Dancing Crane Acupuncture

03/02/2026

Don’t toss that rind! 🍉 The white part between the pink flesh and the green skin is a hidden gem of nutrition and medicine. Let’s give it some love.

Classical Chinese Medicine (CM) Perspective:

In CM, watermelon rind (“Xi Gua Pi”) is considered:

• Cooling & Moistening: Clears Summer-Heat (think: irritability, thirst, mild fever).

• Diuretic & Detoxifying: Promotes urination to expel dampness and heat from the body.

• Benefits the Bladder & Stomach: Can help with scanty, dark urine or a feeling of heat in the stomach.

Biomedical/Nutrition Perspective:

Science backs up its benefits! The white rind is rich in:

• Citrulline: An amino acid even more concentrated here than in the sweet red flesh! Supports blood flow, heart health, and may reduce muscle soreness.

• Fibre: Excellent for digestion and gut health.

• Vitamin C, A, & B6: For immunity and metabolism.

• Potassium & Magnesium: Essential electrolytes.

How to Prepare & Enjoy:

It’s crunchy, mild, and absorbs flavours beautifully!

1. Stir-fried or Braised: Cook it like you would cucumber or zucchini. Great in curries or with garlic and a dash of soy sauce.

2. Pickled (Quick & Tasty): Julienne the rind (remove the green skin). Salt, rinse, then pickle in rice vinegar, a bit of sugar, salt, and a chili or ginger slice for 1 hour to overnight.

3. Dehydrated for Chips: Thinly slice, season, and dehydrate until crisp.

4. Boiled for Tea: Simmer fresh rind in water for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink warm or chilled. Add mint or lime!

Wash the melon thoroughly before using the rind, peel the dark green skin!

Tag a friend who needs to know this! ♻️ What’s your favourite way to reduce food waste?

26/01/2026

Beat the 45°C heat with ancient herbal wisdom.

This isn't just any iced drink—it's Chrysanthemum & Goji Berry tea, a classic Sheng Jin (生津) or "fluid-generating" formula from Chinese medicine.

On a day like today, the extreme heat can deplete your body's vital Yin fluids, leaving you parched, overheated, and fatigued. Chugging ice-cold water can sometimes shock the system.

Instead, this tea works with your body:

Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua): Clears Summer Heat and Liver Fire—the irritation and redness from too much sun. It gently guides heat outward to cool you from the inside.

Goji Berry (Gou Qi Zi): Nourishes the Liver and Kidney Yin, the deep reservoir of your body’s moisture. It replenishes the fluids lost to the sweltering heat.

Pro Tip: Brew it strong, then let it cool to room temperature. Sipping it at this temperature is most harmonious with your digestive Spleen energy, allowing for optimal absorption of those precious fluids.

The Beauty Bonus: In Chinese medicine, beauty is a reflection of internal balance. By clearing heat (goodbye, inflammation!) and nourishing Yin (hello, hydration!), this tea supports clear skin, bright eyes (Goji is famous for this!), and a calm, radiant glow from within.

Your Summer Ritual: Steep a handful of chrysanthemum + goji berries in hot water for 5 mins. Let it cool, sip mindfully, and feel the balance return.

Have you tried this classic cooling combo? What’s your go-to summer tea?

Happy sipping!

For a personalised diet therapy, herbal medicine or heat reducing acupuncture session, you can visit me at Stirling Holistic Health in the hills or at the Bodyworx in North Adelaide

www.dancingcrane.com.au

dancingcraneacupuncture

19/12/2025

19/12/2025

Spiritual Meanings of the Pied Currawong (Kurrajong Bird)
Cleverness & Problem Solving: They are smart birds, adept at navigating suburban life and finding food, symbolizing clever solutions.
Adaptability: Thriving in forests, woodlands, and cities, they represent being able to fit in anywhere.
Communication & Song: Known for their musical calls, they connect to melody, talking, and spiritual messages.
Opportunism: Can signify taking chances, and, also finding joy in unexpected places.
Resourcefulness: Eating insects, fruits, and even carrion (like roadkill), they represent cleaning up messes and making the most of resources.

29/09/2025

Spring is whispering through South Australia, and the delicate, resilient native orchids are emerging.

Right now is the perfect time to see some native orchids at Black Hill Conservation Park.

In Classical Chinese Medicine, the orchid (蘭, lán) is deeply revered. It’s a symbol of purity, refinement, and quiet nobility. While the species differ, the essence resonates. The orchid reminds us to seek harmony, to bloom in our own time, and to find strength in stillness.

Seeing these local treasures reminds me of the Qi of the season—the rising, expansive Wood energy of Spring. It’s a perfect time to nurture our own Liver Qi, to move with purpose and grace, just as these beautiful plants do.

12/09/2025

Spring in the Southern Hemisphere: A Classical Chinese Medicine Perspective for South Australia blog out now visit:
https://dancingcrane.com.au/Blog~34
For diet and lifestyle tips to living in harmony with the seasons

www.dancingcrane.com.au

12/09/2025

Spring in the Southern Hemisphere: A Classical Chinese Medicine Perspective for South Australia blog out now visit:
https://dancingcrane.com.au/Blog~34
For diet and lifestyle tips to living in harmony with the seasons

12/09/2025

Spring in the Southern Hemisphere: A Classical Chinese Medicine Perspective for South Australia blog out now visit:
https://dancingcrane.com.au/Blog~34
For diet and lifestyle tips to living in harmony with the seasons

08/08/2025

Such a blessing as always to share time with my Classical Acupuncture teacher imparting the treatment of the emotions with the Luo channels. Thank you Ann for ensuring this medicine is preserved into the future and many thanks to for making it all happen ###

A big thank you to the beautiful people who volunteered their time, openness and vulnerability to be demonstration patients for the benefit of us practitioners 🙏✨️

01/07/2025

I am so honoured and proud to be a part of this great tradition of Classical Acupuncture - here is a wonderful podcast with my teacher Ann Cecil Sterman being interviewed by Mason of SuperFeast For anyone who is more interested in understanding the difference between Classical Acupuncture and 'TCM' - why I go on about *warm water* and why I discourage cold plunges and many other offerings for health and longevity that Ann explains most articulately. Studying with Ann completely transformed my entire practice - this podcast explains how and why...🥰

Today, we have a special guest on our show, Ann Cecil-Sterman, a distinguished author and a seasoned practitioner of classical Chinese medicine. Ann's dedication to preserving and revitalising the classical teachings of acupuncture is not only inspiring but crucial in a world where this venerable tr...

30/06/2025

If you visit with an acupuncturist or Chinese medicine practitioner regularly you may have already been advised to aim for sleep well before 11pm “because Gallbladder time” – if not, you may be interested in why this is important. My most recent blog outlines the evidence and benefits from both a biomedical and Chinese medicine view.
Wishing you a deep and peaceful sleep always.

https://dancingcrane.com.au/Blog~34





https://dancingcrane.com.au

21/06/2025

https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSsydney/videos/1709899729034153/