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.

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.

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
Created with 💗 by SME Web Design | Development

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.

Qi Gong for Parkinson’s & Chronic Illness

Qi Gong for Parkinson’s & Chronic Illness

Energy Update

8 Brocades, Draw the Bow Explained

If you live with Parkinson’s, chronic illness, fatigue, stiffness, or simply feel that your body needs kind reconditioning, this is where the Eight Brocades Qi Gong practice becomes powerful.

Inside Chi Flow with Jo, April is dedicated to the classical practice known as Ba Duan Jin, the Eight Brocades, a sequence believed to be over 1000 years old

These movements are simple, accessible, and deeply restorative.

If you have ever thought, “I know I should move more, but I don’t want to exhaust myself,” you are in the right place.

Why the 8 Brocades Are Ideal for Parkinson’s and Chronic Illness

The Eight Brocades act like a daily system check for the body.

They support:

  • Circulation and joint mobility
  • Upright posture and spinal strength
  • Nervous system regulation
  • Gentle, sustainable muscle activation
  • Mental clarity and emotional steadiness

For people living with Parkinson’s, consistency is more important than intensity. Small, repeated movements retrain coordination and rebuild confidence. For those managing chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, or recovery phases, this practice strengthens without draining.

Over time, this shows up as:

  • Easier mornings
  • Less tension in shoulders and neck
  • Greater steadiness when standing
  • Calmer evenings
  • Feeling present in your body again

One of our members of Chi Flow with Jo recently shared that after a few weeks of steady practice, she stopped bracing herself every time she stood up. Her shoulders softened. Her breath deepened. She noticed she was less reactive at home.

That is the real medicine.

The Anchor Movement, Draw the Bow, Fire the Arrow

One of the most empowering movements from the Eight Brocades is called Draw the Bow.

It is simple, grounding, and deeply regulating.

You stand with feet steady and rooted.
One hand draws back as though holding a bow.
The other extends forward as if gently aiming an arrow.

You inhale as you draw back.
You exhale as you release.

It is not about range.
It is about direction.

Benefits of Draw the Bow

  • Opens the chest and shoulders
  • Improves posture
  • Strengthens upper back muscles
  • Encourages coordinated breath and movement
  • Builds focus and quiet confidence
  • Supports emotional resilience

For those feeling collapsed, protective, or mentally foggy, this movement reminds the body,
I am here. I have direction.

In Parkinson’s, posture can gradually become flexed forward. Movements that open the chest and activate the back body are essential for maintaining upright presence. In chronic stress states, the chest often tightens. This movement restores expansion without force.

For Davy, living with Parkinson’s for over a decade, the Eight Brocades have become an anchor. On low energy days, he returns to simple repetition. Familiar rhythm. Breath. One movement at a time.

Some days are small. Some days are strong. Both count.

That mindset is powerful medicine.

Why Daily Live Practice Makes the Difference

The movement itself is important. The consistency is transformational.

Inside Chi Flow with Jo, members join:

  • Weekday live Qi Gong classes

  • Replays for flexible practice

  • Monthly health talks

  • Acupressure guidance

  • Food medicine support

  • Community reflection gatherings

When you know there is a space to show up, something shifts. Structure creates energy. Connection creates purpose.

And if you miss a day, there is no guilt. Just an open door.

Can Qi Gong Help Parkinson’s Symptoms?

Research and lived experience suggest that regular Qi Gong practice may support:

  • Balance and coordination
  • Reduced rigidity
  • Improved posture
  • Nervous system regulation
  • Better sleep
  • Emotional steadiness

The key is consistency. Not intensity.

 

The Eight Brocades are particularly effective because they combine:

  • Breath regulation
  • Bilateral movement
  • Gentle resistance
  • Coordinated focus

This integrated approach supports both physical and neurological resilience.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Qi Gong and Parkinson’s

Qi Gong and Parkinson’s

Energy Update

Living with Parkinson’s brings daily challenges: stiffness, slowness, anxiety, loss of confidence, disrupted sleep, and the struggle to feel like yourself inside a changing body. Yet there is a gentle, powerful, and accessible way to support mobility, balance, mood, and hope. Qi Gong has become a lifeline for thousands of people living with Parkinson’s, including my husband, Davy, who was diagnosed almost ten years ago.

Together we practise Qi Gong every morning in our Chi Flow community, and it continues to support us in ways that reach far beyond physical exercise. This blog explores what Qi Gong is, why it is so supportive for Parkinson’s, Davy’s lived experience, and how you can begin today.

What Is Qi Gong and Why Does It Help Parkinson’s?

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

Qi Gong means “energy work.” It combines slow, steady movements with breath, intention, and awareness. The practice is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is designed to bring your body and mind back toward balance, without force or strain.

For example if you are feeling jittery and shaky (Yang) it encourages deep breathing and slow movements  (Yin) If you can’t move and you are frozen (Yin) it encourages warming, tapping and movement (Yang)

Qi Gong is adaptable for every body and every kind of day. You can do it seated or standing. You can move for two minutes or twenty. You can practise during a flare or on a good day.

Most importantly for Parkinson’s, Qi Gong naturally includes all six movement categories recommended by international Parkinson’s foundations to slow progression and improve function
 • aerobic movement (walking-style flows)
 • strength training using your body weight
 • balance and stability training
 • agility and multitasking
 • bilateral brain stimulation
 • mindful movement (similar to Tai Chi)

Qi Gong contains all of these in one gentle, accessible practice that supports the brain, nervous system, joints, and emotional wellbeing.

Davy’s Story: Qi Gong as a Lifeline in Daily Life

 When Davy was first diagnosed, he faced shock, fear, and uncertainty. His legs sometimes froze. Stiffness and anxiety were constant companions. Sleep became so disrupted he ended up in hospital.

Qi Gong didn’t cure everything at once, but it gave him something vital, something that every person with Parkinson’s deserves. It gave him agency.

“Qi Gong is something I can always do. Even on shaky days. Even for two minutes. It brings me back to myself.”

Over the years, he noticed
 • steadier walking
 • fewer freezes
 • better balance
 • calmer anxiety
 • improved sleep
 • increased confidence
 • a sense of identity beyond the diagnosis

As he says, “It’s not about avoiding adversity. It’s about discovering who you are inside it, and having support so you don’t feel like you’re falling into a black hole you can’t get out of.”

Our daily practice together is a shared anchor. It softens the fear. It strengthens connection. It gives a shot of dopamine every morning through movement, breath, and completion of a task.

How Qi Gong Supports People Living with Parkinson’s

Qi Gong helps the whole body system, from muscles and joints to the brain and nervous system.

1. Better balance and stability

Slow weight shifting, grounded stances, and mindful stepping retrain the body to move safely.

2. Improved coordination and gait

Movements such as “Walking Through the Tall Grass” use bilateral coordination, meaning opposite arm and leg move together. This stimulates both hemispheres of the brain and supports neuroplasticity.

3. Stronger legs, core, and posture

Gentle strengthening helps walking, reduces fatigue, and improves breath and confidence.

4. Less stiffness and rigidity

Qi Gong works on the fascia. Continuous soft movement invites the muscles to release tension naturally.

5. Calmer mind and reduced anxiety

Breath-led movement regulates the nervous system. Many people notice easing anxiety within minutes.

6. More energy, less fatigue

Qi Gong improves circulation and oxygenation, building energy rather than draining it.

7. Better sleep

Evening Qi Gong, like Connecting Heaven and Earth, prepares the body to unwind and settle. Davy uses this nightly and notices huge differences in sleep quality.

Qi Gong is not a quick fix, but a gentle companion that supports every part of life with Parkinson’s. It helps you feel more like yourself in your own body.

Qi Gong Is More Than Exercise, It Is Daily Medicine

Qi Gong supports
 • Digestion
 • Circulation
 • Posture
 • Breathing
 • Emotional regulation
 • Mobility
 • Confidence

It reconnects you to the parts of life that still work, even on hard days. When your whole world feels altered by Parkinson’s, Qi Gong helps you come home to your centre again.

As Davy says,

“Whenever I practise, I feel steadier inside myself. Something clears, and I feel more me.”

Qi Gong Program for People with Parkinson’s

Davy and I offer accessible and affordable Qi Gong support for people with Parkinson’s through Chi Flow with Jo, live every weekday morning. Every element is designed to be gentle, achievable, and supportive.

Included
 • Daily live classes
 • Recordings to watch anytime
 • Seated and standing options
 • monthly themes like balance, gait, sleep, digestion
 • A warm, supportive community
 • Direct access to Jo and Davy during live classes
 • One of the most affordable online access programmes available

And together we’ve written Find Your Flow: Live Well with Parkinson’s, a full programme of food medicine, Qi Gong, breathwork, and acupressure. The book includes QR code videos and an audio companion to support those who struggle with screens or reading.

Practising Together Brings Hope, Strength, and Connection

 

Our morning routine is one of the most precious parts of our life. It grounds us, steadies us, and gets dopamine flowing before the day begins. The community moves with us, each person bringing their own story, their own body, their own bravery.

Whether you join us live or watch the replay, Qi Gong builds strength and softness in the same moment. It brings stability. It brings breath. It brings hope.

If you or someone you love is living with Parkinson’s, I want you to know this. You are not alone. There are tools that help. There is community waiting to support you. There is still joy, still movement, still connection, still possibility.

And as Davy always says,
 “If I can do this, anyone can.”

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.

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

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

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

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

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

Energy Update

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

👉 Join the January 2026 Chi Flow Intermittent Fasting Programme

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

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

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

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

Forget the 16 : 8 trend.

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

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

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

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

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

Belly weight and bloating

Puffy hands / feet

Foggy thinking, fatigue

Joint stiffness and swelling

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

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

How Qi Gong Supports the Fasting Programme

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Massage or tap gently.

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

Nourishing Foods to Support Gentle Fasting

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

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

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

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

WATCH THE PODCAST

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

💗 Ready to Join?

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

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

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

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

Bone Health and Balance with Thérèse Cosgrove

Bone Health and Balance with Thérèse Cosgrove

Energy Update, Qi Gong Energy Exercises

Bone Health and Balance with
Thérèse Cosgrove

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

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

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

Listening to the Body through Movement

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

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

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

Even the pauses between movements matter:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yin, Stillness, and the Bone Season

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

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

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

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

The Inner Chemistry of Strength

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Morning of Yin and Gratitude

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

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

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

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

For Parkinson’s & chronic conditions

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

WATCH THE PODCAST

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

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

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

👉 Join Chi Flow with Jo to access:

  • Daily live morning classes (with replays)

  • Seasonal recipes & self-acupressure

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

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

💗 Ready to Join?

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

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


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

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

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

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

How Sound Healing Supports Hormonal Balance & Slows Ageing After Menopause

Energy Update, Qi Gong Energy Exercises

How Sound Healing Supports Hormonal Balance & Slows Ageing After Menopause

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

One powerful answer lies in sound healing.

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

Sound Healing & Hormonal Shifts

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

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

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

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

Vibration, Energy & Flow

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

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

Tuning Forks & Hormonal Points

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

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

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

Everyday Sound Rituals for Longevity

Caroline suggests simple practices for daily life:

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

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

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

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

Experience Sound Healing in November

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

✨ This talk is free for all Chi Flow members.


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

WATCH THE PODCAST

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

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

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

💗 Ready to Join?

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

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


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

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

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

.
Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

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

Strengthening Immunity with Chinese Medicine

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

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

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

Food Medicine for Immunity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Acupressure for Immunity: Spotlight on Lung 1

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

Location

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

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

 

 

Benefits in TCM

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

How to Use It

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

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

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

Qigong for Immunity

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emotional Balance & Immunity

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

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

WATCH THE PODCAST

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

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

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

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

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

💗 Ready to Join?

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

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


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

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

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

.
Capacitar and Chi: Simple Healing Tools for Big Life Shifts

Capacitar and Chi: Simple Healing Tools for Big Life Shifts

Energy Update

How Gentle Touch, Energy Flow, and Daily Rituals Can Help Women Over 45 Reclaim Balance, Joy and Vitality

At Chi Flow with Jo, we know that change isn’t just something that happens in your schedule. It happens in your bones, your breath, your emotions. It shows up as insomnia, aching joints, grief you didn’t know you were carrying, or a sense of losing direction.
For many women over 45, peri-menopause and menopause don’t just bring physical shifts, they stir up deep emotional tides, a change in identity, and the question: Who am I now?

That’s why I was so honoured to sit down with holistic practitioner and long-time Chi Flow member, Trina Hanlon, for a special Energy Update Podcast. Trina will be leading July’s mid-month health talk (free for Chi Flow with Jo members) where she’ll guide us in a full practice of the Capacitar Finger Hold Technique.

But in our podcast, we talked honestly about:
– Overwhelm and the nervous system on constant high alert
– Loss of self-worth and purpose after retirement, caregiving, or job changes
– Hidden grief, anger, fear and shame that turn inward and lead to stagnation

Trina beautifully shared her journey of moving from burnout and busy-ness to a place of embodiment, healing and joy, thanks to simple tools that reconnect us to our life force energy.

What is Capacitar?

Capacitar (from the Spanish “to empower”) is a body-based, global healing practice developed over 30 years ago to help individuals and communities release trauma, reduce stress and restore balance. It shares roots with the same principles that guide Qi Gong and Chinese Medicine: the body holds energy, and that energy can be moved.

One of its most accessible tools is the Finger Hold Practice:

  • ✋ Thumb → for grief and loss
  • ✋ Index finger → for fear and panic
  • ✋ Middle finger → for anger
  • ✋ Ring finger → for worry
  • ✋ Little finger → for low self-esteem

You simply hold each finger gently for 2–5 minutes, breathing and waiting until you feel a shift. It’s subtle, but powerful. And it’s discreet enough to do in public—on the train, in a meeting, even in bed at night.

It’s also a practice children instinctively know: sucking their thumbs for comfort, twiddling fingers when nervous. This is ancient body wisdom. Capacitar helps us return to it.

How Capacitar Connects with Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), blocked emotions and stagnant energy are root causes of many symptoms experienced during menopause:

  • Liver Qi Stagnation → irritability, anger, menstrual irregularities
  • Spleen Qi Deficiency → fatigue, worry, digestive issues
  • Lung Qi Imbalance → grief, low immunity, shallow breathing

By holding the fingers, we stimulate the meridians that run through the body and out through the fingertips. Just like acupressure and Qi Gong, Capacitar creates flow. 

As Trina said in the podcast: “The change we want to see in others must begin with ourselves.”

Reclaiming Your Energy After 45

Trina’s story is one that many women in our Chi Flow community will recognise:

  • Giving too much to others and neglecting herself
  • Feeling “too busy” to stop, rest, or receive help
  • Reconnecting to her joyful, curious 5-year-old self

The Capacitar practice, along with daily Qi Gong, touch, and food medicine, helped her come home to her body.

You can do this too.

Even if:

  • – You’re exhausted and not sleeping well
  • – You feel like you’ve lost your spark
  • – You don’t know where to start

You can begin by pressing a point. Holding a finger. Taking a breath. Stretching before you get out of bed, just like Trina does every morning.

Full Capacitar Practice

This mid-month health talk last July 2025, Petrina will guide us through a full Capacitar practice including:

  • The Finger Holds
  • The Lao Gong point (Palace of Weariness) for spiritual reconnection
  • Gentle self-touch and lymphatic clearing
  • Breathwork for balancing the nervous system

This session is FREE for Chi Flow with Jo members.

Over time, this restores the flow of life force energy, allowing you to access joy, creativity, and mobility in the hips.

Not a member yet? 👉 Try a FREE class and experience the magic of Chi Flow for yourself Or sign up now 

Remember: Change doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can start with your own two hands.

Let your Chi Flow. Let your spirit rise. Let your energy return to you.

Come move with us. Come soften. Come reclaim your flow.  Sign up for the LIVE Free Class at the end of the month and we’ll send you the recording too.

 

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.