25 June 2013

DIY Natural Body Scrub Tutorial


This incredibly simple body scrub is so easy to make in just 3 steps and is the most effective scrub I 've every used!

Tip: Rub the scrub thoroughly onto dry skin and then rinse off in the shower.

You will need:

Brown Sugar
White Sugar
Sweet Almond Oil
Orange Essential Oil (or the essential oil of your choice)


Step 1. Put 1 x cup of Brown Sugar and 1 x cup of White Sugar into a bowl


Step 2. Add enough Sweet Almond Oil until it starts to look like a paste


Step 3. Add 10 drops of Orange Essential Oil, or other oils like Lavender, Rosemary, Geranium, whichever is your favorite! 



Make sure you use pure essential oils, you can find these in you local health shop.  Don't use fragrance oils as these will irritate your skin and don't squeeze fresh juice into your mixture as this will make your scrub go rancid very quickly.  
Put the scrub in a nice jar and give it as a gift!



20 May 2013

9000 Needles




I just watched this award winning Documentary 9000 Needles and I highly recommend it to all acupuncturist or anyone interesting in watching a movie about acupuncture, love and determination.  The documentary is about Devin Dearth, a forty year old successful businessman and champion body builder who suffers a devastating stroke. The stroke leave Devin with paralysis, double vision and difficulty speaking. After spending time in ICU, he is transferred to in-patient rehabilitation, but to the limitations of the US health insurance system, his treatment is cut short.  With no other choice, the family decide to bring Devin to a TCM Hospital Tianjian, China where he receives a three month rehabilitation programme with progressive results.

In the documentary, we see Devin receiving quite intense Acupuncture treatments daily.  The use of points we rarely use in day to day practice such as Renzhong Du 26 with very strong stimulation and needling directly into his tongue.  He also received daily Physiotherapy treatment and herbal medicine.

This documentary is heartbreaking, it will make you cry, but Devin's determination is inspiring and the loving support he received from his family and community all contribute to his rehabilitation.

When I studied in China, I spent time on a Stroke ward in Beijing Hepingli Hospital and witnessed at first hand how effective an integrated approach of western medicine, physiotherapy, Traditional Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture is for a progressive recovery after such a debilitating illness.  In China, after the patient has spent a week in ICU, they begin their rehabilitation with acupuncture in the morning and physiotherapy in the afternoon.  The key is to start the acupuncture treatments as early as possible after the stroke for the most effective recovery.