Elderberries are one of the oldest remedies in European herbal medicine. A traditional flu and cold remedy used in traditional folk medicine for centuries to treat upper respiratory infections. In the medieval period people used to plant Elderberry trees outside their front doors to keep out evil spirits. Babies cots were often made of elderberry wood which was supposed to protect babies from being pinched black and blue by faeries, probably a reference to a haemorrhagic disease in babies. Elderberries have antioxidant, immunomodulatory,
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The basis of acupuncture theory is that the body is covered with a network of interconnected energy channels between the skin and the muscles that connect the internal organs with each other, but also act as an interface between the surface of the body and the environment.
This network of channels or meridians is known in Chinese as the Jing Luo.
The energy or Qi which flows within this network is described in TCM as moving the blood.
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Quercetin is a bioflavanoid originally identified in oak leaves/bark (Quercus robur) hence the name, however it is found in a wide variety of plants including many common foods, herbs and spices. Quercetin has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiallergic, antiplatelet (anticoagulant), and vasodilatory properties. It has been shown that it can kill cancer cells, help, control blood sugar levels and prevent heart disease, but more recently it has been extensively investigated for its properties against Covid-19 in a variety of clinical studies. C15H10O7 Sars-CoV-2
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Exactly how acupuncture can treat pain is still a bit of a mystery although empirical evidence from clinical trials supports the claims that it does work and the treatment of pain is probably the most broadly accepted use of acupuncture by orthodox medicine. From a medical science perspective the analgesic effects of acupuncture must be mediated via the nervous system, however a conundrum arises because although some acupuncture points are found in zones dense in nervous receptors, many are not. A recent discovery
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Autumn has finally arrived and according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory this is the season of the Metal element which is cold and dry. Temperaturas are increasingly fluctuating as they fall and the nights are getting ever longer and colder. It is at this change of season, whether Spring or Autumn, that our bodies struggle to adjust appropriately to the changing temperatures of the environment, making it difficult to know what’s appropriate to wear. First we are hot, then cold, then hot
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