Feeling Sluggish or Bloated? Support your gut health with Shiatsu
- Aug 1, 2025
- 7 min read
The Late Summer season, Earth Energy and how Shiatsu and nutrition can support you if your gut is feeling off and you're looking for masssage to help.
When we think of the seasons, there are four; but in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there’s a very special "fifth season" – Late Summer. It’s a short, transitional time between the height of summer and the start of autumn, but it plays a powerful role in how our bodies and minds feel. In TCM, this period is associated with the Earth element, and with the organs of the Spleen and Stomach and is represented as a golden yellow! It is also where gut health begins and you can nip issues in the bud if you start with supporting your gut health with Shiatsu.
Earth energy is all about stability, nourishment, and grounding. Just like the soil that feeds and holds us, Earth in our bodies is what allows us to process food, absorb nutrients, and feel centred in both body and mind. When Earth energy is balanced, we feel nourished, calm and clear-headed. When it’s out of balance, we can feel heavy, stuck, and overwhelmed. Today I’ll explore what late summer and Earth energy mean for your health, how imbalances show up, and how shiatsu and nutritional choices can support you through this important seasonal shift.
How Late Summer Imbalances Show Up in the Body
Late summer is characterised by warmth and humidity. In TCM, this is often referred to as “dampness”, and it can be a real challenge for the digestive system. If Earth energy is struggling, the first place we often notice it is in the middle of the body — the stomach, digestion, and even our muscles.
Some common physical symptoms of Earth imbalance in late summer include:
Digestive issues: bloating, indigestion, loose stools or sluggish digestion.
Fatigue and heaviness: that dragging, lethargic feeling, as though your body is weighed down.
Muscle weakness or tired, heavy limbs.
Bruising easily or noticing varicose-type symptoms, as the Spleen struggles to “hold” blood and fluids properly.
Yellowish tinge around the mouth or eyes (Earth’s associated colour).
But Earth imbalance doesn’t just affect the body — it influences the mind too. The Spleen is linked with our ability to think clearly and process information. When it’s out of balance, we can feel mentally bogged down. Emotional and cognitive symptoms often include:
Worry and overthinking, looping thoughts that never switch off.
Difficulty concentrating or feeling mentally foggy.
Feeling stuck – in body, mind or emotions.
If you’ve noticed any of these signs, your Earth element may need a little extra support. If you're born under the sun signs of Virgo, Taurus or Capricorn or they are a strong influence in your birth chart then you are more susceptible to an Earth energy weakness. I see this in both me and my mum (Virgo's) my dad who was a Capricorn (and didn't believe in this nonsence!) and my Aunt who has a strong Taurus element. We can't deny that the Earth energy is an imbalance and manifests in different health issues.
Why Choose Shiatsu for Earth Balance?
When people feel tired, sluggish, or stressed, the first instinct is often to book a massage. And while massage is wonderful for loosening up tight muscles, shiatsu offers something deeper.
Shiatsu is a Japanese form of bodywork rooted in the same principles as TCM. Instead of focusing just on muscles, shiatsu works with the body’s meridians — energy pathways that connect to our organs and overall vitality. A shiatsu practitioner takes into account your whole system: how energy is flowing, where there’s weakness, and how this links to the symptoms you’re experiencing.
This makes shiatsu particularly powerful in late summer. If you’re feeling bloated, drained, or foggy, a session won’t just relax your shoulders; it will target the imbalances behind your fatigue. The treatment uses gentle pressure, stretches, and supportive holds to restore balance. People often describe feeling “reset” afterwards — clearer, lighter, more centred.
Unlike a regular massage, which may give temporary relief, shiatsu works to harmonise your whole body. In this season (September), a shiatsu treatment can:
Support digestion by stimulating the body’s centre and encouraging healthy nutrient absorption.
Clear fatigue and heaviness by improving circulation of fluids and energy.
Calm the mind by soothing worry and grounding your thoughts.
It’s the kind of treatment that doesn’t just ease symptoms but helps you move into autumn with more resilience!
Did you know?
Brain fog starts in the gut!
If you regularly don't have a clear mind and thought clarity, if you're not feeling energised and ready to start the day on waking; f you get regularly anxious or you feel nauseous easily - these are all signs your gut and earth energy are out of whack.
Nutritional Support for Late Summer
Alongside shiatsu, what you eat can make a huge difference to how you feel in late summer. Because the Earth element governs digestion, food choices are especially important right now.
The Spleen and Stomach prefer warmth and steadiness. Cold, raw or damp-forming foods (like ice cream, smoothies, raw salads, refined sugar, and too much dairy) can weaken digestion and create more “dampness”. Instead, focus on warm, cooked meals that feel comforting and grounding.
Supportive foods for Earth energy include:
Whole grains: rice, millet, oats, barley.
Root vegetables: carrots, sweet potato, squash, parsnips — naturally sweet and nourishing.
Yellow and orange foods: corn, squashes, sweet potato, peaches, papaya — aligning with Earth’s colour.
Legumes and pulses: chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans — in moderation, cooked well.
Warming spices: ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel — help digestion and clear dampness.
A few practical tips:
Start the day with a warm breakfast — congee (rice porridge) with sweet potato and ginger is a traditional choice in China. However here I would suggest warmth and protein rich. Or if you go for a porridge (or yoghurt) then include the warming spices of ginger/ cinnamon/ cardamom.
Drinks should be room-temperature water or herbal teas.
Cook vegetables lightly rather than eating them raw.
Eat at regular times, with your main meal around lunchtime when digestive energy is strongest.
These small shifts can strengthen your centre and stop that heavy, sluggish feeling before it starts.
Lifestyle Practices to Ground Earth Energy
Nutrition and shiatsu are powerful tools, but lifestyle also plays a role. Late summer is a time to slow down, gather yourself, and prepare for the busy months ahead:
Gentle movement: practices like walking, Tai Chi, Qi Gong or restorative yoga help circulation without draining energy.
Mindfulness: take moments to pause, breathe, and quiet the mental chatter. Overthinking is the Spleen’s biggest drain.
Singing or humming: yes, really! The Earth element resonates with sound, and using your voice can be a surprisingly grounding practice.
Routine: regular mealtimes, balanced sleep, and daily rhythms are nourishing for Earth energy.
A Grounding Daily Rhythm
The Earth element is about grounding and this is beneficial for all and especially for those that feel detached from nature, feel anxious regularly or struggle to keep a clear head.
Starting the day with the correct nourishment (and this can include remembering to take your supplements) as well self massage and a connection with nature even if this is walking around barefoot or stopping to breathe in fresh air outdoors for one minute. Grounding strengthens your Earth energies which feed into your lifeforce - this is replenishing.
In the evenings opt for soups or roasted root vegetables, wind down with a short self-shiatsu routine or mindful breathing, and allow yourself time to switch off mentally before bed. Small rituals like these create steadiness in a season where the body naturally craves grounding.
Rest, Recharge & Shiatsu Flow - Support your gut health
Late summer isn’t just about digestion and energy — it’s also about giving yourself a pause before the pace of the year speeds up again. In the UK, many of us notice that once September arrives, life doesn’t really slow down until the Christmas break. Autumn brings a rush of school routines, darker evenings, work deadlines, and the general busyness that carries us all the way to December.
That’s why late summer is such an important window to rest, restore and re-energise. Think of it as nature’s invitation to top up your reserves — grounding yourself, supporting your digestion, and giving your body the nurturing it needs so you enter autumn with strength, clarity, and resilience.
Whether it’s through warming foods, a grounding shiatsu treatment, or simply taking a little extra time to slow down, the way you look after yourself now will carry you through the months ahead with much more ease.
Don't get caught up in the 'back to school' rushing mentality that comes with September. Embrace this late summer season as your cue to pause, reset, and come back to balance — before the next cycle (Autumn) sweeps in with shorter days and darker nights. Shiatsu can also help you resolve the seasonal shifts that can knock you out of kilter and support you if you're affected by the lack of light.
Did you know?
Between 1st September and the autumnal clock change we lose 4.5 hrs of daylight just in the evenings?
Book a shiatsu massage if you're feeling sluggish or bloated
You don't need an excuse to book in for a shiatsu, you just maybe curious or know that you could feel better. Most of what we feel is in the energetic realm - this means you feel it but can't necessarily describe or pinpoint it. You may go for medical tests/scans and you're told nothing is wrong; but you feel like something just isn't right. This is an energetic feeling!
If you've ever searched for massage for bloating you're not alone! Lymphatic drainage massage is a key part of Shiatsu too.
Book in for Shiatsu for Health or if you'd like to just know how shiatsu feels and you love having a facial then I have my fantastic new Shiatsu Holistic Facial!
See all treatments here.
About Andrea at Shiatsu Bodyworks Cheltenham
Andrea is a qualified zen shiatsu and Chinese medicine practitioner with over 20 years immersed in holistic therapies and the energetics of mind and body. Based in Cheltenham, UK she offers in house clinic and online sessions to help people and dogs with midlife health issues. As well as shiatsu she may incorporate Bach flower remedies and pharmacognosy using essential oils. She is a menopause specialist too, you can find out more at cotswoldmenopause.co.uk
Shiatsu: Gentle bodywork to make your body work better!
Comments