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Monday 8am - 7pm Tuesday 11am - 7pm Friday 8am - 1pm Saturday 8am - 1pm

https://bloomacuwellness.com.au/

Kiah McGowan TCM, 2A Elm Street, Northcote (2026)

12/02/2026

🫨 Painful periods, migraines, insomnia… and then she says she hasn’t taken a lunch break in years 🫨

Your job description is sometimes more diagnostic than the symptom list you come in with. When a patient tells me she doesn’t eat, doesn’t take breaks, runs on caffeine, and can’t switch off after work…everything usually start making a lot more sense:
▪️ painful or heavy periods ▪️ PMS / breast tenderness / mood swings ▪️ temple headaches or migraines ▪️ jaw, neck & shoulder tension ▪️ insomnia or wired-but-exhausted sleep ▪️ bloating & inconsistent digestion ▪️ short cycles or worsening premenstrual symptoms
 Why this happens:
A chronically stressed nervous system = prolonged sympathetic activation.
That often leads to: → cortisol + adrenaline prioritised over digestion & hormone balance → reduced progesterone resilience, more estrogen (hello PMS + short luteal phases) → impaired ovulation signalling → increased muscle guarding/tension (jaw, traps, pelvic floor) → Liver qi constraint patterns: headaches, irritability, breast tenderness → Spleen qi impairment: bloating, fatigue, unstable energy

Your body is adapting to the environment it thinks you live in.
If your workday looks like survival mode, your cycle and your symptoms usually reflect it.

09/02/2026

💨 I’ll often get strange looks when I’ve used moxa in the clinic and the smell lingers…💨

Moxa, or moxibustion, is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that uses heat from burning mugwort to warm the body, move Qi, and support Yang energy.

It is commonly used to strengthen immunity, improve circulation, ease pain, and support digestion, especially when cold or deficiency patterns are present.

This is not “just heat,” but a targeted therapy with centuries of clinical use behind it.

08/02/2026

If you’ve landed on this page, there’s a good chance you’re navigating hormonal imbalance, nervous system overwhelm, skin concerns you want to treat naturally, or a fertility, IVF, or pregnancy journey that deserves deeper, more thoughtful support. You might be frustrated with feeling overlooked, unheard or disregarded in your health appointments until now. I want to change that.

I’m Kiah, a Chinese Medicine Doctor in Northcote, Melbourne. I work with everyone, but have a passion for helping women and AFAB people who want more than surface-level care. The people I see are often struggling to connect their body and mind or make sense of why their symptoms are even happening.

My clinic is built on structure, education, and collaboration.
That means we don’t just treat symptoms; we explore patterns, ask better questions, and work together to understand why things are happening so we can create clear, practical pathways forward.

You can expect:
• thorough, root-focused care
• nervous system–informed treatment
• support through hormones, skin, fertility & pregnancy
• honest conversations, clear education, and realistic plans
• and yes- a bit of humour and fun along the way (because healing doesn’t have to feel heavy all the time)!

If you’re looking for someone who will advocate for you, look at the full picture, and meet you wherever you’re at in your health journey- you’re in the right place.

Ready to begin?
Bookings available via the link in bio. 💚

04/02/2026

We LOVE to see Chinese Medicine and Chinese culture finally receiving the recognition it deserves! But, let’s make sure we’re posting thoughtfully and respectfully. There’s a risk in this current ‘trend’ of cultural dilution when Chinese Medicine is reduced to disconnected techniques or trendy excerpts. If you’re interested in the current conversation around this trend, I really recommend learning from creators who are speaking on it with clarity and nuance:

My hope is simply that its growth online is rooted in understanding, cultural respect, and appreciation for the system as a whole, while also being aware of the very real discrimination and racism that Asian people face each day in Western societies. Don’t profit off a culture when it is trending, and then disregard or engage in the racial prejudices that are happening each day, both in IRL and online. 
As Chinese Medicine gains visibility, we’re also seeing a rise in surface-level, AI-generated TCM content: often shared by people outside the profession and without cultural or clinical context. While the intention may be curiosity or enthusiasm, depth and lineage matter. 
As a practitioner and as someone outside Chinese culture, I believe respect looks like education, humility, and acknowledging where this medicine comes from, not reducing it to aesthetics or isolated shortcuts.

For thoughtful, well-informed TCM education, I recommend following:  .tcm

03/02/2026

Waking between 1–3am? This isn’t random. 😴

In Chinese medicine, this window belongs to the Liver.

While you sleep, the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of energy and blood; it helps process hormones, emotions, and stress so the body can properly rest and repair.

When the Liver is under strain, we often see:
• Waking around 1–3am feeling stressed, panicked, unable to switch off your mind, clenched through the jaw and shoulders
• Feeling hot, wired, or restless at night
• Irritability, frustration, or emotional build-up
• PMS, headaches, neck and shoulder tension
• Vivid dreams or light sleep
This isn’t about your body “failing, it’s talking to you!

The Liver doesn’t like being rushed, suppressed, or ignored. It responds to rhythm, movement, emotional expression, and real rest.

More Chinese clock explanations coming soon! ⏰

01/02/2026

Cupping marks aren’t “bruises”, they are so much more, and we use them diagnostically!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the colour (or lack of colour) tells us how your body is functioning beneath the surface.

Here’s what those marks can indicate:

🩷 Pink / pale / little to no mark
This often reflects Qi or Blood deficiency, or simply that the body doesn’t need cupping support.
You might notice: low energy, feeling run-down, slow recovery, light periods, cold hands & feet, or chronic fatigue.

🟣 Purple / dark marks
A sign of stagnation: where Qi and Blood aren’t moving freely.
Common in people with pain, old injuries, muscle tightness, emotional stress, headaches, period pain, or areas that feel “stuck” or chronically sore.

🔴 Red marks
Indicate Heat in the body.
This can show up as inflammation, redness, irritability, anxiety, poor sleep, acne, reflux, hot flushes, or feeling hot when others don’t.

🍓Red speckled marks
Classically associated with Toxic Heat, a deeper, more pathological form of heat.
Often seen alongside skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis), recurrent infections, inflammation, feverish sensations, or flare-ups that worsen with stress or diet.

The goal of cupping isn’t to “get a mark”, it’s to restore circulation, regulate the nervous system, and support healing while understanding the body more deeply.

Every body tells a different story and this is just one of the ways we learn to listen

26/01/2026

Zuo Yue Zi (forgive my pronunciation 😵‍💫), or “sitting the month,” is traditional Chinese postpartum recovery practice many women engage in during the first 30-40 days postpartum.

The goal is to restore blood, protect Yang, and support long-term health after childbirth. This includes rest, warmth, specific foods, and avoiding overexertion during a critical healing window.

In TCM, how you recover postpartum can impact your health for years to come.

If you want to learn more about how you can nourish your body and optimise your recovery postpartum, sign up through the link in my bio to know when my Fourth Trimester E-Book releases! 👶

21/01/2026

If one system stood out for you: start there with gentle support. 
If none fit perfectly, that’s part of the medicine too! In Chinese medicine, patterns overlap, shift, and change with seasons and life phases. 
Your body is met in context, not categories. Holistic care always works best when it’s personalised, so take this info as a starting place- if you need deeper care, get in touch with a local practitioner.

19/01/2026

It’s about balance y’all!

Yes, an iced drink might weaken my digestive efficiency (Spleen Qi) a little, but this is definitely not an daily thing and my good habits mean that I can make some room for less-good habits every now and then.

I will never claim to be perfect, and that means I never expect my patients to be. If I’m eating warm and cooked foods 90% of the time, then I can absolutely have a cold brew every now and then- or an ice cream, or a cocktail!

Perfection creates restriction and restriction often means more stress. I opt for health that is realistic, individualised, and makes room for a little fun every now and then.

18/01/2026

Could your eyes and ears be telling you exactly what’s out of balance?

In Chinese medicine, our linked organ-channel systems may sometimes communicate through the senses.

👁️ Liver → Eyes Dry eyes, blurry vision, floaters, eye strain, or headaches behind the eyes often point to Liver Blood or Yin deficiency, or chronic stress causing stagnation.
🫀Heart → Tongue Redness at the tip, ulcers, a restless tongue, or changes in speech can reflect Heart heat, anxiety, insomnia, or emotional overload.
👂 Kidneys → Ears Ringing, blocked sensations, hearing changes, or balance issues often correlate with Kidney depletion, long-term stress, burnout, or reproductive strain.
👃 Lungs → Nose (the video for this one didn’t work) Chronic congestion, allergies, dryness, or frequent infections suggest weakened Lung Qi or Yin, often tied to grief, overwork, or immune depletion.
👄 Digestion → Mouth & Lips Pale lips, swelling, excess saliva, cravings, or taste changes often indicate digestive weakness, dampness, or poor nutrient assimilation. 
These signs aren’t random, they can be interpreted as little clues from your body!
 Noticing them early allows us to treat upstream, before symptoms become disease.

16/01/2026

If skincare were a dessert, it’d be this ⬇️

In Chinese medicine, healthy skin is about hydration, nourishment, and Yin: the cooling, moistening foundation that keeps skin plump, calm and resilient. 
This sweet tremella & pear soup is one of my favourite recipes to nourish yin and body fluids, supporting skin hydration, glow, and recovery from heat, stress, or illness. It’s perfect for any season where you feel dry and dehydrated (on the skin level OR deeper). 
Ingredients + TCM benefits: 🍄‍🟫 Tremella (snow fungus): deeply nourishes fluids, supports skin hydration and elasticity 🍑 Peach gum: supports moisture, softness, and collagen-like nourishment 🍐 Winter pear: cools, hydrates, and soothes dryness and inflammation 🌱 Licorice root (Gan Cao): harmonises, supports skin clarity and calm 🍒Jujube: nourishes qi & blood and supports complexion 🍒 Dried longan: supports glow, recovery, and skin vitality 🍒 Goji berries: supports skin tone, elasticity, and resilience 🍬 Rock sugar (optional- mine was too sweet for me with this): gently supports hydration and spleen qi.

Cooking instructions: Soak tremella and peach gum until soft and gelatinous. Simmer with pear, licorice root (I put mine in a tea strainer), jujube, and longan for 30-60 minutes until all is cooked through and the soup is silky. Add goji in the last 10 minutes.

Kiah McGowan TCM

12/02/2026

09/02/2026

08/02/2026

04/02/2026

03/02/2026

01/02/2026

26/01/2026

21/01/2026

19/01/2026

18/01/2026

16/01/2026

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Monday	8am - 7pm
Tuesday	11am - 7pm
Friday	8am - 1pm
Saturday	8am - 1pm