Audacious Health

New Beginnings!

In an acupuncture clinic we often spend time with people who are experiencing new beginnings. 

Whether a new beginnings is

there is an art to navigating new beginnings.  We have gathered some tried and tested techniques to support new beginnings..

Most of all be aware that new beginnings take energy and attention and some new beginnings can be quite challenging.  

We may not be competent in a new beginning straight away.  It may take time to learn new skills and how to apply them.  It may feel overwhelming (especially when a new beginning is not of our choosing).

Of course the pay off for navigating a new beginning is moving into ease with a new situation..

You'd be surprised...we are....when a client hasn't realised all the great modalities we have in our toolkit.  We aren't just about Acupuncture.  We aren't just about Massage.  However, both Andrew and Catherine can offer you both and more in a standard 1 hour or extended >1 hour treatment. 

Our key services provided at Audacious Health include:-

* Acupuncture - traditional, master tongs, Dr Zhu scalp, non-needle insertion techniques including auricular therapy and laser

* Massage - remedial, relaxation, deep tissue, hot stone

* Dry Needling

* Shiatsu - traditional, zen thai, seated

* Cupping - traditional fire cupping, vaccum pump cupping, plastic and silcone cupping

* Moxibustion

* Reiki

* Bioptron Light Therapy

* Vibrational Essences - Australian Bush Flowers, Bach Flowers, Finhorn Essences, and Desert Alchemy.

* Wellness programs - Weight Loss, Quit Smoking, Vitality, or other individually customed program

Often clients experience for the first time with us cupping or bioptron and have little prior knowledge of these two modalities.  Below we've described what they are all about, however, full details on all our offerings, check out our Services page for info on each of our modalities or contact us with your enquiry.

As a recent client described "cupping is the like the opposite of massage, it feels a bit weird, but feels really good".  Cupping is good for sore areas that don't like to be pressed.  With cupping, whether we are using the traditional glass fire cups or the plastic pump cups or silicone cups, we are creating a vacuum suction over a specific area.  Cupping is highly effective on treatment areas such as the back and shoulders, however, it can also be used for relief of muscular knots, tension and pain relief on the calves, thighs, itb, and arms, as well as useful for abdominal and respiratory conditions.  Cupping may be used to pacify muscles in spasm or to support organs that are depleted, and is especially usefully for old injuries.

Before placement of cups, the skin surface is warmed up by massaging oil into the area.  The cups are placed on a spot or we might choose to do some 'slide cupping' to an area.  The stretching and contracting action created by the cupping suction increases blood flow, drawing blood from the vessels into your tissue, stimulating an inflammatory response and triggering the healing process and promoting circulation.  Cupping is very popular amongst athletes as a favourite alternative to massage.

A lot of people are still yet to experience the wonderful biopton light.  This is a great therapy option for those seeking a non-needle technique but with all the benefits you'd get from acupuncture.

The Bioptron Light is a unique, optimized, patented combination of light features in the visible and infrared part of the light spectrum, which bio-stimulates cells and accelerates the healing process of a broad range of medication conditions.

The Bioptron Light is applied to an affected area and induces changes in the blood and blood serum and can affect keratinocytes(act as a barrier in the skin, preventing water loss and fighting foreigh invaders) and fibroblast (important for collagen and elastin production and wound healing) anywhere in the body. BLT has been shown to increase the growth and number of kaeratinocytes and fibroblasts.  We've seen amazing results, particularly with regular application for skin disorders.

 

I’m glad you asked

It’s a vital question that’s often passed

 

if we focus on transgressions and our failings

And all the lifely areas in which we may be ailing

 

How great are you.... I’ll tell you straight

You’re an “A” grade legend, mate

 

You stayed at home 

However tempted you were to roam

 

Traded trips to exotic shores 

for four walls

 

You ate weird things - you cooked from cans

You watched as circumstances changed our plans

 

Now you may think this poem ain’t pretty,

I agree it may be sh.. oddy

 

But the sentiment is true

From our heart to you

 

You’re great, you’re great, you’re very great!

 

Scientific evidence suggests that the health of your gut effects other organs and systems in your body, including the endocrine system.  The below tips can help improve your mental clarity, increase focus and boost happiness whilst reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, weight fluctuations, skin disorders, pms and hot flushes….

 

1. Activate your gut…. Start your day with a glass of water with a dessert spoon of apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of lemon.  Ideally the water has been boiled and allowed to cool down.  The vinegar and lemon have the ability to wake up your salivary glands, which sends signals to your gut to rise and shine.

 

2. Keep your gut warm… Throughout the winter’s day, consider drinking a warm, anti-inflammatory beverage of ginger / mint / rosehip herbal tea or try a turmeric latte. These times of drinks will wake up and nurture the mind.

 

3. Keep your gut nourished… Fuel up on quality protein.  Protein is the building block of our hormones, bones, cartilage, nails, skin and muscles and will also keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day.  For those on plant based diets, this includes Tofu, tempeh, edamame, green peas, lentils, chickpeas and most legumes and ancient grains (, spelt, barley, sorghum, einkorn, and faro).  For others, this includes grass-fed chicken, wild-caught salmon, mackerel, and tuna. These foods will help deter sugar cravings and afternoon energy slumps.

 

4. Keep your gut microbiome happy… eat fermented foods that your healthy gut bugs like and naturally contain probiotics.  Such foods include kefir, yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha.   Avoid inflammatory foods eg highly processed foods (white bread, cakes, gluten, sugar, processed meats, fried foods). Inflammation caused by a high diet of processed unhealthy foods can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and atherosclerosis, to name a few.

5. Not all fats are bad for your gut…  Healthy fats can be found in eggs, avocado, tahini, walnuts, brazil nuts, chia seeds, olive oil. These are important for maintaining good cell membrane structures and functioning and hormones eg oestrogen and testosterone.

Here it is people let me lay down some truth

You go-to Move-it to keep it loose

Sitten all day don't do you no good

Not the way really moven-it would

Yoga, Qi Gong, Walking, Surfing

Dancing, romancing or hiking or climbing

Moven's what matters

What ever you're liking.

Acupuncture, remedial, cupping and such 

Will put you on track when your hurting so much

But movement's the key

The magic elixir

If you want to be free from the 

Dreaded ach-ee.

So remember to move-it 

At least once a day

That will look after your body

In almost every way.

 

We often hear of efforts to change that are unsuccessful.  New Year's resolutions that don't make it past January etc.  Here's a great way to make a change that will stick.

Five ways to make a change that sticks:

Making long term change is an example of a great paradox in life - We want to change for the future but can only really make changes now. 

If we set out to quit an addiction to sugar for example we can't quit sugar tomorrow.  All we can do is not eat that sugary sweet in front of us in this moment.  

Big changes come about from a sequence of decisions made in a long string of moments.

Let us know how you go with a change.  Some examples we have seen are:

Feeling the festive season could mean a little more?

Please find below our Festive calendar for December 2019.  It's packed with ideas to make the festive season special..

Wouldn't you rather choose to be happy?  A positive attitude not only improves your mood, can also lengthen your life, decreasing major health concerns. Harvard School of Public Health researchers have determined that optimistic individuals were approximately 50% less likely to experience an initial cardiovascular event compared to their pessimistic individuals.

 

We've listed below FIVE TIPS FOR RESETTING A POSITIVE FRAME.

At Audacious Health we frequently observe the relationship between one's feelings and levels of stress and its impact to health.  So, we suggest choose positive emotions, feelings and attitudes.  Smile, relax and reset your emotional state and support your ideal health.  Try the following five tips to reset a positive frame;-

 

1. TURN that frown upside down... smiling stimulates positive neurotransmitters in the brain e.g. dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins which create feelings of wellbeing, joy and euphoria.

 

2. SHAKE it up.... you've probably noticed this is something your dog does when they are agitated, anxious, over-excited or fearful.  So have a little shake and brush off bad vibes and have a dance to some good vibes.

 

3.BREATHE... take a deep breath and visualise the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems balancing.  Take another breath and visualise the right and left hemispheres of the brain balancing.

 

4. STAND up / Sit up straight...  Caught yourself slouching?  Bringing your spine back to an upright position and notice how you instantly feel more positive when you hold that frame and allow for better breathing. The breath is an invisible link between the mind and body.

 

5.RELAX those shoulders... hunched shoulders = negative, relaxed shoulders = positive.    Something as simple as relaxing your shoulders can have a profound effect in calming your entire nervous system.  But don’t stop there.  Relax your face muscles, your forehead, and where you are feeling tension in the body.

What can you do today to feel more positive and live longer?

Previously we talked about five top tips for Healthy Eating Habits, i.e. Eat your food slowly; Sit whilst you eat; Enjoy what you eat; Plan your meals; and Portion control your meals....  How did you go?  Were you already following these habits?  Below we've listed another five healthy eating habits to help you with "spring cleaning" your health this Spring.  

* AVOID OVEREATING

Eating slowly and controlling portions will help with avoiding eating too much.  Overeating can also happen when we've eaten a meal that hasn't satisfied us and therefore we reach for an after meal snack.  Or are you eating too many snacks between meals?  Spread your meals out throughout the day.

Where possible, cook your meals, using fresh, raw ingredients.  This way you know exactly what has gone into your meal and you've decreased the amount of additives and preservatives in your meal.  When you cook your meals, enjoy the process, touch the ingredients, taste test things, enjoy the aromas.  Don't know how to cook?  There are plenty of fun ways to learn these days - check out your local or online options.  

Drinking too much with a meal will reduce enzyme activity. Drink up to 2 litres of water a day between meals.

Exercise needs to go hand in hand with healthy eating habits.  Consider regular exercise (3-4 times per week) like yoga or qi gong.  This type of exercise massages the intestines and thereby invigorates the digestion and gets the blood flowing, regulates appetite, metabolism and blood sugars.

When did you last clean out your pantry.  Is it full of out of date items?  Your fridge and freezer items should also be checked regularly. Keep supplies fresh and keep healthy snack options on hand.