Anxiety & Bad Dreams from a Chinese Medicine Perspective

Anxiety & Bad Dreams from a Chinese Medicine Perspective

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You know the tools. You understand your thoughts. You can name the patterns before they fully arrive. And yet, every single month, about ten days before your period, anxiety appears. Sleep becomes disturbed. Dreams take a darker turn. Your calves fill with fluid. You reach for sugar or salt. And the person you are for the rest of the month quietly steps aside.

That is the question I received recently from a cognitive behavioural health practitioner in her fifties who still has a regular 27-day cycle and who described, with remarkable precision, exactly where in the month her body changes. She feels completely well for the larger part of the month. Then the window opens, and all of this arrives together.

The timing is the most important piece of information here. When anxiety, disturbed sleep, cravings and fluid retention appear and disappear in rhythm with a menstrual cycle, they are not random. They are the body communicating something about a particular phase of that cycle. That does not make the anxiety less real. It makes it more specific, which means we have somewhere to begin.

What Chinese Medicine Sees in This Pattern

 

Western medicine tends to treat each of these symptoms separately. Chinese medicine looks at the pattern they form together, particularly the timing.

In Chinese medicine, the Shen, which we might translate as spirit or awareness, rests in the Heart and is anchored by the Blood. When the Blood is sufficiently nourishing, the Shen settles at night. Sleep is generally steady, dreams are ordinary, and the mind feels quiet enough.

In the days before a period, the body is already beginning to gather and prepare Blood for menstruation. If the Blood is relatively depleted, or is not moving smoothly through the system, there may be less available to nourish the Heart and hold the Shen. The result can be vivid or distressing dreams, a kind of ambient restlessness that has no obvious cause, and anxiety that arrives not from a thought but from the body itself.

This is not a diagnosis. It is the pattern I would want to explore more fully in a proper consultation. But it does offer a useful lens.

Alongside this, the grief she mentioned deserves attention. In Chinese medicine, grief affects the Lung energy system. When grief sits unresolved in the chest, the breath can become shorter and remain high. The body interprets that as threat. Fight-or-flight rises, and this adds another layer to the anxiety already present.

These are not separate problems. They are the same system under pressure.

The Bao Mai: Connecting Chest and Lower Abdomen

I want to introduce a concept I have written about before, because it feels directly relevant here.

The Bao Mai is described in Chinese medicine as a connection between the uterus and the Heart. You can think of it as the channel of communication between the lower physical centre of the body and the emotional centre in the chest.

When that communication is flowing, emotions can be felt without flooding the whole system. The body can change without the mind going immediately into alarm.

When the connection feels congested, the lower abdomen can feel heavy or stuck while the chest becomes tight and restless. That description maps quite closely onto what was described in the question.

For the acupressure practice, we work with two points along this central line: CV6 and CV17. Although there are two locations, this is one joined practice. You are simply restoring awareness along the connection.

CV6 sits on the midline of the lower abdomen, approximately two finger widths below the belly button. Place a palm or two or three soft fingertips there. Use enough pressure to create a comfortable sense of contact, never sharp, never forceful.

CV17 sits in the centre of the breastbone, level with the centre of the chest. Place the other palm or a few relaxed fingertips there.

Now allow your attention to travel between your hands. Inhale and let the belly rise, allowing the energy to travel upward towards the chest.

Exhale and allow the energy to descend back into the lower abdomen, the lower Dantian. Stay with gentle, steady contact for between thirty seconds and three minutes. Consistency matters far more than duration.

This is particularly useful as a pre-sleep practice during the ten days when the pattern tends to appear. If you wake from a distressing dream, return to the same position rather than analysing the dream in the dark. You are reminding the body that the chest and lower abdomen are still connected.

The Movement: Embrace Mountain

The Qi Gong movement I am choosing here is Embrace Mountain, the second movement from Shibashi.

Stand with feet comfortably apart and knees soft. Allow the arms to float forwards and open as though you are gently holding the shape of a wide mountain.

Three things matter. Keep the feet rooted and the knees easy. Let the arms remain rounded, with space under the armpits and no strain in the shoulders. Let the movement follow an unhurried breath, opening without reaching, returning without collapsing.

As the arms open, inhale into the lower belly and feel the centre of the chest becoming spacious. As they return, exhale and allow the attention to gather towards the lower abdomen. Hold the awareness of the Bao Mai the whole time, energy rising on the inhale, descending and settling on the exhale.

Two to five minutes is enough. Stop before fatigue. The felt outcome you are looking for is a little more room in the chest, more weight through the feet, softer shoulders and a sense that the energy which had been gathering upward can settle.

This movement is fitting for someone who already spends much of their working life holding space for others. When your own system becomes overwhelmed, the mountain offers a different model. The mountain does not argue with the weather. It stays present while the weather passes.

The Food: Barley Water

Barley water. In Five Element food medicine, barley has a gently cooling, moistening quality. It supports the Kidney and Bladder energetic system, which governs fluids, hormones and bones. It addresses that dragging, heavy, full feeling that can accompany the days before a period.

To make it: approximately 50 grams of wholegrain pot barley or pearl barley, two litres of water, half a lemon, a small pinch of salt. A little wakame or dillisk seaweed is optional. Bring it to the boil with the lid on, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about an hour. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the barley lightly to let the cloudy liquid through. Keep it in the fridge for up to five days. Take roughly one part barley water topped with two parts hot water, warm enough to drink comfortably. One measure in the morning and one later in the day is enough. Save the cooked barley for soup, salad or stew.

Begin without sweetening it. Because cravings for sweet things are already part of the pattern, keep this as a neutral, nourishing drink rather than something that triggers more wanting.

She mentioned that salt makes things worse. Salt can contribute to fluid retention, but there is a meaningful difference between a small pinch used in cooking and the larger amounts hidden in processed foods, crisps and savoury snacks. The aim is awareness, not fear. In Chinese medicine, the salty flavour belongs to the Kidney and Bladder system. It has a gathering, descending quality. Your body may be craving it precisely because the energy needs anchoring downward.

A Note on the Calves and Timing

The swelling in the calves deserves proper attention. Premenstrual fluid retention is common, but please do not assume that is the only possible cause. Mention the exact timing, the anxiety, the disturbed sleep, the cravings and the calf swelling to your GP as a connected pattern rather than separate complaints. A clear picture helps them consider premenstrual disorder, perimenopause and other possible causes. If one calf becomes more swollen than the other, or becomes hot, red, painful or tender, seek urgent medical help.

These practices are supportive. They are not a replacement for a proper medical review, and they are not a test of whether you are applying Chinese medicine correctly.

The rest of the month, you feel like yourself. That matters. Begin the acupressure, the movement and the barley water a few days before the usual window opens. Let the body recognise what is coming and already have something familiar to meet it with.

And please offer yourself some kindness around the grief eating. Grief changes appetite. Food may have been helping you survive a hard time. We can respect that while slowly building

Final thought

To every woman in peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopause: your body is giving you feedback about flow, cooling, nourishment, boundaries, rest and rhythm. You do not have to decode it perfectly. You only have to begin responding more kindly.

And if you would like to practise this kind of work with me in a steady, supported way, come into the Chi Flow membership. It is €39 a month, and after the three-month trial it becomes €20 a month, so you can keep building these small rhythms through the seasons with guidance, community and practice.

Ready to Start?

Join Chi Flow with Jo and begin restoring your energy, and feeling more like yourself again.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

Why do I get anxiety before my period?

Anxiety before a period may be linked to changes taking place during the premenstrual phase of the cycle. Some women notice anxiety, disturbed sleep, cravings, irritability or physical tension in the days before bleeding begins. From a Chinese medicine perspective, this may also suggest that Blood is not sufficiently nourishing and settling the Heart and Shen.

Why do I have bad dreams before my period?

Bad dreams or vivid dreams before a period may appear alongside disrupted sleep, anxiety and emotional sensitivity. In Chinese medicine, the Shen, or spirit, is said to rest in the Heart and be anchored by the Blood. When the Blood is not strong enough to settle the Shen, sleep may become restless and dreams may feel more intense.

Can menopause cause anxiety and bad dreams?

Menopause can be associated with changes in mood, sleep and the menstrual cycle. Some women experience anxiety, vivid dreams, night waking or a stronger reaction to stress even while their periods remain regular. New or worsening symptoms should be discussed with a GP.

Can I be in menopause if my periods are still regular?

Yes, it is possible to experience perimenopausal symptoms while periods are still arriving regularly. The transition is different for every woman, so age and symptoms should be considered alongside changes in the cycle, sleep, temperature, mood and general wellbeing.

What is Heart Blood deficiency in Chinese medicine?

Heart Blood deficiency is a traditional Chinese medicine pattern associated with insufficient nourishment of the Heart and Shen. It may be considered when symptoms include anxiety, disturbed sleep, vivid dreams, palpitations, tiredness, poor concentration or a sense of emotional vulnerability. A full Chinese medicine diagnosis normally considers the complete symptom picture, tongue and pulse.

Why do I crave sugar and salt before my period?

Cravings may become stronger when the body is tired, stressed, grieving or approaching menstruation. Sugar may offer a quick sense of comfort or energy, while salty foods can feel grounding. Rather than relying only on willpower, regular nourishing meals, adequate protein, rest and hydration may help reduce the intensity of cravings.

Can stress and grief cause emotional eating?

Stress and grief can change appetite, sleep and the need for comfort. Emotional eating is often an attempt to regulate distress rather than a simple lack of self-control. Exploring what the grief needs, while adding supportive food, breath and movement practices, may be more helpful than strict restriction.

Why do my calves retain water before my period?

Fluid retention can occur before a period and may affect the legs, abdomen or breasts. In Chinese medicine, heaviness and fluid accumulation may be considered in relation to the Kidney, Bladder and Spleen energy systems. Persistent, painful or one-sided swelling should always be medically assessed.

Which acupressure points may support anxiety before a period?

CV17, at the centre of the chest, and CV6, below the navel, can be used together as a gentle calming practice. One hand rests over each area while the breath moves softly into the chest and then descends towards the lower abdomen. Pressure should remain gentle and comfortable for around 30 seconds to three minutes.

What is the Bao Mai in Chinese medicine?

The Bao Mai is traditionally described as a connection between the uterus and the Heart. It offers a way of understanding communication between the lower abdomen, menstrual cycle and emotional life. When this connection feels obstructed, there may be lower abdominal tension alongside anxiety, chest tightness or emotional unrest.

How do I breathe to help settle anxiety?

Place one hand over the centre of the chest and the other below the navel. Allow the inhale to open the chest gently, then lengthen the exhale and imagine the breath descending towards the lower hand. Keep the jaw soft, shoulders relaxed and breathing unforced.

Can barley water help with water retention?

Barley water is traditionally used as a gentle, hydrating food drink. From a Five Element food perspective, it may support the Kidney and Bladder energy systems and encourage fluid movement. It is not a medical diuretic or a treatment for unexplained swelling.

How can I build Blood in Chinese medicine?

Regular nourishing meals, adequate protein, leafy greens, beans, lentils, eggs, beetroot, broths and slow-cooked foods may be included as part of a balanced diet. Rest, good digestion and avoiding excessive restriction are also important. Heavy periods, persistent tiredness, dizziness or breathlessness should be discussed with a GP.

Go Deeper with Our Books

For those wanting to understand how movement, breath, and Chinese Medicine principles, Jo’s books provide practical guidance rooted in lived experience and clinical wisdom.

👉 Buy Five Element Wisdom cookbooks

Explore how to Find Your Flow and Live Well with Parkinson’s.

Movement does not need to be extreme to be powerful.
Small daily expansion reshapes the body.
Steady breath reshapes the nervous system.
Gentle repetition rebuilds confidence.

Every human body carries extraordinary capacity for renewal when given the right rhythm.

If you want to soften into strength, come and practice with us.

When to seek medical help

Please speak to your GP or specialist if symptoms worsen or spread, if pain, itching, heat or anxiety starts waking you at night, if you notice new skin changes, lumps, thickening, ulceration or bleeding, if your prescribed treatment is not helping, or if there is any change in medication.

And if you ever have chest pain that feels severe, crushing, unusual, or comes with breathlessness, sweating, faintness, jaw pain or arm pain, seek urgent medical help.

Chinese medicine and home practices can support the terrain of the body, but they do not replace diagnosis or medical treatment.

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.

Topics: Breathwork, Parkinson’s support, sleep practices, Qi Gong, acupressure.

Find your Fun & Reduce Anxiety

Find your Fun & Reduce Anxiety

Energy Update

Have you found yourself feeling anxious and foggy-headed this past Winter?

Just in time for Spring, we will delve deep into the energy boosting ancient Toaist form of Qi Gong ; the 5 Animal Frolics. This flow celebrates the energy of animals by mimicking their movements, while bringing our mind and body ease.

Qi Gong is said to originate from the dances of early Wu Shaman in China. In their dances, shamans used animal movements to induce trance states for communicating with the spirit world.

Many of the movements such as “Parting the Clouds”, “Shaking the Wild Horse’s Mane” and “Wise Owl turns Head to eliminate fatigue” specifically reference animals and elements of nature.

In one exercise such as the “Crane spreads Wings”, you move like a tall elegant bird, finding your balance, feeling its spreading wings and the lightness in your body.

Attuning to the rhythms of nature will amplify our Qi Gong for April.

Even though the exercises can be playful and light, Qi Gong offers some seriously powerful health benefits that are accessible to everyone.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Qi Gong is a gentle movement meditation that is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

Some of Qi Gong’s physical benefits include boosting metabolism, balancing hormones, improving flexibility and fitness, aiding digestion and increasing your overall energy levels.

Mentally, Qi Gong will help calm your mind and reduce anxiety.

The 5 Animal Frolics allow us to cultivate the animals’ energetic gifts, bringing harmony within all of the body’s energy systems. Using the 5 Element Theory, each of these animals is linked to a season, a time of day, an organ pair, a sense, a flavour, an emotion and much more.

WHAT ARE THE 5 ANIMALS?

Let’s break down the animals, their corresponding organs and some ways your health can benefit from this month’s energy update.

THE TIGER

 

First, we will draw power, flexibility and flow from the tiger. The tiger is associated with the wood element, which is also linked to the liver and gallbladder. When you practice tiger, you give yourself a healthy and natural way to release anger, becoming confident, powerful and assertive. If you are stuck sitting at a desk all day, and/or looking to prevent arthritis, practicing the tiger will greatly benefit you.

Chi Flow with Jo will give you the tools to use the tiger’s claw to release tension in the shoulders and chest, strengthen tendons and joints in the hand and increase gripping strength by generating a powerful surge of Qi energy in the hands and fingers.

THE BEAR

Next, the Bear. Chi Flow with Jo will teach you how to channel the bear coming out of hibernation by reconnecting with the present moment and releasing anxiety and worry.

The bear’s movements will benefit your spleen and stomach, helping to receive the benefits of the earth’s bounty and easing digestion.

The bear is heavy and grounded to the earth, so its movements will help to balance the earth element. Finding this balance will enable you to start your Spring off by rediscovering your nurturing, relaxed and social self.

THE MONKEY

Next, the monkey movements will benefit the heart and small intestine with the playful joy and exuberance of the fire element. Mimicking the light and spirited movements of the monkey promotes healthy blood circulation in the vessels and the meridians, while also encouraging your inner child to express itself.

If you are finding yourself weary with the world, Chi Flow with Jo will show you how to return to a state of wonder, optimism, enthusiasm and joy by practising the monkey and improving your heart’s health.

THE CRANE

Next, the lungs are responsible for self protection and self-preservation. The crane’s movements, with its long legs and outstretched wings, benefit the lungs and large intestine, helping expansive openness and deep breathing.

Mirroring the crane opens the lungs, releasing grief and sadness, and enabling you to expand your capacity of breath.

Chi Flow with Jo will teach you to foster the crane’s spirit, so you can strengthen your dignity, integrity and ability to connect with others.

THE DEER

Finally, the deer’s movements benefit the kidney and bladder, as well as bringing quiet and stillness. The deer is a prey animal, always aware of its surroundings yet never overwhelmed; it is calm and curious. The emotion associated with the deer is fear, so practising the deer will allow you to release that fear and become more clear minded. 

Chi Flow with Jo will teach you to practice the deer’s movements to calm your nervous system and return to deep awareness, while also helping with bone density and hormonal balance.

HOW CAN QI GONG HELP REVITALISE YOUR LIFE?

If you’re eager to revitalise your daily routine and prioritise self-care for both your mind and body, consider exploring Qi Gong as a transformative practice.

Qi Gong is all about being well and loving yourself with gentle exercise, and the best part is that everyone can benefit from it.

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.

Menopause on Fire? Anxiety and Chest Heat in Chinese Medicine

Menopause on Fire? Anxiety and Chest Heat in Chinese Medicine

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

There is a very particular kind of heat a woman can feel in midlife.

It rises into the chest and head. It can make the heart race, the mind spin, the sleep thin, and the skin feel itchy, dry or irritated no matter how much water we drink.

A client recently asked:

“I suffer from anxiety, heat in the chest and head, and lichen sclerosus. I am post menopause. I’d like acupressure, food medicine for the autoimmune aspect and anxiety, plus a breathing exercise.”

This is such an important question because many women will recognise some version of it.

It may not be lichen sclerosus for you. It may be hot flushes, burning feet, night sweats, tightness in the chest, palpitations, itchy ears, dry skin, vaginal dryness, bladder sensitivity, brain fog, fear that comes from nowhere, or that awful feeling of being tired and wired at the same time.

This blog is for women in peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause who feel as though the body has suddenly become louder than it used to be.

The Chinese medicine view: heat, anxiety and menopause

In Chinese medicine, the simple picture is this: energy has to flow.

Qi has to flow. Blood has to flow. Fluids have to flow. Warmth has to move through the body without getting trapped at the top.

Yin and Yang also have to keep talking to each other.

Yin is the cooling, moistening, holding quality. Yang is the warming, moving, active quality. We need both. We do not want a cold, flat life, and we do not want a blazing, restless one.

Symptoms are feedback. They are not moral failures. They are not proof that you have done something wrong. They are the body’s way of saying, “Something in here needs rebalancing.”

When a woman says, “I have heat in my chest and head,” I listen for Fire rising.

When she says, “I am anxious,” I listen for the Heart being unsettled.

When she says, “I am menopausal or post-menopausal,” I listen for Yin and fluids needing more care, especially the Kidney foundation. In Chinese medicine, the Kidneys are not only the two physical kidneys. They are the deep battery, the stored essence, the roots of water in the body.

Menopause can bring all Five Elements into one body

The Five Elements help us understand why menopause can feel so confusing.

In spring, we talk about Wood and the Liver: movement, flexibility and letting things flow.

In summer, we talk about Fire and the Heart: joy, connection, heat and sleep.

In late summer, we talk about Earth and digestion: the centre that helps us digest food and life.

In autumn, we talk about Metal, the Lung and Large Intestine: grief, boundaries, skin and letting go.

In winter, we talk about Water and the Kidneys: rest, bones, fear, deep reserves and the wisdom of not spending ourselves empty.

Menopause can bring all of these seasons into one body.

You can have summer heat in the chest, winter depletion in the bones, spring frustration in the Liver, autumn dryness in the skin, and late-summer worry in the belly.

This is why rhythm matters so much. We do not fix the whole woman by attacking one symptom. We help the whole system flow again.

See my books for full food medicine and acupressure for the complete five elements.

What is Bao Mai?

This is where Chinese medicine offers something very special.

There is a beautiful pathway in women’s health called the Bao Mai. Bao Mai means the Uterus Vessel, or more simply, the Heart and womb connection.

It is not one of the everyday meridians we talk about, like Liver or Kidney. It belongs to the deeper map of the extraordinary vessels, especially the Chong Mai, known as the Sea of Blood.

The Bao Mai is the communication line between the Heart and the uterus. It allows Heart Qi, Heart Blood and Shen, the spirit or mind, to descend and nourish the reproductive organs.

In Chinese medicine practice, the Bao Mai is used to understand ovulation, menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, PMS, irregular cycles, scanty bleeding, and the way stress and emotion can disturb hormonal rhythm.

In the fertile years, Blood and Qi move down from the Heart toward the womb. The monthly cycle opens and closes, and the body has a visible rhythm.

In peri-menopause and menopause, that rhythm begins to change.

The movement starts to return upward toward the Heart and brain. When that upward movement is smooth, it can become clarity, intuition and wisdom. It can become the woman who says, “I know what matters now, and I am not wasting my life putting others first.”

But when that upward movement is too hot, too rushed, or blocked by overwhelm, we may feel heat in the chest, pressure in the head, palpitations, anxiety, irritation, poor sleep or a sense that we cannot come down into ourselves.

Women’s seven-year cycles in Chinese medicine

Chinese medicine also describes women’s lives in seven-year cycles.

Around fourteen, the Conception Vessel, or Ren Mai, begins to flow and menstruation starts.

Around twenty-one, Kidney Qi matures.

Around twenty-eight, Qi and Blood are at their fullest.

Around thirty-five and forty-two, the Yang Ming channels begin to weaken, which may show in skin, hair and vitality.

Around forty-nine, the Conception Vessel weakens, reproductive energy declines, and menstruation begins to stop.

These ages are not rigid rules. They are broad brush strokes. But they give us a beautiful way to understand menopause.

Menopause is not a sudden failure of the body. It is a change in direction.

One acupressure point for anxiety and chest heat: CV17

The acupressure point I would use here is Conception Vessel 17, also called CV17.

It is in the centre of the chest, on the breastbone, roughly level with the nipples. Do not press breast tissue. Come to the centre line of the sternum, the flat bone in the middle of the chest.

Use two fingertips or the soft pads of your fingers.

For anxiety, heat, tightness and emotional pressure, CV17 can be a lovely place to make contact. It should not feel sharp. It should not feel like you are bruising yourself. It may feel tender, warm, achy, or as if the breath suddenly notices the space under your hand.

Place two fingers on the centre of the breastbone. Let your shoulders drop. Press gently and steadily. You are not digging. You are saying hello.

Stay for thirty seconds to three minutes. If you are very anxious, start with thirty seconds. Breathe slowly while you hold it. Let the exhale be a little longer than the inhale.

When you finish, smooth the hand down the centre of the chest to the upper belly, as if reminding the heat that there is a whole body below the neck.A simple daily cue is the kettle. Every time you boil the kettle, touch CV17. Tea, coffee, hot water, soup, whatever it is, let the kettle become your reminder.

Consistency matters more than intensity.

A breathing practice: Heart-Womb Breath

The breathing practice I recommend is Heart-Womb Breath.

If you have had a hysterectomy, if you do not have a uterus, or if the word womb does not feel right for you, use “lower belly” or “pelvic bowl.” The body still has a centre.

Think of anxiety as a house with all the lights on upstairs. The energy is in the head, eyes, jaw, temples, throat, chest and heart. The lower floor feels empty.

This breath helps you come downstairs again.

Place one hand on the centre of the chest, around CV17.

Place the other hand on the lower belly, below the navel, over the womb space or pelvic bowl.

Soften the jaw. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. As you exhale, imagine warmth travelling from the chest down into the lower belly, like honey moving slowly down a spoon.

Then gently inhale and imagine Qi flowing from the womb space up to the Heart. On the exhale, let it flow back down to the perineum and pelvic bowl.  Do this for three minutes.

The aim is not to create a mystical experience. The aim is to give your nervous system proof that it is safe to come down.

The felt result may be simple: the chest a little softer, the head a little cooler, the belly a little more present, and the breath less trapped.

Food medicine for anxiety, heat and immune over-alertness

The food medicine I would choose is warm miso with wakame.

Not a complicated protocol. Not a war against the immune system.

For autoimmune patterns, I do not love the phrase “boost the immune system,” because the immune system is not always weak. Sometimes it is confused, over-alert, inflamed, reactive or exhausted from being on guard.

The intention is not to whip it harder. The intention is to steady the terrain.

Miso is fermented and supports the gut environment. Wakame brings a mineral-rich seaweed quality. The warm salty bowl can help the nervous system feel fed, held and less frantic.

The simplest recipe is this:

Boil water, then let it cool for a minute. Put one teaspoon of miso paste in a mug or small bowl. Add a small pinch of wakame. Pour the hot water over, stir, let it sit for a few minutes, and sip slowly.

You can add spring onion or a few cubes of tofu if you want to make it more like a snack, but the basic medicine is miso, wakame, warm water and a pause.

Do not boil the miso hard. Warm is enough.

Warm tells the belly, “You are safe.” Scalding tells the body, “More heat is coming.”

If you are sensitive to soy, choose a miso that suits you or skip this. If you have been told to restrict salt, if you have thyroid issues, or if seaweed has been restricted for you, check with your clinician and keep the wakame tiny.

Lichen sclerosus and the whole-body view

As with many issues around sexual organs, conditions of the vulva can carry so much silence.

Women put up with itching, burning, pain, fear around intimacy, embarrassment around examination, confusion about creams, and sometimes worry that they will not be believed.

Please do not carry that alone.

Good care matters. Clear diagnosis matters. Follow-up matters. Your comfort matters.

You are allowed to ask questions. You are allowed to ask how to use your prescribed ointment properly. You are allowed to say that sex hurts. You are allowed to say that anxiety is part of the picture. You are allowed to want both medical care and whole-body support.

In Chinese medicine, we never separate the local from the whole.

A vulval skin condition needs local medical care. Absolutely. And the whole body can still be supported through fluids, digestion, sleep, breath, stress rhythm and gentle movement of Qi.

This is not either-or. It is both-and.  See my book Good Food Better Sex for explorations of sexual conditions and MENOPAUSE through the lens of Chinese medicine

Final thought

To every woman in peri-menopause, menopause or post-menopause: your body is giving you feedback about flow, cooling, nourishment, boundaries, rest and rhythm. You do not have to decode it perfectly. You only have to begin responding more kindly.

And if you would like to practise this kind of work with me in a steady, supported way, come into the Chi Flow membership. It is €39 a month, and after the three-month trial it becomes €20 a month, so you can keep building these small rhythms through the seasons with guidance, community and practice.

Ready to Start?

Join Chi Flow with Jo and begin restoring your energy, and feeling more like yourself again.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What does heat in the chest and head mean in Chinese medicine?

In Chinese medicine, heat rising into the chest and head can suggest that warmth, Qi or emotional pressure is not moving smoothly through the body. In menopause, this may be linked with Yin and fluids needing support, the Heart being unsettled, and the body needing a calmer rhythm.

What is the Bao Mai?

The Bao Mai is the Heart-womb connection in Chinese medicine. It is linked with the extraordinary vessels, especially the Chong Mai, the Sea of Blood. It helps explain the relationship between emotions, the Heart, the uterus, menstruation, fertility, menopause, hot flushes and anxiety.

Why can menopause cause anxiety and hot flushes in Chinese medicine?

Chinese medicine sees menopause as a change in direction. In the fertile years, Blood and Qi move down toward the womb. In peri-menopause and post-menopause, this movement begins to return upward toward the Heart and brain. If the transition is too hot, rushed or blocked, symptoms may include anxiety, palpitations, poor sleep, heat in the chest and head, or hot flushes.

What acupressure point helps menopause anxiety?

CV17, or Conception Vessel 17, is a useful acupressure point for anxiety, chest tightness and emotional pressure. It is found in the centre of the breastbone. Press gently for thirty seconds to three minutes while breathing slowly.

What food medicine supports menopause anxiety and immune over-alertness?

Warm miso with wakame is a simple food medicine option. Miso is fermented and supports the gut environment. Wakame brings a mineral-rich seaweed quality. Together, they make a warm, steadying bowl that supports the body without overstimulating it.

Can Chinese medicine cure lichen sclerosus?

No. Lichen sclerosus needs medical diagnosis and care from a GP, gynaecologist, dermatologist or vulval clinic. Chinese medicine practices such as acupressure, breathwork, food medicine and Qi Gong may support the whole body alongside medical treatment, but they do not replace it.

Go Deeper with Our Books

For those wanting to understand how movement, breath, and Chinese Medicine principles, Jo’s books provide practical guidance rooted in lived experience and clinical wisdom.

👉 Buy Five Element Wisdom cookbooks

Explore how to Find Your Flow and Live Well with Parkinson’s.

Movement does not need to be extreme to be powerful.
Small daily expansion reshapes the body.
Steady breath reshapes the nervous system.
Gentle repetition rebuilds confidence.

Every human body carries extraordinary capacity for renewal when given the right rhythm.

If you want to soften into strength, come and practice with us.

When to seek medical help

Please speak to your GP or specialist if symptoms worsen or spread, if pain, itching, heat or anxiety starts waking you at night, if you notice new skin changes, lumps, thickening, ulceration or bleeding, if your prescribed treatment is not helping, or if there is any change in medication.

And if you ever have chest pain that feels severe, crushing, unusual, or comes with breathlessness, sweating, faintness, jaw pain or arm pain, seek urgent medical help.

Chinese medicine and home practices can support the terrain of the body, but they do not replace diagnosis or medical treatment.

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.

Topics: Breathwork, Parkinson’s support, sleep practices, Qi Gong, acupressure.

Jaw, Neck, Back and Hip Pain All at Once?

Jaw, Neck, Back and Hip Pain All at Once?

Ask Me Anything

 A Simple Whole-Body Approach That Works

When the jaw, neck, back, and hips all start calling for attention at the same time, it can feel confusing and overwhelming.

It is not just one area.
 It is everything, tight yet weak, tired yet wired, with tension that keeps returning no matter what you try.

This pattern and combination is something I see often, especially in people dealing with fatigue, nerve sensitivity, or conditions like TMJ, back pain, or Parkinson’s.

And the truth is, this is not four separate problems. It is one connected system asking for support.

Why Everything Feels Tight and Weak at the Same Time

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, everything comes back to one question.

Is energy flowing, or is it stuck?

When the body is under pressure, it begins to brace.

  • The jaw clenches
  • The neck tightens
  • The shoulders lift
  • The back locks
  • The hips grip

Underneath all of that, the body feels weak because energy is being used to guard, not support.

So instead of chasing each area separately, we look at the whole chain.

Very often, the jaw and base of the skull act like a “top gate.”
 If this area is tight, everything below starts compensating.

A Simple Acupressure Practice to Release Tension

Rather than doing more and more, start with less, done consistently.

Stomach 7 (Jaw Point)

  • Located just in front of the ear where the jaw moves
  • Gently press into the hollow while relaxing the mouth

Stomach 7 is one of my favourite points because its effects often extend far beyond the jaw itself. While it is commonly used for TMJ discomfort, clenching, grinding, and facial tension, it also helps address the compensation patterns that develop throughout the body when the jaw becomes chronically tight. 

The jaw is closely linked to the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. When we clench, we rarely do it in isolation. We tend to lift the shoulders, tighten the neck, hold the breath, and brace through the spine. By gently releasing Stomach 7, many people notice not only a softer jaw but also less tension around the temples, improved comfort around the ears, freer neck movement, deeper breathing, and a greater sense of relaxation through the shoulders. 

In Chinese Medicine, the Stomach channel travels through the face and head, making this point particularly useful for reducing the feeling of being “held tight” through the entire upper body. I often find that when the jaw begins to let go, the neck follows, and when the neck softens, the rest of the body has an opportunity to reorganise itself with less effort.

Gall Bladder 20 (Base of Skull)

  • Found at the base of the skull, in two soft hollows either side
  • Apply steady, gentle pressure with the thumbs

Gall Bladder 20 is one of the most important points for people who carry tension in the neck, jaw, shoulders, and head. Located in the two hollows at the base of the skull, it sits at a key meeting point between the head and the rest of the body. When this area becomes tight, it can create a feeling of pressure, pulling, heaviness, or congestion that radiates into the jaw, temples, neck, and upper back. 

In Chinese Medicine, Gall Bladder 20 is traditionally used to encourage the smooth flow of energy through the head and neck, helping to release stagnation and restore movement where things have become stuck. Many people notice reduced head pressure, less neck stiffness, easier head movement, and a greater sense of mental clarity after working this point gently. 

Because so many muscles attach around the base of the skull, releasing this area can also improve posture and reduce the strain travelling down through the spine. I often describe Gall Bladder 20 as opening the “top gate” of the body. When the base of the skull relaxes, the shoulders can drop, the breath can deepen, the jaw can soften, and the back and hips no longer need to work quite so hard to compensate. 

For people experiencing that combination of tightness, fatigue, tension, and a feeling of being pulled out of alignment, Gall Bladder 20 can be one of the most powerful points for helping the entire body feel more connected and at ease.

This complements the Stomach 7 paragraph perfectly because ST7 addresses the front of the jaw mechanism, while GB20 addresses the back of the jaw-neck-head relationship, giving readers a much clearer understanding of why you use the two points together.

How to use them together

  • 30 seconds on Stomach 7 each side

  • 1 minute on Gall Bladder 20
  • Keep the breath slow, jaw relaxed, shoulders soft

This is not about force.
 With nerve sensitivity and TMJ, the body responds better to softness.

  • Let the tongue rest softly in the mouth
  • Let the eyes soften, as if looking into the distance
  • Allow the jaw to hang naturally, not clench

Link this practice to something you already do, washing your face, removing earrings, or sitting down in the evening so that it is a daily connection to your body and it’s alignment. That is how the body learns and how it changes.

Food That Supports Nerves, Energy and Release

When the body feels tight but weak, we look at nourishment.

In Chinese Medicine, this often points to a need to support:

  • Blood, which nourishes muscles and nerves
  • Yin and fluids, which calm and soften
  • The Spleen, which creates energy and stability

A simple, powerful option is:

Spinach and Sweet Potato Soup

Why it works

  • Sweet potato supports digestion and energy production
  • Spinach nourishes the blood and tissues
  • Warm, soft food helps the body move out of stress mode.Simple method
    Cook chopped sweet potato in stock until soft, add spinach at the end, blend, and finish with olive oil and a pinch of salt.

If you want to go deeper into how food connects to your body and symptoms, you will find the full Five Element system in my books and if you have Parkinson’s like my husband, Davy, take a look at the dedicated section on food in  Find Your Flow, Live Well with Parkinson’s

Gentle Qi Gong for Alignment and Relief

Watch the movements demonstrated in the full podcast video below

1. Connect Heaven and Earth

This movement gently lengthens the spine and reduces pressure at the base of the skull.

It helps:

  • Ease jaw tension
  • Reduce head pressure
  • Support posture without force

2. Embrace the Tree

This is one of the most powerful ways to feel whole-body alignment.

  • The chest softens / The head lifts gently / The spine lengthens / The weight drops into the feet

Like a tree, strong yet flexible.  This allows the jaw to soften, the neck to decompress, and the back and hips to share the load evenly.

Practice tip
 Just 2 to 3 minutes is enough.
 Stop before fatigue.
 The goal is not effort, it is ease.

“A living being is tender and flexible;  a corpse is hard and stiff.

It is the same with everything; leaves and grasses are tender and delicate, but when they die they become rigid and dry. Those who are hard and inflexible belong to death’s domain; but the gentle and flexible belong to life.”

What Real Alignment Feels Like

Alignment is not about forcing posture.

It is not:  Shoulders back, Chest out, Belly tight

That often increases tension.

Real alignment feels like support with less effort.

  • The head balances over the ribs
  • The ribs soften over the pelvis
  • The pelvis rests over the feet
  • The breath moves freely
  • The jaw lets go

This is where the body begins to feel safe again.

Practise With Me

If this resonates, come and practise with us inside Chi Flow with Jo.

A steady rhythm, simple daily LIVE classes, and a supportive community can help you reconnect with your body without overwhelm.  Because healing does not come from doing more.  It comes from doing the right things, gently, and consistently.

With Chi Flow with Jo, you will get:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Recordings you can follow anytime
  • Q&A support
  • Acupoints, food tips, and guidance
  • A community moving with you

💛 It’s €39/month, reducing to €20 after your first 3 months.

Ready to Start?

Join Chi Flow with Jo and begin restoring your energy, and feeling more like yourself again.

    • Frequently Asked Questions

    • 1. Why do my jaw, neck, back and hips all hurt at the same time?

    • Because the body works as one connected system. When tension builds at the top, especially around the jaw and base of the skull, it creates compensation patterns through the spine, back, and hips.

    • 2. Is it better to stretch or strengthen when I feel tight but weak?
    • Neither aggressively. When the body feels both tight and weak, it is often in a protective state. Gentle acupressure, soft movement, and nourishment help restore balance before stretching or strengthening becomes effective.

    • 3. Can food really help with nerve pain and tension?

    • Yes. In Chinese Medicine, food supports the internal environment of the body. Warm, nourishing foods help build blood, calm the nervous system, and reduce the “tight but weak” feeling by giving the body the resources it needs to relax and repair.

  • When to Seek Medical Support
  • If you are experiencing:
      • High heart rate
      • Persistent head pressure
      • Weakness or nerve symptoms
      • Changes in medication response

      • Please speak with your GP.  These practices work beautifully alongside medical care, not instead of it.

Go Deeper with Our Books

For those wanting to understand how movement, breath, and Chinese Medicine principles, Jo’s books provide practical guidance rooted in lived experience and clinical wisdom.

👉 Buy Five Element Wisdom cookbooks

Explore how to Find Your Flow and Live Well with Parkinson’s.

Movement does not need to be extreme to be powerful.
Small daily expansion reshapes the body.
Steady breath reshapes the nervous system.
Gentle repetition rebuilds confidence.

Every human body carries extraordinary capacity for renewal when given the right rhythm.

If April is asking you to soften into strength, come and practice with us.

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.

Topics: Breathwork, Parkinson’s support, sleep practices, Qi Gong, acupressure.

Inner Guidance On A Stormy Sea

Inner Guidance On A Stormy Sea

Recipes

The world is beginning to open up, there’s cars on the road, kids in the park, hustle and bustle is back. But where is our place in a new world order?

There’s so much information about how to behave and how to act it can be hard to find what fits for us. It can seem that everybody else is coming out of lockdown, meeting friends, smiling easily and taking everything in their stride and perhaps it doesn’t feel like that for you. Perhaps you feel unsure about this new way of interacting.

Do you embrace friends, Do you have to share a cuppa outside or is having tea together inside ok? Can you stop and talk to strangers, passing the time? Can you go on dates? Mask or no mask? Even though there are written guidelines, how do they apply to your life? Where does lockdown end and normal life begin? I miss smiles with random strangers in supermarkets and on the street. I know the masks are necessary I just feel uncomfortable.

Everybody else seems fine, head down, no contact, keeping distant, getting things done without connecting and heading home. It feels like everyone is getting it right, easily adapting and slotting right into this new way of being. But that’s just a big case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) usually applied to social media, this is where everyone has great kids, tidy house, perfect house and the sun is always shining.

However, that’s never how it is. The truth is everyone is finding their own way. So how can we use Chinese Medicine to help rediscover our internal compass?

Don’t multi-task: Doing too many things at once can mean we become overwhelmed and lose sight of our purpose. The ultimate goal is to be happy and at peace. By taking things slowly we can experience our feelings. Are we at peace and happy or are we ticking off a to-do list that we “think” will make us happy? You have to enjoy the journey not just the destination. So slow down, don’t bite off more than you can chew, you will become irritable and tense, scattered and exhausted.

Touch is often overlooked as a way to feel well but it can simultaneously ease pain, lessen anxiety, promote healing and help you to take the obstacles in life in your stride.

Try this point to calm the mind and release tension.

GOVERNING VESSEL 24.5 – Yin Tang point

This point is often instinctively massaged by people to relieve headaches and eyestrain.

In my book Good Food: Better Sex I use this point for regulating the endocrine system but it can also be used for any facial pain, including those related to sinus congestion.

Find in the midline of the body between the eyebrows.

Close your eyes, rotating and pressing into the area for 30 seconds every day.

Combine it with rubbing your checks and massaging your jaw to release tension in the whole area, relaxing the neck, shoulders, upper chest and clearing the mind.

Slow Food Down: In Traditional Chinese Medicine excessive worry and insecurity is the emotion of the spleen and the stomach, these organs are associated with the earth element.

So eating foods that support these organs such as whole grains, root vegetables, fennel, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, pumpkin, sweet potato and peas, will help the body navigate the specific emotions that arise.

Try a new twist on carrots by cooking 500g in boiling salted water until soft, then mashing them with a fork and mixing in the following ingredients:

1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp. salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Aesel to sad sing to arize handfuls of baby spinach leaves to the hot, mashed carrots so that it wits before serving The stomach and spleen don’tlike raw food so even wilting spinach means tis softer on the stomach for digestion.

The grass is rarely greener when we jump the fence so it’s healthier for the mind and body to find things we enjoy right here, right now. Even if we are uncomfortable in this new world, find things that you are thankful for will help. Keep a list, on the fridge, on the table, or even make a gratitude jar, adding at least five things to it every day.

Maybe its that you have food in your fridge, air to breathe, fingers to feel, or a tongue to taste, there is always something to feel grateful for. Be easy on yourself, take time for things to unfold and know that everyone is navigating the same sea just in different boats.

For more information on Shiatsu Conscious Cooking and to buy the books full of recipes, tips and Chinese Medicine visithttps://shop.joannefaulkner.ie/#books

Follow @joannefaulknerShiatsu on Facebook 

Join Us and Try a Free Class


We offer a free class at the end of the month so you can try Chi Flow before you join.
 Membership is only €39 per month, with over 20 classes included each month.
 After three months, your subscription halves to €20, making it the most affordable Parkinson’s-friendly Qi Gong programme available online.

You are warmly welcome to practise with us and discover your own flow.


💗 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.

You don’t need to have it all worked out.
You just need something gentle to lean into, one day at a time.

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.

Does Sex Scare You?

Does Sex Scare You?

Energy of Food Blog

It used to scare me. It’s taken me fifty years to embrace my body and my own healthy, juicy sexuality. Abusive childhood sexual experiences, misguided religious education and contradictory cultural norms taught me no one loved a girl who loved feeling good and feeling sexy. She would be used, abused and left open to ridicule.

Even now publishing Good Food: Better Sex – A Holistic Health Cookbook that brings sex out of the shadows and onto the kitchen table, has been an act of bravery. I know that talking and writing about sexual health has been deeply healing for me. Just like the #metoo movement it sometimes takes only a few people to speak of the sexual shame and trauma they experience, on a day to day basis, for a flood of recognition to take place in others.

Chinese Medicine’s understanding of sex has been a revelation for me. It explains it’s function without judgment. It’s just another aspect of life which has to flow and express itself, no different than breathing, eating, laughing or sleeping. It’s part of life and without it, we would not be alive.

Sexual energy creates worlds. It is the energy that grows all life. From the mix of Yang Sperm and Yin egg, splitting and reproducing cells until, 9 months later, a new baby is born, that will carry on reproducing cells; bone, blood and everything in between, as they grow through puberty, adulthood, until finally reaching the grave. We are born with this automatic programming, to reproduce at a cellular level.

Just like the air we breathe and the food we eat sexual energy is an essential part of life. It makes the plants, the trees, the courgettes and the daisy’s, the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. All reproduction relies on sexual energy which means its pretty powerful stuff.

A plus is that sexual energy feels good. Nature has designed it that way so that we don’t die out. We are supposed to feel good, experiencing the pleasure of our sexual energy and being alive.

In Chinese Medicine, that feel good, dopamine-producing aspect of sexual energy applies to anything we create, whether that’s dancing, singing, painting, cooking, designing a house or anything we can conjure up and desire to make manifest. It’s an enjoyable expression of who we are. We have brought something into being whether that is a baby or a loaf of bread. In Chinese Medicine, the energy that drives the expression of who we are is also sexual energy. It is passionate and powerful, it creates life, no wonder it’s scary.

Because this energy is powerful, all sorts of people and institutions want to control it. Sometimes with the best intentions, information around sex only relates to the physical act or unwanted consequences. But this method of teaching is not enlightening or educational. It curtails our individual expression and our joyful exuberance of who we are or could be. For me it was like a part of me was suppressed. A part that was joyful and exuberant, that liked to dance in the sunshine and swim naked in the sea, feeling sunshine on all of my skin.

However, the message from school and state was that this sexual side would bring me nothing but trouble. It was messy, unpredictable, and scary so better to keep it controlled and contained. If I didn’t monitor myself and my behaviour following the dictates of society, I felt I would be ostracised, rejected and never find love. However understanding and expressing my passionate, creative, sexual energy has allowed me to find my integrity, my own moral compass. I can trust and respect my actions, this is true love.

Sexual energy shouldn’t be dictated to – by the partner you choose, the religion you follow, or the society in which you live. If wearing a short skirt, red lipstick or stilettos while shopping excites someone else’s sexual energy that is theirs to feel pleasure from. I don’t have to respond, engage or take part in their sexual energy unless I want to feel pleasure, and share the experience with them.

Because in Chinese medicine, healthy sexual energy is not tied to only sexual intercourse it has allowed me to find my voice around sex. I can now express myself as a whole person, not just the parts that are acceptable to my parents, religion or the society in which I live, and I feel like I have regained a limb. I don’t dance like no one is watching, I dance like the whole world is watching and they’re loving it.

This excitement can feel scary because it is unpredictable. Unlike the misguided teenager who just went anywhere to experience the thrill of it all, I know now whether my sexual energy is pleasing others or pleasing myself. I hold myself tip-top of the list, with self-love and safe boundaries but still willing to explore messy feelings. Just like cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and body mass index I can address my sexual health. I can talk about menopause, impotence, premature ejaculation and vaginal dryness without shame and embarrassment.

I am a whole being, sexual and spiritual. The trauma I experienced around my sexual experiences and education was not my fault but healing from it is my responsibility. I didn’t know it at the time but that’s what writing the Good Food: Better Sex cookbook was all about.

Buy the book and watch the video to find out more at:  https://shop.joannefaulkner.ie/#books

Join Us and Try a Free Class


We offer a free class at the end of the month so you can try Chi Flow before you join.
 Membership is only €39 per month, with over 20 classes included each month.
 After three months, your subscription halves to €20, making it the most affordable Parkinson’s-friendly Qi Gong programme available online.

You are warmly welcome to practise with us and discover your own flow.


💗 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.

You don’t need to have it all worked out.
You just need something gentle to lean into, one day at a time.

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.

Five Things to Consider Before You Retire

Five Things to Consider Before You Retire

Energy Update

Living with Parkinson’s, and learning to listen

Retirement is often spoken about as a reward, something you arrive at after decades of effort.
But when it comes earlier than expected, especially when Parkinson’s is part of the story, it can feel less like arrival and more like a quiet reorganisation of life.

Davy, who is almost 10 years diagnosed with Parkinson’s, recently took early retirement after over 25 years working with Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
 It wasn’t a decision driven by readiness or excitement. It was driven by listening.

Listening to a body that no longer wanted to be pushed in the same way.

We wanted to share five things that rarely get talked about when people speak about retirement, especially for those living with Parkinson’s, or walking alongside someone who is.

This isn’t about finances or plans.  It’s about the day-to-day, lived changes that happen quietly.

1. Structure doesn’t disappear, it changes

One of the first surprises of retirement is how quickly structure fades.

For most of adult life, our days are shaped externally.
 Alarms, commutes, meetings, expectations.
 Even when work is demanding, it provides rhythm.

When that rhythm suddenly stops, time can lose its edges.
 Days blur.  Morning slips into afternoon and evening without meaning and sometimes too much tv.

For someone living with Parkinson’s, this lack of structure can be felt physically.
Stiffness increases.  Motivation and mood dips.

What becomes clear is that retirement doesn’t remove the need for structure.
It simply hands the responsibility back to you, to create rhythms that serve your body and energy now, not the person you once were.

Practical ideas

  • Choose one gentle anchor for the morning, something to get up for, not something to rush towards.
  • This might be a regular online Qi Gong class like Chi Flow with Jo, where others are gathering at the same time.
  • It might be a cup of tea by the window at the same time each day, noticing the light and the weather, writing in your journal.
  • Keep mornings simple. Structure does not need to be busy to be supportive.

2. The loss of everyday connection is real

People often say they don’t miss the job, they miss the people.

Work provides a steady stream of small human connections, conversations, shared moments.
 When work ends, those interactions quietly disappear.

There is also a truth that can be hard to sit with.
 When you leave a workplace, life there continues.
 Not out of unkindness, but because systems move on.

For someone living with Parkinson’s, where fatigue, confidence, and mobility can already shrink the world, this loss of connection can increase the risk of isolation.

Community doesn’t automatically replace itself.  It needs to be grown and tended.

Chi Flow with Jo is a daily LIVE practice with an interactive chat at the end of the 30 minute class.  It’s a great supportive community.

Practical ideas

  • Look for connections that are regular rather than intense. Familiar faces matter more than long conversations. 
  • A daily or weekly group practice, whether movement, breath, or shared interest, can gently rebuild belonging. 
  • If energy is low, even listening to a podcast can soften feelings of loneliness and create a sense of companionship. 
  • Stay connected in ways that feel manageable, not draining. 

3. Direction needs to be reimagined

Work gives us a sense of direction through time.
 There is always a next thing, a milestone, a goal on the horizon.

When retirement arrives unexpectedly, it can leave a person feeling adrift.
 Parkinson’s often already challenges future assumptions, and retirement can deepen that uncertainty.

There can be a temptation to rush into filling the space.
 To replace productivity with more productivity.

But sometimes direction doesn’t mean achievement.
 Sometimes it means tending.

Practical ideas

  • Instead of asking, “What should I do with my life now?”, try asking, “What would support me today?” 
  • Go for a short walk, even ten minutes, and let that be enough for the day.  Even if walking is difficult, movement is essential.  Qi Gong and Chi Flow with Jo can be a great support for balance and energy levels 
  • Listen to something nourishing, a podcast, music, or silence, and let it mark the movement from morning into day. 
  • Keep a simple journal. One or two lines at the end of the day about how you felt in your body and mood is enough. Over time, patterns emerge. 

Direction often appears quietly, through small, repeated choices.

Breathwork can be a quiet ally when living with Parkinson’s.

As the condition progresses, breathing can become shallow without us noticing. Posture changes, rigidity through the chest, anxiety, and fatigue all play a part.

Over time, this can leave the nervous system feeling slightly on edge, even on calm days. Coming back to the breath is not about controlling it or doing it “right”.

It’s about remembering that the breath is always there, waiting to support you.

Gentle breathwork helps calm the nervous system, soften stiffness, and bring a sense of space into the body.

It can also be deeply reassuring on days when tremor, freezing, or low mood feel close to the surface.

A simple way to begin

Sit or stand comfortably, no need to change anything yet.

Place one hand on your belly, one on your chest.

Let the inhale arrive naturally through the nose and fill the belly first then the upper chest.

Allow the exhale to soften and lengthen, gently through the mouth.

Imagine the breath dropping down into the belly like a stone settling into water.

Even three or four slow breaths like this can make a difference.

Breathwork doesn’t need energy, equipment, or perfect focus. It meets you where you are, whether you’re tired, foggy, anxious, or steady.

Practised regularly, it can become a familiar place to return to, a way of coming home to yourself when Parkinson’s feels loud. And on days when that’s all you do, that is more than enough.

Join myself and Davy for a free online breathwork class: https://livewellwithparkinsons.ie/freebies/

4. Identity needs space to soften

For many of us, identity is closely tied to what we do.
 Introductions begin with job titles.
 Worth is quietly measured in usefulness.

When work ends, especially early, that identity can dissolve faster than expected.
 Parkinson’s often asks this question first.
 Who am I if I can’t do what I used to do?

There is grief in this.
 But there is also an invitation.

To discover identity as relationship, not role.

Practical ideas

  • Notice the language you use with yourself. Gently shift from “I used to be…” to “At the moment, I am…”

     

  • Allow identity to be fluid. Today you might be someone who rests. Tomorrow someone who moves.

     

  • Journalling can help here too, not to analyse, but to witness who you are becoming.
  • Create a vision board.  Find images of things you like to do, like to visit or would like to try.  This can be online screenshots or physical cut and paste from magazines.

     

  • Practices like Qi Gong can support this shift, helping you feel yourself as energy and presence, not productivity.

     

5. Energy becomes the guiding currency

Living with Parkinson’s teaches you that energy is finite.
 You can no longer spend it carelessly.

Retirement can either drain energy or restore it, depending on how days are shaped.
 Without movement, the body stiffens.
 Without meaning, energy leaks away.
 Without rhythm, the nervous system struggles.

Learning to notice what nourishes and what depletes becomes essential.

Practical ideas

  • Choose movement that leaves you feeling better afterwards, not exhausted. Gentle, regular exercise is more supportive than occasional effort.

     

  • Morning practices often work best, before fatigue or doubt take over.

     

  • Build in rest without guilt. Rest is not the opposite of living, it is part of it.

     

Keep checking in with your energy rather than your expectations.

A quieter understanding

Retirement, especially when shaped by Parkinson’s, is not an ending.
 It is a reorganisation of life.

There is grief in letting go of old identities and rhythms.
 There is also honesty.

You stop living on borrowed momentum.
 You start listening more closely to what actually matters, today.

That question can feel unsettling.
 But it can also open the door to a life lived a little closer to what is real.

One day at a time is enough.

A gentle takeaway

If retirement is approaching, or has arrived sooner than expected, especially with Parkinson’s in the mix, remember this:

  • Create one small rhythm in your day that your body can rely on. Morning often works best.

     

  • Stay connected, even in simple ways. Familiar faces and shared routines matter more than long conversations.

     

  • Let direction be small. Ask what would support you today, not what you should achieve.

     

  • Allow identity to soften. You are more than what you did, and more than what your body can do.

     

  • Spend your energy wisely. Choose movement, rest, and nourishment that leave you feeling steadier, not depleted.

Join Us and Try a Free Class


We offer a free class at the end of the month so you can try Chi Flow before you join.
 Membership is only €39 per month, with over 20 classes included each month.
 After three months, your subscription halves to €20, making it the most affordable Parkinson’s-friendly Qi Gong programme available online.

You are warmly welcome to practise with us and discover your own flow.


💗 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.

You don’t need to have it all worked out.
You just need something gentle to lean into, one day at a time.

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 Without the Gym: What Actually Works in Post, Mid and Perimenopause

Bone Health Without the Gym: What Actually Works in Post, Mid and Perimenopause

Ask Me Anything

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “am I doing enough for my bone health?” you are not alone.

This question comes up again and again for women in their 40s and beyond. You might be active, eating well, doing your Qi Gong, listening to your body… and yet there’s that quiet voice in the background:

Should I be doing more?
 Do I need weights?
 Is gentle exercise enough?
 Am I risking my bone health by not going to the gym?

Let’s unpack this in a way that actually makes sense for your body.

The Real Question Behind Bone Health Anxiety

Most women aren’t just asking about bones.

They’re asking:
 Can I trust what I’m doing?

Especially in perimenopause, when hormones shift and the body starts giving new signals, it’s easy to lose confidence. What used to work might not feel right anymore. High-impact exercise might irritate your knees. The gym might feel overwhelming or simply not appealing.

And yet, everywhere you look, the message is the same:

“You need weight-bearing exercise for bone health.”

This is true… but incomplete.

What Does “Weight-Bearing Exercise” Actually Mean?

This is one of the most searched questions:

What is the best exercise for bone health?

Bones respond to load. They need pressure, use, and stimulation to stay strong.

But load doesn’t only come from lifting heavy weights.

Load also comes from:

  • Standing and holding your body weight
  • Slow, controlled movement
  • Balance and stability work
  • Time spent on your feet
  • Proper alignment through the joints

This is where Qi Gong becomes incredibly valuable.

 

Is Qi Gong Enough for Bone Health and Bone Density?

Qi Gong, when practised well, is not just “gentle waving of the arms.”

It is weight-bearing, structured, and deeply organising for the body.

When you stand, shift your weight, and move slowly with awareness:

  • Your bones receive consistent, low-level load
  • Your joints align more efficiently
  • Your muscles support the skeleton properly
  • Your nervous system relaxes, allowing better repair

And here’s the key:

Consistency beats intensity when it comes to long-term bone health.

Why Alignment Matters More Than Force

The ankle is the root of the kinetic tree. When it becomes stiff or dehydrated through the fascia, every joint above begins to compensate.

The knees and hips start to rotate inward.
 The lower back loses support.
 The tension travels upward into the shoulders and neck.

Over time, this creates misalignment.

And misalignment matters because:

Poor posture weakens bones.

Not because bones suddenly become fragile, but because:

  • Weight is no longer evenly distributed
  • Some areas become compressed
  • Others are underused
  • The body loses its natural strength pathways

So instead of healthy, balanced load through the skeleton, you get strain.

A Simple Daily Practice to Support Bone Strength

If you’re asking:“What is the best daily routine for bone health?”

Start here.

Acupressure for Foundation: Kidney 3

This point sits on the inside of the ankle, between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon.

  • Press gently until you feel a dull, comfortable ache
  • Hold for 1–3 minutes each side
  • Breathe slowly

This helps the body reconnect with its base and improves how force travels through the skeleton.

After massaging and connecting with the acupoint, rotate the ankles, drawing circles and figure 8’s with the toes

Food for Bone Nourishment (Beyond Calcium)

What foods strengthen bones naturally?

While calcium is important, bone health is about absorption, minerals, and overall nourishment.

Miso and bone broth remain foundational for Kidney energy and bone support, and you can revisit those recipes in my books and blogs.

For something different, try a black bean and sesame bowl:

  • Cook your black beans or open a tin of organic black beans
  • Warm black beans with grated ginger and tamari to taste
  • Add toasted black sesame seeds
  • Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil

Why this works:

    • Black foods support the Kidney system
    • Sesame seeds are traditionally used for bones and joints in Chinese Medicine
    • Warm, savoury meals reduce cravings and support digestion

The Missing Piece: Horse Stance for Bone Strength

One of the most important questions:

Do I need weights for strong bones?

Not necessarily.

Horse stance is a powerful, often overlooked, bodyweight strength practice.

When you stand with feet wide and knees softly bent:

  • Your legs carry your full body weight
  • Your bones receive direct, steady load
  • Your joints align and stabilise together

This is true weight-bearing exercise.

 

Prayer Wings in Horse Stance

Now we add the upper body.

As you move through Prayer Wings:

  • The chest opens
  • The neck lengthens
  • The throat softens

This matters more than people realise.

Fascial tightness in the chest and neck:

  • Restricts breathing
  • Compresses the cervical spine
  • Pulls the head forward
  • Creates rounding and hunching

This posture reduces how effectively your skeleton carries weight.

So this movement does two things at once:

  • Strengthens the lower body and bones through load
  • Restores posture so the whole skeleton can function properly

Better posture = better bone loading = better long-term strength

So… Are You Doing Enough?

If you’re still asking:

“Am I doing enough for my bone health?” Here’s your answer.

If you are:

  • Practising regularly
  • Spending time weight-bearing (standing, not just sitting or cycling)
  • Supporting your body with nourishing food
  • Improving alignment and posture
  • Listening when your body asks for change

Then yes, you are doing enough and more importantly:

You are doing what your body can actually use.

Keep it simple. Keep it consistent.

Bone health is not built through fear or pressure.  It is built through steady, repeatable signals your body understands.

If symptoms worsen, spread, disturb sleep, or if anything changes in your health or medication, always check in with your GP.

Otherwise, stay curious. Stay consistent. And trust that strength does not always have to look intense to be effective.

If you’d like support building a simple, consistent routine with every day qi gong like this, the membership is designed to guide you month by month with practices that match your body’s needs.

Join the Free Class

If you are curious about Qi Gong for Parkinson’s, chronic illness, fatigue, or healthy ageing, you are warmly invited to try a free class.

You do not need experience. You do not need flexibility. You simply begin where you are.

👉 Join the Free Class and experience the Eight Brocades for yourself.

Continue the Journey

If you would like ongoing support, Chi Flow with Jo offers:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Full Eight Brocades training
  • Acupressure guidance
  • Food medicine insights
  • Monthly health talks
  • Community gatherings

It is €39 per month, reducing to €20 per month after three months. Just €1 per class.

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo 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.

 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

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Why Do My Hips Feel Stuck?

Why Do My Hips Feel Stuck?

Energy Update

Understanding Hip Tension, Energy Flow & the Liver Meridian (and How to Fix It Gently)

If your hips feel tight, stiff, or completely stuck — you’re not alone. This is one of the most common issues I see, especially for women over 45 and for those managing long-term conditions where movement and energy feel limited.

But here’s the thing most people don’t realise:
 Hip tension isn’t just about tight muscles.

In Chinese Medicine, the hips are part of a much bigger picture — one that includes energy flow, emotional holding, posture, and how your whole body connects from the ground up.

The 3 Most Asked Questions This Blog Answers

1. Why do my hips feel so tight or “stuck” even when I stretch?
 2. How are my hips connected to energy flow and emotions?
 3. What can I do daily to gently release hip tension and improve movement?

The Real Reason Your Hips Feel Stuck

When people say their hips feel “stuck,” they’re usually describing something deeper than stiffness.

It’s that feeling of:

  • A fixed pelvis
  • Limited movement when walking
  • Tightness deep in the groin or lower back
  • Low or sluggish energy

In Chinese Medicine, this is often linked to the Liver system, which is responsible for the smooth flow of energy (Qi) in the body.

When that flow becomes restricted, the body tightens — and one of the first places this shows up is in the hips and groin.

The Liver Meridian & Hip Tension (Why the Groin Matters)

The Liver meridian runs from the foot, up the inner leg, and passes directly through the groin into the pelvis.

Think of the groin and hips as a gateway.

If that gateway is:

  • Tight | Collapsed |Misaligned

Then energy can’t move smoothly from the lower body into the centre.

  • Stretching your hamstrings doesn’t fix the problem
  • Your hips still feel tight no matter what you try
  • Movement feels restricted or disconnected

Because the issue isn’t just muscular, it’s about flow through that inner pathway. 

The Role of the Psoas (Your Deep “Emotional” Muscle)

Deep in the centre of your body sits the psoas muscle, connecting your spine to your legs.

This muscle:

  • Tightens with stress
  • Shortens with sitting
  • Holds emotional tension (especially fear and anxiety)

Over time, this can lead to:

  • A “fixed” pelvis
  • Lower back discomfort
  • Reduced hip mobility
  • That heavy, stuck feeling

This is why hip tension often feels both physical and emotional.

Rooting to Rise: The Missing Piece

Most people try to fix tight hips by stretching harder.   But in Chinese Medicine, we take a different approach:

👉 You don’t force the hips open — you allow them to open.

This comes from the principle of “rooting to rise.”

Instead of pulling from the top down, we build from the ground up.

Alignment from the Ground Up (Your “Gates”)

To restore flow through the hips, we guide the body through a series of “gates”:

Start with your feet — feeling the ground, weight evenly distributed.
 Then soften the ankles — responsive, not rigid.
 Allow the knees to bend gently and track forward.
 Move into the hips (Kua) — softening the crease at the front of the pelvis.
 Let the pelvis settle neutral — not gripping or tilting.
 Allow the spine to rise naturally.
 Soften the chest and shoulders.
 Let the head float gently on top.

When these gates align, something powerful happens: 👉 Energy can rise smoothly from the ground, through the legs, through the groin, and into the whole body.   This is where real change begins.

Why Hip Pain, Sciatica & Low Energy Are Connected

When the hips are tight and the pelvis is fixed:

Circulation reduces, Movement becomes inefficient, Energy flow slows down

This can contribute to:

Hip discomfort or stiffness | Sciatica-type symptoms | Lower back tension | Fatigue or low energy

Again it’s about flow being restricted. Watch until the end of the video where Jo demonstrates OPENING THE KUA Qi Gong Movement in both seated and standing practice.

A Gentler Way to Release Hip Tension

You don’t need extreme stretching or complicated routines.

What works best is:

  • Slow, controlled movement
  • Breath-led hip opening
  • Consistent daily practice
  • Good alignment through the feet, knees, and hips

Even simple movements like:

  • Gentle hip circles | Soft knee bends | Standing weight shifts

…can begin to restore flow when done consistently. Watch the video for a demonstration of a simple hip opening Qi Gong movement (seated demo included)

Supporting Your Hips with Food & Daily Habits

In Chinese Medicine, the Five Element system teaches that different flavours support different organs and energy pathways in the body. Sour foods support the Liver, bitter supports the Heart, sweet nourishes the Spleen, pungent supports the Lungs, and salty nourishes the Kidneys.

The Liver system is especially important for the smooth flow of Qi and Blood throughout the body, particularly through the tendons, groin, and hips. When Liver energy becomes stagnant from stress, tension, poor posture, or inactivity, the hips can become tight, stiff, and heavy.

By supporting the Liver through movement, breathwork, and sour foods like cherries, lemon, or plums, we help restore circulation, improve blood flow, and encourage energy to move more freely through the hips and pelvis.

If you’d like to understand the full Five Element food system in a simple, practical way, along with how flavours, colours, and foods affect your energy, joints, emotions, and overall health, I explore this deeply in my books. They’re designed to help you bring Chinese Medicine into everyday life in a way that feels nourishing, grounded, and easy to follow.

To support smoother flow:

  • Add leafy greens (like spinach or nettle)
  • Include sour foods (lemon, lime, plums)
  • Reduce long periods of sitting
  • Move gently every day

These small shifts help reduce internal “stagnation” and support the hips naturally.

The Emotional Side of Hip Tension

The hips are often a storage area for:

  • Frustration | Stress | Unprocessed emotions

When you begin to open the hips gently, it’s not uncommon to feel:

  • Lighter | Calmer | More at ease

This is a normal part of the process.
You’re not just improving movement, you’re creating space in the body.

Where to Start (Without Overwhelm)

If your hips feel stuck, the goal isn’t to fix everything overnight.

It’s to:

  • Start gently
  • Stay consistent
  • Let the body open at its own pace

That’s exactly what we focus on inside Chi Flow with Jo — simple daily practices that build over time.

You get:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Recordings you can follow anytime
  • Q&A support
  • Acupoints, food tips, and guidance
  • A community moving with you

💛 It’s €39/month, reducing to €20 after your first 3 months.

Final Thoughts

If your hips feel tight, stuck, or disconnected, your body isn’t broken.

It’s simply asking for:

  • Better alignment
  • Better flow
  • A stronger foundation

When you start from the ground up… everything begins to change.

Ready to Start?

Join Chi Flow with Jo and begin gently opening your hips, restoring your energy, and feeling more like yourself again.

Go Deeper with Our Books

For those wanting to understand how movement, breath, and Chinese Medicine principles, Jo’s books provide practical guidance rooted in lived experience and clinical wisdom.

👉 Buy Five Element Wisdom cookbooks

Explore how to Find Your Flow and Live Well with Parkinson’s.

Movement does not need to be extreme to be powerful.
Small daily expansion reshapes the body.
Steady breath reshapes the nervous system.
Gentle repetition rebuilds confidence.

Every human body carries extraordinary capacity for renewal when given the right rhythm.

If April is asking you to soften into strength, come and practice with us.

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.

Topics: Breathwork, Parkinson’s support, sleep practices, Qi Gong, acupressure.

 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 2026 | Privacy Policy |  Refunds & Returns Policy
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HIP PAIN IN MENOPAUSE

HIP PAIN IN MENOPAUSE

Ask Me Anything

How to Restore Flow Through the Hips with Qi Gong, Acupressure and Food:

Hip pain is often the body whispering that something in the centre of us has stopped moving.

Many women notice new aches appearing around the hips during midlife. Sometimes it begins after lifting something heavy or caring for children. Other times it appears gradually and doesn’t seem to go away.

In this article we explore:

  • Why hip pain can increase during menopause
  • The connection between hormones, the liver and joint health
  • How fascia and the nervous system affect hip tightness
  • Two powerful acupressure points for restoring flow
  • A simple Qi Gong movement to open the hips
  • A food that supports liver function and circulation

These approaches combine Chinese medicine, modern fascia science, and gentle Qi Gong movement to help the body return to balance.

Why Hip Pain Often Appears During Menopause

In Western medicine we are increasingly hearing about the relationship between hormonal changes and connective tissue health.

During menopause, oestrogen levels decline. Oestrogen helps regulate collagen production and tissue elasticity, so when levels drop the body can experience:

  • tendon stiffness
  • joint pain
  • reduced tissue repair
  • inflammation

At the same time, the liver plays a key role in metabolising hormones. If liver function becomes sluggish, hormones may not be processed efficiently, which can influence circulation, inflammation and tissue health.

The result can be stiffness and discomfort in areas such as the hips, shoulders and lower back.

The Chinese Medicine View: The Liver Controls the Tendons

Chinese medicine has described this connection for thousands of years.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver system governs the smooth flow of Qi (energy) and Blood throughout the body, particularly through the tendons and joints.

When Liver energy flows smoothly:

  • joints feel flexible

  • muscles move freely

  • circulation is strong

But when Liver Qi becomes stagnant:

  • muscles tighten

  • tendons lose elasticity

  • pain and stiffness appear

The hips are especially important because several major energy pathways pass through them. When the Liver system becomes sluggish, the hips often become one of the first places we feel restriction.

Fascia, Stress and Why Tight Hips Need Safety to Release

Modern research into fascia is beginning to confirm something Chinese medicine has long understood.

Fascia is the connective tissue web that wraps around muscles and organs throughout the body. When fascia is weak, overstretched or overloaded, it tightens as a protective response.

This can happen when:

  • lifting or carrying heavy loads
  • repetitive movements
  • long periods of fear or stress
  • Lack of movement

 

  • But fascia does not release when stretched or forced, as ligaments, tendons and muscles can.

    It releases when the nervous system feels safe.

    This is why gentle practices like Qi Gong are so effective. Slow, rhythmic movement combined with relaxed breathing sends signals of safety to the nervous system. Once the body feels safe, the fascia can soften and lengthen again.

Acupressure Point: Liver 3 for Hip Pain and Stagnation

One of the most effective acupressure points for releasing stagnation in the hips is Liver 3 (Taichong).

How to find Liver 3

  1. Look at the top of the foot.
  2. Find the space between the big toe and second toe.
  3. Slide your finger up about an inch from the webbing until you feel a small dip between the bones.

How to use it

Press gently with your thumb until you feel a mild dull ache.

Hold the point while breathing slowly for 1–3 minutes.

This point is widely used in Chinese medicine to:

  • move stagnant Liver Qi

  • improve circulation to the legs and hips

  • reduce tension in the tendons

When this pathway begins to flow again, tightness through the hips often eases.

Acupressure Point: Spleen 6 to Increase Blood Flow in the Lower Abdomen

Another powerful point is Spleen 6 (Sanyinjiao).

How to find Spleen 6
Locate the inner ankle bone. 
Measure four finger widths up the leg.
Just behind the shin bone you will find a tender point.

How to use it:
Press gently for about one minute while breathing slowly.
Spleen 6 influences three major energy systems:

  • Liver
  • Spleen
  • Kidney

This point helps increase the movement of blood and energy through the lower abdomen and pelvis, nourishing the hips and lower body.

Because it strongly activates blood flow in the lower abdomen, Spleen 6 should not be used during pregnancy.

A Seasonal Food That Supports Liver Function: Rhubarb

Food can also help restore flow in the body.

In Chinese medicine the sour flavour stimulates the Liver, encouraging blood and energy to move more smoothly.

Rhubarb is a wonderful seasonal food for this purpose.

Benefits of rhubarb include:

  • supporting liver function
  • encouraging healthy elimination through the large intestine
  • reducing stagnation in the body

Simple Stewed Rhubarb Recipe

  1. Chop several stalks of rhubarb.
  2. Place in a saucepan with a small amount of water.
  3. Simmer gently until soft.
  4. Add a slice of apple if you like a little sweetness.

A small bowl a few times per week can gently support the Liver and digestion.

When digestion flows well, joints often feel lighter and more flexible.

Qi Gong for Hip Mobility: Opening the Kua

In Qi Gong we often talk about opening the kua.

The kua refers to the deep hip crease where the thighs meet the pelvis. It encompasses the surrounding musculature, including the iliopsoas (hip flexors), adductor muscles (inner thigh), and the pelvic floor. It acts as the central hinge of the body, allowing movement to travel between the upper and lower body.

When the kua moves freely:

  • the hips open naturally 
  • walking becomes smoother 
  • the spine and legs coordinate better
  • Qi flows from the feet into the body

Interestingly, the inguinal crease also contains one of the highest concentrations of lymph nodes in the body, so opening the kua can help support lymphatic circulation.

How to Practise the Kua Opening Movement

  1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width.
  2. Bend the knees gently and settle into a relaxed horse stance.
  3. Keep the spine upright and the crown of the head lifting lightly upward.
  4. Allow the shoulders to relax.

Now bring awareness to the hip crease.
Turn one foot slightly outward.

As the foot turns outward, allow the waist and hips to rotate gently in the opposite direction.

This creates a spiral through the hips.
You may feel one hip crease opening while the other softly closes.
Return to centre and repeat on the other side.
Continue slowly from side to side.

Three key cues

  • Keep the knees soft so the hips can release.
  • Let the waist guide the movement rather than the shoulders.
  • Move slowly enough to feel the hip crease opening and closing.

Just one or two minutes of this gentle turning can release significant tension through the hips and pelvis.

Over time it helps:

  • soften fascia
  • improve pelvic circulation
  • increase Qi flow in the lower dantien

When Movement Isn’t Enough: Releasing Tension Through Safe Touch

Sometimes hips feel extremely tight or guarded.

This can happen because the pelvis often stores emotional memory and protective tension.

In these cases, gentle physical touch can help the nervous system relax.

Some people find practices such as yoni massage or pelvic self-massage helpful. This involves bringing respectful, loving touch to the lower abdomen and pelvic area.

Safe physical touch can:

  • reduce shame held in the pelvis
  • calm the nervous system
  • release stored tension or trauma

The goal is not forcing change but allowing the body to feel safe enough to soften.

A Simple Weekly Routine for Hip Pain Relief

Try this gentle routine for one week:

  • Press Liver 3 once daily on each foot
  • Press Spleen 6 for one minute on each leg
  • Eat stewed rhubarb a few times during the week
  • Practise kua opening Qi Gong for a few minutes daily

Small daily signals like these can gradually restore circulation and ease hip stiffness.

When to Seek Medical Advice

If hip pain:

  • worsens significantly
  • spreads down the leg
  • wakes you at night
  • causes difficulty walking

you should consult your GP or physiotherapist to rule out structural issues.

Restore Flow and Ease Through the Hips

Many cases of hip pain are not simply mechanical problems. They reflect stagnation in circulation, fascia tension, and nervous system protection.

When we nourish the liver, move gently, and help the body feel safe, the hips often begin to soften naturally.

As I often say:

When the liver flows, the hips follow.

If you’d like to learn more gentle practices like this, you can join the Chi Flow membership, where we practise Qi Gong movements for mobility, energy and longevity together each week.

Sometimes the biggest healing begins when the body finally feels safe enough to soften.

Join the Free Class

If you are curious about Qi Gong for Parkinson’s, chronic illness, fatigue, or healthy ageing, you are warmly invited to try a free class.

You do not need experience. You do not need flexibility. You simply begin where you are.

👉 Join the Free Class and experience the Eight Brocades for yourself.

Continue the Journey

If you would like ongoing support, Chi Flow with Jo offers:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Full Eight Brocades training
  • Acupressure guidance
  • Food medicine insights
  • Monthly health talks
  • Community gatherings

It is €39 per month, reducing to €20 per month after three months. Just €1 per class.

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo 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.

Breathwork for Better Sleep

Breathwork for Better Sleep

Energy Update

Box Breathing with the Heart 7 “Spirit Gate” Point

Many people living with Parkinson’s struggle with sleep, shallow breathing, and a racing mind at night. A simple practice combining box breathing with the Heart 7 “Spirit Gate” acupressure point can help calm the nervous system and support deeper sleep.

Sleep can become surprisingly difficult when the mind is busy and the body feels restless. Many people experience this from time to time, lying awake, tossing and turning, unable to settle. For people living with Parkinson’s, this challenge can be even greater. Breathing may become shallow, the speaking voice can weaken, and sleep can become disrupted.

One of the simplest tools we have to help settle the body and mind is something we do every moment of the day: breathing.

When we bring gentle awareness to the breath and combine it with simple acupressure, we can help calm the nervous system and prepare the body for sleep.

One particularly helpful technique is box breathing combined with the Heart 7 acupoint, also known as Spirit Gate

Why Breathwork Helps Sleep

When we feel stressed or anxious, the breath tends to become shallow and high in the chest. This signals the nervous system to stay alert.

When we slow the breath and allow it to move down into the belly, the body begins to shift into a calmer state.

Breathwork can help:

  • Calm the nervous system
  • Reduce anxiety and mental restlessness
  • Encourage deeper breathing
  • Improve oxygen flow through the body
  • Help the body settle into sleep

For people living with Parkinson’s, breathwork is especially important. Parkinson’s can affect breathing patterns, leading to shallower breaths and reduced breath support, which may also affect the strength of the voice. Gentle breathing exercises help reconnect with fuller breathing and can support relaxation and sleep.

The Heart 7 Acupoint — “Spirit Gate”

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Heart meridian is associated with emotional balance, calmness, and sleep. The spirit of the body, often called the Shen, is said to reside in the heart.

The Heart 7 point, known as Spirit Gate, is traditionally used to help calm the mind and settle the spirit.

When this energy is balanced, people often feel:

  • Calmer
  • Less anxious
  • More settled emotionally
  • Better able to sleep 

This point is commonly used for insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, and an overactive mind at night.

Where to find HEART 7

Heart 7 is located on the inside of the wrist.

To find it:

  1. Turn your palm facing upward. 
  2. Look at the crease of your wrist. 
  3. Find the line that runs down from your little finger. 
  4. At the wrist crease, you will feel a small hollow between two tendons.

That soft spot is Heart 7 — Spirit Gate.

You don’t need to press hard. Think of it as making gentle contact with the point, like a relaxed handshake with your own energy.

Box Breathing with the Heart 7 Point

This practice combines rhythmic breathing with gentle acupressure to calm the nervous system and settle the mind.

It can be used:
Before bed
When waking during the night
Anytime you feel restless or anxious

 

Step-by-Step Practice

  1. Sit or lie comfortably.
  2. Locate the Heart 7 point on one wrist.
  3. Rest your thumb or finger gently on the point.

Now begin box breathing.

Step 1 – Inhale for 4 counts
 Breathe slowly through the nose and let the belly expand.

Step 2 – Hold for 4 counts
 Gently press the Heart 7 point.

Step 3 – Exhale for 4 counts
 Release the pressure as you slowly breathe out.

Step 4 – Hold for 4 counts
 Press the point again gently.

Then repeat the cycle.

Continue for 6–10 rounds of breathing.

After a few minutes, switch and repeat on the other wrist.

This steady rhythm of breathing helps quiet the mind while the acupressure point encourages the heart energy to settle.

When to Use This Practice

This technique is particularly useful if you:

  • struggle to fall asleep
  • wake in the middle of the night
  • feel anxious at bedtime
  • notice shallow breathing
  • experience sleep disruption with Parkinson’s

Many people find that focusing on the breath and the acupoint gives the mind something gentle to rest on, allowing the body to relax naturally.

Simple Sleep Hygiene

Breathwork works best when it becomes part of a gentle sleep routine.

You might try:
Dimming lights earlier
Slowing down activities before bed
Taking 3–5 minutes for breathing practice
Using Heart 7 with box breathing once in bed
Making space to review the day and find 3 gratitudes

Even a few minutes can help the body shift from a busy day into a calmer state that supports sleep.

A Small Practice That Makes a Difference

Breathing is something we do thousands of times every day, yet we rarely think about it.

By combining slow breathing with the Heart 7 Spirit Gate point, you create a simple practice that helps calm the nervous system, quiet the mind, and support restful sleep.

Sometimes the smallest practices, done consistently, can make the biggest difference.

Learn More

This practice is taken from our new book Find Your Flow: Live Well with Parkinson’s, where we share many more practical tools to support daily life with Parkinson’s — from breathwork and acupressure to simple Qi Gong practices that help improve energy, sleep, and wellbeing.

With May being Parkinson’s Awareness Month, it’s a wonderful opportunity to explore these practices for yourself. Why not join us for a free class and experience how these gentle techniques can help you reconnect with your breath, your body, and your sense of calm.

Join the Free Class

If you are curious about Qi Gong for Parkinson’s, chronic illness, fatigue, or healthy ageing, you are warmly invited to try a free class.

You do not need experience. You do not need flexibility. You simply begin where you are.

👉 Join the Free Class and experience the Eight Brocades for yourself.

Continue the Journey

If you would like ongoing support, Chi Flow with Jo offers:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Full Eight Brocades training
  • Acupressure guidance
  • Food medicine insights
  • Monthly health talks
  • Community gatherings

It is €39 per month, reducing to €20 per month after three months. Just €1 per class.

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo HERE.

Go Deeper with Our Books

For those wanting to understand how movement, breath, and Chinese Medicine principles support living well with Parkinson’s, our books provide practical guidance rooted in lived experience and clinical wisdom.

👉 Buy the books and explore how to Find Your Flow and Live Well with Parkinson’s.

Movement does not need to be extreme to be powerful.
Small daily expansion reshapes the body.
Steady breath reshapes the nervous system.
Gentle repetition rebuilds confidence.

Every human body carries extraordinary capacity for renewal when given the right rhythm.

If April is asking you to soften into strength, come and practice with us.

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.

Topics: Breathwork, Parkinson’s support, sleep practices, Qi Gong, acupressure.

Burnt Out Carer? Simple Food, Acupressure and Gentle Movement to Restore Energy

Burnt Out Carer? Simple Food, Acupressure and Gentle Movement to Restore Energy

Ask Me Anything

Caring for someone you love can be one of the most meaningful roles in life. It can also be one of the most exhausting.

Many carers quietly carry physical pain, emotional stress and constant responsibility while trying to support a partner, parent or family member. Over time this can lead to caregiver burnout, where the body and mind simply run out of energy.

Recently I received a deeply moving question on the Ask Me Anything podcast.

“I have a fused spine, cervicogenic headaches, neuropathy and mild cauda equina syndrome and PTSD. But I’m living with my 91 year old Dad who has an inoperable gallstone, vascular dementia and now his prostate cancer has spread. So I’m looking for dietary advice for us both and exercise advice primarily for me but him too. Please help a burnt out carer.”

This question will resonate with many people caring for elderly parents or loved ones with chronic illness. When you are constantly caring for someone else, your own health can quietly move to the bottom of the list.

In Chinese medicine we look at this through the lens of energy flow.

When life becomes overwhelming the body’s energy slows down. Muscles tighten. Sleep becomes lighter. Pain becomes more noticeable. Over time the deeper reserves that support resilience become depleted.

The goal is not to fix everything at once. The goal is to gently restore movement, nourishment and calm to the body so energy can begin flowing again.

Below are three simple practices that can help support carers who are feeling exhausted or overwhelmed.

A Gentle Acupressure Point for Stiffness and Tension

One helpful point is Gall Bladder 34 (GB34).

This acupressure point is traditionally used to support the muscles and tendons of the body and can help when stiffness builds up from stress or overwork.

You will find it on the outside of the lower leg just below the knee.

Run your hand down the outside of your thigh and stop just below the knee joint. Slightly forward of the small bone on the outside of the leg you will feel a soft dip. This is GB34.

 

Using your thumb, apply gentle steady pressure until you feel a comfortable ache. Hold for about one to two minutes on each side while breathing slowly.

The pressure should feel soothing rather than painful.

Doing this once a day can help the body soften and restore circulation through the muscles and joints.

Many people notice their legs, hips and back begin to feel slightly freer over time.

A Simple Nourishing Food For Enery and Nerves 

When someone is exhausted from caring responsibilities, food should be warm, simple and nourishing.

One of the most supportive foods in this situation is bone broth.

In traditional Chinese medicine the bones and nervous system are linked to the Kidney system, which supports deep reserves of energy and resilience.

Bone broth provides minerals and nutrients that support the joints, nerves and immune system. It is also gentle on digestion, which is important when someone is under long term stress.

A simple way to make it is to simmer chicken bones or beef bones in water with a slice of ginger and a splash of apple cider vinegar for several hours.

The broth can then be stored in the fridge and enjoyed as a warm drink or used as the base for soups.

Even one small cup a day can provide nourishing support for both carers and elderly family members.

A Gentle Qi Gong Movement To Release Tension

When the body feels overwhelmed, the best exercise is often simple rhythmic movement rather than intense workouts.

A traditional Qi Gong practice called arm swinging (Ping Shuai) is particularly helpful for restoring circulation and relaxing the nervous system.

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.

Let your knees soften slightly and allow your arms to hang loosely by your sides.

Begin gently swinging your arms forward and back like pendulums.

Keep three things in mind:

Relax your jaw
 Let your shoulders stay loose
 Keep your knees soft

Start with two minutes and gradually increase to five minutes if it feels comfortable.

This gentle movement helps circulate energy through the body, warm the hands and relax the neck and shoulders.

For elderly people or those with limited mobility, a gentle seated version can also be calming.

Small Daily Practices for Burnt Out Carers

Caregiver burnout often develops slowly. The body adapts to long periods of stress until eventually it feels depleted.

Small daily practices can help restore balance over time.

Try creating a simple daily rhythm:

Press the GB34 acupressure point for a minute on each leg
Enjoy a warm cup of bone broth or nourishing soup
Spend two to five minutes doing gentle arm swinging

These small actions send a powerful signal to the nervous system that it is safe to soften and recover.

Support for Carers

If symptoms worsen, spread, begin waking you at night, or if medications change, it is always important to check in with your GP.

Supportive practices like acupressure, nourishing food and gentle movement work best alongside professional medical care.

If you are caring for a loved one while trying to maintain your own health, you are very welcome inside our Chi Flow community, where we practise gentle Qi Gong, breathwork and acupressure together each month.

Sometimes the smallest practices can make the biggest difference when energy begins to return.

What helps caregiver burnout naturally?

Gentle movement, nourishing warm foods, stress reduction and simple acupressure techniques can help support energy levels and reduce tension in the body. You can check  acupressure resources in our new book Find Your Flow: Live Well With Parkinson’s.

What exercise is best for carers with chronic pain?

Low impact movements such as Qi Gong, walking and gentle stretching are often more supportive than intense exercise when the body is under long term stress.

What foods help restore energy when exhausted?

Warm nourishing foods such as soups, bone broth, stews and mineral rich vegetables can help support the body when energy is depleted.

Join the Free Class

If you are curious about Qi Gong for Parkinson’s, chronic illness, fatigue, or healthy ageing, you are warmly invited to try a free class.

You do not need experience. You do not need flexibility. You simply begin where you are.

👉 Join the Free Class and experience the Eight Brocades for yourself.

Continue the Journey

If you would like ongoing support, Chi Flow with Jo offers:

  • Weekday live classes
  • Full Eight Brocades training
  • Acupressure guidance
  • Food medicine insights
  • Monthly health talks
  • Community gatherings

It is €39 per month, reducing to €20 per month after three months. Just €1 per class.

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo 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.