2 packets of wonton or dumpling wrappers (you will often find these in the freezer at a local chinese supermarket)
 
Dumpling Filling
250g white cabbage
250g pork mince
Half bunch spring onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2cm piece of ginger finely grated
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
 
Dipping Sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped spring onions
¼ tsp toasted sesame seeds
½ tsp ground black pepper
 
 
Method:
Finely chop the cabbage (you can also do this in a food processor), sprinkle lightly with salt and allow to rest for 10 mins before squeezing out the excess liquid.
 
In a large bowl combine, pork mince, cabbage, spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Mix together until evenly coated.
 
Hold the dumpling wrapper flat in one hand and place about 2 tsp of filling in the centre. Wet the edges of the wrapper with some water and fold in half to form a half moon shape. Pinch the edges together in pleats, being sure to seal fully.
Repeat until all the filling is used
 
Pan-Fry Dumplings:
In a non-stick fry pan add 2 tbs vegetable oil and add the dumplings and cook for 2 mins until golden. Add 1 cup of water, cover and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer until wrappers become translucent and filling is cooked through (around 8-10 mins), uncover and allow the rest of the water to evaporate and bottoms of the dumplings become crisp.
 
Dipping Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, serve on the side.

​Poor sleep impacts on a range of health issues from obesity, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, hormone regulation, poor memory, anxiety and generally stress and inflammation in the body.
 
Many people find that coming for acupuncture helps them sleep better - even if sleep is not the main reason for having acupuncture.
 
There are a number of different patterns that we will look at when you come for acupuncture to help with insomnia and sleep. As part of the consultation we’ll look at what is out of balance and develop a treatment plan based on your particular combination of symptoms.
 
Some of the things that we’ll look at include whether you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. If you wake through the night, is it the same time every night or does this vary? Do you experience palpitations, dizziness or anxiety? Do you feel hot and restless?
 
We’ll also look at your diet and routine and often add some tailored recommendations of things to include (or to stop) which can also balance the patterns of disharmony.
 
Tips for a good night sleep:
● Reduce the use of screens including tablets, mobile phones and even your television. If you can’t break this habit then make sure you switch on “blue light” mode (or download an app that does this) which is said to help to change the colours in the screen that are said to impact on the melatonin production in the body
 
● Avoid eating before bed. As our days get busier we often find ourselves eating later in the day and then heading straight to bed. Sleep is a time for rest and repair and if your digestive system is busy working the body is losing out on valuable restorative time. Eating late at night also has a link to obesity and sleep is often more disrupted or fragmented.
 
● Pillows - how long since you’ve replaced your pillows? Although it can be difficult to find the pillow that is just right for you - investing in a good quality pillow can make a world of difference. If you normally sleep on two or more pillows investing in a single good quality pillow that supports your neck and alignment can make a big difference to the quality of your sleep
 
● Empty your mind - often people with difficulty sleeping find that they are laying there over thinking or worrying about the day that’s just happened or thinking about the future. Try taking 10 mins before you go to sleep to write in a notebook or journal everything on your mind. Do it in free flowing style - whatever comes to mind (you don’t ever need to read it back) and empty all the worries out on paper. Although it can take a while to get into the habit - this simple technique often helps you drift off faster.

Ingredients
1 lemon (preferably organic)
1-2 cloves of garlic (depends on size of cloves)
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of honey (preferably Manuka but at least Raw)

1. Cut a lemon in halves ​
2. Squeeze all the lemon juice out of one half and place in a small bowl. Keep the half you extracted the juice for later use (step 5). 
3. Chop the garlic and it let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Then add it to the lemon juice with the cayenne pepper.
4. Add the honey to the mix and stir all ingredients well.
5. Pour the entire mixture back into the lemon half (which you extracted the juice from in step 2)
6. Consume the finished product in its entirety including all the lemon pulp. Hold it in your hand and cup it as if you're holding a fruit. Repeat recipe in 4 hours with the other lemon half

References
https://news.wsu.edu/2012/05/01/garlic-compound-fights-source-of-food-borne-illness/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412201713.htm

I learnt this exercise from a daoist monk on Wudang mountain. Although there are many qigong exercises to mobilise the joints I find this one incorporates the Taiji principle of ‘dantian* moves, body moves’ or moving from centre.

It looks a lot easier than it is in practice, so start with the feet and then then hands and then as this feels natural do both together. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the wrists and the ankles are called the ‘rings of life’ as the 3 yin and 3 yang meridians compress before extending to the extremities and qi can often get blocked here. Practice this exercise daily, several times if you spend a lot of time sitting down and also as a warm up for other exercise. 
​

• ANKLES: Take your weight onto the right foot and place the left foot slightly ahead (not too far). Circle the foot. As you lift the heel and roll the inside edge of the foot up until only the big toe is in contact with the floor. Then roll the outside (little toe) edge of the foot back down on the ground until the foot is fully on the ground. Do not lift the big toe off the ground. Repeat 8x. Then change direction.
• WRISTS: Interlock your fingers. Keeping the elbows and shoulders down, Lift the right wrist and roll it away from you as the left wrist rolls back towards you. Then lift the left wrist and roll it forwards as the right wrist rolls backwards. Repeat 8x. Then change direction.
• BOTH TOGETHER: Once 1 & 2 feel natural, try both together. Change direction, then change feet.

​
* dantian translated as ‘red cinnabar field’ is the energy centre of the body which lies 3 fingers-width below the naval and inside the body. Ancient daoists considered this to be the site of alchemical transformation whereby humans could achieve immortality. ​

Back in 1971, when Nixon was on a state visit to China, he was accompanied by a journalist, James Reston, who developed appendicitis and had surgery without general anesthetic. After his appendix was removed through conventional surgery at the Anti-Imperialist Hospital in Beijing, his post-operative pain was treated by Li Chang-Yuan with acupuncture. He went on to write about the treatment in the New York Times and introduced acupuncture to the US and many other western cultures.

Although there are stories about acupuncture being used for anaesthesia – today we look at how it can help pre- and post-surgery to help with recovery and pain.

• Reduces stress & anxiety prior to surgery

Facing surgery, no matter how big or small a procedure, can be very stressful. Stress increases the cortisol levels in the body and activates the body’s flight-or-fight mode. On the other hand when your body and mind are relaxed then all the systems in the body can work at their optimal level helping to boost the immune system and to activate the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Acupuncture helps to activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system – the rest-and-digest mode – and to ease that stress & anxiety.

• Less pain during & after surgery

Up to 86% people report moderate, severe or extreme pain after surgery, with opioids the normal prescribed medication for post operative pain. Systematic reviews suggest that acupuncture and ear acupuncture may also be effective for this post-surgery pain relief. Of course, acupuncture can be used along side these medications and can lead to less the medications being required and reducing their side effects.

• Reduces nausea & vomiting

One of the most studied points in acupuncture research is PC 6 which has been shown to treat nausea and vomiting for many things including post-surgery and for chemotherapy related nausea. Again, this may be used in combination with anti-emetics (anti sickness tablets) and may mean that you don’t need to take as much medication overall.

• Less scarring & swelling

In acupuncture we use a technique called “surrounding the dragon” to help treat scar tissue on the body. This is usually done once your scar has healed and you have permission from your doctor or consultant. Treatments involve placing very fine, superficial needles to surround the scar itself to help increase blood flow to the area and speed up the healing process.

• Increases strength, range of motion and flexibility

Depending on the surgery that you have had you will often be prescribed some rehabilitive exercises to help you to recover. These exercises can be combined with qigong (Chinese exercises combining breath with movement). These exercises help move the flow of qi or energy in the body and help build up muscle strength and increase flexibility and range of motion.

If you’d like to know more about how acupuncture can support you when you have surgery coming up get in touch for a free 20 minute phone consultation today.

References
http://www.nytimes.com/1971/07/26/archives/now-about-my-operation-in-peking-now-let-me-tell-you-about-my.html
https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-of-conditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/post-operative-pain.html
https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news-listing/acupuncture-reduces-pain-need-opioids-after-surgery
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966653298000493

This article was co-authored by Laura Ichajapanich & Stacey Chapman

青龙出水 :  Blue Dragon Comes Out of the Water 

As part of the Southbank's Festival of Love Pragma (Enduring Love) weekend, around 50 people joined in the taiji and qigong session taught by Laura in Jubilee Gardens.

This summer, the Festival of Love at the Southbank is inspired by seven Ancient Greek words for different types of love. On Sunday 3 August, as part of the weekend exploring Pragma: enduring love, Moving Qi was invited to teach a taiji class in Jubilee Gardens. Throughout the weekend participants joined in activities inspired by nurturing and cultivation, taking your time, and making together. Taiji is the ideal format for demonstrating Pragma; yang sheng means nourishing life or health cultivation and some of the slow, meditative qigong movements were used by daoist sages to promote health and longevity. Taiji is a martial art that requires discipline or enduring love in order to develop internal strength.