Articles

The Body as a Clock

In traditional Chinese medicine, each organ has a two hour period when it is at the peak of its activity. If we listen to our body needs and effectively use this window of time, we could be healthier.

If you feel tired at a particular time of day, then it could indicate imbalance in the organ which governs this period of time; for example the stomach is in power between 7 and 9 am. This means the stomach is at full power to digest. So the old advice "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper" is quite accurate, as your body's digestive system works best in the morning.

As another example, if you feel particularly tired between 5 and 7 pm, your kidney energy is most likely not as strong as it should be; and if you can't fall sleep between 11 pm and 3 am, then your wood element (liver and gall bladder) is out of balance and needs treatment.

Zen shiatsu diagnoses a pattern of symptoms which points to imbalance in one or more organs. The treatment usually focuses on balancing the major gap, prescribing food, advice and yoga postures to strengthen the natural healing powers of the body.

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