April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month so I’m going to be sharing lots of information regarding Chinese Medicine and Living Well with Parkinson’s, culminating in a free Qi Gong class at the end of the month, plus a whole month of Qi Gong, Acupressure and Food Medicine during the month of May.  Sign up for the free class at the end of this blog.

Apathy and fatigue can be the nemesis of people with Parkinson’s.

Regular physical activity can help your mood, your energy levels, your balance and your motivation, but you need to plan it. You need to make sure it works around your medication timings and be careful that it is not so intense or tiring that you get thrown off course.

Chi Flow with Jo is a gentle daily exercise class with a dedicated community full of support, when you feel like giving up.

A Partner’s Perspective: Navigating Parkinson’s with Qi Gong

My husband, Davy, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s eight years ago, and together we’ve navigated this journey with the support of Qi Gong and Chinese Medicine.

As his partner, Qi Gong teacher and Shiatsu Acupressure practitioner I’ve seen how daily Qi gong practice helps Davy sleep better, maintain flexibility, balance, and strength, and address the emotional challenges that often go unseen.

Qi Gong isn’t just for him, though. Practicing alongside him in Chi Flow with Jo helps me stay grounded, resilient, and compassionate. It strengthens my ability to show up with loving kindness while also honoring my own limits and health. Together, Qi Gong has become our shared source of strength, helping us both move through life with greater ease and flow.

Click here to watch Joanne and Davy discuss what works for them and how they work together. 

“I use Chi Flow with Jo to relax the body and helps body move in a smooth way. Even when I’m out walking, I try to think about my Qigong moves so I walk in Qigong way, not a robotic way.” says Davy.

Simple things like imagining he has little lemons under his armpits, gives Davy space so when he’s walking, his elbows don’t end up stuck to his waist, there’s more flow and less shuffle.

The Qigong practice that we do every morning helps to just bring centered ease to the body. 

Pendulum Swing: A Simple Qi Gong Practice for Strength and Ease

Research shows that exercise and physical activity can not only maintain and improve mobility, flexibility and balance but also ease non-motor PD symptoms such as depression or constipation.

“People with PD who start exercising earlier in their disease course for a minimum of 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. Establishing early exercise habits is essential to overall disease management.”

Here’s a super easy exercise (video demonstration in the free mini ebook) called “Pingshuai Gong: The pendulum swing”

Start: Feet shoulder-width apart, relax shoulders, and bend your knees slightly. imagine a chord coming up out of the top of your head lifting and aligning your spine.

Inhale: Raise your arms loosely to shoulder height, palms facing down.

Exhale: Allow your hands and arms to drop in a smooth, pendulum-like motion.

Inhale: Returning arms back to shoulder height.

EXHALE: Repeat the pendulum-like swing, slightly bending your knees.   Coordinate your breath with the movement, and find your rhythm

Finish: Bring your hands to rest over the Lower Dan Tien, below the belly button, using them to “gather” and seal the energy.  Complete the practice with three rounds of slow, deep abdominal breathing, focusing on the warmth and vitality collected in the Dan Tien.

The Breath-Body Connection: Boosting Vitality Through Qi Gong

Breathing is often overlooked because it happens automatically, but how we breathe has profound effects on our health and well-being. For those living with Parkinson’s, the way you breathe can either support or hinder muscle function, blood flow, and overall flexibility and vitality.

A fundamental aspect of Qi Gong is learning to match your breathing with movement which in your daily life can help to reduce stress levels, improve focus and concentration, plus boosting overall physical and mental health.  

Healing Hands: The Transformative Power of Touch for Parkinson’s

In my last blog I discussed food medicine for Parkinsons where I discussed the  the 5 element system and the nourishment of blood. When Kidney and Liver energy is weak, the strength and the flow of blood also becomes weak. 

When we strengthen Kidney energy through exercise, and acupressure we help vital blood to flow and nourish organs, ligaments, muscles and tendons, relieving spasms, cramps, twitching, improving sleep and ease of the body.

If you are a caregiver, you can do this for somebody and then swap, let your partner do it for you.  It calms anxious nerves and releases excess, stagnated or agitated energy. 

Simply stroke from the top of the head, down over the spine to the small of the back, following the bladder meridians in the image.  Repeat slowly and gently from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  Don’t worry about believing all the Chinese Medicine or knowing all the meridians simply try it and see.  

Either side of the spine is the bladder meridian which is the partnered to the kidney energy system. This simple exercise strengthens the kidney/bladder energy which governs and regulates the nervous system.

The Magic of Acupressure: Points to Calm and Rejuvenate

The Kidney energy system in Traditional Chinese Medicine would also govern the bones, the brain, the hormones, glands.  Studies have shown that using this complimentary therapy improves “Non-motor symptoms of PD include cognitive dysfunction, depression, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal, and bladder dysfunction, fatigue, sensory abnormalities, autonomic dysfunction, mentation, behavior, mood, and quality of life problems.”

☯️At the same time as stroking the bladder meridian either side of the spine try incorporating some acupressure points.

This is one you can do yourself of for someone else.

Begin by rubbing gently the occipital ridge, just where the back of the skull meets the neck.  This whole area is great for relieving neck and shoulder pain, increasing blood flow to reduce headaches and migraines caused by tightness, tension or stress.

Then find the hollow area at the base of your skull, slide up until your thumb finds the bony protrusion and you have landed on Governing Vessel 16: Wind Mansion.

This point

• ☯️ Nourishes the “sea of marrow” and the brain.
• ☯️ Eliminates wind (not flatulance but rather an internal chaotic energy that causes tremors, spasms and dyskinesia, see previous blog for details)
• ☯️ Calms the spirit, relieving anxiety, worry, insomnia and mania.

Traditionally we use the thumb to massage the acupoint with deep and steady pressure.

How to press a point

Touch: A Path to Well-Being

Studies show touch can reduce chronic pain and it is recommended it as part of a daily routine

Touch is one of the most profound ways we can connect with ourselves and others. It offers a bridge between the physical and emotional, soothing the nervous system, easing tension, reducing anxiety, and fostering a sense of safety and well-being.

The long-term use of levodopa and other medications for Parkinson’s commonly leads to a loss of efficacy and complications. Therefore, many people living with PD have turned to complementary therapies for support and to help relieve their symptoms.

Integrating Qi Gong and Acupressure: Thriving with Parkinson’s

Integrating Qi Gong and acupressure into daily life can be transformative for those living with Parkinson’s. Together, these practices nurture physical strength, emotional balance, and inner peace, addressing both visible symptoms and the unseen challenges like anxiety or fatigue. By embracing the gentle movements of Qi Gong and the soothing power of acupressure, individuals and caregivers alike can create a sanctuary of healing and connection. While Parkinson’s presents unique difficulties, these time-honored practices offer tools to thrive, fostering vitality, resilience, and a deeper sense of well-being.

Try the Qi Gong and Self Shiatsu acupressure and sign up for a free Qi Gong class at the end of every month. Whilst they may not cure you they will help you Live well with Parkinson.   May you be happy, safe and well.