This is the second installment of a series of articles in which the HAA editorial staff talks to "people of interest" to deepen our thoughts on deep breathing.
Suddenly, how much do you know about your own body?
It's my own body, but I actually don't know much about it.
But I really want to live a healthy life.
So what exactly should I do?
Not a few of you must have such thoughts in your mind.
The theme of this issue is [deep breathing x curing].
We visited acupuncturist Yuni Ando (Yuni Ando) to hear her talk.
For more than 20 years, Ando has worked as an athletic trainer in the field of football and soccer. During that time, he also taught as a faculty member in the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Currently, at "Yuni Acupuncture Clinic" (by appointment only), he treats each patient individually, carefully teaching a regimen rooted in daily life based on the concepts of Oriental medicine.
Not a one-size-fits-all, ten different regimen for each person
At the end of the day, it was raining. Unfortunately, it was raining on the day of the event. Entering a small alley, you will see a blackboard, the landmark of Yuni Acupuncture Clinic.
The unique blackboard gently interweaves points of cure into a life-sized perspective, such as "If you are feeling listless or sluggish, it's the humidity" or "Stretch a little and get over it! and other unique blackboards that gently interweave points of curing into a life-size perspective are the ones that Ando has been writing every day since the opening of the clinic in 2015.
First, we asked Mr. Ando about his background and his thoughts on curing.
Ando:
"For many years, I have been involved in the work of athletic trainers, supporting the physical development of competitive athletes. While working with a variety of athletes, I came to realize that although my job is to support their physical development, it is not the only thing I do. Many people think of training and stretching when they hear the word "bodybuilding," but in the first place, it is food that makes the body. In addition, how well are you resting? What about mental health? I have come to care about many other things as well, such as how well I am resting.
Ando:
"When I work with high school athletes, their families ask me. What should I feed them?" They ask me, 'What should I feed them? This is not about technique or tactics at all, but something more rooted in life. As I was consulting with them, I began to think not only about practice time, but also about their "life" after they go home. It is important to examine one's entire life, not just one's back because one's back hurts or one's shoulder because one's shoulder hurts. This is also the concept of Oriental medicine."
While Western medicine treats by directly approaching the part of the body that is wrong, such as with medication or surgery, Oriental medicine focuses on overall treatment. This way of thinking, in which the entire body, including the mind, is considered as a single entity, is exactly what Ando felt in the field.
The important thing is to be realistic.
Ando
Mr. Ando deals with a variety of patients on a daily basis. What is important to you in your consultations?
Mr. Ando:
"It is whether or not it is realistic. For example, how many grams of protein should I take a day? or don't look at your phone or computer for an hour before going to bed! and so on. There are some kind of ideal indicators, aren't there? But don't you ever think that it is actually too much for you now? If you try to conform to the ideal, you will be overwhelmed somewhere, and if that itself becomes stressful, it will be a real downfall. Therefore, what is important is not idealism but realism. The more realistic it is for the person, the more likely it is to improve symptoms and lead to a continuous regimen.
Being close to the patient's current situation is also a way to increase realism, Ando continues.
Ando:
"Lifestyles change all the time, even for the same person. I am sure everyone has busy and difficult times in their lives, such as work situations, child-rearing, and caregiving. Comparing those times with other times, the time and energy you can spend on taking care of yourself will naturally be different. Marie Kondo, an expert on tidying up, said in an interview that she gave up tidying up perfectly after giving birth to her third child.
There are definitely times in life like that.
So, I can't do it now! I accept that.
I accept that you may say, "I can't do that right now! Life is full of many things, but I don't want to give up on living a healthy life.
Mr. Ando:
"I believe that the three most important elements in regimen are rest, eat, and move. First, rest well. Next, eat to replenish nutrition. Then move.
But many people think that they have to do something in order to be healthy. Exercise, add or change foods, etc. But wait a minute. How much sleep do you get every day? Do you wake up refreshed in the morning? When I ask, many people shut up and say, hmmm ....... First of all, we need to do something about this. We often hear that people are so busy that they cut back on the time they should be resting. If that is the case, I would like you to incorporate resting as one of your tasks. That is how many people are not resting enough. Why don't you start by making time to do nothing before you try to start something new?"
When Mr. Ando was injured in a track and field event in high school, his acupuncturist told him, "You have too much strength in general, so relax more and you will be fine.
At the time, he wondered why she said that, but now he understands the truth of it, he said with a smile.
The first step is to let go of the tension in your body and mind and take a good rest.
How about taking a deep breath once a day as a first step?
In the next issue, Part 2, we will share with you Ando's HAA time (= time when you can take a deep breath) and ideas for a regimen that you can easily put into practice. Enjoy.
[Yuni Acupuncture Clinic]
Location: 52-11, Jodoji-Shimonanda-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
HP: http://humanitekyoto.com/
