5 Common Spring Issues and HOW you can Support Them (Part 2)

Last week’s blog explored 5 common Spring issues from a Japanese Yoga (and Traditional Chinese Medicine = TCM) perspective.

They were:

1. Headaches + Migraines (around the temple area)
2. Joint Aches and Pains; Arthritis is an extreme example of this
3. Eye issues: blurred vision, floaters, bloodshot eyes, general vision problems, dry eyes, painful eyes 
4. Feelings of Irritability or Frustration 
5. Seasonal Allergies

If you missed the blog, you can check it out here 

The Japanese Yoga and TCM approach is to explore the root cause of your health issues and weed it out rather than simply managing the symptoms.

Sometimes this might mean it takes a bit longer than popping a Telfast and waiting 20 minutes for your itchy eyes and runny nose to stop.

But over time you’ll get much longer lasting relief and I know of many people who report symptoms disappear completely.

Based on this holistic view of health, there are some simple things you can do every day to help yourself overcome these challenges. 

Today we’ll look at 2 activities that’ll help bring relief from Spring’s ‘Top 5’. 

In the final blog wrapping up this 3 part series, we’ll explore two more solutions.

1. JAPANESE YOGA: 

(Yes- of course I have to say it!)

Japanese Yoga classes throughout spring will help unblock the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians and support them to function better. 

In spring we do specific poses to work into the sides of the body that support the Gall Bladder meridian and a lot of twisting into the ligaments and joints which support the Liver meridian.

These last few months I’ve been putting in late nights and early mornings to create an online Japanese Yoga course that’ll be available very soon -it addresses these Top 5 Spring issues and many others too. 

Keep an eye out for the big launch announcement!

2. WATER (and SALT):

I recently read a phenomenal book: The Essential Guide to Water and Salt, by Dr F. Batmanghelidj and Phillip Day.

Dr F. Batmanghelidj (affectionately known as Dr Batman) has also authored Your Body’s Many Cries for Water.

In Anthony Robbins famous Unleash the Power Within programme in Sydney last month, he referred to Your Body’s Many Cries for Water and Dr Batman’s ground-breaking work.

If you have asthma, allergies, high blood tension, depression, cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity or have loved ones or work with people who have any of these concerns, I highly suggest you read The Essential Guide to Water and Salt.

Health and disease are explored in a revolutionary new way- and through scientific research Dr Batman has discovered that many common, ‘incurable’ diseases in our modern society are due to chronic dehydration.

Not only that, he proves they can be treated with 2 very simple items: water and small amounts of pure sea salt/ Himalayan pink salt.

I could write several blog posts distilling this topic (sorry not sorry for the pun!).

If you’re after a practical synopsis of the book, Dr Batman suggests 1 litre of water for every 22kgs be consumed daily. 

And for every 2 cups of water consumed, he suggests you have a ¼ teaspoon of unprocessed, good quality salt. 

In other words- a pinch of salt on the tongue. 

Why salt?

Salt allows the body to absorb the water and for the body to retain its minerals (Dr Batman goes into this in far more detail in the book).

Personally, I like unprocessed sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.

Avoid refined table salt – it’ll cause more harm than good.

Does tea/coffee/herbal tea/juice/water infused with essential oils count?

NO.

It must be plain old water. 

Preferably your water has the fluoride, chlorine and other toxins taken out, but even tap water will do if it’s all you’ve got.

If you stop and think about it, humans are the only species on the planet that intentionally flavours our most essential liquid source. 

We can last weeks without food, but only a short time without water.

Before I read this book I thought I had ample water intake – I drink lots of herbal teas throughout the day and chew my food really well which adds to my fluid intake. 

But now I realise how little actual water I drank. 

I’ve calculated for my body weight I need about 2.5 litres water per day.

I’m still working up to my daily ‘ideal’ and allowing my body time to adjust to this. 

And of course trying to keep up with the extra toilet stops (!)

Have you read this book? 

Let me know in the comments what you thought.