Hebden Bridge Chinese Medicine Clinic

13/04/2025

This looks like a promising development to help women who have suffered recurrent miscarriages maintain implantation .

Whilst there are many potential causes for pregnancy loss, progesterone supplementation can be considered.

This could not only be identified via blood tests 7DPO but also evidenced in Luteal Phase Defect or other anomalies when a patient undertakes BBT charting.
Always consult with a professional to ensure you have the correct tests in place.

✅I hold a Postrgraduate diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetric care and work alongside your care plan and fertility team to bring many babies into the world.

🤰🏻Please be in touch if you want I know more about how I can work to support pregnancy.

The device delivers the hormone progesterone and could save the NHS £236m per year, experts say.

31/03/2025

Spring cleaning! Thank you to whoever it was who came by for my landlords to do the cleaning of the windows today!

30/03/2025

Wishing you and your mum a Happy Mother’s Day, wherever your mum is.

I know that this day can be tricky for many who miss their mums, those who have difficult times with their mum, those who want to become a mum and are struggling and have lost their babies .

It’s also hard work being a mum - and today is your day and I hope your kids are honouring all you have done for them!

For several of my patients, this is their very first Mother’s Day, having received treatment for their fertility, some with via natural conception and some via IVF.

This day I know is a special one for you, and I’m so thrilled to be part of your journey 🙏🏼

💐 Who’s buying their mum flowers today?
We all know plants make people happy - and the right ones make people well!

Our postgraduate register is open to those with the highest standards in the UK of professional training in Chinese Herbal Medicine.
The public can reach out to our members as part of their healthcare choices knowing they are in safe, effective, and ethical hands.

Making those choices of which plants are the right ones for your healthcare, is what we do.

✅Our members have typically undergone 5 or more years of medical training in herbal medicine at an EHPTA approved course following completion of a BAAB approved undergraduate course in acupuncture.

Why not treat your mum to a consultation with one of our highly skilled members?

✅ https://www.rchm.co.uk/pages/find-a-practitioner

20/03/2025

We made it ! Happy Spring Equinox, where the forces of Yin and Yang are in balance with each other. In Classical Chinese Medicine and the Chinese calendar, Chūnfēn (春分) refers to the Spring Equinox, one of the 24 solar terms (节气, Jiéqì).
It typically falls around March 20-22 and marks the midpoint of spring, when day and night are of equal length.

But what is Chūnfēn (春分) in Classical Chinese Medicine?
This refers to when the Balance of Yin and Yang (阴阳平衡) and as day and night are equal, it symbolizes harmony between the opposing- but complimentary forces of Yin and Yang.

This is a time when the body's Qi (气) should be balanced, avoiding extremes of both heat or cold. As a balance point, this is time for refinement. Where we put our energy from here will be what will flourish into the summer and harvest time.

As Spring corresponds to the Liver (肝) and the Wood element (木) in Five Element Theory (五行学说), we remember the function of The Liver is to govern the free flow of Qi and Blood (气血), so during Chūnfēn, we should enjoy free emotional expression and movement , avoiding stress, anger, and overexertion, which can lead to Liver Qi stagnation (肝气郁结). What are the changes you could make at this time?

Dietary Recommendations (食疗养生)
Spring eating means favouring light, fresh, and slightly warm foods to support the Liver.
Green vegetables (such as spinach and celery) help with Liver detoxification.
Sour foods (like citrus and vinegar) can aid Liver function but should be consumed in moderation. Most western countries over eat - and moderation in diet is something everyone could consider at this point!

Emotional and Mental Well-being (调养情志)
Spring is associated with growth, renewal, and expansion.
Practices like Tai Chi (太极), Qigong (气功), and meditation help maintain emotional balance, but so do spring cleaning out homes, spending time outdoors in nature to promote the smooth flow of Qi. And so do spiritual spring cleans- what can be let go of in your life to make way for new growth?

There is a chance to prevent Seasonal Illnesses and contraction of external pathogens if we observe the weather and our bodies well.
With fluctuating temperatures, wind cold and dampness (风湿) can invade the body, leading to allergies, colds, or joint pain.

Whilst we see the signs of the Qi and blood circularing closer to the surface and the spring, and may wish to wear less clothes , we do we to remember this is Yorkshire and the body still has chance to interact with the elements and not win out if the qi isn’t strong!

Chūnfēn is a time for harmonizing our lives and bodies externally with the elements outside again, but also inside our homes, lives, and minds.

We are reminded that growth and renewal come from the smooth flow of well nourished Qi internally, so disease has no place to manifest.

Thanks to everyone who stopped to chat to me on my lunch hour today in Hebden - so many folk are out and about in the spring sunshine , and there was pure magic and great music in the air!

11/03/2025

A new study shows that a father's stress leaves lasting marks on his s***m, influencing the development of his offspring.
This new research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, delves into the field of epigenetics, which explores how environmental factors can alter gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
These epigenetic changes can act as molecular switches, turning genes on or off and influencing various biological processes. Researchers analyzed s***m samples from 58 men, most in their late 30s to early 40s.
The study revealed that men who reported high levels of childhood stress had different epigenetic profiles in their s***m compared to those who reported lower stress. These differences persisted even after accounting for other factors like smoking and drinking, suggesting that childhood experiences can leave lasting epigenetic marks.

The researchers also found differences in a specific small noncoding RNA molecule previously linked to brain development in mice, as well as variations in DNA methylation patterns near genes involved in early brain development. While these findings suggest a potential link between childhood stress and epigenetic changes in s***m that could influence offspring development, it's crucial to emphasize that this research is still preliminary.

It's not yet confirmed whether these epigenetic changes are passed down to children or what their ultimate impact might be. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which these epigenetic modifications in s***m can affect the health and development of future generations.
learn more : https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-024-02872-3

***mhealth

07/03/2025

🙏🏼Honoured to be invited to ‘Real Voices of Happy Valley’ Episode 66 !

Here is a chat I had with Viv about how I ended up studying and practicing Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine, how observation of external factors such as our environment can impact internal physiology and disease development, and how philosophy should underpin medicine - and still come up with the results in the clinic and in research.

🦏 We touch on why ethics matters, and why animal ingredients are illegal in UK Chinese medicine, rightly so.

I share hope for an integrated medicine vision for high quality Chinese medicine practitioners to work alongside western medical colleges- to deliver true patient choice and results for chronic disease.

🇬🇧 Proud to be part of the team at Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine that upholds the huge standards of Chinese Medicine eduction and practice in the UK.



You can listen at [https://realvoicesofhappyvalley.buzzsprout.com/](https://realvoicesofhappyvalley.buzzsprout.com/), Spotify and youtube among others.

24/02/2025

😋How do you have your sweet treats?
✅Patients always say how can I go sugar free ?
🥦As we all know a cornerstone of good health is a proper diet that actually nourishes us - (plus in Chinese medicine we would also say that it’s not just what’s in the food but the body’s ability to process it).
🚩Sugar may be easy to access for energy but it can cause spikes in blood sugar, contribute to diabetes, obesity, and heart disease - and in Chinese medicine it does this initially via weakening and depletion of the spleen which is charged with the task in the body of transforming food into energy and ultimately blood that reaches all of our cells.
🚩Mental and physical fatigue, bloating, weight gain, brain fog, anaemia, respiratory problems, skin conditions like eczema- may all have their roots in poor digestion.

So weaning ourselves off an unhealthy- often excessive diet is an important step in recovery.
🍜The spleen /stomach in Chinese medicine needs easy to digest foods, preferably warm well cooked and moist. (Think soups, stews, cooked grains- not raw!)
To go with all that good eating many people want a ‘sweet treat’.
⬇️Eaten in moderation of course, this great recipie for energy balls can keep you away form junk food and junk calories.

🙌🏽All ingredients are available at

75g ground almonds
100g cashews
150g dates, chopped
1 tbsp crunchy or smooth peanut butter
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
A few drops vanilla extract

Put all in a food processor and whizz.

Roll in coconut or cocoa.

12/02/2025

👋 Hello Todmorden and Beyond!

🕳️ We have the road course coming from the side of ‘Hole 2’ (Trip Advisor account not yet created I believe)

🙏🏼 Thanks to Councillor Sarah Courtney for this update during the latest road closures due to Yorkshire Water works.

📅Please do be in touch if you need to reschedule your appointment due to travel problems between 14-24th February

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19opb99mWs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Shuttle buses on the A646 during the road closure (14th to 24th Feb)

After lots of conversations with both Yorkshire Water and the Combined Authority, where I relayed the importance of buses for people who live in between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, I have today had confirmation that Tetley’s Coaches will be operating shuttle buses BOTH sides of the road closure.

On the east (Hebden) side, these will between bus stop HB6 at Halifax Road, Hebden Bridge, operating via Hope Street, Crown Street and Halifax Road to the closure point at the Old Woodman pub.

This will be a 16 seater minibus and unfortunately, not DDA compliant because there hasn't been time to source an accessible one.

The Hebden side shuttle will operate at the same times/days as the shuttle from Todmorden, 0900-1700 at **15 & **45. I have asked for the buses to wait for customers to give them time to change between buses.

I have also asked that the Traffic Management company makes sure that the parking area beside the Woodman is kept clear so the shuttle bus can turn around.

There won't be signs up at bus stops, so please spread the word.

06/02/2025

Well it’s not every day you are gifted a ♥️velvet va**na ♥️by a lovely midwife!

These beautiful educational tools /ornaments all round fabulous soft va**nas are hand created by the incredible Dr Sarah Wickham and raise money for the Birth Information Project.

🎄One was even spotted at Christmas on my tree!

As I’m trained to postgraduate level in maternity care, I am well placed to offer safe and effective pregnancy acupuncture.
I have the great privilege of seeing many women at the end of their pregnancies- and am on hand to help with all those challenges of this special time.
We can help pelvic girdle pain, maternal hypertension, breech presentation, sleep problems, and so much more as we prepare for birth.

Now I have a velvet va**na to live in the clinic I can use it to
🌺 Facilitate discussion on 10cm dilation (visualisation is empowering!)
👑Demonstrate crowning (apparently you just add a walnut!)
🤰🏼And show pregnant women that our bodies can grow big and get small too!
⭐️locate the cl****is!
❤️remind ourselves that that which is soft has the greatest strength of all ❤️

**na

Thank you to the lovely midwife who gave me this! 🙏🏼

29/01/2025

Out goes the Year of the Dragon and in slides the Snake!
Wishing all my patients, followers and colleagues a Joyous, Healthy and Beneficial year.

It’s been a wonderful year of the dragon for me- with the arrival of a baby dragon in my family and many patients welcoming their own children , and yet more returning to wellness.

It’s my hope that this year the work of those devoted to helping humanity find its way, and humanity learn that only with genuine compassion , interrelationships, and right efforts we can all thrive on this wonderful planet we call our home.

Chinese Medicine is the application of the deepest medical wisdom- we work to create organ and channel harmony - correcting at the root that which is not in harmony and manifesting as symptoms.

We oversee return to a harmony inside a human body, that lives within its environment.

With ingeniuity, proper medical strategy, and a bit of professional help we can all achieve a state of better health.
May it be yours! May we find our health and radiate it outward into a world that needs us!