Gower Acupuncture

Interstitium & The Triple Burner - Decoding the Mystique Of Chinese Medicine
As a clinician who practices an ancient medicine with modern sensibilities, the Triple Burner always made me cringe. Chinese medicine prioritises 12 major organs as vital for functioning of health. These organs include the heart, lungs, gall bladder, kidneys. All organs you are most probably familiar with. The Chinese add another organ - the triple burner. An organ you more than likely are not famil...iar with... and one that has always made me uncomfortable if trying to explain to a patient.
According to classical Chinese texts (dating back over 2000 years) this organ is responsible for disseminating qi (energy) throughout the body. Qi is all the energy potential needed for the body. Its an organ for which there was no Western parallel – until now.
In March 2018 scientists declared they had found a new organ – the Interstitium. It’s the space between cells - a matrix of collagen bundles filled with fluid and it runs through the whole of the body.
That it exists is not in doubt. Whether it can be classified as an organ – and indeed the largest organ of the body – is currently in debate. Interestingly Chinese physicians have long debated whether the Triple Burner is an organ or whether the triple burner really referred to a function that the body was executing – carrying Qi (oxygenated blood and nutrients) around the body. Regardless, the interstitium exists and it functions in remarkably similar ways to the triple burner in chinese medicine.
The triple burner is classically defined as the “medium through which the process of transformation occurs throughout the body”. You could argue that the interstitium fulfils this definition. It transports nutrients around the body precipitating change. The interstitium is a conduit for the body’s energy. Much like arteries move oxygenated blood, veins carry de-oxygenated blood, nerves carry impulses so the interstitium transports nutrients and lymphatic fluid.
Many acupuncture meridians map main neves and blood vessels in the body. The mapping has always been incomplete as some meridians follow neither nerve pathway nor blood vessels. Perhaps with further research the remaining unmapped meridians will overlap major interstitial pathways in the body.
All of this musing about the triple burner and the interstitium has led me to one conclusion. Science doesn’t always have the answers. Sometimes its just good to trust in the over 2000 contiguous years of practice and research that precedes us.
See More

Understanding Modern Acupuncture
If you search for an explanation of acupuncture online you’ll typically be presented with a varitaion of the following explanation:
“Acupuncture is an ancient healing art practiced for over 2,500 years. It works by stimulating a mystical energy called Qi to promote health and well-being”
...Continue Reading

Hay fever.
I used to suffer badly with hay fever. For 3 decades it stalked me; sneezing, running nose, itchy eyes I got it all. At school I struggled to concentrate and was in a minority of one who who always had a handkerchief in his pocket – much to the amusement of my friends. For at least 6 months of the year not a day went by without me reaching for that handkerchief.
I went under the surgeons knife twice in an effort to find the cause before being told aged 8 I had hay...
Continue Reading

Part 2 stress and anxiety.
Developing Coping Mechanisms.
These are little tricks to employ to avoid overwhelm when the stress hits. Its useful to choose a few of these and make sure to practice them regularly when the stress hits.
...Continue Reading

Stress & Anxiety
Stress is useful. Correction, stress in small amounts is useful.
Its a useful reaction to a potentially life-threatening situation. Blood pressure rises as blood and oxygen are sent to the muscles and brain to improve function. ...
Continue Reading

Explaining What Modern Acupuncture is....
If you search for an explanation of acupuncture online you’ll typically be presented with a variation of the following explanation:
“Acupuncture is an ancient healing art practiced for over 2,500 years. It works by stimulating a mystical energy called Qi to promote health and well-being”
...Continue Reading

Exercise To Fine Tune Your Brain
We all know that exercise is good for the body, but how many of us are truly aware how good exercise is for our brain? And did you know that that the type of exercise that you do can benefit the brain in different ways?
Research by Teresa Liu- Ambrose at the University of British Colombia has unearthed some exciting new findings:
... 1. Aerobic Exercise Boosts Memory. Adults who exercise 3 times a week grow larger hippocampi, the area of the brain responsible for memory. This is an important finding in the battle against dementia and Alzheimer’s. As we get older the hippocampus shrinks. Exciting new findings suggests that exercise doesn’t just halt this shrinkage – it can actually reverse it.
2. Executive function can be Improved by Lifting weights. Executive function involves complex thought processes such as planning, problem solving, reasoning & multi-tasking. Two hours of lifting weights a week not only improves executive function but also spatial memory – the ability to remember your surroundings. Strength training releases a molecule (IGF-1) that affects communication between brain cells and also promotes growth of new neurons.
3. Yoga decreases Anxiety & Stress Levels. Patients suffering high levels of stress at Massachusetts General Hospital were enrolled in an eight week yoga program comprising 1 lesson per week combined with 20 minutes home practice per day. At the end scans showed that the patients’ amygdalae – the primitive part of the brain responsible for processing fear and anxiety - had shrunk.
4. Children Focus Better At a Task If they Exercise Beforehand. Specific studies on children suggest that engaging in aerobic exercise, such as running, improves attention and executive function. The exercise must be free and not involve too much structure and skill or it will actually harm attention immediately afterwards.
5. Longer term attention is developed through playing Sports. In contrast to the above, playing skill based sports such as tennis, rugby, football can improve concentration as the same parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement are used for attention. Be aware though that this is attention cultivated over long time periods.
6. High Intensity Training Can Curb The Munchies. High intensity workouts such as Insanity and cross-fit can curb cravings. The tougher the workout the better it is at quashing desires. Intense exercise reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin.
So keep exercising…
To read more see www.newscientist.com/…/dn28001-why-choo sing-the-right-worko…
See More

New Year Fitness Resolution? Read On For an Evidence Based Guide To Exercise:
1) According to The World Health Organisation adults should be getting 2.5 hours of moderate activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous activity a week. If you don't like gyms, good news. Moderate exercise includes walking to work and household chores.
If you like exercise but don't have time in the week, no problem, stuffing all 2.5 hours of your requirement into the weekend has the same positive health b...enefit. Good new as apparently 45% of people cram all their exercise into just 1 day a week.
For those who just can't stop exercising, apparently there is no amount of exercise that is too much, no amount that actually increases morbidity. I would argue that a large amount of exercise will have an impact on your joints. Also at the more intense end of the spectrum there is "overtraining syndrome" which can harm emotional & muscular health.
2) High Intensity Training gets the green light as an effective way to get into shape. Forcing the body out of its comfort zone forces it to adapt, causing large changes in shorter spaces of time. I would always be wary of the likelihood of injury though. High Intensity repetitive loading often leads to change in form whilst exercising which can lead to injury. The change in kinematics (form) also doesn't predispose the person to optimal strength development. (http://lermagazine.com/…/high-intensit y-training-assessing-…)
3) Bikram yoga appears to be the most studied form of yoga. Its a set of repeated poses done in 40 degree heat. it is quite demanding but only burns on average approximately 400 calories per class. I think where yoga shines is not for weight loss but for conditioning the body and mind. According to the New Scientist article "Women with signs of depression, stress and emotional eating problems who did two Bikram classes a week reported a decrease in negative symptoms that was three times greater than that of a control group who did no yoga".
4) Mindful activities such as yoga, tai chi and meditation have been shown to switch off genes associated with inflammation, implicated in numerous diseases including cardiovascular disease. According to research at Massachusetts General Hospital yoga may even shrink brain areas associated with fear and anxiety.
Read More here...
https://www.newscientist.com/round-up/no- sweat/?intcmp=PAC|NSNS|2018-inlinelink_y oga&utm_medium=PAC&utm_source=NS NS&utm_campaign=inlinelink_yoga
See More

Exciting new trial from the USA:
Acupuncture administered twice a week for 6 weeks significantly improved joint pain and stiffness among women with early-stage breast cancer who were taking aromatase inhibitors (AI), according to the results from a large, multicenter, randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.
"We have shown consistently, with multiple measures assessing pain and stiffness, that true acupuncture generated better outcomes," Dr Hershm...an summarized.
Accupuncture could "possibly increase aromatase inhibitor adherence and subsequent breast cancer outcomes," she added.
The results of the study, which is the largest of its kind, were robust enough that the investigators, who are from nine large community practices and two academic centers, called for a major change in the way acupuncture, a traditional Chinesse medicine modality, is seen by payers.
"We feel there is now sufficient evidence to support insurance coverage of acupuncture for AI arthralgia," Dr Hershman told reporters
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/8898 17
See More

An over the counter supplement used as a decongestant could be an exciting new tool in the fight against cancer, according to "Seminars In Oncology" journal:
A higher level of protein MCT4 correlates with a higher chance of a cancer being aggressive and spreading. The theory being that M4TC brings energy to the cancer cells from neighbouring cells.
A small trial of 12 patients with breast canvcer were given N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) - a decongestant supplement used to build a...ntioxidants that protect and repair cells from damage.
Patients taking high dosages of NAC saw their levels of the 'transporter' protein MCT4 fall by more than 80%, drastically reducing the ability of the cancer cells to feed off neighbouring cells and spread.
"High levels of stromal MCT4 are extremely worrying, as they are linked to aggressive cancer behaviour and poor overall survival, so this is very encouraging result.
Our idea was to repurpose an inexpensive FDA-approved drug, to examine if its antioxidant properties could target the feeding behaviour of cancer cells. To be able to inhibit MCT4 protein expression, in a non-toxic way, is huge step forward."
Professor Lisanti, one of the team involved in the study.
Its only a small scale trial thus far but very exciting non-the-less.
More info here...
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/20 17/…/171120141534.htm
See More

There’s a great article in The Guardian today on the exciting new research into pre-biotics and probiotics. Here's a brief overview:
As more is understood about bacteria in the gut scientists are tentatively linking stress, depression, PTSD, alzheimers & obesity to the make-up of gut bacteria. Research suggests gut bacteria may be as important as genes for health. With one difference – you can change gut bacteria, but you can’t change your genetic make-up (although it is pos...sible to affect the genes environment and therefore the likelihood of its expression).
The bacteria in the human gut are numerous and varied so research into the effects of individual bacteria (probiotic) takes time. Philip WJ Burnet, associate professor at the psychiatry department at the University of Oxford argues that feeding the bacteria the right food (prebiotics) is more beneficial than taking probiotic supplements.
Prebiotics are foods that are not broken down by the digestion process and so act as accessible food for good bacteria.
Examples include lentils, asparagus, garlic and onions. Green and black tea – further examples of prebiotics - are effective for weight loss in mice (https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/blac k-tea-alters-gut-micr…).
If your diet isn’t great and your gut isn't in great shape its worth taking a prebiotic supplement such as Bimuno, which has been shown to reduce anxiety, but only in a small trial thus far.
Read more here...
https://www.theguardian.com/…/microbiom e-gut-health-digesti…
See More

Great to see more positive news for acupuncture as presented at the Academy of Integrative Pain Management (AIPM) 28th Annual Meeting.
"I think it's fair to say that acupuncture is here to stay. It's going to be a permanent addition to our tool box...Right now, we have a pretty solid foundation for the efficacy of acupuncture for headache, osteoarthritis (OA), and musculoskeletal conditions"
- Farshad M. Ahadian, MD, clinical professor of anesthesiology, University of Calif...ornia, San Diego.
See more here...
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/8877 54
See More

The Misery Of Migraine & Headache... and what to do about them.
Migraine covers a multitude of symptoms from one-sided head pain, aura and light sensitivity, nausea, vertigo & dizziness and even unilateral paralysis and weakness.
The first step in trying to remedy migraine is trying to unearth the cause. These can be primary or secondary. Secondary migraine or headache result from another disease or condition. Primary headaches have a direct link.
...Continue Reading

Part 2 Of Gower Acupunctures Insomnia Guide. In part 1 we looked at the perils of insomnia. In part 2 we're now going to look at techniques that can be employed to ensure a good nights sleep:
1. Exercise
Regular moderate exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deeper. Be careful not to exercise too close to bedtime as the rush of feel-good endorphins flooding your body isn’t likely to pre-dispose you to sleepiness.
...Continue Reading

Part 1 of Gower Acupuncture Insomnia Guide Looks at What Insomnia is and why its bad for you.
Insomnia is not good news. It can lead to a weakened immune system, depression, weight gain, lack of mental clarity and accidents. Part of the blame for the 1985 Space Shuttle disaster was laid at two managers making poor decisions following 23 hour long shifts.
----------------------------------------- -----------------
...Continue Reading

The Misery Of Migraine... and what to do about them.
Migraine covers a multitude of symptoms from one-sided head pain, aura and light sensitivity, nausea, vertigo & dizziness and even unilateral paralysis and weakness. If you suffer, you suffer with a massive one in seven of the UK population.
The first step in trying to remedy migraine is trying to unearth the cause. These can be primary or secondary. Secondary migraine or headache result from another disease or condition. P...
Continue Reading

Part 2 stress and anxiety.
Assuming you have your emotional needs met (see part 1 - last Facebook post) to some degree, its then important you have some coping mechanisms.
These are little things you do to avoid a stressful situation from overpowering you and knocking you down emotionally.
...Continue Reading

Anxiety and particularly stress are to a large part dependent upon the environment you find yourself in. One of the ways to minimise stress is to work on creating an environment where it can't flourish. Here are some ways to help:
1) Connect emotionally to others. Its important to be able to share your troubles with friendly ears. Its equally important that these friendly ears are more focused on listening rather than dispensing advice. Unsolicited advice can often be percei...ved as criticism.
2) Privacy. Whilst connection to others is very important, the ability to find some “me” time is essential for relaxation and processing emotions and thoughts. Just make sure you don’t spend too much time on your own. That time can be mis-spent in self-reflection and brooding.
3) Have control over your day to day living and ultimate destiny. As much as possible the more you control your life the happier you will be.
4) Play a part in the community. Isolation in general is not good for either psychological or physical health. The paradox being that often when stressed, depressed or anxious you just don’t want to go out and see people. Any road to recovery will involve pushing through this barrier and connecting.
5) Sense of Status and Competence. Feeling good at your job or respected and accepted within your peer group. If your job isn’t your thing indulge a hobby or interest that gives you that sense of competence; be that fitness, baking or DIY.
6) Meaning & Purpose. I think perhaps this should be number 1. A strong sense of purpose can render all other emotional needs void. A prime example of this is Nelson Mandella, locked away on Robben Island for years for his anti-apartheid beliefs.Whilst others may have crumbled from the extreme stress of hard manual labour and isolation, his beliefs and sense of purpose kept him going. Its a hard hypothesis to prove as its difficult to accurately measure resolve, but from my clinical experience patients that believe they can get better and take control of their health care often have the best outcomes.
I hope you found this useful. My next post will focus on the coping strategies you can employ when the stress or anxiety hits.
See More

Rheumatoid arthritis and the gut....
More evidence pointing towards the importance of diet.
Interesting research in Arthritis & Rheumatology journal suggests that arthritic inflammatory responses can be reduced through changing our gut bacteria. In particular they found that introducing prevotella histicola suppresses arthritis.
... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27337 150
See More

Thanks Tim for getting me back to my best!

Thank you Tim after 4 treatments I am much better, and am able to walk pain free. Would thoroughly recommend.

Really pleased with my treatment so far. Tim is really friendly and professional with a lot of knowledge. I’m already feeling so much better. Would highly recommend!!

Incredible. Back pains from a training accident when I was young. Suffered 25 years. Tried creams, physio etc. None worked for me.



2 sessions with Tim and I can surely say I am pain free finally in the area I had issues.

Cannot believe how good this actually worked being a bit skeptical about it.

Hearing friends saying about it I gave it a go. Well worth every penny spent and Tim is a real nice welcoming fella

I'm just about to attend my third treatment with Tim and would fully recommend the treatment. The sessions are extremely calming and my experiences so far have been very positive.

Had two sessions with Tim due to dizziness and neck pain. After the first session the dizziness, almost instantly, subsided. The neck pain is better too but more than both these, oddly enough, I feel, in general, much more positive in life. My outlook has 'shifted' somewhat and I have better energy. I can thoroughly recommend Tim, utterly professional and very knowledgeable. Thanks so much.