colder, darker days of Winter changes or emotions, and we can feel moody, depressed and lethargic. This is the time to store and conserve, much as bears hibernate or farmers prepare for winter. The more we understand the energy of Nature around us, the better our emotions will be in balance with the world.

Winter is the Water element, and associated with kidneys, bladder, and adrenal glands. According to Chinese wisdom, Kidneys are the source of all energy (Ch’i), and store Ch’i for times of stress and change, to heal, prevent illness, and help aging.

 

Kidneys govern the low back, so be mindful with the snow and cold, and conserve your Kidney Ch’i by treating back injuries quickly as they can persist in winter. This final part of the year can be filled with a hectic pace of shopping, socialising, travelling, decorating and other high energy consumption, so find time to slow down and get in sync with Natures cycles.

It is important to nurture and nourish your Kidney Ch’i and keep this area warm and covered, since this energy can be easily depleted. This season also stresses the ears so cover your head and neck to fortify kidney energy. In Winter, digestion slows and heart function is at a low ebb so your circulation also slows. Sugar lowers the white blood count, so moderation is key.

 

How exactly would we treat Bradley Wiggins?

 

 

As I expect you know poor Bradley Wiggins British Winner of the Tour De France and Gold Medal winner, got hit off his bike last week. We at the Abergavenny Natural Therapy Centre were thinking how exactly we would treat the injured elite sportsman after his fall?

 

First Aid

Well obviously we would do all the primary first aid things such as check airways, breathing etc and call for an ambulance. But just think of the other ways we could treat him with Alternative Medicine.

 

Our first port of call would be with Homeopathy. Most people think of Arnica in this situation. Arnica helps with injury and will treat the shock. Very often people who need Arnica will say that they are fine and that there is nothing wrong with them when there obviously is! If the patient is very fearful Aconite will be better at treating the shock.

 

Bradley suffered from cracked ribs as a result of his accident. There is not alot that can be done for this with conventional medicine, but after the first aid other Homeopathic remedies that could be given are Bellis Perenis for deep bruising and Symphytum (bone knit) . Homeopathy is available at ANTC. (More details on one of our therapists next week!)

 

Further Treatment

If Bradley would like to try other treatments then he could try Acupuncture. As well as being good for long term conditions Acupuncture is also good for pain relief and well draw the heat away from the inflammation. If you would like to try Acupuncture for pain relief then how about coming to the AAA (Abergavenny Affordable Acupuncture) Clinic on a Tuesday with Maxine Smillie.

 

Weight of the World

Well maybe 'Wiggo' is now feeling abit emotionally sore about the crash. The country is following the incident and maybe people have been put off cycling. Feelings of guilt, anger about getting hit off his bike and the frustration of not being able to train for a few weeks all add to his gloomy state. The national consciousness has been raised towards cycling this year, it is not the time for our hero to fall! Now would be a good time to talk to someone about these feelings. Talking can release tension resolve issues and help you move forward with your life. We have two excellent Counsellors at ANTC: Hilary Llewellyn-Williams and Michael Cooper. They have years of experience and will surely help Bradley through this tricky time.

 

Bones healing well but body still needs work

When you have a bad injury then the rest of your body has to compensate and do what the injured part cannot. This causes deferred pain, discomfort and mis-alignment. Here at the Abergavenny Natural Therapy Centre we have the people that will get Bradley back to full movement and comfort.

 

Sports Massage will release the tightness in the muscles allowing the body to function better, circulation to improve and mobility to increase. If Bradley's body is mis-aligned then McTimoney Chiropractic will hold the answer. Chiropractic treatment is simply a method of adjusting the bones of your body to improve skeletal alignment. In doing so, it helps your nervous system work more efficiently, relieves pain and discomfort and gets you moving again!

 

Back to Form!

So our Champ is all better. But has this incident dented his winning mentality? We hope not, but if it has then he should try some Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. This combines the powerful tool of Hypnosis with solution focused therapy. Deborah Harvey, our Therapist assists the client is discovering and utilising their own resources and abilities, creating the opportunity for positive change.

 

Becoming a Winner!

So Bradley is all back to form now. Maybe one day we will be able to help him in real-life! Here at the Abergavenny Natural Therapy Centre we can offer all sorts of treatment for all sorts of people. If you're not sure which treatment you need give us a ring and we can sort something out for you. Our friendly receptionist are always at hand for advice.

 

 

New research on Homeopathy - Nanoparticles

Even if we can't see it, there is 'substance' in Homeopathy!

So much has been thrown at Homeopathy in the last few years to try and discredit the treatment by the media. However the fact remains that an awful lot of people and animals get helped by Homeopathic treatment and can continue their lives without pain and discomfort, both physically and mentally. Just because we can't conventionally prove how Homeopathy works doesn't mean there is nothing to it.

Recently there has been research that shows that although there are no full particles of the active substance within Homeopathic remedies that there are things called 'nanoparticles'

What are Nanoparticles?

"Nanoparticles measure between 1 and 100 nanometers in diameter (for comparison a typical virus measures 10-150 nm in diameter). Their small size leads to a large surface

area to volume ratio, giving nanoparticles different properties from those of bulk forms of the same material. For example, otherwise unreactive gold becomes magnetic and a good catalyst for chemical reactions in it's nano-form. Both the size and shape (morphology) of nanoparticles determines their altered properties, including unique chemical, biological, optical, thermal, electrical, magnetic and quantum effects"

The theory is that the preparation of Homeopathic remedies reduces substances to nanoparticle size. To make a remedy the substance e.g plant, mineral etc is diluted in water, sucussed ( a process of vigourous shaking and banging which in Hahnemann's time was acheived by banging against a Bible) and then diluted 1/100. The process is repeated until the desired potency is achieved. Consequently none of the original substance is seemingly within the remedy.

To a Homeopath, the true nature of the substance is released within this process and can be used to treat a patient with dynamic effect

We have two Homeopaths at Abergavenny Natural Therapy Centre. Juliet Ablett and Charlotte Allen Both are fully registered.