About 2 weeks ago we experienced the shortest day and the longest night. At winter solstice, the sun seems to pause in its journey for a few days before pivoting and retracing its steps, and the days get gradually longer again. In Chinese medicine thinking, Yin (cold, contracted energy) is at its zenith during the solstice.  Following the solstice comes the rebirth of Yang (warm expansive energy.) Yang is a tiny spark at this time of year, like the pilot light in the hot water heater, and needs to be protected and sheltered in order to grow. In order to stay healthy at this time of year, we need to nurture the spark of Yang within us.

In China, 8 treasure congee was originally prepared as an offering to the Gods. Nowadays it is eaten widely and is indeed a most divine experience! The beautiful soft purple colour, with the pops of red goji berry make it a delight to behold as well as to eat. It calms the heart, quiets the mind and soothes and tones the digestive tract and the muscles of the womb

You can take these beauties almost anywhere and serve them to almost anyone - they’re gluten free, dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free and low FADMAP, so if you don’t know what to take to a gathering, make these. As well as having so many common dietary intolerances covered they’re paleo and vegan. They’re extremely wholesome for a cookie, but still manage to be rich, chewy and crunchy with a great nutty toastiness. Plus, they’re put together in one bowl in about 10 minutes. Super easy! I hope you love them.

This delicate slow-cooked pork belly gives up a glorious floral aroma thanks to an unusual combination of fragrant spices. It’s surprisingly light to eat, especially served with some steamed rice, veggies and pickles, with the delicious broth spooned over. You can either slow braise this dish in the oven or steam it on the stovetop.

In the clinic I’m often shocked to discover how little we understand about menopause as a society. Most perimenopausal women have never had the purpose of menopause explained to them and don’t understand what is happening in their bodies and why. We make the assumptions as a society that it’s going to be a terrible time, that there won’t be much we can do about it and that we’ll be relieved when it’s over. We certainly rarely discuss the opportunities that menopause presents a woman or how she can use this amazing transitional time to her advantage. And we certainly rarely celebrate the beauty, grace and wisdom of the older woman. I’m going to discuss all of this here, and my wish is that you feel empowered by this information as you move onwards with your perimenopause journey.

This article is a tribute to the brave, sensitive souls who are redefining what it means to live with autism. I’d like to celebrate the very special and essential gifts they have to offer the world and help to cut through another layer of misconception and stigma surrounding this poorly understood way of being. I’ll also offer a selection of acupressure points to try at home when life gets tricky.

It may be 'normal' to experience discomfort and inconvenience with your cycle, but a healthy cycle should be pain free. There is an old Chinese medicine saying ‘where there is free flow there is no pain, where there is pain, there is no free flow’. Period pain occurs when the blood flow in the womb is obstructed and the lining of the uterus cannot break down and exit the womb freely and easily. We call this ‘blood stagnation’ in Chinese medicine. Blood stagnation can be caused by cold, heat or blood deficiency.

It’s nearly summer, but for many of us hayfever is still going! In fact, many are suffering with hayfever symptoms well outside of the hayfever season, and for some, it never completely goes away, even in the cooler months. If this is you, then read on. I’m going to explain hayfever from a Chinese medicine perspective; what causes it, why it tends to worsen over the years and what you can do to turn the tide for yourself and head towards milder hayfever symptoms every season.

Eating a plant-based or vegetarian diet takes a little more care and thought than an omnivore’s diet. If you’re not eating meat, the key to getting all the nutrients you need lies in variety. In order to truly experience vital health, it’s important to branch out, experiment, and discover what each of our wonderful, unique bodies requires. So go forth and graze widely!