Chinese Medicine in
plain English.
For the last decade I’ve been developing this blog to help my patients understand how Acupuncture works and how Traditional Chinese Medicine can improve their lives.
If you are interested in discovering how you could benefit from it too sign up to my newsletter below for my latest updates.
Chinese Medicine in plain English.
For the last decade I’ve been developing this blog to help my patients understand how Acupuncture works and how Traditional Chinese Medicine can improve their lives.
If you are interested in discovering how you could benefit from it too sign up to my newsletter below for my latest updates.
Who am I? A 40 year journey into Chinese Medicine.
Hello! I’m Jonathan Clogstoun-Willmott; I started training in the 1970s in London and with patients from 1977. I continue training even today, over 40 years later. If there’s a course on something to do with Chinese medicine, I’ve probably done it or one like it!
Consequently I’ve collected qualifications. Here are some of them – BSc, BAc, DipAc, DipCHM, Cert ECBS, and a whole lot of others. I’m a member of the British Acupuncture Council and the Scottish Association of Homoeopaths, and was once a member of many more. Find out more here.
Why I got into acupuncture?
When I was 30 I had two jobs, one during the week (very long hours) and one every and all weekend.
I got a cough. After some months I went to my doctor. His prescription made me ill, and his next one was worse.
He was a good doctor but his medicine didn’t suit me. (Find out more about me here.) Eventually I went to an acupuncturist. She said she could certainly get me 70% better.
“Only 70%? I was hoping for 100%!”
“Well in that case you’ll have to change your job. It’s killing you!”
I remember the treatment she gave me. I’d been feeling blocked up in my chest, stuffy nose, tight cough, itchy skin. I remember one of the points in particular. It had a transforming effect. As she inserted the needle, my blocked chest feeling suddenly disappeared. It was like pressure escaping from a balloon, or clouds clearing from the sky. I could lie on my back and breathe. Apparently I fell fast asleep for 20 minutes.
When I got up, the cough was much looser and two days later it had gone.
How had she done it – treated my cough? Well …
… She said she hadn’t treated my cough! “Cough” was just the name I’d given it.
From her point of view she was treating what in Chinese medicine is called ‘stagnant qi‘ with ‘cold and phlegm-damp in the lungs‘. (Don’t worry – all will be explained! After all, this site aims to explain Chinese medicine in English.)
So I started training in acupuncture. Along the way I learned a whole range of other alternative therapies too, and eventually I got qualified, gave up my job and started seeing patients myself.
(Many of the best acupuncturists aren’t doctors, though they’ve acquired a very considerable knowledge of Western Medicine as part of their training.)
Here are some key articles to get you started:
What ‘Damp’ Does to You: Dampness in the Body
Understanding ‘Damp’ in Chinese Medicine helps you overcome many nasty symptoms and then improve your life overall.
Phlegm in Chinese Medicine an important tale teller
Phlegm causes many diseases in Chinese medicine. It is a surprising tale teller that needs more attention than most people think.
Understanding the Conception Vessel
A comprehensive guide to how the Conception Vessel manages your reserves and the power behind reproduction.
But there's much more to acupuncture than that!
How do Shiatsu, Acupressure, Reiki, EFT (emotional freedom technique), and AK (Applied kinesiology) get their ideas from acupuncture and its points?
Then, in addition, there’s Acupuncture in History! And of course, this site aims to explain Chinese medicine in English.
What should you never tell your acupuncturist to do? And how can you help your acupuncturist? It’s all here!
And what about the possible acupuncture side-effects and questions of safety?
After that, what about the effectiveness of acupuncture? – or could it all be just a placebo?
Something about what acupuncture is good for?
If you are a Do-It-Yourself fan then what about Do-it-Your Self-acupuncture? And in that case, are you taking sufficient notice of what food does for you? Read Clogstoun Congee.
I’ve watched acupuncture in action for 40 years and used it with thousands of my patients (see what they say here).
Even so, I’m still a student but, as you’ll read, my clients testify to its success for their health and in their lives.