As part of our huge Autumn restock, we are pleased to announce new products! We have three new exciting herbs, as well as the thickest needles we’ve ever stocked. Here is a little bit about our newcomers.
Herbs:
Lu Xian Cao:
Lu Han Cao, or Pyrola calliantha, is found in arctic Europe, Asia and North America and is commonly used in Korea and China as an anti-inflammatory remedy. The herb is collected all year round and dried in the sun until the leaf is soft and turns purplish brown. Lu Xian Cao has many benefits. It activates blood circulation and regulates menstruation, as well as restoring the qi in the kidneys. Pyrola also nourishes the heart and stops perspiration as well as strengthens the sinews and bones.
Shi Wei:
Pyrrosia lingua, also called Tongue Fern, is a less commonly used Chinese herb. The most useful parts of the plant are the leaves and roots, which are typically used raw. Shi Wei is used to treat chronic nephritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis, urinary stones, bronchial asthma and lung-heat induced cough.
Ban Bian Lian:
Lobelia chinensis, commonly known as Asian lobelia, is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in TCM. It is a species of flowering plant that has thin branching stems and crumpled narrow leaves with no odour and a sweet, pungent taste. Asian lobelia is highly effective in treating appendicitis, ascites and asthma. It can also be used as a detoxicant and laxative.
All the above herbs can be purchased in dry herb form or as a granule.
Needles:
We are known for our high-quality needles, but recently we have noticed a demand for thicker needles which we did not originally stock. However, we listened to your demands and we are proud to announce we now stock 0.50mm and 0.45mm thick needles!
Our most popular needles vary from 0.14mm to 0.40mm. However, thicker needles are favoured in traditional Chinese acupuncture as they were used in Ancient China. The facilities were not available to make fine needles. Instead, needles were first made of simple materials like stone or animal bone which may have been quite painful but do show that acupuncture has been around for over 4000 years! Thicker needles are more durable and were originally intended to be reused so had to be more sustainable.
It has been found that the thicker the needle, the stronger the stimulation. A patient with a very Yang constitution and high energy would benefit from a thicker gauge needle and slightly more stimulation, compared to a patient with more Yin. If a needle is thicker, it is also easier to manipulate as it is easier to hold and grasp despite some believing that a thinner needle is easier to manipulate. There is a belief that the thicker the needle, the more potential for pain. However, the thickness of the needle used for treatment depends on a variety of conditions ranging from the acupuncturist’s preference to the specific ailment being treated.
All of our needles are available to buy here and come with or without guide tubes, depending on what you prefer.
What do you think?