Traditional Chinese Medicine Healing with ‘The Acupuncture Clinic’

It should come as no surprise that I am a big advocate for holistic healing. After suffering with a chronic disorder for a good few years and then realising that the pain medication I was being pumped with did more harm than good, I decided to take things into my own hands and visit a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Doctor at the Tibb Centre and have never looked back.

One of the then practising students who I met at the centre is now a Doctor and owns his own practise in Cape Town called ‘The Acupuncture Clinic.’ Surprisingly enough, Dr. Junaid Rawoot graduated with a marketing management degree before browsing an online prospectus and registering for TCM 24 hours before the applications closed!

I asked him to give us a bit of background to TCM, the best part of his job as well as his favourite treatment to heal pain so be sure to have a read below.

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

TCM is a holistic medical approach, unlike Western medicine which treats symptoms generically. Holistic medicine considers the mind, body and spirit when investigating dis-ease. We live in a society where people are more proactive about their well being, and expressing your feelings is no longer taboo. This 3 dimensional approach has more people turning to holistic treatment to bridge the gaps left by allopathic medicine.  Patients are also turning away from pharmaceutical/surgical interventions which have many undesired side effects or could be fatal.

What forms of therapy do you offer and what’s your favorite treatment?

Holistic medicine allows for a tailored treatment protocol for the patients individual temperament, thereby eliminating unwanted side effects, making these formulas safe for chronic use. For example, 2 patients may present with lower back pain but may receive completely different treatments to achieve the same outcome. TCM has a vast selection of treatment options available. At The Acupuncture Clinic we offer; acupuncture, cupping, Guasha, moxa, and tuina. Acupuncture is used to maintain the free flow of qi(chee) and blood and involves the insertion of fine needles along  energy meridians found throughout the body. Acupuncture is my favourite treatment option, as it can be used as a stand-alone treatment, by-passing the need for pharmaceutical/herbal intervention if needed. Acupuncture also affords the practitioner the ability to use distal rather than local acupuncture points. For example, if a sprained ankle (local) is too swollen, points further along the meridian (distal), away from the site of pain may be needled. Acupuncture can also be utilised for traumatic events, which is why Acupuncture Without Borders was formed.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job, is the JOB! I feel blessed when I wake up and realise I get to do what I love on the daily and look forward to going to work! I love seeing my patients, trying to figure what their disease patterns might be, and how we are going to treat them. Patients are like disassembled puzzles, they come to us with the pieces and a good practitioner will see how they fit together to form an amazing master piece.  I take what I see, coupled with what they tell me and start formulating the bigger picture. There are so many different ways to build a puzzle very much like our treatment protocols.

To find out more about the Acupuncture Clinic or make a booking to see a doctor, then be sure to have a look at their website by clicking here.

And now, some of my tips to make your week ahead great, easy and as stress-free as possible!

EAT
I have been trying to incorporate as much fresh and healthy foods into my diet as possible and can notice an immediate difference in my energy levels after I eat something greasy as opposed to something healthy. One of my top foodies to follow is Deliciously Ella simply because most of the stuff on her channel are easy to make and utterly delicious! My absolute favorite thing to make when I’m starving but want something quick and delicious is her Cashew Pesto Pasta. This takes no time at all and you are very likely to have all the ingredients in your house already (besides the avo and basil). Plus, it requires minimal washing up! #winning

DRINK

Also known as ‘Golden Milk’, Turmeric Milk has been taking the health world by storm. I have been drinking this for ages, particularly at times when I feel inflamed, crabby and sore. There are lots of ready made variants you can get but I much prefer making my own. Not only is the physical act of letting the milk slowly simmer and thicken a form of therapy on its own, but making something healing from scratch means that you appreciate it more and won’t be tempted to rush the process. Turmeric is antioxidant rich and possibly one of the most anti-inflammatory spices out there

Find out how to make my recipe by clicking here

DO

Yoga is such a great workout to do when you feeling stressed and out of sync. There are so many amazing yogi’s out there but my favorite out of the lot is Adrienne. She owns the channel Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube and posts different videos for different things that you may be struggling with. However, if like me, you are having a particularly stressful time right now, then I would highly recommend this one below.

Keep your eye out for the next post in the Wellness Series which will be all about fitness and your health!

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Fatima