I’m a big believer in the benefits of acupuncture, especially when traditional western medicine can’t help. When I had a terribly painful back during my pregnancy and couldn’t take strong painkillers, a course of acupuncture literally saved the day, and my sanity, and it helped no end with my permanent indigestion too! Over the years since then I’ve dipped in and out but fortunately haven’t had any chronic health conditions that warranted any further treatment. Having said all that, one annoyance has been constant hay fever symptoms such as a runny nose and itchy eyes, and this spring things seem to have got much worse. Living in Notting Hill, I’m lucky to be in the heart of London with gorgeous cherry blossom trees and royal parks on my doorstep, but this means a lot of traffic and pollution too, which combines to create the worst conditions for hay fever sufferers.

On a recent gym visit, tissue at nose as per usual, I spotted the clinic, GinSen, and before I knew it was having a consultation with the founder Dr. Lily Li Hua. She founded GinSen’s original clinic which still sits on the Kings Road and is celebrating 22 years in business this year. Offering treatments including acupuncture, massage, cupping, reflexology and lymphatic drainage massage to its loyal following, GinSen has helped thousands of people on their wellness journeys. The doctors at GinSen - who are certified by the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), and The Royal Society of Medicine (RCM) - have over 150 years of experience between them, and their philosophy is to offer natural, safe and non-invasive treatments. Since they opened they have helped aid conditions such as fatigue, hormonal imbalances and women’s health, insomnia, IBS, POCS, skin conditions, stress and anxiety, as well as supporting with fertility treatment.

For a more instant fix, I do treat myself to a lymphatic drainage massage with Dr Alimaa. I’ve been doing a lot of high intensity gym sessions so feel like my muscles need some help. She instantly notes that my neck and shoulders are very tense and sets to work to release the pressure there. It reminds me of a cross between a sports massage and a holistic one, from a physiological perspective it’s comforting to know I’m in safe hands. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in maintaining fluid balance in the body, as well as in immune function. Using gentle, rhythmic strokes and light pressure to encourage the movement of lymph fluid through the lymphatic vessels, this helps to remove excess fluid, toxins, and waste products from the tissues and transport them towards the lymph nodes, where they can be filtered and eliminated from the body. It’s literally giving the body a helping hand to flush out the bad stuff. I feel remarkably relaxed and supple after the treatment so it’s definitely the treat I needed.