Louise Cook-Tonkin Shiatsu

Folks, the need of a winter holiday, to rest, be still, and recreate my energy for the next cycle, has arrived. I will be on leave from today until July 23rd. Travel this season well, with warmth, self-care, eating long cooked foods and broths, and time to reflect and regenerate your own energy. I will see you soon.

I am on leave until February 23rd. Looking forward to seeing you all again and bringing the energy of sunshine and a sea breeze to you all.

LOOKING AFTER OUR HEALTH IN SPRINGTIME

Spring is a time of huge change. From winter dormancy comes an uprising of incredible proportions. Just look at the grass and plants around you: grass is hardly-there one day, and a foot tall the next. Some spring days the light dawns like a gentle healing balm, brightness and warmth touch the plants, the mood is calm and still and we feel all is well with the world. Other days are windy, there will be changeable conditions, nights are still cold and days can get quite warm. It is easy for our bodies to cope with the changes. Our energy must also end our winter dormancy. Some of us feel like growly bears, unwilling to end our hibernation period at this time, wanting still to rest. Others find it easy to rise and move out with the spring energy period.

Spring is the liver period of the year. When our energy is a little low, a range of symptoms may appear. Liver Qi can invade other organ systems and create issues. When rebellious (going the wrong way) liver qi invades the Spleen, qi does not flow smoothly.

When the Liver qi is too strong, there can be swelling and distending pain in the abdomen Constipation with dry bitty stools are caused by this rebellious qi affects the stomach. When the spleen (digestive) is not strong, loose stools are more likely. The wood element is prone to constant change, so a shifting between these three symptoms may also occur – this pattern is known as irritable bowel symptom in Western Medicine. Liver qi invading the stomach may also result in belching, nausea, vomiting and sour regurgitation after eating. Usually, these symptoms are accompanied by irritability.

Liver can affect the lungs too causing breathlessness, fullness around the ribs, headache and wiry pulse. The breath is uneven because liver qi is not moving smoothly, dizziness and red face with bitter thirst can accompany these symptoms.

Liver imbalance can lead to liver and heart blood deficiency. This is defined by palpitations, dizziness, dull-pale complexion, blurred vision and insomnia as well as dryness of mouth, hair and skin. Sometimes there is a flat feeling of aimlessness, even some depression. The effect of liver imbalance on the heart is to cause heart and liver blood deficiency. Deficient heart blood in particular affects the shen, a person’s sense of equanimity and peace housed by the heart and blood within the body.

A range of these symptoms may appear and if they do, they are worthy of treating. The spring transition is short and a few appointments will support your system to move through smoothly and alleviate any symptoms that begin to develop.

One of the keys to managing our energy in this time is to rest more and rise slowly from the winter period. The energy rises and we want to jump up, but there are a few more weeks before the equinox when our energy will rise more in tune with the seasons. Try to keep up the winter attitude to rest, and get going again in small bursts between deep rest periods. Also look at the following advice on how to eat to support ourselves at this time.

Some dietary advice for eating to support your liver in Spring:

Tune into your eating desires at this time of year and see what they say. I crave greens and want to eat lighter and do not want too much rich food (meat, dairy, cakes, over-eating). There are a few key things you can do to help your liver:
• Stop eating 2-3 hours before going to bed so nights are for rest and repairing.
• Stop at 80% full – overeating puts pressure on your liver and gall bladder.
• Eat as much leafy greens as you can. (At this time of year, in addition to the kales, lettuces and other greens, I eat the tops of my daikon radish, parsnips, carrots turnips – as I am desperate for all that green stuff).
• Barley soup is a classic spring meal, make it with plenty of greens. This recipe is cooling though, so don’t have it just before one of those classic returns to winter weather – check your weather ap.
• Miso soups made with leafy greens, stock and mushrooms are perfect at this time.
• Try a mung bean soup with celery, carrot, mushrooms and leak.
• We keep coriander going in our garden and it goes wild at this time of year – try a nice pesto on vegetables. We also eat our stored basil pesto from summer.
• Increase the balance of vegetables to grains in your diet at this time of year.
• Incorporate the sour taste in your diet 3-4 times a week: Granny smith apple, lemon juice, umeboshi plum (available at IGA), sour plum and cherry. If you do not like the sour taste: it probably means you need it. Sauerkraut is perfect – in fact, try all of your fermented preserves as they help the liver.

Overall, think light not heavy and think green. Keep your emotional state patient and compassionate. Try to get moving, and be outdoors more so you can enjoy these first signs of the energy rising after the long winter.

After having to isolate for a period on return from NSW, but shiatsu practice is again in full swing. Please remember that during this mid-winter period we should all try to sleep longer and have some more reflective time to read, meditate, walk and rest. You will be rewarded with bouncing health returning with the Spring. Make sure you are eating long-cooked food which will help keep you warmer as the mercury plummets. Stay warm, stay well.

Just letting you all know that I am taking leave from today June 18th until June 29th for some winter refreshing. I look forward to welcoming you all back for shiatsu treatments from June 30th onwards.

A new blog on will and intention and harnessing these for our health and wellbeing. https://www.louisecooktonkinshiatsu.com/blog/intention-versus-will-how-to-best-harness-our-strength-and-energy-towards-achieving-tasks-and-with-heart-and-intention

After a cold snap, we are having beautiful autumn weather with cold nights and quite warm days, and clinic is busy with people taking stock and caring for their health. This weather is wonderful for us to take some of those winter woolies off and enjoy the beautiful sunshine - for the last time for a while. In the central highlands, this type of weather often persists until the mid-winter time in late June - and we love it. Remember, however, each day between 3-4pm the temperature drops quite dramatically because of the cold night coming. Enjoy the warm days, but have a scarf and warmer clothes with you for that change. Classic spring and autumn colds come from taking in the cold when this dramatic change happens. Look after yourselves and stay well.

There are two central axes of the body promoting longevity and health. The kidney to heart connection is the first and most important of these. As we age, anxieties arise that often did not bother us when we were younger. The kidneys are weakening and fear arises, affecting the heart. It is the work of the Kidney channel to inform the heart - when to be protective, when to be appropriately fearful. The emotion of the kidney is fear. This is the work of the Kidney, balancing the heart to be self-protective but not fear-based. There are specific points to open and enliven kidney energy and increase its impact on keeping the heart balanced. I use these often in treatments in my practice. The emotion of the heart is equanimity, finding peace and joy in the present. I can teach points to people who want to learn, to help balance these energies in your own body. You can also be present to yourself, letting yourself feel present in your body and grounded where you are. This strengthens the kidney, which in turn supports the heart to have equanimity. Deep breathing, meditation, taking time to be present where you are all support this energy. Autumn is a season to feel grateful for what we have here. It is also a pleasant and peaceful season to enjoy - to feel equanimity and thankfulness for all we have.

This late summer period is wonderful for the earth element. Enjoyment of the harvest period and the abundance of great summer foods encourages us to use food in a way that deeply nurtures and supports us. But this time is also about taking time for that deep connection with the earth. We feel this connection in Castlemaine, Autumn is a nurturing and peaceful time. Have a read of my article on earth connection and food.https://www.louisecooktonkinshiatsu.com/blog/earth-connection-and-our-health

Earth Connection and Our Health — Louise Cook-Tonkin Shiatsu We have just completed a 30km kayak trip on the Wimmera River as it meanders its way through the little desert. Our family has camped in this area for many years, however, travelling by kayak brought us an entirely new perspective. Travelling down a river to connect with the land gives you a deeper

'What shiatsu primarily does is to relax the body so that health and wellbeing naturally follow from this receptivity.' (Russel Makoto, workshop of the Feeling of Shiatsu).

I have noticed with clients who have come for shiatsu over time become increasingly attuned to themselves and find deeper and deeper healing.

Welcome. This page will share information on how to stay healthy using oriental medicine concepts including diet, mindfulness self-treatment, and self healing practices.