Wellbeing Blog

Stress can affect us all at different times and to different levels, but if we’re not able to switch it off, and drop into proper relaxation and rest, prolonged stress can have a big impact on our physiological systems and wellbeing.

Irritable Bowl Syndrome or IBS is one of the most common stress related symptoms I see people in my clinic with. This can be a painful and embarrassing condition, which many people put up with, and can be hugely exacerbated in times of stress. Pains in the gut, bloating, excessive or trapped wind, and constipation or sudden diarrhoea are some of the most common symptoms. In Chinese Medicine, IBS can be related to the emotion of grief or sadness, or not wanting to let go of so

Ultimately we are all responsible for our own health, and one of the practices I often recommend to my clients to help improve their health and wellbeing is that of Qi Gong (pronounced Chee Gong). This is an ancient practice with is similar to Tai Chi in that it is a series of slow movements working with the breath, but is designed to activate and improve the Circulation of our Qi (chi or Ki) which we work with in Shiatsu. By bringing this practice into your daily or weekly r

Touch is an integral part of positive health and development. Regular touch has been scientifically proven to have many benefits, particularly for those in later life. Humans need to touch and be touched. Touch lifts our spirits, relaxes us and helps us experience happiness in our lives. Without it, we experience sadness, loneliness and isolation. Physical contact is vitally important to all, especially for older people; yet in today's society touch is often absent. This may

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This is the definition of health by the World Health Organisation.  I love this definition because it opens up so much more, and considers the person as a whole as we do in shiatsu, not just a set of symptoms, a physical discomfort or dis-ease. In Shiatsu we consider that the whole landscape of a person's life has influence on their wellbeing, and that ou

If you are experiencing long term tensions, pain or difficulty around an injury this is a completely non-invasive way of working, similar to that of a cranial osteopath, but with an incredibly light touch