Tai Chi ‘Can Ease The Pain Of Arthritis’

The Telegraph have reported a study by researchers of Tufts University in Massachusetts which has shown that T’ai Chi practice leads to a significant improvement in symptoms of arthritis of the knee. As well as reduced pain, the participants were able to ‘move more easily, were less depressed and were in overall better health’. Considering […]

Recipe: Tomato and Aduki Bean casserole

Tomato and Aduki Bean Casserole with Sweet Potato Mash. 1 leek 5 or 6 large cabbage leaves 1 courgette ½ pint vegetable stock 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 300g aduki and/or black beans – cooked 4-5 heaped tsp cornfour ¼ lemon Splash of milk (cow or soya) Bunch of fresh marjoram 1-2 potatoes 1-2 sweet […]

Qi Gong ‘Helps Fight Cancer’

Recent joint studies from China and the USA show that regular practice of qigong can help cancer patients live longer, reports ChanelNewsAsia.com – The study shows that qigong practice significantly decreases reoccurrence of cancer and improves oxygen intake. It’s probably not surprising that the story doesn’t make any mention of Qi or of traditional Chinese […]

Book Review: ‘The Forager Handbook’ by Miles Irving

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to hear Miles Irving speak on his favourite topic – foraging. As a professional forager providing wild foods to the restaurant trade, Miles is a leading expert on the gathering and use of wild food and ‘The Forager Handbook’ is an essential guide for anyone interested […]

UK Tui Na Massage Register launched

I’m very pleased to announce that the UK Register of Tui Na Chinese Massage has now launched, and the website is live. The register is an independent, professional organisation dedicated to promoting high standards of training and practice in Tui na, to supporting its trainee and qualified practitioners, and to developing the profile and fostering […]

Jujube (Chinese Dates)

The Chinese date or ‘jujube’ is so important to the Chinese that it has worked its way into folklore – a traditional Chinese story tells of a woman who lived 2000 years ago who ate nothing but jujube and when she married at the age of 50 she had the appearance of a 20 year […]

Longan Fruit

The longan (literally ‘dragon eye’) is a close relative of the lychee, and is one of the most well known and well used of the medicinal fruits in Chinese Medicine. It’s forte is in treating Blood Deficiency, especially in the realm of calming the spirit. The longan fruits strengthen both the digestive system and also […]

Recipe: Nettle Soup

This is a lovely earthy soup, which looks great, and does you good to boot! Nettles can be used in cooking roughly the same way as you might use spinach. When collecting, pick only the top 2-4 leaves, and only in Spring, before the nettle flowers. If you wear gloves, you can easily avoid being […]

Recipe: Malty Flapjacks

By popular request, here is the recipe for my Malty Flapjacks. I’ve spent some time gradually refining this recipe – the finished result used honey and malt instead of white sugar, and also much less fat than most flapjack recipes. It’s very easy to cook, and about as healthy as a sweet treat can be! […]