Happy New Year! I hope you've had a good break this Christmas time and you feel you have rested and rejuvenated and raring to go this year.... or not?
As you ease into the New Year you may be thinking about taking better care of you, ways of reducing stress and anxiety or pain in the body or a wish to improve energy levels and better sleep. Struggling to get going after Christmas? Christmas is a time where there is so much pressure on us to be perfect and for some of us it’s always a relief when it’s over. We feel pressure to buy the perfect Christmas tree and decorate it perfectly, find the perfect presents, cook the perfect meal etc… then on the day it gives us pleasure to see others enjoying themselves but you’re too exhausted and stressed to enjoy the day yourself. Are you the one who is running around doing all of this? Maybe it’s time to allow yourself some slack and not worry about getting it right to please others. Many of my clients that come to me for Shiatsu find it hard to completely relax because they’re holding tension in the body either due to taking on too much responsibility, fear of letting go, holding it all together, holding on to the past, fear of failure, striving to be perfect and doing more and more instead of saying I am enough. These can be patterns learnt in childhood, a need to please a parent for example to get validation or praise. If you’re feeling any of the above symptoms of stress or anxiety, pain or overwhelm, book in for a Shiatsu massage to help ease you back into the New Year and give your body and mind time to relax and unburden yourself of these pressures in a safe and supported space. When sleep disorders happen, many aspects of our life are affected. We feel stressed or angry with ourselves because we cannot rest and relax properly. When we sleep, our body is able to repair and restore itself so time asleep is so important. Why is insomnia a very common problem in our society? Poor diet, excessive worries, sedentary life, pressing deadlines, anxiety and stress are all factors that bring tension in our bodies. And when it’s under pressure, our mind becomes incapable to relax and we start overthinking or worry about everything. Is Insomnia the main problem? I believe that insomnia and sleep disorders are just symptoms that bring other problems to the surface that need attention, but don’t worry because every problem has a solution! How does Shiatsu and energy healing help with insomnia and sleep disorders? Shiatsu stimulates the circulation of body fluids and improves the dilation of blood vessels, helping with toxin elimination. Shiatsu sessions also calm and relax the nervous system that is connected to our rest/activity balance. Working together with you to resolve your issues There can be a number of issues causing your insomnia and I work with you by tuning in and listening to your body and also discussing your current life situation if there are any stresses that you are currently experiencing. There may be issues or traumas from the past (childhood) you are holding on to that is still affecting you emotionally or physically in adulthood normally on a sub conscious level or a level we're not aware of. By working together in this way we can release and let go of what is causing your sleep problem by relaxing the mind and body and learning some techniques on how to help yourself, see below for self shiatsu acupressure points. Try using these acupressure points located on the inside of the wrists on both hands. (see image for location)
Heart Protector 6 is for "balance in an unsteady world" Heart 7 is the spirit gate helping release any tensions and excess emotions that may prevent sleep Lung 9 helps open the chest and relieve the weight of sadness and grief. Use all 3 together - press, massage and hold for anywhere between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. Focus on nothing else except massaging while applying slow, deep pressure. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Repeat the acupressure as often as you would like. For me it calms the mind and brings a great sense of peace and wellbeing, knowing I am able to trust the flow of life. Remember you are not pressing a button. You are connecting with your body’s innate energy. Does it feel low or does it need energy? Is it racing or does it need calming? Press, connect and engage. Heart 7 is especially good if you wake in the night. Press, breathe and find yourself falling back to sleep. Insomnia from Physical pain If the main causes are muscular tensions and stiffness, the Shiatsu sessions will be focused on relaxing the muscles using techniques that bring the individual toward a major awareness of her/his body. If you have tension or pain in the areas of shoulders, nape, neck and jaws, the Gall Bladder, Triple Heater and Bladder meridians may be worked on to release and relax the area. Insomnia from Menopause symptoms Menopause can cause many symptoms such as hot flash interference, sleep quality, physical symptoms, memory symptoms, and anxiety. Shiatsu can help reduce these symptoms by calming the mind and bringing balance to the heart and kidney meridians. (see menopause for more information) Insomnia from Digestive issues If you are having digestive issues, I focus on strengthening the digestive system of the Stomach, Spleen/Pancreas or Liver channels. Letting go of worry, anxiety or feeling not in control of your life or future happenings can cause tension in the stomach region. Some diet recommendations may also be given. Insomnia due to feeling Anxious or Nervous When insomnia is due to emotional problems as anxiety or nervousness, I work on the Heart, Kidney or Spleen meridians, supporting you to relieve the tensions in those channels. After your first session I can teach you a breathing exercise, grounding techniques and acupressure points to calm the mind and emotions. Insomnia from overthinking The mind is always thinking but sometimes it's hard to switch off at night. We spend hours churning over the days happenings, trying to analyse or question 'did I do enough or work hard enough'. We work on balancing the Spleen/Pancreas channels to help ground and let go of any trust issues or self esteem issue that you have about yourself of not being good enough. Insomnia from stress When the main cause of insomnia is stress, usually the channels involved are the Kidneys and the Bladder that is connected with the body-mind’s stress response activity via adrenals and the Heart channel that is the centre of our emotional response. In such cases the Shiatsu treatments will support the client at all levels, focusing on the restoration of healthy and balanced stress response through the bodywork with some breathing techniques to relieve stress. If this resonates with you and you are ready to find calm and relaxation to your life, book in with me to help you find peace and tranquility you have been searching for and get the results you need. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common generalised pain disorders with symptoms of muscle pain and tenderness in multiple joints or areas of the body, accompanied by fatigue, poor sleep, poor memory and mood swings. Over 85% of fibromyalgia clients are women, and most suffer from chronic fatigue, IBS, anxiety and or depression, an accumulation of stress and a diet lacking in nutrients.
Research shows fibromyalgia can either be genetic or due to an emotional or physical trauma. This correlates with Traditional Chinese Medicine which defines the causes as emotions, weak Essence/Jing, trauma and stress! How Shiatsu and Energy work helps alleviate symptoms In my personal experience of working with fibromyalgia clients, I've noticed there is a link to those working in a caring profession such as nursing, social work etc or are taking care of family members. There is a natural wanting to help and give of themselves and do everything for everyone but this depletes their own energy, which leads to increased fatigue and can lead to burn out. In our sessions, I work with clients to bring back a balance of giving and receiving by letting go of the patterns causing the imbalance and teaching techniques of self care and how to look after their own energy. Also learning more serving ways of helping others without draining themselves. How many treatments are needed The general recommendation for shiatsu begins with one treatment per week for 6 weeks. Shiatsu is cumulative, so the idea is that the client should feel a little bit better, for a little bit longer, after each treatment. Then we can start spacing the treatments out (for example, 2 or 3 weeks between treatments) to see if the client still feels good. Ultimately, I recommend a maintenance treatment once a month for fibromyalgia clients, because it’s a chronic condition. Regular treatments help manage symptoms and prevent flares much more effectively than waiting for a flare up to come in for treatment. Diet and fibromyalgia symptoms When we feel depleted or have no energy, we eat or drink foods that will give us an energy boost such as highly processed foods, sugar, carbohydrates, sugary drinks etc. In a recent report researchers revealed that people with fibromyalgia are significantly more likely to struggle with insulin and glucose control and you may be suffering with 'insulin resistance'. Insulin resistance is such a big subject to talk about here but you can learn more about it below. https://www.ion.ac.uk/news/insulin-resistance-the-hidden-epidemic-driving-modern-day-disease Another useful study about insulin resistance associated with central pain in patients with fibromyalgia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33740353/ A personal case study and success story My partner had been experiencing low energy, fatigue, was overweight and in pain for many years. He was told by doctors he had a fatty liver and that he should stop drinking alcohol even though he hadn’t had a drink in 6 months. He suffered with sleep deprivation and eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates, grains, energy drinks and sugar. During lockdown, he had time to research liver and insulin resistance and realised most of his symptoms could be reversed by going on a low carb, no sugar diet but eating more protein and fat (the opposite to what we are told to do to lose weight). Within 6 months he had lost half his body weight, had more energy, no pain, didn’t crave sugar or carbs. He is able to exercise again and can work more days. It has made a huge difference to his life and of course needing a new wardrobe of clothes! This is a wonderful example of how changing the food you eat and combining shiatsu and energy work can make a big difference to your energy levels, mood, health and well-being. By Learning how to take charge of your own health is empowering knowing that you can change your life for the better. If you're fed up with being in pain then I am here to support you through your journey back to good health and happiness in your life that you deserve. Many people are suffering with various symptoms after contracting coronavirus and some of my clients have mentioned brain fog, depression, insomnia, inflammation, exhaustion and ‘not feeling quite here’. One minute you can feel fine, attempt a small task but then feel drained of energy almost like a flattened battery. The symptoms are very similar to chronic fatigue syndrome and viral fatigue (think about the recovery of getting over the flu). It can take time to recover but there are ways to help yourself. Being proactive with your health now can help your immune system in the long term. How does Shiatsu help? Shiatsu is a holistic treatment, treating the whole body. Receiving Shiatsu is replenishing, supportive, calming and nurturing. Throughout your treatment I help you let go of tension, stress and pain and any emotional feelings such as grief or sadness generally linked to the lungs. I also teach you some breathing techniques or Qigong exercises to strengthen the lungs. In Chinese medicine or TCM terms, it can be seen as a build up of phlegm or dampness in the body preventing the energy flowing smoothly through the meridians or energy lines. My aim is to restore and strengthen the Spleen function to move and clear out dampness. I also recommend making some dietary changes by eating simple wholesome cooked foods, either baked or roasted, choosing fresh vegetables and meat, fish, soups, casseroles for example. Avoid processed, cold or raw foods as this puts more pressure on Spleen function to break down and digest. Q. How can I build up my energy so my body can defend itself A. Qigong can help... Tai Chi Qigong helps PREVENT sickness and disease before they begin by building up your energy. Just like western medicine which talks about our Immune system – Chinese Medicine talks about Wei Chi - our natural defence mechanism we all have. It’s the energy that forms a powerful boundary around your body, defending you against invading virus’s and pathogens. How Does Qigong Help to Build Protective Wei Chi? Qigong builds Wei Chi by strengthening and balancing the energy body. It creates new synapses and nerve pathways, makes the senses keen, strong, and flexible at the same time. Qigong tunes the energy systems, awakens the body intelligence. Thus Qigong practice can increase both sensitivity and strength. The result is to build vitality, prevent disease, prolong vital life, and cultivate the spirit. Create your personal health everyday by choosing a healthy diet, drinking water, removing excess stress, reducing thoughts of fear and worry and getting plenty of rest and exercise. All this will build up your Wei Chi. Taking vitamin C can help strengthen your immune system as well. Go to my Qigong website for more information and classes near you or book a Shiatsu now to get yourself back on track. Or call for more information 07515 684306. Tiredness, exhaustion and insomnia are some of the most common stress-related symptoms that affect our health, causing nervous fatigue brought on by continued stress. Our bodies naturally cope with short periods of anxiety or worry as long as we’re able to rest and recover afterwards - but how many of us have time to rest and fully recover? Our adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys. They secrete a number of hormones that help regulate the body including adrenaline which rapidly prepares our body to spring into action in stressful situations. When they become overworked they produce excess levels of cortisol as a reaction to the body’s fight or flight response. This prevents the adrenal glands from producing other hormones we need to live. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), adrenal fatigue is seen as a deficiency in the Kidney energy. Kidney energy or Kidney Chi gives us the impetus, willpower, stamina and strength needed to carry out our everyday activities. It is the catalyst for every energetic reaction in our body, when our Kidney Chi is low our whole body is starved of energy. How we store and use our energy Our kidneys are like a rechargeable battery... when a battery is being recharged it builds up a store of energy to be used later when needed. Similar to a battery, the stored energy in our kidneys is used throughout our everyday activities and recharged when we relax, rest and sleep. When we feel tired but continue to push ourselves, we may have a coffee or other energy drink in the hope that it will give us more energy. This is only a temporary energy boost and instead depletes our energy stores even more. If we don’t take time out to restore and replenish our energy levels, over time our batteries become drained to the point where our body struggles to sustain us. Exhaustion can cause difficulty sleeping as our internal battery has become so drained it has lost its storage capacity. It can’t hold an energy charge anymore, ending up with us feeling tired and unable to relax. The ability to relax and the ability to feel energised go together. Recharge your batteries with rest and relaxation When we hold tension in the body this is a sign of fatigue, while relaxation is a sign of good energy reserves. There are a few changes we can do to help ourselves in lowering our stress levels: • Give yourself permission to rest more by taking time out in the day especially if you work long hours. • Reduce the intake of stimulants such as coffee especially in the afternoon and sugar intake. • Take the pressure off yourself to get things done in the day, there is always tomorrow. • Ask for help and share chores at home. • Practice moving meditation techniques such as Qigong or Tai Chi which is a series of slow movements working with the breath and helps cultivate and strengthen your own internal energy store. • Gentle walking in nature helps decrease stress levels and helps ground us. When we allow our body to connect with the earth, we enhance our mental, physical and emotional well-being and create a more sound, clear way of thinking. Balance and moderation in everything. Listen to your body, if you feel tired... rest. How Shiatsu can help The causes of exhaustion and insomnia is different for each of us, receiving a Shiatsu treatment where emotions and symptoms can be explored in a safe and supportive way enables us to relax and allows the body to heal and let go of tension, blocked, stagnant and imbalanced energies. I offer the time and space to explore what’s going on and bring healing to the mind, body and soul, allowing you to take control of your life and bring yourself into peace, ease and balance. |
Archives
September 2024
Categories
All
|