shin ma

Welcome to my first newletter!

Spring is the time for new beginnings so I thought it was an appropriate time to start a seasonal newletter for my clients. Shiatsu and Traditional Eastern Medicine mirror the natural rythms observed in nature. With roots based in Taoist philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is viewed as a microcosm of what occurs in nature and indeed the universe.

As public awareness of the influence humans can have on our planet increases, perhaps there will be an increase in awareness that we are connected to and indeed part of nature ourselves. As we learn that Earth is not sustainable at our current rate of consumption, we can also reflect on what we can do to have ’sustainable health’.In the same way that we cannot take from the earth without giving back to her, we cannot take from ourselveswithout giving back nourishment and allowing time and space for rejuvenation.

Each season I hope to send out some sustainable health advice from the perspective of Shiatsu and Traditional

Eastern Medicine. As I mentioned, Spring is about growth, movement and new beginnings. With an increase in daylight hours and warmth from the sun, now is the time to GET MOVING. This can happen in three ways -

food, exercise and lifestyle.

Food

Spring time foods should encourage digestive stimulation to start moving any excess that has accumulated in the system over winter. Eating seasonally can lead you naturally to pick these foods which include: spring onions, leafy greens, sprouts, baby carrots and pungent herbs such as basil, oregano and rosemary. Food should be cooked for a shorter time at higher tempertures such as saute or stirfry. Try starting the day with a warm water and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey.

Exercise

Spring is the time to start those yoga classes you’ve been thinking of, include an early morning walk with the dog or start cycling to work. Dancing either on your own to your favourite tune or at a dance class or night out is also an excellent way to wake up a sluggish body. As we start to emerge from our winter depths, it is common for tempers to flare, frustrations explode and a restlessness in the body to occur. This is just nature’s way of clearing out anything we no longer need. Hayfever and skin eruptions also surface, demonstarting that there is excess heat or damp in the body. Exercise is vital to help keep everything moving.

Lifestyle

The Meridians linked to Spring are the Liver and Gallbladder. Whilst it is tempting to hit the alcohol now the days and nights are warmer, spare a thought for your Liver that is working hard to liberate you from any winter toxin build up. Start new projects with that restless energy and consider making plans and setting goals with your health, work and relationships. You should find that you have more energy to do these things now than you did over winter. Sometimes mood swings and depression can reappear if the Liver Meridian is a little tired..Try and see this an opportunity to address these issues with the help of your health professional and ride nature’s wave of the new beginnings that are available to us in Spring!

See you on the futon if not before, Elizabeth.