Betterness Acupuncture & Herbs

07/08/2025

Today it's LiChun 立春 Beginning of Spring in the Southern hemisphere. More the first signs of spring, than the actual season. But still a time to welcome it. Open the doors and windows to bring the spring energy in.
Do the same for yourself with acupuncture. That's the connection.

23/05/2025

First rainy Djeran day for a while. Here's some blue skies and blooms

16/04/2025

Cooler nights and dewy mornings bring Djeran.
There are red flowers, banksia cones, and flying ants.
Summer was dry ag*in, with less than average rainfall. So while our West Australian autumn should bring the first of the rains, summer has left us dry. Eat poached pears, figs, persimmons, avocado, tofu. As well as replenishing fluids these sweet Earth Digestion foods help build seasonal Metal Respiration.
Just as the locals rebuilt their shelters for the coming cold winds and rain, it's a good time to prepare for winter with herbs, acupuncture, or moxibustion.

14/04/2025

Sundays. Taichi and qigong in Booyembara Park. Reach out if you're local and keen.

16/02/2024

07/02/2024

Hello.

02/02/2024

Upping my insta game.

29/09/2023

Tofu and Greens soup to balance yin and yang around the equinox. Aromatics move qi to regulate Liver; tofu nourishes Liver and Kidney and supplements yin; and the greens cool Liver and subdue Yang.
This one was at Mr Bun in Murray St but it's easy to make. Fry your favourite aromatics in oil: spring onions, garlic, ginger would be the go. Add stock and bring to the boil. Simmer your favourite greens such as pak choy, buk choy, g*i lan, or spinach for five to 10 minutes, and add silken tofu and black or white wood ear mushrooms towards the end and allow to heat through.
You could use chicken, fish, dashi, or vegetable stock.

01/06/2023

We use the good stuff. This is Sheng Ma 升麻 or ascending h**p. Until recently it has been difficult to get the proper variety of this herb, but now we can.

10/05/2023

Acupuncturists understand how neck and upper back tension can lead to jaw problems: tense muscles, grinding teeth, or TMJ trouble. We can use that understanding to relieve the tension and the problems it causes.
Acupuncturists see sinew channels or 经筋 jingjin that are continuous bands of connected muscles. Many bodyworkers and physical therapists use a similar idea of myofascial chains or anatomy trains. This model explains how neck and upper back tension affects the muscles controlling the jaw and why easing the tension alleviates jaw problems.

It also explains why acupuncture points in the hand and foot can help.

Main image “Illustration on Grinding your Teeth” by James Gayle Art.

20/12/2022

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. No wonder the Magi are known as wise men. Their gifts were valuable but the last two were also useful as healing traditional medicine – they were used to help mothers recover from childbirth. Burning them as incenses covered bad smells, and was thought to purify the air and prevent infectious disease. Pretty handy in a stable.

We use frankincense and myrrh to improve blood circulation, and to help people recover from traumatic injury. We don’t tend to use them for post-partum recovery but instead use other herbs with similar characteristics. Probably because while they smell great they don’t taste too good.