A Healthy approach to life - Life Philosophy
(Please understand that the following is a synopsis)
Over thousands of years of research and development, the Japanese developed a natural approach to prevention, recovery and enhancement based on what are termed "The Big five factors of Health" (Godai in Japanese) which relate to the interconnection between;
Physical Health - Muscles, bones, joints, tendons, mobility, etc
Mind health - Our emotions, thoughts, reactions, memory, etc
Nutritional health - Selection, digestion and toxin excretion
Energy health - Our vitality, organ functions, signal system, etc
Environment - Our adaptability and life changes
And the recognition of the interconnection between these five factors of health.
For example how stress causes or is accompanied by neck and shoulder tension, how headaches can be caused by certain foods and how our energy level changes according to our health and mobility. In fact; Most health and mobility conditions reflect into the five factors of health. Therefore "True" prevention is obtained by the harmonization of these five factors of health.
The Japanese natural healing approach is to treat the entire person!
This means the balancing and harmonization of the "Big Five" factors of health.
In other words - Physical, Nutritional, Mind, Environment and Energy "Balancing"
The "Balancing" or harmonization of ones self, other people (Or animals) can be achieved through - Self treatment, Healthy Exercise, Defence of the self and, Therapies (Medical treatment) applied to others.
Therefore this is a complete and complimentary approach to health.
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In life application
How this works both in "Clinical" practice and in self use?
We must first remember the interconnection between our physical, Emotional, Nutritional, Energy and Environmental health (The big five factors of health - Godai) which includes the consideration of the "Bigger picture" (Gairon in Japanese)
It is important to also recognize that the following (listed ways) individually have an integrated effect on each other!
In 'Therapy' (Clinical practice)
Practitioners integrate a range of different therapies to 'balance' the person, reduce the symptoms and help to restore normal function.
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Japanese Physical Therapy integrates massage, acupressure, spine and joint correction, visceral therapy, ligament balancing, mobilization, the use of liniments, poultices, strapping/support and remedial exercise. This has often been described as "Japanese Osteopathy" with acupressure/shiatsu, lymphatic drainage and Cranial balancing. Japanese physical therapy also takes an approach of treating the 'localized'area and the persons physical balance from head to toe - to fingertip - improving posture and mobility.
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Japanese Energy Therapy uses acupressure/shiatsu, visceral therapy, acupuncture (Which can be achieved with needles and/or heat and magnets) brushing of the energy channels and super tonic formulas. In addition the physical therapy - which is always used in conjunction with the energy balancing methods assists in this process.
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Japanese Nutrition Therapy uses the inclusion or avoidance of specific foods, health tonics and "Grade 1" herbs such as lyceum berries (Rich in vitamins A, C and E) codonopsis (which raises our immune functions) Liquorice root (which improves digestion and excretion) etc... In addition visceral therapy improves the organ functions, physical therapy changes the bodies demands and energy balancing harmonizes the functions.
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Japanese Emotional balance is achieved by all of the above - especially the organ/emotion and muscle/organ correlations. For example Liver organ or meridian imbalances cause anger and frustration, therefore lyceum berries (Help clean the liver) acupressure/acupuncture of the liver channel and the removal of muscular tension/strains, decrease this emotion. In addition reflex re-patterning is used to 'change' our emotional responses, by changing our responses to traumatic events.
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Environmental adaptability is naturally improved by all of the above! In addition ergonomic 'tuition' and life style advice, assist in this process.
Practitioners of this integrated Japanese natural approach are therapists in these individual approaches - but their integration is surely a better approach! Which is why patients often remark "Seeing a practitioner of Japanese natural healing/medicine is akin to receiving treatment from 5 (or more) therapists at the same time!
Many of the practitioners (especially the teachers) of Japanese naturopathic medicine (Amatsu ryoho - amatsu therapy) also hold qualifications in; Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Chiropractic Sacral Occipital technique, Nutrition, Hypnotherapy, Neuro linguistic programming, Kinesiology, Cranial Osteopathy, Cranial - sacral therapy, Midwifery, Reiki, Shiatsu, Aikido, Bujutsu, Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu, Yoga, macrobiotics, etc...
The same philosophy of considering the bigger picture can be found within all of the above.
Even in martial and military strategy, it is well known that the physical,emotional, nutritional, energy and environment can be used to overcome a person, army and even survive the ways of nature.... In our modern world, the 'western' medical establishment is now becoming more 'aware' of how our diet can effect our emotions, energy levels and physical function.
At a deeper level Japanese naturopathic Doctors and practitioners also understand and apply, the concepts of internal/external, polarity (Yin/Yang - or "In/Yo" in Japanese) but always with the consideration of the entire person.
We have 'attempted to provide the philosophy behind all of the Japanese therapies and their integration - to harmonize the five factors of health. Which most people agree are very important.
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