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.

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.

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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.

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TIPS FOR HEALTHY SEA SWIMMING

TIPS FOR HEALTHY SEA SWIMMING

Recipes

TIPS FOR HEALTHY SEA SWIMMING

There’s no doubt how popular Sea swimming, including the open water of lakes and rivers, has become.  A 2020 survey in Outdoor Swimmer magazine revealed

– 87% swimmers are aged over 40 and

– 65% of swimmers are women [1].

Why is this?

Gyms and swimming pools can be intimidating places for us peri, mid and post menopausal women. They’re often filled with much younger people, complicated equipment and lots of mirrors. But swimming outdoors brings us back to nature, with a gratitude for our bodies, and a camaraderie with other swimmers.

In the water, all bodies become equal

Here I will show you how can you optimise the health benefits of Outdoor swimming using:

  • – Food medicine
  • – Qi Gong breathing and exercise
  • – Acupressure point

We can all agree, because sea swimming is never recommended to do alone, that we benefit from the social aspect of sea swimming, but physically how is it good for you?

In many schools of thought in Chinese medicine, cold and the ‘blood stagnation’ that it can cause, can be considered a very detrimental factor in our health.

A simple way of understanding this is to compare the blood circulation of a newly born baby with that of a 90-year-old. It is very rare to see a bruise on a baby.  Even though they are always falling over and knocking themselves, their blood circulation is so good that they heal incredibly quickly.

But if you look at the hands and feet of a 90-year-old they can look blue and bruised, often due to poor circulation.

What happens as we age?

As we age the body can stiffen up, not only in the joints but also in the elasticity of your blood vessels.

Especially during peri, mid or post menopause, low estrogen levels can cause your heart and blood vessels to become stiffer and less elastic.

In response to the cold water your blood vessels constrict but instead of this having a detrimental effect this actually improves the oxygenation of the body, reducing pain and swelling plus improving lymphatic drainage.

In terms of Chinese Medicine this is a great example of the interconnectedness of Yin and Yang.

When something is extremely Yang it becomes Yin and vice versa.

For example, cold is Yin, but when our body experiences extreme cold it begins to shiver and our metabolic rate increases forcing the body to burn more calories and the blood to flow through arteries, keeping things warm. This is Yang.

When, either Yin or Yang, reaches its maximum strength, it transforms into the other.

An extreme example would be war which is Yang, active, noisy, hot, and full of movement, but at its extreme completion, you are left with death, silence and Yin.  The cycle of life will keep turning, Yin and Yang will keep intertwining, supporting and transforming into each other, it is the nature of the Dao.

So be aware of the changes in your body as you enter the water. There is a tipping point where coldness transforms to heat. Feel the exhilarating bounce back as the cold Yin water triggers the bodies Yang response and flushes warmth throughout the whole body.

But don’t get too cold.  Leave the water when you can still move your fingers and toes.  You want to come out of the water looking pink, with a healthy flushed glow of Yang not deathly white, waxy Yin.

What to eat and what not to eat to keep warm

In Chinese Medicine food and drink have various thermal natures and dynamic actions on the body so making sure you have a warming, energizing drink when leaving the water to help stoke the internal fires.

Some helpful ingredients would be cinnamon, ginger, cacao and, of course, Chai with spices such as cardamon, clove, coriander and black pepper.

Things to avoid would be mint, cucumber, lettuce and sub tropical foods such as bananas.

Make sure not to stand around shivering after leaving the water

The Qi Gong exercises and we will practice in November specifically strengthen body balance, which can be difficult if you are standing on one leg, on pebbly, uneven ground, shivering, and trying to get your clothes on.

The first thing to do is dry your feet and put warm socks and shoes and boots on.  Don’t wait until the rest of you is dry before thinking of your feet.

Your feet and ankles are the place to start because in Chinese Medicine there are some major points on the feet that influence the whole body energy, starting with Kidney 1 and Kidney 3.

The Kidney energetic system governs the core energy of the body – both Yin and Yang.  It governs our reproductive energy.  This energy isn’t just about making babies, it’s about regenerating our bodies at a cellular level; hair cells, skin cells, bone cells, blood cells.  in Western Medicine we could liken it to our DNA

Every part of our body is constantly regenerating, the rate at which it regenerates slows as we age so it is essential to conserve this Kidney energy.

The Kidney energy governs our skeleton, our hormones, our brain, our very bone marrow.

Use the following points to improve both Kidney Yin and Yang

KIDNEY 1 – BUBBLING SPRING

Descends the Chi, brings the energy down.

Found on the sole of the foot between the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal bones. Flex the toes upward and find the depression for the thumb to press.

The bubbling spring point is our grounding point.  We draw energy up from the earth through this point so if it becomes solid cold and blocked so too does our energy.  Kidney 1’s downward energy invites calm, grounded being which is what we need if we want to get the most from our outdoor swimming.

    KIDNEY 3 – GREAT RAVINE

    Invigorates Kidney Yin and Yang, regulating hormones, menstruation and mood swings. 

    Relieves fatigue.

    Find the point on the inside of the foot between the ankle bone and Achille’s Tendon.

    These points are so important that I would recommend wearing booties to swim in especially in the winter.

    Think of what happens to water when it gets too cold.  It becomes ice, which doesn’t flow and doesn’t move. It creaks and cracks.  This can happen to our energy.

    The movement meditation of the Qi Gong practice will help you remain more focused in the water.  You can get in the “zone” mastering your mind and body so that the two become one and you return to your true nature and feel at one with the water, the air and the people around you.

    Use the Qi Gong Food Medicine and Acupressure to support your sea swimming, maintaining those feelings of post swim high right through the day and into the night.

    Remember Chi Flow with Jo is a great community filled with women just like you

    There’s discussion and camaraderie because we are live every morning, so just like a sea swim you can begin your day right, pointing your mind and body in the direction of health, wealth, community and happiness.

    Cold water swimming does not suit everybody. If someone has been diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases, it will not be suitable for him or her to start cold water swimming. This is because sudden cold stimulation will raise blood pressure, and can increase the chance of heart attack and brain stroke. Sometimes it can even cause sudden death. For patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain might get worse after cold water stimulation. For ladies who have period pain, winter swimming is also not advisable. For epilepsy patients, any kind of swimming is contraindicated.

     

    💗 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.