Boost Immunity & Reduce Stress Naturally with Shiatsu and Supplements
- Andrea Marsh
- Oct 1
- 8 min read
I first experienced clients with a deep level of exhaustion that shiatsu alone couldn’t combat when I met fatigued menopausal women. Whilst training in shiatsu we were taught that we had everything within us to heal us and this added to my frustration; if we have this energy, where was it hiding? One day a client with an autoimmune disorder sparked a light bulb moment; she said: that’s all well and good if you have the full deck to begin with. In that moment I realised the Chinese medicine term of Depletion was the underlying root cause to why there wasn’t a noticeable increase in their energy. Today’s blog is going to explore this – why if you’re fatigued on a daily basis you need to understand what is missing in your body and how it’s linked to symptoms and how to replenish your energy. I’ll explore how you can boost immunity and reduce your stress naturally with shiatsu and supplements to support your health.
How Supplements Boost Immunity & Reduce Stress Naturally
The very basics of traditional Chinese medicine teach us a simple model based on the Yin/ Yang symbol. These tendencies group together to tell me whether you have a YIN or YANG condition but before I even build that picture, I simply check whether you’re too hot or cold and whether your symptoms group to show you have an excess (can be similar to heat) condition or you are depleted; which is linked with coldness and fatigue.
An Excess Condition in Chinese Medicine
This is a state where you have too much of something or too much of it in the wrong place. If you bash your knee and it’s hot red and inflamed - this is localised excess (and external i.e. you can see it or it’s near the surface) and requires the classic R.I.C.E – rest ice compression elevation. However, you may also have an excess condition that you can’t see and it can cause anything from migraines to night sweats.
The good news about excess conditions is that they are easily spotted and the situation of too much of something can be dissipated or cooled; this is how a lot of western medication works. Anything with mint or methyl in can primarily help; along with other cooling herbs. If you have excess in your joints, they will feel tight and hot and prefer something to cool them down. If you have excess heat at night, it will interrupt your sleep and you may have some cooling tactics already; though you’re only managing the situation rather than resolving it.
In building a pattern of excess something needs to be shifted along or removed altogether. An example of temporary relief would be to apply cooling gels to your joints or taking a medication to relieve a headache (paracetamol is cooling; it’s why you take it to lower a fever). However, if you want to get to the root cause for longer relief, you’ll be looking at herbal supplements to reduce inflammation.
A Depletion Condition in Chinese Medicine
What if your knee really hurts and you don’t remember bashing it? What if this daily ache has appeared over time and what if it hurts when touched and you feel relief with massaging it and warming it? This is a localised depletion condition; it’s cold and you can’t see any inflammation but it hurts and you don’t know what caused it. If you then take this to an internal condition you may not even register anything is wrong physically but you may feel it emotionally or just know that you don’t feel right.
These are the conditions that shiatsu is excellent for unearthing!
Depleted issues don’t have an obvious cause – you feel tired all the time and you don’t know why because you sleep well. Or you may sleep badly and you still don’t know why this is. You may feel more nervous or anxious. You may just think you’re a cold person or that you always have lower back problems; maybe your joints are worse in cold damp weather? You know that applying heat gives relief to joints or period cramps or shoulder tension; but does adding heat help your fatigue? Yes, it will (with time) if added in the right way – warming foods applied warmth to acu points/organs and herbal/nutritional supplements all support this.
When your ailments present as a pattern of depletion the answer is that your body is missing something and this needs to be added in. I liken depletion to a car tank needing petrol!
What then is the fuel for human beings (and animals)? Nutrients! Vitamins and minerals are your petrol and you’re on red if you’re fatigued and aching all the time.
What causes depletion in your body and health?
The shortest answer is life. A pressured western lifestyle that promotes exhaustion over resting drains a vital energy in your body called Kidney Essence. A lack of sleep with too much stress, exhaustive exercise, a lack of mindfulness in what we do along with not enough nutrients in the soil which grows our food; all exacerbates the issue.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Kidney Essence (Jing) explained:
Kidney Essence is considered a fundamental life force, representing the inherited vitality and energy stored in the kidneys. It is essential for growth, development, reproduction, and overall health. Kidney Essence exists in two forms: prenatal essence, which is inherited from parents and fixed in quantity, and postnatal essence, which can be nurtured through diet, lifestyle, and practices like meditation.
Kidney Essence influences bone health, brain function, reproductive health, and aging processes. A depletion in Kidney Essence is often associated with symptoms of fatigue, weakened immunity, poor memory, and premature aging. TCM practices aim to protect and nourish Kidney Essence to support long-term vitality and balance in the body.
The way to replenish your Kidney Essence comes from lifestyle and is known as the 6 Doctors of health:
Today we’re looking at diet specifically – food andd nutrients and why there is a need for supplements.
Reduce depletion with supplements and increase your energy!
Food grown at the moment is sorely depleted in vital minerals itself with Magnesium being the number one deficiency in all human beings:
“Research on nutrient levels in foods over time, especially magnesium, suggests that mineral content in certain foods may have diminished since the mid-20th century. Analysis indicates that modern vegetables, fruits, and grains may contain less magnesium than those grown in the 1950s. However, the differences aren’t uniform across all types of produce and are often influenced by factors like soil depletion, plant varieties cultivated for yield rather than nutritional density, and updated food testing methodologies. For instance, older crop varieties often contained higher concentrations of certain nutrients, including magnesium, due to different cultivation practices and lower-yield farming methods.” USDA.GOV
While our food is now less nutritious our lives have become more stressed and stress munches through minerals quickly; this is why when you feel more stressed symptoms appear. The stress hormone cortisol needs nutrients to do its job of destressing you. If your cortisol levels are high (it’s released every time with adrenalin) it’ll leech nutrients from your gut, your joints, your brain and this has a knock-on effect to your nervous system and your moods. Stress builds up in your body whether you are aware of it or not.
In my experience and probably because I was the same; it is those people who think they handle stress well (i.e. manage it mentally) who usually stack up the worst symptoms in their body!
Stress in the body is the main cause of depletion if you have a healthy diet already and the only way to get ahead of this is to introduce vitamins and minerals in the form of supplements.
What type of supplements combat stress, fatigue and depletion?
Cortisol requires rich nutrients like vitamins and minerals to help your body recover. In times of stress I do suggest clients take extra certain nutrients.
The one key piece of advice I can give here about your supplements is that they must be plant-based. This is the only way your body will absorb them. Cheaper supplements are synthetic or rock-mineral alternatives and the body does not recognise them as food.
Plant-based supplements are like squeezing 100 heads of broccoli into one capsule… that’s a helluva lot easier than trying to eat all of that in a day! You may already be craving leafy greens or brassica veg like sprouts even – this is your body telling you this is the nutrients it wants. If you’re finding yourself eating a plate of greens and knowing you could eat more you’ll want to switch to the multivitamin that I suggest because your body is craving and knows what it needs. This is not only the petrol in your tank but it’s an indication that your liver is struggling too and would like support to cleanse itself.
This brings me onto herbals.
I mentioned above that herbals have an energetic effect on your vital organs and there are many groups like cleansing ones, stress adaptogens and nootropics to name a few types.
Your liver loves cleansing herbs (and veg) as it’s a giant filter that gets pretty clogged by middle age. Anything that turns to sugar clogs up your liver like fat can clog up your sink.
Your body when stressed likes a stress adaptogen; this is a hardy plant that grows in places like the Himalayas or Siberia. If the plant has endured harsh conditions it’s known in herbal medicine around the world to help us combat stress symptoms.
Nootropics is a group of herbals that has a positive effect on your brain performance and clarity. Then there’s the whole new world opening up on mushrooms and cacao. I’m loving my daily cacao drink with collagen, stress adaptogens and magnesium!
Boost Your Energy Naturally with Shiatsu and Supplements
Are you feeling sluggish, stressed, or run down? The powerful combination of shiatsu and targeted supplements can help restore balance, strengthen your immunity, and boost your energy.
Why Shiatsu First?
If you’ve never experienced shiatsu, many of your symptoms may actually be linked to energetic blockages in the body. After just one session, your system begins to calm, regulate, and rebalance — revealing a much clearer picture of what’s really going on beneath the surface.
Sometimes, localized symptoms (like pain or stiffness) improve dramatically after one treatment. For others, regular shiatsu helps uncover and address deeper, long-term issues. Either way, it sets the foundation for your body to heal more effectively.
Where Supplements Fit In
Once your energy is flowing more freely, plant-based supplements, vitamins, and minerals provide the essential support your body needs. These become especially important if:
Fatigue or stress has been weighing you down
You’re experiencing menopause-related symptoms
Sleep issues or aching joints are interfering with your life
You want long-term resilience, not just short-term fixes
With the right combination of shiatsu and supplements, my clients have experienced relief from fatigue, improved sleep, and reduced joint pain — some of the most common and frustrating issues of midlife.
Take the Next Step
You don’t have to put up with daily symptoms. Start by booking a shiatsu session near you — and to complement your journey, I’ve created a free guide:
Your mind and body deserve more… You deserve Shiatsu.
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 shiatsu sessions to help people with midlife health issues and also offers online consultations for helping you resolve health issues and regain your vitality. She is a menopause specialist too, find out more at cotswoldmenopause.co.uk
Healing starts when you are truly listened to and in shiatsu we listen to what your body is saying...
