Praxis Space

🐰 Chocolate, Cravings & Chinese Medicine 🐰

🐰 Chocolate, Cravings & Chinese Medicine 🐰

Heading into Easter, you’re no doubt going to have your fill of chocolate…
But the question is - is chocolate actually “healthy” from a Chinese medicine perspective?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, chocolate (along with tea, coffee, green tea, yerba mate) relates to the Heart and Fire element.
These are all bitter substances, which have a cooling, descending effect and can help calm what’s known as Heart Fire - often linked to stress, restlessness, and poor sleep.

But cravings aren’t just about chocolate…

The sweet flavour is connected to the Spleen and Stomach (Earth element) - which relate to nourishment, grounding, home, and nurturing.

So when sweet cravings show up, it can sometimes reflect:
• A need for more grounding or stability
• A lack of nourishment (physically or emotionally)
• Mental overwork (the Spleen governs thinking and focus)
• Or even patterns around nurturing — both giving and receiving

There’s often another layer too…

In many people, Liver Qi becomes stagnant (very common in modern life).
When this happens, it can “overact” on the Spleen - weakening it and increasing sweet cravings.

Signs this might be happening:
• Irritability or frustration
• Feeling emotionally “stuck”
• Waking between 1-3am
• Craving sour foods (like citrus, vinegar, fermented foods)

So what does it all mean?

Your cravings aren’t random - they’re giving you clues about what your body and system are asking for.

And with all that said…
Enjoy your Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies 🐰🍫

Balance is always the key!

www.zesteastwest.com.au

An Autmun update via my clinic Zest East West.

Here are a few gentle ways to support yourself through this seasonal transition. 🍂 Link in comments!

www.mypraxis.space

https://mailchi.mp/41ce92adf192/summer-14186787

🐎🔥 2026 - The Year of the Fire Horse 🔥🐎

In the traditional Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, a rare and powerful sign that comes around only once every 60 years. In this ancient system, each year combines one of the twelve animal signs with one of the five elements. In 2026, the Horse (午) aligns with the Fire element (丙), creating the Bǐng-Wǔ year - known for its vibrant yang energy.

The Horse has long been celebrated in Chinese culture as a symbol of freedom, movement, vitality, and courage, representing a spirited energy that propels us forward. When paired with Fire, these qualities are amplified - igniting passion, visibility, momentum, and decisive action.

Traditionally, a Fire Horse year is seen as dynamic and transformative, encouraging people to pursue bold actions, embrace new beginnings, and bring long-held intentions into motion. At the same time, this strong energy calls for balance and mindfulness, reminding us that meaningful progress comes through steady focus as much as enthusiasm.

www.mypraxis.space

Here are a few simple ways to make the most of this bright, expansive season - via my Summer clinic update. ✨

Hi Everyone,

Summer is here - a season of light, inspiration, and natural vitality. It’s the perfect time for early mornings, long evenings, creativity, and connecting with the world around you.

Here are a few simple ways to make the most of this bright, expansive season!

Zest Summer tips here:👇
https://mailchi.mp/f6f922080c35/summer-14184343

www.mypraxis.space

Here are some tips and insights to help you stay balanced this spring! 🌼

👇👇👇

🌱 Spring 2025 ✨ Treatments at the clinic + Qi Gong classes will resume from Tuesday, 9 September – I can’t wait to see you then.

This is Nattaya, and she is an AMAZING therapist. ✨

Being on the ground, in country and spending time with bodyworkers of Nattaya's calibre is what it's all about for me.

Loads of learning, energy + inspiration to bring back into the clinic on my return. See you soon! 🙏

www.zesteastwest.com.au

This place holds a special meaning for me. Tamarind Springs Forest Spa, Koh Samui Coming back here reminds me of where it all started - how it helped spark the inspiration to begin my journey with traditional Eastern therapy, and always reconfirming my passion for these arts. 🙏 ✨

Winter is here - a time to slow down, rest, and reset. ❄️

You’ll find seasonal tips in this update to help you move through winter with ease.

https://mailchi.mp/d2aad3383c89/summer-14179580

www.zesteastwest.com.au

🍂 The Energy of Autumn 🍂

Autumn is traditionally thought of as the season of harvest. Our bodies begin to harvest and gather energy for the colder months and move it down for storage. Yang, which is the dominant energy in summer, starts giving way to yin, which is the dominant energy in winter. If there is any excess heat in the body then Autumn is the season for clearing it. After that, we can then start warming it from the inside in preparation for the colder months. This may sound contradictory, but the heat from Summer can sap our strength, whereas internal warmth supports strength.

🍃 Autumn is also the season of wind. As we Hobartians have experienced, Autumn in Hobart is windy. We can feel its effects on our skin by the dryness of it. We may feel its internal effects through the lungs such as a dry cough.

🍏 Signs and Symptoms of Autumn Dryness 🍎

In Chinese medicine, the lung and its partner organ, the large intestine, are the organs associated with Autumn. Dryness has the greatest impact on these two organs. This can mean that health complaints involving these two become more prominent in this season. A good example of this is a dry harsh cough that has hung around, which is accompanied by constipation.

To relieve the cough, eat cooling foods such as cooked apples and pears, non-fatty duck, persimmon, or celery. If the cough is hanging around then add lung yin supporting foods such as mutton, tangerines, pine nuts, chicken broth, yams, or eggs. If there is no sputum with the cough then try some honey in hot water to soothe the throat. These cool moistening foods will also help move the large intestine to relieve constipation.

During Autumn, we take particular care of these two organs for they are also in charge of adapting the body to the new season and the season to come. We, in particular, look after the lung. Its purpose is very important for it extracts Qi (energy) from the air via breathing and uses it to nourish the tissue and internal processes.

External signs of dryness could include dry lips, dry skin, itchiness, wrinkles, a dry throat, dry cough, and constipation. Dryness may show up at any time of year and is influenced by body type and diet. In Autumn, this dryness can be exacerbated or present itself.

Try treating your dryness by eating moistening foods such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk, dairy, eggs, crab, pork, and some nuts.

💨 Lungs and Immunity 💨

Our lungs are important for our immunity. The Wei Qi is similar to the Western concept of the immune system. Because the lung interacts directly with the outside environment, it has an important role in fighting off external pathogens. The Wei Qi (protective) Qi moves just under the surface of the skin. It controls the opening and closing of the pores. It also protects the nose and mouth (and consequently the lungs) from viruses and germs.

To facilitate the Wei Qi, the lungs must have a healthy dispersing function. It pushes the goodness produced by the spleen out to the surface where it will be needed. It moistens the skin in this way. This is why if the dispersing function is adversely affected, we see dry skin.

Foods that aid the lung in its dispersing function include bay leaves, garlic, horseradish, leek, ginger, and capers.

🍵 Foods to eat during Autumn 🍵

Foods to eat during autumn are ones that will moisten and clear the lungs, rid our bodies of wind and support the digestive system. Try to eat yin-rich foods and stay well hydrated. To prevent your lungs from getting too dry, focus on eating seasonal vegetables and fruits including sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, squash, pears, pumpkin, red date, pear, and apple. Try to eat less salads but more soups.

Foods should start to be cooked for longer, so do away with the quick stir-fries. Salt helps against dryness as well as sending foods down, so start adding a little bit to your food. Steaming your foods helps support the yin by preserving the moisture content, so include that in some of your cooking processes. A warning though, don’t overdo the cooling foods as you may end up with diarrhea and gas. If you do, change to a diet of cooked vegetables until symptoms pass.

The most important aspect of food – enjoy it! ❤️

www.zesteastwest.com.au

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