The Daniel Adler Clinic Newsletter: Issue 4, Fitness

In this issue:

In this month’s issue, I'm exploring the idea of fitness and how it intertwines with health.

I would describe fitness as a holistic state of harmony and balance within the body and mind. It's not just about physical strength or endurance, but also about maintaining the flow of energy (Qi), emotional well-being, and mental clarity.

Consider fitness as a finely tuned orchestra, where each instrument represents a different aspect of our being. Just as an orchestra requires each instrument to play in harmony to create something beautiful, true fitness arises when the body and mind work together seamlessly.

In Traditional East Asian Medicine, achieving this state of fitness is similar to conducting that orchestra. The conductor ensures that each section is in sync, allowing the music (or energy) to flow freely, resulting in a symphony of inner peace.

From this perspective, fitness is not a destination, but an ongoing performance ever-striving for a balanced and harmonious life.

Year-end is coming, and I want to encourage everyone to make the most of their Extended Healthcare Benefits before they expire.

After all, you’ve invested in your health – make the most out of what you’ve already paid for!

This article is about Zen Shiatsu, and how I have used it over the years to work with the rehabilitation of injuries and the journey towards overall fitness.

I have been practicing Zen Shiatsu for over 24 years.

24 years. That’s half my life!

During this time I have given countless Zen Shiatsu treatments. I have also received countless numbers of those same treatments.

But I have also experienced countless treatments in other bodywork styles, such as:

With all of this experience in mind, what is special about Zen Shiatsu when it comes to treating injuries?

Before going further, I want to emphasize that this article is not about which bodywork style is “best.”

There is no such thing as “best” style.

There is only appropriate style and technique, used properly and at the right time, by a skilled practitioner with whom you have a connection.

With that in mind, let’s continue to explore some elements that I believe make Zen Shiatsu a particularly special form of bodywork when treating acute and chronic injuries.

One of my favourite things about the practice of Zen Shiatsu is the comprehensive combination of:

This combination makes Zen Shiatsu particularly effective when working with injuries.

See, when I “open up” your tissues, it increases blood flow and circulation into damaged areas which have been “closed up”. This “closed up” situation (from injury and trauma) is what causes you pain.

Below are some of the areas I consider when working with injuries from my point of view as an Eastern Medicine Practitioner.

This type of injury usually occurs from jarring, blunt-force types of traumas, such as:

Correct diagnostics from a doctor are very helpful here. If you think you have broken a bone, please go to the hospital!

These events require immediate attention in order to prevent them from getting “lodged” into your tissues. Acute injuries also require a different, more directed (and often stronger) approach.

When working with acute injuries, I often use a more “dispersing” style of pressure. If I am applying herbal liniments, they are usually of a “cooling and blood moving” variety.

Sidebar: you know the general stiffness, tension, and ache-pain that comes from good rigorous exercise and exertion? That’s considered to be a “positive” form of acute injury. Zen Shiatsu treatment is remarkably effective in alleviating this and facilitating recovery time.

Chronic injuries, on the other hand, are those injuries that persist for more than three weeks following the initial trauma.

Chronic injuries include:

The Zen Shiatsu treatment approach for chronic injuries varies according to an evaluation of your constitution. Generally, it involves gentle but deeper, more prolonged pressure. This helps to facilitate blood circulation and rehabilitation at the deeper level of your body where the injury has settled.

In terms of herbal liniments, this time warming and soothing formulas have a better therapeutic action.

Zen Shiatsu offers a distinctive approach to addressing "Blood Stagnation," a broad concept in Eastern Medicine where pain is the primary symptom.

What sets Zen Shiatsu apart in treating injuries, from general stiffness to sprains and tears, is its focus on harmonizing the body's energy through gentle-yet-precise pressure techniques.

When working with injuries (from generalized stiffness through to sprains and tears), my central concern is to “Re-Invigorate Blood Flow and Reduce Stagnation.”

This is a fancy way of saying that by increasing the circulation of blood through the damaged area, your body allows the tissues to soften and sends fresh blood to flow through the site of damage, reducing pain.

If you have a sudden or long-term injury causing grief, give Zen Shiatsu a good look. In the hands of an experienced practitioner, Zen Shiatsu lets your body return to fitness and your mind to become easy once again.

PS – If you would like to schedule some time together, please click the button below.

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Yes!

Perhaps you have already noticed, but one of the side effects of “living with a body” is the experience of pain. If you’re engaged in fitness activities and training, this maxim becomes even more of a reality!

Fortunately, there are a number of Kampo formulas that I use which focus specifically on reducing the pain and swelling that is a result of athletic or fitness performance (and injury).

Due to the combination of herbs within them, formulas such as Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (Cinnamon and Hoelen Combination), Fu Yuan Huo Xue Tang (Dang Gui and Persica Combination), Shu Gan Tang (Bupleurum and Evodia Combination), Xiao Huo Luo Dan (Myrrh and Aconite Formula) share the following basic actions:

All of these actions are desirable to fitness enthusiasts and athletes who look for help with muscle recovery, injury rehabilitation, energy boosting and overall physical health.

While I have mentioned individual herbs and formulas in this article, this does not mean that you should simply take an increased amount of these after an injury or after exercise. Some of these herbs work by “thinning out the blood” (to use a Western Medical term) and are contraindicated in people who are already taking blood thinners. Please book a consultation and get a prescription before taking any herbal formula.

Book a Kampo Consultation

Years ago I met a man who had practised the Japanese Martial Art of Aikido for over 40 years.

He had taught many students and had been in many “fights” himself, and so had sustained many injuries. Knowing about my interest in treating injuries sustained through martial arts and athletic performance, he was kind enough to grant me an interview.

I asked him:

“What was the most useful remedy that you have used to help your students when they had injured themselves?”

And he replied:

And here I expected him to give me the name of some herbal liniment or joint adjusting technique! Instead he said something quite fascinating and I encourage you to consider it.

I will soon be offering a course for established healthcare practitioners (bodyworkers/acupuncturists) who want to learn more about Shiatsu.

If you are a practitioner AND:

You’re ready to reduce the everyday body strain you experience as a healthcare provider…

You’re interested in incorporating new techniques that can extend the life of your existing practice…

You want a new lens with which to view your clients' complaints…

If so, this course is for you! Click the link below to learn more about my Shiatsu for Healthcare Practitioners Course, available in the New Year.

LEARN MORE

Please note: this is not a public / general interest course.

Looking for a new healthy activity? The Toronto Outdoor Club (TOC) is a volunteer-run organization for adults, offering outdoor activities, social events, and travel excursions in and around Toronto.

Membership is free, with members paying only for the events they attend.

LEARN MORE

I was recently reflecting on a client I worked with who was struggling with some health challenges, like an orchestra out of tune.

Determined to make a change, she began training regularly at the gym with a personal trainer and attending treatments at my clinic.

Slowly, she was able to allow each aspect of her health to find its rhythm.

Years later, she is fitter and stronger than she was in her youth. The harmony of her overall health has improved dramatically, and her visits to the hospital have become far less frequent.

Her journey required time and effort, but the rewards in terms of her improved health and fitness were well worth it.

As you contemplate your own journey, consider what fitness means to you.

What notes can you play to bring your health into better harmony?

– Daniel (T’agyol) Adler