Kuzu (also spelled Kudzu) is one of the world’s largest and hardiest vegetable roots. In Japan and China it’s a very important medicinal food and has been used for a range of digestive disorders for over 2000 years. Clinical studies done in China show that Kuzu root preparations can reduce high blood pressure, relieve chronic migraines and ease aches in the shoulders and neck. The flavonoids in Kuzu have also been shown to lower cholesterol levels, reduce the chance of blood clots and protect against heart disease. Recent research has even indicated it can be helpful when used to reduce alcoh ..read more

Autumn time can be a huge shock for our bodies. We go from the heightened energy of summer and late summer to a sudden drop in temperature and also a drop in the movement of energy. We see this all around us in nature as leaves change colour and begin to drop. If you haven’t prepared your body for this drastic change, it can wreak havoc in the form of colds, flus, sinus troubles, migraines, skin breakouts and respiratory challenges (including Covid). The good news is you can support your body through this change with seasonal and intentional movements (konnichi wa Japanese yoga!) and by makin ..read more

The muscle you can see being worked in this picture is the psoas (sow-az) muscle. You’ll find in Japanese yoga during the season of Late Summer (and each time the seasons are transitioning) there are many poses we do to access this muscle. One of the main reasons is for this is it runs along the part of the body where you can also activate the two Late Summer/seasonal transition meridians- spleen and stomach, belonging to the Earth element.  The psoas muscle is one of my favourite muscles to talk about and work with in Japanese yoga classes because it’s so important for your spine (and l ..read more

March 3rd is called Hinamatsuri ひな祭り in Japan and is a day to celebrate female children, and pray for their continued health and happiness. Young girls often put on their best kimonos and visit their friends’ homes. It’s common for Japanese homes with girls to put up elaborate doll displays of the Empress and Emperor and their entourage -these can be family heirlooms passed down through generations. They’re called hina-ningyou ひな人形. Superstition says if you leave your dolls up for too long the girl won’t get married.  In my feisty feminist 20s (I’m in my feisty feminist 40s now) – I deli ..read more

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Karen.  Karen believed everything she was taught at school, including there are only four seasons, that you’ll go to hell if you’re not a Christian and that Australia was discovered by Captain Cook.  Karen loved being called a good girl and would silently beat herself up anytime she was said or did anything less than perfectly. Little Karen was a bit anxious. Fast forward a few decades and little Karen is now big Karenna.  She’s gradually unravelling her perfectionism and gives much less f$@#s about others opinions.  Big Kare ..read more

I’ve noticed over the years there are 2 main types of people when it comes to Valentine’s Day: the Celebrators and the Conscious Abstainers. I don’t think it matters which camp you’re in. ‘To each their own’ as Mum used to say And- for me- I’ve never really been into it. There’s something about someone else telling me when I ‘should’ be romantic and loving that makes me instantly want to rebel. How about you? Are you a Celebrator or a Conscious Abstainer? What I prefer to do instead is dial up the self-love on Valentine’s Day with food. And since I live with my family and we eat meals togethe ..read more

Ever since I remember, my daughter Maya has been allergic to mozzie bites.  One time when she was around 2 we had to abort a trip to the zoo because the bites on her little ankles had swollen up so much she couldn’t fit her shoes anymore.  I’m not sure what it is with the zoo and mozzie bites but the pic you see with the 2 big face bites was also taken on a zoo visit! I’ve lost count of how many Dr visits we had in those early days of puss, swelling and fevers – all due to mozzie bites.   The best we were told we could do was to give her Claratyne (an over-the-counter anti ..read more

Have you ever noticed you’re prone to certain health issues at certain times of the year? Spring hay fever is the perfect example of this. For those of us now in summer, you may be noticing you’re experiencing some or all of the following challenges:  -Neck pain -Shoulder tension (including frozen shoulder) -Anxiety -Insomnia -Depression -Poor Circulation  -Dull Complexion -Low immunity (hello summer colds and flu) The good news is summer’s also the BEST time of year to support your body to move beyond these issues with seasonal, Japanese yoga. Not in summer right now but still feel ..read more

Christmas, New Year and January in general can be a time of over-indulgence in every way: food, alcohol, socialising and activity. While Covid shook things up this year and for some may have dampened Christmas and New Year celebrations (I was in lockdown for both), for many of us the farewell to 2020 gave the green light to indulge even more than usual. Thankfully for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, the season of summer is very forgiving. It’s a time when nature has an outward and upward quality that gives us a bit more ‘wiggle room’ to indulge and enjoy being out there in the world t ..read more

Imagine a world where all body types were accepted and loved. Where natural differences in colour, shape, size and ability were respected and appreciated as the norm. A world where cookie-cutter ideals of beauty were a relic of the past. And women were free from the self-critical gaze of each other and deep mistrust of the sisterhood (reinforced by centuries of patriarchy and internalised misogyny). Welcome to the world of Japanese Yoga. Not just a yoga style. Not only a holistic approach to life and eating in sync with the seasons and nature. But a movement. A movement away from colonised, p ..read more