In Japan Shonishin is a mainstream method of paediatric healthcare for babies and children.
Commonly known as pediatric acupuncture, the treatment is painless as typically no needles are used and nothing actually penetrates the skin.
Shonishin literally translates as sho “little”, ni “children”, and shin “needle”. In fact the trained practitioners uses small metal shonishin tools to stroke, rub, tap or brush on the child’s skin over acupuncture pathways and points. The treatment gently relaxes and simulates the child’s body allowing it to recover and regain a proper balance.
Shonishin is an effective and simple way of dealing with many of the health issues that babies and young children experience.

What does Shonishin treat?

Shonishin can help conditions such as
* Allergies
* Anxiety
* Asthma
* Bed wetting
* Cold and flu symptoms
* Colic
* Constipation
* Cough
* Cancer symptom relief (nausea and fatigue)
* Diarrhea
* Ear infection
* Eczema
* Headaches
* Muscle weakness and fatigue
* Pain (of all kinds)
* Poor sleeping patterns
* Seizures and epilepsy
* Stomach aches

What does a treatment look like?

There are acupressure points all over the body. Your child will be asked to lay on the couch in his or her nappy or underclothes as the practitioner will need to see and touch areas on the arms, legs, tummy, chest and back.
Your child will be asked to lie down or the parent can hold the child as the treatment is administered.
The frequency, dosage and strength of therapy will depend on the condition and the length of time the child has had the problem as well as the age and general health health of the child. A child’s treatments will usually be short often only taking 15 to 30 minutes depending on the age of the child.

The technique is most effective when treatments are close together until the symptoms are alleviated. Once the primary health concern is addressed, treatments may continue on a less frequent basis to prevent recurrence.

While initial treatments are administered only by trained acupuncturists, some procedures can be performed by the child’s parents at home (a teaspoon can makes an ideal home-based Shonishin tool). The techniques are quickly and easily learned, allowing parents to perform daily treatments between visits. So after the first 2 Shonishin sessions parents can be taught to administer a simple home treatment to support their child’s ongoing improvements between clinic visits.

If you would like more information about how Shonishin could help your child please get in touch.

5Rhythms practice is a journey towards freeing the body, expressing the heart, emptying the mind, awakening the soul and embodying the spirit.”
Gabrielle Roth

I love to dance 5Rhythms. It’s good exercise and makes me physically stronger and breath more deeply. But I could run, go to the gym or take a Zumba class for that... and there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s your thing.
But I’ve found that l love to dance the 5Rhythms because it’s also a moving meditation and a way of connecting with myself and my fellow dancers on the levels of body, mind and spirit.
I’m a 5 Element Acupuncturist and even before I went to my first class I was intrigued by the idea that you could somehow dance the five elemental transformations. I work with theses transformations each day in clinic and know they make up the pattern of existence. The smooth flow of these energies prevent dis-ease (disease) and the regaining of this ease is the way to banish physical and emotional stagnation and pain.
So I went to my first class with a curiosity about the name of the class but very few other expectations.
I’ve been rewarded with a practice that connects me to my body and many aspects of myself as a human being. It loosens my muscles and makes my blood and energy move. If I dance regularly it keeps at bay my dodgy back and my tense shoulders. As a person who sometimes finds it impossible to sit still to quiet my mind in meditation it also helps me live with my occasional low moods and life’s inevitable distressing moments. The dance has definitely deepened and eased my relationship with my body and my mind.
At the same time the dance connects me to other dancers. In a city where it’s often difficult to make new friends I’ve been rewarded with finding a community of people who are on a similar physical, emotional and soul journey. Like me they dance for many different reasons. Those reasons are their business and not mine. But in the dance we often connect to each other when and if we need it. In a safe space where communication is often non verbal, it seems easier to develop a trust in other people and this then supports me in my life away from the dance floor.
Virtually every day I’m grateful that I’ve found such a wonderful practice with a lovely teacher and great tribe of dancers.
You don’t need any experience to dance the 5Rythms. There are no moves to learn and you can dance alone of with others. All you need is a willingness to move your body in any way you wish. No one judges you on your dance or even really watches what you do and you’ll be welcomed into the community. Our new term starts on Tuesday 3rd September but you can join any time.
If you are interested in trying 5Rhythms get in touch with Neil on
https://www.neilpinnock.com/
Or just ask me for more information.

As most of my clients know I regularly talk about food. Not only do I love eating, cooking and talking about scrumptious food but from a Chinese Medicine perspective food is medicine. You can't think about good health without thinking about the fuel you put into your body.
It seems that Western Medicine is gradually catching up with that message and a BBC pragramme I found whilst surfing the IPlayer content looking for something to fill in the background whilst I sat knitting (I know not very glamerous!) reflects this.
'The Truth About Carbs' shows what Chinese Medicine has known for centuries.....that eating certain carbs can seriously impact on your ability to conceive, your blood sugars leading to diabetes and your ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
The programme simply outlined that reducing what they call white and beige carbs could reverse these three causes of unhappiness. It does seem too good to be true but the programme provides evidence supported by Western medically trained Doctors. It even includes a small experiment with real people who, in a 2 week period, manage to loose weight and reverse their Type II diadetes. They didn't stop eating carbs altogether, just ate lots of low carb vegetables and lots of fruit. They found alternatives for roast potatoes and could even eat chocolate for desert.
So if you are interested in improving your fertility, diabetes and weight without hunger or pain its time to catch up and watch TV. The knitting is optional.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b5y6c0/the-truth-about-17-carbs

  

Here’s a lovely message from a recent patient about how acupuncture has helped her with symptoms of the menopause

‘Prior to having acupuncture I was suffering from recurrent night sweats , severe mood swings & migraine type headaches, all of which I understood to be symptoms of the menopause, after my third treatment all of these symptoms had stopped & I recall saying to a friend "I feel like me again, but better!" this for me is a far safer option than HRT.’

There is some research that supports the anecdotal feedback I receive. The results of these studies tend to indicate there is benefit in the use of acupuncture in the alleviation of menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flushes and anxiety.
If you’d like to read more visit the British Acupuncture Council website.
https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/arrc/public-review-papers/menopause-and-acupuncture-the-evidence-for-effectiveness.html


If you’d like to find out more about how acupuncture could help you personally please get in touch.

Over the years many of the people I have trained with have become fantastic acupuncturists (obviously) but also wonderful life long friends. Like many professions we meet up regularly to undertake CPD and one recent meet up in London got me thinking about what makes an outstanding acupuncture therapist and also a great friend.
Nearly everyone who is a British Acupuncture Council  member will have, at the very least, a degree level qualification and will therefore possess skills and knowledge about Chinese medicine. But like a good friend a good acupuncturist will be something more.
The best treatment won't just be about symptom relief and the placing of needles at the correct points but will deal with the client/patient's underlying dis-ease. To do that the acupuncturist and client need to have a relationship based on trust, integrity and compassion. Like a good friend the therapist will be sensitive to the client patient's needs and be totally non judgemental. She will really listen and work with the client rather than work on them. A good friend doesn't tell you what to do but makes suggestions and allows you to decide. Like a good friend a good therapist will empower the other person to discover for themselves what changes they need to make to regain the best health they can.
And like all relationships the benefit isn't just one way. Whether as a therapist or a friend by being whole heartedly there and present for another person, the best therapists and friends grow and learn to become better, healthier and wiser themselves. 

Acupuncture can help you sleep. Dr Neil Stanley, has more than 36 years’ experience in sleep research and is the author of How to Sleep Well. Stanley says the three essential ingredients for good sleep are a dark, quiet, comfortable place; a relaxed body and a quiet mind. “It doesn’t matter what gets you a quiet mind – camomile tea, yoga, listening to Pink Floyd really loudly – as long as you enjoy it.” I’d add acupuncture to that list. It’s great at creating a relaxed body and quiet mind!