Arthritis, Knee Pain and Weight Loss After 45

Arthritis, Knee Pain and Weight Loss After 45

Ask Me Anything

Why Your Joint Pain and Weight Struggles Are Connected

If your knees ache, your feet feel inflamed, or you are struggling to lose weight no matter what you do, I want you to know one thing. Your body is not failing. It is speaking.

Pain is not your enemy. It is your messenger.

Your body is saying please help my blood move, please help my energy flow again.

Chinese Medicine shows us a beautiful map of why arthritis, knee pain, torn meniscus injury, tight calves, and stubborn weight gain often appear together.

These symptoms are deeply linked through the Five Element system which explains both the physical and emotional roots of your discomfort.

When you understand this relationship the path toward healing becomes clearer, kinder and so much easier to walk.

The Five Elements Explain Everything

Kidney and Liver Energy Hold the Key

Kidneys feed the knees

Your knees sit within the Kidney energetic system. Kidneys govern bones, marrow, brain, hormones, lower back strength and your ability to stand tall and steady.

When Kidney energy runs low your knees ache, swell and weaken.

Walking becomes painful not because your joints are damaged beyond healing but because your foundational energy needs nourishment.

Liver rules ligaments, tendons and emotional flow

Your ligaments, tendons and ability to move with ease both physically and emotionally belong to the Liver system. When Liver Qi becomes stuck you may experience:

♥ joint pain in knees, feet, wrists and fingers
 ♥ tight or cramping muscles
 ♥ inflammation
 ♥ unexplained weight gain
 ♥ difficulty losing weight
 ♥ irritability or a sense of being stuck

This is why pain in the knees is rarely just a knee problem. It is a whole system conversation between Kidney and Liver.

Here is the elemental relationship

♥ Kidney corresponds to Water.
 ♥ Liver corresponds to Wood.

Water nourishes Wood. Wood cannot grow without Water.
 So when Kidney energy drops, Liver energy dries out which tightens the tendons and stiffens the joints.

♥ Tightness becomes pain.
 ♥ Pain becomes inflammation.
 ♥ Inflammation affects metabolism and weight.

Your body is not confused. It is giving you a clear message about which part of you needs love and support.

A powerful truth to remember

Pain is blood that is not moving. When we move your Qi we move your blood and when we move your blood your pain melts.

How Qi Gong and Food Medicine Bring Relief

Qi Gong, acupressure and food medicine are a powerful trio for women who want relief without strain or force.

When practiced together they soften inflammation, increase circulation, relax the tendons and strengthen the bones.

Below is a simple seated routine you can begin today even if you have arthritis, a torn meniscus or difficulty walking.

A Seated Qi Gong Routine for Arthritis and Knee Pain Relief

This routine restores movement to Liver and Kidney energy pathways and is gentle enough for all levels.

1. Centering Breath

Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor.
 Rest your hands on your thighs.
 Breathe in and widen the ribs.
 Squeeze your belly back to the spine as you exhale.

Imagine your Kidney energy as a deep blue pool in your lower back.
 Imagine your Liver energy as a green sprout rising gently from the right side of your body.
 Breathing into this relationship begins the healing.

2. Eagle Spreads Feathers to Open the Liver System

This movement massages the Liver and Gallbladder channels through the ribs and sides of the body. It frees stuck energy, softens tight tendons and brings fresh blood to the joints.

Step one foot behind you. Let the back of your hand cover your Ming Men point at the lower back.

Reach your opposite arm long to the side as if opening a great wing.

Stretch into your fingers.

Feel the stretch travel down through the ribs into the side of the leg where the Gallbladder meridian runs.

Every time you open your wings you help your Liver moves blood into your joints.

Move slowly and softly for a few minutes.

3. Gentle Torso Spirals

Turn right and left from your waist.
 This frees the Liver and Gallbladder further and helps release stiffness around the hips and knees.

4. Knee and Ankle Activation

Lift and lower the toes softly.
 Roll the ankles.
 Warm the backs of the knees with your hands.
 This encourages fresh blood circulation through the joint spaces.

5. Kidney Tapping

Tap gently with soft fists in the lower back area.
 This wakes up Kidney energy which nourishes bone strength, hormone balance and deep vitality.

Lifestyle Tips to Support Liver and Kidney Healing

Eat your last meal before 7pm

Your Liver detoxifies through the night.
 Late snacking weighs down metabolism and makes weight loss slower.

Add more green leafy foods

Rocket, kale, watercress, spinach and spring greens help the Liver move blood and reduce inflammation.

Nettle or Chrysanthemum tea

Beautiful for cleansing and cooling the Liver.
 But here is the truth. A cup of tea alone will not heal your pain. A cup of tea combined with detox, Qi Gong, acupressure and food medicine will create real movement in your joints.

Seasonal wisdom makes healing easier

In our January programme we always begin by slowly nourishing Kidney energy.
 When spring arrives and Liver energy rises naturally that is when deeper cleansing becomes easy and effective.
 Your body thrives when it aligns with the seasons.

The Detox Pathway for Joint Freedom

Here is the plan your body will love:

-Strengthen Kidney
-Free the Liver
-Move the blood
-Detox gently
-Reduce inflammation
-Reduce pain
-Restore ease in walking
-Encourage natural weight loss

Weight that is hard to shift is often not about food. It is about Qi needing to move. When Qi moves, metabolism wakes up.

You do not have a weight problem. You have a Qi flow problem and together we can change that.

You Are Not Alone in This Healing

Qi Gong and Food Medicine have helped Chi Flow members soften pain, rebuild strength and feel joy inside their bodies again.

Try this seated practice each day. Drink your teas. Eat earlier. Choose your greens. Breathe. Move gently.
 And if you want deeper support join us live each weekday morning in Chi Flow with Jo where we practice together as a loving, uplifting community.

Your body is extraordinary.
Your healing is possible.
Your energy is ready to flow.

WATCH THE PODCAST

Emotional Healing & Community Support

The weight we carry isn’t just on our hips, it’s in our hearts.
 Feeling like you “want to be minded” is your body’s cry for nurture, not discipline.

When you join Chi Flow with Jo, you don’t walk alone.
We move, fast, cook and heal together. That shared energy keeps you accountable and loved through change.

You don’t need to fight your bodyjust listen to her again.
Start with small rhythms: stop eating after 8 pm, massage Liver 13, sip lemon water in the morning, and join our January program to be supported every step of the way.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

5 Most Asked Questions About intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 (Answered with Chinese Medicine Wisdom)

5 Most Asked Questions About intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 (Answered with Chinese Medicine Wisdom)

Energy Update

5 Most Asked Questions About Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 (Answered with Chinese Medicine Wisdom)

1. Will Intermittent Fasting Help Me Lose Weight in Menopause?

Yes, but only when done gently and in rhythm with your body.
 After 50, metabolism and hormone production slow, and harsh fasting or extreme diets can backfire.

In Chi Flow with Jo, intermittent fasting is a digestive rest, not deprivation.

No food after 8 pm, breakfast after 8 am, allowing the Liver to detoxify and the Spleen to rebuild strength.

This rhythm stabilises blood sugar, improves sleep, clears brain fog and naturally releases weight, without shocking the system. 

We have to avoid draining Kidney Energy which harsh fasts can do.

👉 Join the January 2026 Chi Flow Intermittent Fasting Programme

 2. Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for Women Over 50 or with Thyroid Issues?

For mature women, skipping breakfast or drinking coffee on an empty stomach can raise cortisol and weaken digestion.
 In TCM, this drains Spleen Qi and Kidney Essence, leading to fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia.

That’s why Chi Flow fasting never removes breakfast; instead we rest overnight, eat early, and avoid late dinners.
 It supports thyroid and adrenal health rather than stressing them.

3. What Fasting Window Is Best for Women Over 50?

Forget the 16 : 8 trend.

Start with 12 hours, for example, 8 pm to 8 am, then extend slowly if it feels good. TCM follows the meridian clock:

  • 7–9 am Stomach Time: best for breakfast. 
  • 9–11 am Spleen Time: transform food into energy. 
  • 1–3 am Liver Time: detox and rest.

By honouring these hours, you protect your nervous system and steady energy rather than ups and downs, highs and lows.  Find out more about the Chinese Medicine Timeclock

4. How Does Fasting Clear “Dampness” and Boost Energy?

When digestion is weak or eating is constant, the body accumulates dampness, a heavy internal moisture causing:

Belly weight and bloating

Puffy hands / feet

Foggy thinking, fatigue

Joint stiffness and swelling

Giving the Liver and Spleen time to rest allows dampness to drain.

Within weeks many women notice flatter stomachs, lighter limbs, clearer skin, calmer moods and steady energy.  This is healing from the inside out, not crash dieting.

How Qi Gong Supports the Fasting Programme

Qi Gong is the moving medicine that completes the fasting cycle. 

When we practise daily during the six-week programme, gentle breath-led movement loosens adhesions and fascia around the organs, allowing the Liver Qi to flow so detoxification and fat metabolism improve naturally.

It also builds lean muscle mass, which increases insulin sensitivity and helps regulate blood-glucose levels, crucial for preventing midlife weight gain.

 5. Will Intermittent Fasting Affect My Hormones, Mood or Sleep?

Absolutely, but in the right way.  Gentle fasting resets circadian rhythm and stabilises blood sugar, easing night sweats and restless sleep.
But harsh fasting spikes cortisol, which steals progesterone and worsens hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia.

Fasting rests the organs; Qi Gong nourishes them. Together they restore balance, strength, and vitality.

The Chi Flow method uses Qi Gong, acupressure and daily support to calm the nervous system so the body feels safe enough to release weight and restore hormone harmony.

Im 57 now and you can read my menopause story here: https://joannefaulkner.ie/2023/11/17/my-menopause-story/

Acupressure for Metabolism & Emotional Ease – Liver 13 (Zhang Men)

Find the soft spot beneath your right ribs—Liver 13, the “Camphorwood Gate.”

Massage or tap gently.

It harmonises the Liver and Spleen, releases emotional tension and wakes up metabolism.

Nourishing Foods to Support Gentle Fasting

  • Sour foods (lemon, lime, apple-cider vinegar) stimulate the Liver.

  • Green & bitter vegetables (kale, watercress, rocket) drain dampness.

  • Warm, cooked meals (porridge, soups, stews) nurture the Spleen.

  • Avoid raw salads and cold smoothies when digestion feels weak.

WATCH THE PODCAST

👉 Learn More about Fasting and Food as Medicine for Menopause in my eBOOK

Final Thoughts

After 50, your body doesn’t need stricter rules, it needs rhythm, compassion and community.
Chi Flow with Jo offers fasting as a form of love: resting the organs, clearing dampness, and awakening vitality.

If you have struggled before to commit to a programme – Chi Flow with Jo with its LIVE classes every weekday morning will keep you on track.  We do this TOGETHER every January because it works: Join us

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

Gentle Weight Loss for Women Over 45 with Qi Gong, Acupressure & Intermittent Fasting

Gentle Weight Loss for Women Over 45 with Qi Gong, Acupressure & Intermittent Fasting

Ask Me Anything, Energy of Food Blog

Gentle Weight Loss for Women Over 45 with Qi Gong, Acupressure & Intermittent Fasting

“I Just Want to Feel Like Myself Again…”

One woman wrote to Ask Me Anything and said:

“How can I lose weight that’s been increasing for years?  I’ve never come back to centre post-birth, I have an underactive thyroid, went straight into menopause, and I feel I’ve given up on myself.”

Her story touches so many of us. After years of holding everything together—children, relationships, work—our bodies hold on too.
 In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this “holding” shows up as Liver stagnation and Spleen dampness, the perfect storm for midlife weight gain.

Why Weight Gain After 40 Isn’t Just About Calories

When stress, grief, or over-care stretches and overwhelms us, the Liver can’t move energy smoothly. 

Emotions get stuck; digestion slows. 

The Spleen, our digestive powerhouse, tires from worry and irregular meals, creating an internal climate known as “dampness” in Chinese Medicine, that heavy, foggy feeling, bloating, fatigue, and belly weight.

When we give the Liver time to rest by not eating in the evening, the body can finally process and drain excess dampness, the sticky, heavy internal moisture that leads to puffiness, bloating, joint pain, brain fog, and fatigue.

Instead of constantly digesting food, the Liver can detoxify and mobilise stored fat, while eating at the correct Spleen time can strengthen and transform fluids properly.

Within weeks of gentle intermittent fasting, people notice less swelling in the belly, clearer thinking, better sleep, reduced joint pain, and improved energy.

As dampness clears, inflammation subsides, the metabolism rekindles, and weight begins to drop naturally, without force or punishment.

This is the beauty of fasting with Chi Flow: we rest to restore, not restrict.

Acupressure Point – Liver 13 (Zhang Men)

Find the soft point under your right ribs—where the ribcage ends before the waist begins.

This is Liver 13, the “Camphorwood Gate.”

Massage or tap gently here using loose fists 

It connects the Liver and Spleen, clears stagnation, boosts metabolism, and soothes emotional tension. 

If it’s tender, that’s a sign the Liver is stagnant; go gently and breathe warmth into the area. 

Repeat daily and feel digestion and mood begin to flow again.

Intermittent Fasting the Chi Flow with Jo Way

Every January, hundreds join the Chi Flow with Jo Intermittent Fasting programme, a six-week reset rooted in TCM, not restriction.
 We follow nature’s rhythm:

♥ Eat during daylight, rest digestion at night.

♥ 7–9 am Stomach Time / 9–11 am Spleen Time: best window for breakfast and nourishment.

♥ 1–3 am Liver Time: when the body detoxes, so avoid eating after dinner especially the late-night snacks.

Start simply: no food after 8 pm, breakfast after 8 am.
Each week we lengthen the fasting window gently, giving the organs time to cleanse and reset.  It’s a lifestyle of rhythm, not willpower, perfect for sensitive thyroids and tired nervous systems.

👉 Find out more and Join the January 2026 Chi Flow with Jo: Intermittent Fasting Programme 

It’s easier when you do it together.

Food as Medicine: Drain Dampness, Fuel Your Fire

Choose foods that support the Liver and Spleen:

For the Liver (flow & fat metabolism):

Sour foods: lemon, lime, apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, kimchi.
Green & bitter vegetables: kale, watercress, rocket, radish, turnip.

For the Spleen (digestion & sweet cravings):

Warm, cooked meals; porridge, soups, stews.

Avoid cold salads and sugary snacks, especially when stressed.

Traditional TCM Remedy; Adzuki Bean Tea:

Bring soaked Adzuki beans to the boil for 5 minutes and then simmer for 30 minutes, strain, and sip the liquid through the day.
 It gently drains dampness, balances blood sugar, and steadies emotions.

👉 Read more on food as medicine and how to make this tea https://joannefaulkner.ie/2022/04/18/clear-cold-damp-fat/

WATCH THE PODCAST

Emotional Healing & Community Support

The weight we carry isn’t just on our hips, it’s in our hearts.
 Feeling like you “want to be minded” is your body’s cry for nurture, not discipline.

When you join Chi Flow with Jo, you don’t walk alone.
We move, fast, cook and heal together. That shared energy keeps you accountable and loved through change.

You don’t need to fight your bodyjust listen to her again.
Start with small rhythms: stop eating after 8 pm, massage Liver 13, sip lemon water in the morning, and join our January program to be supported every step of the way.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
Bone Health and Balance with Thérèse Cosgrove

Bone Health and Balance with Thérèse Cosgrove

Energy Update, Qi Gong Energy Exercises

Bone Health and Balance with
Thérèse Cosgrove

As the year folds into its quietest season, the energy of Bone Health rises to the surface.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter and the kidneys are linked to our bones, balance, and nervous system.

This is the perfect time to nourish our structure and inner stillness — and that’s exactly what this month’s Energy Update explores with Thérèse Cosgrove, homeopath, nutritional therapist, and Feldenkrais practitioner.

Listening to the Body through Movement

Thérèse describes Feldenkrais as a way of using small, subtle movements to awaken the nervous system’s awareness. Through this awareness, we uncover patterns of tension and rediscover new, more efficient ways of moving.

“Rather than me telling you how to move,” she says, “your nervous system is intelligent enough to find the best way itself.”

These gentle explorations improve skeletal alignment, balance, and joint integrity, helping us move with ease and confidence — vital for bone health, especially in menopause, post-menopause, and chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s.

Even the pauses between movements matter:

“That’s when the nervous system learns and integrates — the same way we rest between breaths.”

When the brain stops bracing and begins organising the skeleton more efficiently, three bone-loving things happen:

Better load through bone: Bones remodel when they’re loaded. Efficient alignment means forces travel through the skeleton (not just muscles), stimulating bone.

Joint integrity & balance: Micro-adjustments reduce “overwork” in hips, knees, spine and shoulder girdle, improving confidence and decreasing fear of falling.

Down-regulated pain: When the nervous system feels safe, pain signals calm and movement becomes possible again — the virtuous cycle for recovery.

Feldenkrais is exploration, not achievement. Curiosity and playfulness are the fastest way to teach your bones and brain new options.

Yin, Stillness, and the Bone Season

As Joanne points out, the yin energy of winter invites quietness and grounding.

Just as the earth rests before spring, we too can pause, aligning our bones, slowing our breath, and reconnecting to what truly supports us.

Yet, in the rush toward Christmas, that stillness is often lost. Feldenkrais offers a way back into the body, a return to inner listening and calm.

Use the space between Christmas and New Year to be still of mind and quiet movements of body.

The Inner Chemistry of Strength

In her homeopathic and nutritional work, Thérèse looks at bone density not just as a matter of calcium, but of hormonal balance, mineral status, and heavy-metal detoxification.

Using gentle testing and homeopathic supports, she tailors treatment to each person:

“We might look at supporting estrogen, the parathyroid, or trace minerals like boron, all essential for strong, flexible bones.”

Joanne draws the parallel in Chinese Medicine: seaweeds in small amounts can help clear heavy metals and nourish the kidneys — though, as she reminds us, not everyone should take them.

What matters most is listening to your own body and finding what nourishes your unique system.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter belongs to the Kidney system, which governs bones, marrow, ears (balance/vestibular), and the nervous system. Practical Kidney-nourishing ideas:

Flavours & foods: the salty flavour in moderation supports Kidney, think miso, mineral broths, black sesame, adzuki/black beans, and small amounts of seaweeds if appropriate.
Caveat: Seaweeds are iodine-rich; avoid or use cautiously if you have thyroid issues or are on certain meds.

Gentle, consistent practice: slow standing, breath-led spirals, and ankle-calf work “pump” fluids and stabilise balance, perfect winter medicine.

Stillness as medicine: quiet, warm, early nights rebuild Yin (think lubrication and reserves), the foundation for hormone balance post-menopause.

A Morning of Yin and Gratitude

When asked how she begins her day, Thérèse shares a simple ritual that reflects the essence of Chi Flow:

Hydrate with structured, living water to awaken the body. “Structured water”: what we mean (and what to do about it) Thérèse will expand on this in her Mid-Monthly Health Talk, but here’s the practical, controversy-free middle ground: Structured Water inside the body doesn’t behave like plain tap water. Near proteins, fascia, and cell membranes it forms ordered layers that help signaling and flow.

Step outside into morning light, facing east to reset circadian rhythm and hormones. Move gently, perhaps Chi Flow with Jo, Feldenkrais, or a mindful walk. Gentle vibration & movement (walking, bouncing, fascia spirals) appear to improve fluid distribution in connective tissue, exactly what we do in Chi Flow.

“These practices really helped me through difficult times,” she says. “My morning Chi Flow with Jo was one of the things that carried me.”

For Parkinson’s & chronic conditions

Hydration and gentle nervous-system work are especially helpful when autonomic regulation or muscle stiffness makes dehydration and bracing more likely. Short, frequent “micro-moves,” mineral-aware hydration, and morning light can noticeably improve steadiness and energy without fatigue.

WATCH THE PODCAST

In the full podcast, learn more about sound healing and how it affects our hormonal balance below: 

Join us inside Chi Flow (and get Thérèse’s talk free)

Thérèse’s Mid-Monthly Health Talk will go hands-on with Feldenkrais explorations, hydration you can feel, and a deeper look at “structured water” in everyday practice. It’s free for Chi Flow members.

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo to access:

  • Daily live morning classes (with replays)

  • Seasonal recipes & self-acupressure

  • This month’s Mid-Monthly Health Talk with Thérèse Cosgrove — free for members

Start here: Join Chi Flow with Jo — Build strength, balance, and deep yin this winter.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below).


Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support on your journey to an emotionally healthy heart and attend Caroline’s live talk and sound bath for FREE.
To work with Caroline click HERE

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
Frozen Shoulder Relief: Acupressure, Tendon Breathing & Food Medicine

Frozen Shoulder Relief: Acupressure, Tendon Breathing & Food Medicine

Ask Me Anything

Frozen Shoulder Relief: Acupressure (LI14 & LI15), Tendon Breathing & Food Medicine

Why this matters

If your shoulder feels painful, tight, and stubborn, like it’s glued in place, or there is pain when your hand reaches out to open a window or put something on a shelf, you’re not alone. Frozen shoulder can take months (sometimes longer) to ease.

The good news? With gentle, consistent practice you can reduce pain, restore mobility, and feel more like yourself again.

Why daily Qi Gong helps (big picture):

Think of it as compound interest for your joints. Slow, breath-led movement:

♥ calms the nervous system so pain perception drops,
♥ nourishes fascia and tendons with circulation and warmth,
♥ retrains your body to move without bracing, it’s how we “age-proof” shoulders.

When you join Chi Flow with Jo, you don’t just get classes, you get the power of the group live every weekday morning plus a daily chat with me right after class to ask questions, celebrate wins, and keep momentum. It’s such a supportive way to heal.

Safety first

If you’ve had a recent fall, can’t lift the arm at all, have fever, redness, severe night pain that doesn’t change with position, numbness in the hand, or sudden swelling—please see a clinician. Everything here is gentle; keep pain at 2–3/10. Choose ease over force.

Acupressure You Can Do Today: LI15 & LI14

We’ll open two shoulder “gates” on the Large Intestine channel to move stagnation through the arm and shoulder.

LI15 — Jianyu / Shoulder Bone

Benefits:

♥ Eases pain and stiffness,
♥ Supports abduction (lifting the arm to the side),
♥ Warms the joint capsule.

Find it:

♥ Feel the acromion (bony shoulder tip) at the top of the shoulder, find the front groove of the deltoid muscle.
♥ Slide a fingertip just in front and slightly below into a soft hollow often tender.

Work it:

♥ Rest the arm by your side.
♥ With the opposite thumb or middle finger, press and melt into the hollow for 8 slow breaths.
♥ Make tiny circles—like polishing a pearl—for 30–45 seconds.
♥ Repeat 3 rounds; switch sides.

LI14 — Binao / Upper Arm

Benefits:

releases upper-arm/shoulder tension; helps lifting and reaching—perfect for that “stuck sleeve” feeling.

Find it:

From the outer elbow crease (LI11), draw an imaginary line toward LI15. LI14 sits about 7 finger-widths above the elbow on that line, at/just above the deltoid slope, usually a ropey, tender spot.

Work it:

♥ Pin the point with your thumb; wrap the other fingers around the arm.
♥ Breathe 4 in / 6 out—soften on the inhale, sink slightly on the exhale.
♥ Hold 60–90 seconds, up to 3 passes; switch sides.

Food Medicine for Stiff Neck & Shoulders

From a TCM lens we want to move Blood, dispel Wind-Cold, transform Damp, and nourish Liver & Kidney (Liver governs sinews; Kidney governs bones).

Add more of (little, daily amounts):

♥ Warming pungents: fresh ginger, spring onion (white part), garlic, a pinch of white pepper
♥ Sinew-friendly foods: dark leafy greens, black sesame, walnuts, goji berries, bone broth/gelatin (or mineral-rich seaweed broth if plant-based)
♥ Oils for glide: extra-virgin olive oil, small oily fish (if eaten)
♥ Hydration: warm water or ginger-lemon sips through the day

Dial down for many people: cold raw salads, excess sugar/dairy, heavy fried foods.

Damp-forming foods can worsen stiffness.

A quick word on Dampness

Dampness is like a heavy, sticky fog settling in the body, slowing everything and making tissues feel puffy and waterlogged. Imagine moving in wet, clinging clothes: range shrinks, effort rises, glide disappears. In shoulders, that fog can thicken fluids around tendons and the capsule, impairing Qi & Blood flow, so repair and lubrication lag. Result: stiffness, dull ache, and a “stuck” feel, often worse with cold, humidity, or rich foods.

Shoulder-Soother Broth (serves 2)

♥ 1 thumb fresh ginger (sliced)
♥ 2 spring onions (white parts)
♥ handful greens (spinach or pak choi)
♥ 1 tsp black sesame
♥ 1 tsp miso (stir in off the boil)

Optional: 1 cup bone broth or a strip of kombu simmered then removed

Method:

♥ Simmer ginger & spring onion 10 min.
♥ Add greens 2 min.
♥ Remove from heat,
♥ whisk in miso,
♥ sprinkle sesame.
Sip warm.

Qi Gong: Tendon Nei Gong (gentle & joint-saving)

In Tendon Nei Gong we breathe into the joint space, then expand softly as if the shoulder, elbow, and wrist were balloons inflating in all directions. This pumps fluids, clears metabolic stagnation, poetically called “poisonous acids” and lets fresh Qi & Blood bathe the tissues. No strain, no pinching.

Set-up: Stand hip-width or sit tall. Feet grounded, crown lifting, jaw soft.

1) Shake & Melt — 1 min
Arms hang; micro-shake wrists → elbows → shoulders, like dust falling off your tendons.

2) Tendon Breathing — 2–3 min
Align & breathe: Tongue to palate. Inhale 4 / Exhale 6 through the nose.

Tensile reach: With elbows low, imagine micro-lines of length sternum → shoulders → elbows → wrists → fingertips (no visible stretch).

Inhale: feel the joint expand front/back/sides; keep traps soft.
Exhale: condense and melt—like wringing a sponge.
Optional tiny spirals: 3–5 breaths, a whisper of outward rotation on inhale, return on exhale.

3) Finish: Shake Out — 30 sec
Wrists → elbows → shoulders.

Why it works: low load, nervous-system down-regulating, improves joint space and tendon hydration—ideal for frozen shoulder because it avoids impingement while boosting circulation.
Common pitfalls: shrugging/over-bracing, breath-holding (Valsalva), forcing range. If anything pinches, shrink the movement and keep the elbow below shoulder height.

Frozen-shoulder tips:

♥ If pain >3/10, reduce imagined expansion; shorten breath to 3–4.
♥ Try a pendulum assist first (arm dangling, tiny circles), then tendon breathing.
♥ Pair with LI14 & LI15 beforehand to open the shoulder gates, then breathe into that new space.
♥ Quick self-check (what “good” feels like):
♥ Breath smooth, jaw soft, no shrugging.
♥ Warmth or spreading into the deltoid/upper arm within 3–6 breaths.

After 1–2 minutes, the arm often lifts a few centimeters easier and the neck feels looser, not tighter.

 

 

WATCH THE PODCAST

Your next step (with support)

Frozen shoulder responds to kindness + consistency. We don’t force change, we invite it. If you’d love support, join Chi Flow with Jo: we meet live every weekday morning, and we always have a chat together after class so you can ask questions in real time, get tweaks for your body, and feel the momentum of a community that cares. I’m cheering for your first easy reach to the top shelf again. Until then, move gently, breathe deeply, and keep your Chi flowing.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
How Sound Healing Supports Hormonal Balance & Slows Ageing After Menopause

How Sound Healing Supports Hormonal Balance & Slows Ageing After Menopause

Energy Update, Qi Gong Energy Exercises

How Sound Healing Supports Hormonal Balance & Slows Ageing After Menopause

As we step into November in Chi Flow with Jo, our focus turns to hormonal balance and longevity. For many women, especially post-menopause, the question becomes: how can I stay strong, flexible, and emotionally balanced as I age?

One powerful answer lies in sound healing.

Recently, I spoke with Caroline Flavin of Alchemy of Sound, who has been working with sound and vibration for over 20 years. She shared how crystal bowls, tuning forks, and even simple humming can profoundly support women through hormonal transitions.

Sound Healing & Hormonal Shifts

Menopause and post-menopause often bring stress, anxiety, temperature fluctuations, and disrupted sleep. These challenges are closely linked with elevated cortisol and a nervous system under strain.

Caroline explained that sound baths, through the resonance of crystal bowls, guide the brain into slower wave states, alpha and theta, similar to deep relaxation or meditation.

This shift activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body to lower stress hormones, reduce blood pressure, and find a state where true healing and restoration can occur.

For women navigating hormonal changes, this is more than relaxation, it’s a pathway to balance, calm, and longevity.

Vibration, Energy & Flow

Chi Flow with Jo uses breath and movement to circulate qi, the vital energy of life. Sound works in harmony with this: instead of moving energy with the body, the vibration moves through the waters of the body, blood, lymph, and cellular fluids, carrying resonance deep into our tissues.

Just as we feel music reverberate in our bones at a concert, sound healing allows us to literally vibrate into balance. For women post-menopause, this offers a gentle yet powerful way to stay connected, flexible, and resilient, physically and emotionally.

Tuning Forks & Hormonal Points

Caroline also works with planetary tuning forks, rooted in both ancient and modern traditions.

Applied to specific meridian points, these vibrations can support symptoms of peri- and post-menopause, helping restore balance to the body’s internal rhythms.

It’s a reminder that healing doesn’t always have to come from doing—sometimes, it comes from allowing the body to receive.

Everyday Sound Rituals for Longevity

Caroline suggests simple practices for daily life:

  • Hum or chant “Om” first thing in the morning or before bed to soothe your nervous system.

  • Pay attention to the soundscape around you, swap doom-scrolling and digital noise for birdsong, leaves rustling, or calming music.

  • Try sound baths online or in person, where vibration can ripple through your whole being.

These small rituals, especially when paired with Chi Flow, become longevity practices, keeping you emotionally balanced, physically strong, and connected to life’s natural rhythm.

Experience Sound Healing in November

I’m delighted that Caroline Flavin of Alchemy of Sound will join us for November’s Chi Flow mid-monthly health talk, offering an online sound bath and discussion on hormonal balance and longevity.

✨ This talk is free for all Chi Flow members.


 ✨Non-members can buy a ticket, and if you later decide to join Chi Flow, we’ll refund your ticket price. https://joannefaulkner.ie/online-talk/

WATCH THE PODCAST

In the full podcast, learn more about sound healing and how it affects our hormonal balance below: 

Join Us This Month in Chi Flow with Jo to balance hormones & boost energy and longevity

Why not join Chi Flow today, so you can experience Caroline’s sound bath, our daily morning Qi Gong practice, and a supportive community of women navigating midlife and beyond?

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below).


Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support on your journey to an emotionally healthy heart and attend Caroline’s live talk and sound bath for FREE.
To work with Caroline click HERE

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
Salty Taste in Your Mouth? What It Could Mean for Women Over 40

Salty Taste in Your Mouth? What It Could Mean for Women Over 40

Ask Me Anything, Conscious Cooking - Use Food as Medicine, understanding your body with the 5element system of TCM

Salty Taste in Your Mouth? What It Could Mean for Women Over 40

Have you ever noticed a salty taste in your mouth that just won’t go away, even when you’re not eating salty food? For many women over 40, changes in taste, thirst, or cravings can be subtle signs that the body is asking for support.

In Western medicine, your GP might check for dehydration, mineral imbalances, or underlying illness, and sometimes tests come back normal. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we look at the body through a different lens: one that connects your tastebuds, emotions, and energy systems.

In TCM, a persistent salty taste is linked to the Water element and the Kidneys, the powerhouse of your vitality, longevity, and hormonal health. November in Chi Flow with Jo, our focus is on the Kidneys and Jing, the deep essence that governs everything from bone strength to hormonal transitions in peri- and post-menopause.

Before we begin, a gentle reminder: this information is for complementary self-care and should be used alongside medical advice, not as a replacement.

The Five Element Framework & Food Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Five Element Food Medicine teaches us that each organ and its meridian system is linked to one of nature’s elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water. Each element has a season, time of day, emotion, colour, and sensory organ, clues that help us understand our bodies and the signals they send.

For example, the Water element relates to the Kidneys and Bladder, the season of winter, the emotion of fear, the colour black, and the sensory organ of the ears.

By noticing patterns, such as craving salty foods, changes in hearing, or feeling more fearful or anxious, we can identify which element needs nourishment and use food, flavour, and cooking methods to restore balance.

Why Salty Taste Points to Kidney Imbalance

In TCM, the salty flavour is the taste of the Water element. If you’re noticing a salty taste when you haven’t eaten anything salty, it can mean the Kidney system is out of balance, either overworked or needing deeper support.

The Kidneys store Jing, your essence, which is like your lifetime battery. Jing powers your growth, fertility, hormonal cycles, and how you age. As we enter peri, mid and post-menopause, Jing naturally declines, which is why it’s so important to protect and nourish it.

There’s also a fascinating connection between the Kidneys and the Heart. In the destructive cycle of the Five Elements, Water (Kidneys) controls Fire (Heart). If Water is weak, Fire can flare, leading to high blood pressure, palpitations, anxiety, and restlessness. For our listener with a salty taste and high blood pressure, this connection is especially relevant.

Acupressure for Kidney & Heart Balance: Kidney 3 (Taixi)

One of my go-to points for restoring Kidney strength and calming the Heart is Kidney 3, known as Taixi; the Great Ravine

Location:
You’ll find it in the hollow between your inner ankle bone and your Achilles tendon. Slide your finger accross from the ankle bone until you feel a soft dip before the tendon, that’s Kidney 3.

Benefits:

  • Nourishes Kidney Yin and Yang
  • Supports Jing (vital essence)
  • Calms the mind and reduces anxiety
  • Helps regulate blood pressure via the Kidney–Heart connection

How to use it:

  1. Sit comfortably with one ankle crossed over the opposite knee.
  2. Press gently but firmly with your thumb into the hollow.
  3. Breathe slowly and deeply for 1–2 minutes.
  4. Repeat on the other side.

Practise twice a day for best results.

This isn’t about forcing change, it’s about steady, consistent support for your body’s own balancing mechanisms.

Food Medicine: Corn Silk Tea & Kidney-Nourishing Foods

Corn silk tea is a gentle, traditional remedy in TCM for supporting the Kidneys and Bladder. It’s mildly diuretic, helps clear dampness and heat, and supports healthy fluid balance without overstimulating the system.

To make from fresh corn:

  • Peel back the husks and collect the silky threads from 2–3 corn cobs.
  • Rinse well.
  • Simmer in 1 litre of water for 10–15 minutes.
  • Strain and sip warm.

To make from dried corn silk:

  • Available loose or in teabags from health food shops.
  • Steep in hot water for 5–10 minutes.

The tea has a naturally sweet, grassy taste and can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Other Kidney–Jing supporting foods:

  • Black beans and adzuki beans
  • Black sesame seeds
  • Walnuts
  • Seaweed
  • Dark leafy greens
    Bone broth
  • Miso
  • Berries

Hormonal tip for women over 40:


 As Jing declines, we may notice hot flushes, poor sleep, low mood, or bone loss. Supporting Kidney Jing through food medicine can help ease these changes and improve energy, mood, and resilience.

You’ll find many more recipes for Kidney health and hormonal balance in my books, Shiatsu & the Art of Conscious Cooking and Good Food: Better Sex.

Qi Gong for Kidney & Hormonal Support

Qi Gong is a beautiful way to move energy through the Kidney and Bladder meridians, strengthen the lower back, and support hormonal balance. One of my favourites is the Kidney–Bladder Stretch and I’ll be teaching it in the free class at the end of the month. It’s great for encouraging flow of cranio-sacral fluid up and down the spine, massaging and supporting the kidneys

This combination of stretch and spiral massages the fascia, stimulates meridian flow, and harmonises the body during hormonal transitions.

If you’ve been experiencing a persistent salty taste, TCM reminds us to look deeper, to listen to what the body is telling us about our Kidneys, Jing, and hormonal balance.

You now have three simple tools to try:

  • Kidney 3 acupressure for Kidney–Heart harmony
  • Corn silk tea and Kidney-nourishing foods for deep vitality
  • Kidney–Bladder Qi Gong stretch to keep your energy flowing

WATCH THE PODCAST

Boost your Jing with Qi Gong, Acupressure & Food Medicine

In November Chi Flow with Jo, we’ll spend the whole month focusing on Kidney and Jing energy, with daily live Qi Gong, acupressure guidance, and seasonal food medicine to support you through hormonal changes.

Join us and give your Kidneys the love they deserve.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

Conscious Cooking - Use Food as Medicine, understanding your body with the 5element system of TCM, Energy Update

Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), immunity is not just about fighting off colds and flu, it’s about maintaining balance, resilience, and a strong energetic boundary that protects body and mind. This protective energy is called Wei Qi, and it surrounds us like a shield, just like the glowing Ready Brek adverts from the 70s.

Wei Qi is built from the food we eat and the air we breathe, combined with our inherited energy. If digestion is sluggish or breathing is shallow, our immunity weakens. When both are strong, our body creates a radiant protective force field.

In this blog, I’ll share three simple ways to strengthen immunity every day, through food medicine, acupressure, and Qigong, so you can support your health naturally.

Food Medicine for Immunity

The immune system in TCM belongs to the Metal element, governed by the Lung and Large Intestine. These organs thrive on the pungent flavour and are nourished by white foods.  (See my books for full 5 element outline of which foods for which organs)

Pungent Foods: Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and chilli. These help disperse phlegm, open the lungs, and push pathogens out of the body.

White Foods: Mushrooms (especially shiitake and reishi), radish, cauliflower, and pears all support the Lung and Large Intestine.

Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and miso restore the microbiome of the gut, where 70% of immunity resides.

Balance tip: Too much dairy, sugar, or refined carbs weakens the Spleen, creating dampness that suppresses immunity.

If you crave sweets, try a squeeze of lemon or a little sauerkraut, the sour flavour balances sugar cravings and helps keep the Spleen strong.

👉 Try this warming tea: simmer sliced ginger, lemon, cinnamon, and turmeric with water. It clears the lungs, supports digestion, and boosts Wei Qi. https://joannefaulkner.ie/2020/03/26/store-cupboard-tea-for-immunity/

 

Acupressure for Immunity: Spotlight on Lung 1

One of the most powerful acupressure points for immunity is Lung 1 (Zhongfu – Central Treasury).

Location

Find your collarbone and trace outward to the outer chest near the shoulder.

About three finger-widths below the collarbone, in the small hollow before the upper arm muscle, you’ll find Lung 1.

 

 

Benefits in TCM

  • Opens the chest: Helps release congestion, phlegm, or shallow breathing.
  • Regulates Lung Qi: Supports immune function by strengthening Wei Qi.
  • Releases grief: The Lung is associated with sadness and letting go. Massaging Lung 1 can help process emotional heaviness.
  • Relieves pain: Useful for tight shoulders, chest heaviness, or difficulty taking a deep breath.

How to Use It

  • Gently massage or press into Lung 1 for 30–60 seconds while breathing slowly and deeply.

  • If the point feels tender, that’s a sign your lungs may be under strain—keep massaging until it eases.

For extra benefit, place your hand in a “crane’s beak” shape (fingers together touching the thumb) and circle your elbows forward and back. This combines acupressure with movement, encouraging Qi to flow freely.

Qigong for Immunity

Qigong combines movement, breath, and intention to circulate energy. A simple exercise for the lungs and immune system is:

  • Form “crane’s beaks” with your hands.

  • Place them so that they are tapping into Lung 1 on each side of the chest.

  • Gently circle the elbows forward and back, opening the chest.

  • Breathe in through the nose, drawing breath deep into the lower lungs; breathe out, softening the shoulders.

This movement clears congestion, releases emotional heaviness, and strengthens the protective Wei Qi boundary.

Emotional Balance & Immunity

In TCM, the emotion linked with the Lung is grief. Prolonged sadness constricts breathing and lowers immunity. Practices like singing, humming, or even chanting vibrate the chest, stimulate the vagus nerve, and release stuck emotion, helping the lungs expand again.

When you feel low, bring awareness to your breath. Open the chest, massage Lung 1, and let Qi flow again.

WATCH THE PODCAST

In the full podcast, we explore how you can use reflective listening to transform your relationships, whether with a partner, family member, or friend. 

Join Us This Month in Chi Flow with Jo to Build Your Immunity

Chinese medicine doctors were traditionally paid to keep people well, not to treat illness once it arrived. That’s also the philosophy behind Chi Flow with Jo.

Through daily Qigong practice, food medicine recipes, and acupressure routines, we create a strong immune system that protects us physically and emotionally.

✨ If you’d like to strengthen your immunity, balance your energy, and feel supported by a vibrant community, join us in Chi Flow with Jo. Doors are open now, and we’d love to welcome you.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below).


Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support on your journey to an emotionally healthy heart and attend Maya’s live talk for FREE.
To work with Maya visit https://mayabenharroch.com/

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
How to Reduce Uterine Fibroids Naturally: A Chinese Medicine Perspective

How to Reduce Uterine Fibroids Naturally: A Chinese Medicine Perspective

Ask Me Anything, Conscious Cooking - Use Food as Medicine, understanding your body with the 5element system of TCM

How to Reduce Uterine Fibroids Naturally: A Chinese Medicine Perspective

Uterine fibroids are a common concern for many women, often causing discomfort, heavy periods, and lower abdominal pain. 

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, these benign growths are linked to stagnation, whether of Qi (energy), blood, or dampness accumulation. 

In this blog, you’ll discover how to reduce fibroid symptoms naturally using Qi Gong, food medicine, acupressure, and womb connection, from a TCM perspective that treats the whole woman, not just her symptoms.

Understanding Uterine Fibroids in Chinese Medicine

In TCM, health is about the smooth flow of Qi and blood. When this natural flow becomes obstructed, due to stress, trauma, or lifestyle factors, it can lead to stagnation. Over time, stagnation can contribute to conditions such as uterine fibroids, menstrual pain, lower back stiffness, and even recurrent urinary tract infections.

TCM identifies three primary causes of stagnation in the lower belly:

  1. Physical Trauma – Surgery, childbirth, or injury can disrupt the circulation of blood and Qi.
  2. Emotional Trauma – Stress, grief, or unresolved emotions can create blockages in the body.
  3. Lack of Movement – A sedentary lifestyle can slow circulation and contribute to dampness accumulation.

By addressing these root causes, we can begin to dissolve stagnation and restore harmony to the womb space.

Qi Gong for Uterine Fibroid Relief

Qi Gong, an ancient practice that combines breathwork, movement, and meditation, is a powerful tool for unblocking stagnant energy. One particularly beneficial exercise is Rabbit Springs Qi Gong, which involves deep belly breathing and gentle massage to stimulate circulation in the lower abdomen.

Try This Qi Gong Breathing Exercise:

  1. Place your hands on your lower belly, just below the navel.
  2. Inhale deeply through your nose, imagine you are smelling a rose,, expanding your belly like a balloon.
  3. Exhale fully, drawing your belly button back toward your spine.
  4. Repeat for three minutes, allowing warmth and energy to flow into the uterus.

Practicing this exercise during the day, while making tea, doing laundry, or in moments of stillness, can increase Qi energy to the area, and gives an internal massage reducing pain and improving blood flow.

Emotional Healing: Connecting with Your Womb

In Western culture, we often avoid focusing on the lower belly and the sexual organs, but in TCM, this area is the foundation of vitality and creativity. Taking time to connect with your womb can bring profound insights and healing.

Many people are comfortable engaging with their thoughts and emotions, residing predominantly in the realms of the mind and heart. However, the lower belly and sexual organs often become repositories of shame and discomfort, leading to disconnection from this vital area. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this region is recognized as a powerful energy center, essential for creativity, vitality, and overall well-being. By acknowledging and releasing any shame associated with our sexual center, we can unlock profound healing and restore the harmonious flow of energy throughout the body. Embracing this aspect of ourselves not only enhances personal health but also deepens our connection to our inherent life force.

Practice Womb Meditation:

  • Find a quiet space and sit comfortably.
  • Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths.
  • Bring your awareness to your uterus—what does it feel like? What messages does it hold?
  • Approach this connection with kindness and curiosity, releasing any stored emotions or fears.

When we acknowledge and nurture our womb space, we open the door to profound healing and transformation.

Foods to Reduce Fibroid Growth

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the flavors of foods are deeply connected to specific organs, energy systems, and corresponding emotions. In my book, Good Food: Better Sex, I explore how these flavor profiles can influence our physical and emotional well-being.

By understanding and incorporating these flavor-organ-emotion relationships into our diet, we can create meals that not only satisfy our taste buds but also support our holistic health and emotional well-being.

Food is medicine. The following foods work with the Kidney and Liver energetic system and can help move stagnant blood and support liver health, which is key for hormone balance.

Top Fibroid-Fighting Foods:

  • Rhubarb & Aubergine – These ‘slippery’ foods promote blood circulation and ease stagnation.
  • Kidney Beans & Black Beans – Strengthen kidney Qi, supporting reproductive health.
  • Ginger – A warming spice that enhances digestion and circulation.
  • Dark Leafy Greens – Help cleanse the liver and regulate oestrogen levels.
  • Chia Seeds – moisten the intestines, ease dryness and support hormone flow

Incorporating these foods into your diet can help create an internal environment that discourages fibroid growth.

Want more food medicine? Find healing recipes in Good Food: Better Sex.

Acupressure for Uterine Health

Many gynecological issues, including uterine fibroids and endometriosis, stem from Qi stagnation and blood stasis in the lower abdomen. 

This stagnation can lead to the formation of masses, painful cramps, and irregular cycles. Spleen 6 helps to invigorate blood circulation, breaking up congestion in the uterus and promoting a smoother, pain-free menstrual flow.

Acupressure is a simple yet effective way to move stagnant Qi and blood in the uterus.

Spleen 6 (Three Yin Crossing) Acupressure Point:

Locate this point by placing four fingers above the inner ankle bone.
Apply gentle pressure with your thumb and massage in small circles.
This point supports uterine health, but avoid during pregnancy as it strongly moves blood.

By encouraging the free flow of Qi and blood, Spleen 6 soothes uterine spasms, helping to relieve dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and endometriosis-related discomfort. Women with PMS symptoms, bloating, or lower back pain often find significant relief through regular acupressure on this point.

Massaging this point daily can help ease fibroid symptoms and improve overall reproductive health.

WATCH THE PODCAST

In the full podcast, Joanne shares her tips in Qi Gong, Food Medicine and Acupressure to help relieve the symptoms of uterine fibroids, from a Chinese medicine viewpoint.

Final Thoughts: Embrace Your Womb Wisdom

Your womb is more than just a physical organ, it holds deep wisdom, creativity, and power. 

Try meditating and give your lower belly a voice, allowing your womb to speak.  Develop a loving relationship with this part of your body.  By practicing Qi Gong, nourishing your body with healing foods, and fostering a loving connection with your womb, you can create an environment that is relaxed and healthy.

May you be healthy, vibrant, and deeply connected to your body. 💖

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

.
Building an Emotionally Healthy Heart

Building an Emotionally Healthy Heart

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Building an Emotionally Healthy Heart: Tools for Connection and Resilience

In our fast-paced, often disconnected world, creating a healthy heart goes beyond physical well-being, it involves nurturing our emotional and spiritual energy. Cultivating emotional resilience, understanding our triggers, and fostering healthy relationships with others are all key components of heart health. In the Chi Flow with Jo Podcast, we dive deep into these concepts, discussing practical tools and transformative practices to build an emotionally healthy heart.

This blog explores the key challenges many face in creating emotionally healthy relationships, both with ourselves and others, and provides actionable solutions for moving forward.

1. Navigating Emotional Sensitivity with Resilience

Emotional sensitivity can be a gift, but it can also be overwhelming, especially when we absorb the emotions of those around us. Many people, particularly those who are highly empathetic, feel deeply, which can lead to emotional burnout if not managed properly. Without the right tools, this sensitivity can feel like a burden rather than a gift.

Solution:

The key to emotional resilience lies in developing practices that help you remain grounded, without shutting down or distancing yourself from the world around you. Practices like mindfulness, energy movement, such as Qi Gong, and emotional self-regulation are essential for building this resilience. These tools help you stay present to your feelings while avoiding being overwhelmed by them, allowing you to embrace your sensitivity as a strength rather than a vulnerability.  To learn more about staying emotionally resilient, listen to the full podcast, where Maya and I explore tools for staying open, grounded, and sensitive in a complex world.

2. Overcoming Childhood Beliefs and Trauma

Many women carry deep-rooted beliefs formed in childhood that continue to influence their adult lives. One such belief that many struggle with is the feeling of unworthiness, especially if their early experiences involved abuse or trauma. These beliefs often show up in relationships, causing defensiveness, self-doubt, and difficulty accepting love.

Solution:

A powerful tool for transforming limiting beliefs is The Work of Byron Katie, which involves questioning the assumptions we make about ourselves and others. This method is incredibly effective for reframing negative thought patterns and replacing them with empowering beliefs.

For instance, in my own personal journey, I carried beliefs formed from childhood sexual abuse that made me believe I was unsafe when I was visible or attractive. This belief stayed with me for years, influencing my relationships and self-worth. Through working with Maya and using tools like Byron Katie’s method, I was able to challenge this belief and transform it. 

This deep healing allowed me to step into my power and publish my book, Good Food, Better Sex a guide that not only explores physical health but also highlights the importance of healthy relationships with ourselves and others. If you’re struggling with deeply ingrained beliefs from the past, the upcoming mid monthly health talk, Maya will demonstrate a session which will offer insights on how to confront and heal them, making space for a more empowered and fulfilling life. 

Reflective Listening for Healthier Relationships

In our relationships, we often fall into the pattern of wanting to be heard before we truly listen. This is especially true when emotional triggers arise. However, when we rush to defend our point of view or assert that we are “right,” we miss the opportunity to connect and understand the other person’s perspective.

Solution:
 One transformative tool for improving communication is Reflective Listening, which involves listening attentively to the other person’s point of view, reflecting it back, and showing empathy before sharing your own perspective. This method fosters a sense of safety, allowing both parties to feel heard and valued. Reflective listening not only improves relationships but also creates a deeper emotional bond built on trust and mutual respect.

4. Building Emotional Resilience in Community Living

Living in an intentional community presents unique challenges but also provides powerful opportunities for growth. Maya lives in a sustainable community in Portugal, where collective living requires constant emotional regulation and conflict resolution. Unlike the typical individualistic mindset, community living demands a deep commitment to listening, empathy, and understanding, especially when difficult situations arise.

Solution:

In Maya’s community, the tools for conflict resolution and emotional regulation include techniques like Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and social harmonizing, which foster open, honest dialogue without blame or defensiveness. These tools are designed to help individuals express their feelings and needs in a way that invites cooperation rather than conflict. By practicing vulnerability and accepting feedback, community members

5.  Transforming Reactive Patterns into Proactive Communication

In relationships, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of reactivity, where both people defend their position rather than listen and understand the other’s perspective. This often leads to unnecessary conflict and emotional disconnect.

Solution:

Imago Dialogue is a powerful method that encourages partners to listen actively and reflectively, fostering a deeper connection and resolving conflicts in a healthy way.

By focusing on curiosity and empathy rather than asserting our own needs first, we create space for mutual understanding and healing.

This process helps us move from a reactive state to a more proactive and compassionate way of communicating.

6. Living in Community: The Power of Connection

While emotional self-regulation and healthy communication are vital for an emotionally healthy heart, there’s also great value in living in community. Maya’s experience living in a sustainable community has shown her the power of collective healing and emotional support. In this type of environment, there are multiple opportunities for growth and self-discovery, as everyone’s personal challenges and triggers come to the forefront.

Solution:

For those seeking a deeper connection to others, living in community can provide a fast track to emotional growth. In Maya’s community, the focus is on self-responsibility, vulnerability, and creating safe spaces for honest communication. This kind of environment encourages individuals to step into their authenticity, accept feedback, and use conflict as a tool for personal and collective evolution.

🌕 Join Us This Month in Chi Flow with Jo

If you’re intrigued by the idea of intentional living and community building, listen to the full podcast where Maya shares her experiences and the challenges of living in a group setting. This conversation will inspire those looking for ways to build deeper connections and create resilient communities.

Creating an emotionally healthy heart requires a commitment to understanding and healing ourselves and our relationships. Whether you’re working on transforming limiting beliefs, improving communication with your partner, or learning how to live more harmoniously in a community, the tools shared in this blog can help you create stronger connections and greater emotional resilience.
Ready to transform your heart and relationships?

Watch Healthy Heart, Mind and Body with Maya Benharroch HERE.

You can also listen to the Chi Flow with Jo Podcast for more in-depth discussions on these practices.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below).


Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support on your journey.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

Lower Cholesterol Naturally with Chinese Medicine: Heart Health the TCM Way

Lower Cholesterol Naturally with Chinese Medicine: Heart Health the TCM Way

Ask Me Anything, Energy of Food Blog, Recipes

Welcome to Healthy Heart at Chi Flow with Jo

Within this blog, we’ll explore natural ways to support healthy cholesterol levels using:

  • An ancient acupressure point
  • A delicious, blood-moving TCM-based recipe
  • A flowing Qi Gong movement from the 8 Brocades that nurtures the Liver, Heart, and Lungs

This post is not intended to replace any medication you may be taking. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment plan. These tools are offered as complementary support for your well-being.

What Is High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol itself isn’t bad, it’s a vital component of cell membranes and is crucial in forming myelin, the protective sheath around your nerves that helps them send signals quickly.

But when levels become too high, particularly LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, it can start to build up in your arteries. This sticky buildup is called plaque. Over time, it hardens, narrows the blood vessels, and creates resistance just like a hose that’s become clogged.

The result? Increased risk of:

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure

The real danger? You often don’t feel it happening. High cholesterol is typically silent but puts persistent strain on your cardiovascular system.

While statins are commonly prescribed, they’re not without side effects. That’s why many are looking to complementary approaches like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support heart health.

How TCM Understands Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Imbalance

In TCM, we don’t use terms like “cholesterol.” Instead, we look at patterns of disharmony.  High cholesterol is often linked to:

  • Dampness and Phlegm accumulation
  • Spleen deficiency (which impairs digestion and fluid transformation)
  • Liver Qi stagnation
  • Blood Stasis

When the Spleen is weakened by rich food, overthinking, or stress, it fails to properly transform fluids, leading to the production of damp-phlegm. Phlegm is thickened mucus that can build up in the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it can solidify into “accumulations”, denser masses of cells or fluids, including cysts and tumors, whether benign or malignant.

This phlegm obstructs the flow of Qi and Blood, creating conditions that TCM equates with atherosclerosis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

And remember, in Chinese Medicine, the Heart is the Emperor. All organs are in service to it. So when phlegm or stagnation blocks the flow of Qi and Blood, the Heart suffers most.

Acupressure Point for Phlegm and Circulation: Stomach 40 (Fenglong)

Let’s begin with a deeply cleansing point: Stomach 40, or Fenglong, meaning “Abundant Bulge.”

Stomach 40 is found on the front of the lower leg, about one thumb-width away from the sharp front edge of the shinbone (the tibia). It sits halfway between the top of the outer ankle bone and the knee. 

This is the empirical point for resolving phlegm in TCM

So whether it’s a foggy head, sinus congestion, or high cholesterol, Stomach 40 helps clear “invisible phlegm” the kind that clogs vessels, clouds the mind, and contributes to emotional and cardiovascular imbalance.

Try It:

  • Sit comfortably 
  • Press firmly on Stomach 40 for 1–2 minutes 
  • Breathe deeply 

Repeat daily, especially after meals or in the evening

🧪 A 2014 study on PubMed showed that stimulating ST40 significantly improved blood pressure and hemodynamics in patients with hypertension, due to its effect on autonomic regulation and blood viscosity.

In Chi Flow, we often focus on feeling the energy connection, like strings of light connecting your fingers to deeper systems. Trust your body’s knowing. Let your mind soften. The body has its own wisdom.

Food Medicine: Nourish the Liver to Move the Blood

In Chinese Medicine, the Liver ensures the smooth flow of Qi and Blood throughout the body. It also stores the Blood, which nourishes everything from your eyes, tendons, ligaments and most importantly your Heart.

When Liver Qi becomes stagnant, due to stress, anger, or rich, fatty foods, it creates internal heat and phlegm, leading to:  High cholesterol, Elevated blood pressure and Emotional tension.

To support the Liver:

🍋 Eat sour foods (like lemon) to move Qi 
🥬 Include green leafy veg to clear heat
🌾 Add whole grains to nourish the Spleen
🫒 Choose healthy oils and fats to lubricate without clogging

Warm Beetroot & Lemon Lentil Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cooked beetroots, diced
  • 1 cup cooked green or brown lentils
  • Handful of rocket or watercress
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp toasted and ground cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method

  • Combine lentils, beetroot, and greens in a bowl
  • Whisk lemon juice, cumin, and olive oil into a dressing
  • Toss, season, and serve warm or room temp.

Why It Works : Beetroot boosts nitric oxide, relaxing blood vessels and improving circulation Lemon (sour) moves stagnant Liver Qi Lentils ground and support digestion Cumin aids digestion and dissolves phlegm.

 

This is food that opens the capillaries and calms the spirit. There’s more like this in my books and throughout September’s Healthy Heart Month!

A 2023 study showed that regular practice of Baduanjin (8 Brocades) significantly reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, especially in older adults.

How To:

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
  2. Soften the knees
  3. Inhale, cross both arms to chest height, forming gentle fists
  4. Exhale, extend one arm as if holding the arrow and the other draws the bow string
  5. Turn the head and gaze along the extended arm
  6. Inhale, return to center, crossing the arms over the chest
  7. Repeat on the other side

Do 6–8 rounds on each side, breathing slowly. This movement opens the chest, expands the ribs, and clears stagnation in the heart center.

WATCH/LISTEN TO ALL PODCAST EPISODES HERE

In Chi Flow, we practice the 8 Brocades live on Fridays and you’ll find class recordings in library—so you’re never alone on your journey.

Join Me for Healthy Heart Month this September

Try the free class on the last weekday of the month (sign up below)

For more support, recipes, and live sessions, head to www.joannefaulkner.ie
And remember: this is not a replacement for medical care, but a beautiful compliment to your healing path.

Your heart is listening. Let’s care for it deeply.

Hope to see you in the Chi Flow!

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

 Joanne Faulkner is a Qi Gong teacher – Chi Flow with Jo – teaching live daily online Qi Gong classes to hundreds of people; a Shiatsu practitioner specializing in the energy of food in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a published Author. Her residential and day Wellness Retreats focus on Chi Gong, self-Shiatsu & Conscious Cooking Demonstrations, and are extremely popular.

Until recently, Joanne was the Irish representative to the European Shiatsu Federation and is the former Chairperson of the Shiatsu Society Ireland.

 “Good Food: Better Sex” and “Shiatsu & the Art of Conscious Cooking” , both written and published by Joanne, are modern cookbooks full of delicious recipes, Traditional Chinese Medicine plus acupressure points for health and wellbeing.

SERVICES

Chi Flow with Jo
Shiatsu Treatments
Cook Books
Online Courses
Wellness Retreats
Corporate Wellness
1-1 Reconnect Sessions
Podcast

INTERACTIVE

APP NOW LIVE!

Answer 2 questions to see what foods suit you today

COMPANION TO
“SHIATSU & THE ART OF
CONSCIOUS COOKING”
COOK BOOK

BUY THE BOOK!

© Joanne Faulkner 2025 | Privacy Policy |  Refunds & Returns Policy
Created with 💗 by SME Web Design | Development

Ageing with Shame: 3 Practices to keep you Juicy, Strong & Joyful

Ageing with Shame: 3 Practices to keep you Juicy, Strong & Joyful

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Let’s talk about something that every single one of us will go through, aging.

And let’s talk about it without shame.

This month in Chi Flow with Jo, we’re embracing our core, our curves, our changing hormones, and even that taboo topic… Incontinence. 

Because the truth is: we’re not broken, we are not failing. We’re evolving.

And we don’t have to do it alone.

That’s why I invited the incredible Dr. Karen Ward, psychotherapist, Irish Celtic shaman, energy therapist, Holder of Moon Mna, sea swimmer, and author of many books including, Secrets of Ageless Aging, to join us for a heart-opening chat about vitality, menopause, sensuality, and core strength.

She’s also giving a free mid-month talk as part of Chi Flow with Jo, and believe me, you don’t want to miss it.

Before then, here are 3 daily practices you can start right now to reclaim strength, prevent leakage, and feel juicy, joyful, and fully alive, whatever your age.

1. Strengthen Your Core… and Your Confidence

Core strength isn’t just about abs,it’s about dignity, energy, and grounding. Karen swears by daily pelvic floor exercises (also known as Kegels or ana bandha in yoga) to keep her pelvic floor strong, her breath deep, and her body juicy.  These muscles are deeply connected to how we stand, how we breathe, and even how we express our sexuality.

💡 Practice:

Right now, take a deep breath and gently draw up your pelvic floor, imagine sipping a smoothie through a straw placed in your vagina and up to your womb.
 Hold for 3–5 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times.
 Do it daily. Do it while brushing your teeth. Do it while waiting for the kettle to boil. Just do it.

And if you feel any shame around this topic, know this: your body is wise, not broken. 

2. Make Your Practice Your Superpower

When life falls apart,and it does, your daily practice will hold you together.

Karen says, “The real secret of ageless aging is what you do every day,what you eat, drink, think, and how you move.”

Whether it’s Qigong in Chi Flow with Jo, yoga, a sea swim, or a simple walk in nature,what matters most is consistency.

Practice: Connecting Heaven and Earth Qigong

This gentle yet powerful Qigong movement connects you with yin energy from the Earth and yang energy from the Heavens. It stretches the spine, clears emotional tension, and resets your whole system, body, breath, and mind.

How to Do It:

  1. Stand tall and soft.
     Find a peaceful space. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Let your arms hang naturally.

     

  2. Inhale – draw up yin energy from the Earth.
     Slowly raise your arms out to the sides, palms facing downward toward the ground. As your arms float up, inhale deeply and imagine drawing nourishing yin energy from the Earth through the palms of your hands.

     

  3. Turn palms upward – gather yang from the sky.
     When your hands reach shoulder height, gently rotate your palms to face up. Continue lifting your arms above your head. As you do, visualise inhaling the vibrant yang energy from Heaven into your body.

     

  4. Exhale – release through the central channel.
     Begin lowering your hands down in front of you, palms now facing the body. Exhale slowly. Imagine the breath flowing down your central channel, from the crown of your head (Bai Hui) through your torso, down to your perineum (Hui Yin), and out through the soles of your feet.

     

  5. Let go.
     With each exhale, allow any emotional tension, physical toxins, or stuck thoughts to release downward. Feel yourself becoming lighter and more grounded.

     

  6. Repeat for 6–8 rounds.
     Move slowly, with breath and focus. Let your intention guide the movement, this is not just exercise, it’s a moving meditation.

🌿 Why it works:

In Qigong, we don’t just move the body, we move Qi (life force). When breath, focus, and movement align, we plug into something much bigger than ourselves. We connect, we clear, and we come home to the body.

This is one of the gentle yet transformational practices we do together every morning in Chi Flow with Jo.

“Human is a bridge between Heaven and Earth” ; Chinese Proverb

Talk to Your Body Like a Beloved Friend

Instead of battling your body, start listening.

Karen swims in the sea every day and describes it as a conversation with her body, her community, and the earth. The cold water, the movement, the wind, all reminding her that she’s alive, vibrant, and connected.

Practice:

Go outside. Breathe in.


 Ask: Body, how are you today?


 Then listen. You might feel an ache, a whisper, a craving for rest or movement. That’s your body talking.


 Respond with kindness.

This kind of loving attention is not just healing, it’s revolutionary.

Honour Your Season: From Maiden to Crone

Aging isn’t a decline, it’s an unfolding.
 In Celtic shamanism, women journey through three sacred rites of passage: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Each phase brings its own wisdom, power, and purpose.

Yet for many women, entering the Crone stage, the post-menopause years, can be met with silence, shame, or the false belief that we are “past our prime.”

But in truth, the Crone is the Queen of the Flames, a woman who’s no longer driven by external demands, but who burns with her own inner fire. Her sexuality doesn’t vanish; it transforms. It becomes sovereign, expressive, and self-sourced.

Instead of battling your body, start listening.

In Chinese Medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing maps out a woman’s energetic changes every seven years:

  • Age 7: baby teeth fall, the first cycle of change.
  • Age 14: fertility awakens, the first period.
  • Age 21–28: peak of reproductive energy.
  • Age 35: the Jing (essence) begins to subtly shift.
  • Age 42: perimenopause begins for many.
  • Age 49: menopause. The Crone arrives, not as an ending, but as a spiritual homecoming.

Practice: Express Your Light Without Shame

So much of our sexual and creative energy gets trapped in the pelvis, especially when society tells us to shrink, to dim, or to “act our age.” But your body is not shameful. It is shining.

  1. Place your hands gently on your lower belly, just below the navel,this is your Dan Tian, the wellspring of your creative and sexual energy.
  2. Breathe into this space. Feel it warm, soften, expand.
  3. Let your hips sway, roll your pelvis in gentle circles, allow movement, breath, expression.

Say aloud or silently: “I honour this body. I express my light. I release all shame.”

Your sensuality is not about sex. It’s about life-force, how you speak, move, create, and connect.

Karen reminded us beautifully in our conversation: “You don’t have to be in a relationship to be sensual. Solo pleasure is powerful. And post-menopause, you might just find your desire for life and pleasure skyrocket.”

Let’s not hide our fire. Let’s stop shrinking.
Let’s stop whispering about menopause and instead stand up and sing.

This is your season to shine, not in spite of your years, but because of them.

Find out more in my books GOOD FOOD BETTER SEX.

 

WATCH THE FULL PODCAST EPISODE WITH KAREN BELOW

🌕 Join Us This Month in Chi Flow with Jo

Whether you’re navigating menopause, rebuilding strength after illness, or simply wanting to feel more at home in your body, Chi Flow with Jo is here for you.

This month, our theme is Core Strength & Incontinence, but really, it’s about reclaiming our power and joy as we age.

And the best part?

🌀 Dr. Karen Ward is joining us for a FREE mid-month talk to share her secrets of ageless aging, Celtic wisdom, and how to stay juicy, strong, and sassy at any age.

You’ll love her energy. You’ll love the practices. And you’ll love the way you feel after just one class.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE
Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below).

Let’s age without shame.
Let’s stay strong together.
Let’s keep our Chi flowing.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.